Tag Archives: Work

Malleable Inflexibility

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There’s been something going on over the last two, three weeks that has had a major effect on my mood. As a contractor I’m used to having to adapt to different systems, work environments, people, politics, flexable work spaces etc. Most of the time when I start on a new assignment it takes a couple of weeks to get to know people, the system, and everything else I have to work with. It takes time to adjust. So far I’ve been on an assignment by myself mostly, meaning that the contracting company (let’s call it company A) that I work for outsources me as a skilled individual to one of their clients (company B) for a certain period of time. Most of the time I’ll join a team of people but in other cases I have also worked just by myself.

I’ve been doing this for nearly six years now and never ran into problems as I was easily adjusting to new situations and people of company B. At times direct colleagues (from company A) would work for other departments of company B, but I wouldn’t have to work with them. Until about three years ago when I was asked to become part of a scrum team by company A which was placed at one of the ministries. It was the first time I was part of a team of direct colleagues, about 14 of them, divided into two teams. I was the only designer that was hired, so I had to design for both teams. This assignment lasted for a year and half before it all went pear-shaped because of the behaviour of certain team members.

I won’t go into details but let’s say my strong work ethic was way different from theirs and particularly from the scrum master. If there is any chance I would have to work with him again in the future I will refuse it, my manager knows my reasons and agrees with me. There was a clash in the end because apparently I was not allowed to vent my opinion about situations where this scrum master would abuse certain privileges given by the client, which he did almost daily. Because I had said something about it, I was no longer his ‘friend’, I was now his foe, thus he turned the teams of ‘young, malleable, first-time-job graduates’ against me. Who -of course- would follow him like sheep. Talking about professionalism ;)

I was happy to leave this toxic environment. Four months into another government assignment I’m running into something similar. I’m currently dealing with a naysayers scrum team (different client, different scrum team but people from my contracting company) showing similar traits. So far it’s manageable but the main issue is, that another direct colleague from company A has been hired at the current place as an engineer. The product owner that I worked for has left since a couple of weeks and has not been replaced yet. So this colleague is now also temporary product owner and ever since he is feeling his ‘power’ it’s gotten to his head in a negative way, displaying an extremely dominant ‘attitude.

He keeps trying to undermine my position within the department, while I don’t need to answer to him but to another co-worker. And recently he’s been trying to undermine her position as well, telling me that I don’t need her approval on my designs, that he can do that as well. Which is absolutely not true. What he doesn’t understand is that she has certain knowledge and responsibilites that are related to her job and the reason why she is hired. He is basically saying that he has the same professional skills as she does. It would be like me saying that I could easily replace him as an engineer, which I can not because I didn’t study engineering *duh*. He can’t seem to get it through his thick skull tho.

I have no clue what it is that is causing people to act like this. My attitude is and has always been one of trying to solve issues and make sure a client is contented with my designs and solutions. Trying to undermine my position in this as a co-worker is not going to make things easier as I’m not willing to just give up and bow down. I’m not the one causing the friction and you will definitely meet the Capricorn side of me. There’s more but I think it will be best to focus on how to deal with it without getting angry about it. I’m sure there will be a ‘to be continued’… hopefully in a more positive way. If not I might have to draw my conclusion and find another assignment. ‘Solo’ this time…

The Reward

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Yesterday I had my work evaluation, November last year I had to write an extensive report about my intentions, my goals, my planning etc. so yesterday I had to meet up with my unit manager to discuss my report and his comments on what I had written. It was an extremely nice chat especially when he handed over an envelope with a letter. He explained to me that he wanted to give it to me in person this time because last year the letter had been sent to me through regular mail. I still had no idea what he was on about. Then he mentioned that I must have noticed something on my payslip in December. I said I didn’t because I had filled out several expenses claims which were reimbursed.

I read the letter that he had given me and to my surprise I found out that I had -again- received a pay rise, the second time in about a year. This was -among other things- due to the fact that I have taken up a study in October last year. I have been working as a UX designer for some time now but I’ve never taken a course or got any certificates to prove my knowledge about the subject. Basically I have been doing UX as part of any assignment so far as there was no specific education for this at the time. Plus it had always been part of the design process anyway just not as extensive as it is nowadays. So I already had some knowledge because of my work experience over the last 10 years.

UX design is booming at the moment, just like webdesign became booming about 15 years ago. Back then the issue was the same, there was no education and everything I’ve learned I’ve learned through self-study and hands-on experience. But I guess I was a lot more aware of my skills when I was younger, I never had to give anything any thought, I just did what was expected so I learned new skills along the way and had no doubts I could deliver whenever I had to. I was successful and confident. I guess when you get older all of that starts to fade a little so I took on the courses in order to see what level of knowledge I have, to gain more confidence and to learn whatever I still have to learn.

So far I’ve been doing really well, I already have my first certificate in and I’m currently taking the second course out of a total of nine. I’m truly enjoying the subjects especially the current one which is about the principles of designing for humans. I’ve learned so much already about psychology and physical facts, the way a user reads the information presented on screen or how information is moving from short-term memory to long-term memory and what the eye perceives information-wise. It’s all very interesting! I’ve noticed that I also enjoy studying, something I didn’t expect when I started the first course. Yes it’s hard to study and work at the same time but it’s so extremely rewarding.

Whilst talking with my unit manager I told him I was even thinking about getting another degree. He asked me if it was necessary and if I really needed it in order to get assignments in and to my surprise I had to answer that question with a ‘no’. So far I had two different assignments both for the local government where I was rejected because of my level of education which is fine but I don’t have any diploma’s. Let me rephrase that, I do have a diploma… but because I have been gaining experience through work, my level of knowledge has become way higher than my original education. I have a bachelor degree but my level of knowledge is equal to a masters degree (which I don’t have).

It has never stopped me before to get to where I wanted to be. So after he asked me that question I was thinking that perhaps I’d better spend my time on my jewellery designs instead of trying to get another degree which will take another three years. I’ve been getting assignments in over the last six years without a problem. Taking on the study was a wise thing to do but it’s sufficient for now. I’m happy I made the choice and that I’m getting the certificates I need, in order to become more confident. The study will be finished in about nine months and when it does, I will have more spare time again to work on my other skills that make me happy: my jewellery designs. Something cool to look forward to!