Assistant

My new job has a few 'perks' - no commute is a biggie. More money is another. The other 'biggie' is an assistant. Her initial is also "K" and there are so many "K"s referred to in this blog that to simplify things, I'm going to call her KD.

KD is wonderful. She is way overqualified for her current job - she was in HR at the director level in her previous life. She found this job to be close to her kids. She has 3 boys. Her husband is in the military and has been in Iraq twice in the past few years. He's been gone for over a year at a time. I don't know how she does it since I fall apart when J. is gone for more than a night or two.

KD is very organized. VERY organized. Her desk is a testament to her ability to file things immediately, categorize things effortlessly and put things away where they belong immediately after she's finished using them.

I am a stacker. I have always been a stacker. I have stacks of 'stuff' on my desk. I have never not stacked things - and while it has often been a source of wisecracks and good natured kidding from various coworkers and friends throughout my 25+ years in management, there really isn't anyone who can 'argue' that I don't get stuff done. 'Cuz I do. Things move forward. I know where stuff is. I remember which stack, when I last had something, etc.

Stacking makes KD very uncomfortable. She practically breaks out in hives at the sight of my desk. And so, for her, and for me 'cuz I've long needed to be 'more organized', I am trying to learn to file. To put things away/file them when I'm done - even if the 'I'm done' is only done for the day, or for a couple days until someone does the 'next thing' for me.

The problem is: when I'm looking for something, my first instinct is to look through one of my stacks. I created some 'working files' in my desk and attempted to file some things. But then, when one of those things require action, I had absolutely NO recollection of having set up a file and putting the file in the drawer. Looking for a FILE is not something I think of. Looking at my desk through a stack of papers IS what I think of. So that's what I did. For quite a few minutes. Until I gave up.

I'm a visual person. I can 'see' where I put things in relation to other things. Just this morning, one of my co-workers came in and asked me for a document. I reached over, lifted up a stack, shuffled for a moment and pulled out what she was looking for. She was impressed and a bit surprised - that I knew what it was she was asking about and even more so: that I knew right where it was. If I file something I'm working on when I'm not working on it, then 'out of sight, out of mind' kicks in. And I'll forget all about it.

The challenge is: it's hard for my assistant to assist me when she's not sure where to 'put' stuff. Nor where to find things that she might need to locate. That's actually been one of the toughest parts of the new job - figuring out how to use an assistant. I've never had one. Ever. I don't automatically think to give things to someone else to do - nor to think of things she could do which would free me up to do other stuff. I still go to the copy machine, the fax machine. Type my own memos. She's great at drafting memos and letters - but I don't even think to ask her until I've already done it. It's just not what I'm used to.

I'm working on attempting to file a bit so KD's hives will improve. And she's working on accepting that some people just prefer to keep their stuff 'out' versus in a drawer. That's the difference. Placement of papers. I understand appearances are important - but I've 'appeared' disorganized for years - and yet, I've done pretty well. Pretty successful. Moved up in every organization I've ever worked in. So I must be doing something right. And I'm learning to ask for help - which is essentially what her job is. Helping me is her job. Asking for that isn't a 'favor'. It's what she's paid to do. I have to get used to that.