"You want me to do what?" That's the thought that runs through my mind each time I'm told "you are going to write a blog". This time when they said it, they meant it. All I could say was "seriously, what could I possibly contribute that anyone would be interested in reading".
When I started my current consulting assignment I did EDI mapping only, expectations were set, you were rated on your performance of each map, the time it took to complete, the accuracy. I withstood grueling and stressful weekly team meetings conducted each Friday morning in a conference room where a team of 25 consultants were put under a spotlight and told directly if they were on the cut or stay list. Week by week I would come out of that conference room knowing I had made the cut another week while inside I was a fierce wreck thinking how humiliated I will be in front of my peers when I don't make the stay list. When a consultant was cut, I was shocked, I thought they were doing so well. After all they never failed to tell me how good their work was. I've always believed in the actions speak louder than words theory. That was 13 years ago.
I was the first consultant for my client that would be allowed to work from home after 6 years of on site 
weekly travel. There is a price to pay for being away from home, I needed balance, substance, a life and I needed to not to be chasing myself from wheels down on Friday to wheels up on Sunday. I like my client, my work, my team workers but I needed a break. I took a chance and asked to work from home. Yes me, "the consultant" asked my client for permission to work from home (no begging, no empty promises). When they said yes without hesitation I had no plan. I had no internet connection to support working from home. I live in the middle of nowhere all I had was dial up, I was convinced I'd just lost my mind.
Perhaps they saw the advantage. Not having to pay travel and meal expenses, no hotel expenses. Perhaps they noticed it was a win/win, getting a rested and more relaxed consultant had to equate to a higher productivity rate and cost savings, right?
Today I direct the orchestra of the work load globally, I run interference between the business managers and the analysts and the hosted manage provider.
I have a strong work ethic and a discipline for responsibility. I knew that working from home would be an easy transition for me, well, once I got internet access (I do now have DSL). I produce my workload along with the rest of the team, my productivity surpasses many times above what is expected. I jump in the middle saying "I'll do it, I'll get it done, don't worry, I got this".
My work day starts at a set time, ends at a set time, I take an hour for lunch. I don't slosh around, for me it's important that I'm dressed for success even if it is just jeans and gym shoes. I'm busy at start of the day to end of the day. I've proven myself to the toughest client I've ever been assigned to in my career.
The weekly Friday morning team meetings are a thing of the past. We are a team of 13, I am a Senior EDI Analyst, we meet monthly and isn't the 'cut' meeting. It's a touch base meeting, questions, round table and by the way, how's the weather where you are. Seventy-five percent of the team works from home.
I've had the privilege of working from home for almost 7 years for my 13 year client. I work. I have time lines, deliverables.
I'm behind the curtain and you want me to step out and reveal myself by writing a blog?
I don't write blogs..............
