Note: I first started writing this post over three years ago. At the time I was not in a good place, and I drafted something with lots of anger in it. Since then I’ve played with the draft many times and never managed to get the balance right. This week I took another look and I think I have finally managed to position things in a way which is helpful to me – and hopefully for you too. Thanks for reading.
I’m having a great week. Meeting interesting people, having interesting conversations, doing work I enjoy and which I believe makes a difference. Learning to appreciate myself and others more, trying to make good, better. This week I’m on a roll and I am grateful to everyone who is helping me right now. I hope you’re having a good one too.
But what happens when the opposite is the case? Sometimes things don’t go to plan, and when that happens, it is helpful to have someone to blame. I do it, and you do it too, don’t you?
I Blame HR
I blame HR, with their pointless annual appraisals, their patronising diversity training and their crappy happy clappy fund raising bake sales. I blame HR.
I Blame Finance
I blame finance, with their stupid budget restrictions, their over complicated spreadsheets and their mind numbing expenses policy. I blame finance.
I Blame Sales
I blame sales, with their cheap suits, their bonus chasing greed and their legendary ability to over promise. I blame sales.
I Blame Facilities
I blame facilities, with their untimely fire drills, feng shui faux pas and their utopian paper free office strategy. I blame facilities.
I Blame Customer Services
I blame customer services, with their call waiting stats, their net promoter index and their ‘I can’t do that, you need to speak to my supervisor’ unhelpfulness. I blame customer services.
You get the picture. But have you ever stopped to think, maybe it’s you? OK, maybe you didn’t cause the problem, but let’s face it, pointing the finger at everyone isn’t much help. The attitude you choose, particularly when things aren’t going to plan, says an awful lot about you. So the next time things go off course, if it’s only a little, then hey – try and enjoy it, maybe there’s another way. If things are way off course, then try and be useful, find out if people need help to get things back on track. Most importantly, try to be kind about it. More and more I’m realising that a little kindness goes a long way. It’s The International Day of Happiness today, so why not push the boat out and throw your best smile into the mix too.
Blame is not the answer. Find another way. Have a lovely weekend.
