Hazia’s Reflections

Yesterday’s chain of events was hectic. In the morning, I was summoned out of my induction by the MD. The journalist who wanted to interview him was there. The PA that the new MD brought with him was still new and adapting. The former MD’s PA was still in charge, she mis-led me into not being present for the interview. In front of my immediate boss, she said the MD said no need to tell PR. After giving the journalist a press kit to read first and apologising profusely for making her wait, I poured out to my MD point blank.

I told him about me frantically trying to get hold of him the day before and she was a damaging ‘gatekeeper.’ If I don’t have direct access to him, we both can’t work. He also asked me who the hell was the Peacock and asked me to explain all the FUNNY things that were happening around there. I nearly burst out laughing. We agreed that I would either sms, call or email him directly, no gatekeepers. I also quickly told him about the librarian. He asked me to email him the details. Hardcopies are ‘unreliable’.

The journalist discreetly asked me whether I have a vacancy in PR. That gave me a great idea. I asked her to quickly apply. If I could hire a business journalist to complete my team, I can breathe and focus solely on management matters.

After the media interview, I rushed off upstairs to a meeting on an outstation national forum and seminar. I was the only woman, all the department heads present for that project were men. They seemed like fast-paced, seasoned players. That and being new didn’t stop me from telling them that the MD wanted me to handle all liasons with the ministry. They readily agreed but the flash of cautious expression on their faces didn’t escape me. Interestingly, the head was reading out sms instructions from the Peacock. He seemed to think the guy is the minister’s official media consultant. Man!

Then… I had another meeting, unplanned. This was with a magazine’s reps arranged by the Snorer (with his friend).I couldn’t believe that he sat on the content for 2 weeks and the deadline is on Friday. I didn’t bother to hide my iritation in front of the guests. I presented them with 2 press releases instead of the incomplete ‘bits and pieces’ that he was compiling. The idiot was blindly following the list of topics they gave him instead of working smart by checking with me first. An email he sent later showed that he wasn’t even ‘all there’ during the meeting. He could sleep with his eyes open.

I was barely done with sending the reps off when the HR lady manning the reception counter called me. She asked me to quickly review the candidates I shortlisted for an interview on Friday (and reduce the pax). I went through the thick file there and then only to realise someone was standing next to me. It was the head from the all-men meeting. He asked me to hurry with the minister’s invitation letter in case the MD left for lunch and didn’t return.

I rushed to my office to do it. 2 of the men emailed me a sample/draft they did. One visited me first to confirm receipt. Shortly after, another one dropped by to confirm that I got his draft too. There was this ‘burst of energy’ as they stepped in and out of my room. Their office is upstairs, wouldn’t a phone call be easier? Either they weren’t confident with me getting it done or… they ’smelled something in the air’ and wanted to better gauge where I stood.

After completing the above, I had a quick lunch of mee kari at 1.40pm. This time, the tiny cafe didn’t ran out of rice. But, they ran out of dishes instead. LOL!

(to be continued)