As I sit here eating a very messy sandwich, which has great ingredients. Sourdough bread, roast pork, stuffing with mayo and tomato. It should be excellent but instead I’m dropping more than I am eating. Whilst smearing butter and mayo over my fingers with dogs mopping up the spills, I reflect on yesterday.
It was a busy day for us, every time we thought we had organised ourselves the situation changed, and shifted. Each action and choice having a knock on effect. But because of good team work and playing to everyone’s talents we not only completed our tasks, we excelled.
We communicated and liaised between ourselves and our clients, we took time to understand their needs and fears. We helped pets and their owners, and took time to coach Saffron our apprentice nurse with her nursing progress log. We worked systematically but dynamically and I could not have been more pleased and proud of our team. We did sacrifice our hour lunches, and I was quite late finishing to ensure the work I had charge of before my holiday was completed.
Despite the challenges of the day, I think everyone enjoyed it. The way the whole team worked as one, made everyone else so much better. When you have worked as part of a team that really isn’t doing their best, you will know that I mean. The lack of effort and the “that will do”, can drive you mad if the rest of the workforce is doing their best. It’s disheartening for the rest of the staff, especially as it impacts them directly.
And now of the sad part, teams are dynamic and ours will be changing soon. Our former apprentice is leaving us to spread her wings, off to new challenges and hopefully fit into a new team. It’s a proud but sad moment for us. We have seen her develop from a diamond in the rough to a bit of a star, happy to have helped her grow into the nurse she is now. But as with any job if you are no longer happy you should find something that would make you happy. A new challenge.
So my new challenge is to find someone to fit into the team sandwich, to make I sure make the best choice of ingredients and to get them to work in the best way together and hope the filling works together and doesn’t fall out. Top tip don’t freeze sourdough bread, it crumbles…
Teamwork is like a good Sandwich
