A colleague wondered aloud at an event we coordinate together, how they would carry on without me when I retire. I was baffled. I see these colleagues as very competent, and I have no worries.
Yesterday I worked with another colleague to create wording, policy really, for a service offered through a council on which I serve. This service had not been utilized for quite some time, and the people who originated it no longer are a part of our group. It occurred to me I could help with this, since I am now one of the few from our group who remember some of the details of this service. When we sat down to do this, the words flowed easily for us, and in forty-five minutes we had a credible draft.
I have always said I have the ability to B.S. in writing, but I make light of my skill by saying that. Here’s the thing: I am good at writing professionally. And I have other skills. in the last two weeks I have facilitated two types of meetings I had not done before. They were both successful in that the participants felt immediate benefit from our meeting together. This is just an example of something I know, that I am skilled at facilitating meetings.
The reason I am writing this is to remind myself of my proficiency. I appreciate that I continue to look at how I can improve my work, but I tend to minimize what I already do well. I hold myself to a higher, more critical standard than I expect of others. In the next months left of this job, I will continue to take note of what I do well. I can even let myself off of that old danged hook too.
Maybe my retiring will leave some holes. Maybe there will be times when my colleagues will need to regroup, and do it differently next year because I am not there anymore. I hope they come up with new ideas and new ways that work even better. I hope it’s what I would do.
Lorna's Meanderings 