In most interviews, including the position that I hold right now, there are situational questions where they ask if this was to happen, what is your plan of action. Well today I had one of those days.
With a load of grading that I slowly falling behind on, a experimental day of trading tutors so that they could each experience a different community center to better understand the program from a larger perspective, and a broken down bus that forces everyone to be at least 30 minutes late causing the kids that we are responsible to be left unattended, I almost lost my cool.
So in this situation, I was forced to realize that my grading would simply have to wait another day. The tutors in foreign territory at a new location, would need direction and explanation there fore a person of knowledge and leadership needs to reach them, but the people with that expertise is stuck at the carpool meeting point in a broken down bus. Scrambling we ran (yes physically ran) to our individual cars which are parked at least 15 minutes away from campus. Individuals who did not carpool and drove themselves were called and placed in charged of the tutors coming and kids that were soon to be dismissed from school. The scrambling car owners expecting to carpool, gathered their cars and drove to the carpool meeting spot to pick up the carpoolers.
Everyone arrived on site 25 minutes late and the kids were only with the inexperienced tutors for 10 minutes before the entire staff was on site and ready to work their like it was a normal day. Stay Calm and Carry On.
I am challenged by this sometimes as well. It is hard to remain calm under pressure. Being able to compartmentalize is very important especially as we enter higher stress positions. Good luck
ReplyDeleteThat does sounds like a crazy day. It is funny though when you get that question on "what would you do" in a situation at work and it seems completely pointless at the time but then turns out to be relevant.
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