You can hear the voice recording for the diary.
今日は久しぶりに市役所に勤める友人に連絡をしてみた。
I reached out to a friend from my junior high school days who works at the city office in our town.
これから市役所の方と関係を深めていく中で、相手を知ることが何よりも大事であると過去の経験から判断、内情を聞いてみるために連絡してみた。久しぶりの連絡にも関わらず、丁寧に対応してくれ、とても助かった。
Building connections with municipal office staff is crucial for my main job, and I believe it’s essential to understand the environment. So, as a starting point, I had a conversation with my friend, who possesses a deep understanding of the culture and atmosphere within municipal offices. Despite the gap in our communication, she graciously answered my questions and offered valuable insights.
そして、思った以上に行政らしい回答が返ってきた。一番驚いていたのが、ようやくデジタル化の動きが見られている、とのこと。
She provided a glimpse into the current state of affairs, which closely resembled the typical workings of municipal offices. One revelation that surprised me was the recent shift towards digitalization within their office.
なので、この前行った時にわたしがPCでメモしていたら、訝しがられたのは、そのせいなのは間違いない。今後、お邪魔をする際には、必ずメモを取ることについて断りを入れようと思う。また、共有のメルアドを使っている場合、タイトルに担当者の名前を入れるとよい、というのも想定外のアイディアであったので、こちらも忘れずに実践していく！
This insight shed light on why municipal employees seemed cautious when I used my laptop to take notes. As a response, I’ve decided to obtain permission in advance before using my laptop in interactions with both municipal and local personnel. Additionally, she suggested adding the recipient’s name to the email subject when sending emails to their public address. This was an idea I hadn’t considered due to my limited experience with shared email addresses. I intend to apply her advice going forward.
まさに、相手を知り己を知れば百戦危うからず、である。
In essence, this situation reminds me of the principle: “If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.”
To be continued.
