Dear Family & Friends,
OK...the March 3-7 thing is on, but it's probably just 4-7, and
only two of those days are actually paid work. Still...it's getting me
in the door, and allowing the boss to see what I can do, so they can
decide to give me that 2-3 month thing, which lets them see more of my
abilities, which gives them time to decide whether they can take me on
for either a 6-month or 12-month exclusive contract. After several
emails and one phone call, I finally learned that my interview with Linda
K was with the Director of Internal Operations at DJSullivan Healthcare!!
She had emailed me rather informally, so I didn't have her usual
"business signature" at the end of her emails, and didn't know how far up
to totem pole she was when we had our interview. Not that it
would have made a whole lot of difference, because I talk very frankly
with folks so that I don't have to make excuses for how I normally talk
with them after they decide they want to hire me. I've learned a little
diplomacy in my years as an interim manager, but not so much that I'm not
me anymore either. Yes, it may be off putting to the high-brow folks, or
the ones who like all that P-R craziness, but then I wouldn't be able to
pull off acting like those folks anyway for very long, so why not just
let them see enough of the real me to judge me on my merits, not my
ability to speak PR language.
Anyway, before you all get the wrong impression, this is one of those
really short (hit-n-git as they say in the South) projects with several
consultants hitting the same hospital at the same time to really do a
huge overall assessment. We'll fly in (usually on Monday) this coming
Tuesday, work Wednesday and Thursday, then fly home on Friday. It
appears that I'm assigned to be mostly on my own, doing 13 separate
assessments in the OR, over two days, and then have to write my report
about what I learned. Please be praying that I'll be able to do the job
well that they need done, make a very good impression, and fit in with
the other team members with whom I'll be working. I don't think I'll see
the boss (LindaK), but she'll be getting reports from the team members
about me, so it's really important that I do well.
As I said, from the emails that LindaK sent me, this thing next week
may lead to a 2-3 month contract to help them wrap up some lagging
projects and tie up loose ends on them for some special clients. That
allows me to show my flexibility/adaptability to the boss, and learn
their ropes enough to let them decide if they can put me to use for much
longer and more consistently. This is a great opportunity and I trust
that it will go well next week. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers
and thoughts all next week, but specially Wed and Thurs.

Love,
Debbie