One thing at a time.

This is a fast-paced environment. Have you worked in one of those before?

I have. Of course, I reply.

Well, probably not like this one, he quips. Proud. Arrogant. Dusting off the phone. Shooting off an email. Clearing out Blackberry messages. (There’s no appropriate response here, other than a nod.) Then, as he wipes down the keyboard, sends off another email and deletes another Blackberry messages, he fires off the question I knew was looming. So, can you multi-task? 

I take my time. Let some space fill the air, until he looks up from it all, his face rearranged into impatience. I could only assume that I was keeping him from dusting the monitor. Drafting more emails. Doing something. Anything.

I can, I said.

Good, he boomed. Pleased.

But I don’t, I added.

Go--… he started again, as though my answer hadn't registered until he was halfway through the word. He finally looked up from everything. His full attention was finally on me.

I don’t do anything at the same time, but I get everything done, I tell him. Not caring whether or not I got the job because I couldn’t imagine working with...with this as the expectation.

via Huffington Post

He smirked. I see. Well, here we do everything at once and get nothing done at all.

It was my turn to smirk, but instead I smiled. Because that’s usually how it goes.

Did I get the job? Well, how the story ends doesn’t matter. The thing that matters is: Don't let anyone boss you around. (No, I kid.) But really: the way to accomplish anything is to give it your undivided attention. Your all.