bookmark_borderAre you interruptable?

Over the past couple of years my job has changed. I have the same title and job description as I did before but the structure of my day is dramatically different.

I certainly don’t do much writing any more, other than the odd page or two here and there. Instead I find myself discussing strategies, planning phases of work, and generally communicating with other parts of the company as best I can.

I’m also permanently interruptable.

Part of my responsibilities is as line manager to a small group of people within the R&D team. Obviously the team of technical writers forms part of that, and there are also some developers in there as well. I’m not involved as a day to day manager, instead I’m there for what I guess most people would call the ‘HR’ side of things, including organising appraisals and, where needed, some coaching.

So between those responsibilities, and my own work I tend to spend most of my week talking to people. Either in meetings, or for a quick update on things and despite having my own set of priorities I am more than happy to be interrupted.

A long time ago, when I took my first role as a team leader, I was given some advice that has stuck with me, namely that my main role was to help everyone else in the team do their job to the best of their abilities. That means removing obstacles, dealing with problems and generally making sure that all they need to worry about is their work.

I’m permanently interruptable because that’s my job.

It took me quite a while to realise this, and getting yourself into a position to be interruptable isn’t all that easy. You need a good team around you (which I have) and you need to trust them and delegate to them as much as you can (I trust them, and I’m working on that delegation thing!).

There is always the thought, when you are new to being a manager, of ‘dumping’ on people when you delegate work or ownership of something but I’ve seen that the opposite is true. Most professionals enjoy being challenged, and giving them responsibility is a direct indication of how much you trust them. Yes they might have to step their game up, but that’s all part and parcel of that thing they call a career.

Are you interruptable? Should you be?

bookmark_borderRock and Roll

A quick update on my rock and roll lifestyle.

On Monday night I spent most of the evening surfing the internet, online window shopping for new furniture and other bits and bobs.

Last night I spent some of the evening flicking through catalogues, browsing for new furniture and other bits and bobs.

Jealous, aren’t ya.

To be honest it’s fun and a little bit exciting, a new start, a clean slate and I’m only slightly bamboozling myself with all the choice out there, what is my style, when DO I buy an iPad? So many questions!

In other news, I’ve decided to vote Lib Dem, but that’s not really that important. Right?

Anyway, how the hell are you?

bookmark_borderVirtual Shopping

I’m the worst person in the world when it comes to buying big ticket items as I find myself lost in endless loops of reviews, recommendations, better options, different options, cheaper deals, discounts and before long I start to lose interest and end up just not buying something or, more often than not, I end up just buying ‘something’ which may or may not actually be the best option.

A friend of mine once commented on this when she asked for some advice on which mobile phone she should buy next, stating “I know you like to research these things a lot”.

Which at face value is true but, as it turns out, isn’t really true at all.

Funny how that happens. A lot.

See it’s not that I enjoy the researching process, it’s more than I’m scared to make a decision. Scared to decide that, yes, I WILL buy a Mac Mini, a big hard drive and use that as my main computer because there might actually be a better, and most certainly cheaper, option out there, it’s just that I’m not aware of it.

The new car was blighted with similar rounds of research, ponderingments and other such procrastinations. Admittedly most of the big manufacturers have ‘build your own car’ style configurators on their websites, which is always fun, but ultimately pointless as you never pay full price for a car, ever.

So whilst I sit here and think about buying sofas, beds, and other living room furniture (I won’t want for bookcases but few of them match..), I veer from my desire for minimalism and style, to what I can sensibly afford, to what I can afford at a stretch and then back to wonderous items that are just beyond my price range no matter which way I cut it. So I start over, with a budget in mind and still end up with too many options.

This affliction used to blight me when shopping for smaller items, clothes and whatnot, but I conquered that part of it by only ever visiting shops that I know are within my price range and trusting my first instinct.

Things is, when it comes to the big ticket items, my first instinct is usually the most expensive. It’s not that I choose things based on price, it’s usually the last thing I look at, but I seem to have expensive tastes.

Anyway, I need to stop THIS procrastination and make a decision.

This one, or this one?

bookmark_borderDesire to create

I have a Tumblr account and spend far too long on the main website, randomly surfing and finding all manner of wonderous things to “reblog”. It’s an interesting place, filled with angst-ridden teens, provoking artists of many forms and twats like me who don’t actually create anything.

I use Tumblr mostly for capturing things in a very random scrapbook kinda way, song lyrics, quotes, photos, images, videos, the digital detritus that lodges in my filters is spewed onto Tumblr for the delight of, well, me.

There is a part of me that still hankers to be creative, be it writing, or photography (although the latter can be simple bastardry itself). And I guess that in itself reveals a further reason as to why I find Tumblr so alluring as it offers inspiration and ideas.

Ohhh and a word to the wise, Tumblr also contains its fair share nakedness, you have been warned (or advised, whatever you prefer!).

bookmark_borderNot here, there

Well hello there! Apologies for the lack of updates recently, suffice to say there is a lot of ‘stuff’ going on at the moment and, inevitably, things like this blog are the first to suffer (which is, of course, perfectly correct).

For the next couple of weeks you are probably better keeping an eye on my Twitter account as I’m still pinging useful links and comments there. Never fear though, I will return as I’ve got a list of blog posts to complete (see below).

See you on Twitter

bookmark_borderDr. Who

I’m not a big fan of this show. I probably should be something about it just never really rang true with me in the past.

When Mr. Ecclestone took on the role I watched the first of those and, mostly underwhelmed I didn’t bother watching many others. Then Mr. Tennant came along so I thought I’d give him a shot but, again, it just wasn’t working for me.

Regardless I tuned in last night to watch.. er… wossisname take his turn as the new Doctor and, you know what, I might just tune in again next week.

It might have been that the dialogue seemed sharper (“You’re Scottish, fry something”), it might have been that I prefer wossisname to Tennant, and yes I’m willing to admit that the cute red-headed might well have swayed me (although, seriously, the kissogram outfit, was that really necessary?), but I really enjoyed the show.

So, as well as everything else going on in my life at the moment, I also have to contend with being a .. Who-ite? What do you call yourselves? But hey, it could be worse, I could be watching Caprica, ugh!