Office Dynamics and the Org Chart
The department in which I work has close to 120 people (and growing). We belong to a Business Unit of close to 1000 folks. Until a couple of years ago, a single man was managing this entire Business Unit, but now he is head of Global Operations; a Vice President by designation.
My boss is responsible for all deliveries in my department, he in turn reports to the VP. We also have another big boss who is the head of our department. There’s a constant power struggle between boss & big boss, and to add to the cocktail, the VP has not defined any reporting relationship between boss and big boss.
Me, I am a lowly Resource Planning Manager. Like Alice in Wonderland, I enjoy the sights and sounds and try not to get overwhelmed.
Working on the side
In office, I work. The stuff that I have to do, not necessarily want to do. Oh yes, there also are things that I love to do – which I try to do whether I am out of the workplace or in it.
So what’s on my plate right now? Here’s the list:
- Writing a novel
- Practising pencil sketching
- Learning to make strawberries dipped in chocolate (and possibly orange slices too)
More on these later. Right now, work calls.
Update
As we crossed over into the new year, I wrote about the new direction I had in mind for this blog. After some experimentation, I can finally say “I’m done”. So here’s where I am now:
New Template: check
Updated Categories: check
Updated Tags: check
Updated Layout: check
Stay tuned for more Corporate Tales…
Setup for failure
I have been entrusted with an additional responsibility – to establish & develop a practice around PeopleSoft Campus Solutions. The way the targets have been setup, I’ll need to have about 10 people working for clients before Q3 begins. Obviously, it’s a challenging task. I prepared a “Business Plan”, which was reviewed by the powers that be. I was asked to make some changes, which I made, and sent it for the next review. This time, I was asked to include “Rationale for establishing the Campus Solutions practice”.
To the best of my knowledge, the rationale is “because the VP of our department is into academics & wants this practice set up”. But that’s another story.
* * *
Last week, I was told that 5 people have been identified to help me. On Thursday I had a formal meeting with them, and was I in for a surprise?
I had evaluated these very folks about 5 months ago for another assignment, and they are all bad. No, they are actually totally hopeless. They cannot speak, they don’t know their stuff, they don’t even know what they are supposed to know (and being paid for). One of them is perpetually bewildered, one is scared to death and the other three are all enthusiastic. Although I have not lost all hope, I have pretty much given up on the outcome.
I’ve been setup for failure, but I’m determined to make as graceful an exit as possible.
Schedule for the week
Now that I’ve decided upon the new direction this blog will take, reorganization is made necessary. To begin with, I think I should update the categories I have been using for all posts. And that’s what I will do in this week – give a complete makeover to the categories, and update all posts accordingly.
Also on the cards are tagging all posts appropriately, and updating the blog layout. But that’s for later. This week, I will do the categories.
He went…… That-a-way!
For the past few days (weeks?) I have been thinking of the direction my blog is taking… And should take.
Of course I have a hidden agenda behind wanting to write regularly – I implicitly hope that doing so will improve my writing skills. Oh, and last year I also made a resolution – to not let my blog die (thankfully I made no resolutions about leading the blog in ever changing directions).
So… what new avatar will my blog take in this year that is on the doorstep?
I will try to write about my experiences at work. About the things that don’t work (and some that do). About the ridiculous things some people do. About how egos get in the way… the dark humor that is an integral (though oft-unseen) part of work.
Wish me luck…
Struggling (But Happy)
The last couple of weeks have been crazy for me. Till about a month ago, I was working for barely an hour or two everyday. Now, here’s what is in my plate:
- I’ve to manage an Offshore Project (thankfully only the coordination part)
- I’m the Resource Planning Manager for the Department (117 folks and growing slowly)
- I’ve to start & grow a new practice within the Department (target = $0.5M annual revenue in 2010-2011)
- I’ve to Coordinate Invoicing for the Department at every month-end
- I’ve been selected for the fast-track program for Account Management (10 months of training; about 40-60 hours per month)
- I’ve to provide Pre-Sales support for any proposals I may be asked to work upon (thankfully this is trivial in quantity so far)
- I’ve to coordinate the ongoing Internal initiatives in the Department
While it looks like it’ll be backbreaking work, being busy like this is something I actually enjoy (and haven’t done in a long time). Looks like I will have to do a drastic makeover of my schedule and self-management.
But yes, I’m happy.
Professional Blogging
Why am I blogging?
Once in a while I do feel like jotting down what’s going on in my head. But is that it? Or is there also a flavor of wanting the world to appreciate me? However, let’s leave the personal aspirations aside for a moment.
Why should I blog?
Should it be a conscious effort for the enhancement of my career? If so, do I really need it? Will it really work? And if the answer to both is “Yes”, what is it that I should blog about?
What is it that I can blog about for the next 5-10 years, that will align with my career aspirations, and will keep an audience engaged?
I guess I need to do a lot of thinking on this…
Update…
- 2006: Programmer/ Tech Lead
2006 – 2007: Transition from Tech Lead to Project Manager
2007 – 2008: Project Manager
2008 – 2009: Transition from Project Manager to Resource Manager/Leader
2009 - : Account Manager? Let’s hope so.
2010 - : Account Manager? Yes.
