You’re not the boss of me now

Today is my bosses last day. That makes me the boss, until his replacement starts at the beginning of November.

You might think I would be heady with the power of it all, but nah, not so much. I have been the boss before. I would say I was actually pretty good at it. But it’s not something I’m very keen to go back to. My current position is as the “Advisor”. That means I get to tell people what I think they should do, but don’t actually have to take responsibility for doing it. And if it all goes wrong, I can just say “well, that’s not how I told you to do it.”

Now my life is human resources, budgets, transport plans, proposals, hobnobbing with the government….AND all of the work I’m supposed to be doing normally (training and mentoring, writing, designing programs and activities, monitoring and evaluation of our work, managing research…)

So it’s going to be hectic to say the least. And no, it’s not going to be like “9 to 5” where they lock the boss up and institute all sorts of liberal woman-friendly workplace policies. I’m thinking “keeping my head above water” will be the theme of the next two months, not “regime change”.

Anyway, I’ll quit my grousing and instead with my boss Stanley all the best in his life ahead. He’s off to do a Master of Public Health degree at the prestigious London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (but heck, it’s no Tulane). It’s a great opportunity, and it always makes me happy to see talented African professionals moving ahead – especially when they want to use their education and skills to come back to Africa to work.

Of course, all this development means someday I’ll be redundant out here. But that will be a good thing. And I’m sure I can always find a sucker to pay me to “advise” them.