Tuesday, September 03, 2002

Administration
I am an exellent administrator. Yes, really. The problem is, when I administrate, it takes up all of my attention. If I try to read a book or write a coherent paragraph, thoughts of what I should do to fix this, to improve that, to rationalize something else or to provide that leaps into my mind and pushes everything else away. I like running about to fix stuff, it gives me a little rush of adrenalin, and I adore the short-term projects where I get quick feedback and lots of happy students or colleagues.

Administration, if you know how to do it, and you like it, has a lot of rewards that research lacks. It brings you in touch with other people, it challenges you through a constant stream of smaller or larger problems, most of which are possible to solve with ingenuity, money and time, and solving a problem brings instant gratification. When you do it well, you get easier days, happier people around you and a better work-situation for all. I love it. On the other hand: bad administration is a lot more instantly frustrating than bad research.

Which reminds me, I have to administrate myself into finishing a piece of research. I'll just copy these forms, so the students can get the information they asked for in time, and then I'll make a few reservations for guest lecturers and think a little on who I'd like to replace a colleague who is on research leave because we don't want a too small staff for the supervision rush in October/November...

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