When I started to work in Mr Potato's media house , I thought things were kinda slow.
I also thought I knew everything I needed to know because:Limkokwing.
I wanted things to move faster.
But Mr Potato always said: Skill before Speed.
And so I sat and read and read and asked and experimented and banged my head on the desk when things did not work as I expected and somehow I gained the skill.
And the speed came.
The three years I worked in Mr Potato's Media Productions Inc.were the best years of my life. I didn't think it then, but in retrospect. Having someone oversee your work when they know very well you are an idiot who has no idea what they are doing, and still be able to remain calm, while holding their hand to show them what they were supposed to do, that is a human skill that I don't think I posses.
But Mr. Potato would always listen, help you find deleted files, remind you of your limits but not with an iron fist.
His office was always open You could go anytime and he would stop what he is doing and offer you a seat. And maybe you just went in to ask him if he knows whether the Turkey served at the cafeteria is broiler or kienyeji.
One day I was feeling lost and confused and wanted to just quit, you know, and he walked with me to the rooftop of the towers and explained that what I was doing was important.
I guess mercy is what he had. And empathy. He was able to put himself in the other person's circumstance and instead of condemning an action, he would endeavour to understand what lead to it.
'Is Cecilia in a bad mood today because the matatu ride was rough and someone emptied their coffee on her skirt and perhaps she then met with her crush in the lift and now it's all gone up in flames?
She will be fine by 11.55.'
It was wonderful to work under someone who knew the job like the back of his hand. Ask him anything and he would help you through the job and check on you the following week to see if you finally got it.
It also made me at ease coz I knew if I messed up he would know and rectify. Ever worked for someone who has no idea what the job is about or even how it should be done?
Six months later your are still back and forthing like there is nothing else to do in this world.
Gosh there are so many things to be done in this world and the sooner we finish one thing the faster we get started on the next one.
That was a rant from an old frustration, nothing to do with Mr Potato at all.
But knowing that the person in charge could do the job better than me eased my mind and made me want to do it well enough.
He made it so easy to report yourself when you made a mistake.
I managed to lose files quite often, and I would go and report myself easily.
Mr.Potato had a highly intelligent sense of humour which took me years to understand. But his wife would tell us when it was a joke so we could laugh at the right places
We are still solid friends.
I think the most thing I appreciate about Mr Potato is his silence, sometimes silence in someone's presence is more further reaching than a gazillion words.
But
I also know that he is one of the most realest person who will tell you as it is when it needs to be said.
I thank Jehovah for Mr and Mrs Potato
No comments:
Post a Comment