Simon says...

It'd be great to be Simon.

You say it. People do it. Simple.

If people don't do what you say...or do something that you didn't say....they sit down.

Simple. Understood.

The problem here is that it's great to work with energetic, creative people who go beyond the scope of what you've said. It's great to meet back and hear, "I went ahead and did that project, and while I was at it I noticed that if we loosened the fetzer valve, it made it easier for the flange to be twice as efficient. In fact I re-set all of them fetzer valves."

I like initiative like that when it works out. I applaud people going above and beyond. I just also want to be able to make them sit down if it doesn't work out. "Why would you loosen the fetzer valves? Don't you know that they need to be tight so they won't let any of the argon gas escape!?"

So I want people to do what I say. I want them to go beyond what I say. I also want to yell and scream when their initiative doesn't end up working out.

I would like that piece of cake...and I'd also like to eat it.

Eventually being Simon would get old. People are robots. They only do what you say...and never any more or less. Simon leaves no room for creativity. Simon just barks out orders or tries to trip people up by getting them to do things he never said.

Simon can be a real jerk when you think about it.

That's it, I'm never calling him again...