Working Life…

Working life certainly takes some getting used to!

The earliest I’ll finish work is 5.30- and only because I have just started the job.  This is followed by an hour and a quarter squashed commute back on the underground.  Then, after I have done a few sits up and had a shower, gobbled down some delicious pasta topped with ketchup in 5 minutes flat and gone to synagogue for evening prayers, it is already 8 in the evening! 

I then, depressingly, only have two hours to myself to do something.  One thing.  I have the choice of watching Star Trek or doing some reading or see a friend for an hour or playing an instrument or writing something interesting or do some learning.  But only if I’m decisive.  If I just mill around for a bit- say, half an hour- I find its already getting too late to do anything.  The instrument will disturb the neighbours, it will be pointless seeing the friend for such a short time, I’ll be too tired to learn and I’ll miss the beginning of Star Trek. 

Of course, if I am sociable and go straight out for a few pints after work with my colleagues, then it is literally back to bed slightly woozy without even doing any exercise, going to synagogue or having a shower.

Today I wrote this. Better luck tomorrow.

Delivering Value

“Adding Value” is one of those potentially vacuous pieces of business talk that one has to grow accustomed to.  We need to focus- so the jargon goes- on the “Value Zone” and deliver our resources there.  My development goals will be around how I can “deliver value” for the company.  The steps from procurement through to sales is a “physical value chain” which can be modelled by a “virtual value chain”

Of course, there is nothing wrong with the idea, as such.  It’s just about the competitive edge that comes from adding something that will deliver great benefits for little costs.  It is the extra feature that makes something greater than the sum of its parts.  Basically, add a lick of paint to the walls of your house and you’ll get a much better price for it!

However, when I see a Royal Mail van with “Delivering Value” emblazoned on its side, I tend to think that it would be much better if they could just “Value Delivery” instead!