Category: woman in business

Right time – wrong place

Beginning of this week I had the opportunity to participate in my 1st Telepresence Meeting ever. A bit similar to the video conference facility, so the participants not only hear but also see each other, but in Telepresence you have several grandiose screens, making it possible to invite many parties at the same time, and everyone hears and sees everyone. Picture quality is marvellous, you see each others’ face in real life size – and as for the sound, well, if someone turns pages in her documents in Prague, from the mere sound I am able to tell in Brussels which page she is at.

5 countries are present on our meeting, in which I am demonstrating talents as the organizer – so it is important enough things go smooth.

Originally I invited a 6th county, too, but there the colleague had an urgent call so she excused herself. For this reason her meeting room is shown empty on the big screen.

The meeting has started. We are just discussing a key topic, when I (also all other participants) see a lady entering the room of the 6th county. I immediately realize she is not our invited colleague, so it crosses my mind the invited colleague must have quickly delegated this meeting to another local colleague, very nice of her, so far so good.

Then this lady goes to the meeting room table, and takes out something from her pocket… which is a cloth ….. ohnoo she is starting to dust the furniture!

In the other 5 participating countries there are more and more colleagues who are unsuccessfully trying to suppress their smilies, and I am just about to raise my voice and inform the lady that here we are having a meeting actually – when she steps to the door – and leaves the room.

So I conclude also smiling in myself that, thanks God, the reputation of our Utmost Serious Meeting has been retained, and that even the best script writer wouldn’t have been able to think of a funnier intermezzo….

when the door re-opens, the same lady enters, but this time not alone: she is dragging something heavy with herself….. oh noooo…. cannot be…. this…. is….. an….. INDUSTRIAL VACUUM CLEANER!!!!!

She is switching it on.

.

.

.

Have I mentioned you already the perfect sound quality of Telepresence meetings….

where even the sound of papers…..?

I black out.

Curtains.

Chaplin

I am on the railway station going to work. We had some snow some parts in Belgium, and have had rain since then, so the sidewalks are often dangerously slippery by the ice.
So I thought I really chose a challenging outfit for today – a black dress with matching high heels – until the moment I see the lady, who is also going to the station 
– in high heels, AND
– balancing a huuuuuge musical instrument (I guess it is a chello) on her back, AND
– in one hand hanging her handbag, AND
– in her other hand holding an open cup of coffee, AND
– apparently she did not leave home in time as she has been r.u.n.n.i.n.g.
Chaplin not dead.

This is also Belgium

I just love multiculturalism.

On Sunday I had a discussion with a papa, whose daughter goes for chess in the same club with my son. The man is originating from India, and we often see each other in the cafeteria.

He: ‘Are you Flemish? I can’t tell – you look like one, but you speak English here..’

Me: ‘I am Hungarian. ..Were you already born in Belgium?’

He: ‘No, still back in India. So, Hungary…well, sorry, all I know of the country is that it has its own unique language, and used to belong to the communist block…’

Me: ‘No worries. In exchange, all we know about India is that it is 1 country…a nice big country, though..’

He: ‘That’s right. The size of Europe. I, for example, have never been in our capital.. I see you are also a fan of clichés.. ‘

Me: ‘Absolutely. Anyway, what do you work in Belgium?’

He: ‘I am a space engineer, working for the European Space Agency.’

Me: ‘Oh, you must then be frequently visiting the Mars.’

He: ‘Not so often any more, I don’t have much free time, so only at the weekends. Where do you work?’

Me: ‘At a bankinsurer.’

He: ‘Then you must be terribly rich!’

Me: ‘ Oh, don’t even mention. We’ve just recently changed at home our gas heating for burning paper – in order to get rid of the piles of banknotes.’

He: ‘Okay, I see chess has finished, the children are returning. Continue next Sunday?’

Me: ‘Fine, see you next Sunday.’

KPIs

A few days ago, after finding solution to a problem, I received the below feedback from a nice colleague working abroad:

‘…Piros, you are a SAINT – someone we can always turn to at the HQ!’

I am still trying to figure out how exactly being a saint can be matched up with my KPIs for 2019.

Alienated

I already travelled with this gentleman one morning last week, too – I recognise the shoes and coat.

..And once it has turned this way, I have just woken him up before we got to Brussels-North railway station, where I know he needs to get off.

He was so happy & grateful. We wished each other a nice day, hoping to meet also next time.

And studies dare to say that commuting has a negative impact on your social network..

Yes, we can!

Just seen the invitation to a renowned international event celebrating diversity – meaning very concretely an award ceremony for outstanding women in business, promoting ‘Gender Equality’.

For the indicated dress code please see the photo.

It is still a long way to go, I presume.. 😉

Vital statistics

I have just received an email from a male colleague from a bank-branch: he is asking about my height and weight measurements.
I politely ask him whether the Bank has opened a modelling agency (‘broadening activity scope’) for which reason the above data are inevitable – but he quickly clarifies that he needs them for the life insurance I have recently requested for.
My reply attached.
___________
Az imént kaptam e-mailt egy bankfióki ügyintéző férfikollégától, melyben magasságom és súlyom iránt érdeklődik.
Udvariasan visszakérdezek, hogy a bank a közelmúltban tudtomon kívül esetleg modellügynökséget nyitott-e, mely körülmény természetesen azonnal megmagyarázná a hirtelen támadt érdeklődést. 
A kolléga tisztázza hogy nem, ellenben a minap kötött életbiztosításomhoz szükséges a fenti 2 adat.
Válaszom csatolva.

Complexity reduction

One evening we are returning from the beach.

My children are quarrelling with each other – just like usual: it has been a long day, and they are cold.

But then they realise: we have a blanket with us!

One.

And with this, we have found the basic recipe for world-peace: fewer blankets than freezing angry people.

Things are usually more simple than they might seem.

Compliments

One of my favourite colleagues greeted me today with a ‘Good morning, Mrs. Trump’.
I thanked for his compliment a bit hesitantly, since I wasn’t sure whether he considers me as beautiful or as clever.
__________
Az egyik kollégám ma reggel “Good morning, Mrs Trump”-pal köszöntött vidáman. 
Bizonytatlanul köszöntem csak meg a bókot, mivel nem tudtam, h szerinte olyan szép vagyok, vagy olyan okos.

Annie Leibovitz

A couple of days ago I posted this photo on Instagram. 
No huge story behind: I was waiting for the corporate shuttle bus in Brussels (Belgium) and looked around: what I saw was the usual grey glass-steel buildings. 
Then suddenly I looked up, and this is what I saw. Then and there I realised that I most probably never look at the sky, since the image I saw seemed not at all familiar to me.
So I took this photo. This only one.
Apart from the fact that I cannot remember I’ve ever posted anything on Insta where no 1828338 pre-versions existed, what also happened was that I received numerous nice feedback in comments and private messages from friends but also from complete strangers. 
Note: it’s great to be famous among friends for being a terrible photographer – so I get a standing ovation whenever I accidentally produce any picture where my fingers are not in front of the lens.
______________
Néhany napja tettem fel ezt a fotót az Instagramra, abból az indíttatásból, hogy Brüsszelben, a céges buszra várva, körbenéztem, mindenhol épület, aztán valamilyen sugallattól vezérelve az ég felé is tekintettem, és ott ez a látvány fogadott. Mire rájöttem, hogy fölfelé valószínűleg valahogy soha nem szoktam nézni, mert amit ott és akkor láttam, az mind újdonságként hatott rám. 
És ekkor kattintottam.
1x.
Azon túl, hogy nem emlékszem, hogy valaha is posztoltam volna bármilyen képet, amiből ne létezett volna előtte 182383 elő-verzió, az is meglepett aztán, hogy erre a fotóra az Instan és magánüzenetben is rengeteg pozitív visszajelzést kaptam. 
Azért van annak számtalan előnye, ha az ember közismerten pocsék fotós: ismerősei már akkor sztárként ünneplik, ha egyszer véletlenül egészen kivételesen nem lóg bele az ujja a képbe.

The Office

I always find it very creative when somebody considers the open-plan work environment the best place to apply her spray-on deodorant.

3 puffs under the left armpit, 3 puffs under the right one.. and then she urgently leaves for a meeting.

Still remember when your papa used to apply anti-insect spray in the tent on a family vacation?

Same feeling.

International Women’s Day

Today on business trip in Hungary.

The Committee meeting is to begin, approx. 90% of the attendees are male around the table, a big minority being Belgian.

The other female member, apart from me, calls attention on the fact that it is International Women’s Day today. The Chairman apparently hadn’t been aware of this famous calendar event, so he asks back in an ironic tone:

Chairman: ‘Ah, so today is International Women’s Day. And when do we celebrate International Men’s Day?’

Me (not even looking up from my papers): ‘On the rest 364 days of the year, Mr Chairman.’