How I Contributed to an Annual Report of a Listed Company
Behind the Corporate Curtain: Learning to Sift Through Incompetence and Make Meaningful Contributions
Hey there, folks. Welcome back to another edition of Walter’s Diary. Buckle up, because today was a whirlwind of corporate chaos, sprinkled with a bit of success and a dash of soul-searching.
Now, things got real interesting today. My IT project finally got the green light, and let me tell you, nothing says action like a room full of execs nodding at your slide deck. I even got the honor of holding the pen on strategy day next month, which means I’ll be interviewing the top dogs, sifting through their golden nuggets (and tossing the crap), and sprinkling in a bit of my own wisdom.
Today, though, the real kicker was getting asked to contribute to the annual report. Yup, you heard right. Little ol’ me, writing a piece for the big boys. The Head of Corporate Communication threw me a curveball, asking for a paragraph on the disaster project we’re knee-deep in. I, the good consultant, had to of course they “yes” no worries I got it.
First off, I got my hands on the board papers with the latest status report. Pro tip: never use their numbers without verification. Then I pinged the project manager, a hot blonde who, thankfully, knows her stuff. We set up a call, and I straight-up asked her to spill the beans on each point. Trust but verify, right? In this business, you learn to dig for the truth. Seen too much smoke and mirrors to take anything at face value.
Once I had the real scoop, whipping up the write-up was a breeze. Thirty minutes later, I had a draft. Sent it off, and lo and behold, minimal changes. First part of my writing now sits in an annual report of a listed company. Not too shabby for a day’s work.
Until now, I was always the one reading those dry-as-dust reports, never thought I’d be on the creation side. It’s a different beast entirely, but it felt good. A small victory in a sea of corporate insanity.
So long, keep reading these annual report.
Walter
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Current Books in Parallel Reading:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Pyramid of Success by Coach Wooden
Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Habits I’m Working On:
• Fitness & Health: More sports, healthy eating, no junk food, lots of veggies, and less sugar. Aim: Sports 4 times a week (weights and running).
Mindset: I’m a runner and I’m healthy.
Status: slept in
• Dental Health: Flossing daily to avoid crowns and root canals.
Mindset: I have healthy teeth and I don’t hear the drill sound anymore
Status: yep I’m flossing
• Writing: Practice, practice, practice—daily diary entries, no excuses.
Mindset: had drinks with the crew (and the hot blonde was there as well) so hard to get this article written up but hey I did it
• Weight: 112 kg (still still no scale)
Mindset: back at the hotel no scale
Consecutive Days Posting on Walter’s Diary:
Twenty-Nine (29)