merge I object to,’ I said. ‘It's the speed with
which they're trying to make it happen. I mean, if they expect people to step seamlessly
into other roles then they’re dreaming.’ I started to laugh. ‘You know Cameron is
really struggling with programming.’ I dropped my voice and pointed in the direction
of Cameron’s cubicle.
‘He couldn't programme his arse to take a shit,’ Sam said quietly.
‘He doesn’t want to,’ I defended. ‘But, I mean, we should have
some transitional plan. Some sort of buddy work between our teams or something.
Then we could learn each other’s ropes without jeopardising feeds.’ My voice rose.
‘I mean, can’t we do something about this, bring it to someone’s attention?’
‘No point,’ Sam said. ‘Boris is right. They’ll do whatever they
want.’
‘But I can’t do this without support.’ I leaned over the desk
I had been tidying, aware that Boris and Sam were watching me now instead of the
corners of the floor. Now that I had started work on AsiaCap ,
the Business Analysis was overwhelming. I had to act as project manager as well
as write the specs for each team involved. People I didn’t know were already asking
me questions about their role.
‘Look. I see your point.’ Boris said. ‘But people can’t just
do half of one thing and half of another, and Cameron’s got his own feeds on now.
Remember we are looking at keeping one former analyst in a purely consultant role,
so you will get support. Anyway, guys, it’s Friday night.’
His voice lifted. ‘So that’s enough of that I say. Going to The Duke?’
‘Definitely.’ I didn’t need much persuasion.
Going drinking with the boys and venting over my past week was exactly what I needed.
A row of bars with restaurants upstairs looked over the river
from heated balconies. They were busy all week but on Thursday and Friday nights
they were packed with clientele spilling from one bar to the next. We went to our
usual: end of the row with the least noise and the best selection of beer.
Boris was recounting the latest management techniques he’d been
exposed to. ‘You are like a wall, y’see . And we push that
wall as much as possible and it’s your job to push back.’
‘That is such primitive... short-sighted ...’ I was spitting
the words to the floor when I noticed Felix Stern walk in.
‘Stern is here,’ Boris said. ‘You should talk to him. This is
your chance to do a bit of bonding.’
‘I wouldn’t know where to start,’ I scoffed.
‘Nothing wrong with a little social networking. He’s coming over.’
‘Plans for the weekend, Boris?’ I replied.
‘Going to buy a replacement fish, aren’t I.’
‘What happened to the first fish?’ Sam asked.
Boris hung his head.
‘Michelle was away.’ I explained. ‘Poor Frankie.’
‘What, did it starve to death?’ Sam laughed. ‘Has that poor girl
not given up on you yet?’
‘Mate,’ Boris said patiently. ‘Over-eating is the number one
cause of fish death in this country.’
‘You must be dynamite in the sack, mate,’ Sam said.
‘Alright, Felix?’ Boris’ voice changed
as the group of managers gathered next to us.
‘Briggs,’ Felix gave Boris a glance.
I flashed Sam a warning look. Running in to management was the
danger of going drinking near work.
‘How was the skiing?’ Boris asked Felix. ‘Plenty
of snow?’
‘I was in Chamonix in January,’ Felix replied.
‘You never know. I was in Austria last year, March mind you.
But there were actually green patches. At one point I think I skied over a bush.’
‘You went... when? There’s no snow in Austria in March. Who does
that?’ Felix’s circle chuckled over their pints.
‘In that case I’m suspicious about what all that white powder
was.’ Boris laughed. ‘Yeah I mean, if I was skilled, actually a skilled skier I’d
probably have been disappointed. But, how’s your skiing?’
‘I’m pretty fast,’ Felix said.
‘Right,’ Boris nodded.
which they're trying to make it happen. I mean, if they expect people to step seamlessly
into other roles then they’re dreaming.’ I started to laugh. ‘You know Cameron is
really struggling with programming.’ I dropped my voice and pointed in the direction
of Cameron’s cubicle.
‘He couldn't programme his arse to take a shit,’ Sam said quietly.
‘He doesn’t want to,’ I defended. ‘But, I mean, we should have
some transitional plan. Some sort of buddy work between our teams or something.
Then we could learn each other’s ropes without jeopardising feeds.’ My voice rose.
‘I mean, can’t we do something about this, bring it to someone’s attention?’
‘No point,’ Sam said. ‘Boris is right. They’ll do whatever they
want.’
‘But I can’t do this without support.’ I leaned over the desk
I had been tidying, aware that Boris and Sam were watching me now instead of the
corners of the floor. Now that I had started work on AsiaCap ,
the Business Analysis was overwhelming. I had to act as project manager as well
as write the specs for each team involved. People I didn’t know were already asking
me questions about their role.
‘Look. I see your point.’ Boris said. ‘But people can’t just
do half of one thing and half of another, and Cameron’s got his own feeds on now.
Remember we are looking at keeping one former analyst in a purely consultant role,
so you will get support. Anyway, guys, it’s Friday night.’
His voice lifted. ‘So that’s enough of that I say. Going to The Duke?’
‘Definitely.’ I didn’t need much persuasion.
Going drinking with the boys and venting over my past week was exactly what I needed.
A row of bars with restaurants upstairs looked over the river
from heated balconies. They were busy all week but on Thursday and Friday nights
they were packed with clientele spilling from one bar to the next. We went to our
usual: end of the row with the least noise and the best selection of beer.
Boris was recounting the latest management techniques he’d been
exposed to. ‘You are like a wall, y’see . And we push that
wall as much as possible and it’s your job to push back.’
‘That is such primitive... short-sighted ...’ I was spitting
the words to the floor when I noticed Felix Stern walk in.
‘Stern is here,’ Boris said. ‘You should talk to him. This is
your chance to do a bit of bonding.’
‘I wouldn’t know where to start,’ I scoffed.
‘Nothing wrong with a little social networking. He’s coming over.’
‘Plans for the weekend, Boris?’ I replied.
‘Going to buy a replacement fish, aren’t I.’
‘What happened to the first fish?’ Sam asked.
Boris hung his head.
‘Michelle was away.’ I explained. ‘Poor Frankie.’
‘What, did it starve to death?’ Sam laughed. ‘Has that poor girl
not given up on you yet?’
‘Mate,’ Boris said patiently. ‘Over-eating is the number one
cause of fish death in this country.’
‘You must be dynamite in the sack, mate,’ Sam said.
‘Alright, Felix?’ Boris’ voice changed
as the group of managers gathered next to us.
‘Briggs,’ Felix gave Boris a glance.
I flashed Sam a warning look. Running in to management was the
danger of going drinking near work.
‘How was the skiing?’ Boris asked Felix. ‘Plenty
of snow?’
‘I was in Chamonix in January,’ Felix replied.
‘You never know. I was in Austria last year, March mind you.
But there were actually green patches. At one point I think I skied over a bush.’
‘You went... when? There’s no snow in Austria in March. Who does
that?’ Felix’s circle chuckled over their pints.
‘In that case I’m suspicious about what all that white powder
was.’ Boris laughed. ‘Yeah I mean, if I was skilled, actually a skilled skier I’d
probably have been disappointed. But, how’s your skiing?’
‘I’m pretty fast,’ Felix said.
‘Right,’ Boris nodded.
Similar Books
