I must be a ________ type of person. You fill in the blank: approachable, tolerable, sympathetic, compassionate, patient, sensitive, kind, understanding, etc. I don't see myself that way, but apparently others do.
When I first began this job I remember being yelled at for being too nice to someone's customer. I guess he felt threatened that I would ruin his reputation? I dunno. Since when did being nice become a downfall?
This is the second time I've been asked in a year to work with people who are needy. Don't get me wrong, there are many needy people in my line of work, after all it is the government and we are issuing benefits to the less unfortunate, but there are also extremes to neediness. Today I've been asked by the manager to take on a special needs case. AKA a person who cannot handle the same red tape that the others has to deal with.
I don't know her whole story yet but am sure to find out all about it tomorrow when I call her for about her application. I can relate with her in that I too have struggled with mental health issues. As many people as I come in contact with in this job, there is one thing most they share in common being that they have been in some serious trauma in their lives. The loss of their job, the loss of their husband, their family, and most of all their pride. And there are those too that just like to get by with as little effort as possible. Being a former customer myself, I can at least try to imagine the struggle they've endured and continue to endure. I owe that much to them.
Luckily it is not a case "load" like it was previously when I took on the counselor position. And luckily it is not work that must be done face to face with the person and it can be done over the phone. While my new customer will be a challenge, I am honored to know that I am respected enough at work to be the individual I am for my management to think of me for the position. Thesaurus so help me to find out what it is!
2 comments:
You will be great! Seriously. She's a lot of work and can be all sorts of demanding, but she's a nice person deep down inside.
You are just TOO NICE. I am too sometimes and then people walk all over me. I need to be more assertive. Then later, I get upset and take it out on those whom I love. But nice people are hard to find and sometimes people don't appreciate you for what you are but to try and change would not be you and others will come to realize someday that you can do more with honey than vinegar and for those who don't appreciate you, that's their problem. You will be valued by many.
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