Just finished watching the closing ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Having a few hours to kill at the airport I am still and constantly thinking about the past two weeks at work and mainly focusing on the one coming, can’t help but remember similar days in the past.
I keep wondering about all kind of teammates, past and present, which I have known have been in comparable situations not just once or twice. All of them coming through and fulfilling all expectations and even exceeding those sometimes.
What else can we do? Athletes prepare for many hours every week in pursue of a triumph, a record, a medal, the exhilaration, excitement, fame perhaps, and even a secured future for them and their families. The rest of us have to work; some of us went through sports competitions when younger, but either we were not cut for the chosen sports or we made a bad selection, or there was simply no infrastructure in place to support our dreams.
Now we face the daily competitions in the business world. Who gets the medals here?
Some people have no idea what kind of preparation one has to go through to deliver the results bosses, other departments, or clients are expecting. Sometimes such efforts, long hours, past memory recalling, quick thinking, resourcefulness and willingness are just taken for granted.
For athletes that fail to make it to the podium, they simply don’t get a medal but are in no way punished in any way: life goes on as usual. However if we fail we put our job on the line or lose the client; with a very slim chance of gaining it back. Ever.
I respect every profession, and know that there are some specific ones in which a mistake can result in injury and fatality, a recession, or worse.
Yet I have to focus on the IT field, one of the most fascinating yet frustrating of all; I salute all of you administrators, programmers, technicians, engineers and consultants whose performance is deserving of at least a moment at the podium.
You are really the unsung heroes of many enterprises.
“Me sirve tu batalla, sin medalla.” (I used your battle without a medal) –Mario Benedetti
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tic tac tic tac...
What do you do when you are sleep deprived?
Is it a self-inflicted over-caffeinated reason? Too many worries? Lots of work and plenty of tasks still pending? Issues at home? Most of the above?
It's one of those nights when your body is exhausted yet your mind's still busy trying to figure out where to start the next day. Most of the solutions have been already figured out but you don't dare to get off the bed and write them down, and/or you are so tired (physically) that you prefer to try to remember everything the next day.
The thing is, if you think you are young enough to recall everything the next day, great! If not, then what? You know you will forget something. Worse, the very item you forget most of the times is the entire solution's touching stone.
You can only compare your dilemma with that of a comatose patient that hears and sees everything around her but is unable to respond to anything.
Hope you can remember e-ve-ry-thing then; in the meantime, try to get some sleep. There is always more coffee the next day. Tic tac tic tac tic tac … ...
Is it a self-inflicted over-caffeinated reason? Too many worries? Lots of work and plenty of tasks still pending? Issues at home? Most of the above?
It's one of those nights when your body is exhausted yet your mind's still busy trying to figure out where to start the next day. Most of the solutions have been already figured out but you don't dare to get off the bed and write them down, and/or you are so tired (physically) that you prefer to try to remember everything the next day.
The thing is, if you think you are young enough to recall everything the next day, great! If not, then what? You know you will forget something. Worse, the very item you forget most of the times is the entire solution's touching stone.
You can only compare your dilemma with that of a comatose patient that hears and sees everything around her but is unable to respond to anything.
Hope you can remember e-ve-ry-thing then; in the meantime, try to get some sleep. There is always more coffee the next day. Tic tac tic tac tic tac … ...
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Waves
Working overtime now with barely a minute to concentrate on other stuff. Culprits are clients that all of a sudden decide on new implementation with only 2 week warning. Love it.
So, not complaining, rather reporting my lapses of absence from the cloud lately.
All these ups and downs in rapid succession remind me of the fair. When I was part of staff all seemed to be like a merry-go-round: up and down and up and down and then the full cycle would repeat in similar ways. The horse was different but the tasks were the same, to the point of infinite boredom.
However as of late, everything seems to resemble the roller-coaster. I must confess I still cringe at the feeling of going down, turning quickly to the right or left or upwards is fine with me; it’s just the vertigo that I still can't control.
Obviously I understand going down means I will go up eventually. The only difference between the fast moves on a real roller-coaster and my current situation is that the mental exhaustion will get off-limits if the ride doesn't end soon.
Again, not complaining, but simply reporting.
I hope you are enjoying your ride too, independently of the apparatus you're riding.
So, not complaining, rather reporting my lapses of absence from the cloud lately.
All these ups and downs in rapid succession remind me of the fair. When I was part of staff all seemed to be like a merry-go-round: up and down and up and down and then the full cycle would repeat in similar ways. The horse was different but the tasks were the same, to the point of infinite boredom.
However as of late, everything seems to resemble the roller-coaster. I must confess I still cringe at the feeling of going down, turning quickly to the right or left or upwards is fine with me; it’s just the vertigo that I still can't control.
Obviously I understand going down means I will go up eventually. The only difference between the fast moves on a real roller-coaster and my current situation is that the mental exhaustion will get off-limits if the ride doesn't end soon.
Again, not complaining, but simply reporting.
I hope you are enjoying your ride too, independently of the apparatus you're riding.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Letting IT linger
On Monday, at kid’s soccer practice I found a program for volleyball drop-in. It made me remember how well I used to play and how much fun it was on my teenage years, as well as how much I enjoyed watching the international tournaments. The strategy, the athleticism, the pressure, everything around volleyball attracted me to be there that night.
However, the simple thought that it had been at least a couple of decades since the last time I faced a team of six on the other side of a net on a real court made me dread such initiative. I walked away for a 10 or 15 minutes lapse while recalling so many good times long gone.
Then I returned to see the page: it was clear: “Volleyball drop-in, $2.00 2 hours 8:30pm – 10:30pm, maximum 40 people”.
So, it would be three courts. I then remembered seeing some people getting to the gym some nights; all dressed and ready for the volleyball sessions. I felt compelled to join again. Yet, the thought that I would be the oldest person in the court, and perhaps the slowest, heaviest and most ignorant of the rules made me refrain again.
Then I found myself coming back to re-read such invitation for the third time! It was decided: I went home, looked for short pants, tennis shoes, a comfortable t-shirt and a bottle of water.
Turns out I had a great time! :D All my fears dissipated once there: it took me a few minutes to get acquainted with the ball feeling and weight, its bouncing and all. I wasn’t the oldest, or slowest… it did not matter. I took a beating and was on the floor a few times, some muscles I forgot existed hurt that night and the following days, but it was just great.
In business, and mainly on those IT related, we do the same. Don’t we? We let those specific projects or tasks linger sometimes more than necessary. Postpone them. Procrastinate. All the time!
We dread all the inconveniences of the pressure, the hindsight, the fact that we don’t know or remember everything there is to apply to the task, et cetera.
Surely we will finish exhausted and take a beating too. But I’m pretty sure the rewards will far outweigh the hassles.
Go play that game!
However, the simple thought that it had been at least a couple of decades since the last time I faced a team of six on the other side of a net on a real court made me dread such initiative. I walked away for a 10 or 15 minutes lapse while recalling so many good times long gone.
Then I returned to see the page: it was clear: “Volleyball drop-in, $2.00 2 hours 8:30pm – 10:30pm, maximum 40 people”.
So, it would be three courts. I then remembered seeing some people getting to the gym some nights; all dressed and ready for the volleyball sessions. I felt compelled to join again. Yet, the thought that I would be the oldest person in the court, and perhaps the slowest, heaviest and most ignorant of the rules made me refrain again.
Then I found myself coming back to re-read such invitation for the third time! It was decided: I went home, looked for short pants, tennis shoes, a comfortable t-shirt and a bottle of water.
Turns out I had a great time! :D All my fears dissipated once there: it took me a few minutes to get acquainted with the ball feeling and weight, its bouncing and all. I wasn’t the oldest, or slowest… it did not matter. I took a beating and was on the floor a few times, some muscles I forgot existed hurt that night and the following days, but it was just great.
In business, and mainly on those IT related, we do the same. Don’t we? We let those specific projects or tasks linger sometimes more than necessary. Postpone them. Procrastinate. All the time!
We dread all the inconveniences of the pressure, the hindsight, the fact that we don’t know or remember everything there is to apply to the task, et cetera.
Surely we will finish exhausted and take a beating too. But I’m pretty sure the rewards will far outweigh the hassles.
Go play that game!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Criticizing and complimenting
Strange how most of the times is so easy to find fault, to vent out, to finger point, to even offend those that -intentionally or not- happen to create an unhappy event or situation for us.
We are so used (dare I say thanks to the media?) to prefer the negative news, the condemning and the complaining, rather than focusing on good news.
Seems to me like we are forgetting to apologize, to ask for forgiveness, to even say a word of appreciation to those that do things properly; worst, we don’t even offer the slightest form of recognition to the ones that go beyond the call of duty to help us.
If everybody is like me to a certain degree, I've found out that some of the best advice I’ve ever received has come from the most unexpected places and people. It has taken some time for those tips to become a push; partly because when the words are uttered we are in hearing mode but not in listening mode. It only happens that after maturing some ideas and then remembering such words we take action; with very positive results most of the times. And at such times, we then forgot who the tipster was.
Sometimes I’m in awe when I discover that those words have created something so positive. Better yet, people at times do some things for you and you only realize the effect of such actions later. And then again we can't remember who did what for us.
Thank you. :)
It might have been just a few words or a small gesture you did for me. So, I thank you while my smile shows my gratitude.
Note to self: please do the same for everybody else. Saying thank you requires less than a second. A smile is easier than any other use of our facial muscles.
We are so used (dare I say thanks to the media?) to prefer the negative news, the condemning and the complaining, rather than focusing on good news.
Seems to me like we are forgetting to apologize, to ask for forgiveness, to even say a word of appreciation to those that do things properly; worst, we don’t even offer the slightest form of recognition to the ones that go beyond the call of duty to help us.
If everybody is like me to a certain degree, I've found out that some of the best advice I’ve ever received has come from the most unexpected places and people. It has taken some time for those tips to become a push; partly because when the words are uttered we are in hearing mode but not in listening mode. It only happens that after maturing some ideas and then remembering such words we take action; with very positive results most of the times. And at such times, we then forgot who the tipster was.
Sometimes I’m in awe when I discover that those words have created something so positive. Better yet, people at times do some things for you and you only realize the effect of such actions later. And then again we can't remember who did what for us.
Thank you. :)
It might have been just a few words or a small gesture you did for me. So, I thank you while my smile shows my gratitude.
Note to self: please do the same for everybody else. Saying thank you requires less than a second. A smile is easier than any other use of our facial muscles.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
INSTALLING LOVE -Author Unknown
Tech Support: Yes ... how can I help you?
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love. Can you guide me though the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running?
Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge, and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components." What should I do?
Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love. Can you guide me though the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running?
Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge, and Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components." What should I do?
Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
My Netbook is 90 years old
…or so it seems.
Just a few weeks ago I was shouting to the world the great and many advantages of such little pieces of leading edge technology. I was about to post something related to the Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s Reader for more on magazines and newspaper ideas… and then Jobs announces the iPad.
My Netbook is in agony… my mind is suddenly empty… and my IT world seems to be nicer every time.
Now, if we could link somehow the iPad to solving the warming issue…
Just a few weeks ago I was shouting to the world the great and many advantages of such little pieces of leading edge technology. I was about to post something related to the Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s Reader for more on magazines and newspaper ideas… and then Jobs announces the iPad.
My Netbook is in agony… my mind is suddenly empty… and my IT world seems to be nicer every time.
Now, if we could link somehow the iPad to solving the warming issue…
Monday, February 1, 2010
Silence is good for business
More than a year ago I was at a friends’ house enjoying a small party. They were leaving the city back to their country of origin. Most of the guests were from a different country too, so we felt the communion and understood to a very good degree the feelings of our hosts.
At some point during the conversation I noticed that most of my input was practically non-existent. Nobody would respond to my questions and/or they continued talking to each other with a different topic as if my words were some kind of momentary noise. I felt embarrassed and obviously started to try to remember anything that might have offended anybody. I recalled nothing.
Last weekend, at a friend’s birthday party the conversation centered on newborns and mainly the pains of going through a difficult labour. This time quite the same happened, after I opened my mouth and said something that hugely overrode and diminished whatever any of the present women went through in there, in terms of time length and pains of such an event.
Then it struck me: that other time I explained that by sheer coincidence I went to 3 famous restaurants in 3 different cities within a week. It was just incredible that somebody brought up the names and places and I had just recently visited the 3 disparate places and ate in such restaurants within a 7 day trip.
This time, what I said was also kind of incredible. Nobody in that other occasion believed me, and neither did anybody now. Despite the fact that everything I said was true and I can prove it with my expense report, credit card statements and hospital records; it is in fact quite incredible, especially for people that do not live a similar lifestyle or have been anything close to what was described at the hospital.
My lesson?
DO NOT open your mouth that quickly. I remember most of my best financial, business and professional successes have happened after a long silence on my part. Strange: sometimes because I am trying to find the right words, sometimes because I do not know the answer and most of the times because my mind is blank but trying to articulate a sentence. It just worked to my advantage.
Sometimes the truth hurts or makes you look like an idiot. That truth is being tried to be conveyed with your own words! Do NOT do it. Keep silent when what you will say is very distant from the center and normality of what everybody is focusing on. Better to prepare with facts and figures and present them, instead of simply open your big mouth, no matter how small it is.
Enjoy the silence.
At some point during the conversation I noticed that most of my input was practically non-existent. Nobody would respond to my questions and/or they continued talking to each other with a different topic as if my words were some kind of momentary noise. I felt embarrassed and obviously started to try to remember anything that might have offended anybody. I recalled nothing.
Last weekend, at a friend’s birthday party the conversation centered on newborns and mainly the pains of going through a difficult labour. This time quite the same happened, after I opened my mouth and said something that hugely overrode and diminished whatever any of the present women went through in there, in terms of time length and pains of such an event.
Then it struck me: that other time I explained that by sheer coincidence I went to 3 famous restaurants in 3 different cities within a week. It was just incredible that somebody brought up the names and places and I had just recently visited the 3 disparate places and ate in such restaurants within a 7 day trip.
This time, what I said was also kind of incredible. Nobody in that other occasion believed me, and neither did anybody now. Despite the fact that everything I said was true and I can prove it with my expense report, credit card statements and hospital records; it is in fact quite incredible, especially for people that do not live a similar lifestyle or have been anything close to what was described at the hospital.
My lesson?
DO NOT open your mouth that quickly. I remember most of my best financial, business and professional successes have happened after a long silence on my part. Strange: sometimes because I am trying to find the right words, sometimes because I do not know the answer and most of the times because my mind is blank but trying to articulate a sentence. It just worked to my advantage.
Sometimes the truth hurts or makes you look like an idiot. That truth is being tried to be conveyed with your own words! Do NOT do it. Keep silent when what you will say is very distant from the center and normality of what everybody is focusing on. Better to prepare with facts and figures and present them, instead of simply open your big mouth, no matter how small it is.
Enjoy the silence.
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