Going Beyond the Call of Duty

This week, I had the pleasure of providing assistance to a fellow employee at my job. We've never met, and I've only spoken with him over the phone. This gentleman was in a crisis to get a Passport and VISA so he could take a job in another country. He was on a time crunch with his home already under contract, with the new job awaiting his arrival in the next several weeks.

Processing Passports and VISAs are nowhere in my scope of duties, or part of my skillset. However, I have a reputation for being resourceful. Because of this, the gentleman's supervisor contacted me out of desperation to help him. My boss was not supportive, believing that helping in this instance would set a precedence for other unsolicited requests for assistance that are beyond the function of our department. Understanding that this was the gentleman's livelihood at stake, I empathized and decided to assist anyway.

I made contact with every person in high places that I could think of to ask for assistance. I even went as far as to contact a senior executive at the State Department for a favor. I worked every angle I could, but was not successful in securing the Passport and VISA.

In a feeling of defeat, I contacted his supervisor first to inform him of my activities to assist. His supervisor was gracious, yet short during the conversation. I took time to compose myself and contacted the gentleman several hours later. To my surprise, he was very understanding and expressed sincere gratitude. He told me he was grateful for my assistance. He mentioned that over the past several weeks, other people were rather aloof about his situation and passive, if not resistant to provide assistance. All he wanted was for someone to show that they cared ("gave a darn"). He told me that my steadfast actions alone were the reason he decided against his impulse to accept another job and leave our company that he'd been employed with for so many years.

His response left me a bit dumbfounded. I failed to get him what he needed. But unbeknownst to me, he was wrestling with negative feelings that were building to a boiling point as a result of how he'd been treated over the past several months. My sincere, yet failing attempt to help; released the steam from his emotions. The lesson for me is that I never know what someone is going through, or is trying to overcome. But if I can take time to empathize and lend a helping hand, that person's aura can begin to radiate because of the positive energy that I transferred to them by going beyond the call of duty.