Six forty-five in the morning, I sit on my chair looking at the window with the panoramic view of the city skyline and the band of trees at the nearby park. I close my eyes to contemplate for a short while and prepare my mind for the tasks of the day. As soon as I open my eyes, the phone rings, signifying the start of the business day. Cheek by jowl e-mail and phone inquiries for the succeeding hours transform me to an answering machine and jack-of-all-trades while I strive to intelligently answer every query from callers—ranging from simple translation processes to legal matters and technical concerns. Yes, even directions on how to reach our office from their location. That’s right. I have learned to master the commuting routes in Metro Manila.
If you’re a project manager like me, most likely you’re working hand in hand with people of different nationalities and cultures. In a translation and interpretation company like Lexcode, you have to be flexible and use your diverse talents to collaborate effectively with your team and clients. Communication is of vital role as one imprecise instruction could cost your credibility and your company’s business. Though you’ll have the chance to know people who’ll widen your horizon and extend your patience, you also need to draw the line between being understanding and being strict. For when a definite timeline has been set for a project, you must deliver the output by hook or by crook. That’s what we call commitment.
And so the clock strikes four in the afternoon, portending the pace to wrap up the tasks of the day. It’s time to go home and rejuvenate for the undertakings of the following day as willed by the Greatest Architect. As I step out of the office, I carry with me the bliss of satisfaction that at the end of it all, I know in my heart that eight hours have been honestly spent on my responsibilities. That’s what we call productivity.
