Handling Inconvenient Requests

  • I have always taken the position that we should first listen to a request. If we can help quickly then do it. If it is complex then quickly evaluate their need against what you are doing. If you determine your work is more critical then determine who you can direct them to for help.

  • In my wife's family (from the Midlands of England) they have a saying "What goes round, comes round" meaning if you do someone a good turn, eventually that will be repaid when someone does a good turn for you.

  • mldavies - Thursday, August 2, 2018 2:42 AM

    In my wife's family (from the Midlands of England) they have a saying "What goes round, comes round" meaning if you do someone a good turn, eventually that will be repaid when someone does a good turn for you.

    That's actually a very common expression, although it's usually phrased, "What goes around comes around."

    Drew

    J. Drew Allen
    Business Intelligence Analyst
    Philadelphia, PA

  • I like seeing Zig Ziglar quotes.  He was a great man and had a profound impact on my early adult life.  I thought I'd just expand a little more on him and his quote that was referenced.

    I forget where he worked when he was younger, but he became the #2 salesman in the company's sales force of over 7K people.  It was afterward that he realized his full potential and became an author and motivational speaker.  He studied and researched a lot about the human condition, specifically on what motivates us and how we can be better.  He realized that sales (and any other endeavor) could be boiled down into his famous quote, "You can get everything in life you want, if you'll just help enough other people get what they want."  While Zig didn't shy away from referencing the Bible, he didn't shove it down your throat either.  He did, however, synergize every bit of his publications with what he learned in his walk with God.  His famous quote can be derived from multiple Biblical verses, not the least of which is Mark 10:44-45 and Matthew 23:11.  There truly is power in serving.  That warm feeling you get when you're done helping someone is a great reminder that we were designed to serve.

    Edit: Misspelled "verses" as "versus".  Heh, "verses" versus "versus".  OK, I'm done.

  • It depends on the request, the way it is made, who makes it and the time constraints.
    In general I am not a first line support person, so requests for help should really be coming via the helpdesk so they can have a shot at it and log the details etc.  If everyone who wanted to just rang me direct with their issue in a uncontrolled way, I'd find it difficult to get my project/development work done. 
    Having said that, if its a quick query and its someone who I have a good working relationship with, and I can do so without missing an appointment etc, then I'll have a look, sure.
    Naturally in such discretionary situations the previous relationship does come into it.  If that person has made unreasonable demands in an aggressive way before, will I help them out beyond the formal boundaries of my role this time?  Probably not.

  • The organization I work for is to provide services to our client.  If they need assistance at 5:00 pm on Friday.  Then we assist them as much a possible.  Hopefully it will only take a few minutes.

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