to dwell at times on the activities and happenings of the day. This certainly was a contributing factor to my awareness, and a tremendous aid in the process of my growth, provided I didn’t let it bog me down. To be active in the world, with ones feet planted firmly on the ground, and to have not too little, nor too much time, to meditate on life’s experiences as they happen is, I would say, an invaluable aid to growth and development.”
“So getting back to my story,” continued Donna, as she stirred herself to new thoughts evidenced by her stirring herself in her chair, “year one was a learning year. I came through it well, but I owe a great deal to my supervisor. She realized that some other employees discriminated against me mostly by their attitudes. There was little she could say, but she very graciously counteracted these attitudes by openly befriending me in front of them, by taking time to pause and talk a minute or two with me on occasion. This was always in sight of them, but often not within their hearing distance, just to show support for me, and to keep them at bay. She did this for some others too. It seems her policy was to show open support for the better employees in this manner which she had developed very skillfully. I will always remember her as a very helpful and kind lady whom, may I say with truthful modesty, appreciated better type people.”
“At the end of year one, on her recommendation, I was promoted to a more senior and larger department. Now, having been awakened from my semi-awareness, I was to have opportunity for experiences that would make me fully aware indeed of the harsh realities that exist for people like me in the realm of life out in the market place.”
“I was placed in charge of a section of work that had previously been poorly organized and carelessly carried out,” Donna related. “This isn’t just my summation of the situation. It was generally felt in the department that there were things gone wrong with the overall efficiency of what was now to be my section. It would now be my responsibility under the supervision of a department supervisor and assistant supervisor.
“As often happens in industry, I was given only a vague introduction to my work, its general structure, and how it is to relate to other work sections in the department. From there one finds the way partly by asking others, such as the supervisor, or those to whose section certain aspects of your work relates. But most of all the way is found simply by digging in and figuring things out for yourself and building on the preliminary introduction. This method one accepts as a norm.
“So, I dug in - challenged, eager and anticipating. As I look back now I still agree there was a challenge beyond a doubt. But as for my eagerness and anticipation, they would over the three year period I spent there, become largely dulled and disillusioningly unrewarded.
“My particular work within the department was designated a job to be handled by one person. However, it seemed that, in the recent past at least, one person could never keep up with the work load. So at periods when it was crucial that the work be more up to date, temporary help was brought in from outside the corporation.
“In a brief and broad outline, I will describe the work as consisting basically of receiving from the billing department a copy of billings going out to numerous customers across the country, and recording them. Also receiving records of payment of accounts by customers. Breaking these payments down and particularly keeping record of the various taxes collected for the different levels of government. Also separating shipping charges for a variety of products, as well as payment for products from other branches of our corporation. By the way, this was at a time before the corporation had computerized this part of its operations. Records were kept and requisitions were issued for either payment of accounts, or transfer of money or credits to other branches or departments as the case may be. This was to be my work. And I recognized it as being a job vital to the well being of the corporation.
“Also I soon recognized that my predecessor on this job had not taken her work seriously. The system was sloppily cared for; records so carelessly entered that a person other than the one who did the work could at times scarcely decipher the nature of the transaction or the date it took place. In time, it also became noticeable to me that many transactions were not recorded at the proper time. Postings were sometimes omitted for a period. Then caught up on later. These items could all be accounted for in time, no doubt, but as it was they now lay in a jumble in the drawers of the desk I had inherited for the job. This caused delays in the corporations financial transactions. Delays cost money. In addition, the system was poorly organized. If there was any chance at all of keeping up with the work load there would have to be changes to the routine. With the procedure streamlined, I felt, then the thousand and one items requiring special attention would be reduced to a minimum.”
As Donna spoke now, her glowing expression seemed to indicate deep satisfaction with her accomplishment in re-organizing the system of her vital work section.
“I was purposely cautious at first,” she continued, “but as I learned more assuredly the details of my job, I began to point out to the department’s assistant supervisor the deficiencies in both the system and its implementation. Also, as I began to see ways of improving both of these matters, I made recommendations for change to the assistant supervisor, who in turn would take them to the supervisor for his consideration. He always approved them. Only very occasionally, however, did he come by to speak of the implications of these changes to me personally. The assistant supervisor was nearly always his liaison. This I simply took for granted at the time, as I figured he had many other matters to think of.
“It was shortly past the beginning of the new financial year when I had taken on this job. As its end approached things were running very smoothly in my section. Many innovations had been made to enable the work to be done more efficiently. This required changes not only to the immediate system, but also in its interaction with the other departments from whom I received my work and to whom I sent the end results. The assistant supervisor was showing a great deal of satisfaction in having this corner of his work operating so smoothly, and consequently, much more speedily. Now, even as the year end approached making it so much more expedient to have all accounts up to date, there was no need to bring in extra help. I too was pleased with the accomplishment. It gave me a sense of satisfaction. I felt it on the inside, but I dared not show it.”
Dr. Eldren broke into the narration of the story, “there is nothing wrong with showing your feelings, Donna. Why hide them?”
Donna paused. She was stuck for words for a moment. Then she responded, with a pronounced emphasis on being courteous, to Dr. Eldren. “Maybe we can discuss that further after I’ve finished my story, Dr. Eldren?”
Collin, sensing her embarrassment of the moment, came to the rescue again. “You’ve told us the rosy side Donna. The other side is yet to come, is it not?”
“Yes Collin, that is right,” Donna replied.
“Experienced again, eh, Collin!” quipped Leo.
There was a chuckle throughout the group that put everyone at ease once more.
Collin would now alleviate Donna’s embarrassment by purposely steering the conversation into focus on year two of Donna’s industrial life, and thereby away from an analysis of Donna’s hiding of her feelings. “Year one was a success, Donna. I’m awfully anxious to hear more about the end results of year two,” he remarked.
“Yea,” quipped Leo. “It’s like watching a mystery unfold. I can hardly wait for the next episode.”
Donna was relieved, and pleased to continue with her story. “First, let me say again that during this year two I accomplished a great deal in streamlining the processes of my section. In doing this I worked very, very hard, with my ‘nose to the grind-stone’, as the saying goes, almost continually. But as the year drew near to an end, the system was running so smoothly that I could take things a little easier -that is reduce my effort to what I
