Sunday 2 November 2008

Whither?

Yet more doubts creep in about work. Momentous change sometimes sneaks up on one, and it seems to be happening pretty much all the time now. Where I feel I've failed most egregiously is with one particular team member who doesn't communicate with me. You can't win 'em all, the saying goes, and I wouldn't expect everyone to get along with me (neither, perhaps, should it be the function of a leader to be got along with, but that's another discussion) but I still think that I have dropped the ball as things have spiraled upwards with this guy.

In brief, he succeeded in finding a position elsewhere. He didn't tell me until the post was secured, and I wished him well - conscious of the fact that he wasn't a particularly useful player anyway, and it would be better for him to find happiness in another job. For various (boring) reasons however, he has not been able to take the role, unless he does so on a strictly temporary basis, and - forced to make the decision by last Friday - has gone AWOL. Well, not AWOL, but certainly without my knowledge (AWOK?)

This whole sorry situation has of necessity escalated to the highest level, and I feel that it reflects very poorly on my leadership skills that I am so far out of the loop, almost disregarded by the guy. It's always a personal thing, isn't it? I never managed to engage with him, and always felt that his participation in this little game we're playing was under duress. I now think that I should have focussed more on him, should have homed in on what I knew was a dysfunctional relationship. But of course, it's too late now. Tomorrow is another day, and another day when he will be away from the office.

Guess I've just got to: pick myself up, dust myself off, start all over again.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're better off without the lazy rat-bastard. There are too many people "working" in your area who are just marking time until they retire on fat pensions. It's impossible to sack them unless they actually take a shit on their boss's desk - and even then a claim of "stress" would probably get them off. Hope that a new position comes up soon and you can unload the useless waste of skin.

Anonymous said...

Well done, you have precised the piece above in 50 words or less

Anonymous said...

Good to hear from you Cyril - no offense but I thought you'd be dead by now. I still remember your charming reminiscences about the local Oswestry prostitutes including one called the "Banana Lady". I was bullied by the rest of the class into asking you how she got her nickname and you mumbled something about "some sort of costume I think...". I always suspected you were being coy and knew more than you allowed!

Myeral said...

No offence taken, as I am in fact dead as a dodo. Oswestry and prostitutes is the definition of oxymoron, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

Damn! Gave away my identity there!

Anonymous said...

Is he ACTUALLY dead??

Myeral said...

That's a good question. I would have thought so, but teachers from Oswestry do seem possessed of extraordinary longevity. I'll try and find out.