May 7, 2009

The person is more important than the task

That's been the phrase I've repeated over and over and over in my head all this week. When the phone rings and it's a coworker asking a question that I've answered in three email responses in the last hour. When another coworker comes by 'just to vent'. Twice. When my creative director asks me to drop everything and help 'scrub' a document of all client references in order to put it in a proposal. When I get three instant messages (from clients), a phone call, and five emails at once.

The person IS more important than the task.

Yes, we need to get this show out the door. Yes, the ground shipment leaves from Detroit on Monday the 19th and everything needs to get to the printer by tomorrow (always by tomorrow). Yes, I have an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper with to-do items on it divided for the next three days and in order of need. Yes, my blood pressure goes up every time the phone rings. But . . .

The person is more important than the task.

4 comments:

Aimee said...

That's good. A VERY good quote... I need to remember that, as well.

Praying things get less stressful and that everything gets done either on or before your deadlines.

Rachel said...

Sounds like a lot of stress. But good advice. Thanks for the reminder.

Anonymous said...

sounds like most of my days at work too. I feel like I talk to the air most of the time. I would be rich if I had a dollar for every time I had to ask a client for info and never get a response til I pin them down. And a dollar for every time I have to give them info that I have already given them a hundred times.

not everyone takes as much responsibility for things as I think both you and i do.

sorry i missed you call last week. i was on the phone with my sister

~julie

Snickollet said...

Hang in there. Sorry things are so busy/stressful right now. I hope you get a nice break once the deadline passes.