Group Efforts 21

Group Efforts
The Diary of a Workgroup Manager

Episode 34 (1997)

Cross-group synergy, a secret revealed, a flight to the north and the turning of the tide.

Thursday 9th
It's amazing how quickly things can change. Just a few weeks ago Llewellyn was the condemned man, but now he's Cock of the North, revelling in his insider status as a member of the secret Smithsons pre-takeover team and slavering at the prospects for I.T. development across the newly-expanded group. Depressingly, we look set to take a direct hit, as Costello's 'cross-group synergy' initiative (which translates, in our case, to synchronised bulk-buying) means an even more complex version of the much-hated Materials Monitoring system. The only consolation is Bill's comment that the takeover tilts the applications balance Lotus's way on account of their superior enterprise-wide experience, but on his present form Llewellyn can probably find a way round that too. The prospects look bleak.

Monday 13th
The girls have got wind of the Materials Monitoring upgrade, and are demanding that I sabotage it. I attempt a denial, but realise there's no point when I see Amrat wearing a Tam O'Shanter and making notes over June's shoulder. I send him packing and ring Llewellyn to insist that he gets clearance from me before sending his troops into my department. He apologises, but says that after Cathy's involvement in the secret pre-takeover project he'd assumed I was fully on-side. Five minutes later an embarrassed Cathy admits that she was, indeed, privvy to the takeover plans on account of her goal-seeking work for Costello, but was sworn to secrecy. I consider an immediate visit to the top floor, but think better of it. The tide of change is flowing too quickly for my liking, and in all the wrong directions.

Tues 14th
Costello announces an all-departments management trip to meet the Smithsons team and discuss cross-group synergy. This causes great excitement, especially as we'll be travelling by plane and staying in a real hotel. Andy says that sending us to their turf is a sure sign that within six months there'll be a skeleton staff on the Clyde and double workloads back at HQ. I, however, am more worried by Costello's suggestion that I put Cathy in charge during my absence, to 'give her a taste of hands-on responsibility'. I'm about to mention it to her when she asks to go on an Office scripting workshop scheduled, by amazing coincidence, for the same dates. Welcoming this opportunity to further her skills development, I sign the authorisation and breathe a secret sigh of relief.

Wednesday 22nd
Outing day, with Llewellyn flashing his frequent flyer card and Andy and George flashing their passports at an unimpressed Glasgow gate steward. The Smithsons team evidently share Andy's view of events, and the atmosphere is quite frosty until someone whispers 'who's this pillock?' during Llewellyn's I.T. overview and we all suppress giggles. My Caledonian counterpart, who turns out to be a Mancunian called Alan Jenkins, shows me Smithsons' Materials Monitoring system. This seems distinctly easier to use than ours, and I casually invite Costello over to take a look. Later in the hotel bar George engages in friendly Five Nations debate with his opposite number, Archie McNab, while Andy looks strangely uneasy in conversation with his, the strikingly elegant Oona Jardine. Costello stands single malts all round, and thanks me for pointing out Smithsons' MM system. I thank him for the drink, and retire, happily, to my room.

Friday 24th
Back to the ranch, carrying the mandatory tartan-clad soft toy which is immediately dubbed 'Jock' and installed on top of the server. I ask Cathy how her workshop went, and she says fine. I ask Rose and June if Danny did any work while I was away, and they reply with something about bears and woods which I take to mean that he didn't. I ask Amrat how the Materials Monitoring upgrade's going, and he says he's just been told to stop work on it and start packing for a visit to Smithsons. The girls ask whether I've sorted the MM problem out yet, and I'm able to reply that the matter is, indeed, in hand. You may not be able to stop the tide, but with a little gentle urging you can sometimes persuade it to turn.