pricelessland

A short story about a long year 

a guest contribution by Holger Freymann

A year ago today there was a big change and a new beginning. Tom (Thomas) Rublack, until then authorized signatory and second hand at ENO, changed sides and was thrown in at the deep end of the large, complex administration with so many new tasks. This also meant a new start for me, as he was my new boss with immediate effect. But first things first...

review 

I've known Tom Rublack for a very long time, as ENO manager, as managing director of Flugplatz Rothenburg / Görlitz GmbH, as a companion with whom I have a friendly relationship. Personally a fine fellow, knowledgeable and inquisitive, kind, compassionate, listening, hands-on, ambitious and hardworking. To dare something new with enough life and work experience and to survive it. And so we all encouraged him to take over the management of Department III in the district office on June 1st, 2020.  Knowing full well what a Herculean task he has to face.

Being the boss of more than 340 employees from one day to the next is, in addition to the so many new tasks and subject areas (environmental agency, the building inspection agency, the agency for district development, the district forestry agency, the agency for surveying and land consolidation as well as the regulatory and road traffic agency ) already a challenge in itself; But there was also one crisis after another: Corona, ASF, bark beetles; Mammoth tasks such as structural change, public transport, nuclear waste repository, broadband... the list seems endless and is (was) being filled up every day. Also new was the existence on the political stage in the district council, in the committees and the sovereign representation of the entire district to the outside world. Really not an easy way. And stages and podiums are really not his thing. But it can't be avoided.   

Of growing and becoming 

But he fought his way through, he really lost his feathers (and nerves) and he grew new wings. The tasks challenged and shaped him. Tom always listened, formed his own picture, sometimes delved too deeply, put too much on the table, but that's part of it too. “Learning by doing” has paid off for him. Often at the limit of performance, but he made it, even if he was (and is) quite exhausted. Already more captain than helmsman and yet he has remained the way I know and appreciate him.  

Today I can no longer imagine my job without him. I think we were and we are a good team, we complement each other, we can trust each other, we speak the same language but in different tones, we encourage and challenge each other. Despite the boss at eye level and with each other. We both still have to work very actively on our work-life balance (family is so important!), pay more attention to our health, use our strength better and spread out the tasks more. But it's getting better and better every day. Thanks for the time together. And, I'm really looking forward to the next few years with him. We still have a lot to do!