Pah!

I was supposed to be flying to the Middle East this weekend to meet the management team in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and to start to compile resource plans and a delivery strategy etc. However the plug has just been pulled on the basis that there is concern in certain quarters that I am being parachuted in with some political agenda, as opposed to simply trying to do my job.

Instead there is now talk about having a flipping workshop to get some 'thought leadership' and position 'outcomes'.... Pah!!!!

So other than a couple of presentations and a paper, everything I've done is purely tactical, twiddly around the edges and adding diddly squat value to anyone. Trying to get things moving via spreadsheets and phone calls just does not work.....I'm starting to fret I don't justify my existence :o/

On the upside I now have a weekend I wasn't expecting I guess... Along with a wallet of Riyals and Dirhams I can't spend in John Lewis...

The gang of four

From previous posts dear reader you will have noted that Frosty is feeling somewhat like a fish out of water in her new working environment. In order to maintain sanity (if it were ever there in the first place) one has sought out like-minded individuals and identified three other personages who have fairly recently joined the organisation and are also wondering WTH (NB how polite I am being) they have come in to. Two of said group and I were at dinner the other night recounting tales of incredulity at some of the things were were encountering when we came to the conclusion we have been selected as part of a 'social experiment'. Having formed that opinion we now are all inclined to laugh in the face of adversity albeit in a huddle in a corner somewhere....

Life is feeling slight more bearable.

Begging to be posted.....

One of the problemettes I am contending with is staffing for the key projects in Qatar. These are humongous affairs programme managing the construction of key bits of infrastructure worth £Ms so pretty key that we are able to mobilise individuals with fairly specific, specialist skills, at the right time. At the moment there's a whole heap of heroics going on to make this happen...rather than a plan! Consequently I have I am heading out there to look at that in more depth and try to 're-align' them with best practise.

Queenie's in da house

...well she'd popped into Worcester earlier today so to protect the Royal personage one's not-so-small son and some of his Air Cadets Squadron chums provided a cordon for HRM Liz & the D of E... The prep for this was quite astonishing. Cue much un-bidden polishing of shoes and pressing of uniform.

Just look how shiny his shoes are!!! I only wish I could get him to put so much effort into his school work ;o)

Am I now working in some sort of fictional environment..?

I reckon a goodly number of the folks I now work with could be more successfully employed a Dementors - I swear my soul is being slowly sucked away....

Do they have their senses of humour surgically removed before they enter the Head Office foyer!?!?

I need to find some 'normal' people...or at least on my wave-length (which might not be quite the same thing ;o) to ensure I keep my sanity. Who'd have though I'd miss the "JFDI" culture of one's previous employer...?

Transport chaos

in central London today....they decided to close a few Tube stations during this morning's rush hour in order to simulate possible problem scenarios during the Olympics.... Unsurprisingly Bedlam ensued!!! Kings Cross & St. Pancras were a nightmare; gridlocked traffic, people spilling onto pavements, folks crammed onto buses, puzzled tourists scrutinising maps, harassed Police Officers and tempers decidedly frayed.

I think it's fair to say that they better hope the worker bees stay at home and eat cheese when the Games visitors descend as Boris has advised!

Still getting to grips with the new job. The resourcing function's in a worse state than anywhere I have worked before, but the company on the whole seem blissfully unaware of the issues, and keep trying to put sticky plasters over the problems as a fix... It feels like one of those cartoon scenarios where the whole lot is creaking at the seams and about to go Ka-boom!

Anyway, I have now been asked to write a paper...'cos that will sort stuff ...obviously ;o)

Today has been.....

like wading through treacle.....

I have purchased a new frock

which is hanging on the outside of the wardrobe...for 3 reasons:
1. it cheers me up - prettiful and the label states a size smaller than the 'real me'
2. the weather is crapola
3. I don't think the workforce are ready for me/it yet!
(dress code is conservative/austere to say the least)