Faced with daily setbacks, conflict resolutions, unsettling work habits, inconsistent productivity, and crisis management, among other problems in the workplace, a Manager truly appreciates lighter moments, the stuff that makes this job worth it.

I like big smiles, in particular, as well as belly laughs. There is a Beatles-esque song by Matt Costa that both employees randomly love; they like the beat (good for head-bopping), and the simple chorus lyrics. I managed to snap a picture of N.Lo enjoying the song the other day, so happy he was cracking up all three of us (himself included):

I also like the “cheese” smile, and pretend naptime in the company of dollies. I love the care that went into this setup with K.Lo on the chair cushion, and Ariel on K.Lo’s favorite “Princess” pillow, which she herself can’t sleep without at night. This scene was all K.Lo’s doing:

The Lo.Co. is all mixed up. After my ill-advised complete jinx of a post regarding recent happenings on the Night Shift, K.Lo proceeded to have the one of the worst Night Shift performances in a long while. Screaming and crying ensued, and K.Lo herself wasn’t in much better shape. And, most unfortunately, a bad Night Shift is inevitably followed by a bad Day Shift. K.Lo did make it to the Outsourcer, but cried a little at drop-off, which she has not done in months. N.Lo and I then had a productive morning out running errands for our company, which I don’t discount. Everything went downhill after that.

Cutting four canine teeth simultaneously is a tricky operation, and adding coworker germs into the mix doesn’t help. N.Lo was crabby and fairly inconsolable for the better part of the afternoon, and woke up from his Afternoon Break with a fever. Meanwhile, K.Lo greeted me at Outsourcer pickup by immediately devolving into Whiny Dissatisfaction with Everything. In response, lacking the patience that comes only with a good night’s sleep. the Manager herself wasn’t exactly all positivity and perk.

Night Shift performance so far this evening has been bleak—for N.Lo. He’s still running a fever, even with Tylenol in his system, and cried and cried until he was “rescued,” at which point he puked.

This work week has been pretty much a wash. Looking forward to emerging from Cold and Flu Season (soon, please), so our company can get back to its normal business operations, with more acceptable levels of employee and managerial performance. That is all.

The Night Shift has never really gone “smoothly,” per se, since our company’s inception. However, three years after K.Lo’s hire, we have something of an established, functional routine. K.Lo now, as always, has found a new way to shake things up over the past weeks by requesting in polite (and certainly not-so-polite) ways that the Manager, rather than CEO, take over her Night Shift training.

The CEO, of course, is happy to trade duties, as N.Lo is a model employee at night. Put him in his uniform, brush teeth, lay him down with the all-important blankie, turn out the lights and shut the door. Done. Then he works through the night, typically without interruptions, and occasionally until absurd hours of the morning. Today, for instance, he broke all kinds of company records by sleeping until 11:45 AM. He’s devoted to his work, that N.Lo, what can I say. (Please note, I did check a few times to make sure he was still breathing. Sixteen+ hours of sleep?! It was making me nervous.)

Meanwhile, I’ve taken over a good bit of the Night Shift training with K.Lo. This task had previously been allocated to the CEO, mainly because at the end of long, long Day Shift, if I heard one more tiny whisper of a whine, I would go insane. But, as K.Lo’s Night Shift (and even Day Shift)performance has improved, the job at hand doesn’t seem quite as big a deal. In fact, dare I say it’s almost… relaxing. So long as K.Lo is feeling cooperative and not attempting to bait me (very key conditions here), I have an opportunity to sit in the employee’s cubicle with her, lights out, noise machine on, and read. Reading! It’s a nice thing for a Manager to be able to do every now and then, even (especially?) in a forced context. And, sitting in the dark while a (hopefully) quiet employee settles down after the work day is a good opportunity for Management to unwind as well.

I’m beginning to see why the CEO hasn’t complained too much about the job in the past. When it’s gone well, anyway.

*FOLLOWING MORNING UPDATE: Of course, the second I post anything remotely praiseworthy about employee Night Shift performance, it is jinxed. Most *exasperating* night with K.Lo, EVER. Am calling in Tired and Annoyed today. Something tells me this excuse will not fly with the staff, but I’m going to try anyway.

N.Lo has liked sleeping with a blanket for quite awhile now, and recently has taken to keeping his blankie with him throughout the work day. I’m thoroughly charmed, for whatever reason, that he’s so attached. I do foresee a minor contention with the Laundry Fairy, who has expressed concern she might have trouble snagging said blanket for her own purposes. But aside from this scuffle, I don’t mind N.Lo keeping his own version of a stress ball at his desk. 

I have found it helpful, as a Manager, to assign a series of alternate names to each employee, which serve simultaneous purposes:

1. They show affection. (For real.)
2. They mask extreme annoyance in the face of flagrant ECC violations such as needless repetition and whining.

For example:

“Manager?”

“Yes, K.Lo?”

“Manager?”

“Yes, Sweetie?”

“Manager?”

“Yes, Sweet Darling. What can I do for you.”

“Manager?”

“SWEET GIRL. WHAT. DO. YOU. NEED.”

“Manager?”

“IF YOU DON’T TELL ME WHAT IT IS YOU WANT, WE’RE GOING TO MARCH YOU DOWN TO THE STREET CORNER WITH A BIG FOR SALE SIGN AROUND YOUR NECK! MY DARLING CHILD.”

“Manager?”

And sometimes it is better to remain silent, lest one’s head burst. Because who wants to spend time scrubbing pesky brain matter off the wall.

On a day that doesn’t go quite so well, it helps a Manager to reflect on the good times, the better times, by sorting through recent staff photos that haven’t yet had their mention.

The following tactics can be helpful in relieving tension in the workplace, and/or dispelling *possible* pent-up frustration toward one’s employees or coworkers.

• Use of the water hose, out on the Grounds. When filling the pool, you might spontaneously direct the spray elsewhere, such as onto your employee. Only the ones who can run, of course.
• Also out on the Grounds, use of the squirt gun can be helpful to both Management and employees. May want to double-check skill sets before arming certain employees.
• Inside the office, a strategically spontaneous tickle or (my personal favorite) flip-upside-down maneuver can instantly redirect one’s train of thought and even inspire laughter. Works especially well in response to whining.

Meditation in the Workplace