I had to grow up.
My Life Enrichment Director and myself sporting our St. Patrick's Day best
When it comes to work, I guess I’ve had it pretty easy in life. Sure, no matter the job you’re going to have bad days, and I have. Every job or position comes with its own set of unique challenges and opportunities, but it wasn’t until this current job that I realized how insignificant those challenges have been. There’s always been someone higher up where I can go for support or guidance or assistance…or to pass the buck.
This job has made me grow up, and fast. I don’t get to use ‘I’m new’ or ‘I’m young’ or ‘I don’t have experience in this field’ as excuses. My title has ‘Director’ in it, and based on that word, people assume I’ve got my act together. And whether or not I actually do, I have to appear that way.
In my first week on the job I gave a tour to a family who was considering choosing our community for their mom (which they ultimately did), and they looked to me to answer their questions about rooms, care, services we can/can’t provide, etc. I had to grow up and figure out answers when I hardly understood the questions.
My Administrator went on maternity leave, and we had some turbulence with our Interim Administrators. When that happened, staff turned next door to my office and came to me with problems. I had to grow up and figure out solutions.
When firemen or first responders come into the building, they’re looking for someone knowledgeable to catch them up on the resident’s history and provide information on the fly to help them best understand the situation and provide the right emergency care. Once they started to recognize me as someone at the building who could help, I had to grow up and be a part of those awful life-threatening situations.
Residents often come to me with issues, concerns, or complaints. Sometimes they’re valid, and sometimes they’re child-like or unnecessary, or I’m just not at liberty to give them the information they’re seeking (why this employee was suspended, what pills that resident is receiving, etc). I had to grow up and learn how to talk to an adult like a child (respectfully) and how to answer a question without answering it.
Our ALF is a smaller community with only 60 apartments, which means we have fewer staff than large buildings. If our housekeeper calls out, we don’t have four other people to turn to for assistance, and that’s when management has to step up and fill in. It still feels strange to say it, but I’m management, so I’ve had to grow up and be flexible.
They say that most people don’t know how high they can excel until the bar is raised to that level. I’d say this experience has proved that point – I had no idea how much I was capable of, until not being capable wasn’t an option.
