Power play

From the title, I wish I was going to write about the power play I had with Osh Osh when I make him eat his carrots and leafy greens. Unfortunately, it's not.

It's about power play in the big bad world called corporate politics!

As you know from my post below ("Bad Mummy" feeling), our new big boss is in town for a visit. On Wednesday, my manager ("VC") came to talk to me just as I was packing up to rush to pick up Osh Osh from school.

VC told me that there is a meeting (the meeting was yesterday morning) where I am to sit in and convince the new big boss why I am to stay in my current manager's department. It turned out that there is this other manager ("CM") who is looking for capable people to be in his team.

What's so bad about moving to the other department, you ask? Well, I won't be getting any pay increase and secondly, I am still expected to do the same work I am doing now plus take on the new role's responsibilities as well. Yup, doing 2 people's work for the price of one!

It's a power play between VC and CM to impress the boss as each of them wants to show our new big boss that they have a dynamic department that is capable to meet the company's vision. I also know that my manager, VC does not like CM!

Anyway, I told the new big boss my role and how much value I have added to VC's team. It's out of my hands now. My fate will only be decided after end of Sept as that's when the "powers that be" will decide how the reorganization of the company will pan out.

Call me simplistic and naive - all I want is to be left alone to do my work so that I can go home to my family! Is that too much to ask for?

We love Mondays!

Mondays…how we love them!

Seriously, my work day today has been busy but it's not as bad as I had feared. Late last week, I found out from my manager that I am to take on extra work from another department who had lost some people, in order to give them a helping hand. I had told my manager that I'm already swamped as it is but it appeared from my discussion with her on Friday that this came from top management and her hands are tied. So, she is to offer a "volunteer" and yours truly is that volunteer. Doesn't sound like a lot of free will is being practised here, does it?

Anyway, I spoke to the manager of the other department and asked her what their area of need is and what her expectations are of this volunteer. She said she has not firmed up plans yet and will engage her team in a separate conversation about this and I am allowed some say in it as well. So, all in all, it's not been decided yet and since there are no firm facts as to how much time and energy I have to commit to my new found volunteer work, I will not think, fret and worry about it now.

On a lighter note, I was having lunch with my younger colleague (by 10 years!) today and as part of our casual "fill in the time" lunch chat, she asked me when I'm planning to have my second child. She kept saying that since Osh Osh is now 3 years old , I should get my act together and conceive another one ASAP! I then asked her what are her own plans? She has a steady boyfriend whom she will marry in 3 years' time (as they both want to concentrate on their careers now) and after they marry, they want to have some child free years together then she will seek a doctor's help to conceive a pair of twins (and it better be a boy and a girl!) so she doesn't have to go through pregnancy too many times.

"Kids" nowadays, what are they thinking?!! (saying this tongue in cheek) I always thought that one will only seek medical/fertility assistance when one cannot conceive a child the normal way and NOT to "customize" your pregnancy.

What do you think?