During a recent stay at a hotel, I entered the room and saw this switch as soon as I entered. I paused and I remembered my first encounter with this similar switch several years ago.
My flight was delayed several times and I was beyond exhausted by the time I arrived at the hotel.
As a frequent traveler, after the attendant greeted me , I said my name and simultaneously placing my ID and Credit Card on the counter, After she gave me the card key, she continued to talk ….. but I was so tired that all I heard was the same sound the adults make in the Charlie Brown episodes. “Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah” I just nodded and smiled.
I entered the hotel room with my baggage and flipped switches, but nothing happened. I started to look and make sure everything was plugged in. I was beyond frustrated. There was a presentation that I was doing the next day and due to the flight delay, I had even less time to do final touches. I was past frustrated. After wasting too much time, I called the front desk and the conversation went like this:
Me: I think something is wrong. The lights aren’t working. I am turning on all the switches and nothing is happening. There’s no light.
Front Desk: Ms. Spencer, did you turn on the Master Switch? Me: The Master Switch? Front Desk: Yes, it is the first switch and it’s positioned right by the door as you enter. Once you turn on the Master Switch, the in-room lighting will be activated. The room’s lighting system is controlled by the Master Switch.
Me: I’m so embarrassed ….I can’t believe I walked right by it. (And I thought to myself, she probably explained this during the “wah, wah, wah, wah)
Front Desk: No worries, Ms. Spencer. (Smile) You are not the first one to ask. Go back to the front door and turn on the Master Switch and the room lights will be activated immediately.
Guess what happened?
I turned on the switch and the room was flooded with light. I had turned on all the switches, but there was no connection until i turned on the Master switch. That was the activiation that I needed. Instead of dropping my baggage and turning on the Master Switch, I lugged my heavy baggage right by it.
I was so distracted, carrying my baggage in the room that I walked right past the Master Switch. I immediatley started turning on switches and trying to make stuff work. time turning switches on and off, and nothing was happening.
When I went back to the front door, I saw the sign positioned right beside it. I turned on the Master Switch and the room immediately lit up. Sound familiar? I actually ended up sharing this experience during my presentation the next day … the timing was perfect.
Have you ever had days where you forgot to activate the Master Switch? We wake up and open the door to a new day, and immediately receive and respond to calls, text messages, emails, and family members. The day goes by in a blur; we are doing everything yet getting absolutely nothing accomplished.
