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field promotion, in a small way
Jan. 10th, 2006 04:44 pmI used to do bigger projects than nowadays... things involving multi-million annual budgets, dozens of people in various places... then in 1999 was put in charge of a new business plan, lots of politics with no actual staff or deliverables, just a budget and proposed research program. Someone in higher management tried to set me up as a fall guy, diverting my budget without telling me. Once I'd discovered the ploy, I refused to sign up for this... objected vociferously, enough that the Center had to back down or risk unwanted attention from outside.
Three months later, I was removed... sent back to put together technical projects, essentially given no assignment or duties and left to fend for myself in a sort of exile. I have largely kept a low profile ever since, popping up occasionally just to remind my friends in the front office that I'm still here. But my reputation was that I was damaged goods, on certain higher-ups blacklists. The first three times that I was reorganized here, I was passed over for research group lead, even in favor of inexperienced or short-time others. Last time, it was considered, but then married to another, smaller group. Now... the higher-ups who were embarrassed five years ago have all left, as have nearly all of my subsequent chain of command above me then.
Now... the latest group lead is resigning to take a job outside NASA... so given I'm now "rehabilitated," and given attrition, today my branch chief-equivalent came in to my office and offered me the lead, the first line role I've been offered in years. I may be coming out of exile... not that I plan to abandon my projects here, they're fun, but I may start being more visible again at higher levels in NASA.
Follow-up with my boss is Thursday at 3pm. Even if we decide to do something interim, or merge my drilling projects with someone else's group, it is nice to know that I'm no longer considered a net management liability overall...
Three months later, I was removed... sent back to put together technical projects, essentially given no assignment or duties and left to fend for myself in a sort of exile. I have largely kept a low profile ever since, popping up occasionally just to remind my friends in the front office that I'm still here. But my reputation was that I was damaged goods, on certain higher-ups blacklists. The first three times that I was reorganized here, I was passed over for research group lead, even in favor of inexperienced or short-time others. Last time, it was considered, but then married to another, smaller group. Now... the higher-ups who were embarrassed five years ago have all left, as have nearly all of my subsequent chain of command above me then.
Now... the latest group lead is resigning to take a job outside NASA... so given I'm now "rehabilitated," and given attrition, today my branch chief-equivalent came in to my office and offered me the lead, the first line role I've been offered in years. I may be coming out of exile... not that I plan to abandon my projects here, they're fun, but I may start being more visible again at higher levels in NASA.
Follow-up with my boss is Thursday at 3pm. Even if we decide to do something interim, or merge my drilling projects with someone else's group, it is nice to know that I'm no longer considered a net management liability overall...
