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Please can you help me to frame a difficult conversation

4 replies

rookiemater · 04/02/2011 15:55

I'm hoping that someone can help me phrase this correctly because I'm a little stumped.

About 6 months ago I chose to reduce grade and hours as I was finding the pressure of work too much because DH works long hours so I am also primarily responsible for all home related stuff and pick ups and drop offs for DS (age 4.5)

Up until recently it has worked really well. I have been getting good feedback. However over the last few weeks more responsibility has been put on me to the point where I am the primary point of contact for something which is fairly big. Reason for this is because there is a lot of pressure on the project, the full timers are working additional hours, so more stuff is coming my way. I'm finding it hard to leave on time ( and some days this is critical because I am taking 3 children to an afterschool class) and am still doing the admin work as well as the higher responsibility stuff.

Now our job descriptions are very woolly so its hard to say what should or shouldn't be part of my job description now, but I am meant to be in more of a supporting position so it shouldn't be an issue when I am out of the office.

As I'm struggling to get everything done in the time I'm in the office, the quality of my work has gone downhill somewhat as well I have made a couple of minor errors on documents. I'm getting worried because our organisation works on a bell curve distribution for performance and as there are very few permanent staff left I don't want to leave myself vulnerable to be marked down.

So in order to address this I have put time in the diary with the person who assigns my work next week. What I want is to a) make sure that we are both comfortable with the role I am playing and b) make the point that I'm not meant to be the one responsible for high level decisions any more and also c) make sure they are happy with the standard of my work.

I don't know how to phrase it without coming across as workshy, but I took a huge pay drop to go down a grade so I cannot let myself get in the position of being stressed.

OP posts:
hairyfairylights · 04/02/2011 16:08

Actually, I think the way you've put it here is great - very reasoned, and very straightforward, assertive without coming across overbearing, and not at all workshy.

Base what you say on what you've written here, and good luck!!

Piffpaffpoff · 04/02/2011 16:16

Second what hairy fairy has said, what you've put here seems very clear and straightforward. Good luck!

hairyfairylights · 04/02/2011 16:30

I'm a CEO and if someone came to me saying what you've just said, I'd think, well, fair enough, she is absolutely right, and we are taking the mick a little in over burdening her.

rookiemater · 04/02/2011 17:22

Great thanks for the reassurance fingers crossed the meeting goes ok Smile

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