“The problem with you,” declares our lad, “is that you never say no.”
Yes, I am being given advice by my kids again. This after a consultant called me at four minutes to five urgently asking for help. To be fair to the poor chap, he was very apologetic.
“I know this is way below your pay grade,” he said, “but you’re the only person who can help.”
Actually, I’m not the only person who can help. He could even do it himself if he really put his mind to it. And as he was asking me, that’s exactly what I was thinking. But I didn’t tell him, because, well, I can see he’s in a fix.
My son is absolutely right here. I don’t say no, even when plainly inconvenienced myself. I will go on responding to “this is urgent” and “I know I can rely on you.” How could I anyway, given the dearth of skills all around me?
This morning, I was frank in a meeting, when those I was supporting told me that users were having difficulties printing a document because it had been set up in landscape orientation. There was no diplomacy in my response this time around. “I really don’t know what to say,” I told them. “These are very basic, core admin skills.”
But this is our reality these days. Nobody seems to know how to do anything, nor wants to learn how to, from the admin to senior manager. It doesn’t matter how often they are trained, or how often support is offered — and I am always on hand for that — it never seems to stick. It’s easier to pick up the phone in a moment of desperation to ask another to do it for you.
“You know they only use that ‘urgent’ line to get you to drop everything,” offers my wife. “You should just tell them you’re busy. Or you’ve finished for the day.”
“Yeah, but this time it really is urgent,” I mutter, shuffling back to my desk for the evening shift.
“Told you so,” laughs our lad. He knows me all too well.
Last modified: 22 September 2024
