A good day to be writing a newsletter as the office move is taking place literally!
It is also a good time to reflect on the last couple of years and the time we have spent at Vienna House.
A small chapter in the grand scheme but nonetheless an important one. It is no different to life outside of work in that we can look over our shoulders with fond memories or the contrary. I prefer the former as it is a chapter and it will be read again so selecting the good bits is good for the mind. Of course, there were things that were not quite right with red leather chairs that constantly threatened to tip you over backwards and who will ever forget ‘Traffic Cone Tony’?
Back to red leather chairs and what a great metaphor for life as we try to please everyone! Phil Fellows thought he could have lasting damage from the chairs whereas Laura asked if she could take her chair to the new office! Who is right there and we know of course they both are. Gavin was last seen trying to get on the train with his red chair to sit alongside his whiteboard in his lounge.
The journey has been good because the journey is good. We are all on it, we all contribute to it and we are equally as important as each other. I look at the team two years ago and I look at the team today and I feel like real progress has been made. We are all about people and without people, you and I, the business really isn’t much at all. I am confident that every person arrives at work intending to do the best they can, to contribute, to make sure they help the person sat next to them and to go home satisfied that they have done just that. Now we all know that real life gets in the way and certain people are happier by nature, certain people respond to adversity and change better than others, certain people are good with detail, others are not as good and on I could go. The point I am highlighting here is that with the miscellany of people we have, it now feels as though we are all rowing together. That is some achievement and we should be pleased to be part of a team with real purpose. Of course, if we make a cock-up, receive some poor feedback or simply make an error of judgment, accept it, learn from it and move on with good grace.
On the topic of people I read about good businesses fostering good working conditions and how the people can promote this without having to rely exclusively on the ‘business’. ‘When are the good working conditions going to be delivered’ would be a non-starter of a question but transfer that into attitude and it might not be so stupid. The relationship with the business is most definitely a two way street and we all have to give to receive. If I am ‘work to rule’ then I should expect the business to give me ‘work to rule’ answers if I request anything outside of my usual working pattern. That makes complete sense. If I am flexible and from time to time put the business first then I am absolutely entitled to expect the business to treat me the same in return. That also makes complete sense. Without the need to spell it out, you can see what I am suggesting here. If our culture continued to improve even further than it has done so far, I am confident that most requests would continue to be accommodated without too much concern. If we all sign up to give a bit, expect a bit, we can only improve our culture further.
I think it was Jesse Jackson that said, ‘if we expect to take a lot, we’d better get ready to give a little’.
Pretty good advice for life really...
The sales team has sprung into life in January with our brilliant new starters joining the team. Already I can see their paths mapping out and the possibilities will unfold if we keep on track. Nick, Shannon and Ahmed bring so many varied qualities and watching the chemistry forming gives us all energy. Sporting competitiveness, focus, thoughtful, family values, drive, ambition, feisty, and a good bit of attitude. Work out who has these qualities and does anyone have them all?!! A great team forming joining Laura and Gavin who have kicked into January really well.
And hot off the press within the last hour – a new starter has just accepted an offer to join!
More news to follow so I don’t jinx it!
January has been and gone and I am happy with the business model we have for 2020 and the results of the first month are decent.
February is looking very positive with larger deals looking set to close – Adrian and Chris working the new model and delivering quality and often highly detailed support.
The sales and pre-sales team is alive and kicking and watch this space as good results land.
By the time you read this the new office will be well under way and hopefully a creative space for us all.
Massive thanks to Nick and Andrew who masterminded the logistics and everything else to make the move happen with little or no fuss. With Jane’s assistance it has been a slick project.
I heard this early one morning recently travelling to work and I liked it as it resonated with me but that was it.
I thought about it some more over the following days and played it again and then again.
It is Robert J. Waldinger from Harvard delivering a TED talk on what makes us happy based on a 75 year study. The biggest and most continuous study ever carried out.
Make of it what you will but I think it is spellbinding:
Thank you for reading and happy 2020!
Julian
In 2008 we had been involved in delivering Windchill consultancy and training on a large PTC project for General Dynamics. During this time, I had got to know some of the GD staff quite well including Paul Meredith, who was to be the main contact at the Tewkesbury site.
It was now 2009 and unbeknown to us, Paul had tried to install Windchill on a separate server to take to a remote site to manage Creo and Document data for a project. After a couple of attempts Paul called us to see if we could help to install and configure a system for them - the only catch was that due to his failure to complete before the project started we had to go on site to deliver in Tripoli, Libya.
The deal was done and I had to get my passport updated to the new biometric type along with a Libyan visa, so quick trips to Northampton (passport) and London (visa) were done so that flights could be booked. I flew out to Tripoli from Gatwick on July 4th and getting on the flight was the only British national on a Libyan airline (777 as it was known then) plane. Within a couple of minutes of the seatbelt light going off I had a guy come up to me saying 'we love the English' and asked if he could sit next to me for the flight to practice his English. I agreed and responded 'can you teach me some Libyan phrases? '. We had a chuckle, but after 2 hours of the 4 hour flight he had had enough and returned to his seat, thanking me for talking to him.
As I stepped off the plane in Tripoli it was like walking into an oven. It was around this time that countries were on alert to Bird Flu and as I walked towards their border control, saw that they had a body machine for sensing body temperature (a symptom that was known of at the time). With the heat and humidity, I had started to perspire and the two armed guards at the machine eyed me up before letting me on my way. First close shave successfully passed! After collecting my baggage, I was met by the project lead over there (Ian Collins) - most certainly an ex REME officer, who drove me to the place where I would live for the next 2 weeks.
No fancy hotel on this trip, this was a 3-storey building a couple of miles from the centre of Tripoli with 8 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen. The entrance was extra secure. I was introduced to the engineers I would be dealing with and all of them except for Paul Meredith were ex army. Lunch would be provided whilst on site but other meals were 'sort yourself out'. At this point I had no idea where I would be going to deliver the install and configuration of Windchill and the 6 Creo client machines. I think they were holding out on me.
Working week over there is Sunday to Thursday, so the next day after breakfast we all got into a minibus and headed off. It was on this journey that Paul announced that we were off to the Libyan Army base. GD had been contracted to fit their communications equipment to the Libyan Army vehicles, of which most of them consisted of ex British and Russian tanks, armoured cars etc. As there were no details of the vehicles, the guys would be climbing inside them and taking measurements to enable them to design the brackets and housings for their equipment.
July in Libya is warm to say the least. We arrived at the base at 9am and the temperature was already in the mid 40's °C. We were shown to the offices where we would be working which fortunately were air conditioned.
It was at this point that Ian introduced me to 'The Doctor', the right-hand man of Gaddafi's son (who was in charge of this base). 'The Doctor' said that if I had any problems whilst over there, that I should contact him and gave me his mobile number!
After having a quick tour of the site and where everything was, I got down to the task of installing the base Windchill system. The remit of this fortnight was to get the system up and running to the required configuration, install and configure Wildfire (aka Creo), train Paul Meredith on looking after the system, give the engineers guidance on using Wildfire with Windchill and document the setup for handover.
The days went fairly quick with Paul looking over my shoulder, trying to glean as much information as possible from me.
Evenings were mostly uneventful as there wasn't much to do and were advised not to go out after dark. The house had a rooftop garden, so was able to go up there after our meal before sunset.
On the first weekend I was there (Friday and Saturday) I was sent out in the morning to get our bread for the day. There was a state subsidised bakery every few streets so that people didn't go hungry. I went in to get a bag full of buns and baguettes and when offering the baker a 10 dinar note, he waved me away saying he didn't have enough change to give me. From what I understand, the whole bag was 1/4 dinar (approx. 10p) and was given it free. On the Saturday the guys gave me a walking tour of Tripoli (they had been earlier in the year when putting their bid together) . Like most places there were places that were run down, but there were streets with top fashion shops with a lot of younger ladies in western clothes. A visit to the main supermarket in Tripoli was an eye opener - imagine the biggest Tesco you have been in but 6 storeys high!
There was one floor which was mostly occupied with fresh and tins of Tuna. Apparently, this shop was run by Gaddafi's daughter.
The second week was mostly taken up with delivering training and workshops with the engineers and taking their IT guy through what maintenance he should be doing.
The temperature was hotting up and getting up to 52°C in the middle of the day. A couple of the morning breaks consisted of going outside where the soldiers on guard duty cut the biggest watermelons I have ever seen with their swords and all given a piece to eat. They were the juiciest and tastiest watermelons I have ever eaten.
On the Wednesday before I was to leave (my plane was booked for Saturday), Paul Meredith asked if I was interested in Roman history as they were going to take a drive to Leptis Magna on the Saturday. I explained that my flight had been booked through Opodo and was a fixed price flight with no flexibility. We tried calling Opodo to change the flight, but they wouldn’t bend. Over lunch 'The Doctor' came in to see us to ask if everyone was OK. Paul told him that they were arranging a trip to Leptis Magna on the Saturday, but my flight couldn't be changed. Immediately, 'The Doctor' said that I couldn't miss this opportunity, asked for my ticket and passport and said, "leave to me".
We didn't hear any more till the following afternoon when 'The Doctor' walked in with my passport and ticket aloft in his hand announcing, "You go Leptis Magna, you fly Sunday". "If I can't sort, no-one can", he announced as he handed the documents to me. "Any problems at the airport, you call me!" was his leaving shot as he patted me on the shoulder. I gratefully thanked him.
That afternoon as we left the office, Gaddafi 's son walked across the parade ground and waved across to us. I always wonder if 'The Doctor' must have been sorting my flight out with him.
As there wasn't much to do of the weekend (Friday and Saturday) most of the army guys had sussed that a cheap flight over to Malta on Thursday night allowed them to legally let their hair down. I was left in the house with Paul and the IT guy. On the Friday I asked Paul if I would be OK walking round Tripoli on my own as I felt that I couldn't go home without doing some sightseeing. He said that I should be fine.
With a map I headed off towards the centre. I toured around the market, the more westernised high streets and around the palace before heading back to the house. About half a mile from the house, as I passed a doorway, a guy jumped out and said "British or American?" to which I responded "British" - he smiled and waved his hand. God knows what would have happened if I was American! I quickened my pace and soon got back to the house - close shave number 2.
The 3 of us jumped into the minibus and filled up with diesel at the local garage - a full tank cost us the equivalent of £5!! It was about an hour drive to Leptis Magna. An entrance fee of 8 dinar (approx. £3) was all that was required to walk around this amazing place. This was a town about the size of Stratford-upon-Avon on the coast. Gladiators were trained here and then shipped straight across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy. We walked around the baths, gymnasium, streets, forum, basilica, market area, amphitheatre, coliseum and chariot racing track. Apparently, they were still finding remains that have been covered by sands from a couple of millennia. It will be a day that I will never forget - if these remains were in Italy they would be swarming with tourists, yet there were only 5 other people investigating this wondrous place.
I understand from reports, that locals are defending Leptis Magna to prevent Isis from pulling down some of the antiquities. It would be criminal if this was to happen.
Take a look here for more interesting information about Leptis Magna https://www.romanports.org/en/articles/ports-in-focus/176-leptis-magna-main-port-to-africa.html
Paul Meredith took me to the airport the following morning and thanked me for all the information and setup of the system. There were no questions asked as I passed through security with my 'modified' ticket. I received some interesting looks!
On return to the UK, although the Bird Flu scare was still high priority, I came through passport control etc. without any checks. Amazing that Libya were proactive on it but not the UK!
Some weeks later, we received another order to request a return to Libya for a week in December as GD wanted some changes made to the system. This week wasn't as eventful as the fortnight in July, but the whole team did go out for a meal on the Thursday night to a restaurant in the old quarter of the city. I chose to have a camel tagine which was very nice indeed. After the meal we were all invited to partake in the social smoking of a water pipe. Although a non-smoker, I felt it best to partake and took a few inhales so as not to offend our hosts.
Some time later I learnt that the guys, only a few months after my time there, had to hastily pack everything up and get out of the country as the troubles kicked off. We all know what happened to Gaddafi, but I always wonder what happened to 'The Doctor'.
I have shared some photos from this experience if you wish to take a look ……….
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ighDhgVjpVv6DJVq9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Lh9R2n4SF11t4hSh9
I worked with PTC for almost 10 years and I am experiencing the same professionalism but with better collaboration in Concurrent.
For people who do not know me, I am Moroccan, so If you have any plans to visit Marrakech, I will be your best guide for tour advice 😊
Outside of work, I am a football fan and I support Morocco and Real Madrid teams. I am looking forward to joining the team in the office in the upcoming months so we can see each other everyday 😊
I really enjoyed the week I spent in the office and trying different food in the evenings.
26th – Aida
16th - Atif
No birthdays in March
8th – John
1st - Nick
1st – Jane
5th – Adrian
15th - Andrew
