Things I Shoulda Learnt

2008-06-02T20:59:00.001+10:00

Testing if this still works

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Swamped

2005-08-17T10:43:00.000+10:00

I’m so swamped with work at the moment its ridiculous. I just came across a
problem where our service provider has been calculating management fees
incorrectly for the last 5 years. And the worse part is that no one
bothered to check the calc.

Not happy Jan.

Kids

2005-08-01T10:37:00.000+10:00

Looking at the blog this morning (break from study....see previous post) and it is definitely lacking some pics.

So here area few

The kids......

Josh, 19, works a shelf packer at a car parts store (much to my chagrin). If you know any young single girls; he is available.

James, 16, 5'11" and still at school (the one on the left is me)

Cameron, 14, and just been dumped by his first girlfriend (he's heartbroken)

Study

2005-08-01T10:34:00.000+10:00

With exams just 5 days away I'm busy stidying. This is this worst part of the learning experience; having to regurgitate rote learned paragraphs in an exam situation. Has very little link to reality.

And its all hand written!!!!!

Exams

2005-07-25T05:30:00.000+10:00

Well 2 weeks to the MBA exams and time to panic. Spent all weekend locked away with the exception of the Swans Game.

Facial

2005-07-20T19:23:00.000+10:00

Being the new age kind of guy I am last week I went and had a facial; my first ever.

We have a new day spa in the area which is mens only. Given the high proportion of gay couples its doing a roaring trade.

So there I was for 90 minutes steamed, scrubbed, massaged and masked. Very nice and will definitely not be my last.

Only problem now is that with all the prodcuts I bought it takes my five times as long in the bathroom.

My Bike

2005-07-17T20:51:00.000+10:00

Today I went out on my bike. I bought it about 2 months ago and I absolutely love it. Its the first full racing bike I've owened. Now to get technical, its a Giant OCR1 with Shimano 105 running gear. We have a park not far from home, Cenntenial Park, that has a six klm track with no cars. Its great to zoom around there for a few hours.

We also went to see War of the Worlds last night; very good and nice to see they kept fairly closely to the Orson Wells script.

New Job

2005-07-06T19:14:00.000+10:00

Well the new job certainly is exciting; 3 days in and I already have problems coming out of my ears. The place certainly is in a mess. Whenever a problem arises everyone just points at everyone else and says "its his problem". Someone for godsake take ownership.

So thats what I'm doing; taking ownership.

First Day

2005-07-04T19:01:00.000+10:00

Today was the first day of my career with Perpetual my new employer). Overall a good company, people were very nice. The role I've taken on is new and involves picking up pieces from all over the company and combining it into one cohesive role............simple!!!!!

Black out

2005-06-26T12:03:00.000+10:00

Had a bit of a scare last night. In the middle of the night got up to go to the bathroom and the next thing I know Jacqui is kneeling beside me trying to wake me up. While I was stading there in the bathroom I blacked out and fell bacwards on the floor. Luckily I didn't seem to hurt myelf but I wa completely disorientated. I vomited for most of the day and I'm still feeling very unwell............very scary.

Leaving Lunch

2005-06-24T15:35:00.000+10:00

Well after a three hour boozy luch I can hardly hit the right keys (couldn't even try and try as if I'm drunk if I tried.......very hard).

Today is the last day of employment with Schroders...onwards and upwards. My boss is killing me; she has had 4 weeks to organise everything and now today, my last day, she wants everything finished.....crazy. Its always interesting watching how people react when you resign and asking yourself whether ypu would react in the same way.

Now, what to say in the leaving speech........to be nice or have a few digs??? I wonder.......

Between Lectures

2005-06-21T13:42:00.000+10:00

Well with a few minutes between MBA lectures thoght I would give a quick update.

Work is nearly killing me. All I do is want to get out of there, People come to
me with questions and I also feel like telling them where to go. But of course
I'm nice and say all the right things. And my boss is being a ral pain;
continually asking questions and acting like I have no idea.......exactly the
reason why I'm leaving.

Exit interview tomorrow......do I let loose and complain about the issues or
play it calm and not worry about it??

Is Blogging a Product

2005-06-21T08:10:00.000+10:00

I'm sitting here reading through my MBA Marketing notes looking at product adoption and its stuck me, is blogging a product?

For some it is where users pay a fee for a hosting service but then Blogger is free. So where do they make their money; I suppose a premium blogger service has a cost.

So I'm right in saying that as a consumer I'm an "early adopter".

Being a novice user I jusy wish it was easier to access things like searching others blogs; getting updates when your favourite blogs are updated, etc.

Into the last week

2005-06-20T19:15:00.000+10:00

Into the last week in this position................roll on Friday.

Spent all weekend working on a MArketing assignment; extremely painful.......

Great ride

2005-06-17T07:19:00.000+10:00

Last weekend we went away with another couple to Berry; a little country town about 2 hours south of Sydney. Its in the highland so the weather is nice and crisp; although its a long way from a Boston winter. I really miss those winters.

On the way back I went out on my bike about an hour before Jacqui and headed up the mountain. What a geeat ride really tough but really rewarding as there was low lying clouds and riding above them was amazing. Then there was the downhill into the valley...............tough on the brakes but exciting.

I need to do more road riding.

Between Lectures

2005-06-15T19:31:00.000+10:00

Just had a few minutes to send this between MBA lectures.

Really love emailling blogs - so much easier....

Work is a real pain at the moment...all I want to do is leave; and all they want to do is pick my brain and make me work harder......and I really dislike hard work.

My boss is being a ral pain and just keep questioning everything I do; as though I have no idea and no control over anything. My last day can't come soon enough.

I have my exit interview tomorrow and I'm really weighing up whether I tell all or just let it slide (why do I care I don't work there any more).

The Days are Dragging

2005-06-10T21:18:00.000+10:00

Now I've resigned all I want to do is leave. Every day feels like its a hundred hours long. If I wasn't exercising I'd go crazy.

A few friends and I have decided to do an Adventure race on 26 June. Its split into 12 stages and covers around 10klm running, 20klm mountain bike and 5klm paddeling. Its completed in team of two; and should be great fun.

In Sydney its a long weekend; and I don't even know what the holiday is for!! We are heading off tomorrow to Berry which is a nice coutry town about 4 hrs south. It will be a nice break (not that I'm working that hard at the moment).

New Job

2005-06-04T11:14:00.000+10:00

Had a few drinks with a friend last night who was giving me the low down on my new company. As I had been told in the interview they have lots of problems but then again I didn't think it was that bad. Hope I've made the right decision.

Well too late night. No option but to just get stuck in and solve the problems.

A few of us did a run across the Harbour bridge yesterday; excellent. There was just six of us and as we were all relatively quick it was a tough run. Lots of interval spints and stairs.

We are planning on doing an adventure race in July: 10klm run, 20klm mountain bike, 5klm paddle. The course is done in teams of two. Can't wait!!!!

I'm a wanted man

2005-06-02T20:28:00.000+10:00

What a day!!

One company wants to progress to a third interview and reference checks. Good job but not much more than I do now. But a big promise of taking over the department heads role in 12 months. With a staff of 60.......

And then the offer on the other role eventually came through. Same money but pay review and profit sharing in August. This is a much more strategic role.

Decisions, decisions..............so I decided that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and went with the offer. With the other role I could have ended up working for a year for no reward. But then the company had its head office in Paris.........now that would have been nice.........no, I've made my decision now, no regrets.

Offer

2005-06-02T06:49:00.000+10:00

Well three interviews and a psyche test and still no offer. And now I'm at the third interview stage with another role. Its nice to be wanted!!!!!! But come on show me the money!!

Jacqui's birthday

2005-05-29T09:23:00.000+10:00

It was Jacqui's birthday yesterday and what a day it was. It started at 5am with her tapping my pillow because she couldn't wait for me to wake up so she could receive her presents.

First there was the movie Chocolat, which is one of her favourite movies. And then a little light blue box from , of course, Tiffanys and inside was a pair of pearl and gold mesh earrings. She absolutely loved them and ended up wearing them all day.

Then she dragged me out of bed and we watched Chocolat wrapped up in the doona with tea and toast. Very romantic.

During the day I had an MBA workshop but she kept busy going shopping with two of her very best friends. In the evening I took her to China Doll which is a new Asian restaurant. Very swish.

Psyche Test

2005-05-28T13:25:00.000+10:00

Well I'm in the final interview stages for a new role and I have to sit the pshyce test- 4hrs. I turned up at the allocated time, rang the contact, no answer. Kept calling for an hour and still no contact. Had to give up in the end. Does not portend well!!!!!!

I'm back

2005-05-19T21:51:00.000+10:00

After months of not posting I'm back.........

And the MBA results are now in...........one credit (missed out on a distinction by one mark), one distinction. Not bad for the first semester.

And now into the next two subjects, Marketing and Operations Management.

Rain, rain, rain

2005-03-23T08:24:00.000+11:00

Bootcamp in the rain this morning.......fantastic. It was around 15 degrees Celcius this morning, pitch black and pouring rain. What a day to exercise in the outdoors. We had a very poor turout with only 20 people facing the elements (out of 55).

This morning's activity involved carrying a 10m heavy rope as a group and then doing sit-up, squats, lunges and push ups without letting the rope touch the ground. If the rope tiouched the ground extra push ups. And then it was off running with the rope. And this was all in torrential rain and howling winds.

Due to the Easter break bootcamp is on again tomorrow and its looking likle the weather will be the same...............can't wait..............

Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon

2005-03-16T11:27:00.000+11:00

Should I, should I.......two months training and the opportunity to run across the harbour bridge........

Can I fit in the training? Will my legs hold out?

Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon

Easier than real exercise

2005-03-16T08:44:00.000+11:00

This is much easier than real exercise for all those mouse-potatoes out there.

BRW St.George/BRW Corporate Triathlon National Series 2005

Savetoby.com | Only YOU have the power to Save Toby!

2005-03-15T12:50:00.000+11:00

A blatent internet scam....but full points for ingenuity.

Savetoby.com | Only YOU have the power to Save Toby!

Now is there any way I could do something like this??
- Offer to sell my body parts - been done,
- Offer to sell my children - been done,
- Offer to sell my body - been done,
- Offer to sell my soul to the devil - been done,
- Offer to sell my mother - been done,
- Offer to sell my mother's body parts - too wrinkly anyway,

Any ideas??

Another assignment result

2005-03-09T16:06:00.000+11:00

Received the results for my last assignment last night; another credit. I must admit I was a little disappointed as I'd but a lot of work into it. I'm finiding it really difficult to work out exactly what the lecturer wants for the case studies. The comments were along the lines of not going into enough depth, using too many theories and not linking sections together.

Well I have another assignment due on Tuesday so I suppose plenty of opportunity to practice. Another weekend locked in my room; just great!!!!

Madi Gras

2005-03-07T09:57:00.000+11:00

Saturday was the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Madi Gras. As this ends just around the corner from home we went over and joined in. It was great fun. The Dykes on Bikes as usual led the parade (what more could you want; hot chicks on hot bikes). The floats were amazing, as were the outfits. The common theme of the floats was the outrage at the ban on gay marriage both here and in the US. Outlawing such a basic right as who to love is beyond all rights of a government. Our prime minister has said gay marriage needs to be banned to protest the rights of decent Australians. Want a load of hogwash.........he might as well say he's homophobic. Anyway enough of the political soapbox.

We left when the parade ended but the party continued all night (we could still hear it at 4am the next morning) and the street looked like a war zone the next morning (trannies in ripped dresses and smeared make up are not at all attractive at 6am)!!!!

Bootcamp Drinks

2005-03-04T16:12:00.000+11:00

As a celebration for the end of this month's bootcamp we are getting together for a few drinks. We're heading to the Soho bar in Potts Point; which should be great. Potts Point is a great spot just down from Kings Cross (the red light district of Sydney). The restaurants there are great.

Given all the A type personalities it should be a great night. Just not sure how I'll get up from triathalon traiing the next morning. The training is at Wylie's bath Coogee which is great spot. Hoping to do around 500m swim followed by a 5klm run. The run follows the coastline from Coogee to Clovelly which is fabulous. Anyway we will see how I pull up.

Bootcamp Fitness test

2005-03-03T08:49:00.000+11:00

Yesterday was the end of month two for bootcamp and the fitness test.

Push-ups (62) and sit-ups (34) were only two off my maximum. Brace or bridge (holding yourself on elbows and toes) improved slightly (1min 40sec). And then to the run (a 2klm spint). In the first month my time was 7:35, start of this month 7:11. Went out a little to hard and really struggled in the last 500m...and the time 7:06!!!!!!!!

So with the elusive 7 minute barrier getting closer I've signed up for another month or blood, sweat and tears.

Looking forward to Friday.......as a traet for the end of the course we go for a run across the harbour bridge. And as this is bootcamp its not just a leisurly jog.

US Tax Refunds

2005-03-02T08:15:00.000+11:00

About 4 years ago I worked in the US (with my friend Amanda). Since then I’ve been trying to get a tax refund that’s due to me. With the time difference it got quite difficult trying to ring the IRS and then being kept on hold for hours. I wasn’t getting anywhere and came across taxback.com who promised to do all the paperwork and get the refund for a fee (around 20%). I thought well something is better than nothing so filled in all the paperwork and sent it off. Now that was 18 months ago and still nothing. At first they answered my emails and told me there were delays and certain documents needed to be resigned. But now they don’t even answer my emails……………next thing to do is call them…………

And they all have the weirdest eastern European sounding names like Lilyana , Petar, Nicolletta and Rosen Ivanov. It starting to smell very fishy…………..

Prose

2005-03-01T12:47:00.000+11:00

And now for some prose:

This is something I wrote for Jacqui for her last birthday……..

A Dream from Last Night

I felt my smiles rising up from deep within. The kind of deep feeling of contentment you get when you are right with the world and all the world is right with you. Contentment like that can only be felt when you are truly loved by someone and that someone loves you.

I saw the house, perhaps a white picket fence. Red tiled roof, small verandah, white columns, red brick, all tied together as though not built but as though it had always been there. Lavender peeking through the fence making white look whiter than it should. Taller trees to each side framing the house as though it stands alone in the middle of suburbia.

Me reading at a little table, you arranging some flowers & then sitting down to read, too. The titles of the books indeterminable, possibly irrelevant, nevertheless I see the delight in your eyes.

Returning home after an afternoon stroll along the beach. Long shadows extending across the sand, hand in hand as we walk. The smell of the sea fresh but at the same time laden with salt. The sand rubbing beneath our feet as we walk along at romantic pace, relishing in each other’s company.

I thought of what we would have for lunch, prepared together, of course. Fresh salad with crisp, crunchy lettuce leaves, the peppery bite of rocket, juicy ripe tomatoes, the flashy redness of the capsicum slices; what delight to the taste buds. You taking time to enjoy the function of serving lunch with an array of serving dishes, juices, cutlery, sauces all laid out on a crisp white tablecloth.

I hear you laugh. The tinkle of tea pouring into the cup, the familiar but harsh sound of knives touching china, quiet conversation about topics irrelevant to everyone but us. Familiar sounds but they bring joy to my heart and comfort to my soul.

The sea sounding outside and you, te amo, with happiness fast asleep under our roof with your head under your wing, like a dove.

Lists

2005-02-28T08:05:00.000+11:00

I’m a list man. I have lists for everything. Lists for my daily goals, lists for the week, lists for the month, list for the year, lists for the next five years and list for my lifetime goals. And then there’s the shopping lists, things to fix list, reading lists, wine lists, training lists, study lists………….lists of lists.

If I ever lost my Palm I’d be lost and drowning in a sea of lists.

Now I just need some time to update all those damn lists.

You might be a computer geek if...

2005-02-25T16:49:00.000+11:00

**You might be a computer geek if...**
If the only jokes you receive are through e-mail.
If your wrist watch has more computing power than a 486DX-50.
If your idea of good interpersonal communication means getting the decimalpoint in the right place.
If you have used coat hangers and duct tape for something other thanhanging coats and taping ducts.
If, at Christmas, it goes without saying that you will be the one to findthe burnt-out bulb in the string.I
f your ideal evening consists of fast-forwarding through the latest sci-fimovie looking for technical inaccuracies.
If you have "Dilbert" comics displayed anywhere in your work area.
If you have never backed-up your hard drive.
If the salespeople at Circuit City can't answer any of your questions.
If you rotate your screen savers more frequently than your automobiletires.
If your I.Q. number is bigger than your weight.
If the microphone or visual aids at a meeting don't work and you rush up to the front to fix it.
If you can remember 7 computer passwords but not your anniversary.
If you have ever owned a calculator with no equal key and know what RPNstands for.
If you can type 70 words a minute but can't read your own handwriting.
If you have more friends on the Internet than in real life.
If you think that when people around you yawn, it's because they didn't getenough sleep.

Triathlon

2005-02-25T08:34:00.000+11:00

I’m signed up for my second ever triathlon on the 17th of April. It’s a fairly short event: 400m swim, 8klm ride & 4klm run. We have three teams entered from work and I’m team captain of one of them. Can I handle the responsibility?? Should be a fun day. I’m really looking forward to it because on the 17th, the day after my MBA exams (two 3hr exams back to back)……..now that’s’ what I call a weekend!!!!

Bootcamp

2005-02-24T10:06:00.000+11:00

Tough bootcamp this morning……….cranks………….now for the uniformed out there cranks consist of the following:

- 24 squats
- 24 lunges – each leg
- 24 jump lunges
- 24 jump squats
- 50m sprint

Not too bad I hear you say…………….well that’s until you do 4 in a row; the last two back to back with no sprint.

I love bootcamp………………

Two Jacqui’s in my life

2005-02-23T08:28:00.000+11:00

For those of you who don’t know me personally I need to tell you about my two wives. My current wife (although we are not officially married I consider us to be) shares the same name as my ex-wife. Yes, very unusual and yes, it does remove any confusion in the bedroom!!!!

Although they share the same name there couldn’t be any different. My first wife was very stern and serious (couldn’t have a good time if she tried) and Jacqui is more carefree and fun loving.

My ex-wife and I broke up under very stressful circumstances and we are”not best friends” or “still keep in touch”, etc or any of those things you read about in magazines……………fact is I wouldn’t care if I never heard her voice again. But with three kids unfortunately I still have to contact her from time to time.

Jacqui and I have been together for the last 4 years and its been wonderful; and I know its going to continue for a long, long time.

Gym instructor

2005-02-22T12:23:00.000+11:00

Last night we were flicking through the channels and caught one of the most stupid shows ever invented…..Celebrity Overhaul. The premise of the show is to get half a dozen out of work, overweight, ex-stars stick them on a ranch for a week and try and get them fit. The “starts’ consisted of the ex-winner of Big Brother, the ex-winner of Aust idol, a few old soapy stars, a old cricket player and Fabio. Now Fabio’s inclusion is very dubious. He said he was there because he wanted to lose a few pounds; it more likely they just needed a name to drag the viewers in. Compare to the other he wasn’t in bad shape and at least it allowed them to throw in the old and obvious joke “I can’t believe its not butter”….ha, ha, ha………

Anyway the highlight of the show was that one of the personal instructors on the show works at the gym we go to. She is great and is one of the fittest women I’ve ever met. She was a lot softer on the show than she normally is!!!!!!!!!….........but I suppose now she's a star her fees will increase.

The Patient is Home

2005-02-21T13:23:00.000+11:00

Jacqui came home on Saturady; the doctor was going to keep her in until Monday however she pleaded and pleaded until he eventually relented. She still has the tube in her side (draining the wound) and is in a lot of pain, but she does seem happy to be home.

The pain and not being able to get around is causing her to be very snappy; its like being in the house with a bear with a sore head. But I'm trying to stay calm.

Unfortuantely I had an MBA workshop on Saturday and an assignment due of Tuesday so most of the weekend I had my head in books. I would have much preferred to have been sitting with Jacqui keeping her company.........thank goodness for Foxtel and the 42" plasma.

Patient Update

2005-02-18T11:38:00.000+11:00

The patient is doing well. They took the drip out yesterday and she is walking around now. She still has a drainage bag which looks like some of disgusting handbag but that should be coming out on Friday.

The doctor has said she may not be able to come home until Monday…….”no me gusta”

Valentine’s day

2005-02-17T17:02:00.000+11:00

I know Valentine’s day is long gone but with my baby in hospital it made me think of all the special things that we have done together. On our first Valentines (a month after we met) I arranged a special surprise for her. When I picked her up she received a fairly standard Valentine’s card but inside was a red pin. Of course, there were lots of questions but all I said was that it would all make sense later.

We then went to a lovely restaurant by the beach (remember February is summer in Oz) and had a wonderful meal; then a leisurely stroll down the beach before heading back home.

When we got to the door I told her she had to close her eyes and have the pin ready. When she opened the door the room was covered in 50 red balloons. She cried at the sight of them. And then I told her to pop one. At first she refused but then she relented and got the pin ready. When she popped the balloon inside was piece of paper with a heart picture and one reason why I loved her…………..and inside each balloon was another 49 reasons why she is so special.

Still in the Hospital

2005-02-17T13:02:00.000+11:00

Got to see Jacqui last night. She was still very groggy and with tubes running everywhere. She was under for about 4 hours, should have been 1hr but there were more gallstones than they expected. Then they had to open her bile duct and remove all the stones. Beind under for so long is what's causing the nausea.

Its just really hard seeing the one you love in pain...............

Spoke to her again this morning and she was feeling much better. Doctor doesn't think she'll be going home until Saturday.

I Hate Hospitals

2005-02-16T12:04:00.000+11:00

I phoned the hospital yesterday to see if Jacqui was out of recovery. They said she was so off I trotted to the hospital (flowers in hand). Got the front reception desk who told me the ward. Went to the ward, they said she was in bed 7, walked through the ward and the bed's empty. Very suspisious..........went back to the ward clerk and on futher investigation (20 minutes)....."

Oh no, she's not out of recovery yet.
Well, when will she be out of recovery?
Oh, not sure we are waiting for the bed to be available.
But I just checked the bed and its empty so why isn't she in it??
We don't know you'll just have to wait."

Waited until 8pm and still no Jacqui...........and then visiting time ended and I had to go home.

Did get to talk to her on the phone this morning and she was still very groggy. She didn't get into the bed until 9:30pm and had a very restless night. The operation went well which I suppose is the main thing.

My baby's in hospital

2005-02-15T12:09:00.000+11:00

My honey has just gonme into hospital to have her gallbladder removed. And by just I mean she just went into surgery half an hour ago. For about 12 months she has had terrible digestive problems and evetually we found a doctor who correctly diagnosed that her gallbladder had just stopped working. Because it had stopped working alltogether the only option is to remove it.

She has also been seeing a chiropracter due to a sore neck and he believes that both the neck and gallbladder issues are related. They are all being caused by posture which is causing comaction of her disks. When the disks compact the trap the nerves which causes the problem. She has booked in for on on-going course of treatment so hopefully that should help. But one thing he told her not to wear high heels...........now what is she going to dance around the bedroom in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now off to the florist to oder some flower for when she gets out of surgery.

Holiday Planning

2005-02-10T13:18:00.000+11:00

We are trying to plan a holiday for the end of the year. Its an extremely hectic year for both of us and as a reward for passing (if I do) my MBA we thought of going somewhere exotic.

Jacqui really liked Orpheus Island Resort near Port Douglas. I really like this quote "Without the intrusion of telephones, televisions, day-trippers or children under 15, Orpheus Island offers total privacy and a premium level of discrete and unaffected service. With a limit of 42 guests you will have the space you need to truly find yourself."

No kids!! Now that sounds like the place for me.

These are the inclusions:
9 nights for the price of 8 in an Orpheus Retreat Room
Free Scenic flight transfers ex Townsville
All meals - a la carte breakfast, alfresco dining or picnic lunch,
7 course degustation- style menu each evening
Complimentary bottle of sparkling wine
Souvenir Orpheus wineglasses
Orpheus beach towel each
Unlimited use for motorised dinghies, paddle skis, catamarans, canoes, snorkelling equipment, light fishing gear, pools, gymnasium, recreation room, tennis court, bushwalking and selected interpretive activities.
New Years Eve entertainment

All for the low, low price of $12k.................you've got to be kidding me. I don't want to buy the island.

These were some others she thought sounded nice:

www.dcapd.com

www.alubali.com - this looks good and is quite cheap compared to Australian resorts

http://www.ozstays.com/3597

Just another day

2005-02-09T08:25:00.000+11:00

Just finished bootcamp this morning and the first email I open is some complex tax question from someone in Singapore. They don't have the first idea of how tax works and here I am trying to explain very basic concepts. And I'm having to work through a Sales Manager here who has absolutely no idea either. And then the both of them trot out to the client espouse all the knowledge I've bestowed upon them. Like I've always said "stick to what you know".

MBA class last night was great. Firstly in "IT and organizational Performance" we had a big discussion regarding why projects fail and the role the project manager fails. The class consensus was that it most cases the reason for failure of the project is not the project manager but factors outside their control such as lack of senior management commitment, lack of user commitments, scope creep, etc.

Then on the "Managing People and organizations" where the discussion centered on theories of motivation. The class got really hung up on the difference s between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. If you make a pact with yourself that if you pass the course you will go on a Caribbean holiday is that intrinsic motivation or extrinsic. The extrinsic is the reward (the holiday), but without the intrinsic motivation you wouldn't have even made the deal with yourself. And then the discussion moved on to whether you would actually deny yourself the reward if you didn't pass; or would you just say stuff it I'm going on the holiday anyway.

Anyway must get back to this tax question.

My First Assignment

2005-02-04T17:00:00.000+11:00

This is the first assignment I've submitted for my MBA in the Managing People and Organizations subject. The guidance given was to chose a current incident and apply the theories learnt in the first three weeks.

Course Name: Managing People and Organizations
Assessment No. 1
Assessment Name: Key Learning Review 1

Observation and Learning

Having accepted a new managerial role I soon discovered that the role had become available due to one of the current staff being demoted from the manager’s role due issues with staff management and staff turnover. Andrew continues to performs well in his professional role however since I have taken over he has been uncooperative, questions decision I make and seems determined to prove that he is a superior manager; he is clearly resentful at being demoted.

Analysis
In order to deal with this issue I need to understand what is causing the behaviour, what went wrong in the past and then develop an improvement plan.

Behaviour Analysis
The first step is to understand Andrew’s behaviour. Utilising Bandura’s (1986) model of triadic reciprocal determinism reveals that his behaviour (B) is affected by his goals to be a manager (personal characteristics P) and the situation of being demoted (environment E). Behaviour can influence personal characteristics (B → P) through evaluating behaviour and changing goals if prior behaviours did not result in achievement of those goals. Andrew does not seem to have reviewed his behaviour and he believes that the way he has acted in the past will provide the same results in the future.

Applying Goleman’s (1995) components of emotional intelligence (EI) allows me to understand that Andrew struggles in the areas of self-awareness, being open to change and in leading change. For myself using empathy I can understand that Andrew feels a degree of resentment in continuing to report to me. By being replaced he is being told that he isn’t good enough. An area that I need to explore is whether has been told exactly the reasons for being demoted.

Although the evidence for the theory of emotional intelligence is still tentative (Sternberg 1998) and the analysis is subjective it provides a framework to work with. Andrew has a high level of self-confidence which would indicate that he is self-aware however it may be a defensive tactic covering his fear of failure.

Situational Analysis
Andrew is professional in his work and continues to receive high ratings for his technical skills. In discussions with peers and my manager I have discovered that although Andrew has high technical skills in the managers role he was abrasive with staff and customers, micro managed, didn’t managing staff issues when they occurred and alienated himself from the staff. These are very similar to the top 10 ‘fatal flaws’ identified by McCall (1983) in ‘derailed’ executives.

McCall went on to note that the derailed executives tended to go on the defensive keeping problems to themselves. In discussions with Andrew he will not reveal any details about the problems he had as manager.

Although Andrew was demoted for not having these skills he should not be blamed for that; the actual problem lies with my manager for not analysing the skills (technical and management) required for the role and then assessing Andrew’s skills against those requirements. Would Andrew with the appropriate management training be able to make the move back up to a management role?

Improvement Planning

Behaviour Improvement
Applying Bandura’s TRD model identifies that I have an opportunity to influence Andrew’s behaviour (B). I have limited ability to change his psyche (P) as these personality traits are relatively stable over time (Barrick 1991). His role (E), in the short term, is fixed.

The behaviour to be changed is cooperating, working as a team and not criticising in meetings. Through positive reinforcement these behaviours can be shaped; this is an effective method of changing behaviour (Luthans and Kreitner 1985). I have noticed that I could provide more feedback and am not utilising an important management tool.

The next area is the development of Andrew’s management skills. The training would be specifically on managerial roles as outlined by Mintzberg (1975) and managerial behaviours identified by Yukl (1998). The key will be to have Andrew transcend his function perspective and move to higher degree of openness to alternative views. This training could be conducted internally by the HR department or external courses although it would be preferable to have an internally developed management training that will meet Andrew’s specific needs. A medium term goals would be to develop him to the level where he can manage certain aspects of the department.

I will discuss the action plan detailed above with my manager and then ask for his continued feedback on how Andrews progress. My manager will also provide feedback on the development plan. Discussing the approach with one or two peers (in an unrelated area) will also allow for refinement of the plan.

Suitability for management
A key question underlying this plan will be to review if Andrew still wants to be a manger. Since the demotion his self-confidence is low and his resentment towards the company, my manager and me is high. He will most likely avoid the challenge again without an indication that he can succeed with the right training and guidance.

The perceptions of my manager of Andrew’s suitability for management will be difficult to overcome given that Andrew has previously failed in the role. It will be necessary for me, once I’ve assessed Andrew’s willingness, to convince my manager that he is able to succeed with my guidance. To do this I will be able to review the reasons why Andrew failed in the role (as per the Analysis section), how specific training will be able to rectify those issues and Andrew’s determination to succeed.

Monitoring my effectiveness
To measure my effectiveness I will establish weekly meetings with Andrew to monitor his development. The review will cover the specific behaviours and management training outlined above. As this review will be subjective I will seek feedback from my peers (other manager’s Andrew interacts with) if there has been any improvement in his performance. My ability in managing this situation will be reflected by the changes in Andrew’s behaviour.

This is a difficult situation that has been avoided by others in the company as being too hard. It is important for the issue to be resolved for the improvement of my management skills but more importantly for Andrew to progress and develop.

References

Bandura, A. 1986, Social foundations of thought and action, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Barrick, M.R. & Mount, M.K. 1991, ‘The big five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis’, Personnel Psychology, vol. 44, pp. 1-26.

Goleman, D. 1995, Emotional intelligence, Bantam Books, New York.

Luthans, F. and Kreitner, R., Organizational Behaviour Modification and Beyond, 2nd ed. (Glenview IL: Scott Foresman, 1985).

McCall, M. W. Jr. & Lombardo, M. M. 1983, “What makes a top executive’, Psychology Today, vol. 17, no. 2

Mintzberg, H. 1975, “The manager’s job: folklore and fact’, in Designing and managing your career, ed. H. Levinson, 1989, ch. 4, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, pp. 47-63

Sternberg, R.J. & Kaufman, J.C. 1998, ‘Human abilities’, Annual Review of Psychology, vol49, pp. 479-502.

Yukl, G. 1998, Leadership in organizations, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Managing People and Organisations, Course Materials, 2005. AGSM, UNSW and
University of Sydney.

PS: names have been changed to protect the innocent

Last Day

2005-02-04T13:39:00.000+11:00

Well last day of this months bootcamp today. A very sad day. The morning dawned clear and cold (well its not really dawn by the time we start) but its a very poetic opening. Today was a fantastic run across the bridge (Sydney Harbour Bridge that is). We split into two groups (hard core, soft core) and proceeded to the first set of steps. Up, down, up, down and we weren't even on the brige yet. Then jogging across the bridge with sprints from back to front. AS we got close to the end we moved on to scouts; sprinting from the front until the instructor yell stop and then sprint to the back of the column. And then more stairs. Followed by more spints back across the bridge. A really hard, great workout; my legs are killing.

And I've just signed up for another month of pain; starting Monday. I think I'm hooked!!!!

Struck down

2005-02-03T15:33:00.000+11:00

I've been off the air for the past week due to the flu. My wife gaciously passed on the dreaded lurgy to me which has incapacitated me for a week. I even had to miss a session of bootcamp.

Felt a little better on Monday and went along to bootcamp but really struggled trying to breath. Plus it was raining which probably hasn't helped with the recovery.

Email from one of the bootcampers

2005-01-25T13:42:00.000+11:00

Received this today from one of my fellow bootcampers:

My Fellow Boot Campers!

You will all be aware of the alleged "mission" that the so-called Chief has asked you to perform. You should be equally aware that this is yet another attempt by the Chief and his co-horts to manipulate both your mind and body for their own evil ends.

I can reveal today that the Chief has a secret deal with Australia's Gerbera and Baked Beans Cartels. For every gerbera and can of beans you buy, funds are deposited by these Cartels into his baby daughter's trust fund.

There is an alternative to the Chief's malevolent and corrupt regime. It is the Boot Camper Liberation Movement (BCLM or Be-Calm). The following is our manifesto:

1. End Fitness Apartheid - Down with the oppressive "section system".

2. Leadership by Example - The Chief and his hench-persons to complete all exercises.

3. No More Collective Responsibility - No more push-ups for those sleeping in.

4. Embrace Your Inner Sloth.

5. Lactic Acid is Bad - Beer and Chips are Good.

I urge you to rise up and claim your human right to be unhealthy and slovenly. Demonstrate your solidarity with Be-Calm by conducting a silent protest on Monday morning - refuse to respond when your name is called.

Let the Laziness Revolution Begin!

Yours truly,

Che No-Mora

After having spent the morning in torrential rain doing more gut renching push ups, sit ups and dips everything hurts and I can't wait for Australia Day tomorrow to have a sleep in.

Shin Splints

2005-01-19T08:41:00.000+11:00

Back to bootcamp this morning but I couldn't run because of my shin splints. I thought they would be OK with lots of streching but on the first sprint they started to hurt. Luckily there wasn't much running today just lots and lots of squats. Bunny runs they are called - 3 steps forward, then squat jump, 3 steps forward, then squat jump, over and over for about 50 meters. Then sprint for 100 meters. Then lunges for 50 meters, another 100 meter sprint. And then do it all over again except on 2 steps between the jump squats...........and keep going until there are no steps between the jump squats..............great!!!! Then more squats, and more, and more.

The trainer suggested I use Voltaren gel to reduce the swelling so we'll see how that goes. Hopefully all will be well for Friday's session.

Last night was my first lectures for the MBA. The first course is an elective so lots of 2nd and 3rd year students and it was straight into into. Much more a discussion session that a lecture but I did feel that it was more a case of everyone wanting to say something just for the sake of it rather than saying something useful.

The second lecture was much better; most 1st year students and a lot of whom I'd met at the introductory session. The session was mainly on the difference between professional and managerial roles, and what manager do. And I got to ask my burning question..."Are some people just not destined to be managers"..............and the answer from Dr Cat was.........."most definitely". The problem is that all training and courses are based on the premise that anyone can be a manager given the right training.............but I don't think so..............

Are Managers Born or Created

2005-01-18T09:44:00.000+11:00

As part of the MBA I've just undertaken the first assignment involves taking a work situation and then apply the concepts just learnt. As I was working through the assignment I started thinking about whether managers are born or can management skills be taught. The whole premise of MBA's and management training is that management skills can be taught however are there some people who will never be good manager no matter how much training they receive.

My take is that successful managers tend to be born with a set of skills that enable them to emerge naturally in management roles. Sometimes latent (suppressed) management skills can come alive through training or on-the-job experiences. There are some people who want to be managers, but they just cannot do it and then there are some people who just don't want to be managers. Sure, some people are promoted into management roles, but position alone is not nearly enough to be successful at management. Good managers tend to have self-initiative, upbeat attitude, are outgoing, friendly, and very influential. They also command the respect of their peers and followers.

The key to management training is then making sure people have some ability and some desire. Without either they are destined to be bad managers.

In the rain

2005-01-17T15:32:00.000+11:00

Well off to the second week of bootcamp this morning. And for the first time it was raining......standing in the cold rain at 5:45am is not my idea of fun!!!!!

Then we had 15 people who didn't turn up.........the punishment.......sit-ups; not them, they weren't there..........no, it was the silly people standing in the rain who had to do them. And not 15 push-ups, no way too easy.......1 push-up for the first person missing (at home warm and cosy).....then 2 push-ups for the second person, etc, etc and just because we complained.............15 sit-ups (on the wet ground)!!!!!!

Then off for a quick run..........at least I started to warm up. But worse was to come........sprint intervals..........for those of you unfamiliar with this form of torture its 90 second flat out sprint followed by a 2minute break..........then another 90 second sprint and a 1 m 30sec break........and so on until there is no break..........not once but twice.....with the instructor shouting at you all the way........................now this is supposed to be fun.

On the way back I was talking to a guy who's done bootcamp 11 times before. As I eyed him curiously he told me that in a year he's made major improvements being able to run the 2klm 4 minutes faster than when he started. And then he told me about hell weeks....but that's for another post.

More Bootcamp

2005-01-14T13:15:00.000+11:00

Well another day of bootcamp. Lots on interval work this time. The group was split into two with one group doing squats and one group doing abs/lower back. That was for 2 minutes and then sprints for a minute and change ends. We did that for about 40 minutes; after which I was totally stuffed.

Really need to work on sprinting when I'm already completely exhausted. But you don't get anywhere if you don't push yourself.

2005-01-13T15:13:00.000+11:00

At the moment my boss is on maternity leave for 3 months and I'm filling in. Unfortunately she's a control freak and can't let go so calls and emails every day (even the day after the baby was born).

I was supposed to have a meeting with her today at 11:30am but the baby just woke up so we reschedule to 3pm. Now I've tried to call her to no avail.........so we shall see when she calls me. Just a little difficult to manage my day when I'm controlled by the sleeping patterns of a baby. Been there done that!!!!

A Typical Day

2005-01-13T12:53:00.000+11:00

So the New Year has started with me typically overcommitting. This is now my "normal day":

5am out of bed
6am bootcamp (serious army type exercise)
7:30am finish bootcamp, shower, etc
8:00am work
7:00pm finish work -walk home
8:00pm start studying MBA
11:00pm bed

and then back up again at 5am

Now some people may think I'm crazy but I love being busy. Can't stand people that sit around waiting for things to happen. Its not going to happen unless you make it.

Also the above schedule leave luittle time for my beloved Jacqui. She's fully supportive and knew when she met me that I was completely over the top which, as she freely admits, is of the things that attracted her to me.

WttyGrrl.com - Bourbon and Bon Vivants

2005-01-12T17:45:00.000+11:00

One of my favourite blogs.............

WttyGrrl.com - Bourbon and Bon Vivants

Bootcamp

2005-01-12T09:22:00.000+11:00

Well today was my first session at Bootcamp. Bootcamp is essentially army type training except that you pay someone to shout and scream at you at 6am. Very enjoyable. Lots of push ups, runs, hill climbs but not enough sit ups for my liking.

Next session is Friday so we'll see how I pull up.

First Post

2005-01-11T18:51:00.000+11:00

Yea well it took me long enough. But thanks to J's insistance heer I am now in cyberspace.

Have no idea what the focus of the blog will be but we'l let this flow. Which is completely unlike anything I ever do..........I always plan.