To smile or not to smile.

I wonder what is the best method to deal with an emergency that suddenly croped up?

For instance, someone suddenly called you and told you that another person called her up and told her that he found some thing that was not supposed to be there lying just besides the bin found at the first level of the building that you are occuplying. She also told you to bring along suitable PPEs to deal with the matter. When you wavered a bit and told her you would also ask another colleague, she told you that you should be able to handle such a thing on your own without other guidance. She also told you to hurry up and get to the scene of the supposed crime. While still taking instructions from her over the mobile, you walked to your colleague seat to alert her of the case as well. After putting down the phone, you asked your colleague for the necessary PPEs cos it is stored underneath her table and also briefed her about what the caller had told you. Immediately, both of you went downstair to investigate.

Upon reaching the supposed crime scene (the instruction is a little bit out as the location is about 5m away from the instructions given). Anyway, you spotted the supposed illegal thing and approached it. Upon reaching the target, your colleague told you that thing was not what it supposed to be. This means the supposed "crime" was not a crime and a false alarm. Somehow we thought this was nothing to be of concern and of course, smile went around our face. I guess any normal human being after sensing the danger is no longer a danger will surely feel a sense of relief and smiled or even laughed at the fortunate discovery. Somehow this "smile" was taken as being slugglish or not sensing the imminent danger it would have posed if it was really the real thing! The caller called later to say that the informed has called her and informed her that we were treating the whole affair as a joke and not taking it seriously. By now, you would have guess the caller is my superior!

This supposed "crime" actually did occur before at the workplace and it was really taken very seriously then. We realised the seriousness if it was really the real stuff but what done cannot be undone. However what we found was a false alarm, I guess this really called for some relief.

Yes, it should have been dealt with better but I do not think the informer should called up and reported on us. If it was to be a real matter, we would have to investigate and trace it back to the propagator. I will probably also put on a mocking smile, lament on encountering such a scenario and record all possible traces/ clues and content before finding the best way to dispose it.

The next thing we could do was to be really angry, upset, screamed 'foul' and 'fool' on the propagator and put on a face that suited such occasion. After that, write angry but diplomatic email to the suspected propagator and his/ her superior, followed by reminders to the rest of the population that such behaviours are not to be tolerated. Is this the correct way?

I guess I know not. Probably I have not sensed the seriousness of the thing. If such things really do occur, it is a major bleach! After being months at the job, such urgencies or dire to do good has died down quite a lot. Facing the various kinds of restrictions and "red tape" or maybe no tape, passion do wan. Your "professional" knowledge and subject know-how are often doubted which make your statements falter. You do not trust yourself anyway. Probably one can see this positively and treat it as a training ground to polish the foundation and the subject matter, but too much of it can be mind warping! It do pain also when your trainings and qualifications are not being taken seriously or as necessary requirement for the job. You find that you are being denied and your heart faltered. Should this be the place that you should continue staying and see no recognition for what you have painstakenly qualified? Trainings are not exactly encouraged as they do not see the applicability at the place but are required if I am to remain qualified in the field.

External people are roped in to do a briefing which we should be doing because they belong to another section. It is an insult to our designation. In addition, my superior think we are not "qualified" to do such a briefing. Technically, we should be the correct and most qualified people to give such briefing because is what we are hired for! Irony......

I have not ventilated for a long time. Karma does follow us. Getting out of one hell does not guarantee getting to paradise because our karma does follow us. Characters and aspirations also play a part when we shift around job. Reflecting, I was happy to get out of my previous job and was anxious to start the current job. However, although it is what I want to do but I do not find the happiness nor the satisfaction. This current job pays better, regular timing, better boss and the appropriate designation. Have I been "tortured" or endured too long to feel happiness? Maybe my aspirations and my goals in life have moved on from what I want initially!

"The biggest obstacles to our progress exist within our own lives in the form of cowardice and the tendency to give up. Breaking through these barriers will unleash a surging wave of change. " - Words of Wisdom by Daisaku Ikeda