Wow.
When I was told that I’d have my work split out for me with this regional office, they weren’t kidding.
But the pick to lead a regional office was easily too exciting for me to say anything but yes. I had been working inside the zone controlled heating, ventilation, and A/C of the corporate headquarters for a few years at that point. While I was simply blissful to have made it to corporate, I was also ready for a drastic leadership role. Well, I got one and it’s a handful. But thanks to a good local heating, ventilation, and A/C corporation, I have at least solved the commercial heating, ventilation, and A/C concerns that have plagued this building for far too long. Basically, I walked into a powder keg when it came to morale. Not only was morale low, there was a drastic hostility vibe as well. I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a work environment that was that negative. But each journey begins with a single step. So I spent my particularly first week doing nothing else particularly but listening and gathering information and perspectives. It was clear that this bunch of acquaintances felt completely adrift and alone in the corporation. I tried to explain that this wasn’t their fault but the fault of a series of ineffective management. And I was here to change that. Another first on that list of priorities was simple comfort in the workplace. There was literally one control unit for a one story building holding more than a hundred acquaintances. The second week I was actually here, I sent all the people home for a four morning weekend while the commercial heating, ventilation, and A/C was updated; then everyone returned to zone controlled heating, ventilation, and A/C with several separate control units and independent residential heating and cooling zones.