Customer Service Highs

Nothing beats that little endorphin buzz you get from being the hero with a client. It's not everyday that I get to swoop in and provide expert advice to help solve a business problem, but when I can, it feels really good to revel a bit in the customer's gratitude. Plus I hope people will remember me should I need their support in the future. The problem with being the hero though is that it really detracts from our main priorities. If I could clone my team we'd be in a good position to provide day-to-day support AND tackle the big initiatives that are looming overhead. I'm hopeful that we will achieve our goals because I am finally working for someone new, who trusts our abilities and will support our work. But then I see the same phenomena creep up with him -- a senior exec needs help and BAM-O, we've got to drop what we are doing to help. In these times of fiscal austerity in government, everyone is doing what they can to stay visible and demonstrate their relevance. I can't blame him for wanting that customer service buzz too, I just worry that it's going to bite us in the ass when it's time to report on progress. Ugh.