I found myself wondering who the real Ryan McGraw was when I noticed my IM icon blinking in the bottom task bar of my screen. My heart skipped a beat and I took a deep breath. I clicked on it.
It was Ryan.
People seemed to have powerful opinions about instant messaging. Some people loved it because it was a quick way to get someone’s immediate attention. You could be in a meeting with your laptop open, at your desk working, or watching a movie on your PC in the evening, but seeing that little blinking icon in the bottom of your screen was just like hearing that little chime from your phone when you received a text message—you were compelled to answer it. It was like getting a tiny little shot of adrenaline. Once you heard that text message signal or saw that little blinking light, it was really difficult to ignore.
The people who didn’t like it were people like me. Granted, I loved that the technology was available and when I needed it, it was great. Working for a company like MS, you were always connected and people at MS were addicted to IM. Whether you were at home, at work, or in the car, someone could get in touch with you. IM was just one more method for someone to contact you. I resented it sometimes. When I opened my PC in the evenings to surf the internet or watch a movie, I could never quite get away. IM was like a big brother. People could see when you were “in a meeting,” “away,” or “available;” they could even see when you were “typing a message.” It was like having your own personal spying tool.
If I forgot to intentionally set my status to “away,” colleagues working late or located in different time zones around the globe contacted me for work-related questions. If I set it to the default, then my status showed a direct reflection of my Outlook calendar, which in the evenings, were set to “available” in green. The IM blinking light then became an evening habit. Tonight it was set to my default, and for the first time in a long time, I was glad.
Ryan McGraw [12:40 AM]: Hi Julia
Julia Hayes [12:40 AM]: Hi Ryan
Ryan McGraw [12:41 AM]: I was really surprised to see you this afternoon.
You have no idea.
Julia Hayes [12:41 AM]: Yes, that’s an understatement. Why didn’t you tell me who you were?
Ryan McGraw [12:41 AM]: I did.
Julia Hayes [12:41 AM]: You know what I mean.
Ryan McGraw [12:42 AM]: Sorry. I know I should’ve told you at dinner that night.
Ryan McGraw [12:42 AM]: I didn’t want you to act weird.
Ryan McGraw [12:43 AM]: People from work get that way around me sometimes.
His comment reminded me of Colin Powell’s viral email a few years ago. He wrote that it was lonely on the top because people never treated you like a regular person, which could be alienating at times for those in senior leadership positions. I might as well be honest with him.
Julia Hayes [12:43 AM]: You’re probably right. I don’t think I would’ve been myself.
Ryan McGraw [12:44 AM]: I’ve thought about you a lot these last few wks
Whoa. I didn’t see that one coming.
Julia Hayes [12:44 AM]: Me too
Not only had I thought about you, I seem to be unable to stop obsessing about you. I was also just stalking you before you IMed me. Thank God he couldn’t see my face right now. My heart was racing and I felt myself flush.
Ryan McGraw [12:45 AM]: So how’s your new job?
Hmm, new topic. Maybe his earlier train of thought was getting too personal, or he just revealed more than he intended to?
Julia Hayes [12:45 AM]: It’s good. I’m a bit overwhelmed.
Ryan McGraw [12:45 AM]: Drinking out of the fire hose?
Julia Hayes [12:45 AM]: Totally
Julia Hayes [12:45 AM]: In fact, I’ll need to work a little this weekend.
Ryan McGraw [12:45 AM]: What are you working on?
Julia Hayes [12:45 AM]: You don’t want to know.
Ryan McGraw [12:45 AM]: Try me
Julia Hayes [12:45 AM]: If you insist
Ryan McGraw [12:45 AM]: I insist
Julia Hayes [12:46 AM]: I have to put together a scorecard to track campaign progress.
Julia Hayes [12:46 AM]: I’m not really sure what I’m doing yet, so I’m a bit stressed about it.
Enough with the awkwardly long pause, pal.
Ryan McGraw [12:48 AM]: Would you like some help?
Huh?
Julia Hayes [12:48 AM]: Mr. Executive …
Julia Hayes [12:48 AM]: master of the US marketing universe …
Julia Hayes [12:48 AM]: wants to help me with a campaign scorecard template
Ryan McGraw [12:48 AM]: Yes
Ryan McGraw [12:49 AM]: I do - Master of the universe, huh?
I rolled my eyes and smiled.
Julia Hayes [12:49 AM]: When was the last time you had to create a scorecard? Don’t you have a whole team of people working for you to do this sort of stuff?