I believe there are characteristics of a man that are much more important than his experience on some technology, courses attended, job role or salary achievements.
It’s how he behaved to be the man he is.
This seems not to be very important nowadays, in a job market where it’s good to be cheap, slavish or willing to play dirty. So I want to “celebrate” it in my blog. I realized I never wrote down something I’ve always given as granted, and that my genetic modesty has always considered as normal. I realized I am proud of what I am, and that this should make me “suffering-proof” when I am not given what I have been promised or I am not recognized for objective achievements that brought huge benefits and money to the team.
Simply knowing that I respected commitments, that I met the targets signed at the very beginning (not those manipulated the day before the appraisal), well this must make me feel GOOD, and not sad or angry.
Of course, this should also make me even more resoluted to grab what I deserve. Everything but frustration should be in my mind and heart.
This is why I want to write down here, for myself, the reasons why I am proud of the way I kept myself together in hard times and the fair play rules I obeyed when working on my targets.
For once in my life, I do not want to focus only on aspects I should improve, as my attitude tends to.
I will write down a list of aspects that prevents me from blaming myself for not having achieved yet what I thought I would have reached with my hard work. It’s a list of pieces of me I won’t change; no matter if the world rules are toggled upside down or someone pretends this to enroll me.
It’s the list of “by design” specifications that make me unique. Good or bad is up to you.
I always try to be direct, honest and transparent with everyone I work with or manage.
I do not make promises I cannot keep, I don’t lie, I don’t route questions addressed to me to someone else.
I do answer 99% of the calls, I do recall whenever possible the remaining 1%.
I do not pretend to be perfect, I answer “sorry this is something I don’t know” when it is so, I apologize when I realize I made a mistake, or better when I realize I could have better managed something.
I make mistakes. As a result, I tend to limit complains and I always double check with someone if these are reasonable or not. I always check, before complaining, whether I could have behaved the same as those I complain too. I am willing to improve, and I am sorry for mistakes I made in the past.
I understand others are not necessarily forced to do the same as I do. I understand we are all different.
I can’t stand those who follows the rule “the more severe with others wrong behaviour the more others salary is high”.
I never measure people by their role, title, of salary.
I am not one of those guys pretending more from managers just because they are so.
If I need something from someone, and I find him hard to responding, I try to ease his job. And this is valid with my boss, I would say especially with my job.
I never, ever ever ever delegate others for what I am supposed to do or I am accountable for.
I respect others opinions, but I never forget the priority is the project success as I am paid for this.
I log in conferences one minute before it starts. I move to meeting rooms 3 minutes before meetings start.
I do not ask others to “remind me” with a mail or sms about something they asked me. I consider this extremely impolite. If I cannot remember a promise, I’d better not have given it.
I do not blind copy people in mails, nor I copy an infinite list of managers when this is not necessary.
I am not rude with assistants or colleagues when I am in a hurry and things are not going as I expected.
I do not call people I know being on holiday, and when it happens by mistake I apologize and close the call.
I do not pretend to earn money I do not deserve, I never cheat with refunding, I have always had have a private number for personal calls with friends and family.
I try to call people before sending urgent mails or huge attachments to read.
I take responsibility for my actions and decision, and I never avoid paying for my mistakes.
I do not stay until late in the office when it is not necessary just because it’s “a matter of giving a strong commitment impression”.
I never call others during the lunch break. I do not schedule conferences call during lunch time or after 6 pm.
I do not spam curricula all over when I am not happy with my career or when my boss tells me I have to improve on something. I push, I seek for chances, I even shout for being listened, I try to do every possible thing to use my job as a “platform” to achieve my goals, to grow, to become a better professional engineer and manager, until there is a small chance I could make it to a change.
I do not pretend to be the best. I do not think “Bests” exist. I believe someone can be the best at something sometimes. And he can be you, you or you. I also made some nice shot sometimes.
When working with someone, and evening comes, I never leave the office until it is not agreed to continue together the next day. If others stay, I stay.
I do not try to be friendly with those I don’t like. I try to be respectful, and honest instead.
I try to list the lessons learned only when the project it’s really over, and not according to my feelings.
I know that I couldn’t have reached my nice shots without help and teaching of great professionals. I owe a lot to other fellows. And I never kept those teaching for me. I spread the voice.
This is me. This is the way I manage work stuff.
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