Not always a smooth ride - Or never a smooth ride?

----------------------- The Start ------------------------

Before you attend a meeting, you tell yourself that you have prepared and done everything you could for it.

When you attend a meeting, things started going astray. Discussions went off-topics, Management did not acknowledge the effort you have put into the project. You feel the stress and frustration, almost choking you. A tough battle indeed. 

After you attend a meeting, the confidence you had diminished altogether. You had a couple of minutes quick chat with your boss on the things to follow up. You were told to arrange a meeting with him to rethink and sort the problem out. 

You thought to yourself: Not all over again. 

----------------------- The End --------------------------

Do you ever experience this cycle? Do you ever want to get out of this cycle? Are you already sick of it?

Let me be honest with you, most of us will experience that at least once in our work. No matter which position you are in. You will definitely meet such a situation and it will affect your mood, emotions and day. 

Tell yourself: Why should I let this affect me since it is just part of an improvement process? 

Most of the time the above happened because of the lack of confidence in the project, or the solution was not convincing enough for an agreement to be met. To put it more positively, they are just trying to protect themselves (at the same time, you are being protected as well). No one will benefit from a project that goes wrong. It is better to prevent than to risk it knowing the dangers. That also meant more work piling up into mountains. 

If you ask me for the perfect solution, I can tell you straight in the face that I'm sorry because I do not have it. However, if you ask for my approach to such situation, my answer is straight and simple. I will go back sit down think of their comments and suggestions, incorporate the important and relevant parts into the project. Those that do not make sense, it is best to ignore (You are the one who knows your project best, they only had a couple of minutes to read your proposal.) After that, anticipate the questions and issues they will pick on based on the current meeting you have attended. (You experienced it, you have gotten some ideas on their way of thinking so use that to your advantage.) Lastly, make the next meeting counts by ensuring them their comments and inputs are heard (e.g. reiterated what have been discussed in the past meeting and the changes you have incorporated based on their suggestions. Acknowledge that they gives good suggestions. Gives convincing argument on your stand.) You will eventually succeed in one of the meetings definitely. 

Learning from experience can be painful. It may mean overtime. It may mean the lack of lunch time. Yes, it has a cost. Whether you think this cost is worth it, it is all within your control. Those factors out of your control, no matter how much you whine and complain, it will still remains as it is. Work with what you can and learn from it. 

That is how I try to adjust to my current workplace.