All about work.

It's been 8 months since I started working as an Marketing Communications person in an event company.

It's been interesting, no doubt.
But also stressing, exciting, exasperating and frustrating at the same time.

The colleagues are great people to work with in general. Of course, there are always times when we get onto  one another's nerves because of the difference in how we value our work and service.

There's a dilemma between providing good quality customer service and ending up with more last-minute tasks and problems.
There's a conflict between wanting to go all out for publicity and the struggle to overcome so-called budgetary constraints.

Where is the balance? Well, ultimately, the higher powers decide.

It doesn't help much when the higher powers do not really exemplify a good model to follow.
No SOPs.
No transparency.
No long-term visions and goals.

How do you expect your staff to work hard for you when the rewards seem to be minimal value (regardless monetary or career advancement)?

Office politics do not seem to be a major issue yet there are some tints here and there.
It's really into your face when you realize that you may be one of the targets.
Luckily, I have learnt to deal with it and not make a big fuss out of it.
The dynamics are interesting - how some people flock together and isolate others; how some people just don't see eye-to-eye with others.
But I guess, this is the real world - you can't please everyone without sacrificing your real self, your principles, your values and etc.

The March show was an astounding success, if I may say.
We did not expect the good turnout nor the media coverage.
Thanks to our corporate communications consultants and the team who worked so hard to get all the invitations sent out.
It was a life lesson to be learnt in fact - foreseeing problems, preempting them, being prepared, being observant, understanding the impact and consequences one party brings to the others because of ignorance or negligence.

Now I realize, whatever my professor was trying to instill in me during the post-graduate days when I was his research assistant, was extremely important and crucial. It's always like this - we complain and resent and we only know to appreciate when we are forced to face the real deal.

Sigh. I wished I could have push myself just a little harder back then.
But I am really thankful that the bits and pieces I still retain has helped me to see things from a macro-perspective and understand the importance each and every role play in making the event a success.

Hopefully, the May show will be better, if not, at least as smooth as possible.