thoughts about crisis management and prioritizing

gigi · Post by **gigi** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:36 am

Things are getting down to the wire and we're all starting to get stressed out...

I'm taking a moment here to write down a list of things that occurred to me today when I got stressed and let it show to people I've been dealing with...

1. This is a Burning Man camp, not a job. Please don't treat it like a job. It's supposed to be fun! We're supposed to be an alternative to Babylon. We should practice being nicer to each other than we are in the "default world."

2. We're all volunteers. Remember we have other priorities besides SSV and ET. Like eating, sleeping, working, going to the bathroom once in a while, seeing our partners and friends and paying our bills. When we get to the playa, things like peeing are going to suddenly take 30 minutes and everything will be more difficult -- so get into the practice of respecting the need of others to take care of their own needs first before they respond to your task.

3. I know you are busy, but it only takes 30 seconds to reframe your request and ask nicely. If you're talking, try to relax a bit, slow down and make your voice pleasant and not too stressful and demanding. (Remember, this is Burning Man, and it's supposed to be pleasant and fun!)

4. When you need something, try asking just the person who can give you something to give you that something -- rather than wasting the time of the entire list with emails they have to read that aren't directed at them. It takes time to read all these emails!

5. Try text messaging if something is truly urgent. Some of us do not have iPhones and do not live on email 24/7. It took me half the day to read and reply to the email that piled up in one day! This is not very efficient.

6. When you act like something is urgent, ask yourself: "Is this really urgent?" Prioritize. Break a big task into smaller tasks and make deadlines for each task. YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING IMMEDIATELY. It's impossible. Be realistic about all the urgent crisis deadlines of all the things on your oh so long to do list.

7. When your communication is angry, urgent, stressful or demanding, people will tune you out and naturally drop your task to the bottom of their list. Be nice and they might put you on the top of the list.

8. Breathe. Inhale. Exhale. Get centered...

9. Respect other people's priorities! I had a huge deadline today to get the art JPEGS to Nitai, and it required 100% focus, and because I have been distracted by a hundred emails and calls for "emergencies" that put me in reactive mode instead of proactive mode, I have not been able to even start the task that I needed to complete. That task was the only one with a truly urgent deadline.

10. Remember that sometimes people will turn off their phone and ignore email just so they can focus and get an important task done! That doesn't mean they are blowing you off or incompetent.

11. avoid sending lots of little emails. Try to put a bunch of related thoughts into one email.

12. Try putting your entire request in the header so people don't have to open the email: IE: URGENT! I need to know if we need a rebar hammer by 1 pm today so I can place an order!!!

13, Is it truly urgent? How about giving a window of time instead of making EVERYTHING ASAP Emergency Urgent -- like: "Can you do it by 5 pm today?"

And remember....

IT'S ONLY A BURNING MAN CAMP! :roll:

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 5:37 am

Oh, drink some water.

I am sooo glad there's only five of us in camp.

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:41 am

> IT'S ONLY A BURNING MAN CAMP!

Sound to me like you live in drama camp. Sorry it's so stressful for you.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 9:56 am

You what you can to prepare. Prioritize. Take care of basic life support. Now relax. If the "Giant Purple Zeppelin with the flames that shoot out in the shape of a Duck" doesn't work out, it's not the end of the damn world. You are at Burningman. Just relax.

Get in the shade, drink water, and pace yourself, sport.

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 10:30 am

also, deep breaths & make some space for "alone time"... NOT the kind with your hands down your pants either !!

come to think of it.. yes !! THAT alone time also.

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:40 pm

this is awesome, thanks so much. i am guilty of probably stressing out my camp with my emails and numerous requests for help. diffusion of responsibility is especially evident in mass emails. no one ever steps up to help. i've resorted to doing most of the prep work myself or calling people on the phone when i really needed them. it's also good to include fun stuff and words of excitement in the emails not just need need need, work work work. thanks for the perspective!

now back to my deep breaths...

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:52 pm

Homies,, you've posted prior re: your crew not helping you much. Perhaps ( just thinking out loud here ) Perhaps you need a new "crew". ??
I brought out a bunch of virgins one year. though most were VERY helpful.. I would not do that again. it was too much stress for a fun event. I'm WAY into keeping it simple. Flying solo EVERY year now & LOVING it !!

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:07 pm

it's a great group of close friends, they're not complete assholes.

i think i'm just highly organized and they're mostly "ride the wind" type of people. there's also some life things happening too which i always forget when i'm stressing out. luckily we're 90% ready to go and once we're there the non-virgins will step up and help out like they always do.

but you're right, i will definitely start simplifying more. i also made it clear that i will be disappearing from camp for an entire night and possibly day. that'll learn them!

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:11 pm

they may parish without you.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:45 pm

I checked to make sure everyone involved was mature and willing to step up to the plate before I got committed.
Crom bless them all, I think I have a great crew.

Jerome Templaugh · Post by **Jerome Templaugh** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:50 pm

it's a great group of close friends, they're not complete assholes.

yeah, well you're obviously a westie...

here on the Beast Coast, we wear the Asshole Label with Pride.

if we dont bust your nuts it means we dont care.

it's the way we show love, because we certainly don't hug...

we shake hands, from a distance of at least two feet...deal with it, Californicators.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:54 pm

That's why you see so few California tourists.

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:13 pm

whew, it sounds like a job I'd like to take a vacation from. This is my vacation!!! I'm going on vacation! If I didn't make it yet, It'll be fun to work on later. It makes very little difference to anybody if I don't finish a light, or a bike embellishment, or some part of something blinky or dress-up thing. I've got some volunteer opportunities lined up and I feel better about them than I have felt about some of the things I've made.

chiefdanfox · Post by **chiefdanfox** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:23 pm

N.H. That state is almost as big as Pershing and Churchill Counties. Isn't N.H near where they film Family Guy?

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Aug 20, 2009 4:28 pm

Relax. The Man will burn. Maybe twice.

camp-photon · Post by **camp-photon** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:02 am

People will offer good ideas and then ignore every follow-up communication on the topic. The bottom line is that you can't expect too much from volunteer labor.

take care of yourself and only do what you are willing to do freely. Once you give too much you get resentful and you good time is gone.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:57 am

If it's not fun, then don't do it.

camp-photon · Post by **camp-photon** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:43 pm

Planing and leading a first year theme camp has been mostly a good experience for me. My only real frustration is with a single core member who gave his workload to me.

He had some family problems which I understand and forgive easily. The problem is that he does not communicate with me about it and then his share of the work becomes my added task quite suddenly. I don't take kindly to people blowing off repeated e-mails so I let him have it. Then he CC'd people who didn't need to know just to make me look like the evil taskmaster. Why spoil other people's fun?

It's all fine now but I learned something from this experience.

Absolut Jeenyus · Post by **Absolut Jeenyus** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 9:21 pm

Jerome Templaugh wrote:
it's a great group of close friends, they're not complete assholes.

yeah, well you're obviously a westie...

here on the Beast Coast, we wear the Asshole Label with Pride.

if we dont bust your nuts it means we dont care.

it's the way we show love, because we certainly don't hug...

we shake hands, from a distance of at least two feet...deal with it, Californicators.

The west coast is the best coast. Period.