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Administrators and The Grump Factor

One of the things that really irritate me is people making snap judgments about my friendliness and my work ethic. They see me as friendly and quickly make the assumption that it means I'm going to cut them a lot of slack at work.

HELLO! Anybody home in that empty vessel you use to carry your hair??!

Now I'm beginning to understand why a lot of the administrators in school feel that they have to be serious and grumpy. There are LOTS of people out there who feel that if there's a chance to slack, they have to grab the opportunity with both hands. I'm still undecided about whether or not I need to be a grump (snapping left and right) to be an effective administrator. My dad (who retired as Chief Inspector of schools) thinks I don't need to go around scolding people to get things done. And I agree. All I should need to be is be a serious and straightforward administrator.

But I do agree that some people don't UNDERSTAND things unless it's said to them in slightly threatening shades of tone and expression.
That really really p***** me off.

*Hmm, that should make being mean easier, right?*

But I'll never be mean in class.
It's a place to have fun and discover new stuff.
I'll be cajoling, insistent, humorous, loud, slightly-gross-when-required and physically-in-your-face...but I won't be mean.
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