Go, Speed Racer

About a month ago, I was humming along in my little gray Honda Accord on the 55 Freeway in South Orange County, California. A Beatles CD blasting and traffic was actually moving; I was sure to be on time for an appointment I had in Costa Mesa. Life seemed right. The music was good, I felt happy... Until..., I drove under an underpass and heard a siren. I looked around thinking maybe an ambulance needed to pass or that a fire truck was in the opposing lanes of traffic...

Then I happened to glance in my review mirror and saw a single motor cop behind me with his lights ablazing, siren screaming and realized, with dread, that it was me - me - mom of four, good student, hard-worker, speeder me - that me, that he wanted. I made my way over to the next exit and left the freeway - all lingering happiness quickly rushing out the tips of my fingers as I clenched the steering wheel and made my way into a parking lot. I parked and waited for my lashing.

None came. Just a ticket book and the promise to see me in court, should I decide to fight it. A ticket. A speeding ticket. Traffic school awaits me. Hopefully, I can find a comedy school that will feed me something other than pizza. Lessons - I guess I need them.

My mind was elsewhere. It was not on the task at hand. I think we live in an ADD world. Even when I should have been concentrating on the couple of tons of steel I was driving 80 miles per hour - I wasn't. I was thinking about the email I didn't answer earlier. I was thinking about the presentation I was about to give. I was thinking about the luncheon I was attending the next day. I was thinking about the text I had just received from my daughter. But not about the one thing I should have been thinking about. Driving.

Where is your mind when speaking with clients or when composing an email to a candidate? Where is your mind when evaluating an employee? Are you cramming so much into your brain that it seems almost impossible to fit in one more thought? One more client? One more interview? I have heard it said that recruiters have ADD..., is it a prerequisite? Is it necessary in order to do this job? The ability to fully coordinate a direct recruitment requires a significant amount of thought and diverse action and conversations.
To search high and low, read the HMs mind, know the candidate inside and out, leap tall buildings in a single bound. Hold on, while I catch my breath.

I think I will take the diagnosis. I wonder if the judge will.

by rayanenthorn

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Permalink Reply by Maureen Sharib on August 6, 2009 at 7:58am

"...mom of four, good student, hard-worker, speeder..."
This kinda' keys into your showing up post - doesn't it? You see the issues like I'm seein' the issues?
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Throw yourself on that judge's mercy. She just might understand.

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Permalink Reply by Maureen Sharib on August 6, 2009 at 10:58am

That's very funny Rayanne. Very funny!

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Permalink Reply by Stephen on August 6, 2009 at 12:07pm

Hi Rayanne,

Great analogy and one that should stick with all sales professional. I hope the judge will understand, maybe offer some community service teaching this story to others.