dispatches from the new world of work

That Damned AV Guy!

Giving a seminar.
Everything went wrong!
Small sins.
Big sins!
Un-professional!
Un-forgivable!

And I was in a deservedly foul, foul mood about it all. (No way to go into a speech.)
And then I did by last stop before ShowTime ... my AV check.

That damned AV guy!

I was in a foul mood.
Conference organizer a weenie.
I savored ... self-righteously ... my Foul Mood.

That damned AV guy!
He was in a Great Mood!
Happy with the World!
Humming!
Can you believe it ... HUMMING!

And, in spite of my full-load of determination, my damned mood started to improve. We started joking about this or that, talkin' shop, and in short order I was bordering on ... CHEERFUL.

You get the point, I'm sure. Despite one's Very Best Efforts to Harbor a Grudge for Various Injustices ... Another's Cheerfulness acts as a Contagion!

That damned AV guy.
He saved my Speech.
He saved my neck.
Cheerful people will do that.

(Message I: HIRE CHEERFUL!)
(Message II: Avoid-Dismiss FMCs ... Foul Mood Carriers. THEY SCREW YOU UP!)
(Message III: All Hail "that damned AV guy"!)
(Message IV: One "damned AV guy" can change the mood of a Battalion!)

Tom Peters posted this on 11/12/04.

Comments

tp: I had a great seminar. And it was all due to that S.O.B. A/V guy.
Whewwwwwwww..these A/V guys certainly have this major impact on you eh ???

Posted by /pd at November 12, 2004 12:38 PM

I work with a foul mood carrier. I exerted so much energy and creativity on trying to convert her into a cheerful optimist I began to turn sour. All efforts to lighten her up were for naught. She was only complete spreading critizism and complaining endlessly, spewing forth a foul mood throughout the store. Now, I spend the time ignoring her and concentrating on being warm, friendly and outgoing. I am determined to be more successful than her spreading my good mood than she is pushing her bad one.

Posted by Ric Neidhardt at November 14, 2004 11:43 AM

Curious? Tom? No disrespect meant, but would YOU be hireable according to your own standards?

Posted by Tom Asacker at November 14, 2004 1:19 PM

Tom Asacker: I hope so, but only others can judge. I think most would say that my entire career is one, long paean to passion and compassion and enthusiasm. Do I have bad days? Do I occasionally lose my cool inappropriately? Yup. I tend toward moodiness, and fight it when it does its "pop up" bit.

Posted by tom peters at November 14, 2004 11:45 PM

Thanks for the candid answer Tom. I suffer from similar proclivities. I try to keep this Ben Franklin saying in mind (but I'm often unsuccessful): "If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins."

Good luck with the reorganization!

Tom

Posted by Tom Asacker at November 16, 2004 9:43 AM