There is really no way to adequately express the amount of stress my wife is under. Starting a new job is always exciting and challenging as one tries to do their best while figuring things out and being evaluated. Add some sleeplessness due to the stress and a dash of jet lag. Let’s add the need to communicate in a foreign language on an advanced technical business level, as well. Then throw in a hubby and kid who greet her every evening with hugs, kisses and questions. Granted, our questions aren’t complicated like the ones she deals with at work, but figuring out which button lights the oven and which setting is best for blousess in the washing machine still require a dictionary to translate unfamiliar terms and characters. Let’s just agree its an unhealthy amount of stress.
My wife had officially been working three days before her secretary, Omura the Protector, came to her and announced she would like to have some more work. (There are no plans to export Omura the Protector, but you lawyers reading this want one, I know!) Not yet having any substantial tasks to pass along to an eager sectretary seemed like a bad start. But there were tons of questions. And so Omura became not just a sounding board, but a one woman cross-cultural help desk. Can’t figure out the ofuro? Ask Omura, she knows. Don’t have time to translate that bill and note from the gas company? Ask Omura, she knows. Where’s a good noodle shop for lunch? Ask Omura, she knows!
Omura the protector was so helpful and so efficient and so eager to do more that she was given assignments to research the internet and make phone calls to find out about setting up this or that. Don’t think Omura does all of this by herself. Sometimes, the question is so foreign that Omura decides who in the office should answer this question. Omura then goes to that person, and asks the question. The person then finds out the answer or asks someone else. The information is then given to Omura. Omura then creates formal presentations containing the answer or, in some rare cases, Omura calls, asks her permission to have someone come in and give her the answer personally. The person then makes an appointment, and Omura then lets the person come in and presents the information. Omura then completes a full follow-up, determining if the answer was in fact helpful and if additional information on a topic is needed.
Helping makes Omura the Protector happy. Omura the Protector and her special powers make my wife happy. And happiness makes the world go round.
Now if only we can find a way for Omura to take that conference call that starts at 10 p.m. tomorrow?
written02052004