Make Way, Make Way...

Edward (or Ed as he prefers to be called) joined my department back in November 2002. I personally picked him out from over fourty CVs and four other candidates. This increased the staff count in my department to.... two.

It was definitely not easy for Ed. He had to absorb everything that I had planned, developed and implemented in the last four years before he joined.

Ed was born and raised in Macclesfield (near Manchester). Fortunately, he never had a northern accent and verbally, we understand each other just fine. He has an elder brother, James, who’s currently working with Jasc Software (the team who developed Paint Shop Pro) in the States. He also has an elder sister called Susan (I think) who works in Twickenham. That makes him the youngest. And I guess, that is one of the main factor why we get along ok hehe.

It's been over two years now since I took him under my wing. He has since taken a lot of my responsibilities.

However, things change. Progress has made my responsibilities and duties increased by twofold. I now need him to meet up with suppliers and people who can provide us with new services and products. I have included him in many of my own meetings. It is time that he held a few of his own.

His title limits his potential. Tell me, would you, as a Salesperson trying to sell a high-tech product, want to do a salespitch to somebody with a title like “Assistant to IT Manager”? No. They won’t take him seriously. Why would they want to speak to the assistant when they can speak to the manager himself? It was time for a change. I needed to make a change. He deserves a change.

I had a quick word with the Managing Partner just before Christmas. We exchanged a few ideas and suggestions. We agreed on one. The Managing Partner then just had present the suggestion to the rest of the fourteen partners.

I hate waiting.

Let me rephrase that; I loathe waiting.

After almost a month, the day has finally come.

Today is the day.

An email has been sent around to all staff.

Edward has been made the new IT Manager.

Has was ever so pleased.

Nothing pleases me more than to see him like that.

No longer is he my assistant. I never really thought of him as an assistant. I have always thought of him as my comrade… my right-hand man… my Number One. He still is… in a way.

Make way for the new IT Manager!

As for me.... well....


....they made me the Head of IT. ;-)