Why Did My Manager Do This?

[Raidergal2022]

At work I was told by my boss some time ago that I will likely think/worry about a situation that happened as I’m a ‘very conscientious person’ Other people described me as laid back.


Similarly after I helped him out once he told me he appreciated me and asked me to apply for a job working with him at another base as I was ‘hardworking’ (it was a job I’d done very recently previously so knew the people there). He rang me often asking if I’d decide to apply. I actually helped out at the place in the meantime and the people were said they would like to have me back etc

Fast forward to a few weeks he then went distant and gave the job to someone else. In a very polite way he said when I was helping out I wasnt very efficient and he wanted more output. I felt secretly annoyed as I’d been helping out/no one else would do it. In the end the successful candidate didn’t take the job and they ended up paying double to employ a temporary worker. My manager did say the job was now available again if I wanted it but he put me off taking it -said that he expected much more output and that our working relationship would be very different.

I felt a bit embarrased about this as I thought they would rather pay all that money than have me

Recently he was asking about something on the wall (maybe it hadn’t been signed or something) I didn’t know what he meant and he sighed and said ‘you’re all the same over here, you’re the opposite of me (insert my name), carefree, it’s not a bad thing it’s good for the social side I suppose’

Shortly after he left the company

My 2 questions are:
1. Does this mean that he thought I was one type of person (hardworking) and then realised I wasn’t?

2. Is it possible to be both conscientious and carefree?

[bobbinwales]

Your very long question suggest's to me you need someone to talk to. Do you have a friend or family you could chat to about things like this?
Maybe you need to think less about it though... just focus on what your good at and don't dwell on what maybe throwaway commment's

[Ringlet]

Yes, it is possible to be conscientious and carefree. Conscientiousness at your job means that you do the best you can all the time to fulfil your duties.
But you can also be carefree, in that if you know that you did your best and fulfilled all your duties, you should not have to care what others think of you.
You are worrying too much about the situation with your manager, and you are trying to guess what that person is thinking.
All you can do is try to do your job to the best of your ability, and if you get passed over for promotion, or for the opportunity of a different job, just let it go and try not to dwell too much on blaming yourself.