Work related whining...

Working in the legal field you come across a wide variety of people - both in terms of clients and the people you work with (whether they are in the same firm, on the opposite side or in Court).  Now save for in Court (where you have to mind your P's and Q's - Judges are addressed as Your Honour, then Sir/Madam, unless they are a master, and then they are addressed as Master, even if they are female... ) I have a tendency to address everyone exactly the same way... whether it's a senior partner or the post room runner... in my mind you treat everyone respectfully, politely and professionally...

In return I kind of expect the same thing....which to be honest you usually get from outside your own firm... ok there is the odd unprofessional moment... like the sudden marriage proposal I got from an opponent when I phoned to say that a Court hearing wasn't going ahead wasn't something I expected....

So year end approaches, and within the firm those people with financial targets are getting edgy, and probably taking it out on people lower down the food chain.... now whilst the area I work in involves actually getting us paid (yes, I haggle over large amounts of money for a living... not totally accurate, but the job I do in the legal profession is a fairly small field so I am not going to put the actual job title down because I whine too much about work on this blog... ) I am not responsible for actually writing the damn cheques, or ensuring that money is received.... Unfortunately, some people can't see it this way and whilst year end means that tempers are frayed surely it's not on to take it out on someone else?  It isn't as though it's the actual people with the targets that are being rude, but in the last two days I have been talked down to and had stroppy and downright rude e-mails from junior assistants, who are basically jumped up secretaries.

Now I would let this wash over me, but my tolerance levels are not high right now and uncivil behaviour really raises my hackles..... this final quarter is going to be sheer hell I know it is, and I can see myself having to gag myself to stop myself from ranting back and possibly sit on my hands to avoid replying to e-mails without thinking about it.

I shall keep repeating to myself, I am a nice person really, I will not stoop to their level, I will let the stress wash over me.... and then I might treat myself to a large vodka...