Once upon a time I had a query that needed answering, the query was about specific qualification criteria of an organisation, let's call the organisation 'xyz'. I was already a qualifying member of 'xyz' when new qualifying criteria were being put into place by the person who ran the organisation. So a very nice person contacted me to answer my query however she couldn't really answer my query because she had only just 'inherited' this positon she was doing, so she needed to take the advice of a couple of her colleagues, who were extremely busy and not always easily available for them all to talk to each other, and they may also (for all I know) have the same amount of knowledge and experience of answering this type of question as the person I was talking to. To give her her due she admitted that she hadn't had much experience in the type of work she was supposed to be helping people with - ok no problems I thought - at least she's being courteous in contacting me to say she can't help at this moment in time.
However she then proceeded to talk about some specific problems she was/had been having, and I felt as though I was in the position of her therapist/mentor where I was listening/advising her when in actual fact she had contacted me to answer a query I had with her and the organisation she represented.
So the conversation was left where she had gotten something off her chest, I was no nearer an answer to my query - which in reality shouldn't have occurred as I was already more than adequately qualified, experienced and knowledgable regarding the original criteria that had to be fulfilled.
It left me wondering though about the inadequacies of a system where someone can take on a position and know very very little about it - be that 'position' full-time, part-time, voluntary or paid - and yet they're in the position to make decisions which could affect people's livelihoods.
So just who was the client in this situation?
All the best
Christina
