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Several years ago, I was dean of the Lansing School of Nursing, Education and Health Sciences at Bellarmine Col－lege in Louisville, Kentucky. The school was located on the top of a hill. All the other administrative and academic build－ings were on another hill.
One day in late January, we had a severe ice storm followed by snow. The grounds maintenance crew did a masterful job cleaning the main part of the campus, but they “forgot” our hill and the Lansing School. When I arrived at the office, I found myself confronted with 200 irate1 students, 12 hysterical2 faculty and 4 staff members. Neither the hill nor the parking lot had been cleared.
I had two immediate challenges facing me: get the hill cleaned and lower the stress level of all involved. I had faced this situation two months be－fore; when I had called the physical plant office, I had been told they’d get to us when they could.
This time I asked my secretary for a purchase order form and check request form. I then typed up a purchase order for a ski lift from Switzerland. Since I had no idea how much a small ski lift cost, I put down $600 000. I figured I could get something for that amount. Then I requested $600 000 as the required deposit. To this day, I have no idea of the procedure3 for such a purchase, but it didn’t matter? I was making it all up.
I photocopied the forms and posted copies throughout the school. Then I hand-delivered the bogus4 requests directly to the executive vice-president’s office, since he was the authority over physical plant operations. I informed his secretary that this was very important and I needed an answer ASAP.
Within minutes of returning to my office, I received an irate phone call.
“Have you lost your mind?” thundered the executive vice-president. “We can’t afford this! Who authorized you to order a ski lift?”
“The president,” I answered meekly5.
I’m told he slammed down his phone, went charging down the hall, requisition in hand, burst into the president’s office and demanded, “Did you authorize this?”
The president, who knew me well, took his time reading the purchase order. Then he slowly looked up and said, “You didn’t clean her hill, did you?”
“Why didn’t she just say so?” the vice-president spluttered6.
The president laughed. “She certainly got your attention, didn’t she?”
Within 10 minutes we had snowplows and salt trucks up on our hill. Everyone was at the windows, laughing and cheering.
数年前，我担任肯塔基州北部的路易斯维尔的教育和健康理科学院兰辛护士分校的校长。这所学校位于一座小山的山头。其他学科的学院和行政管理部门则都位于另一座山头。
一月下旬的一天，我们那儿下了一场大雪，大雪之后是猛烈的大冰暴。地面维护人员技术熟练地把校园的主要干道清除干净了，但是他们“忘记”了我们这座小山和兰辛学校。我回到办公室，等待我的是200名愤怒的学生、12名歇斯底里的教授和4名职员。我们所在的小山和停车场上的雪都没有人清扫。
我直接面对的挑战有两个：一是清除小山上的积雪；二是降低所涉及人员对我的压力。这种情况，两个月前我已经遇到过一次了。我打电话给物业管理办公室，他们说会尽快到我们这里来的。
这一次，我请秘书为我列一份购物清单和一份申请表。然后我就打印了一份从瑞士购买（运送滑雪员上山的）上山缆索吊椅的购物单。因为我一点也不知道购买一台小型的上山缆索吊椅要花多少钱，于是就写下了600 000美元。我想我能用这个金额得到我想要的东西。然后我就向院方请求600 000美元作为必需的保证金。即使是现在，我也不知道购买东西是否需要这样的手续，但是这有什么要紧的？我正在为实现某件事情制订计划。
我把这份表格影印出来，并把副本在整个学校张贴。然后我把这份伪造的申请表直接交到了执行副总裁办公室，因为他的权力高过物业管理机构。我告诉他的秘书，这件事情非常重要，我必须尽快得到答复。
回到办公室不久，我就接到了一个愤怒的电话。
“你疯了？”话筒里传来执行副总裁的怒吼声。“我们不能支付这笔钱！是谁批准你购买一台上山缆索吊椅的？”
“是总裁，”我谦和地回答。
后来有人告诉我他当时就摔下话筒，猛地向大厅里冲去，手里还拿着那份申请表。他闯进了总裁的办公室，问道：“你批准这个了吗？”
总裁对我非常了解，他看了看这份购物清单。然后慢慢地抬起头缓缓地说：“你没有把她那座山头的积雪清除干净吧？”
“她为什么不直说呢？”副总裁气急败坏地说。
总裁大声笑起来。“她当然得到了你的注意，不是吗？”
10分钟之内，我们的小山头就出现了扫雪机和撒盐车。我们全都站在窗口，大声欢呼起来。
关月 摘译自Directions for Life
One day in late January, we had a severe ice storm followed by snow. The grounds maintenance crew did a masterful job cleaning the main part of the campus, but they “forgot” our hill and the Lansing School. When I arrived at the office, I found myself confronted with 200 irate1 students, 12 hysterical2 faculty and 4 staff members. Neither the hill nor the parking lot had been cleared.
I had two immediate challenges facing me: get the hill cleaned and lower the stress level of all involved. I had faced this situation two months be－fore; when I had called the physical plant office, I had been told they’d get to us when they could.
This time I asked my secretary for a purchase order form and check request form. I then typed up a purchase order for a ski lift from Switzerland. Since I had no idea how much a small ski lift cost, I put down $600 000. I figured I could get something for that amount. Then I requested $600 000 as the required deposit. To this day, I have no idea of the procedure3 for such a purchase, but it didn’t matter? I was making it all up.
I photocopied the forms and posted copies throughout the school. Then I hand-delivered the bogus4 requests directly to the executive vice-president’s office, since he was the authority over physical plant operations. I informed his secretary that this was very important and I needed an answer ASAP.
Within minutes of returning to my office, I received an irate phone call.
“Have you lost your mind?” thundered the executive vice-president. “We can’t afford this! Who authorized you to order a ski lift?”
“The president,” I answered meekly5.
I’m told he slammed down his phone, went charging down the hall, requisition in hand, burst into the president’s office and demanded, “Did you authorize this?”
The president, who knew me well, took his time reading the purchase order. Then he slowly looked up and said, “You didn’t clean her hill, did you?”
“Why didn’t she just say so?” the vice-president spluttered6.
The president laughed. “She certainly got your attention, didn’t she?”
Within 10 minutes we had snowplows and salt trucks up on our hill. Everyone was at the windows, laughing and cheering.
数年前，我担任肯塔基州北部的路易斯维尔的教育和健康理科学院兰辛护士分校的校长。这所学校位于一座小山的山头。其他学科的学院和行政管理部门则都位于另一座山头。
一月下旬的一天，我们那儿下了一场大雪，大雪之后是猛烈的大冰暴。地面维护人员技术熟练地把校园的主要干道清除干净了，但是他们“忘记”了我们这座小山和兰辛学校。我回到办公室，等待我的是200名愤怒的学生、12名歇斯底里的教授和4名职员。我们所在的小山和停车场上的雪都没有人清扫。
我直接面对的挑战有两个：一是清除小山上的积雪；二是降低所涉及人员对我的压力。这种情况，两个月前我已经遇到过一次了。我打电话给物业管理办公室，他们说会尽快到我们这里来的。
这一次，我请秘书为我列一份购物清单和一份申请表。然后我就打印了一份从瑞士购买（运送滑雪员上山的）上山缆索吊椅的购物单。因为我一点也不知道购买一台小型的上山缆索吊椅要花多少钱，于是就写下了600 000美元。我想我能用这个金额得到我想要的东西。然后我就向院方请求600 000美元作为必需的保证金。即使是现在，我也不知道购买东西是否需要这样的手续，但是这有什么要紧的？我正在为实现某件事情制订计划。
我把这份表格影印出来，并把副本在整个学校张贴。然后我把这份伪造的申请表直接交到了执行副总裁办公室，因为他的权力高过物业管理机构。我告诉他的秘书，这件事情非常重要，我必须尽快得到答复。
回到办公室不久，我就接到了一个愤怒的电话。
“你疯了？”话筒里传来执行副总裁的怒吼声。“我们不能支付这笔钱！是谁批准你购买一台上山缆索吊椅的？”
“是总裁，”我谦和地回答。
后来有人告诉我他当时就摔下话筒，猛地向大厅里冲去，手里还拿着那份申请表。他闯进了总裁的办公室，问道：“你批准这个了吗？”
总裁对我非常了解，他看了看这份购物清单。然后慢慢地抬起头缓缓地说：“你没有把她那座山头的积雪清除干净吧？”
“她为什么不直说呢？”副总裁气急败坏地说。
总裁大声笑起来。“她当然得到了你的注意，不是吗？”
10分钟之内，我们的小山头就出现了扫雪机和撒盐车。我们全都站在窗口，大声欢呼起来。
关月 摘译自Directions for Life