Conference reflection

I'm currently attending a work conference. Actually today was the final day and a final day it was. 

It started with a keynote speech from Rachael Robertson. Rachael led a 100+ team to the Antarctic and hence her talk was about not only her journey but on leadership. Yes she was an excellent speaker. Yes she was a very engaging speaker. Yes her personal story about going to Antarctic was amazing. But what resonated with me most was her discussion of the group dynamic problems that arise in the workplace and the leadership skills she deploys to deal with them. I was so engaged, the first thing I did in the lunch break was to order a copy of her book. 

The second amazing keynote was at the end of the day and was delivered by Darren Flanagan and Todd Russell. Now Todd Russell you have probably heard of. He was one of the miners trapped in the Beaconsfield Mine disaster. Darren Flanagan may not be as familiar but he was the explosives expert they brought in to get them out. Darren's presentation was amazing.  Such a storyteller he took you on a journey and bared all his own emotions. There was not a dry eye is the auditorium. 

Both presentations were about courage. Both moved me immensely. Is that because I lack courage?

Since when is it ok NOT to work

Since when is it ok to NOT actually work while at work?
Since when is it NOT ok to tell people to GET BACK to work?

I supervise 9 staff. They all have their strengths and they all have their weaknesses....as do I. Admittedly some have more weaknesses than they do strengths but as one colleague always says "it's a rich tapestry".

My office is the second down the corridor from the main reception. Admittedly the walls are paper-thin....and I have excellent hearing....so I hear EVERYTHING that is going on within a 6 office radius.

So last week I could hear a conversation going on in reception between one of my staff members....actually the receptionist....and another staff member (whom I don't supervise). I don't recall exactly what the conversation was about but it sure wasn't about work! there was A LOT of giggling and boisterous laughter....and it continued for some time....probably at least 20 minutes.

Now I'm not the Office Grinch...no, really, I'm not! I don't mind a bit of banter between colleagues. I'm guilty of partaking myself. But when it continues for a long time, it needs to be monitored. And when the people involved are notorious for 1. not getting much done in the day and 2. having to be told at least 4 times to do a basic task....then the banter needs closer monitoring as it actually does interfere with work productivity.

So this day...after about 20 minutes of this going on....I wandered out to reception and said to them both "it doesn't sound like much work is going on out hear"....there was more giggle and some lame arse remark to which I probably then said something along the lines of "well how about we all get back to work then?" To which they did.

So imagine my surprise when my boss tells me that a staff member has called HR crying to complain that I've told her to get back to work! SERIOUSLY!!!!

There are a number of wrongs in all of this:
1. Since when is it ok for a staff member to go directly to HR rather than going to the "offending" staff member's supervisor (i.e. my boss) - my preference is that if you are offended by something someone has said or done then you actually talk one on one with them to clear the air - geez to me that is the mature adult way to deal with things!
2. Since when do these people actually think it is ok to stand around for half an hour or so actually not doing any productive work?
3. Since when is it NOT ok for a supervisor to disapprove of behaviour in the workforce and actually call people on it by saying "hey how about you get back to work"?

This is actually the second time I have had to tell these two to get back to work....somehow I don't think I'm the problem here!