Life as an IBM Consultant (Complete Article in one Post)

It's a while since I posted something meaningful to Linked In. Most remiss of me. Here goes.

?It just seems like yesterday that I was laughing with my IBM colleagues working and working the Big Blue dream. Great times. Interesting times. But times that ultimately and sadly for me had to come to an end. I was, as they say pushed. I did not jump off the IBM juggernaut ;-) I think it is time, 7+ years on, for me to post an article about life then working in Anyplace UK for the largest and most brilliant IT Consulting company in the world…

?Firstly, and somewhat bizarrely I'll start my story with the breakup. It was December 2013 and IBM was vigorously pursuing a little publicised ageist policy. Little publicised I say, because I was a candidate ripe for this ‘programme’ without having an inkling of this. I has just turned 50 years of age - hard to believe I know, still possessing then – as I do today – the rugged good looks that Mother Nature had imbued me with ;-)?I had been a Managing Consultant with IBM for around 10 years, which I guess in hindsight was a rather grandiose job title for someone whose core-valued skill was that I had an acumen for successfully shovelling mountains of the brown stuff, troubleshooting for any client, anywhere in the UK and living in a hotel for the majority of the working week. Missing key events in my son's childhood - his first words, his first steps, you know the gig. But who cared ??I was a seasoned gunslinger, my laptop and silky interpersonal skills deployed to quite devastating effect, to win me any duel that IBM found. There was no challenge that was beyond me, no role too tough for me to undertake. I was Clark Kent – mit glasses, but not mit cape - and nothing could stop me – neither a speeding bullet, tall building or runaway train?;-)

?And at the time it felt like it would never end (until it did, suddenly). I soaked it all up, meeting and working with more intelligent, interesting people than one could quite literally shake a stick at. IBM was – and probably still is - a fantastic employer, offering its consultants incredible opportunities and rewarding good performance handsomely. All was well in Andy-world. The weekly travelling, the hotels, the isolation and loneliness was something that were accepted, even enjoyed as I quite quickly became a Gold member with British Airways, a Diamond

member with Hilton Hotels and a Gold Plus member with Hertz. With the occasional dalliance to British Midland and Marriott Hotels. I travelled in comfort and enjoyed the privilege that those membership statuses which these loyalty programmes offered and which you could also use in your private life. As you jetted off on your annual, two-week holiday to the US, Caribbean, etc. Access to business lounges – I always felt that airline business lounges were lonely places, chock full of like-minded people with pretty much identical roles and worklife situations. And every Thursday evening I was buoyed and ebullient at the

prospect of a short flight home – to Glasgow in my case – to be re-united with one’s wife and kid once again. Ah, bliss.

?But as I said, nothing lasts forever. IBM in its wisdom had determined that at 50 years of age it was time – IBM somewhat quaintly refers to this as separation – to sever the relationship with a trusted employee who had been for years been earning them revenue – does ￡7k per week sound like too much for clients to pay ??This not only paid for my salary but also contributed to the salary of lots of other IBMers who never visited a customer site, but were crucial to oiling the gears of the Big Blue engine. Most importantly, it contributes to the fat dividends that IBM generously paid out to keep its shareholders happy. One should not forget that wedge of collective Consultant revenue that was used to pay for research, those shiny, polished IBM offices and the all of the many trappings required to run Big Blue’s operation.

?A sweet deal indeed but IBM had taken that ageist decision and a painful (for me) separation was imminent. In the end, I departed with barely a whimper, handing the keys to my lovely two-litre, jet black old GDI to a dear friend and colleague - at windswept IBM Greenock on a cold and wet December. To be fair, Greenock is one of the wettest locations in the UK, so we’ll not dwell on the weather. My wife had followed me from our home in Renfrew and she drove us home in silence as we began life without Big Blue.

?But one moves on, of course. A few days later, I started the next chapter of my worklife with Barclays Wealth in the centre of Glasgow - initially as a contractor - but offered a permanent role within the space of 4 short months. You see IBM, in their wisdom, had thrown me on the “No Longer Useful heap”, but had made I would argue a poor judgement call. Far from useless, Barclays had determined that I was contributing so brilliantly to their cause as a contractor that it would be remiss of them not to tie me up on a long term contract (and for much less money) where they could secure the permanent services of a quality professional and a hugely productive Snr Business Analyst.

?I do not regret one minute of my time at IBM and bear no grudges – certainly not 7+ years down the line. Much water has passed under the bridge. I have not had more than two handfuls of nights away from my family over that period of time and in fact no business travel that required any overnight stays in the last 6 years. I am paid handsomely for my contribution which I am pleased say (at 58 years young) remains in the upper quartile of performers at Barclays, a company that I believe really cares about and values its staff – in my opinion a veritable breath of fresh air. I am content with my lot. Long may Barclays continue to meet my ambitions.

?So Louise, I have rather detracted since starting to key this post, which started out in my mind certainly as a simple “Hello, how are you doing?” but quickly and almost uncontrollably has morphed into a celebration of my time as an IBM consultant. I wouldn’t have had it another other way. I wish you every success and congratulate on your recent, successful Agile attainment and also wish everyone who touched my life at IBM well. I know many of my erstwhile colleagues continue to set out from home each Monday bound for their current client location. I hope you had fun reading this post. I certainly had fun writing it !!