Friday, April 20, 2007

Full blown budget fight


The budget issue has now reached terrible proportions. No one is backing down. A silly issue really because it does not affect the boss man's company. More a governance issue in our department. It looks more like an issue caused by the transition to our new time sheet program. No one seems to budge despite the seeming triviality. But one thing is clear, work cannot stop with the boss man's company due to this accounting issue. It's just not possible to stop work maintaining his system without dire consequence to their business.

I spoke to Roger about this problem as he is the boss man's accounting head. He told me not to fight this battle. It's not my concern. But I cannot just lie down and let this go. At the end of the day, I will have to tell my people to stop work if worst comes to worst. Roger advised not to go to the boss man and tell him this problem. Using his words, we will just get slaughtered like the Spartans in the movie '300'. But this will reach him eventually and need to find out how we can frame the discussion. He suggested that my managers address the issue to him.

We never had this problem in the past years. It's only recently with this new system and processes being put in place. It's actually the French accountant's problem and he should speak to the boss man about it and solve this issue. Every one is in on the discussion: sp, my new boss, the overall customer manager. But no one really cares. They prefer to focus on the other countries perhaps because they have a chance to travel. Meanwhile, no one cares for the operations right here in our back yard. Except me as I am directly involved. Life is not fair but I guess this is the challenge.

So I plan to write a good strong memo this morning and explain the situation clearly. We will be meeting with the boss man next Monday and I cannot let this information slip by him because my ass will be on the line. I have to ask FA to come with me and own this issue and have it resolved. Otherwise, we bring it on the table and face the boss man and the corresponding consequences. The boss man has no choice but to request a bigger budget to the big cheese at head office. It is important that the timing is right and the right time at the latest is next week before his business trip.

I attach a map I made about a book called mind mapping in 1 week. It helped me understand the concept and apply it to my life and work.

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