Gone!

I'd received a one line instruction to attend a meeting to discuss how my probationary period was progressing. I was pleased that at last, with two months to go to the end of the probation, my bosses were finally finding time to TALK with me about what they want me to do.

It had become increasingly clear -at least to me, that the Job I was being asked to do was not the same as what had been advertised in the Job Description. A couple of years earlier, I am sure I would have stamped my feet and banged on tables, but a mid-recession realisation that having a job in the sector for which I was trained and where I have experience is not to be discarded lightly, so I resolved to adapt. Adapting had been proving more difficult than I had anticipated, as I soon found duties like flushing beer lines and stocking coolers before bar sessions added to my workload. But that wasn't the worst of it: my masters never involved me in their discussions but would make decisions and issue me with instructions often without context which led to a couple of entirely avoidable misunderstandings.

When I arrived at the meeting, I was told:

"There are four possible outcomes from this meeting: 1. We will confirm your work and contract. 2. We will extend your probation period by three months. 3. We will terminate your contract with a week's notice. 4. You will resign giving us a week's notice.

I was not expecting that! But I was more curious than anything so offered no objection.

I came prepared and cited difficulties, communication breakdowns what HAD been achieved and how I hoped they could be improved by greater dialogue.

They listened politely and started by praising what they called "Your arts development work", by which they meant all the engagement with local and county-wide groups and organisations to involve the theatre in their programmes etc. They complained that I sent them too many emails despite insisting that I passed every decision by them and not being available to discuss it. Then they told me that my "Venue Management" work was unacceptable, I was not in the theatre enough when it was open etc I needed a better handle on the technician and the cleaner and the suppliers and the visiting companies. I knew this had been coming as at a previous Board meeting it was commented that I seemed to be doing the things I enjoyed, but that the main reason for the job was so that they (the Board) would not have to work at week ends (!!!!!!). I was deeply shocked but said nothing. Of course, I reviewed the job description and the presentation I was asked to prepare for interview [how to raise £600,000 and develop the business plan], Venue Management was a small part of the job advertised. The word used was "Some".

Of course, that is not how it was viewed by my masters who after all, didn't want to be working weekends. My interpretation, was implacably rejected and as they were about to pronounce their obviously pre-agreed decision I asked them to consider the scale of my job and the number of hours per week in which they expected it to be done if I was also expected to deliver most Duty Manager shifts- responsible for opening and the building to the public and being the go-to geezer all the time in between. They asked for a recess to discuss it. 20 minutes later I was called in and told they would consult with the rest of the Board before letting me know.

I had the week end to decide I had had enough, but I was amused  and curious to hear what conditions they were going to hang on 'giving me another three months' which I was certain would be the offer... If I had been bothered I would have asked for clarification as to whether they meant three months from the end of the actual probation period or from that date, but it was irrelevant in the end. The options they offered were now reduced to two:1.  I was to stop "all that arts stuff" and to be the Default Duty Manager whenever the building was open to the public and to have regular "supervision sessions" with the Chief Master boss OR,2. they would let me go.

"Great" I said, I'm off! I was truly relieved and keen to go before I told them what I'd been thinking about. These people had been being successful doing what they were doing for a long time. They didn't really want "Development" or, if they did I don't think they understood it in the same way as the partners who came up with the cash. But I expect that will come out eventually.

I won't go into all that was said as they have been a lot more decent in the end than they might have been- no claw-back of a couple of week's salary and they won't give an adverse reference if asked and an assurance that my reputation will not be damaged by them. -Even after I told the big boss that everyone calls him a bully behind his back!

I had been wondering more and more why they had employed someone like me in the first place. I had never given them the impression that I as anything other than a big thinking, development-orientated, hands-on strategic arts development planner and manager. Yes I have managed several buildings successfully. Bigger than this. I had always been able to make decisions, to talk with people, to do it myself, to work to targets and consistently overachieve. Why did they employ ME when they really wanted a super caretaker? Why ask me to present at interview about business development and then not involve me in discussions about the business? 

I really think it could have been great.

The atmosphere was generally pretty difficult because people were unused and unwilling to talk directly to each other but told tales behind each other backs circulating around different Directors. There was a strong feeling of factions backed up by different volunteers who took time to share their opinions and anecdotes no matter how non-committal or down-right evasive I was. The really worst part of it was the part time technician: I had stepped in, early in my time there to protect the part time technician from what I saw as unreasonable actions of the board. It made me slightly unpopular with the bosses, but I saw it as an important part of my job. I have continued to attempt to bolster this guy in their eyes but found out a this discussion that he had been actively undermining me throughout! Wow! Hearing that made me realise it was a much more unhealthy environment than I had thought.

Thank goodness for my mother's bequest or I might have been forced to stay on there,  accepting any and instruction with less and less interest in Development, becoming less and less like anything I recognise as my real self... And I'd bet that they'd still expect business plans and sponsorship deals oh- and £600,000 in three years pulled out of my hat!