Well, we’re only as srong as our weakest link, aren’t we?

The Call Someone strategy does come with a few caveats that I failed to mention. First among these is to be prepared to have the person you’re calling answer the phone. I have called many offices, asking for one official or another, but fully expecting to get some lackey or voice mail. Every once in a while, though, you may ask for Congressman So-and-so and the receptionist says simply “one moment, please.”

Another is to be sure you really want what you are asking for – and that’s the lesson for this story:

A few days ago, I made a call to my school board member about some resource shortcomings at my son’s school. It was one of those instances wherein I got the exact result I said I wanted – the district would adress any technology issue within the next 48 hours. That was spectacular news, to everyone except the school’s technology specialist.

You ever know someone that complains about one thing or another, almost to the point of being obnoxious about it; but if anyone should ever solve a problem for them, they treat it as a huge impostion? Yeah, those people are faking it. That isn’t to say that they are incompetent. Many people have been experts in their field for many years, and still feel like they’re faking it, so they continue to act that way. Others are faking it because they really don’t know what they’re doing.

The only way to know for sure is to let down your guard and allow yourself to find out how much you really know, and how much you need to learn.

Anyway, this person did not appreciate the sudden attention. This person, in fact, was quite put off. So much so, that the response to the “you name and we’ll address it” offer was simply:

“We’re fine, thanks.”

And nothing changes.

So, friends, what is the lesson today? Be careful what you wish for? Well, as much as it seems that way, I just can’t let such a valuable life lesson be a phrase that ends with a preposition.

So, I’ll say it is if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

People’s issues are their own issues, and we shouldn’t allow them to rule the day. If you feel self-conscious about your job, then that’s a sign that you know you could be better at it.

So I will keep calling, and calling, until the problems are all fixed.