- Don't hold onto resentment (only hurts
yourself)
- Do unto others as you would have
done unto you
- Let Go and Let God
- Keep your own side of the street
clean.
I sit and feel the truth of the
messages, and vow to be a better person, and even try very VERY hard to say
prayers for The Witches of both sexes who have done their level best to make my
working life a misery.
Alas, at 11.30 this morning my
serene and equable view of the world starts to wear off a weeny bit.
I am due to have a management
meeting with my Line Manager. This is not our usual pattern - even before
things went severely awry last August, he never rang me, never asked how I was
getting on, and never offered me any support. But now New Boss has descended
and with his shiny New Broom has instituted a new system of monthly one-to-one
meetings.
!!! The old guard within the
department cannot know what has hit them.
Alas, Line Manager and I can't have
straightforward one-to-ones because we are required (for reasons I will expand
upon later in this blog) to have meetings in the presence of A. N. Other. The
role of Mr Other is currently being played by - New Boss!
I arrive in the department in good
time and kill time by responding to a few emails. Suddenly Line Manager appears
at my side and says 'we think it might be nice if we all went out for a coffee
for this meeting'.
Hang on. Overwhelming sense of deja
vu. This all happened last Monday did it not? The
"confidential" meeting held in a coffee shop, screaming babies,
clattering crockery, the hissing rumblings of the Gaggia....
I do my "mmmmmmmmmm....?"
thing, which on this occasion Line Manager takes as assent.
When he disappears into his office
to (presumably) pick up his wallet - my God, he might even be considering buying the coffees! - I experience a sudden
moment of clarity and tap meekly on the door of New Boss's office.
Me: "I understand we are
holding this first management meeting away from your office?"
New Boss: "Well we thought it
would be nice"
Me: (unhelpful silence)
New Boss; "but if you don't
want to...."
Me: "I'm afraid I don't think Costa
Coffee represents a suitable environment. In fact I think it is very inappropriate".
Inappropriate. This is the single most valuable word every
Stepford Employee should master. Non-confrontational, non-aggressive, almost fluffy; it nevertheless seems to have the
power to halt public sector workers of all grades abruptly in their tracks.
"Inappropriate" is quietly suggestive of discussions with one's
union, possible litigation, and names in the newspapers.
New Boss halts predictably, but in a
grumpy manner. He mutters something about not having had enough coffee that
morning. I see a Katharine Ross opportunity looming !
"If you like," I say
sweetly, "I would be very happy to go and get you one".....
- New Boss gets his own coffee.
- The meeting starts ten minutes
later than planned.
- It is held in his office
Managers 0
Stepford Employee 1
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