The Cheese stands alone

I didn't mention in my blog my temporary work assignment. Due to bizarre government hiring practices, when our Team Leader left (in MAY) for a 1 year leave of absence a competition had to be held to replace him. I didn't apply because I like my job and frankly the team leader position seemed like a lot of BS. Long story short something went screwy with the competition process and they had to scrap everything and start it again. That was in AUGUST (so the position had been empty for 3 months already). I came to work the first day after my vacation and the Director (BIG BIG boss lady) called me into her office. First she told me off for not applying for the team leader position in the first place, then she told me that they needed someone to fill the position for 6 weeks while they sorted everything out, and they couldn't appoint someone who had applied since that would seem to be favouritism. Apparently that left one single person in the office who had the necessary qualifications but hadn't applied for the position. Me. Yup, the way to get a promotion in the government is to loudly tell people how much you don't want it and to not apply for it.

So - until October 8th I'm the big cheese. And I'm pretty good at it, though the experience so far has confirmed my belief that I'm absolutely the wrong person for the job (personality-wise).

Yesterday - yesterday was the day that changed the cheese job from something I dislike to something I hate. Yesterday someone was let go based on my input. Part of my cheese job is training - and then observing - new employees. I have to report to the really big cheese on their progress and prognosis. One wasn't making the grade. Honestly, I gave her lots of extra training, I partnered her with 3 different employees here trying to find someone she could learn from. Then yesterday I was forced to admit that there wasn't much hope she was ever going to come up to par. And today she's gone. And I feel like shit.