parkylondon's Xanga SiteBecause life's too short
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Name: Paul
Country: United Kingdom
Birthday: 3/15/1962
Gender: Male


Interests: My children. Home Cinema. Wine. Driving. Not in that order.
Expertise: Sales Marketing Operations
Occupation: Executive
Industry: Business


Message: message me


Member Since: 2/19/2003

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Monday, March 24, 2003

Well here we are again. This HAS been a most interesting couple of weeks. The weather been marvellous. One house has fallen through (26aGVR)another the vendor started to play silly buggers (127BOL) and we've found one which looks like a reject from the 50's! It's simply perfect - untouched and ready for the architects to make our plans a reality. Too early to get too excited but...

Job wise, I started with Neil C at NSL last week - seems like this could be a lot of fun. Hard work but fun!

Time for bed said Zebedee! BOIIIIINGGGGG!!!


Monday, March 10, 2003

As I approach my 41st birthday I suppose its time I reflected on who and what I am. The truth of the matter is I am

  • married and deeply in love with my "better half!
  • blessed with two healthy and handsome boys (10 and 8) 
  • healthy (except the asthma - but under control)
  • happy
  • housed and looking to move to a bigger house
  • wealthy by most standards
  • unemployed - but working on it (see below)
  • owning my own business - but not being paid for it
  • overweight but tall (if 6 foot3 is tall?)
  • passionate about many things (family, hifi, cinema, wine
  • sociable and fun loving
  • a generator of enthusiasm
  • creative in solutions, always see possibilities
  • has a need of freedom from boredom and as such dislikes routine work

Enough crud!

Where do we go from here?

 

My search for a new paying job continues. An old work colleague is very keen on working with me again. Downside is he can't afford to pay me much - but can give equity... Interesting blend for someone who has been prepared to take a risk (www.orbian.com)!

 

Gotta go. Kids here...


Friday, February 21, 2003

So my search for a new full time job goes on. I've called lots of the head hunter types in the City of London but it seems clear that that the City is not recruiting for ANYTHING. Time to widen the net.

One ray of sunshine are the sterling efforts of Barrie Evans. He's helping me to rewrite my CV - and its looking a lot better.

The tricky thing is deciding what to do. I am now forty going on forty-one. I run a risk (allbeit small) of being unemployable because of my age. The City is a young mans world. Not a forty-something decent-enough sales guy. I'll carry this on later.


Wednesday, February 19, 2003

Hi there. Its kind of weird typing this stuff into the internet and having it published as a Blog. I don't know whether I should just give it everything - real stream of conciousness thing - after all I'm the only going to read it, right? Or should I be really reserved because something like two billion people could read it! Weird feeling.

The following is an extract from an email I sent to the wife of one of my best friends. Simon died nearly ten years ago of leukeamia (sp.?) but it kind of sums up how things are here at the moment.

The heat has been on here and you're not the only ones not to have heard from us... Janet even missed her friends 40th party last weekend as we were so bogged down with life that we knew it was coming up but completely forgot / missed it due to everything..
 
1.  Trying to move house and constantly tidying up for people / decorating 2 rooms and the front of the house - now have a buyer but have spent last 2 weekends in loft sorting out 10 years of junk and last weekend up at 5.00 to go to boot fair to sell it all.... but the move is still ongoing so fingers crossed!
 
2.  Janet is working full time more or less (problems re: will she have a job next week or not? Ongoing since last February really....) so the pressure's on! 
 
3.  My old job finished about a year ago and I've been trying to get my own business off the ground. It's been a long hard slog so far and while I've been "strategising and planning" Janet's been under the cosh to pay the bills. I understand the pressure she's under and I will always love her for it! We've got a decent sized organisation based in Brussels, Belgium interested in taking a stake so life could be picking up soon. But fingers, ears and eyes crossed hoping! The business revolves around "supply chain finance" - its based on what I did before and I'm working with my ex-CFO and ex-EVP Sales&Marketing to get it off the ground.
 
I've had a couple of short term contracts running and one of them finished last week. I had hoped it would go full time but as they've just laid 50 people off in their Dublin, Ireland Head Office that became VERY unlikely. I am out there looking for more work but its tough at the moment.
 
Still, the kids are healthy and the better half still loves me so - hey - its not so bad.
 
I just did a personality test today and the results make interesting reading. Here it is.
 

Paul in detail

Paul is curious for new ideas and insights. Socially adept, even-tempered and tireless in his efforts to bring about peace and well being, he tends to hold the perfect relationship as the ideal. He tends to be light-hearted and sunny, and because he constantly seeks to avoid painful experiences, he tends to steer away from personal anxieties.

He is an imaginative and creative visionary who is a source of inspiration to most. Quick to see the possibilities of new ideas and projects, Paul is outstanding at initiating these and persuading people to support him. He flourishes in jobs where he can be of constant service or use his talent to persuade.

He tends to enjoy the company of like-minded people and may be somewhat less interested in his opposite types, perceiving them as drab, rather predictable and conventional. He is comfortable letting others manage the more technical aspects of a project so he can devote his full energies to creating a co-operative, comfortable environment.

Paul is energetic, enthusiastic, responsible, conscientious and persuasive. He prefers to be seen as rather sociable and may relish the occasional spotlight.

Paul is an ideas person and can work on several at the same time due to his high energy levels. He is a warm individual who prefers to avoid confrontation and painful situations, preferring to hold onto his optimistic view of others potential. Paul can be let down by others because he overestimates their ability and often they cannot live up to his expectations.

Paul will have lots of friends and often more than one romance on the go at the same time. He gets on well with most people, although tends to be a little intolerant of his opposite type whom he views as nit picking and too serious for his tastes.

Within a team Paul will be the ideas person. He is an original thinker and a good judge of people. He is a conscientious worker and encouraging to others. He likes to be the centre of attraction and if an idea no longer holds the interests of those whose approval he seeks he can be guilty of dropping it and moving on to the next thing. Paul would benefit from an occasional night home alone to relax and re-charge his batteries.

Paul's personal strengths

The strengths that you would bring to an organisation are outlined below.

·        As an adaptive individual with versatile people skills you are often willing to go with the flow, especially where people are concerned.

·        You are an interactive and sometimes hyperactive individual. Your inspirational approach to life means that there is never a dull moment around you.

·        Your High energy and love of the new inspires you to readily initiate activities, as you are willing to try anything at least once.

·        You are imaginative, dynamic and highly resourceful around people which means you can usually gain their commitment and support for your activities.

·        An eternal optimist and positive thinker you always view the glass as half full.

·        You perceptive and innovative stance helps when encouraging others to see and participate in the bigger picture.

Paul's personal weaknesses

Jung said, "Wisdom accepts that all things have two sides". It has also been said that a weakness is simply an overused strength.  Jung's reference to wisdom having two sides is also true of people. You have many strengths, however, you also have some potential weaknesses and it is helpful to be aware of these.

·        You have been known to answer the question before it has been asked. Your strong opinions could close you to others ideas or views on a subject.

·        You prefer flexibility, which means that this sometimes prevents you from commitment to any one action.

·        Although you are well liked, you have a tendency to be vocally judgmental, critical and can be rather patronising or somewhat superior.

·        Your outwardly directed energy can be overpowering to some. You must remember that others are not necessarily as energetic, and could do with more frequent breaks.

·        Working or being alone for long periods is not something that you enjoy. This need for company means you could be easily distracted from tasks requiring contemplation.

·        Your keenness for innovation may lead to you being influenced by recent events or conversations and you are inclined to exaggerate the significance of some events.

·        You will benefit from being more questioning of other's motives and ideas, and by taking more time to see to your own needs.

Paul's ideal work environment

People are generally most effective when provided with an environment, which suits their preferences and style.

You should consider the following description of your ideal environment and seek to achieve this to gain fulfilment in your job role.

·        The culture promotes a democratic management style and an environment where you can set the pace.

·        You thrive on recognition and have a need for the trappings of success. Any certificates of achievement, or quality awards need to be displayed where you and others can see them. As far as you are concerned this all helps create a motivational climate.

·        That there are like-minded colleagues to provide invention, enthusiasm and fun is a must, as is ample opportunity for social contact with colleagues.

·        Rules on time keeping and dress code are generally more relaxed and the emphasis is on informality and tapping in to inner creativity.

·        You need information to be openly and freely available and exchanged. You thrive in team meetings where you can display your natural gift for getting the best out of people.

You welcome social activities with colleagues outside of work and at work, modern "executive toys" to satisfy your playful and tactile interests.
 
The really weird thing is that this is - basically - 100000% spot on! Nighty night!


Well here we are. My first Blog Entry. Mmmm. We'll see about this.