Go to girl

What are you good at?

I’m not the best employee but I’m usually respected. I am not sure if I seem approachable or appear smart but I’m the person people go to for questions.

At work I get a lot of questions; mostly related to my job, but some not. Once someone asked me the policy on gift giving for a baptism. I was working on the policy manual for the company and I thought she was asking what gift the company gave for a baptism. I guess I looked holy or they thought I was a reasonable gift giver.

I’ve embraced this role at work and I try to help others when I can. I will point them in the direction they need and tell them to come back to me if they are not getting an answer. It is a good way to appear indispensable at work and I encourage those I manage to do the same. Be helpful but stay in your zone.

I am also the person who gets asks directions or assistance at stores. To the point where they get mad if I say I don’t know or I don’t work there. I don’t know which aisle the anchovy paste is, perhaps someone wearing a shirt with the store logo could help.

One of the stranger times I was a go-to person was during an emergency. People were asking me what I was going to do when the trains shut down. Someone asked about being able to drive on a blocked road. It was confusing and somewhat upsetting, like I wasn’t able to process my own confusion without having to handle some else’s. It wasn’t until later, when I watched the news, that I realized some security personnel were wearing bright yellow jackets, exactly what I had been wearing that day. I looked helpful and dressed the part.

Mr. Rogers said to look for the helpers. I’m proud that I am one and I know he would be as well.

How can I help you?