User talk:Andrewa/A personal plea

Why this page

Recently, whenever I have objected to personal attacks made upon myself, the response has been grow up, you're a big boy.

I was more than ten years an EDP auditor, a CISA in fact. I used to turn up at a 24-person department and none of them meant me any harm, but let's face it, 23 of them knew that if a bus had run me down outside the building it would have improved their day. The 24th didn't know I was coming.

And it was my job to get beside these people and get them to tell me what the problems were with their computer security, management controls etc.. And I enjoyed the challenge. And I only ever had one exit interview in which the client actually spat in my face.

Standard dialogue: "Do you have written procedures for this?" "Yes of course." "Do the staff follow them on a regular basis?" "Yes, of course... is this really necessary?" "Can I see them please?" Pause. "Why would you want to do that?" And it's my job to then turn that around so that the outcome is of benefit to the organisation!

In ten years I was only ever twice threatened with dismissal if I did not sign off (that is, approve in writing) a document that did not exist. One of those times resulted in the face-spitting episode. I didn't get fired either time, but neither did the spitter.

So the very suggestion that I have a thin skin is sufficiently ludicrous that, in any intelligent discussion, those making it would simply be dismissed as ignorant idiots (at best, and perhaps by relying on AGF). Or that's the way I see it, sorry!

So what is going on? See other essays on that. I'm still working it out myself.

But I'm more interested in what can be done about it. This is a start. Andrewa (talk) 17:44, 3 January 2018 (UTC)