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Friday, July 31, 2009

RESPECT THE MEETING NOTICE!

MEETING - an assembly or conference of persons for a specific purpose or event.


There is nothing more frustrating than having set up a meeting 45 days ago, then finding out the day of the meeting that two of the principle players couldn’t be bothered to participate.  They accepted, but never chose to change their status so that alternative arrangements could be made.

This particular meeting had already been rescheduled 4 times.  All participants tell me it is imperative to have said meeting.  My boss, who was at the right time at the right place, was made to look bad.  Which in turn made me feel crappy.

I get it, plans change.  People get busy.

For Pete Sakes! Check your calendar and be courteous.  Decline the meeting if you aren’t coming.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Modern Communication Methods

clown shoesI have 'sues. Big, red, floppy clown 'sues with modern day communications methods.  We tweet, text, IM, email but we seldom seem to pick up the phone for some human contact before we fire off some form of electronic communication.
Now, don't get me wrong.  Sometimes it is the only way to get to a person is to drop an email or an IM.  But it shouldn't be the only way.  I seem to be surrounded by people who are hooked on their crackberries and iPhone (disclaimer: I own an iPhone) as a way to keep in touch without interaction.  They rather type a thousand characters than 7 digits on the telephone for a simple conversation.

As human beings, we take a lot of our cues from interaction.  We deduce how a person is doing through body language, tone of voice or facial expression.  In the electronic world we have none of that.  The tone of a text, tweet or email can easily misconstrued unless there is a intimate familiarity with the sender or recipient.

While the advent of modern communication methods is cleaner than messenger pigeons, we lose a lot in translation.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

De-Stressing

I received an article in my email today about 22 Affordable Ways to De-Stress.  To be honest I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.  You see, today was a very bad day.  Murphy, of the Murphy's Law fame, had visited me with a vengeance.  Leaving me ready to raise my white flag in defeat.
I'll recap some of the recommended methods of de-stressing that I thought could prove to be a little dangerous for a person on the edge:

1. Visit the Shooting Range - Who hasn't had an urge to destroy something, it is usualy a passing fancy that I know that I can't act on.  But never in my wildest dreams would I give a stressed out individual a gun.  Even to shoot at a poor defenseless target.  You never know when the shooter might just snap.

2. Cook a Delicious Dinner with the Items you have in your Fridge - In principle this sounds good.  But the typical stressed out person usually has many questionable things in their refrigerator that no amount of cooking will kill the bacteria that will likely send you to the emergency room.  Instead, take yourself out to your favorite restaurant or have a potluck with friends.

3. Make "To-Do" Lists and Actively Check Items Off - In theory, this might sound like you are accomplishing things. But if I were to have one more list on top of the myriad of lists that I have and keep track of for other people, I would have to take the gun from number 1 and find the author of this article.

4. Take a Long Drive - I can only see this working if you don't live in a heavily populated area.  Commuter traffic is enough to make a person mental.  Five minutes on the road with people behind the wheel on cell phones makes me tighter than a snare drum.  Nope, no long drive for me.

I know that the author(s) of this article were only trying to help. De-Stressing in today's workplace is a highly personal process but extremely necessary.

My only advice is find your center and take the time to relax.  Do whatever it takes, you will be a better person for it.

Just keep away from fire arms.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Oh NO He Didn't

Gentle Reader, here is an authentic conversation had during Admin Gal’s very hectic busy day.  Admin Gal would like to point out the numerous egregious errors of this sales person.



Admin Gal: “Thank you for calling XXXXX.  How may I help you?”
India Sales Guy: "Hello, I'm looking for the CIO of your company XXXXXX? Can you direct me you him?"
Admin Gal: “I’m sorry we have no XXXXX in the company directory.”
India Sales Guy: “Can you tell me who the CIO is?” (Strike #1)
Admin Gal: “No”
India Sales Guy: “Why not?”
Admin Gal: “Did your even research my company?”
India Sales Guy: “No. Does that matter?” (Strike #2)
Admin Gal (completely flummoxed by the lack of preparedness and sheer lack of survival skills of this sales person): “Of course it matters, I’m not paid to do your job.  Please research my company.”

The intrepid Admin Gall then ends the call, annoyed but already on to other things.
15 minutes later, the phone rings.  Admin Gal is unable to answer the phone because she has someone at her cubicle.  She picks up the call she let go to voice mail after her visitors left.

India Sales Guy: “I’ve done my research, the CIO is XXXXX.” CLICK (Strike #3)

Admin Gal stares at her telephone in disbelief.
Another 15 minutes, the phone rings again.  Admin Gal picks up.

Admin Gal: “Thank you for calling XXXX. How may I help you?”
India Sales Guy: “I’ve done my research, the CIO is XXXXX.”CLICK


India Sales Guy STILL got the CIO name wrong, called Admin Gal back THREE times internationally in order to prove himself right.

Could India Sales Guy prove his childishness anymore.  All she needed was a face with  the fingers wiggling in the ears and the tongue sticking out.

However, Admin Gal did get his company name.

Who has the last laugh?

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Hanging by a Thread

I'm hanging by a thread of sanity.  My status of miracle worker is being severely tested.

Miracles, people!  I perform Miracles!  I don't create the impossible.  I don't make things appear out of nothing.  I don't create matter out of nothing.