Week Three

Today marks three weeks at my new job. It's hard to believe how fast time goes by. I am loving the job but it comes with a lot of challenges; the hardest being managing 20 different personalities.

I've spent most of the last three weeks in training and meetings. I have never seen a place that has so many meetings and sends so many emails! I probably average one meeting per day and 50-100 emails each day and that's conservative numbers!

I have never supervised this large of a group before, so it's quite a challenge on so many levels. But I'm learning a lot from the other supervisors and my Director. They are awesome!

I have a pretty laid back management style as long as you are doing your job, I know, hard for you all to believe being that I have such a strong personality! :) But I'm also learning that sometimes laid back just won't work. :)

I am learning every one's personality and style just as they are trying to feel me out. There are a lot of issues that I inherited but that is to be expected with any job I guess. Some days I wonder "can I do this" and others day I say "I got this", so every day is different but I'm certainly committed to my job and my staff.

For those wondering exactly what it is I do.....well, I'm still learning that, but in a nut shell, I supervise 20 staff on the posting/accounting team. My staff are responsible for posting all money to all accounts, that means money that comes in from Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, private pay, etc. I am responsible in ensuring they are posting correctly and accurately and in a timely manner. My team also consists of the staff that issue refunds to patients and insurance companies for over payments and they've also thrown in the mail room staff under me as well, so all the payments that come in hit the mail room first and those staff have to get it batched and scanned into the system before my posting team gets it.

I am working very hard to put out "fires" all day long; staff bickering over procedures, dress codes, etc, you name it! But that's normal with a building FULL of all women! We tend to be harder to work with than our counter parts.....the men!

I am trying to learn how to balance everything while not being a dictator or micro manger. I want my staff to know they can come to me about anything at anytime, but I also don't want to play kindergarten cop with adults, so I'm taking lots of classes, training, etc, to learn more about the balancing act required for this job.

I knew going in that it was going to be a challenge, but one that I welcomed with open arms. I am blessed and thankful for being given this opportunity.

My boss, the Director is a lot like me, a little OCD about some things and wants to nip things in the bud right away. I am a true believer in dealing with the issue right away; recognizing the issue, discussing the issue and finding a positive conflict resolution, but until I get more acclimated with the job and the duties, it's hard to do all of that right now.

I had a meeting with my boss and the other two supervisors today and I was amazed at how much respect they have shown me right out of the gate. They truly are awesome and everyone loves them, and they've both been there a long time, so that comforts me a lot. My boss is great about saying "so, Dana, how are you going to handle this" and lets me talk it out with her on how I plan to handle it to get her feedback, and so far, each time, she has agreed with my plan of action.

I have had some great bosses and some not so great bosses in my time and have learned something different and valuable from each and every one of them. I left a job back in 2007 saying to myself "I NEVER EVER want my staff to feel about me the way I felt about my boss", he was such a dictator with no regard or respect for others. And then on the opposite side of that, my last boss was awesome, he was always open and honest with me and taught me so much and did it all with great respect!

I'm planning to dive in head first next week, I have my plans thought out and written out and am just going to go for it, no time like the present and the best way to learn is to just do it!