I fail at "manager"

Crap. I just showed up to a $VP meeting unprepared. I promised to do two important things, about the only things I promised 2 weeks ago, and I totally failed to do anything at all on them. So I got sternly “reminded” in front of peers that when I say I will do something, I need to do it. It’s not the first time it’s happened, either; both of my to-do items have had their dates moved a couple times due to previous failure.

I have recently had more work piled on me, which is a new kind of work. So far, I’ve sort of drifted along getting more and more behind, and only responding to something the second or third time I’m asked. A crappy way to do business, but so far I don’t know how to turn away/postpone work gracefully. Today proves that if I just do what people are clamoring for Right Now, the important stuff will slip.

I guess my main complaint is that I’ve got myself a shiny new organizer, and I’m still not organized. I am going to need to work longer hours for a while, or find stuff to stop doing, or both.