would
just make the effort!’
The evenings were getting longer. Through the concrete landscape
patches of daylight stuck around while I stayed back to take care of project updates.
I became obsessed with detail. Where before I would update with
a summary, now I made sure everything had an explanation. Exchange conversations.
How long I’d waited for feedback. Test results. I had seen other peoples updates
take this tone before and wondered if they were defensive for a reason.
There was always a noticeable drop in temperature around 8 p.m.
If I was working late, the sudden cold air would tell me it was time to call it
a night. One evening I was reading my project updates, going over about one week’s
worth of work, making sure everything looked solid. I shivered and checked my computer
clock, it was 8:15. I took out my earphones and sighed. I’d get home around 9:30.
I couldn’t remember if there was food in the fridge.
‘Hard at it?’
I jumped, not realising anyone else was still in the office.
‘Just doing some paperwork. Working out deadlines and such.’ I recognised Boris’s voice and
strained to listen.
‘Because I noticed some of those projects don’t have deadlines
yet.’ The first voice was Felix. I peaked over my cube and saw him leaning on the
frame of Boris’s cube.
‘That is what I am just about to update,’ Boris chirped.
‘Good. How’s everything going?’
‘Everyone is working away on a project. We have lift-off.’ Boris
chuckled.
‘Glad to hear it. We can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal.’
‘Yes I know.’ Boris’ voice turned prickly. Tension amongst management
had increased since network issues were threatening the Data Centre deadline. I
refocused on my screen as I heard Felix say, ‘J.R. knows about some of the problems
now.’ I had problems too. The one test result I hadn’t included in my updates was
the one that was failing. My Strategies graph didn’t match the sample the Exchange
had provided. A bug had slipped into my code somehow.
‘Why are you working late?’ Boris continued. ‘Doing a bit of
fire-fighting?’
‘I’m overseeing a conference call in New York – did you know
the Chinese have the same word for problem as they do opportunity?’
‘Very wise, the Chinese. Is there...
an opportunity in New York?’
‘The opportunity is for people to be empowered to do a better
job.’ I heard a thud from Felix thumping the light cube wall. ‘Some people just
want to sit around on their ass and stagnate.’ Felix’s voice rose with impatience.
‘But I’ve changed their job titles.’
‘I’ve been meaning to mention that actually. Perhaps a transitional
period wouldn’t be such a bad idea,’ Boris said. ‘I mean, my guys have been asking
for one.’
‘No, no, no. That is not acceptable. You have to stick with a
plan.’
‘But perhaps they could help each other out a bit here and there. Just for a while.’
‘If you allow that, they’ll fall back into their old roles.’
‘Come on Boris,’ I whispered.
‘... and the transition will never happen.’ Felix continued.
‘What they need to do is use the correct routes to get the support we’ve put in
place for them.’ Felix tapped the light frame as he spoke.
‘Well, the thing is though, the thing is, people feel like they’re
being forced.’ Boris protested.
‘They are being forced. You know, people don’t like change. It’s
human nature. They’ll always take the easy path.’
‘I suppose.’
‘People need a strong leader.’ Felix snapped. ‘Donald in New
York doesn’t know how to lead. That’s why I have to stay back here tonight.’
‘Oh, I mean, I’m definitely –’ Boris’s voice came louder.
‘You see it in nature all the time,’ Felix interrupted him, ‘it’s
instinct. Like a pack of wolves. If you’re not on board with a thing, they’ll smell
it. They can smell weakness.’
‘I’m definitely a strong leader and I’m setting out clear
just make the effort!’
The evenings were getting longer. Through the concrete landscape
patches of daylight stuck around while I stayed back to take care of project updates.
I became obsessed with detail. Where before I would update with
a summary, now I made sure everything had an explanation. Exchange conversations.
How long I’d waited for feedback. Test results. I had seen other peoples updates
take this tone before and wondered if they were defensive for a reason.
There was always a noticeable drop in temperature around 8 p.m.
If I was working late, the sudden cold air would tell me it was time to call it
a night. One evening I was reading my project updates, going over about one week’s
worth of work, making sure everything looked solid. I shivered and checked my computer
clock, it was 8:15. I took out my earphones and sighed. I’d get home around 9:30.
I couldn’t remember if there was food in the fridge.
‘Hard at it?’
I jumped, not realising anyone else was still in the office.
‘Just doing some paperwork. Working out deadlines and such.’ I recognised Boris’s voice and
strained to listen.
‘Because I noticed some of those projects don’t have deadlines
yet.’ The first voice was Felix. I peaked over my cube and saw him leaning on the
frame of Boris’s cube.
‘That is what I am just about to update,’ Boris chirped.
‘Good. How’s everything going?’
‘Everyone is working away on a project. We have lift-off.’ Boris
chuckled.
‘Glad to hear it. We can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal.’
‘Yes I know.’ Boris’ voice turned prickly. Tension amongst management
had increased since network issues were threatening the Data Centre deadline. I
refocused on my screen as I heard Felix say, ‘J.R. knows about some of the problems
now.’ I had problems too. The one test result I hadn’t included in my updates was
the one that was failing. My Strategies graph didn’t match the sample the Exchange
had provided. A bug had slipped into my code somehow.
‘Why are you working late?’ Boris continued. ‘Doing a bit of
fire-fighting?’
‘I’m overseeing a conference call in New York – did you know
the Chinese have the same word for problem as they do opportunity?’
‘Very wise, the Chinese. Is there...
an opportunity in New York?’
‘The opportunity is for people to be empowered to do a better
job.’ I heard a thud from Felix thumping the light cube wall. ‘Some people just
want to sit around on their ass and stagnate.’ Felix’s voice rose with impatience.
‘But I’ve changed their job titles.’
‘I’ve been meaning to mention that actually. Perhaps a transitional
period wouldn’t be such a bad idea,’ Boris said. ‘I mean, my guys have been asking
for one.’
‘No, no, no. That is not acceptable. You have to stick with a
plan.’
‘But perhaps they could help each other out a bit here and there. Just for a while.’
‘If you allow that, they’ll fall back into their old roles.’
‘Come on Boris,’ I whispered.
‘... and the transition will never happen.’ Felix continued.
‘What they need to do is use the correct routes to get the support we’ve put in
place for them.’ Felix tapped the light frame as he spoke.
‘Well, the thing is though, the thing is, people feel like they’re
being forced.’ Boris protested.
‘They are being forced. You know, people don’t like change. It’s
human nature. They’ll always take the easy path.’
‘I suppose.’
‘People need a strong leader.’ Felix snapped. ‘Donald in New
York doesn’t know how to lead. That’s why I have to stay back here tonight.’
‘Oh, I mean, I’m definitely –’ Boris’s voice came louder.
‘You see it in nature all the time,’ Felix interrupted him, ‘it’s
instinct. Like a pack of wolves. If you’re not on board with a thing, they’ll smell
it. They can smell weakness.’
‘I’m definitely a strong leader and I’m setting out clear
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