Random Rant

Okay so this isn’t the second part to the last post, I still plan on doing that, this is just a random rant.

This just happened a few minutes ago, and I’m not quite sure what to take from it. I’m president of my dorm, and I asked a member of the exec board how she was doing with an upcoming event. As a little back story, registration for this event is on Tuesday, and she just sent out an email regarding the event yesterday. Quite frankly, that email should have gone out at least two weeks ago, if not earlier. And, more annoyingly, that email should have gone out without me having to nag her at least 15 times to send it out. Yeah I know that sounds like an exaggeration, it’s not. This exec member’s primary responsibility is to see that this event is successful, and right now not only am I disappointed by her effort, I’m afraid as to what will happen. I’ve been taking a more active role to put some safeguard in case this person continues her trend of incapability. I want to see this event be successful, and ultimately the blame, if she fails, will fall back on me.

It would be completely unfair of me if I didn’t consider this from her side, which I have. She is very involved in campus, and in addition to tough class, has many other commitments she has to take care of. I’m sure there are numerous other things I’m not even aware of that add stress to her life as well. Not to mention, she has been sick a week or so ago, and now has to catch up on a weeks worth of missed classes - not an easy task. With all this mental baggage, the last thing she needs right now is my persistent questioning/nagging in her life. Caught up in so many things, she has unfortunately and unintentionally neglected some of her duties on exec board.

This is where I come in, worried and annoyed of her negligence, trying to set things write. Initially (and this is all what I think, I don’t know what she thinks), I tried to be friendly and address the concern, and gently asked her to initiate the process and gave her my trust. A few days later, after no action, I went again. This time, a little disappointed, I was friendly again and asked her to make a deadline for herself, so that there would be something I could hold her accountable to. 6 hours after the deadline, after my many emails and texts, she sent out an email.

Let me pause a moment to say how much it boggles my mind that I had to invest that much time and effort to get one measly email sent out.

Now, and predictably, I have annoyed this board member and if I try to follow up and get updates, I am either ignored or treated with bitterness and frustration - not where I wanted to be. To her, I probably come off as an overbearing, micromanaging, annoying asshole who has no sympathy, can’t understand all she has been through, and is impossible to work for. The thing is, I have tried very hard, and do understand her situation, and I don’t want to be any of those things - I’ve tried actively to avoid that. But at the same time, it is my job to make sure these things get done, and I have to draw the line at some point.

Personal annoyances aside, the biggest thing I take from this is disappointment. I’ve disappointed this exec member has neglected her duty, and I’m disappointed that she’s frustrated with me, because I really would be happy if she did what she was elected to do. I’m sure this is a problem most positions of leadership face, that notion of being the “bad guy” who’s constantly in peoples faces. I really wonder where the ideal balance is. I’m probably a bit more on the micro-managing side than I should be, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near as bad as it could be. And the alternative, being completely hands off, would not have good consequences.

More than likely, that email still would’t have gone out.