Everybody slow down

I'm amazed by how people rush around madly and actually create more work for themselves and more confusion for others.

Here's a quote from an email I received in response to an enquiry:

"XXXX will authorise both tests. I should have made this clear to you in my response. I am rushing to catch up with a mountain of work having just returned from annual leave!!"

What happened above?

1. I send an email setting out a request for coverage  of costs on two tests - which I itemise and specify.
2. Person A sends it to Person B, who would authorise them (notice this is plural).
3. Person B emails me authorising one test (singular).
4. I have to email Person B repeating what I told Person A.

Then Person B gives me the response above.

What Person B has done is admitted that s/he has acted inefficiently by rushing with his/her mountain of work. But in so doing has actually added to his pile by having to respond to me.

Inefficiency on his/her side has resulted in me spending 5 min to draft an email. Do you see what I mean?

Oooooh..but hey this is England where bosses never see crap like that - or bosses couldn't care a monkeys (as they say over here). Oooh but bosses can't admit to that - can they?

Here's my pretend English response:

"When people get back from holidays they are in fact rushed of their feet and need time to get back into gear. The mistake is understandable. You can't expect perfection of people all the time - are you perfect?! Have you never made an error like that. You shouldn't be so hard on people!"

My pretend un-English response to that:

"I'm thankful you're you're not working in my company...I don't expect perfection. I simply expect work practices that deliver efficiency..rushing around and working inefficiently can create a bad image for my business amongst my customers. All our business is geared towards customer satisfaction. If people are over-worked on return from annual leave, they should speak with their line manager and get something done about it."

So a proportion of people reading this would also think 'I'd stay clear of his company!' - and I'd support that! Wankers - stay away!!

The important learning lesson in all of this - before people distract themselves too much with my 'personality' - is to 'slow down'. Slow down at work, especially after returning from annual leave. Rushing around madly could add to your pile and cause others to work inefficiently.