Читать книгу Making It Happen - Kyle Mackenzie - Страница 3

“So you see, we’ll need a work breakdown structure almost immediately,” he said.

“I see,” I said. I didn’t.

“Ralph is also asking for earned value cost analysis, and he wants you to keep the scope flexible, understand?” he asked me.

“I understand,” I said. I didn’t.

“And he wants self-empowered work teams running the show on this one,” he continued.

“Got it,” I said, pretending to take notes. I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.

“And the whole thing has to be part of our new Total Quality Management initiative,” he said.

I groaned. This was the last straw. Now was the time to get off this boat. “I’m not sure you have the right person for the job, Stu.”

I could tell by the way he looked at me that this was not what he wanted to hear. I prepared myself for his response, praying my lack of enthusiasm would get me bounced off the project team.

I didn’t hold out much hope. Stu Barnes is the vice-president of Operations at Hyler Recreation Systems Inc., and my boss. Me, I’m Will Campbell, and I’m in charge of Hyler’s Information Systems, or IS, group. Stu and I had worked together for almost three years by the time we had this conversation, and we knew each other pretty well. Although Stu looked and talked like a Marine Drill Sergeant (which is exactly what he used to be), he is the best boss I have ever had. While this was a good thing most of the time, it also meant that Stu was used to me whining.

“Look, Will,” he started in, “you know how I feel about all this stuff, but Ralph is the boss, and we all know that Ralph has his sights set on much bigger things than Hyler. If that means riding the crest of whatever wave comes rolling in from head office, that is exactly what he’ll do. And that means that’s exactly what we’ll do.”

Ralph Borsellino is the president of Hyler Recreation and at 34, the youngest president ever. The top brass at Mantec, our parent company, was very impressed with Ralph, and word was that he was on his way up in the organization.

Inwardly, I groaned again. Stu was right. If Ralph wanted it, that is the way it would be.