Someone's Watching

"Good evening" Alfred Hitchcock used to say. "Good Evening" opened his half hour mystery and suspense TV programs. Quite the character: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to darkest Hollywood. Night brings a stillness to the jungle. It is so quiet, you can hear a name drop. The savage beasts have already begun gathering at the water holes to quench their thirst. Now one should be especially alert. The vicious table-hopper is on the prowl, and the spotted back-biter may lurk behind a potted palm. To take me through this most savage of lands, I have hired a native guide...." (Wikipedia)
Art Courtesy of: www.rayzodyssey.com

Someone's watching!

I gave notice of resignation last week and someone's now watching and learning. My boss! He's better for watching and learning. Now he is better prepared to make decisions about the future of our company in Indiana. Curious. How might I have been more effective? Should I have been more persistent, pressing ideas, building cred for investment in the state? Despite having excellent ROI and ROA, our Indiana business is an afterthought among our 18 state operation, representing approximately 4% of total revenue. Even in the region our total revenues are 4th behind Ohio, Pennsylvania, and NJ. A flea on the tail of the dog does not command resources and attention. Indiana provides the lightest regulatory touch of any of the 18 states where we operate so the future for a "governmental affairs" manager is risky. Unless there is value in maintaining full-employment, this job should be part-time or handled by our industry association. I really think that's the best solution if the company is to be a lean organization. (Kool Aid at work!) Our company will be acquired by early summer and many current employees will be given farewell notices. Gettin' leaner boss!

With "the man" 200 miles away, I had a lot of independence, liked being pointed to the job description and getting the job done. Liked surprising "the man" with better (whatever) than he expected.

Didn't like a few things. Couldn't quite rouse him to action with the same passion I felt for IN. We should break through the gate-keepers and tackle a few opportunities! I was wrong many times and I figured that out, too. As Mom used to say, "you take the good with the bad." I really liked what I was doing, liked the environment of governmenal relations, and really liked the Indiana company employees. I didn't like the prospect of being unemployed for all the usual reasons.

Someone was watching out for me and it wasn't the Executive VP, CEO, or Board Chairman. Being closer to the janitor, I had dreams here but was unsuccessful convincing Kansas (old HQ) and Louisiana (new HQ) that IN was a high tech mecca worthy of investment of a few $B. So farewell to some great Hoosiers and other peers about the country. My work family. Not family - family, just work family.

In the end I get to say good-bye in style. Good-bye Embarq. Thanks. (Now the guilt over being disloyal and leaving after only 1,155 days!!!!!!)

What a luxury not to be in a panic over possible down-sizing and unemployment. Someone was watching out, that created a freedom angle from which to assess the coincidence of timing, that is to say, somebody asked if I was looking for a job. I was free to resign because someone was watching out. Thank you God and friends. The end was, as they say, a no-brainer!

Did Sarah feel she was being "watched" too closely vs. being "watched out for"? What voice wasn't heard and what need wasn't attended to? Our intentions aren't as important as what she felt and believed. Did she feel unimportant, alone, and under appreciated? Did she seek attention in ways other than what family gave her?

At 19 years, is Sarah working the "freedom angle"? You know it could be that she was out of sight and out of mind --- right here in front of us.

Well Sarah, someone is still watching!

Mystery & suspense. Not TV. Real life.

"Good Evening!"