January 10, 2005

More Shark Bait

Ben Browder once said in an interview that it was great when a shark warning came where he was living in Australia - it meant that half the surfers would clear out and there were more waves for him and his fellow hard-core buddies to enjoy.

So I guess it's all in how you look at things.

Last summer, I made a mis-step and now a certain VP doesn't take my calls so readily any more.

And of course he is the exact person I need to decide what happens now.

Had several phone calls in the last hours, pushing me to take my recommendation to this VP.

So I better decide what my recommendation IS.

There is no right answer. I have skin in the game, which means that if I say "Keep the program going and just re-set the timeline to take into consideration all the changes" then of course I look like I am out to keep my empire and I better, better, BETTER be rock-sure I can pull it off.

If I say anything else, I look disengenious at best and weak at worst.

And the sharks are circling, ready for me to open my mouth so that they can start making the opposite recommendation.

No. Big. Deal.

Posted by Elizabeth at 04:06 PM | Comments (2)

When I was in a similar situation at Mother Corp, I found myself needing to update a certain VP who had reamed me out a few months earlier. He had done so simply to assert his power and show me who was boss. I never forgot, and never forgave, and here I was needing to update him again.

I felt dirty just walking up to his office. But I walked right in, delivered my shpiel and didn't give him any room to wiggle. Just the facts, Ma'am.

Eventually, he got screwed by the company when he retired, so bad things DO happen to deserving people. I left and found a company where the sharks are replaced by schools of fish who work in teams.

At the end of the day, ignore the past and press on with your own agenda. You'd be amazed how little these people remember when you confront them face-to-face later on.

Posted by Carmi.

There's only one sure-fire thing to do here. Get yourself a pod of porpoises. Or one big-ass whale.

Count up your favor tallys and see what you have to work with.

Posted by Jim.