**Original message**
From: Leo Janssens [mailto:leo@microshop.be]
Sent: Thursday December 14, 2000 9:09
To: Ann Ingelaere (E-mail)
CC: Danny Laeremans (E-mail); Wim Heylen (E-mail); Gert-Istari (E-mail); BDeRycke@Actebis.be
Subject: Supplier?
Dear Ann,
Good morning.
As feared (expected), the supplier (?) from Actebis didn’t show up yesterday. I stayed here until 6:30 PM nonetheless. Was here this morning at 8:20, the store lights are on and I’m waiting. This isn’t the first time there have been delivery problems and to be honest, I’m getting really tired of this.
Let’s address the problem directly: this isn’t serving you well because ultimately we’ll be forced to choose other purchasing channels where transport doesn’t stretch from several days to a full week…
Please do something about this, carriers need to do their work in a serious manner too, this is expected of all of us.
I don’t doubt your personal commitment for a moment but enough is enough.
Leo Janssens
Microshop computing.
**From Wim Heylen <wim@zeb.be> to Leo Janssens**
Dear Leo,
I understand your frustration about promises not being kept or being kept too late. It’s indeed true that many people don’t perform their jobs correctly due to poor personal time management and that of others in the same chain.
But what strikes me more than that is the result of such circumstances: your mood is below zero. I can imagine that after your email below, Ann’s mood will also be below zero. While she can’t do anything about it.
By the way… Didier from Silicon called me this week, was clearly upset and overwhelmed after you lectured him about his colleague’s forgetfulness.
The worst part is that the people who can actually do something about it, in other words those who haven’t done their job properly, are completely insensitive to this criticism. And – even leaving aside ill will – they use an array of excuses and false reasoning as an umbrella: too much work, too little staff, truck too small, too big, poor planning, poor packaging, bad colleagues, bad bosses, traffic jams… you know them all and it will all be what it will be.
But the problem is never solved. And can’t be solved. And if Keymail is good today, then next year they’re guaranteed to be worse and Van Gend en Loos will be much better again. So you become quasi-desperate and send an email threatening to switch to another supplier. Unfortunately, everyone (including all involved) knows that it’s at least as bad with that other supplier. Maybe not today, but certainly tomorrow.
Believe me… I’ve applied the above for years, with only one result: even more frustration. Because even if after long and hard efforts you finally find someone who takes their responsibilities and you get improved results, this person will inevitably be promoted away/fired/bought out… and you start from zero again. Murphy & IT go hand in hand, you see.
So since we can’t solve other people’s problems, there’s only one problem we can solve… our own. And that problem has a name: stress.
I notice about myself that I sometimes get furious about trivialities, worry excessively about people and things that aren’t worth it, react aggressively and brusquely at times towards people who can only get the wrong impression from it. I also see Danny showing the same symptoms in an advanced stage… even resulting in insomnia and heart problems. Even little Sven, whom I deliberately gave just too many responsibilities compared to others in an attempt to shape him into a top figure, is already showing signs. And now I see you too sighing more, walking more hunched, aging, making grimaces, becoming more aggressive…
Therefore, the following:
**Wim’s anti-stress tips for today (off the cuff):**
1. Do good and don’t look back. No further comment needed. But a biblical truth. No one can rightfully blame you if you haven’t made any mistakes yourself.
2. Don’t promise anything to others if there’s even the slightest chance it could go wrong (in other words, if you’re dependent on promises from third parties)
3. Always build in a safety margin. ALWAYS. If you promise a customer something will be there tomorrow and you’re very sure yourself, STILL say the day after tomorrow. If everything goes well you can always call tomorrow that it’s early. Everyone will be happier.
4. Don’t use “IF” and “PROBABLY”, “USUALLY”… when making arrangements with customers. Customers block such statements from their memory.
5. Notify your customer immediately if there’s even a threat of something going wrong. Painful moment, but the customer is happier afterwards and so are you.
6. Systematically and consistently call out those responsible for the problem, but briefly. Complaining serves no purpose. And a short clear message usually leaves a much deeper impression than a piece of prose (hmm… like this one <g>)
7. Relax regularly. Talk with colleagues during lunch and in lost moments about things other than work. Take time off and vacation occasionally. Even when work doesn’t really allow it. Leave the heart attacks to those who don’t want to understand this.
8. Humor makes stress much more digestible. Make time to laugh and don’t let any chance go to waste.
9. Do sports regularly. You can process mental stress through physical performance. Yes, sex is good too. At home doesn’t count.
10. Good time management for yourself makes life much simpler and more relaxed. Planning, Agenda..etc..etc…
11. Learn to say NO: No, I don’t have time to go to that Toshiba meeting because I’m going to play tennis. No, you may not deliver during lunch, come back at 1 o’clock. No, your computer won’t be ready earlier because you bought one here 3 years ago too. No, I can’t do a soundcheck at 7 PM, I don’t stop working until 6 PM.
Of course these are all classics and there are many more and you know them all, but with all our intentions we almost all make the same mistakes… so maybe we should remind each other more regularly. Hence this email…
Regards,
Wim