Just do what you're supposed to do

And you won't have a problem.

I got this piece of advice from a friend when I was first at my job, and I'm reminded often how right she is. It applies to teachers, supervisors, finding a spouse, etc and it explains a lot to me about my school days and my work history.

There's always that teacher in school that no one likes. And I never minded that teacher. In high school, she was one of my favorites. And now I know why I never had a problem with her. She gave an assignment and I did it. I was done with it before my classmates were done complaining about her and calling her names behind her back. If I didn't do it, she marked me down. Yes, I felt some of it was busy work and boring, but it wasn't hard. She had high standards, but she wasn't unreasonable and if you did what you were supposed to do, she wasn't a problem.

Then there's work and supervisors. On my current job, I've had 3 supervisors and I've heard horror stories about all of them. They're strict, they're mean, you better keep your work mode low, whatever. I don't have a problem with any of them, and I actually really like all of them. I come to work every day and on time, I take my calls, I provide courteous service and accurate information to my callers, I don't abuse my breaks, I treat the supervisor with respect, and I don't have a problem.

The call center has a bad reputation in the rest of the department, mostly undeserved. I happened to meet a clerk once who told me her coworkers were actually discouraging her from applying for CSO because they would send her to call center and call center is such a horrible place. They monitor everything you do. Everyone is stressed because they only give you 5 minutes between calls. And don't you dare chat with your neighbor! By the way they talk, you'd think call center was prison or something. It's all ironic because none of the people talking have ever actually worked in call center. The people who have worked there don't say those things.

There is a bit more restriction in the call center, as they do monitor your activity through the phone, but no one is chained to their chair. We get up at will, eat, chat, pee, whatever. The phone doesn't explode and no electric shocks come from the chair if you've gone more than 5 minutes between calls. Sometimes it takes longer than that to properly handle a case. They expect us to work, but they aren't slave drivers about it, sheesh. And the management of call center is very very good to us in return for the work they expect.

I've come to a conclusion about the people in the division who spread this junk. They don't want to work and it's easier to get away with in the division. If you come to work to work and do what you're supposed to do, call center isn't a problem. A supposedly strict supervisor isn't a problem. Many of those same people complain about their own supervisors for being on their case. It's the same thing. Their supervisors expect them to work, and if they did that, they wouldn't have a problem.

Anyone read the book I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris? Hugely popular in the mid-late 90's, particularly in Christian circles. One bit of advice he gives in the book about finding and meeting a spouse is to do what you're supposed to be doing. Concentrate on fulfilling the responsibilities God has given you now. Don't neglect them or drop them to chase down a spouse. He gives the biblical example of Isaac and Rebekah. Rebekah was just doing the job she had been given to do when she offered to water Isaac's camels. She had no idea that she would marry Isaac or of the blessings to follow. She was just doing what she was supposed to be doing.

Now let's talk about what happens when you don't do what you're supposed to do. You find 25% of your Social Security check is going to the child support you should have paid 30 years ago when you were working and your children were actually children.

You get stuck in a job and unable to promote because your supervisor won't give you an appropriate evaluation and your reputation precedes you. Or you plain get fired.

Just do what you're supposed to do and you won't have a problem.