CAT Scope, the insider

Tags: Computer Assistance Team, psycho
Written by: kamasheto

When my relationship with CAT got serious, by the start of this year, I was assigned as a members manager. Alongside that, I was assigned as a scope coordinator which I had no clue why, even until this moment. Anyway, I am happy I was chosen back then, because I realised that my coordination skills were something to note - though I do admit, a little more organizing will help.

After scope 5 proved successful, and commented by many to be the best ever, I was indeed happy being that it was my first trial at coordinating anything. Quoting a movie I watched recently, it was one of those experiences that are better when they are done than when they are actually happening. I was determined to coordinate scope 6 back then, to avoid the many mistakes I had fallen into in the previous scope. I was keen to start working in the holidays, to prepare for my battle with coordination.

I believe that coordination, which is apparently a totally new criteria for me, is a role more than a position. I believe a coordinator should be able to take any action at any time without being asked what and where, or even when. He motivates his fellow team-members and makes sure they work alongside him whilst they like it, and hence making them reach their full potential quite easily, and growing their skills in the roles they are being given - and with that, as in the motivation, he himself expands his horizon.

Back when I coordinated I remember how diplomatic I was, how keen I was to listen to the fellows, how I managed to keep voices down when they rose all of a sudden - I liked it, that’s why I knew I would like to coordinate the coming scope(s).

However, things happened. Long and short, I didn’t feel I was coordinating, I felt I was given the task of coordinating. Whether it was for some reason or the other, I felt that because what I felt was right to do, was over-ruled by a higher rank in CAT - which I will not tolerate. So? I quit. As a coordinator, which was hard for me because I knew that was what I wanted, I had to give it up. I wasn’t going to work in an environment where I feel like being pushed around, which totally pissed me off. On quitting, I suggested psycho to be the coordinator, because he had previous experience with getting things done. He never had the chance to coordinate before this, obviously, but he knew what needs to be done - which was better than where I started.

The problems arose a few days back. A poster which I personally see as a mess has been printed, for lack of time, when no-one had paid a closer look at the details and went over them and fix them. Personally, I think the copyrights where written in a very bad manner, which was the first thing I commented upon. The problems didn’t affect me personally, yet.

Due to the lack of sponsors, which I didn’t know why the hell was that, all foundations were given 2 sessions. I sent psycho an email containing 3 session names in a row, just in case depiak was given 3 sessions. “AJAX, enhancing the internet”, “e-money, all about it” and “Manage your content with a CMS”. Because hackers were presenting an AJAX presentation as well, psycho decided we will be presenting “e-money, all about it” and “Manage your content with a CMS” which when I knew about, I asked psycho to not mind the hackers session, and put the “AJAX” session on Sunday, and the “e-money” session on Tuesday. For some reason when I spoke to him today he asked me: “Your first foundation’s session is called ‘AJAX’ bas, sa7?” I said: “la2 tab3an, the title I sent you in the e-mail”. The title did not actually matter to me, “AJAX” on it’s own was not so bad - but what pissed me off was that psycho totally blamed me for that, and said I told him to put the “AJAX” session on Sunday. We argued for some time, I raised my voice, but because I was not going to get into a fight with a friend - who doesn’t want to admit his mistake - I went off the phone.

I realised then at once, I only raise my voice when I feel my opinion is being over-ruled because of a higher role, not a better opinion on it’s own - which only happens when the person in charge does not want to listen, and decides to be childish.