Today, without referring to the University of Michigan, I got to use the word “wolverine” in a sentence. That’s always fun. Not wolverine itself, although it’s absolutely a fun word to bandy about, but the act of using a precisely accurate word to describe something.
I used “wolverine” to describe the tenacity with which some of our IT staff protect their individual areas of responsibility. I’m telling you, the last person you want to piss off in Corporate America is the guy who gives you IT support. Through years of job insecurity inherent in the type of work they do, each of those people seems to have been conditioned to defend their turf like a caged animal, lest they be thrown out of work during one of the crappier economies in recent years.
And they have no problem cutting each other’s throats either. At the moment, we have more than one project underway where the biggest challenge we face as project managers is in keeping the various IT staffers from killing each other. If this were the Old West, there would have been a few showdowns on Main Street by now.
Anyway, back to the subject of descriptive words, “wolverine” seems to have evolved into one of those words that connotes a particular ferocity. I have no idea why. While I’m sure actual wolverines are quite fierce, I’ve never encountered one, nor have I been privy to any blood-curdling tales of anyone who encountered a disgruntled wolverine in a dark alley late at night. I just presume their reputation is well-earned, though, so I’m happy to break it out every now and then, whenever it seems to fit the occasion.
With any luck, tomorrow will bring about another situation where I can break out a little-used descriptive. Hopefully it will be something a bit more upbeat. Like “saucy”.
As long as it’s not in reference to a saucy wolverine.
Or an IT guy.
Filed under: Corporate America, Grammar, Humor, People, Technology, Work | Tagged: descriptive words, ferocious, IT staff, wolverines
Even though he got shown the door at the U of M, Head Football Coach Lloyd Carr was one “saucy” Wolverine…however, I am gonna take a wild leap of faith he had no IT skills whatsover…or for that matter, media relations skills. In regard to keeping one’s hands off my projects, while not of the IT world I can certainly appreciate the desire for control. Control is bliss. So elusive, however…