Tour, lunch, meeting - the past week at work

Monday

A telephone engineer made a mess of the cables this morning so there were no incoming or outgoing calls. Because I am the closest manager to Reception Shirley kept coming to me to ask what to do (there were various stages to this crisis). The engineer was pathetic, only accepting responsibility for his own very specialist area of expertise.

Today was a struggle, and nothing seemed to go well.

In the afternoon a review meeting was held in the Board Room to discuss the work of the Innovation department. It was a discussion of the most arid kind. My boss, Tom D, kept making irrelevant interruptions.

Afterwards Tom D asked me into a side room and explained that there are problems with the copy for the NGO's report. I feigned concern, but actually I was pleased as the report is being produced by a design agency I intensely dislike (they have been very slighting towards me). I said I would sort it out for him.

Then Tom asked me to work late as he wanted me to give a presentation on marketing to the NGO's board, which was meeting at 6pm. The time was already 4pm and obviously I had nothing prepared. I spent the next two hours putting a Powerpoint presentation together, only just managing to complete it in time.

I felt uneasy about addressing the Board, but once I was in the room it was okay and the presentation seemed to go well (by which I mean nothing went wrong and no-one criticised me). Operations Director Ryan M asked some helpful questions. While I was talking the Board (which included the ten non-executive "stakeholders") ate sandwiches and pastries. Tom D woolfed the food down, CEO Alec Pressberg left his crusts, Ryan M ate surprisingly delicately.

Didn't get home until nearly midnight.

Tuesday

More problems associated with the NGO's involvement in International Women's Day, mismanaged by my deputy Meryl P. It's a complete failure, with a lot of money wasted. Meryl was very contrite as she briefed me on it this morning.

Complaints from Jamie in the Operations department that he was not seeing press releases before they go out. His short frame was shaking with anger. As he is not on the distribution list he is not entitled to see the press releases, and in any case he should be complaining to Ryan M, not me.

Wednesday

Another of the pointless Marketing Team meetings. At least this time more people contributed to the discussion. And the office reorganisation is finally to go ahead.

In the afternoon with Tom D and PR Officer Josie to a radio station to discuss a possible documentary on the work of the NGO.

Then to an early dinner at a local hotel. The occasion was a "farewell" dinner for Rev Caleb H who is moving to another part of the country.

Thursday

A very satisfying meeting with the design company who are producing the NGO report, and I was able to severely tell them off. Then a meeting with CEO Alec Pressberg (not my favourite person) to go through the report copy and make factual changes. Later I wrote a new draft.

Lots of staff issues today. Meryl was very sullen about having to give up her keys (being a key holder is seen as high status). Marketing junior Leo inscrutable, I have no idea what he is thinking most of the time.

A meeting with Tom D to review our PR strategy which has come in for a lot of criticism. He is very naive in dealing with the media, but there is a limit to the number of times I can point this out to him. I stressed that Josie should be given more responsibility.

Jane N from the design agency producing the NGO report arrived to go other the new copy. As usual she talked far too much. I left her in no doubt about my role in supervising the report (a petty gesture I know, but one I enjoyed).

Again I had to work late, delivering a presentation to one of the Consultative Committees. Also giving a report at this meeting was Jamie from the Operations department (he was in a suit, having gone home to change). We had to hang around until 8pm for the meeting to begin.

Jamie delivered his presentation leaning against the wall of the board room, his hands in his pockets. Although aged in his early thirties his appearance was quite juvenile. At one stage he was speechless when someone asked him "What do you do all day".

I felt nervous when I stood up to deliver my presentation, which was the same one as I had prepared earlier in the week. For some reason it was a triumph. The Chairman of the committee asked for copies of the Powerpoint slides ("My marketing manager is going to get his ear bent!").

Friday

An "on-site" meeting at an institution the NGO has set up. When I got there I was surprised to see Ryan M, who was surprised to see me. Tour, lunch, meeting and then home early.