ghost kitty, just off hardware lane, melbourne

As expected, this month has been pretty challenging – and of course we will be down to the wire with our deliverables (what with one screw up or another).

As is my way (and my job!), I have been the voice of soothing, calm and reason and have been full of problem solving, but it is not a little exhausting.

In addition to the May work chaos, we’ve all been involved in some very long overdue leadership training (one half-day a week for 6 weeks). Unfortunately our betters, who we all agree are completely dysfunctional and in desperate need of any help they can get, have deigned not to attend. Nonetheless it has all been very insightful. The facilitators are fabulous and I love workshops and navel gazing – the more opportunity to obsess about and discuss myself, my motivations, values and shortcomings the better!

One of the more interesting aspects was my Myers-Briggs result, which has done a complete reversal on one aspect since the last time I took it (almost 10 years ago). I’m still ENT, but where I was all P (screw your deadlines and plans, man) now I am all J (deliverables! rules! action items!). I’m quite amazed at how I have changed. Different life stage? Different job? Finally growing up? Who knows?

I’ve really enjoyed getting some insight into the whack-jobs (and not) I work with. There have been many “ah-ha” moments and a couple of stand-outs who are completely and utterly self-deluded. AnxiousMum for example, genuinely believes that she is calm, reasoned and collaborative, whereas we all know that she is an unhinged, unreasonable, shrieking harpy.

It has definitely been a very good thing to get together with the other managers and bond – there has been far to much unpleasantness over the past couple of years – so a bit of love and understanding doesn’t go astray.

But bring on 30 June when we will have exceeded the-thankfully-departed-Hecate’s target by 30% (suck it!) and we can start the whole thing all over again.