end and beginning
Today was DeWayne's last day. He was fairly low profile for much of the past 2 weeks, but today he was especially so. I'm not sure if he just didn't care any more, or if he was trying to make the transition easier, or if was some combination or lack of the above. He wasn't the best possible manager, but was a good one, and he will be missed. He had a hell of alot more patience than I. I'm not sure if that's something that just came with experience, or age, or personality, but he was certainly had mastered the art of diplomacy too. Yes, he had his weaknesses too, like his blatant favoritism for those that he really respected from a technical perspective. And he really had a tough time giving up his politically correctness to just tell it like it is. Eventually he did catch on that I (and Josh & Chris for that matter) respected him more when he was just honest, rather than diplomatic. I'm honestly not sure anymore if Support will ever be as much of a cohesive unit as it was when it was me, Josh & Chris. Yes, we had weaknesses (Chris never was as productive as he cuold have or should have been, Josh wasn't a team player until it meant heroics), but we got along really well together, and we understood eachother well. Derrick & Doug are doing a good job, but I don't know if we're clicking, and working well together. I think technically as a whole, we're prolly stronger, but the espirit d'corp seems to be missing. But i digress. I remember a private conversation that I had with DeWayne in his office a few weeks ago (before he announced his resignation). We were talking about how Daryll was basically passively ignoring DeWayne & support as a whole. And I wandered aloud whether Darryl even knew who I was, seeing as how he never introduced himself to me. DeWayne said he wasn't sure if Darryll knew me by face, but he definitely knew of me. He went on to say (and i'm paraphrasing, so this is prolly not exactly the wording, but its close enough), "... you're Mr. NASA." I looked at him with a puzzled expression, and he elaborated, "you strive for perfection in everything you do, and you expect those around you to strive for perfection too." I was blown away. I always had a good feeling that DeWayne appreciated me, but this was an amazing compliment to get from anyone, much more so my manager of the past 2.5+ years. I never told DeWayne how much I appreciated what he said, but it certainly meant alot to me. I wasn't fishing for compliments, in fact the conversation didn't even have to go in that direction, but DeWayne chose to take it there, and it really blew me away. Good or bad, i was stuck in Josh's shadow for over two years, and nothing that I did seemed to impress DeWayne much. But in the past 5+ months since Josh & Chris left, I was able to prove myself, and dewayne noticed, and realized all i had to offer. Unfortunately during the same time span, i've seen all of my coworkers and entire management chain above me leave. I am tired of goodbye lunches. I am tired of seeing quality employees leave. The past 5 months have been so hard. I've worked so hard, and everything still seems to be falling apart around me. So i'm still scared. I looked up to DeWayne. I'm now realizing all that he did, and all that I now have to do in his absence.
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Starting Monday I officially report to Colin. I know that its not going to be pleasant. I know that he's a weasel, and that his focus is not with customers. And that makes all the more difficult, because Support's sole focus is with customers. Its going to be a non-stop up hill battle. I've got a meeting tentatively scheduled with Colin on Tuesday morning to discuss a list of issues that I have, and what he's described in email as a "growing list of issues". I gave him my list in advance, as a courtesy, he has not yet reciprocated, which of course worries me more. I should have known that he would try to surprise me, or more accurately broadside me, so that I'd be ill prepared. Maybe he'll come through and give me his list before Tuesday. Hopefully I'm not giving him enough credit.<br />
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