On Being Replaced...

Even though I am super excited to move to Virginia, it will be really sad to leave Bozeman. It will be hard to leave my job as well. I have been at Intermountain Financial Group - Montana for 3 years. Thats a record in Kelsieland. The only place I've worked longer than that is for my parents and Im not sure if that counts. (I'll probably never work anywhere for longer than I worked for my parents.) Anyways, I gave Elizabeth and Jurgen like 6 months notice because I figured I owed it to them and I couldn't keep a secret any longer. That was Friday, February 6th. By Monday, Elizabeth had spoken to someone about my job. Fast forward one month: They've already pre-interviewed two people, had a group interview with one girl, and posted my job with LC Staffing. She received another resume today and will interview that candidate soon. Its so weird to be replaced while Im still here. The goal is that the new Kelsie will start on June 1 and I will train them for two solid months. So that gets us to August 1. What am I supposed to do then? I suppose the move will be quite near at that point and I will be packing like crazy, so maybe it will be okay. I just want to make sure that the person who replaces me will take good care of Elizabeth. Its like Im leaving a family. I can't really describe how I feel about being replaced. Its so weird. Its sad and exciting and worrisome and just hard to explain.

On Friday, before our big interview, Elizabeth decided that she wanted the candidate to write an essay on the five most important aspects of teamwork. I made the mistake of mentioning that immediately my mind starts thinking of what I would write. So guess what? I got to write an essay too. Elizabeth was like okay, it's ten o'clock, you have until 10:20. Go!

Here is what I wrote:
Being a Team Player: Remembering there’s no “I” in TEAM

One could argue that being a team player is one of the most sought after characteristics of a good employee. Unless you are a sole proprietor, you will have to interface with others in your job environment. This can make or break an employee and a business. Here are five characteristics that will ensure a great team player.

1) The ability to pull your own weight. In any recipe, each ingredient has a specific purpose or flavor into creating the finished product. A team is the same way. Every person must be responsible for their task, and doing the best they possibly can, in order to make the team’s finished product the best it can be. Just like leaving the flour out of a batch of cookies can ruin it, a person’s lack of responsibility and follow through can have the same effect on their team’s production.
2) Having a vested interest in the finished product: Each person must not only be responsible for their “ingredient” but they must care about their ingredient and the finished product. If a recipe contains all organic, high end ingredients and one item is dollar store quality, the finished product will not be the same as if all ingredients were high quality. The more a person cares for their finished product and their place of employment, the more that care will shine through unto the finished product.
3) Having a vested interest in the other members on the team: The more you care about your team members both professionally and personally, the better your relationship will be, and that caring will show through on the final product. Just like members on a basketball team’s incoherence would severely inhibit their chance of winning a game, if individuals on a team do not respect and care about each other they will decrease the team’s unity and performance. This will also show through on the final project, especially when another member may need help.
4) Having a common goal: The vision of a common goal will have a giant impact on a team’s performance. If one team member is only interested in getting the project done, and one person wants the project to be the best project ever, the project will be of varying degrees of quality or success and that will reflect negatively on the whole team. However, if all team members want the project to be of utmost quality, it most surely will be.
5) Walking the talk: A person may say they are interested in a coherent team and their team members and the finished product, but if their behavior and actions are contrary to that verbage, it will have an effect on the team and its product. You must be willing to put your money where your mouth is and be true to your words and yourself and your team. You must be sincerely interested in all of the team qualities and members and let that sincerity show through in your behaviors.

The true following of these five characteristics will have a large impact on your success as a team and as a team member. Be a team player, and remember, there’s no “I” in team.

She probably shouldn't have made me do it, because now she said she has perfection and everything in comparison will be not as good. She sent my essay to Jurgen and he wrote back "Quick! Hire her!" Maybe I could get a job writing essays...