Another week gone!

The weeks pass by so quickly - I feel like I post only a day or so back and then I realize it's way more than that. I must get better at doing it more regularly....just don't seem to have the time.

I went on a training class yesterday for coaching. I did the first part of the course back in April and this was a follow up. You have to bring a case study with you (my manager was mine as I can't figure out what makes her tick). Also before the class you were asked to complete a questionnaire with regard to how you deal with situations. I was quite shocked at my results.

I'll try and describe it - it's a quadrant. Q1 (top left) is for talkative, defensive, argumentative, dictatorial, drill sargent styles etc, Q2 (bottom left) is for quiet, "whatever", passive, reflective people, Q3 (bottom right) is for friendly, talkative, pleasing people and Q4 (top right) is for the "ideal" mgr who ask questions, provides guidance, challenges, delivers etc.

Blow me down - I was in Q3 - squarely. If you'd asked me where I would have been put it would have been between Q1 and Q4 (ie half asshole, half pretty good).....but me - friendly? Someone who doesn't make decisions? Someone who likes to please? hahahahahahahah. On analysis it turns out that because I've been in a new role I'm compensating by trying to gain respect by being friendly.

My case study is a pure Q1 BTW. What I also learnt is when dealing with a Q1 personality it brings out the Q1 in you. And oh, is that so so so so true. I felt like I was slapped with a wet fish around the face - it was a light bulb moment. It so helped - I'm glad I managed to find the time to go as it's going to help me going forward. It was so refreshing! At least I know what to look for and work accordingly.

The other thing that happened yesterday is that a big project came my way. Our wonderful Sales team had won a deal for 700 new key stations. The only kicker was that all the end user training had to be complete by end of November - that's 5 weeks. Of course I do not have people sitting around waiting for things like this. My boss tried to get resource and failed.... so not sure if the gods were with me. But I did it. I got every senior manager around the company to agree - I even manage to change some of their minds (they told my boss "no"). And I did this all while in training. Hahaha - I look like a genius. All I have to do now is execute on the plan.

What it made me realize is that what I love is the project side of work....not the managing people bit. It's OK, and I do it well - I just think a lot of the time that I have babies working for me.

Oh well, as I head into performance review time.......should be a riot! I have 59 direct reports. That's 59 hours of one-to-ones, at least 100 hours of prep time. I won't do anything else between Nov 1st and Christmas. Oh what joy!