“If they didn’t hire you, don’t solve their problem.”- Gerald Weinberg

I really need to take this one to heart. The problem is: I’m a natural problem solver. I see a problem. I try to solve it.

It’s a disease, I tell you!

And it really doesn’t matter where I am. A problem shows up in front of me, I try to handle it. One of these days it’s going to get me into serious trouble.

I’d settle for it just landing me a better job.

My current employer keeps me around because they call me “The Unkinker”. No, honestly, one of my directors has called me that. To my face, no less. A normal day at work for me involves being met at the door by a director saying, “So…we have a problem.” Great. They’re the director. I’m just the lead instructor.

And I’m the one who thinks of the solutions they either haven’t considered or have forgotten. Or I’m the one who has the technical ability to resolve the problem.

At work, my problem isn’t really that I’m solving problems for no pay. I’m solving a ton of problems for low pay. (And we wonder why the economy is so scary right now…)

Maybe I should consider being more restrictive about who I help? Sadly, I know I don’t have the will power to draw that line.

Anybody have a suggestion to solve my problem?

Posted by Rebecca in Personal development