The Wisdom of Accountability: Guiding Others Toward Responsibility

In our most recent Plain City Writing Group meeting, we were given a writing prompt to write a relationship scene.  I hope you enjoy this scene with Wanda, the WAF project manager.

Wanda has worked very hard over the last three years as the project manager for the Web Application Firewall (WAF) initiative.  Unfortunately, her coworkers don't share the same work ethic and aren't very supportive.

The WAF team sees it as Wanda's responsibility to manage end user tickets from "cradle to grave" which often includes opening tickets although her coworkers have the ability to open tickets as well.  The WAF admin is particularly finicky and wants her to "spoon feed" reports to him, convey his work notes to the customer instead of using "additional comments" to interact directly with the end user, and perform all follow-up to confirm any actions taken to remediate the WAF block fixed the customer issue. There are also times when he'll request emergency meetings or bring up concerns that require Wanda to write business justification reports to present before the WAF committee for review and ruling.

At the urging of her department director, Wanda worked with the team who manages the ticketing system to build a specific request form that end users, or WAF team members, can use to submit WAF issues.  The ticketing team coded in directions for the WAF admin as a reminder to "use additional comments if you need further information from the end user."  This request form recently went into production.  Wanda updated documentation previously written for the WAF team on how to open a WAF ticket to reflect how to use this new request form.  Wanda wrote a document that was reviewed by the communications team and began working on how to get it distributed to the consortia members.  It was decided to shorten the communication so that it can be included in the next edition of the consortia newsletter.  

Wanda's director asked her to work with the WAF Admin to have the error messages that customers receive if their activity is blocked updated to include the link to the new request form.  Since access to WAF is locked down, Wanda cannot make these updates herself.  The WAF admin has ghosted her. Wow, even him throwing a hissy fit that changing the blocking message requires a vote by the WAF committee would have been better than ghosting. 

Honestly, Wanda expected resistance and pushback from the WAF Admin and WAF team at some point. in this journey.  While the WAF request form is meant to provide a better user experience for the customer, it also makes opening WAF issues easier for WAF team members as well.  All members of the WAF team should be held accountable, not just Wanda. She is also pushing the envelope with the coded instructions reminding the WAF Admin how to communicate directly with the end user.  After three years of transcribing the WAF Admin's work notes for the customer, scheduling emergency meetings, writing business justifications when he threw a hissy fit and being belittled in front of the WAF team, she's had enough. Supporting WAF should not be entirely on her shoulders!

Wanda has the wisdom to know she cannot change people but will stand her ground by holding her coworkers accountable.  She will not continue to spoon feed team members who have access to the same resources as her.  The customers (end users) have access to this new request form; hopefully, the consortia newsletter blurb serves to educate them about this improved user experience. 

Will the WAF Admin change the blocking message as requested?  Will he throw a fit and require that it a vote by the WAF team?  We will see what the week ahead has in store.

Resources:

Writing Prompt Courtesy of Anja, leader of the Plain City Writing Group

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Grateful Reflection Despite Challenging Times

There are seasons in life when gratitude feels almost impossible. When we’re stretched physically, weighed down emotionally, or wrestling with spiritual uncertainty, the idea of being thankful can feel hollow—like a demand we can’t meet. In those moments, gratitude isn’t the first instinct; survival is.

The last several weeks have felt like this for me.  Work stress has been sky-high and I haven't been sleeping well. I suppose it is no surprise that I ended up sick with the sinus-nasal variant of the winter cold plaguing folks this time of year. As my health was restored, I experienced an issue with my vehicle; a high temperature warning which I'd never seen before.  I got safely to my AA meeting and, afterward, went to a shop to have my coolant checked.  A kind man assisted me; we did have to wait for steam to dissipate so he did not get burned opening the coolant reservoir.  I was able to make it safely to our local mechanic where I left my key in the drop box and my husband Jon picked me up. I had to replace the radiator; that wasn't on my birthday wish list!

And yet, there’s a quiet truth we often rediscover only after the storm passes: gratitude isn’t a feeling we wait for. It’s a posture we choose.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 — New International Version (2011) (NIV)

Hard times have a way of narrowing our vision. Pain pulls our attention inward. Fatigue makes even small tasks feel monumental. Fear convinces us that the future is fragile. In these moments, gratitude doesn’t come naturally. It’s not supposed to. We’re human, and being human means we feel the full weight of our circumstances.

But being human also means we have the remarkable ability to choose how we meet those circumstances.  

I can look back on these past couple of weeks with gratitude - my illness was only a few days and just a cold; not something more serious like pneumonia.  A car repair is never something one wants but I'm grateful that I remained safe, that the kind man who filled my coolant stayed safe, and my husband provided me rides so I wasn't walking in the streets because of uncleared sidewalks.  I also had several friends tell me to reach out if I ever need a ride to the gym in the future.

Living gratefully in difficult times isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s not about minimizing our struggles or forcing ourselves into a false positivity. Instead, it’s about staying open—open to the possibility that life still holds beauty, meaning, and connection even when we’re hurting.

Gratitude becomes an act of courage.

It’s the decision to look for light when darkness feels easier.
It’s the willingness to acknowledge small gifts when big answers haven’t arrived.
It’s the quiet resolve to keep our hearts from closing, even when they’re bruised.

When we choose gratitude—not as a reaction, but as a way of being—we begin to see life in its fullness. Not just the joys, but the lessons. Not just the victories, but the resilience forged in struggle. Gratitude doesn’t erase hardship, but it transforms how we move through it.

It reminds us that even in the hardest chapters, we are still connected to something larger than our pain:
• the people who walk beside us
• the moments of unexpected kindness
• the strength we didn’t know we had
• the hope that flickers even when we feel depleted

Gratitude is not a one-time choice; it’s a daily one. Some days it comes easily. Other days it’s a whisper we barely manage. But each time we choose it, we reclaim a bit of our power. We remind ourselves that life is not only what happens to us—it’s also how we respond.

And in choosing to live gratefully, we choose to live fully.  As I approach my birthday, I am grateful for my family and friends plus kindness from unexpected strangers.

Resources:

Quoted Scripture Psalm 46:1

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Quicker to Praise, Quicker to Thank: Cultivating Gratitude and Encouragement Every Day

It’s so easy to notice what’s wrong.  One of my work teams absolutely makes me crazy with their constant criticism, nit-picking, lack of accountability....I could go on but I'll stop.

But lately, I’ve been thinking about a simple challenge after seeing a recent quote.

"Let us be quicker to praise than to find fault. Let us be quicker to thank others than to complain.  -- Desmond Tutu"

That one shift can change the atmosphere in a room, the tone of a conversation, and even the condition of our hearts.

Sometimes fault-finding doesn’t look harsh. It can sound like:

• “Why didn’t they…?”

• “They never…”

• “This always happens…”

• “I’m so tired of…”

And while those words may feel harmless in the moment, they can slowly drain our joy. Aside from draining joy, it can also feel like life is being sucked out of you.  They can also discourage the people around us—especially the ones who are trying.  

Praise doesn’t mean ignoring problems or pretending everything is perfect. It simply means we choose to notice what’s good first.

A little praise can go a long way:

• “Thank you for helping.”

• “I appreciate you.”

• “You did a great job.”

• “That meant a lot to me.”

Encouragement is powerful. It builds connection. It brings warmth where criticism might bring distance.

Complaining makes us feel heavier. Gratitude makes us feel lighter.

When we thank others, we remind ourselves that we’re not alone—and that there is still goodness around us, even on hard days.

And gratitude is also a form of humility. It says, “I see what you did,” and “I don’t take you for granted.”

In full disclosure, especially with the one work team, this will be easier said than done but I'm going to make an effort not just for the betterment of the team and our work but for myself. 

Resources:

Quote from grateful.org

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