Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Aggressively Competent

Someone left an article on my chair at work today.  The subject was “Friends who become bosses often change in surprising ways.” It’s an article about people coming into “power” and becoming emotional and bi-polar in their re-actions to their once co-workers and now subordinates.  I have no idea who left the article, or why anyone would leave this type of article on my chair.  I am not a manager, nor do I anticipate becoming one anytime soon.  I’m not manager material – I’m WAY to immature for such responsibility.
It is interesting that someone felt the need to copy the article, write my name on it and leave it on my chair.  Especially after the discussion my mom and I were having about the passive aggressive behaviors I have been dealing with at work from certain people since I started.  Though I feel that I have made huge strides in my professional attitude, I think some people are starting to feel a bit uneasy.  Hence the article.
I think people are really feeling uneasy about me for another reason too.  My group recently went through a re-org.  Out of everyone in the group I was the only one who had a clear change.  I was moved into the technology side of our business group, which is actually a very good fit for both my strengths and work ethic.  I’d already been working for the group, spending over 90% of my time with them, so the switch was pretty logical.  But I have a feeling some people feel threatened by the move. 
The re-org happens to coincide with a very busy time for me.  We’re in the process of rolling out a new software product and doing user acceptance training and testing.  Both of which I am taking a very active role.  Which means I am very busy.  So busy that I don’t have time, nor the inclination really, to chat with people.  I think that is where this article comes in.  (See?  The passive aggressive behaviors are actually working on me.  Instead of being in bed, falling asleep, I am typing furiously at my computer trying to figure out what stupid game some stupid co-worker is playing on me now.  Aurgh!)
Okay.  To the point.  I took the article home with me, not realizing what it was, and was reading it before my writing class.  One of my fellow writers asked me what it was and I started to explain it.  They asked me why I thought I got it and I repeated these lines, “But those who are newly promoted often turn out, despite their acquaintance with lowly stafferdom, to be drunk with power, variously brutal toward their erstwhile friends and whiny about the sudden incompetence that surrounds them.” One person asked me, “but are you surrounded by incompetence?” I said, “Yes!” They said, “well, perhaps you are being aggressively competent and that is the problem.”
By George I think they’ve figured it out.