(48th Entry) People… the worst, the best, the hopeful!

It’s 5:00 am. I tossed and turned all night; finally deciding to get up. Yesterday, although only Wednesday, was the end of our work week. We’re taking four days off for Easter. It’s been a long stressful week with many ups and downs.

The title of this entry reveals it all. The incentive bonuses were announced on Monday. Tuesday morning as I road to work with Mary, we talked. We shared our frustration, ideas and concerns. We decided to meet with Juan, the grabado manager early that morning. When he walked in I said to him, “The girls haven’t listened at all.” He was surprised that I didn’t even have to ask. The three of us had a really good meeting. I think he realized that Mary and I were behind him no matter how difficult it might get or it had been.

By Tuesday morning I was ready to accept any outcome. I told Juan and Mary that we had several possibilities on how to proceed with the two girls. We could bring them in and confront them or simply do nothing until the end of the first bonus period at which time they find out that they received no bonus. The latter we get some production and possibly peer pressure… those that talked of getting their bonuses would possibly change the girls behavior from that point on. It also happened that one of the girls was out that morning so it gave us insight to their behavior. Without both girls being there the younger was listening and working together with the team.

When the second girl arrived mid-afternoon, both girls behavior went back to their normal routine. Mary just happened to be in the warehouse when some events were unfolding and confronted both girls in front of their peers. At closing time, in the middle of Mary trying to do a shipment, both girls came into the office. Again they had brought their production cards to her and not to their supervisor. To make a long story shorter, she just told them how disappointed she was in them and expressed many of the ideas and issues which we had discussed in the previous days. I watched this conversation from a distance, not saying anything, but being present in case I was needed.

I very seldom see Mary upset, but after this encounter it was obvious that she was. Again we had the opportunity to talk on our way back to town that evening. I expressed to her that I actually was optimistic. As I watched the conversation and was able to watch both sides and see the emotions of all, I had a good feeling. Both girls said that they would return to work the next day… and they did.

Yesterday… Mary, Juan and I met in the morning. Juan expressed what we had come to find out. When the one girl was alone, she listened, worked hard and once the other returned… old behaviors again took place. However… he said that this day, Wednesday, all had been listening… although at times reluctant… but were listening and working. The three of us decided that if nothing bad had taken place by 2:30, Mary and I would talk to both girls one at a time and begin to give them some positive feedback.

Around 3:00 we called the younger of the two girls into my office. We basically gave her the opportunity to speak first. She began by saying that she wanted to apologize to us, that she had been a bad employee and had done many things wrong. Along the way she expressed that the maestro had told the two of them that they ought to ask for more money and that once he left we wouldn’t be able to stay in business without the two of them or him. I’ll stop at that although much more was revealed… it just doesn’t matter.

I was visibly upset during this encounter and I believe Mary was too. I felt like I had been raped by the maestro, a man that I had invited into my house, a man that I thought was honorable. Hindsight as they say… Well in hindsight… here’s a man who is good at grabado, but had no work when found him. All of the other old men in Guadalajara at his age and level of expertise have 6, 8 or 10 individuals working for them. El maestro es el Diablo as far as I’m concerned and I’ll leave it at that.

Mary and I had good talks with both girls although the first (and the reason she was the first…) was I think what she said was much more heartfelt and authentic. The first girl left our meeting and without any guidance went immediately to Juan, her supervisor and apologized to him as well.

First, I am very proud of Mary… for how she walked her way through these events. We talked… we shared our experiences, frustrations and desires, but when the moment presented itself she seized the opportunity. I told her the Latin phrase carpe diem when she was apologizing to me Tuesday evening for not being able to keep me informed of what was going on.

Second, I’m sad! I always tell Mary that her job is to make employees better employees and thus better individuals. But I also tell her that her job is to keep our employees safe. While I think we’re succeeding at the former, we failed with the later. We put two young girls who had never worked before into an environment that was absolutely unacceptable, unhealthy and un-safe. I have not even begun to mention the Hell that we’ve put Juan through. Once we made Juan supervisor, Gabrielle not only ignored Juan, but ignored his wife as well. He refused to teach them both from that point on.

I’ve seen the best in people this week. I’ve seen hope that restores my faith in people. And… I’ve seen the worst… el diablo!

A short blog entry can not begin to express my feelings and emotions… As I told Mary and Juan yesterday… this isn’t over. We’re probably just beginning the uphill struggle with the two girls. You can’t take 5 months of negative, destructive programming and expect it to disappear overnight. BUT… We’ve taken steps to correct our mistakes and as we admitted to and apologized to the two girls… we told them that they two have to take responsibility for theirs. That’s all any of us can do…