I Must be Blind

Work has been well, challenging.

An integral business system was poorly designed.  An out of the box solution was purchased on the cheap.  Training and support determined to be too expensive.  Against the advice of the provider, all data was imported from the old system.  Getting what we paid for, this data continues to disrupt today as if it were the first bug-filled moments of implementation two years ago.

Even when we think we might be getting a handle on it, we find that our forced trial-and-error efforts were not appreciated by the system and in fact, created more and sometimes deeper issues.

Frustration is taking its toll on everybody.

I’m frustrated too.  I am weary of fighting the system and fighting those people that need to adopt and use the system.

• I don’t want to hear, “We used to be able to do it this way.”  
• I don’t want to hear, “I’m supposed to sell – I’m not an admin person.  It isn’t my job.”  
• I don’t want to hear, “Just make it happen.”  
• I don’t want to argue with someone who complains about bad data while they continually input, you guessed it, bad data.

I recognize that my temperament has changed.  Day by day, each hour exposes more raw nerves. My interactions with others are not Jesus-like.  I keep looking for ways to mitigate this declining attitude.

• A sign nailed to my wall:  PEACE & Coffee.  
• A list taped to my desk:  LJPFKGFGSC (Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness,  Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control – the Fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23)
• A phrase fastened to my monitor – What is required of you? (Micah 6:8)

I’m supposed to be looking at these ‘reminders’ all day long as I work with others in the company.  I’m supposed to!

But, I’m wondering now if I should make these notes bigger or more colorful or maybe place dozens all over the place.

Something needs to change because, in the heat of the moment, they simply disappear.  They only reveal themselves once the conflict is over and I recognize that I have failed again.