More Than Getting It Done

When I take on something, I can't help but give attention to every detail -- the design, the spacing, the esthetics, the tone, the timing, the delivery. To me, these aren't extras; they are what make something whole.

So when I'm asked to "just get it done," especially by someone higher up, it unsettles me. Because for me, how something is done is the message.

This came up recently when I was asked to send a 10-year work anniversary e-card for my executive. I was told to circulate it among the Senior Vice Presidents to sign before it's delivered on the next Monday morning. But when I opened the e-card, I froze. The design looked like something for a ten-year-old's birthday - cheerful but empty. The gesture had no depth, no thought, no heart.

And then came the practice side of me. My executive will be in Europe that day, six hours ahead. I suggested the e-card be delivered on his Monday morning, not ours. That little detail alone seemed to irritate the requester. But to me, details like that are what make gestures meaningful.

Eventually, I stepped back. I told them it's best that the department handles this on their own since the message needs to go to all senior levels of the company. I realized I didn't need to fight for something I didn't believe in.

If it were my project, it would reflect care, thoughtfulness, and dignity that it requires. All the subtle details that elevate a gesture from "a task done" to "a message that lands".