Present
****
"Peach, have you seen my email this morning?"
She stopped typing on her laptop and turned her swivel chair to look at me.
"Yes, Calli. I just have a few clarifications on the report that you want me to create for our mid-year planning."
I shifted my body's weight on my right—to ready myself just in case this will be a long conversation. "What would you like to clarify?"
Given that this coming first week of June we'll have our mid-year strategic planning, as early as now, I'm already making the preparations. Since Peach is the Finance Officer of our department, I asked her to make a budget report—where she needs to include the expenses we incurred over the last months. She also has to make a budget projection for the next coming months which means she needs to know the projects that each sub-department is planning to have from here on until December, so she can include those for Matt's approval.
"Can we have a separate meeting to discuss my questions?"
My eyebrows furrowed a little because of her inquiry. "Is a meeting necessary?" I countered. Looking at my schedule for today, I couldn't squeeze in another meeting. And I believe all the details I'm asking from her are included in the email I sent. Namilog ang kaniyang mga mata at tikom ang kaniyang bibig habang nakatitig siya sa akin. Tila ba hindi niya alam ang kaniyang isasagot sa aking tanong. "I'm just saying that let's not set a meeting for something that could be discussed through email. We're both busy individuals."
One of the many things I disrelish is being in a meeting that could have been just an email. Besides the fact that I don't have much time to lavish during the work hours, I don't like being stuck in a room, wasting my time while discussing something that could have been easily clarified using another medium. For me, meetings are only necessary when an exchange of ideas is needed. Or if there are decisions that should be tabled with the right people. However, for getting feedback on an ongoing project, or reviewing deliverables, maybe a different method of collaborating would be better.
Bumunot siya ng isang malalim na hininga. "Well . . . uh."
"Let me propose an idea," I intervened. "Create a Google Sheet and share it with me. After you finish the financial report from January to April, let me know. Notify me via email or give me a ring. I'll check it and leave comments on the file if I see something that needs to be changed. Now, if you have clarifications, you can create a separate tab. Throw your questions on that page and I'll input my answers. How about that?"
Hindi rin naman ako magsisinungaling na isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit iniiwasan ko ang mga meeting ay dahil ayaw kong masyadong nakikipag-usap sa mga tao. Lalo na kung sa palagay ko ay hindi naman kailangan. Talking to people is draining for me. I'd rather save my energy on more important matters instead of forcing myself to interface with humans.
She licked her lower lip. I could sense her hesitation. "Sounds good," she finally replied. Though her voice trembled when she answered.
"Great." Tumango ako. "I'll wait for the link."
Dahil sa aking palagay tapos na ang aming pag-uusap, naglakad na ako pabalik sa aking desk. Dumaan lang naman ako sa pwesto niya para masiguradong nabasa niya ang mensahe ko sa email dahil importante iyon. Because I'm co-overseeing this department together with Matt, I can't let anything fall through the cracks. At least, not in my watch.
I was busy updating our current Gantt Charts when the project coordinator of our department, Olive, knocked on the glass door. Since my job requires a lot of focus, I was placed in a separate room where no one can easily barge, except for my boss. That guy doesn't even know how to knock. He just waltzes inside my room and he sits down on the chair in front of me like he owns it.
