Ok, so how's this for odd? Yesterday the Director of my building asked if she could talk to me. We went into an office and sat down and she said "I owe you an apology". Confused, I said "For what?". She went on to say that she thought that I got 'caught in the crossfire' of a management issue. I had no idea what that meant so I waited to hear what she would say. It turns out she was trying to make a point about professional image and managers enforcing the same rules in the same way in the building. Somehow, my knitting came up. She then said, "I thought about this all weekend and felt bad that you would feel singled out. That was never my intention. I don't care if you knit during meetings. However, I don't think it's a good idea to knit in the presence of clients." I almost fell off my chair! She continued to explain what happened in the meeting and what point she was trying to make, which did not include me or my knitting (I think it had something to do with dress code and vacation time issues).
So, that was weird enough by itself. I thanked her for the apology, assured her I was not personally offended, explained that I can pay attention and knit but that I would not knit in the building anymore. (I have some pride). As I was leaving, the Asst. Director called me into her office to tell me that it wasn't her who brought it up in the meeting. ?!?! I said thanks for telling me and left.
I went to talk to my supervisor and told her that I wasn't aware of the influence I must wield in the building. After all, if the top two individuals in the building wanted to make a point to tell me that they were not upset with me and I was not in any way "in trouble", what does that say? She told me that she went to her supervisor on Thursday and told her that we had had the conversation about the knitting and she then defended me. She told them of the times I had taught clients (and given them supplies) to knit and how I had taught staff to knit and how I had tried to get the Social Rehab folks involved in making chemo caps. She also told them that I was the hardest working person in the department and they should just leave it alone. I guess she made a good case because I got not one but two apology/explanations. It was all too much after a long weekend.
Kate and I are planning a lace shawl kal this summer. We both want to knit one and thought it would be fun to knit one together. I'm not sure if we'll knit the same one or just knit different ones together. Whichever, it's a lovely thing to share a hobby with my daughter.
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15 comments:
Oh, dear Lord! People are so weird sometimes, aren't they? I don't even know what I'd make of all that - but don't give up the darned knitting. In fact, since it SO APPARENTLY DOESN'T BOTHER THEM, keep at it. Don't cut off your knitting nose to spite their idiocy.
Huh. So that's pretty confusing.
I got a similar reaction when I asked my manager where I used to work if I could tat through one of those interminable "state of the business" presentations. Hours and hours of yawning through Powerpoint slides of things that had no relation to my job function at all.
Even thinking about those makes me yawn so hard my jaw cracks.
I use to be able to knit at my desk. As long as I was answering the phone and doing my job it wasn't a problem. However, when you have a guitar weilding co-worker who then feels it's ok to play at his desk, the whole added bonus gets squashed. Now my day just drags on. Keep on knitting!!!!
I love how your supervisor spoke up for you, and I'm glad she sees the benefits of your knitting, and how you share it with others, as well.
Stupid corporate blah blah blah (*wanders away from computer, grumbling under breath*)
The directors don't seem to mind if I knit in the audience at executive board meetings - they got used to it when one of the directors would sit at the Important Table and knit.
I wonder if yours apply the same standard to people who text to their friends throughout the meetings in the guise of taking notes!
Knitting and hard work...both vindicated in the same day! Not bad for a Wednesday. It sounds like you handled the whole thing with grace and professionalism.
Wow - there you go. You clearly do have influence! Nice to get the apology though, especially for singled out like that.
How very odd! I wish I could even suggest knitting at work but it's just not something I feel I can do. I did knit at a very, very long presentation a few weeks ago but it was in a semi-dark theatre.
Your managers do seem to have gone to great lengths to make this odd!
Wow, that is weird. In a good way, though. Kudos to your supervisor. She spoke to you, which she was obviously forced to do, but later defended you? Good for her!
Bizzare. Ah well. I wouldn't knit anymore in the building either out of spite. And for Christmas I'd get them all Dollar Store knit hats. Muhahahaha!
Thank goodness for supportive supervisors. Sounds like someone realized this was much ado about nothing!
I'm glad they saw sense, but how very silly of them to raise it in the first place. At least you got an apology and a very nice positive affirmation of your value in the workplace.
I love that you and Kate are having a KAL, that is very cool.
You should knit your supervisor a nice scarf. Good for her for standing up for you! Sounds like a lot of scrambled communications, and it probably would be kind of you to do a bit of knitting in a meeting or two to make everyone feel forgiven. Goodness, dear, you ARE professional and business-like. Continue to represent the behavior of a loving grownup, and knit when appropriate.
Probably all the vibes of outrage from your supporters subtly influenced the powers that be.
Oh let's hear it for apologies and the permission to do that which keeps us sane!!! I'll look on the bright side--cool! You can knit! And I love the fact that my kids knit too:-)
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