For Good: Part 1
I got out today!
“What’s he talking about?” you may be asking yourself.
“Out of what?” “Debt?” “A hospital?” “Prison?”
No, my much-appreciated reader — nothing quite that dramatic or intense.
What I got out of today was an unfavorable working situation. Not a job…a working situation.
Let me explain. In April of 2007, I was asked by a senior executive-level gentleman to serve as the program manager of a program within his purview that was expected to raise a significant amount of money annually for a nationally-known charitable consortium.
This gentleman believed in me, believed I would do a good job for him and intended favorable things to happen for me in the realm of advancement in the wonderful world of employment, before all was said and done.
In other words, he wanted the program and my conducting it to be a win-win for all and he meant this for my good.
Sooooooo, I was temporarily re-assigned from my position as a security specialist (see the “Security Plan” submission) to his staff the following month and began working the program.
This gentleman had a very capable, efficient and knowledgeable staff.
They welcomed me, we bonded quickly and they assisted and worked with me for our collective good.
Then (dum de dum dum), all of a sudden there was a re-organization within the higher echelons of this organization and the programs this gentleman had previously been responsible for, to include the staff that had served him, was given to a newly-promoted senior executive whom I shall identify (sort of) shortly.
The new senior executive that inherited the programs and staff swiftly set about establishing her agenda (which was her right) about doing things.
She began by replacing her inherited staff’s chief of staff with an individual of her choosing. She did this while that fellow was convalescing from a medical procedure… and didn’t bother to infom him of her actions.Of course, he found out when he returned to work and found out he no longer served in the capacity he’d served in prior to going to the hospital. (Has this story begun to sound weird to you or is it just me?)
Anyway, the new chief of staff or executive officer to the senior executive, came to work like she was the “new sheriff in town.”
She began re-organizing things that were already organized, re-creating things that had been sufficiently created (and were being well-maintained) and proceeded to belittle, berate and demean the staff…folk that previously had been the epitome of professionalism and proficiency.
She even rearranged some office cabinets so the route that the staff and I had to use to come and go from the floor entrance to our work stations, was channelized to her specifications.
That happened until the safety personnel told her she had created a fire hazard by fixing it so that we only had one avenue by which to come in and go out.
The senior executive simply smiled as the new “necessary changes” were implemented by her “XO,” and said they were for our good.
Now, I must introduce you to these two delightful (I’m kidding) ladies. I will use what may or may not be their initials when I refer to them. Their names will be withheld to protect the guilty. I shall call the senior executive, “D.R.” and her executive officer, “C.H.”
I would also like to introduce the staff. Again I will use intials. Their names must be withheld to protect the mis-treated. The staff members are “T.R.,” “L.B.” and “M.J.B.”
Me, you know…I’m Paul.
As you can determine by the title, this is not a story (though very true, of course) that I will be able to tell in one writing. So make sure you check back because I guarantee you it will be interesting.
I know.
I lived it for almost nine months.
And I can tell you it was really all for good.
Copyright © Paul Schneidmill 2008 All Rights Reserved