Press On!

(An open letter to the employee who inspired me today.)

Dear XYZ (name changed to maintain confidentiality),

I logged in today to find you being publicly denounced by many for an idea that you had pitched and put into action. You were one of the few who dared participate in our idea generation contest and did more than just pitch an idea. You made it yours and cranked up the wheels to put it into action. But that was a few months back. Now that it’s been a rough 2 months since implementation, the general public have found a face to blame for introducing change and everything that isn’t working.

We expected you to hide under a bush and retreat. After all, this isn’t your KRA. When I see what you did instead, I can’t help but wish that we had more people like you working for us. You put out your cubicle location and contact details and asked to be contacted for feedback and suggestions. The post sincerely showed that you were willing to face the world and were truly ready to incorporate meaningful changes. You did not try to abandon your baby or defend how great it is. Instead you pressed on and opened yourself to criticism. I especially love the part where you said ‘I am eager to hear from you.’

Different people may interpret your reaction in different ways, but for me it’s truly inspiring. I have seen a lot of people jump ship and maybe if faced with as much targeted criticism, I might have done the same. (Except that change is a part of my KRA). I can’t tell you how thankful I am to have seen that post. The implementation may/may not work, but you pressing on month after month may turn tables around instead of sealing it as a definite failure.

Hats off to you my friend.

Truly Inspired,

A new fan!