For Crying Out Loud

My routine work e-mail arrives in automated cycles, typically in batches of 15-25 at a time. I need to watch out for problems in need of attention, so they don't get buried in the message volume (and I have to hope any emergencies won't take up too much time). Otherwise, the routine mail will need various bits of data extracted; many other items have to be re-formatted, saved to files, and uploaded to multiple places. This is all while I'm working on new stuff that generates more of this e-mail volume. Of course the less time I have to manage e-mail, the more those batches start piling into multiples of 15-25, sometimes for hours at a time.

In the midst of the pile-ups, I so enjoy seeing institutional messages touting programs and workshops— "Work-Life Balance!" "Relieve Your Stress!"—and the like. Topics are continually recycled, even as the same institution dreams up novel methods to Increase My Stress.

In e-mail today was a call for volunteers: to join "VOICES of the Staff."

This, says the e-mail, is "to continue the dialog between ... staff and leadership." Now there's a "dialog" I had no idea existed on this particular planet. But it may be that management is beaming VOICES into the heads of susceptible volunteers.

More of the goodness promised—

VOICES offers staff members an opportunity to:

• Serve as a "sounding board" to provide feedback to executive officers on major
initiatives
• Establish connections that open new channels of communication
• Provide creative suggestions on staff climate and satisfaction issues
• Recognize their own and each other's value and talents

While I hate to bring up the obvious, there is clearly a logo for this enterprise.