A HARD LEFT

Much like the drivers in yesterday's rain-delayed Daytona 500, I've been running at full throttle in a single direction lately, with no end in sight. And the season's only beginning.

In the two weeks since my last post, I've missed some pretty special birthdays and anniversaries, rushed through bedtime stories, skipped lunches altogether, and generally willed every day away in hopes that the next one would be better, calmer, quieter, more fun.

Instead, each new day has brought with it another seemingly insurmountable pile of work and yet another life lesson to learn. The most recent being: As a boss, I'm not always going to be everyone's best friend. Quite the contrary, I might actually be their worst nightmare.

Isn't this how you're supposed to do it??

It used to be that a day at the office might be crazy, a client might piss us off or a co-worker might drive us crazy, but when it was all said and done we'd sit around together and gossip about it. These days, I'm lucky if I have a moment to say hi to the good friend that sits right next to me or to the other that couldn't sit farther. And, I'm even luckier if the sitting around and gossiping isn't about me.

I've been told I've gotten too serious (really?) and that I need to loosen up* (REALLY??) If only the bosses I had in my 20s could see me now! Of course, they can't see me. No one can. I'm always in meetings.

With performance reviews well under way, continuous improvement is really top of mind. I want to make sure that I'm actually helping others achieve their greatest potential and do their best work. Even more so, I want to make sure I'm doing the same myself—both in the office and out.

As I sit here tonight on what would technically be the last day of yet another crazy month, I give thanks in advance to the Gregorian gods for their little gift of an extra day tomorrow and continue to hope for the best.

*Seriously, Tim, that's just how I sneeze! There's nothing wrong with it.