It’s Too Simple…

Being in my job, means that I have to be a team player and as the saying goes, there is no ‘I’ in TEAM, which is both right literally and practically.  However, one thing I hugely dislike is what some team players tend to do.  They do not hold a specific portfolio, or job scope, but they become all nozzy with what you are doing.  This results in last minute changes, and those close to me know how I hate last minute changes, particularly when I am the one in charge.

You see, this week, I was asked to do the digital backdrop, yearly video and ensure the multimedia elements were made perfect for the the ‘Graduation and Prize Giving Day’.  I had no problems with the job as I did it yearly, and it’s what people in my work place call as ‘Tetap dan berpencen‘, which really means that you will be doing the job until you retire or get transferred.  For me, it’s a good thing, because I do enjoy what I’m tasked to do.  The whole process may take up hours, and would be complicated, but at least, I’m doing something I enjoy… which is always something I emphasis when working. No point working in pain, right?

So, we had our rehearsals on Monday, and I thought everything was going fine.  I followed the instructions given to me, to the bits. I ensured what I have learned during my ‘Education Technology’ class didn’t go to waste, and I was very satisfied with the outcome.  Through the 6 hour rehearsal, there was little to none complaints directed to me, except when a senior teacher commented on the wordings for the backdrop,which was a little weird.

Honestly, I did see that it was sort of weird (the wordings for the backdrop), but the piece of paper that was given to me said I should be doing it that way… and so “Saya yang menurut perintah” lah…  Why should I get in an argument with my superiors over such a small matter.  Plus, I was no Bahasa Malaysia expert, and my superior happens to be someone good in the ‘language and humanitarian’ area.

Anyway, after doing some minor alterations to the backdrop, and having the ‘thumbs -up’ sign, which meant everything was perfect,  I packed the laptop, and left for home after the rehearsal.  I was happy that my job was done, and I could go on with other major stuff.  However, an hour later, I got a call. Apparently, some other people were not happy with my backdrop and power points, and decided to ask my superior to relay it to me so that I could make last minute changes.  They claimed my work was ‘TOO SIMPLE”.

*SIGH* When I heard this complaint, I wasn’t pleased. Annoyed, YES.  For one, they wanted me to redesign the whole thing as it’s too ‘simple’, yet they were very vouge about what they wanted.  Secondly, it was very last minute.

People should accept the fact that everyone has different taste, and while some may like things to be bushy and full… I always regard simple as beautiful.  Even the photographs I take tend to have huge empty spaces, and that goes to my designs. There’s always an obvious bare room in the designs.  Add that perception, with my love for simplicity, and you’d get a backdrop like this:

But, some people just don’t get the difference we all have.  Maybe that’s why some of us out there are paranoid, to the extend they frequently want us to know they are in power. Maybe that’s why Malaysia is moving backwards, when the rest are moving forward… Maybe that’s why we always score big when something is new, but end up playing catch up after the ‘new thing’ becomes an ‘old thing’.

Yes, I admit… maybe the backdrop does seem plain to some, but it’s how I like it, and I wouldn’t design it any other way because to me, “Less is More”.  Add that, with the fact some people want to change something, at the very last minute, despite everything already going fine during the rehearsal only spells out one word, which is ‘TROUBLE’.

Wouldn’t you think so?

And No, I didn’t do the changes requested. I went on with what was approved during the rehearsal, and told my ‘superior’ that next time, I can be given other task, and that the task of doing the backdrop can be given to the person whom has better ideas than I, such as the person who had brilliant ideas and said I had a ‘too simple design’. No disrespect meant, but is there any guarantee that the new design would be better?  It could even be disliked by my biggest boss.  I also feared that if the new design was disliked, I would be the one faulted for featuring an un-approved design.

When that day happens, mark my words, I won’t even complaint, even if the design would suck.  However, I would give my ideas, if asked to… but if not, I’ll hold my peace.