The Corporate Cry for Wolf

Aesop was an ancient Greek slave and story teller.


Although his existence remains uncertain, his fables are real and have been carried throughout the ages to be told and taught as part of a storytelling tradition that remains till this day.


His fable of a shepherd boy who cried wolf is an example of one of his famous stories.


It is used in kinder-gardens and schools all across the globe as a cautionary tale about telling the truth.


Ya, I don't think that worked well for a big chunk of humanity.
In fact, recent studies showed that telling this story increased the likelihood of children telling lies or altering the truth to their advantage and amusement...to become Aesop storytellers themselves.


Back to the land of grownups, and specifically the part where we have to work to earn money and be happy (a fable by itself), shouting wolf, or raising false alarms is a common thing.


We get requests all the time that are labeled urgent or marked with the 'Bang' exclamation mark !


You get a pile of work thrown at you and you are told it is needed urgently.


Now, that's ok at times and I'm sure a lot of us deal with those types of requests where we have to spend some extra time after working hours or take it back home, if you're that type of person.


But what happens when you're consistently bombarded with them? simple, you get pissed! and your work enthusiasm drops, not to mention the fact that when you get more urgent requests (whether they truly are or not) they all become the same.


Some of you might say: "Nah, you don't know how to prioritize! I don't get that because I know how to organize myself...just learn from me."


Yes I do agree that prioritizing is an important skill, but not as important as planning.


If you plan correctly, know exactly what is at hand, and allocate the appropriate resources available, you will avoid the headache of scrambling every one around you and screaming DEFCON 1 !


And prioritizing is something that we all do inherently, whether you notice it or not, and some are just better at it... but what happens when you work over a long period of time and everything is urgent?


I was discussing this with one of my friends who also works in the same field, he and many others get a kick out of having an agency or a consultancy slaving for them. 


"I get to tell them what I want, when I want, and they have to do it...that's what they are paid for!"
Some business owners say the same thing when referring to their employees. 


Yes, you do pay them to work for you but you don't own them. 


Plus, that shows how bad of a manager you are. 


Your people skills are just as important as any other skill, and you will loose good talents that just won't take your crap. 


Don't care? more slaves will replace them?
Sure you can do that if you can afford the time and money you'll loose in the process. Although, your reputation as an unprofessional asswhole will stick to you like gum on a new sneaker.


Stop sadistically managing people with a horsewhip (keep that for the bedroom ;p) and learn to appreciate people and their right to rest and disengage from work. 


Or give them the option to do the required 'unplanned' work and pay them or reward them for it.


They will appreciate it and their job satisfaction will increase.


It's either that, or someday when a real wolf comes along, you won't find any villagers running up the hill to help you.

Hide Your Peanuts

A lot of professionals label working in the Middle East as maneuvering in a Chaotically Organized environment.

I don't blame them with the types of unprofessional people working around here and what they got used to.

These types of people can also be found in other regions of the world, but they do have a higher density here.

Although we do have a percentage of the work force that knows what they are doing, and they actually do it with inspiring grace and efficiency, we still have people that like keeping monkeys around, till they become "Apes" themselves.

The Apes vary in form, color, size, and behavior.

They tend to be curious at times or want to have fun. 

So they explore and interact with other beings.

And with their own welfare and pleasure as a top priority, they don't care if they pester others.

Once hungry, they fill their bellies with whatever satisfies that need. And when they lose interest, they become lazy, and start snoozing whenever and wherever they can. 

I wish that the following quote by Jay Leno applies in most offices:

Researchers at Harvard say that taking a power nap for an hour in the afternoon can totally refresh you.  They say that by the time you wake up you'll feel so good; you'll be able to start looking for a new job.  ~Jay Leno

And I bet that you might have already worked or interacted with such "Apes" throughout your days.

If not, you will most probably cross paths with them. 

So how should you deal with them? 

Well, if you have a plate of Peanuts or Bananas out on your desk ( as in you keep welcoming whoever comes into your office or stops by your cubical to gossip and Jibba Jabba ) expect more monkeys to start hanging around, and sooner or later, you also become an "Ape" or will be labeled as one.

My solution is don't have the plate out in the open.

Here are some of the tricks I apply,

And they are effective most of the times:

·       Take out the extra seats in your office or keep them far from your cubical (use the meeting room if you are having a business related or private meeting - that's what these rooms are there for)

·       Allow who you wouldn't bug you to walk through your door, if you are busy, keep your door a bit shut or closed if needed...you choose who comes in and doesn't

·       Always make work your priority, they don't pay your salary

·       If they do pay your salary, they will appreciate it when you keep your job on top of the priority list

·       Building Rapport is an important skill you have to master, and breaking Rapport is even more important (example: show that you are busy by taking away eye contact, or use your body language by moving from facing  your visitor to having him to your side)

·       If you are faced with a persistent Ape, a more direct approach would be effective (ask them kindly if you can talk later preferably after work)

·       If that doesn't work, resort to drastic measures (no don't take out your Chainsaw, keep that for later); just tell them in a firm tonality that you have work to do and don't like distractions, so buzz off.

I'm not saying be an asshole! Although you might have to be when considering the ones that just can't get a hint.

The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.  ~Arnold Toynbee

I just love that quote...to me, it means you can be really good at something you enjoy doing.

Another meaning is that you can actually work and have fun at the same time.

Just manage the level between both of them by focusing on what you need to finish and have a dose of fun from time to time.

It's OK to "Monkey Around" for a bit, but don't make it as a habit.

It is just something you do so you won't have a nervous breakdown from focusing so much. 

Go to an Ape and continue the chat you were having with him, or if you don't want to bother others, just get an "Internet Fix"; surf the net for some news, or maybe just a small dose of Facebook.

At the end, your plate of Peanuts is yours to enjoy and share if you want to or not, so hide it and only take it out when you feel like it.