Oh Paolina

So last night I was sitting quietly in our meeting room laptopping away on the sofa when Paolina came in and said “I’ve been offered a job.” Turns out she’s been offered a really good, very exciting post with a university to set up their digital library. And she’s going to take it.

I’m a Pisces so I’m allowed to have mixed feelings. The first set of feelings are around loss – Paolina is quite possibly the best recruitment decision I have made (I had help from Edgar). She has been a perfect complement to Edgar and I in our small team of three at Straits Knowledge over the past two years: she’s sunny where we are taciturn, she gets on and does things but makes sure we are all in tune; she “gets” the need to focus on the outcome for the client, even when this means going the extra unanticipated mile (or ten); she brings deep knowledge of the Singapore public sector where we do a lot of work, and also of process and project management.

But I’m also pleased. This is a very good job she’s been offered, and Straits Knowledge has evidently been good for her career. We’ve made a positive contribution, and I don’t doubt that as an alumnus of Straits Knowledge she’ll be a strong friend and advocate. Paolina misses being on the “inside” and working directly on things as opposed to being on the “outside” and advising and helping on things (that’s probably why she is such an excellent consultant). And nobody stays forever, right?

At the moment, the loss feelings are dominating. In a way, Paolina has queered the pitch for immediately going out and hunting for a successor. How could we hope to get anyone as good? Paolina’s here till the end of February, and Edgar and I can cope with the projects currently on hand, so we’ll probably take our time, until we get over our post-Paolina depression.

The photo, by the way is Paolina packing for our office move, not to depart immediately. And she’s not as happy as she looks. Honest.

image

4 Comments so far

Shawn Callahan

Congratulations on the new job Paolina and commiserations Patrick an Edgar, she’s one of a kind. Make sure you keep in touch Paolina grin

Posted on January 24, 2008 at 02:21 PM | Comment permalink

Paolina Martin

Thanks Shawn, I will do that.

Patrick and Edgar will be fine. They are pretty resilient by my book. smile

Posted on January 25, 2008 at 10:47 AM | Comment permalink

Paolina, it was great to see you tuesday, and I hope you will find peace and excitement.
Patrick, to cheer you up a little, we published a paper how KM is the backbone of our Global Engineering competence. You were at the crib 5 years back, singing me KM lullabyes.
Be well

Posted on January 31, 2008 at 07:03 AM | Comment permalink

Patrick Lambe

Thanks Cor
smile

Posted on January 31, 2008 at 07:16 AM | Comment permalink

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