Department transfer…

I spent so much time in the Department of Unintended Consequences during my sales enablement role at NetSuite, I often wondered if I was transferred just awaiting the paperwork. 

One of the things I really liked about working there was the encouragement of personal initiative.  NetSuite’s CEO Zach Nelson coined the phrases, “Take the hill”, and “We must” offering recognition for employee initiatives during his quarterly “All Hands” meetings. 

Has this happened to you?  You know, you’re trying to “take the hill”; “go the extra mile” because “we must”; and Boom!  Word comes down from the Department of Unintended Consequences (aka DUC aka duck!): 

            Harrison's Postulate: 

For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism. 

Unknown Sage

I remember once I had formulated a plan for a local client meeting.  My Regional Managers had been speculating about a “Client Day” for months.  Well, after “talking about it”, I decided I would “take the hill” and make it happen.  Someone yell, “DUC”! 

Evidently, the Regional Managers expected me to form a committee first.  They wanted to offer their input on how to do an event.  My bad – I actually knew how to do events.  Plus, I didn’t have patience for committees (still don’t): 

Another mystery commonly observed by committee pathologists is that the time consumed in debate is dominated by those with the least to offer. 

Norman R. Augustine 

Well, word from the Department of Unintended Consequences came down.  A Regional Manager wanted to know exactly who authorized me to “take the hill”.  Huh?  The committee was assembled. 

What started as a local, casual, inexpensive event morphed into something where clients and Regional Managers were flying in from all corners of North America.  Thankfully, my VP shielded me.  He knew I was trying to execute with excellence.  He also knew when I got criticized (inevitable for us all), I would seek comfort from the wise: 

The incident of an undersized lawyer in an acrimonious stump debate with the massive Robert Toombs. Toombs called out, “Why, I could button your ears back and swallow you whole.”  The little fellow retorted, “And if you did, you would have more brains in your stomach than you ever had in your head.” 

Abraham Lincoln 

Thinking better of it, I decided to keep Abe’s counsel to myself.  The client day turned out well; the clients were pleased; the Regional Managers enjoyed themselves; the hill was taken! 

Afterwards however, word from the Department of Unintended Consequences was heard from again.  I had misspelled the company name on one client’s name tent.  He was upset enough to email me, “cc all” and included a cell phone picture of my error.  My bad.  Someone yell, “DUC”! 

                      GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.