Keys…

9/1/06

As the JV here, I should have a set of keys that opens the men’s center, my office, a health clinic, a pharmacy, and a number of cages and storage units filled with clothing and other donated goods. As of right now, I still do not have these keys

At first, I thought that having a set of keys would make my job easier. I would be able to go about my daily duties without having to borrow Steve’s keys (finding Steve is like trying to hit a moving target). In reality, living keyless for my first few weeks has been a blessing in disguise.

In a center that serves men with drug and alcohol addictions (and people who are flat out broke)--things disappear. Donations are locked up and keys are closely guarded. That being said, there are times when the keys are lent out and returned immediately. The help desk coordinator is pretty much the only member of the workforce who would borrow the keys. He is the highest ranking employee of the workforce who helps keep things running smoothly out on the guidance center floor while Steve and I work on other projects for the center.

The thing that makes this situation unique is that six months ago the help desk coordinator may have been breaking into cars for crack money…really. By lending someone the keys, Steve is letting him know that he trusts him. At St. Vincent’s, trust is really a source of power…power is gained by earning trust.

This puts me in an interesting situation as a new employee. Many people who are not the coordinator think that they should be able to use the keys too. In fact, one of the first conflicts that I witnessed was between two employees over a set of keys. Not having my own set of keys has allowed me to observe the power struggles and politics among the men employed within the workforce. It freed me from the responsibility of showing trust during my first few weeks of work. It gave me a chance to get to know individual personalities and develop an even-handed approach in working with all of the men.

That’s it for this week,

paul