The HRchive CONTENTS

Love 'n Hate Index   >> Issue 1 - SREs     >> Issue 2 - Indies     >> Issue 3 - Clientside Res     >> Issue 5 - MR Software Sales     >> Issue 6 - Omnibus Researchers     >> Issue 7 - TV Researcher     >> Issue 8 - MR Recruiters     >> Issue 9 - Office Party Planner     >> Issue 10 - MR Marketing Mgrs     >> Issue 11 - Associate Directors     >> Issue 12 - Field Mgrs     >> Issue 13 - JRE & Grad Trainee     >> Issue 14 - Head of Research     >> Issue 15 - Viewing Facility Mgrs     >> Issue 16 - Pharma Res Client     >> Issue 17 - Tel Interviewers     >> Issue 18 - Aussie Researchers     >> Issue 19 - Personnel Mgrs

Another early start - and that after finishing late last night! What’s all that I heard about the MD taking Friday afternoons off and going and playing golf?? Certainly I’m looking forward to the weekend. It’s been a hard week... but satisfying.

And that’s why I love it. The sense of achievement. The knowledge that the company’s going forward.

The execs are on a real high at present. The big proposal that we put in a couple of weeks ago was a real team performance. There’s a hard fieldwork shift pattern, some tricky analysis and a challenging client, who’ll keep the exec team working on the job busy, but it’s a great client to win – and it’s going to be profitable too. They’re all really pleased about it. Good session with the field manager on Wednesday morning, discussing problems with one of her field controllers. We’ve agreed what we’re going to do. No question. We both agree.

Still problems with the network. Need to spend some time with the IT manager later this morning to discuss her recommendations. She’s done a good job with her report – seems very comprehensive and we should have that sorted soon.

Telephones. Must get back to the recruitment agency with feedback on last night’s candidate, who seemed good. He’s got experience and would fit in well. Seemed to gel with the field manager as well, although the other candidate from Monday night was good too. Think about that one.

Financial review meeting with finance director first thing. On a Friday. Can’t believe I fixed the meeting for 9:00. But definitely best to tackle first thing. Do the most important things first.

Leaving do at lunch. I’ve worked out what I’m going to be saying. Certainly he’ll be missed. Shame we couldn’t persuade him to stay. But that’s life.

Click... kettle’s boiled. Right. Time to check over the financials before the 9:00 meeting.

So yes it’s hard but seeing the company progress, being able to plan and manage for the future, working with the departmental heads and having motivated staff to make it a reality, I can honestly say I love it.

Although there are benefits to being the boss, the drawbacks come in all shapes and sizes, from the merely irritating to the continuously annoying to the horrible.

You expect a bit of admin hassle, such as the unnecessarily long meetings which are characteristic of a lot of research but seem to multiply when you have this job. Some unpleasant tasks can be delegated but some are passed up the chain so it certainly works the other way – being the MD seems to mean more conversations than ever with stupid people.

Perhaps in a small business, there’s a wonderful sense of being in control of your own destiny, and in a larger one there is a degree of this but it’s more than balanced by not having enough time to go to the pub, and having to deal with some of the more ridiculous duties that don’t fall under anyone else’s remit. Problems which occur every day can often, realistically, be passed to someone else responsible, and there are a few such people around. But the Buck Stops here, and so does the bog, unfortunately - trap 1 on the second floor has not flushed properly for years and it’s Yours Truly who has ended up taking the plunger on several occasions. From this you’ll gather that I’m in a medium-sized agency not a very large one – or does this happen to the MD of NOP as well? Answers on a postcard please.

'being the MD seems to mean more conversations than ever with stupid people''

Some things that I hate about my job result from the few limitations on the near-dictatorial power I have of course attempted to seize for myself since the promotion. I have a lot of input to decisions on recruitment and a veto on individuals but so far have felt unable to get the other directors to reject Tottenham fans out of hand. As a result, and with ill luck indeed, I am now surrounded by them.

All that said, the undoubted low point of being the boss is having to make the occasional – very occasional – tough decision. No doubt there are plenty of candidates for toughest and others may bring forward some screamers, but having to make my girlfriend redundant must rank among the worst. You want to run a company?