| | Writing entries can be tedious, but that's not why I haven't done so here or in my private journal lately. Mostly because I have a different outlet for my thoughts lately, but also because my public persona really doesn't have much to talk about.
For better or worse, the world that we live in right now is a hot hot hot mess. And, frankly, will be a hot hot hot mess for some time. Steaming hot, even. Many of my friends know people that have felt the crunch. I know people that have been let go or are struggling to make the ends meet. Me? Well ... I survived two rounds of layoffs with my company while being on the bench (meaning: not chargeable to a client, aka: paying me to do nothing) because, basically, I'm pretty awesome.  I won't lie, the last couple of weeks were a bit unnerving ... because some of the people that got the shaft were a lot more talented than I am when it comes to technology and some of them were high performers (just like me, of course!).
When the layoffs happened, I got a nice reality check. I used to talk about the idea of "high performers" being safe from all that mess. I was wrong. I won't say that "no one is safe" because that's not true. I don't know what the criteria is for being consistently "safe" from all that, but I will say that there are some people that are more safer than others. Yes, that sounds like Animal Farm's "some are more equal than others", and it is exactly that. Achieving this state of greater equal'ness (or "more safer'ness") is all about balancing tangible metrics with managed perception.
How does one manage perception? Managing opportunity (aka: being opportunistic), selective aggression, consistent assertiveness, and plain-and-simple manipulation. Is this a bad thing? Well, as the saying goes you say po-tat-oh and someone else will say po-tay-toe. All I know... is that it works, exceptionally well. Proof of concept? There are many out there, and I'm sure anyone that reads that can point to a few without me having to prod.
Anyway, I'm not complacent. I'm happy to have a job (note that this is different than saying "at least I have a job"), and, over the last few months, I've come to be happier in my job. Sure, it's generally unfulfilling, but, it's helping me get towards a few personal goals and that matters to me. I've somehow found a way to get consistent recognition and praise both region and company wide, so obviously I'm performing well (or is it that I'm precieved as someone whom is performing well?  ). I ask a lot of my company, but I give back a lot.
Having served all of 2009 thusfar on the bench, I'm happy to say that I'm staffed again starting Tuesday the 24th. It's a short project, but it extends my tenure with the company and gives me a chance to build up on my metrics and perception, and you know I'll keep things teetered towards my side. Managing opportunity.
So what do I make of this hot hot hot (steaming!) mess of 2009? Ehh, I saw a quote once -- don't know where -- that I truly believe in. This is a correction, not a crisis. Take that as you will. No one group, thing, event, or whatever got us here. We all contributed to this shit sandwich and we're all poised to take a nice, sweet, bite.
Yum.
How's that for a cheery update? 
Regardless of what is said above ... the bottom line is this: life is good, and I enjoy living it now more than I have over the last 15 years.
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| | Posted 2/20/2009 1:05 PM - 12 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
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