Microskils

Hi dr Jamison, this is my video demonstrating the micro

skill of opening close questions today.

I am joined by my husband or client.

Um Mr Justin and he has come here today because

he's experiencing some troubles at work um that have just

contributed to his anxiety and stress.

Mr Foulkes.

What brings you in today?

Well, I am worried about my return to work.

What concerns do you?

Well, I've been off for a few months and when

I was there last I was really having trouble with

just like the day to day interactions that I have

with the people in my lab.

Okay, could you expand on that?

Yeah. Found myself like anywhere from frustrated too paranoid um

where I wasn't sure if people were just asking me

questions to mess with me or if they were being

genuine and um really needing my my help on something.

Okay. How did those interactions make you feel?

Well the, whenever a specific problem at first occur um

or they bring a problem to me and I would

assist. Yeah.

I would initially feel like a valued member of the

team but the problem starts when they come to me

with the same problem every day and It feels like

it's a 51st dates situation where uh I just I

truly don't know if they're forgetting the very thing I

told them the day before or if they are trolling

me to get a reaction.

We've had a strained relationship, I've had a string relationship

with nearly everyone in the lab um For the last

year or two at released.

Okay. And why do you feel it's been strained?

Well, there's been a lot of disagreements about approaches to

how we should fix things, anything from my supplying tools

to fixing procedures.

Um, mm I can't tell if they want my input

or oh, if they just want me to shut up

and stay in my little corner and just do a

very narrow range of, of work.

Yeah. Doing that narrow range of work is not extremely

fulfilling. I like being a part of like problem solving,

big picture stuff and it sounds like people are coming

to you and asking questions so you're definitely knowledgeable in

that area.

Yeah, I mean it seems like it, I feel like

I'm knowledgeable in those areas and I feel like I

have something to offer the company.

But um, I hear whispers sometimes.

Yeah, I think they're talking about me or laughing about

a position I'm taking.

Oh, we've had lots of political disagreements as well.

Obviously the political climate is very charged right now.

And even though I've tried to stay Yeah, mostly silent

on some issues.

We've got into some pretty heated debates and where they

have insulted me and how did you take that when

they insulted you?

Oh, I have not chosen wisely.

I've, I've taken the low road and insulted back and

you know, matched the raise voice with my raised voice

and they seem to be able to get away with

it. But I'm, I've been pulled aside several times, meanwhile

um for being negative in the lab, so you feel

singled out a little bit.

Yeah. Yeah, I mean that's that's what it seems like

any way it could be that other people are getting

talk to, but I just don't see it and I

feel like I just have to retreat into my space

and then I am completely unprepared when they need my

help again.

And so with the whispers and everything that has come

to pass, I just don't know how to respond to

them at, you do feel lonely when you're at work.

Yeah, There's probably 15 or some of us that work

in a relatively small space, but I probably amount in

good terms with Maybe one or 2.

Mhm. And uh well Probably one now since the one

that I've really gone along with it was let go

and how do you similar situations, how do you feel

about that your friend being let go?

Uh I just feel like at any time I could

be next, but on the other hand, like I have

said I've I've been a problem child in their eyes

for a while and they still haven't gotten rid of

me. So maybe it's not as bad as I think,

I don't know of.

What do you classify this environment is a place where

you would thrive, I I think to thrive there we

would need to revamp leadership in rolls there so that

Mhm the people that are excelling in their positions are

given a chance to to be promoted and the people

that are not doing so well in their positions are

given additional training or coaching or whatever, they need to

get better or to move them out.

And so I just feel like there's a very narrow

window where my workplace could be a still be a

good fit for me.

I enjoy the work I do.

The work itself is a mixture of, you know, working

with my hands, which I enjoy building and tearing apart

things and also troubleshooting.

So it's like, you know, so I'm bringing in their

car, you kind of has a weird thing going on.

There's some, if you're curious person, you tend to enjoy

figuring out what's wrong and why it went wrong and

I enjoy that part.

I enjoy the process improvement part of my job.

But I don't particularly enjoy the part of my job

where I am doing the same training tasks with people,

especially when they're supposed to be experienced technicians and I'm

training them over and over again, as you're telling me

that I'm sensing some sadness from you.

Is is it hard to think back on some of

these interactions you've had?

Yeah, because there's a, there's a lot of them, I

wish I could have handled better and um mm I,

I'm a believer in jesus and I don't think because

of my behavior in the lab that they would be

able to tell and so there's sadness because of that.

Um and there's also sadness with like working so hard

to to improve something eman realizing that you cannot, you

can't yeah, do any more for it and is a

big corporation, they're gonna go on without me like and

so in the end, you know there rise or demise

is not continue on me being there.

The thriving there.

It sounds like you all right here.

I think you've put a lot of your heart and

soul into this position and and your interactions haven't been

the greatest Yeah, I want it encourage you that you

it's it says a lot about your character that you

are reflecting back and uh huh some of these interactions

and wish they've gone better.

Just your awareness of that that's big, it's a big

deal and um right business just do turnout people a

lot of the times, but I want to encourage you

that the value that you've gotten, the knowledge we've gotten,

you get to keep, you can take that with you.

Yeah. And it does seem like a lot of people

that have left that have been people that I've been

able to work with over the years but have left

because um just getting the same run around, I'm kidding,

they've been able to go on and find better jobs

and and more stable industries are most able environment, does

that give you hope about future jobs?

Yeah and it just seems like it's a matter of

get me over this hump where I can start to

think about uh huh Oh the value I can bring

them to a company, another company, so I can work

on my resume and that sort of thing and think

about ways to get my confidence back up because I

feel like that's something that's been crushed by here repeated

uh huh negative interactions I guess I really appreciate you

sharing and it sounds like you have a lot of

knowledge and a lot to offer and so I really

appreciate it.

You're sharing just some of your struggles with me.

And I hope that as we continue to discuss them

and and as you continue to gain confidence and hope

in the future that you would be on a path

that can really see your value because you are valuable

human being and a wonderful man.

Thank you.

Yeah. Uh huh.

Thank you.

This is real talks with Justin and Megan.

Thank you for listening and I hope that you enjoy

the demonstration of the open and closed question microscope

Microskils

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