THE MEETING

It was one of those moments. I got up from my chair in the conference room and went quickly into my office, ducking my head as I passed the stagiare. Once there I tried hard to focus on counting to ten to keep the tears from coming. My efforts were successful, but only just. I managed to blink away what was already there, and to stem the flow before it went any further. As I get older, I seem to cry more easily. Deep emotion, either sad or happy, will start it off. When it happens to him, my friend, Kilroy, calls it being ‘Momonne’, slang Quebecois word for cry-baby, LOL. I think it may be because we allow ourselves to feel more; we’ve graduated to that place where sincerity outweighs pride. Whatever it is, I still didn’t want the others to see it. I’m pretty sure they noticed anyway.

I had asked the employees to attend the meeting because the temporary lay-off period was coming to an end. Everyone was due back to work by September 7th. The dilemma is that, although Line and I have been doing our best, we can only accomplish so much. My associate has not yet solved his problem, so the promised reimbursement has still not happened. I needed to give them their options; a) plan on staying on unemployment benefits; or b) look for another job.

They suggested, and decided, to take option c); come to work and help us build up the company, taking whatever pay I could give them at the end of each week and banking the rest of their hours for later if things work out. This in spite of my warning that if my associate fails completely, and/or things don’t work out, I couldn’t even confirm payment of the banked hours. Their response was, okay, understood, but if their plan is successful, a bonus will be included when they actually do get paid.

What does it say about the employees? I don’t even have to write it, do I? I guess I don’t have to tell you what kind of relationship there is between employer and employees either. They have confidence in themselves and their ability to work with us to turn things around. What threatened to bring the tears was their proclamation that they have enormous confidence in me. Yep – that’s when I became a ‘momonne’.

Tuesday night Line came up north with me. Our nurse, the third person of our ‘home-away-from-home’ trio served us supper (cannelloni, yum!), as we discussed the various steps still needed to open our first house for seniors. The return of the employees is going to make it so much easier time-wise. Besides, they are as excited about it as we are, promising to help in any way they can.

All that said and done, I need to get my butt in gear and do some work now. I’ve started once again to stuff my briefcase with files each evening. My computer dude’s installation of the new system has reconnected my home office to the business server, finally enabling me to avoid some of the rush hour traffic.

Have a good day, folks! Needless to tell you I’m all SMILES, and they’re headed your way!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.