And a jump for joy. Two Fridays ago I had to give my teams their performance appraisals and guess what? Progress is being made! Or at least it felt like a moment of progress – a step forward in the right direction, at any rate.
After I completed each employee’s review, I asked them to give me some feedback, as well. One young woman actually said that she felt like there was a big difference between the way the women on the team were treated vs. the way the men were treated. And she told me that she was happy I was there. I almost started chanting for joy because up until now it has felt like they could take me or leave me.
She continued to tell me that she thought that I was acting as the voice for the women on the team and that if I wouldn’t have been assigned on the project, things would have been much more difficult for the gals on the team. I’ll be gosh darned.
So, my merry band of bandeetas, I shall continue to tell the lads to shut it and to wait a second when we are in the middle of a conversation and they barge in without noticing that – yes, you are, in fact, speaking to me. I will continue to have them sit and work with you to accomplish tasks in true partnership and I will keep my evil, laser eye stare in their direction when they say things that are a tad off-color.
Promise me that you’ll continue to find your own voice and I promise never to shut mine.
I can happily say that I’ve left a small, smudge print on a glass. Now, let’s see how dirty we can get it.
