You and I have been working on a presentation for a new client since early this morning. The client we are wooing is a big one and will mean a well-needed boost to the business’s bottom line. We are fairly certain that we will get the contract, but both know that this presentation must be the best ever. You enjoy working for/with me as we get along well in the work place, but this is a new position for you and you are very anxious to prove to me you can handle it.
As we put the finishing touches on the presentation, your computer crashes. I have been walking the floor in your office dictating information as you sit at the computer editing the presentation.
“Oh, no.” you say softly as the fatal blue screen of death pops into the monitor of your computer.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, stopping dead in my tracks.
“I have NO idea.” You say plaintively pointing to your computer.
I tell you to reboot your computer, not too concerned yet. After several minutes of attempting to reboot, the computer finally cooperates and reboots. You try to pull up the presentation and can’t find it anywhere. Your frustration grows with each passing minute.
After watching you quietly for several minutes, I walk up behind you.
“What’s the problem, Nikki?” I ask abruptly.
“I can’t find the presentation.” You say softly.
“OK, no problem. Reload it from the back-up disk and we’ll just finish it on my computer.”
“I didn’t back it up.” You say very softly.
“What did you say?” I ask incredulously.
“I didn’t back it up.”
“Nik---ki.” I say threateningly. “You know the cardinal rule is back up everything as you go. You…..know…..that….!”
“Yes Sir.” You say very quietly.
You can tell I am very upset. And you are, too. You always back up while you’re working on something. But today, you were too excited about the whole aspect of wanting to do this well and just never backed up the file.
“Let me in there.” I say, coming around your desk. You slide out of your chair and walk around your desk to another chair. You sit down quietly.
You watch as I work on your computer, looking for the file. I am intent on the task at hand, and you mistake my intensity for anger. After several minutes, I look up at you.
“We’re going to be here a while. Why don’t you go get us something to eat while I see if I can find this file?” I say to you with a tone that indicates you should just do as I ask and not say anything. You grab your purse and head out the door feeling less than pleased with yourself.
Almost an hour later you get back to your office. It’s now 5:30 and everybody else has left for the day. You are terribly nervous as you open the door to your office and walk in carrying the take out order. You know that my favorite two things are Pepsi and chocolate, so you have made sure to bring a Pepsi and a chocolate desert. When you come into the room you see that I am still at your desk, leaning back in your chair with my feet up, hands behind my head and my eyes closed. You come quietly into the room and set the food on a worktable. You slide into a chair in front of the desk and say nothing.
“You owe me big.” I say without opening my eyes. “Shhh. Don’t say a word. I got the file back. And I backed it up. I’m trying to decide what to do now.”
You wonder what I mean about deciding what to do now.
“I’m trying to decide whether to fire your cute little ass, send you back to your old job, or what.”
You are taken aback a little at the reference to your “cute little ass” as I have never made any kind of overt remark about you before. But you feel badly enough about this situation that you decide to say nothing until I ask.
“If you were my daughter I’d give you a sound spanking and call it a lesson learned.” I say, almost as if I am talking to myself. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” I ask.
You look at me and I open my eyes. You find yourself staring into my crystal blue eyes looking intensely back at you.
“I really am sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I know we’re to back up everything. I always do. I guess I just got excited with the new job and all. I’ll do whatever you decide, just please don’t fire me.”
