What's your work style?

[shandra.livejournal.com]

So a general question I had from a more specific post further down.

How do y'all handle work, as systems? Our style has varied in the past but over the last 5-6 years or so we have developed a team approach. We're not a very hierarchical system anyway - no one's "in charge" - so that suits our style.

Basically how it works is that at least five of the adults in the system can handle the basics of our job and so we use to-do lists to make sure that it's clear where each task is at. Having said that though we each have aspects that we enjoy more, or are more skilled at, and in a normal week we each sort of do that part. It's been surprising to me at times (being the most career oriented, probably) to see how willing people are to try out things and participate in our work life.

In the past people have also had their own jobs on the side, like teaching a class on Saturdays. We all agreed to support those things and again, took a team approach - just kind of rotated who the leader of the team was, I guess, although we never expressed it that way.

Lots of us have dreams of different work and we're still working out how to give each person a chance at their own thing, supported by the rest of us in much the same way.

What's your experience?

Comments

[shatterstorm.livejournal.com]

Certain people have preferences for certain tasks. Interactions with politically hazardous people are always done with a guardian present. We share awareness a lot so this hasn't been a huge problem. And it can be a plus; we found that some of our children enjoy doing tasks others of us find uninteresting. Some of our kids love cabling computer systems and doing hardware work. :) We've had more trouble with ptsd - flashbacks in a cube environment can be a problem.

[sharpsight.livejournal.com]

Markus handles anything to do with maths, computers, or guns, as well as making the occasional comment; I do most of the rest, at least most of the time. Ghul isn't very involved, mostly to do with his accent, but tends to briefly step in whenever pain of any sort is involved (which he enjoys, strangely enough).

Before that, everyone was trying to do or help with everything at once, and it wasn't very stable, though it worked for a long time for some reason.

Each job is different

[spookshow-girl.livejournal.com]

We handle our jobs pretty much in tandem, our ideal goal being unanimous proficiency at the tasks despite invidual strong points. We also attempt to adjust to working through something, even if the someone else is more suited, which allows us to take breaks when we need them. I

On one occasion, a job eventually involved dealing with a material that she was grossed out by, so I dealt with it when the material was unavoidable. Although she won't be licking it anytime soon, eventually she became more at ease around the material so long as it was at a certain distance, and we were able to recalibrate accordingly.

Sometimes, it becomes apparent that one of us can really rock the job, and for a while, that person will try to handle it, most of the time. That tends to make havok of our dynamic, and informal schedule. It also can obliterate our failsafe system, mostly due to our habit of pushing ourselves to exhaustion. However, she is better at noticing, and drawing the line at that point, I'll keep going. In fact, it becomes harder for me to stop once I reach that point. I've invested so much into the ground I've gained, I don't want to lose it.

Armed with this knowledge, we try to adjust accordingly as the need arises, keeping our goals in mind.

Our career designs have a major common point, programming and systems administration. We also try to give ourselves the ability to express our side interests.

This all becomes a matter of time management very soon, and we do try to handle these issues in a way that keeps the greatest amount of free time to spend how we want.

--Me

[zenboiuke.livejournal.com]

We share memories and work as a team. Some of us are more comfortable fronting than others, or have talents in different areas. K & I are shamans & tend to deal a lot with interpersonal issues, and matters of healing & protection. Jack & Grace are flirtatious whores :P rather outgoing & like to be around during parties & whatnot. Jack wants to teach dance but is willing to wait until I am established as a chiropractor.

We all respect one anothers' goals & understand that with one body to share among many, it will take a little longer to get to everything everyone wants to do ^^

~Kier

[aliasalixx.livejournal.com]

Alixx let me and Ali watch today, and he's not griping too much about letting me front either. :) Jaysin hasn't really shown too much interest in working, but then he pretty much stays in his own place most of the time.

[pengke.livejournal.com]

There are rules in place for the career but not for the job we have while the career's on hold. We don't really want the kids out at work but anyone's welcome to jump in any time they'd like.

The career's more specialized. Only one of us earned the degree but another two have been mentored and trained along with our students so that they could fill in during emergencies. It's not something they're interested in on a regular basis, though. The non-specialized aspects of the career are open to anyone.

Mostly one person works. Having to uphold the responsibility and be available consistently seems to be a big deterent.

[stealthdragon.livejournal.com]

I do just about everything, since no one else much likes to front. R isn't above helping out now and again, but she's likely to just drop the answer to a question into my mind than take over the body to type it out.

There aren't too many of us here, so it works. If one of us wants to do something with the body for a while, it can usually be arranged.

- An.