Coordinators are either useful or
useless, and there are
two types:
1. In business, the PROJECT COORDINATOR is used by management to patch over some
type of failing that they encounter in their processes. It is easier for them to simply hire someone with "organizational skills" and charge them with the responsibility of "making
sure things get
done."
Usually their job devolves into mindless nagging and tedious task management. Their nagging also serves to lower worker morale over time, leading to higher employee attrition and fighting in the workplace.
2. In event planning, EVENT COORDINATORS are often extremely necessary, and function as the "glue" that holds an event or project together. They are most necessary in events
like concerts or mass protests, where a large number of guests must rely on some amount of structure to be in place for their activities.
Paradoxically, events that appear to be
free-form or anarchistic often require the most coordinating work behind the scenes, because the guests expect everything to "just work" for them when they get there. Behind every Burning Man or Bonaroo, there is usually an
army of unappreciated, frazzled coordinators working around the
clock to make
sure that the event goes off without a hitch.
Example 1:
Sysadmin 1- "Did you hear about the new Project Coordinator that management hired?"
Sysadmin 2- "Yea, all he does is send
people nagging emails and CC's the
boss in all of them, so it looks
like he is being productive."
Sysadmin 1- "Screw this man, I'm looking for another job."
Example 2:
Hippie- "Burning Man is awesome! It's proof that thousands of
people can just get together and do drugs and it all just works out! Yaay anarchism!"
Event Coordinator- "If you hadn't shared some of that weed with me, I'd be stabbing you in the face right now..."
