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[/frame]Yes, that’s right. Today is my birthday. Not typically a big fan of holidays (probably all those years of missing holidays due to shiftwork have de-sensitized me), I’m actually looking forward to today.
As a general rule, I enjoy coming to work, although it took me a while to settle in here. I think it’s because in my typical over-achiever fashion, I really hate being the one in the room that doesn’t know something. And here in “commercial-and-industrial-HVAC-world“, well, these days that’s often me. I have a strong industrial background, ground-up in fact having started my working life as an Instrument Technician, but often feel a bit out-of-place in this highly specialized industry. But…the situation is steadily
improving.
For one thing, I’ve found a handful of things here at CAPS that I am one of the best at. For instance, pretty much everyone knows now if they have an Excel question, they should come to me. Also, I’ve written some jam-up press releases lately (it’s my English grammar and rhetoric background) that make us look and sound like the professionals we are. Also, while I’m not a pro at Photoshop or InDesign, I can get the more informal jobs done when needed. So, I’ve now got a comfort zone that is allowing me to enjoy my work and respond to company needs.
But the birthday thing…well, that’s something else entirely. I think the pleasure in coming to work on my birthday may have something to do with how much our company feels like family. I’m not talking the Hallmark card family, but a highly interactive, riding the ups-and-downs, occasionally dysfunctional and not always totally happy family. You know…a “real” work-family.
When I try to put a finger on why it feels like that here at CAPS, I think it must have to do with the work we do and the way we do it. When projects come in that push us to our design, manufacture, or installation capability limits, we buckle down, together, and push through to get it done. Not only do we value our customers, but we also value the relationships we build with them. In order to meet their needs we often have to put in the extra time, work odd hours, reallocate manpower, and perform some crazy work activities. Work through a few of those intensive project activities with the group around you and you’ll see what I mean. Intensive group activities, in my experience, result in either bonding, or breaking. We’ve built some really strong bonds here.
So, here I am at the start of my day and have TONS of fun things planned. I’m spending the morning with two of our Service department folks working on some spreadsheet automations designed to make their work flow better. Then, I’ll be teaching an Excel class over lunch. After that, I’m trying to finalize two brochure designs, work through some details on our upcoming trade show, and complete a SlideShare presentation that shows off a big project working its way through our shop this week.
Yikes! Look at the time! Guess I better get my gear (laptop and notes) packed up and head out now. But I did want to share my news with you…it’s my birthday, I have to work, and I’m happy about it. I guess if you had a great team of people around you all the time, you’d feel that way too.
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