Teamwork

For many decades, large corporations have been fixated on the concept of 'teamwork'. I'm of course cynical about it. This is just a transfer of responsibility. We all know that, whatever you wish to attribute it to, companies have become more short-term, and the insecurities arising from that have caused tensions amongst the workers. The 'teamwork' holy grail is an attempt to regain the morale and security that has justifiably gone.

Now obviously it's not going to happen spontaneously. (Well, ironically, if it's ever going to happen, it will do just that.) So consultants can make a fortune selling scientific diagnostics and advice to companies to encourage the return of 'teamwork'. I've been diagnosed many times in many companies, be it Belbin or Myers-Briggs. The latest one in my company is SDI, which tries to identify what motivates you - do you get your kicks from supporting people, from analysing or from directing - and more so do your priorities change when you can't get what you want.

There's no prizes for guessing how I come out. I start as someone who tries to guide people to the right answer (support/analyse), and then shift to just telling them what the right answer is (direct/analyse). Equally unsurprisingly roles in most companies are very type-cast - managers 'direct', techies 'analyse' and secretaries 'support', and with that in mind, the fact that the most incompetent people seem get promoted begins to make sense.

It spawned an interesting discussion amongst the group, but within that between the manager and me. She looked at me, and said "I could have guessed you'd come out like that. You're always bringing me problems, whether technical or people. And when I hear the word 'problem' I just stop listening." She was proud that she'd understood motivational values. I was fuming - she'd just admitted that she routinely ignored me.

I digress. Back to the point. We have the diagnostics now. We have a team full of people that all are partly 'supportive' but mainly either 'directive' or 'analytical'. Half the people want to make something helpful happen quickly. After all, the customer is always right. The other half want to produce what's needed - give the customer what they need, not what they want.

We understand. We have stuck labels on people. We must be a team now!

02:23 - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Comfortably Numb

Hello?
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone at home?

Gosh, has it really been 6 weeks since I last posted a blog? And how dreadfully remiss of me, and how dreadfully rude as well.

It's not been a quiet 6 weeks. 3 weeks of bouncing around Europe like a lunatic (Manchester, Lisbon, Manchester, Brussels). 3 weeks of coughing, sneezing, sleeping lots, and then wondering why other bits have stopped working (abdominal adhesions aren't fun). But I'm back now, a bit more rested, and vowing to catch up and get on with things.

Add on top of that the well-meant family panic ensuing from my little sister being pregnant, and counting the days (technically hours now, I guess) till it's due, and a garage phoning up to say "your new car is arriving 2 months early" ("you want me to find how much? by when?") and things get a little distracting.

I'm sure the fiascos of work can wait until the next blog...

The dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.

11:21 - 3 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Where did the spark go?

It's been a good weekend. It's been a strange weekend. It's been a disappointing weekend.

I left work on Friday with good intentions, and a pile of work that I wanted to do but never had time for. We're not talking guilt-induced, we're talking the sort of tasks that I looked forward to getting. They're still sat there. I've not started them. I don't really want to, I don't know why. But I do know that doing the right thing for the wrong reason isn't rewarding.

There were three things on MySpace that got me thinking. Three wonderful people set my mind in gear:
- Paula is back on-line. A wise woman, who reminds me that just because something is accepted, doens't mean it's right.
- Foxxx wrote a blog, linking to a quiz, which analysed me so badly, that I'm ashamed to share it. However it did have results titled "desired objective" and "actual problem" which got me thinking.
- Jen wrote another blog, extolling the charms of Oscar Wilde, and how it reminded her of the spark that set her off on her creative journey.

I've lost my spark for this. Somewhere back in the past, it was exciting. I don't know why, but something attracted it to me. Perhaps the problem solving, helping people, producing something, making people proud, I don't know. But I do know I need to find out what it was, or that spark won't come back.

16:42 - 3 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

A wise person ...

A wise person reminded me of the reason we do things. She was, of course, citing an even wiser person, but as I don't know the latter, she's welcome to all of the credit.

What got me thinking is next week at work. It's pay review time. This should be a time of happiness, but for some reason I'm dreading it.

So why am I worried?

On the bonus side, I'm not. I've worked hard, spent far too long in countries that haven't been good for my health, and a large donation from the company towards my new car to reflect all of that is expcted. (If anyone can help me choose a colour too, that would be great!)

But the pay-rise is likely to be puzzling. The pay-rise reflects how you've developed as a member of the company, rather than how much work you've done. I work for a boss that treats me like a 4 year old. She believes that "that can't be true", "you shouldn't think that" and "I'm not prepared to discuss that" are valid responses to business concerns.

If the pay-rise comes out low, then it's quite clearly a "thanks, but no thanks" message. Unpleasant, but simple. If it comes out high, though, then what? I've to rationalise a clear negative message from my boss against a clear positive from the company? I'm almost certainly over-analysing the situation. I can always ask.

But what hope is there for achieving your potential when you can't even confirm your perceptions?

16:54 - 6 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

The mantra for modern life

When we were small, we were taught by our parents the value of excellence. Learn a trade, and you've got a job for life. We saw the routine - your 20's learning the job, your 30's busting a gut getting to the top, your 40's enjoying the rewards, your 50's winding down.

By the time we got there, the world had changed. Our parents had retired early, the yuppies had changed our view of caring employers, and we'd learnt that you had to get to the top before someone else creamed off the inherited assets. The advice changed. If you were irreplaceable, you were unpromotable. (We also realised we needed words that just didn't exist, like "unpromotable". But no fear, the great office idol, Mr. Gates, gave us permission to "add to dictionary".)

I've struggled for years with this. Surely you need to be good to be promotable. But if you're good, then you're irreplaceable. Does that mean the whole game is to be near the top, but not at the top. Surely people see through that? (I'd like to think so, from a moral perspective, but I fear they don't.)

A thought was put to me last week. Ask yourself this. What would happen if you didn't do your role well. Would they cope? What if you didn't do it at all? Would they cope? It's as simple as that.

If people can't cope if you don't do your job well, then you're on your way up - just keep at it. If people can't cope if you don't do your job at all, then you're irreplaceable - unless you're in it for the job satisfaction, it's time to get out, you aint going anywhere fast. If people don't care if your job doesn't get done, then you'd better be cheap, or you're first in line come the hard times.

All you need to do is to work out what's important. And I bet it's not the things you think ought to be important.

02:56 - 1 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

One less option

Sometimes you don't need to make a decision, someone else does it for you. You know that when they do so, without asking, that it's likely to be unhelpful. When they don't realise they've done so, however, it's likely to be helpful.

I'm still toying with a new car (see many blogs in the past). I liked the Audi. I didn't like the Nissan. BMW seem to be a little reluctant to co-operate, so after two weeks of silence I gave them a nudge. A week later they told me they couldn't find a car, and I'd heard no more.

I called them again today, and asked what was happening. They asked if I'd like a brochure to be sent to me. I pointed out that's where we were three weeks ago, and that now I really wanted a test-drive. They reminded me that the cars were very difficult to get hold of, and that I would need to be patient. I somewhat unsubtly pointed out that their sister company had the very model I wanted sitting on their forecourt - they would investigate and call me back.

Five minutes later, one of the salesmen from the previous fruitless conversations called me to tell me they'd found a car and would I like to test-drive it. I can be a little sarcastic when I'm unsympathetic - this poor chap didn't quite know what hit him.

So, after four weeks, I've managed to find a car for me to test-drive. But you know what - I don't want it any more. Perhaps I'm just bored with having to make the effort. Perhaps I believe when you spend many months gross salary on a car you expect a little service. Regardless, I don't really feel like playing with them any more. Would it be too mean to leave it until just before the test-drive to tell them this? Or shall I just have a whizz around in their sports car, then tell them?

11:44 - 5 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Fidgety

I'm fidgety. That's probably the best way to describe it. When you've got the feeling that you need to do something, but you can't work out what it is you need to do. And then, even when you do something, it doesn't quite help, because it's never quite finished.

I've bought myself a new watch to replace the one that mysteriously vanished in Thailand. (It was locked into a case, the lock removed when I got back, and it wasn't there.) I just need to find a jeweller now to adjust the strap. I've also replaced the case and locks after Hong Kong baggage handlers chewed them up.

Thinking about a new car isn't helping either. I know it's retail therapy. But the 6-month wait is spoiling any buzz I'd get. Now I know why women buy shoes when they're stressed. At least you can take them home with you, and the awkward pinching reminds you that you've got them.

I've a couple of hours to go until I need to leave to go to Milan. It'll junk most of the public holiday, but at least it'll distract me. I know, just a distraction, not a solution. That itch will remain, and it's not going anywhere, until I can work out how to scratch it.

02:56 - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Just back

I'm home. Landed at 5:30 this morning, and I was home by 7:00am. No worries on the jet-lag, but meal times are a bit confusing. I guess that's what happens when you have breakfast at 4am; by 10am you want lunch.

I left BBM in Hong Kong. I never got to see the orang-utans or pandas.  BBM took great delight in gloating about that. She has three more days there. She'd better bring back photos! She also felt it necessary to gloat about the rain stopping just as I left. Hmm! Someone needs a smacked bottom. LOL.

I do get the final gloat though. I'm off test-driving cars this afternoon. I was going to play with a Z4, but the dealer decided not to bother calling me. They're going to try again. But at least I get to play with the new TT and the 350Z. Woohoo! Guess who's going to be gloating when BBM gets back. How childish!

02:00 - 8 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Not really the middle of the night

Those in the US are probably used to me posting blogs in the middle of the night. Those in the UK probably not. I'm in Hong Kong. Technically that's China but even after 10 years as a SAR, the only real difference is the reduction in British ex-pats, and rumour has it that's got more to do with pollution and corporate relocation packages than anything else.

I guess I'm lucky to be here. Partly to have the opportunity, but also because of the weather. A cyclone was sat over Hong Kong on Friday, and people were being sent home from work because of it. But by the time we landed here on Saturday afternoon it was (in the words of BBM) "just like being in Manchester!".

Today (Sunday) is a quiet day for me. I'm knackered - I guess I didn't realise how much the Thai incident took it out of me. At the moment I'm blogging and watching K-19 on TV. BBM has gone shopping, one of her favourite hobbies. I had hopes of us seeing pandas and orangs today, but I don't think the weather would let us. This seems a sensible compromise.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If the weather clears up later in the week, I might have to skive off and go monkey-viewing.

19:18 - 3 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Confuzzled

I'm a little confuzzled. I'm not really sure where I am, or where I'm going. I think I've overtaken myself.

I'm over the food poisoning. It wasn't fun. It lasted two weeks. But the second set of anti-biotics have done their trick and I hope it's gone for good. I have another packet just in case.

I'm off to Hong Kong tomorrow evening. It's too soon after being ill. I'm also not really prepared for the trip. Life's overtaken me. I'm hoping BBM will help me out on the trip, but I'm not too optimistic. I think most of it will be down to me to keep it going. I'm sure I'll sleep on the plane though, even if I have been relegated back to cattle class.

I'm also rather fed up with work. I spoke to the boss a while back, and she just denied the issues. Not even a discussion, just flat denial they existed. It killed the discussion immediately. I know it's not going to get better. I know I need to leave.

But at the moment I just want a break. Someone to make me smile. Someone to do something nice for no good reason.

Nope? OK, I'm off to pack ...

13:27 - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment