Adaptability

...doesn't come naturally to me. I was shell-shocked to be holed up in a confidential meeting with senior staff to listen to both my bosses' announcements of leaving the institute. I was at the brink of bursting into tears. My direct boss said he's given 3 years' leave to get on to a new role overseas starting 1/1/16, while my other boss will be retiring some time in 2016.

Over the years, I'm completely settled in my role, and learnt how these two men tick, and now I'm worried about dealing with future unknown supervisors. My current bosses have protected me from silly political people, and given me support in various sticky situations including time off to heal from my insidious illness. I'm wondering whether I will have similar support via new bosses.

As a support staff overlooking a support team for this Institute, the role we play is important. We oil the wheels of processes by moving paperwork and also following up on various things ranging from day-to-day processes to reports and various bookings or setting up of meetings to events.

Most of all I'm worried about the adapting to any female boss. There is a historical aspect to this, as I've always had teething problems working with female bosses that sometimes lead to a fall out. Women bosses at that level can be picky and micro-managing types because they've fought their way up to the top and they love to show who's the boss. So tiring it can be, and dealing with sometimes unnecessary work that borderline with diva ways is vomiticious.

The more I think of it, the more vulnerable I feel. I hate changes. It just gives me the heebeejeebees.

This got me thinking that of today's announcement of how their looking into succession plans, and how we all have the opportunity to improve further and shine without a break into the smooth-running business within the work structure. It is a nice plan ahead, but it's at talk level. I'm cynical that way.

Have I lost my sense of adaptability? I must now reframe my mind and learn to adapt whether I like it or not.