Incident #1 - Misconceptions
My expectation from the job description and interviews were that there will be coding involved. (Note: When I mention coding, it is referring to native programming languages like Java, C#.)
During the first few SharePoint training, I'm waiting, waiting to show the "codes" in C#, and it never comes. It was after some time as I worked here, that I realize the "coding" refers to the rules set in InfoPath and SharePoint Designer.
Oh, come on ~~~ These could have been clarified earlier! I just want to add on, I'm not the only one who finds this misconception of the word "coding" here.
I changed my expectation thinking since it is new to me, just learn as I go along. No harm.
Incident #2 - Turning the Words
During interviews, expectations set were coding, development. End up, we were asked not to develop for other users. Users were to learn themselves, and we were asked to conduct the trainings! Now tell me, what's this?
Incident #3 - Misleading
Same thing during interview, we were asked if we can OT, or provide support during events, probably at wee hours. That forms the impression we are doing systems that will be used in event days. End up? Intranet. Think about it, who cares about intranet on important event days?
Incident #4 - Micromanaging and Untrust
I'm tasked to do user guide and I'm treated like a 3 year old kid. I have a "teacher" who actually marks my "test paper".
Incident #5 - Political Quarrels
The negative aura in me grows during the "custody" case. I have always been telling myself there's always political issues, as long as it doesn't affect me, that's fine. But particularly through this case, I'm asked to choose to stand sides.
SPF. Appears as one united people to the outside world, but looks like another country (not sure where) with many isolated islands internally, and they fight for food and resources across enemy islands.
Incident #6 - Not Understanding of Staff
During my first talk with my "teacher", she asked in a pissed off tone, "Ask you be tester, you don't want. Ask you do training, you don't want. Then what do you want to do?!" I replied "As in interview, I want to go into more technical areas like development."
In here, what I meant by development, could be just InfoPath and SharePoint Designer. I don't mind actually. I just want to be able to do it. But she claims the work load will be hell lots. Well, that's what we are hired for, isn't it?? Funny question from her
Then moving on, she mentioned "To be honest, your technical skills is not there. You are not technical enough." My thoughts "You already know when you interviewed me. You mentioned you are willing to guide and provide opportunities!"
It ends of with her asking me to wait for the opportunity that the training will be cancelled, and continue to wait...like her, waiting for 4 years before the 2 of us were hired.
Incident #7 - Bad Examples
Whole group of managers and heads including assistant director, constantly complains and comments negatively about others, loud enough for the whole area to listen to. They point their fingers at everyone else but themselves.
Incident #8 - Plans without actions lead to failure
There have been many wonderful plans like:
1) BOOK-IT will be migrated to OutSystems and we will continue to work on it;
2) Move PTD Internal Forms from SharePoint to OutSystems;
3) EAD will be responsible for integrating the many systems in SPF to read from centralised source;
4) Revamp of Intranet Sites;
5) Converting manual forms to SharePoint forms.
Nothing of the above was accomplished due to change of plans or too many options that the leaders doesn't know which direction to take.
Keep Waiting and Smile :)
Incident #9 - No Reflections and No Attempts to Improve
When I surrendered, she looks pissed off and said she thought everything is going better for me. I want to say that's because you never tried to understand your staff. Yes, you asked, "what you want to do?" The misunderstanding comes clear only when I mentioned "by coding, I meant really scripting, typing it out". It is obvious when she mentioned sometime earlier that we would not be able to get Visual Studio installed and have no admin rights. Actually that's fine for me. What I matter is, what is really assigned for me to do. Refer to Incident #8 if needed. There's really no actual work. Even the evaluations task assigned, leads to unknown outcomes and follow up actions. So if you were me, wouldn't you think, "why bother?". I would be contended even if you let me do up the sites for other departments / teams, convert forms etc...
When I mentioned my next role, she asked "Why? You said you didn't want to be a tester! There's a tester role in the upcoming teams!" From this, you know, she doesn't reflect. It doesn't matter what role, what scope. It matters, if you are wasting your time doing nothing meaningful here.
Incident #10 - Slow, reactive, no initiatives
Amazing! I came up with the 10th reason to end off this post. Before I joined the public sector, I noted that it is slow process. However, I never thought it would be slow because of reasons like: "Don't respond so fast so that other people wouldn't think that we are so free to respond them anytime." This was even brought up to the participants during one of my training sessions and I feel so shameful of it. Of course, the one who said this wasn't me.
When I tried to bring in initiatives, good practices of project management, she mentioned I'm doing too much and spoon feeding others. An example would be the user guide for the AOR Repo. But! Guess what?! I was awarded a team award prize for this! (puke ~) And she sent an email to say that she appreciated our efforts that's why the prize!
(Clap)
I didn't know how did I manage to come up with these 10 incidents unknowingly and even organized them in an hour from my mind. I must have been keeping them deep down in my heart for too long that the volcano is ready to explode anytime.
Not sure if you heard of the following quote:
"Don't bother about what you can't control. Focus on those that you can."That's something I can't convince myself to do but I will try to do that in time to come. That will make me a better person too. When I got that in me naturally, probably I will apply back, not to be under her, of course. ;)
To summarize off all the incidents, find the below quote that I find most suitable:
"Employees quit bosses, not their jobs." ;)
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