Employee of the month

I was greeted this morning by a room full of people - including the heads of the company - and the news that I'd been nominated by management for employee of the month. In a company with 3000 employees that feels pretty good. I've worked hard for them, have introduced numerous innovations, and it's great that they recognise that.

I didn't win, but still got a certificate!

The reception back in my floor was almost unanimous: what have you done to deserve that? Why not me? You've only just got here! You're wasted in your position, they should put you doing what I am... Bitterness and jealousy. Fortunately I've not let them spoil my buzz at this recognition!

I've been having numerous email conversations with a senior HR consultant who has been giving me some informal coaching, and something I've learned is that what is important is not what you mean to say, but how people interpret what you say. What will be the implications of memos and requests years down the line? How would the union interpret this request?

And the upshot is that less is more. I should learn to keep my mouth shut.

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Photographs from Wellington

I've finally got round to uploading some photos - have to go into an internet cafe to do this. These are of some friends I've made, plus some views from my lovely Brooklyn home. I don't seem to take many pictures any more. It's not New Zealand's fault - it's very beautiful. I'll try and get some of me kitesurfing. Please click on the thumbnails for a full image.

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The Advantage of Being Useless

I had a lovely birthday, where I traveled up the coast and made some new kiting friends. I couldn't even get up on the board, but still laughed like a child and felt thoroughly contented by the evening. Friends brought round pizza and beer, and then I went to sleep. Nice.

The rest of the weekend was spent doing not much. A bit of calligraphy, a lot of reading. This irritates one of my housemates, who believes we should maximise our free time with activities like walking, surfing, bowling, drinking, or watching a good film. Sitting still and looking at the mountains is, in his words, "not the spirit".

Not his spirit.

One of these books was written by a NZ counsellor called George Sweet. My reading is that the central idea is:
"I have no desire to change this person in any way".

He values being present for the client, listening deeply, but not trying to provide interventions or resolve conflicts. The client provides her own therapy, the counsellor is simply present for her.

The book is very Zen/Daoist in its spirituality and philosophy. It addresses a big question mark I have over eastern thinking: that of non-action and total acceptance. Reading between the lines, Mr Sweet thinks that the the best forum for change and healing is through not trying to achieve either.

It made me think.

It was also entirely written in handwriting, and had beautiful black and white photography on every page. A book to remember. Another book was, I admit, the Da Vinci Code. Although I'm only half way through, three words hit the mark for me: fun, exciting, and rubbish. I detest polemics and it is full of them. Hence, rubbish. But fun and excitement must not be ignored.

Strike!

Yes, and though you might think this makes my job easier, just the opposite. There are now contingency plans, extra consultant rosters to produce, and it all falls at a time when Psyc is understaffed anyway. Monkeys.

And so I doubly look forward to the weekend (my birthday!), where I will take my new kitesurfing kit and a tent up the coast, for the long weekend (conincides with the Queen's birthday). Will get a photo or two!