Date Monday 27 February Time 4.55pm
My thoughts and reflections:
We received another of those merger emails from Alistair Fridman, CEO of Carsons, this morning.
He said that the senior leadership at Carsons have now had their initial meetings and outlined their plans for workforce direction with the LL Group, and that the same is currently happening over at Montague Place.
He said we could look forward to welcoming the LL Group at the Carsons’ offices from next Monday for up to three weeks.
Although they will be dividing their time between here and Montague Place, we should be prepared for them to be on-site at any time, and prioritise making ourselves available when we are called upon.
Nervous Jane wasn’t in today so I didn’t have to listen to her ostentatious crying again but Cara left her desk quite abruptly a few minutes after the email came through and when she returned, she looked a bit red-eyed.
Everyone noticed. Yaz whispered to me that apparently Cara and Harry Piles had an argument last week where Cara had lost her cool and said, ‘No, Harry, Editorial wouldn’t do it that way in any publishing company, which is why we need to do it this way.
’ And then Harry had said that she might want to fact-check that, because he was confident Montague Place would be keen to do it his way.
So Cara did some ‘fact-checking’ and discovered that her counterpart at Montague Place, James Harrison, was at school with Harry Piles.
Yaz reckons Cara must be terrified about getting fired now.
I know it’s not my problem and I should be worrying about my own role, but I feel for Cara.
Thing is though, Cara’s my line manager so I don’t really feel I can just go up to her and try and reassure her about her job.
It would be easier if it happened organically, like over a glass of wine.
I was going to keep tonight free in case Guy Carmichael invites me over, but I haven’t heard from him since I messaged on Friday asking if we could talk, and I know he’s seen me because he’s in his office.
I should never have used the word ‘talk’.
Cara’s not the only one worrying that her job is in danger…
Keep thinking about Charlotte and hoping there are no important editorial issues arising in Scotland that Guy decides I’m perfect for.
Anyway, I might suggest Monday Margaritas to Drunk Stephen and see if Cara wants to come along.
Might even invite Yaz too. I need to make the most of still having friends, because at some point, I’m going to have to tell them I know the CEO of the LL Group.
I ask the Universe:
To make sure I don’t have to see Matthew Lloyd.
To help Cara keep her job.
To get Guy Carmichael to message me back.