An unspoken Battle of Sheets
As I have mentioned several times, I’ve been in the corporate world for quite some time now, and there’s one thing I’ve noticed that never seems to change—everyone’s obsession with their Excel spreadsheets (or equivalent). It’s almost like a silent competition, an unspoken battle, to see whose Excel reigns supreme in the office. Which is the most accurate or the easiest to interpret? Etc.
In fact, I must admit I also participated in many of these “battles”. Having spent hours building Excel to analyze data, sales, budgets, forecasts, etc., I always felt confident that my work was the best and, therefore, should be used by others.
Even more interestingly, whenever there was a shift in management, it was almost guaranteed that they’d come in with their own set of Excel templates, ready to shake things up. While change can be good, it often means that we, the employees, were forced to abandon our beloved spreadsheets in favor of something new and unfamiliar.
But here’s the thing—we all love our own Excel, even when we know it is imperfect. It’s like a comfort blanket, something we’ve meticulously crafted to suit our needs and preferences. So naturally, when management or a peer tries to impose a new spreadsheet on us, it sparks a mini-revolution (at least internally).
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve had to advocate for my Excel over someone else’s. And believe me, It was not just about loyalty to my creation; it was about efficiency! Nobody wants to waste precious hours trying to crack an intricate spreadsheet we’ve been forced into using.
The ERP game
And when you think the Excel wars couldn’t get any more intense, along comes the implementation of ERPs or data software like SAP, Oracle, Dynamics 365, or even Salesforce. Suddenly, not only are we battling against our colleagues’ Excel sheets, but we’re also fighting against the might of corporate wisdom.
Nevertheless, despite the promises of streamlined processes and increased productivity that these ERPs offer (on top of the investments in them and high management pressure to use them), most managers still insist on choosing their preferred Excel templates over these systems. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole—inevitably, someone will get frustrated.
But in the middle of all this chaos and frustration, there’s a hint of satisfaction when we realize that our Excel is the chosen one (even more if it is preferred over the ERP). I am referring to the glorious moment when management and peers finally saw the light and recognized our spreadsheet’s superiority; it’s a victory worth celebrating (or is not??).
Conclusion
In the grand scheme of business, the battle of Excel spreadsheets may seem trivial. But for those of us entrenched in office politics and the daily struggle, it’s a constant roller coaster of frustration and amusement. Whether it’s defending our beloved Excel against new management or duking it out in the ERP arena, one thing’s for sure—we’ll always aim to have the best spreadsheet in the office. Because when it comes down to it, a little bit of Excel superiority can go a long way in making our work lives just a little bit easier.
I am pretty sure other C-style (DISC) pals will agree with this conclusion. In any event, if you want to learn more about DISC styles and the strengths and weaknesses of each, don’t hesitate to read more articles like this on the blog or contact me for some executive coaching.
Alexander Martinez
