11:42 p.m. - 2004-05-26
Distress
Headed to the storage facility before going to work this morning. We needed a ballot box and voter screen in case someone wanted to exercise their franchise. We got to the office in good time and met the movers who were to move all the furniture into the offices for us. Two guys, Tom and Ken, who were patient as everyone selected the material most important to them and tried to make it work around the space they had been allocated. There was a big discussion about the placement of certain articles as not being reasonable. My feeling is that the more comfortable a person is with their workspace, the more productive they'll be. I've hired managers who I already know can do a good job and they deserve that right. It seemed though that my second in command and one of the movers felt they knew better than the person setting up their own room. I had to personalize my response and say that I disliked being put in a position where someone else who had less knowledge of my job and work flow felt they had the right to undermine my ability to be as efficient as possible because of exercising their "managerial status". That's just ego talking. I wasn't popular with the two men and it really showed when I wanted my office set up a certain way. I finally had to ask the mover if he was making that judgement on placement, because he thought I was fat. It was definitely a female tactic but it ended the debate and got the action I wanted - my office the way it will work best for me.
Called and confirmed the photocopier that I had preordered a month ago. Received our computers from Canada Post. A little later a single postie came in a delivered a package that was soaking wet - CD and disks yet. Problems with the phones caused a flurry of cell phone calls to Telus. Finally got that all resolved in the late afternoon - we thought. The locksmith was back completing all his tasks too. A lull at lunch meant I could go back to the storage facility for a couple of supply runs with one of our younger workers. He expounded on his views on life while we drove. Instructive. One of number four son's friend and a buddy did two supply runs from my home too.
My Assistant threw a fit because the handling of the supplies being brought in wasn't to his liking. I had stated that I wanted the supplies inventoried and matched against the packing slips to confirm we had actually received all the materials, since there had been big problems with missing items last time. A lot of the staff needed their supplies immediately in order to do their jobs - government paperwork requires the government forms don't you know. All the material for each task had been put in the appropriate office. He had wanted everything held up right in the reception area, until it was all counted. The way it had been done just meant one had to go room to room to count and confirm rather than block up the entry way with a mountain of boxes so it could be done all at one time. Voters come before bureaucracy, I think.
What with the new supplies we may be able to function once the computers are operational. No calls from IBM though to set a time for that task. I called Elections Canada to try and track them down because we have some legislated deadlines that are solely dependent on having those computers available. Ditto for issuing Special Ballots - we have to have the voter number off the Electors List. A couple came in today to vote, because they are leaving the country on holiday after the weekend. I had to ask them to come back - we'd call - once we could get into the computers. Embarrassing that, but not anything over which we have control.
A lot of the office staff showing up for their first shifts meant a fair amount of time swearing them in and showing them what needed doing. It was satisfying to see the people I'd chosen geling into a cohesive team. Most people seemed to like each other and the opportunity to work together. There was no quibbling over who did what and no ego trips about the types of tasks, such as washing down the furniture and dealing with the empty bags and boxes - except for my number two person who continued on from the day before in the same vein. He didn't have enough resources, he said, to call in cleaners or set up the garbage removal. Yet at the same time he would do nothing to help himself as everyone else was doing with their assigned work. He complained about the lack of supplies while fussing about people taking said supplies from the boxes to do their jobs. At the same time each time there was a criticism from him that was blaming and put downs - never an offer to help. Assistant seems to have a different definition in each of our minds.
I can't go on dealing with the constant complaining, obstruction and carping. The women who had to help with inventory were really finding it hard to be around him. I know he's been ill and that there is family stress what with his wife away to be with her mom who is sick, but I can't have him in there taking his frustration out on everyone else. Don't know what I'm going to do. I often wondered during the day if he wasn't trying to pick a fight so he could withdraw from the position without "losing face". It isn't like him to be so petty and destructive under normal conditions. Oi.
I didn't sit down or eat before 5 because of the all of the extra things I needed to deal with. It was at about the time I sat down that the office began to clear out. No point everyone staying when the phones and computers weren't operational. We'd gone as far as we could with preparations so I was fine with the shorter day for them. One special ballot co-ordinator, the two revision team leads, and I stayed behind. Then security issues arose. We had to call the electronic monitoring company to get some additional help. Then we discovered that the locksmith had left one of the outside doors unsecured. We couldn't reach him, so we had to call another company to ensure that we could leave the building safely locked up. Elections Canada called from Ottawa and we found more problems with the telephones. Each problem was resolvable but after the day that had just passed it was beginning to feel a little overwhelming. We just hunkered down and tackled each task one by one until they were resolved. A good finish to the day came when my number two son showed up to help and my printer came in to check out the new headquarters and to talk about business cards. He didn't like the layout Elections Canada had set up. He's been in the business alomsot 60 years - said this was his last job before retiring. His presence at each election has always been one of the most positive parts of my days. Just a tremendous sense of fun and proportion. He has always been able to get me to see the bright side of any situation. Ireplacable I think. MY son seemed to like him too. Good enough for the day came at 9 pm and that is closing time anyway.
Came home to find that my e-mail had been reinstated - EC had turned the home access off in anticipation of the office somputers being set up. So I have been working steady since trying to answer all the e-mail and finish all the extra paperwork that was sent up to us today. I'm beat dear diary, butI've got some other things to complete before I can sleep so I think I'll sign off now. Good night.
�
�
