Well, the inspection team arrived at work this past week and things are different this year than they were last year - last year, there were three people on the team and the inspection lasted 2.5 days; this year, there are two people on the team and the inspection is going to last 4.5 days (two days at the infant - preschool building and two days at my school age building and then the out brief meeting). The inspectors have already spent one day at my building but they will be inspecting things tomorrow as well. So far the duo has been helpful and has trained us on some things while they're here but as of this moment, I don't have a feeling on how things are going overall other than I'm under their microscope.
Last year for our inspection score, we ended up receiving a 82% (national average for this inspection was 83%). I am definitely hoping for a better score this year but I won't even know the preliminary score until Tuesday morning during the out brief. The other building received a score of 94% (or one or two percentage points around that number) so I was hoping to give them a run for their money this year; but I just don't know which direction our score might be headed... I know the score itself is not the most important thing but I do want us to do better than last year. When we were inspected last year, I had only been the director for about 6 months, this time it's been me for the whole year so I'm hoping that makes a difference...
One of the things that does make me feel good about the inspection team is one of the members, through us talking, told me that they love my personality and that I shouldn't change for anyone. That definitely made me feel good since there are times I wonder if I should act differently since I am in management... Knowing that an inspector, who sees lots of different directors in different parts of the country, loves my personality and how I come across helped me know that I'm at least doing that right. Even just hearing those words was enough to give me a spark of muchness and know that I absolutely need to allow me to shine through; I've been trying to shove me into a box again and I have a feeling that's why I've been struggling...
Yesterday the dance troupe that I'm a part of had the opportunity to dance at a restaurant show. This is a very casual gig that we participate at as a group at least once a year (and I've been invited to solo many times). We got there yesterday and the person who was planning on dancing first, her CD wouldn't play. My instructor asked if I would then do my solo. As I was dancing, my instructor and the other dancer were right by the stage talking and listening to clips of new pieces of music to find a piece for her to dance to. I was working with my sword and found it very dangerous/distracting for them to be right next to the stage talking/listening to music. While I can't imagine how the other dancer felt because her music didn't work, I felt it was hurtful and disrespectful for them to try and find a new piece of music while I was trying to perform. Maybe this is something I just need to embrace and learn from it...
One of the things I need to remind myself is that I need to stop trying to let other people define me. Rather than just brushing off what was going on during my solo yesterday, I let it affect my performance and my dance suffered; not only did my solo suffer but so did the duet/trio/group dances that I also participated in. Instead than letting the pressure get to me, I should embrace my muchness and keep moving on; with dance, with work, with my life. Right now, I'm letting other people define my muchness and that needs to change - not at some undefined moment in history, but now. I need to retake to control of me and my muchness.
Well my dear readers, I'm going to bring this to a close for the evening so I can hopefully get some rest tonight before my inspection day tomorrow. I hope when muchness opportunities come your way that you're able to embrace them with both hands and run with it! =)
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Work, work, work...
Let me begin this week by wishing all of the dads out there a Happy Father's Day! I have personally learned so many different things from my Dad growing up and I still learn from him on a regular basis. Dad, thank you for all that you have taught me and continue to teach me - it means more than I can say... (see, nothing too mushy...) =)
I survived another week of summer camp at work and put in just under 60 hours. We were supposed to have a late night event that I was supposed to be the manager on duty; thankfully the event was cancelled. I would've used the event to get work done but it was probably good for me that I didn't have to put in those additional hours. One of the fun things we had happen at work this past week is we had a kid's fun run on Friday afternoon. Several kids asked me if I was going to participate and I did; I didn't run (I'm not a runner) but I did walk about 1.25-1.5 miles so I felt pretty good about that. We had lots of parents attend the event and the kids seemed to have fun so those things made the work worth it.
Participating in the fun run was a really good opportunity for me to get away from the office. This past week, things have been a little crazy in the office as we got word that we're getting inspected this upcoming week. Now I'm not one who believes in necessarily changing things just because we're getting inspected but not everyone I work with feels that way. I see these inspections as learning opportunities and that it's the job of the inspector(s) to find things. I'm not sure when this week they're coming but I will do my best and I ask that my coworkers do the same. I'll let you know next week how well that works out...
Granted, I am a perfectionist and I want to do the best that I can but I don't feel you can do your best if you're trying to throw things together last minute just because you find out inspectors are coming. Looking at where we are this year in comparison to last year, I think the building is in a better place and I'm thinking we're going to better this year than we did last year. I know that some of it will boil down to the interpretation of the criteria from the inspectors but they do give us the opportunity to explain how we are meeting the inspection criteria in the program. One of the things that does make me a little nervous is my boss has said she's leaving me on my own this year so we'll see how that goes.
Something that will help is one of my staff who has been out due to an injury is supposed to be back to work this next week and because many of our families are on vacation, we don't have as many kids enrolled this week in the program. Having lower numbers makes my boss nervous that the inspectors will think that's the norm but everything is in the computer and for whatever reason, this time of year, we've had lower numbers statistically the last couple of years so I'm not overly concerned.
I know I've written it before but I'm going to write it again - I am hoping to find some time this week to do something for me. I know it's going to be crazy busy at work (especially if the inspectors arrive) but I think it's only going to make things worse if I don't find/take opportunities for myself. This past week, I could actually feel my stress levels rising and I had to excuse myself from a conversation before I said something that would've gotten me in trouble at work. I've thought about carrying around a small stress ball for those types of situations but I don't know if that would be my best option because then it just gives me something to throw. =)
Well, I think this might have just taken a turn for the weird so I think I'm going to bring this to a close for this evening. I hope you have a wonderful week my dear readers and I will let you know how the inspection goes next week. Thanks for joining me! =)
I survived another week of summer camp at work and put in just under 60 hours. We were supposed to have a late night event that I was supposed to be the manager on duty; thankfully the event was cancelled. I would've used the event to get work done but it was probably good for me that I didn't have to put in those additional hours. One of the fun things we had happen at work this past week is we had a kid's fun run on Friday afternoon. Several kids asked me if I was going to participate and I did; I didn't run (I'm not a runner) but I did walk about 1.25-1.5 miles so I felt pretty good about that. We had lots of parents attend the event and the kids seemed to have fun so those things made the work worth it.
Participating in the fun run was a really good opportunity for me to get away from the office. This past week, things have been a little crazy in the office as we got word that we're getting inspected this upcoming week. Now I'm not one who believes in necessarily changing things just because we're getting inspected but not everyone I work with feels that way. I see these inspections as learning opportunities and that it's the job of the inspector(s) to find things. I'm not sure when this week they're coming but I will do my best and I ask that my coworkers do the same. I'll let you know next week how well that works out...
Granted, I am a perfectionist and I want to do the best that I can but I don't feel you can do your best if you're trying to throw things together last minute just because you find out inspectors are coming. Looking at where we are this year in comparison to last year, I think the building is in a better place and I'm thinking we're going to better this year than we did last year. I know that some of it will boil down to the interpretation of the criteria from the inspectors but they do give us the opportunity to explain how we are meeting the inspection criteria in the program. One of the things that does make me a little nervous is my boss has said she's leaving me on my own this year so we'll see how that goes.
Something that will help is one of my staff who has been out due to an injury is supposed to be back to work this next week and because many of our families are on vacation, we don't have as many kids enrolled this week in the program. Having lower numbers makes my boss nervous that the inspectors will think that's the norm but everything is in the computer and for whatever reason, this time of year, we've had lower numbers statistically the last couple of years so I'm not overly concerned.
I know I've written it before but I'm going to write it again - I am hoping to find some time this week to do something for me. I know it's going to be crazy busy at work (especially if the inspectors arrive) but I think it's only going to make things worse if I don't find/take opportunities for myself. This past week, I could actually feel my stress levels rising and I had to excuse myself from a conversation before I said something that would've gotten me in trouble at work. I've thought about carrying around a small stress ball for those types of situations but I don't know if that would be my best option because then it just gives me something to throw. =)
Well, I think this might have just taken a turn for the weird so I think I'm going to bring this to a close for this evening. I hope you have a wonderful week my dear readers and I will let you know how the inspection goes next week. Thanks for joining me! =)
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