Dan 8: Isolated

[Note from The Cube: Look back to December 4th for the prelude to this.]

The department's new Vice President has arrived. It's mainly a ceremonial arrival, since Christmas/New Year's holidays are almost upon us and he's just showing his face before he settles-in come the new year.

In the past two weeks, Dan the Hyper-Active Boss Man has made the department spic and span. We have finished every project due this year - plus a couple of add-ons, unanticipated, from the new Prez and/or thought up by Dan to "fill in the cracks" where he saw that things needed to be done. That's Dan: looking beyond his immediate tasks to the future of the company as a whole.

All in all, the kind of track record that would look good at bonus time in a just world.

The new Veep has taken his introductory tour - alone: "I'd like an uninterpreted first impression" was his comment to Sam, according to the Org chart the designated 2nd in command. Fair enough.

Next day, the new VP met with the department managers - alone - "uninterpreted, you understand." OK.

The 3rd day we cubes had a group meeting with the department's new Vice Prez - alone - "direct face-to-face, capiche." Capiched.

We finished his first week with everyone getting to know the new top dog, Jed Cumber. Everyone except Dan. "We already met at the interview. You've got a lot to do to wrap up the year. We don't need to talk."

I think Jed's got Dan penciled-in to his schedule for the 2nd week in January. It's a tentative schedule, though. I know there's a manager's meeting with the VP for the first day back form holidays. Dan's not on the invite list - he's a Director, not a manager:

"I need you to set up the new year's project schedule."

"But don't you want to talk about it?"

"I'll make the changes I feel necessary."