Vindicated!

They're finally starting to get uneasy about the idea of replacing me. Because my boss is also retiring, the plan is to spread my duties among several people part-time for a few months; then the new hire to replace my boss can fill my position with a person of his/her choosing.

Now, I should admit that I think very highly of my boss, L, but think that his boss, K, has been promoted above the level of her own incompetance. She's always subtly disrespected me, I believe she thinks I've been dogging it. I only produce a one-page letter every day or two for the Director's signature, how hard can that be? She doesn't really understand the background work that goes into those one-pagers. Sure, I just review documents - the hard part is that you're not looking for what's there, you're looking for what isn't there. So, today she asked L for a copy of my position description. Normally L would have hired my replacement, but since he'll be leaving, it falls to K. He forwarded it, the text they used to recruit me and justify my salary. It is full of lovely phrases like "As a senior environmental scientist, the incumbent must provide a high degree of technical skill ... and demonstrated expert competency ... in order to evaluate, review and prepare ... technical comments on ... environmental documents ... The incumbent must also have and must maintain a broad and current knowledge of environmental laws and regulations, including those established by Executive Order, the Council on Environmental Quality and the Department and shall provide environmental policy recommendations in consultation with the Chief, EAP. He/she must work routinely with a large number of specialists and professionals ... to assure compliance with environmental laws and meet with members of the Department and other Federal agencies so as to assist in the development of appropriate policies ..." L cc'ed me on the email traffic where K said, oh, my, we can't ask a part-timer to do all that, can you boil it down to a page that I can forward and ask around for likely candidates? [I had already recommended two names who understood the job and could do it] L, wonderful, honest, Mr. Integrity Himself, L, replied, well, no, K. I think this description of the job will do. If anyone has any questions they can call me." You don't have to read very far between the lines to realize that L has said, hey, look, we're asking for some fairly high-level stuff here! Doh! You need someone with some background! You can't just give it to whoever looks bored today and expect a good outcome! I don't think K ever understood that this job wasn't just a sinecure that any warm body could fill - now she's scrambling!

I'm reminded of the Piet Hein grook: "To many people artists seem undisciplined and lawless/Such laziness with such great gifts seems little short of crime/One question's how they make the things they make so flawless/The other's what they're doing with their energy and time."

And I feel smug!