This all came down a few weeks ago when we were going through some management changes. I had a couple of managers who were getting burned out after more than three years on the job. One had been going to school and was getting ready to move into a counseling position. And the other was about to graduate and return to her home state. They are both great ladies and I was going to miss their hard work and willingness. But change is inevitable and ongoing around here.
So I was interviewing a new lady. And my addict brain was doing everything possible to fit her into the position that was open. My glasses saw her as bright, assertive, a good communicator, humble. etc. I wanted her to be the right one.
And she said the thing we like to hear around the program: "I'm here because I want to change my life. I'm tired of going in and out of jail. And of living on the streets." She was really lacking only one thing: even though she'd been sober in prison for several years before she came to us she hadn't been at TLC long enough to know the details of how our program works.
But like I say, being greedy - I was willing to take a short cut. I told myself that she was smart enough to learn what she might have missed during the 90 days she was in the basic program. But I was wrong.
It wasn't long before her money started coming up short. Clients were complaining about her attitude. The complaints kept growing.
When I let her go I had to look at myself because had I planned better I wouldn't have been in such a hurry, I would have asked her better questions. Like I said, greed.
