06-18-2005, 03:43 PM
Hi
I'm very interested in your situation, because I am in a similar one at my job. I'm hired as a research tech in an academic lab but spend only a small percentage of my time actually doing the research I love. I have to juggle a lot of things at a time and because I'm in charge of the lab, everybody comes to me whenever they have a question or need something or have a problem (so this is every 5-10 minutes during the busiest part of the day).
And, like you, although there are more people at this place who exhibit or are at least tolerant of an autistic behavior, I still have a difficult time dealing with many of my co-workers.
Unlike you - I have less responsibility, less stress, so my reactions aren't as extreme. I'm sorry you have it so hard.
I wonder how flexible your employer would be about creating a unique job title for you. One that limits the amount of managerial stuff you do and lets you do what you're good at. I'd like to negotiate something like that with my boss next year. He asked me to commit to this tech position for 2 years when he hired me. He's extremely happy with my work, so I think it's possible to work something out with him.
The problem: it would be so much easier if I could just be open with people about AS. If only I could just say: I was "diagnosed" with AS, I am very good at these things____, but I have a lot of trouble with the following___. Most people are quite good at the things I have trouble doing and conversely, I am quite good at the things most people have trouble with - could job responsibilities be shuffled around in order to take advantage of this fact? You'd win because everybody would be happier and more productive. I'd win because I'd be immersed in the research I love and less stressed.
I think it wouldn't work, though, because most people aren't flexible enough to redesign a workplace. And most people are so misinformed about autism/AS that it's hard to re-educate.
Has anybody had any luck confronting this situation head on?
K
I'm very interested in your situation, because I am in a similar one at my job. I'm hired as a research tech in an academic lab but spend only a small percentage of my time actually doing the research I love. I have to juggle a lot of things at a time and because I'm in charge of the lab, everybody comes to me whenever they have a question or need something or have a problem (so this is every 5-10 minutes during the busiest part of the day).
And, like you, although there are more people at this place who exhibit or are at least tolerant of an autistic behavior, I still have a difficult time dealing with many of my co-workers.
Unlike you - I have less responsibility, less stress, so my reactions aren't as extreme. I'm sorry you have it so hard.
I wonder how flexible your employer would be about creating a unique job title for you. One that limits the amount of managerial stuff you do and lets you do what you're good at. I'd like to negotiate something like that with my boss next year. He asked me to commit to this tech position for 2 years when he hired me. He's extremely happy with my work, so I think it's possible to work something out with him.
The problem: it would be so much easier if I could just be open with people about AS. If only I could just say: I was "diagnosed" with AS, I am very good at these things____, but I have a lot of trouble with the following___. Most people are quite good at the things I have trouble doing and conversely, I am quite good at the things most people have trouble with - could job responsibilities be shuffled around in order to take advantage of this fact? You'd win because everybody would be happier and more productive. I'd win because I'd be immersed in the research I love and less stressed.
I think it wouldn't work, though, because most people aren't flexible enough to redesign a workplace. And most people are so misinformed about autism/AS that it's hard to re-educate.
Has anybody had any luck confronting this situation head on?
K