Journal Entries
Flying blues
Posted Jun 14, 2001
I took this job so I could be at home more often. So far I have been in Boston (6 weeks), Paris and Zurich. And the Zurich flight (yesterday) was a pain in the proverbial, Cork to Dublin, Dublin to London City, London City to Zurich, and the same in the reverse direction. What should have been a 2 flight took 8 hours. And the food was cold, and I got wine spilt on my trousers, and I had a cold and the Cork flight was not pressurised. I am beginning to hate flying. 
CR
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Latest reply: Jun 14, 2001
Moving on..
Posted Mar 30, 2001
So, I am leaving my job, and getting a job apparently closer to home. PC has to go back though, so there might be a bit of a delay before I am back.
CR
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Latest reply: Mar 30, 2001
Changing again
Posted Mar 23, 2001
Well, one day to go before I join my new employers, and start a 50 mile round trip each day in doing so. Yes, even in Cork the commutes can be impressive. Also I have to buy a car, because my current employers own the one I am driving around at the moment.
I attended a great lecture yesterday. A guy from Spaceguard UK was over telling us about the fun and games involved if a 1km rock were to hit the earth at 40,000 miles per hour.
So what's good at the moment?
Foot and mouth? No,
US Economic meltdown? Nope, not that,
Students and teachers all on strike? Not much fun there...
But hey, my little son now knows how to pull my ears, and yesterday I had him walking in the park for 2.5 seconds when he dived into a puddle ruining all his clothes. 
That's more like it...
CR
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Latest reply: Mar 23, 2001
Office Politics
Posted Nov 14, 2000
Ever since I started work I was fascinated in a funny sort of way by the overuse of the term "politics" within the workplace and how it seemed to permeate (and often poison) all sorts of work environments. What did it mean? For a time I felt it had something to do with playing games, and indeed it does, but it was only during a semi-drunken conversation in a pub in Cannes last week that I realised what it was all about.
Politics concerns two activities within organisations. The first time of politics, "offensive", is aimed at gaining power, and the second type, "defensive", is aimed at holding onto power once it has been achieved. Both these activities occur in most organisations, and often individuals in power will practice both forms of the art.
Offensive politics concerns activities that position people for future power. This is the realm of the political maneuverer, the schemer within organisations that hangs around the executive offices and seeks all opportunities to show just how good he or she is. Offensive politicians thrive on information, and will use any opportunity to make themselves look good, while making the faults of peers or superiors seem magnified, if these people appear to be getting in the way.
Defensive politics is more common, and concerns maintaining one's position once this has been achieved. The defensive politician will always look with suspicion on peers, superiors and underlings and can often react disproportionately when any apparent attack, no matter how innocent, is made to affect one's position. Typically the more insecure a person is in a particular management role, the more they are likely to practice defensive politics.
Both types of politics are practiced at all levels in the organisation. I have seen temps and receptionists practice politics in order to advance or maintain their position.
There is really very little difference between the politics of organisations and the feudal societies of the Middle Ages. Knights, just like todays managers, have to be prepared to attack and defend, to lay siege and to spread dissention in the enemy's troops. No wonder the ancient Chinese book of Sun Tzu, The Art of War, is still so widely read among business executives!
CR
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Latest reply: Nov 14, 2000
Oz
Posted Aug 23, 2000
Really weird thing happened last week. My sister arrived back home after 1 year in Australia, and a couple of hours later that day I am told to go on a short assignment to ... Australia.
So, some 5 days later here I am. In Sydney, Australia, sitting in a hotel still suffering some jetlag and not quite aware what the time is or what I should be doing. I can't really believe it.
I am now further from home than I have ever been in my life. What a strange experience it was, flying over Europe and Asia, night following day following night following day in quick, rapid succession. Dramatic thunderstorms over Pakistan, the omnipresent lights of settlement in India, the vast city of Delhi, breakfast in Bangkok, lucid views of Borneo, and the vast vast bushland of Australia.
Its strange, going so far but yet feeling so near. Sydney is somewhat European in character. Very cosmopolitan, very dynamic, very friendly, very familiar. The people have a sense of humour similar to our own. I haven't seen too many sights as I am on business, but we took a trip by boat to Manly Beach, and I walked by the Opera House last night. I have to say, the quality of food and service is unsurpassable in this city.
The day after tomorrow I pack my bags and return to the green land of Ireland. I hope I can get back here again in the near future, but next time with more time on my hands, and no pressure from work.
CR
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Latest reply: Aug 23, 2000
Woodpigeon
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