#627 disconnected

Last night I went to write today’s blog entry and found that I couldn’t access the Internet on my computer.  I thought it was just incredibly slow.  Meanwhile, a friend was trying to pull up Downton Abbey on his computer so we could watch it when I was finished.  No luck there either.  We did some diagnostics and realized that it was because the outdoor incoming phone lines (aka incoming data service) had been shredded!  Guess who was at it again?

For golden retrievers, two years old has always been the magic benchmark – if you could make it until two, you had survived puppyhood and could now enjoy your dog.  I have been subjected to many misfortunes with these two beasts, and I thought their antics were over since one of my dogs is now 2-1/2 years old and the other is three weeks shy of being two.  But guess that Iris had one last fling before her birthday and held a shredding party in the snow.  Grrr.

So no computer work.  No television.  No streaming.  No emails.  No blog publishing.  Who knew how much I relied on something so invisible yet ubiquitous?  The Internet has become like electricity – we don’t even think about it until it isn’t there.  It functions as a conduit for us to do so many other things and we rely on it more than we realize.

What else is out there in your organization that you take for granted but need to function properly?  Is it a specific person who always does X and you don’t even know she does it?  Is it an outside vendor whose interface is seamless, and you assume it still will be if you switch systems?  Is it the collaboration you have with a neighboring tenant that results in positive traffic generated as much by them as by you?

Be intentional today about all the invisible support you have.  Thank those who provide it if you can and develop a plan for what to do should you be without it.  You never know when wire-shredding dogs may cross your path.

--- beth triplett

leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
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