Choosing who you work with (from the airport (LAX))

I’m sitting at the airport after spending the week in Texas.  I was at an awesome conference and learned a lot.  I like going to conferences that are different than where I normally go – the different perspectives are important.

Today I got on my Southwest flight and there was an empty middle seat near the front.  I asked if it was taken and the guy got all huffy and made a lot of grunting unhappy noises and a scene as he got up and slid over.  This happens when a couple is travelling together and hoping they get a seat between them.

The jerk had put his seatbelt on, even though we were told it was a full flight, and couldn’t believe someone (me) had the nerve to ask him if I could sit in the empty seat.

You know what I love?  Since I got laid off I’ve been able to choose “who I get to sit by.”

When I had my job I didn’t have much of a choice of who I had to work with. In the past I’ve worked with people that had really bad body odor, I’ve worked with people who have been mean, offensive, unmotivated or crude.  I’ve worked with people who belittled everyone and I’ve worked with people who I would not hang out with for one minute after work.  If I wanted to get paid I had to do it.

Since I left Corporate America I’ve been able to choose who I work with.  There have been a few bombs, of course, but here’s the awesome part: when I/we realized it wasn’t a good relationship, we parted ways.

We could move on.

I LOVE not having to work with jerks.    I haven’t had to for a few years but there are two people that I remember that just didn’t work out at all.  They were both towards the beginning of my JibberJobber journey.  Since then I’ve been a lot more careful to choose my relationships better, and it’s been awesome to not have jerks forced on me.

How about you?  Can you choose who you work with?   It can be a priceless experience!