Jann Demystifying Affects

A manager at a mental health system employer once said for peer staff to "always err on the side of friendly." Bending rules of the hierarchy in advocacy, stepping through boundaries and trying to make friends with colleagues, or socializing with somebody's client can be professional and wanted. A friendly explanation in volunteering information can be penalized legally. Too often the inadequacy of an employer's rating method results in "bite them in the ass" performance reviews which highlight what was spoken too much over work accomplished. A more assertive workforce is made, yet self effacing demurs or calling attention to weaknesses in asking for supervision is rated low in a downward cast pro-forma for expediency. Gentle kindness and innovation are discouraged in a biased opinion on attitude. While advocating against discrimination and stigma at work is noble, not revealing one's success stories of being there is a compromise that consumer idealists should make for job security that unfortunately keeps the world a little colder.