Exit Strategy - Part I

So far my exit strategy at work is going as planned. I've managed to put a lot of things together and have handed over to others within the organization. I've been a bit surprised at some reactions, especially one person in particular. She was handling the marketing before I started here, but it was then handed to me as people were not overly thrilled with her work. I think she's always resented me a bit for that, so I thought she would be very eager to take over the marketing stuff again. As it turns out, she wants to be able to do the creative pieces but when it comes to organizing or actually developing anything she has no interest. Basically she told me (and others) that she refuses to hold anyone's hand for anything, and so if deadlines are missed so be it - it's their responsibility, not hers. If she manages to get away with that attitude I guess it's good for her; I just don't agree with it. It's hard for those out in the field to project manage marketing-related activities....it's not going to happen because the skills and the organization is not there and never will be. I'm not confident they will manage to keep a strong marketing focus when I leave, and quite frankly they don't really have any other way to get their name out there.

So far I've had private lunches with two folks here - one of them a fellow co-worker who is one of the top people I will miss here; the other is the idiot boss that I will miss only for the ridiculous stories I get to tell others about him. The Idiot spent most of the lunch telling me how he wants me to come back when I'm through with this next job, as a "partner." Yeah, right. That's a line he's been feeding me for about two years now. Whatever. I would never be a partner in a company that he is also a part of, never. He has high hopes for this company but I know his goal is to find others to help build the business so he can eventually sell it for big bucks. The problem is that right now the company is hardly worth anything, and I doubt that will change. It's quite sad, actually. I was very politically correct during the whole conversation, yet made it a point to try and give him some feedback in regards to the overwhelming need to change the culture and communication methods here. I'm not sure anything sunk in, but I tried. I tried for those I leave behind who do not have the capability or guts to get out of here at this time.

The rest of this week I will spend in Lansing, MI for a project, along with continuing my "notes" for people on various activities and projects so they have them for reference when I'm gone. Next week I'm just here four days and I know that will go by quickly. I definitely have big changes ahead.