Managing the Matrix: The Secret to Surviving and Thriving in Your Organization

3

Preparing for Change

The next day Debra was surprised to see an email from Janet in her inbox when she checked it at 8 am. Clearly Johann didn't let the grass grow. Despite herself, Debra was pleased that someone so senior made her such a priority and decided to respond immediately asking for an hour on the next “mentoring open day”. This was what Johann called his weekly day devoted to working with or for his mentees and the next one was in six days.

She wasn't at all surprised when only three minutes later Janet sent her a meeting invite, with full, detailed instructions, for 11 am on Thursday, 3rd July. Janet also reminded her to send the documents she'd discussed with Johann, which she duly did, after she found them scattered through her hard drive. She really did need to get her filing sorted out but, for now, settled on just opening a nice new folder labelled “Mentoring” on her desk top. Into this she put the feedback from the 360 she did a couple of years ago. She remembered the occasion – a hideous “team-building” event where everyone gave the nicest possible feedback they could get away with and solemnly pledged to being “better” or to “get disciplined” or “move to great”. Of course, she hadn't opened the feedback since and could hardly remember what it had to say.

Reading it now and against her better judgement, Debra was still pleased to read that she came across as “confident” and “straight-forward” and “not afraid to go the extra mile”. She frowned slightly as she ...