What if..

Working in accounts payable is pretty easy. You get invoices from faceless companies. You issue company cheques. You sit  at  your desk and  crunch numbers. Company X gets paid on the 17th.  and company Y on the 21st.

That’s it. But what if it wasn’t?. 

What if you decide that your job in the accounts department tucked behind the stock room on the ground floor is the most important in the company so you decide to get to know the folks  to whom you write those  cheques. That Company X is really run my Mr Ben, a short, stocky man  who  has been entrepreneur for ten years and spends a lot of  his time working  with  young people, 15-18 year old drug addicts in a church rehab programme.  Most of his own salary goes there.

Will  it matter how quickly you issue his cheque? It might. But it will certainly make you aware of the consequences of a late payment. Suddenly the cheque owed to Mr Ben has a story.

 And what if you  decide that you want  to be more efficient  in getting Mr  Ben his cheques on time so you automate the payment systems.  Mr Ben and others now  know exactly what time their cheques will get  to the bank. No more standing in line. No more delays. No more saying that the cheque is  waiting on another  signature. 

Suddenly you, the accounts payable person operates like a VP/ Accounts,  renowned for your efficiency and care. “ How are you Mr Ben and that 15 year-old you’ve been working with, has he stopped using?”

At Christmas parties your CEO’s  ears ring  if only  because so may people have the nicest things to say. You become  your company's most important brand ambassador.

Same thing with the person who greets customers at the door, I suppose.

What if  you replace the grumpy, unfriendly face with an intelligent, warm one. What if the receptionist has buy-in. What if he/she understands every person  who walks through the door has a purpose: to get a job, have a meeting, audit the accounts, that they'’ve  come for a reason. What if the receptionist understands  that she could  change the mindset of the guest.

“ How are you Mr Ben, are you here to see Mr James today? Oh did you know he just got a promotion.” 

Mr Ben  because of the receptionist’s help is able to have a humane moment in a business context. 

Think of the job acceptance rate that will go  up if the first impression is a memorable one? Think of the tax auditor might be a little more friendly if her greeting was cheerful? Think of of yourself, of how more pleasant your walk into your building will be.

Now I know what you must  saying. That blogger  lives in utopia. Nobody  loves every aspect of her or his job. And there certainly aren’t any  perfect jobs

But in this imperfect world of work I know it is possible to enjoy  your job a whole heap,  love the people you work with and the clients that you serve, even as you ignore the crap around.  

In any case, you just can’t stop me from wondering what if…?