What is best, you think?
As a greenhorn at work, I seek agreement before I make final work-related decisions or choices. Part of the reason is to show respect, or maybe I was playing it safe. I would have got someone to back me up if things turn otherwise. A few days back, said my manager, “Heidi, if you think that’s OK, then go ahead! Works are created, not instructed.”
That reminds me of something that happened two years ago. I was working part-time as a promoter at one international exhibition. After getting my working pass and got to know my booth position, my agent said to me, “Now go and make yourself useful”.
I went to the booth. No one was there, yet. Posters were already up on the walls, nicely placed—Global Review something, blah, blah, blah. Chairs, corner tables, desk and a few big boxes was still in a mess. I sat down, in wait for my temporary ‘boss’ to arrive (aka in wait for orders lah). While I was about to start day-dreaming, the remark of the job agent dawn on me—I should make myself ‘useful’.
I began to clean the chairs and desks with tissue papers, arranged them in the best likely spot in the small booth. Next, I checked out the box, magazines—I found. In that case, I knew I was going to promote for a publishing company for the next four days. I took the magazines out from the box and displayed them in the most interesting and appealing approach that I could possibly thought of (at which I turned to MPH bookstore for inspiration).
The expression that I got from the boss when he arrived is still crystal clear in my mind. He was definitely pleased with what I had done.
It was not difficult to impress others when we initiate what is best. Being more initiatives at work could not be wrong.
Quoting Mr. Alonso recently before the race at Barcelona, press asked whether he felt under pressure to race at home soil in front of 130, 000 fans. The replay was, ‘…when you always do your maximum and to the limits, there would be no pressure, pressure exists only when you have not done your best!’
And he won the race.
May 22nd, 2006 at 5:59 pm
Nice quote from Alonso “when you always do your maximum and to the limits, there would be no pressure, pressure exists only when you have not done your best!” through your blogs. Even though I never see you before, but I feel that you are an initiative and positive thinking person. Thank you very much for your reminder above from Alonso..I got my answer..