Hello,
I work with this lovely lady who retired and I took on her full time tenured faculty role. She decided retired life wasn’t for her and taught part-time. What was seasonally, is now year round. She has been great in supporting me as I make changes and do new things. I usually tell her what new things I’m doing and ask her thoughts on items. With a new program build, I have been busying doing the business plan but have not consulted her on the curriculum. She is on the list for people to do it. Based on the plan, we’re diving into that next semester and I’m nose to grindstone checking off the boxes. I ask her a question about another colleague and she was insulted. She then went on to say that I should be consulting her earlier about her professional opinion and that I have not over this past month asked her once. She also said only needed her when I needed her. I was shocked. I acknowledged her thoughts and how she felt. I could easily see her model and her manual she had for me. I was devestated that she thought I was such a horrible person. I also thought we were friends. I thought we could ask questions and support each other – and I was so wrong. I took responsibility on my actions and my choice of words. I followed up. I feel sad/hurt because I thought I had a friend. Someone who gets me and who knows all the things that I have done…tried to do.. that’ I’m a decent human being. And I keep living in the past, thinking I thought I had a friend in her but I guess I was wrong. How could I be so wrong?
Thank you.