Over the past few weeks, I have suddenly been picking up more and more design work. After moving to my government job I’ve certainly had the urge to keep working on projects. It has been exciting to pick up the project management side of things again and apply things I’ve learned at my “new” job. One thing the government has burned into my brain is documentation. Documenting the projects and the scope has made a huge difference in how well the projects have been rolling. Hopefully I can keep things going, as if I don’t already have enough on my plate.
Archive for the ‘Business’ Category
Can you give too much notice? – 27. June, 2008
I recently made the jump and left my current job (Account Executive/Business Development Coordinator for a large domain registrar) to take a position with the Department of Energy. This was a pretty big change going from a private equity company to an agency that is for the people. Thus far it is amazing to see the difference in a person’s attitude when the company or agency actually cares about their employees. My new job is extremely pleasant and the people have been great.
My story is ultimately about the notice that I gave prior to leaving. Because of the way the government sends out letters for your background check, I decided to give about a month notice in case a letter was sent to my current company. As a result of what I thought was being kind, I found that many people around me started to push me away and exclude me from a great deal of projects I was previously involved with. I was alright with being pushed out of projects; the only problem was that I felt that they left a lot of feedback on the table by excluding me from those meetings.
My key takeaway has been to not push people out just because they are moving on to bigger and different things. As a manager I think it can be hard to be proud and encourage your employees to move around or move on, but I think it can also play to your benefit. Supporting staff that has the opportunity to do something new and make a difference should be praised and you should show support.
Another interesting thing that happened is that the people around me started to use “you won’t be here to see that happen” or “sure, short-timer” as excuses for ideas that I was bringing up. A couple examples were implementing certain portions of projects that were more difficult that doing something in a temporary way. “Well, you won’t be here to get that done or make sure that it gets completed.” Regardless of whether I am there or not, the tasks should be completed the right way and not the quick and easy way. When employees around you have a worse case of short-timers than you, you know there is a problem in that company…
The most powerful thing that I gleaned from the company I left is how I would never do things. I learned a lot of great things about management styles and the differences that right people can make in important positions. Having a leader that lacks personality or the ability to have a conversation with employees is not a great way to grow a company. You have to lead by talking to your team and working to help them grow professionally.
As a leader excitement should come from seeing the accomplishment an employee feels from you telling them that they did a great job, not hiding in your office like you’re afraid to talk to your employees. Take the time to meet every employee, learn their name and find something in common and that bond will have a great yield over time.
If you knew you could not fail… – 18. June, 2008
This post by James from PhoneTag really makes me think.
What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?
When thinking about this, I also think about what I would do if money was no object? For me this quote and way of thinking has helped me challenge myself more than I would have without reading it. I often find that you want to be cautious and hold back from doing something risky. When I find myself holding back, I think back to this quote determine if it is something that I should really take the risk. Many times I find that I end up doing something I never thought that I would be doing.
Minicards: A business card alternative – 9. June, 2008
I recently ordered the minicards that Moo.com offers. They are very small business card replacement. Moo has a great web site that makes customizing your cards extremely easy. As a small business owner, I think these are a great way to set yourself and business apart. Their size is completely unique. Each and every time I hand one out, it starts a conversation and allows me to tell someone the story about how and why I use them. Make an effort to be creative, but tasteful, in unique ways to promote your business.
MOO MiniCards. Postcards. Stickers. Make your business stand out. Create unique cards easily using your own photos and designs.
Blackberry Screen Protection – A Must Have – 7. June, 2008
My Blackberry Curve has a nice big screen that I like to be able to keep protected. After trying a few cheap options that fell off in no time, I decided to order something that cost a little bit more. At first I was a little worried about spending $25 for a full-body clear thingy for my phone. After I put it on and have been using it for awhile, I’m extremely impressed with the results. The on I ended up with is the full body cover from . The cover is a tad thick compared with some of the other ones on the market, however, it is practically bullet proof. I’d definitely recommend you give it try for your phone. I can only imagine how well it would protect an iPhone.
Is Fiji water really worth the extra money? – 4. June, 2008
Today was my first time trying Fiji bottled water. The results: It tastes the same as any other bottled water.
On the flip side, I’ve met people that swear that it is the greatest H2O to hit a bottle near you. This is fascinating to me as I believe that it “tastes better” to certain consumers because of the prestige. Fiji water is the Mercedes of bottled water. Take a minute and think about what you could do to make your product or service worth a premium. Sony, Ferrari, and Rolex have done it. Sometimes a small change in packaging or rebranding can bring your brand to that level. What is stopping you from bringing your company to a prestigious audience that loves your product?
Get Ready – Generation Y is Changing the Workplace – 3. June, 2008
I know it’s a long post, but give it a chance as I’m sure you can relate to some of it. If nothing else, it may confirm things you already know and show you that you’re not the only one.
I just stumbled across this great post on Employee Evolution about how Generation Y is going to change the workplace. While reading this post I was surprised to see how many points I could relate to. This type of problem, in terms of lacking the understanding of how to relate to Generation Y, is a serious concern for me as I have progressed through my career. It is very common for me to meet with a baby-boomer senior manager that has no idea how to relate or what is important to my generation. I’d like to elaborate on each point with some of my personal and professional experiences:
1. We’ll Hold Only Productive Meetings
My experience has been that many companies I have worked for specialize in, what I call, over-meeting. Each company has meeting after meeting to talk about the previous meeting and there are never any decisions made. I think that moving forward on-the-spot, educated decision making is going to be key to keeping businesses moving forward and keeping Millennials engaged.
2. We’ll Shorten the Work Day
I’m a big believer in shortening the work day. Most often, you can really hammer through your tasks and move forward on projects in less than 8 hours. I believe it is important to keep enough on your plate so you aren’t bored, but I also think that management based on project quality and completion is more important than managing on the amount of time spent in the office.
3. We’ll Bring Back the Administrative Assistants
This point will take a few different forms. Gen Y will have more admin and task workers in their offices to make sure the daily things get done and maintained and also work with virtual help outside of their office. I think that making sure you have enough people to do tasks as they come up is important to allowing you stay focused as a knowledge worker and keep innovating new ideas. Gen Y will not be bogged down with details like fetching mail and filing paperwork, it just takes too much time away from the “important” stuff.
4. We’ll Redefine Retirement
Many of my friends have already taken time off for having a baby and/or to spend sometime traveling. I think this is essential to recharge your batteries and maintain the ability to keep things fresh and continue driving to succeed.
5. We’ll Find Real Mentors
Personally, I have found that having a mentor, coach, or someone that you can rely on to help you in professional development is essential for a Gen Y to take it to the next level. I have worked with a coach to help increase my understanding of baby-boomer management, how to work with them, learning about what they value in order to help connect with them. Not an easy task I tell you.
6. We’ll Restore Respect to the HR Department
This is something that MUST happen. I have yet to work for a company that understood the value of the people within that organization. People make the biggest difference in the performance and culture of an organization. As soon as a company can show they value employees and understand that a work/life balance is important, they will start to see an increased ROI within their business.
7. We’ll Promote Based on Emotional Intelligence
What a novel concept! I have seen companies overlook internal candidates that are most certainly qualified for the position in favor of someone who lacks an understanding of the space the company operates in. By not promoting within, or based on seniority, you can most certainly expect to get mediocre results and disengagement among your employees. Gen Y won’t stand for that and will expect to be promoted based on their skills, plan to upset a Millennial if you promote on seniority.
8. We’ll Continue to Value What Our Parents Have to Offer
I really value my parents opinion and their experience on almost every issue. Their experience working and managing people has truly helped me understand the importance of surrounding yourself with a great team to get the job done. Another powerful takeaway, that I’ll never forget it to always make a big effort to learn every person’s name and something about them that you can talk about. Being able to connect with people, even in a passing moment, is very powerful in developing strong relationships.
9. We’ll Enjoy Higher Starting Salaries
This must be the most important thing, money always is, right? Not really the truth, but many of my friends are commanding a higher salary purely based on their talent. Gen Y typically moves from company to company by promotion or to add to their skill set and join a new team. Doing something you love and having a great work/life balance are typically more important than money to Gen Y.
10. We’ll Re-invent the Performance Review
Another point that hits a personal note. My experience has typically been about 2 years and a few months at each of my employers. I make every effort I can to learn a great deal in the time that I am at a company and look to move on when I feel like I am no longer learning. Performance reviews quarterly are much more effective at directing traffic and performance of an individual and group. Frequent reviews and coaching helps keep everyone engaged and aligned with the same mission. Learning, growth and freedom drive Gen Y don’t be shocked by a new job every 2-5 years. Find out why they’ve moved around, I assure you it is for good reason.
To MBA or not to MBA? – 28. April, 2008
As I’m slowly wrapping up my Bachelors, I’m wondering if I should go on to earn my MBA as well. I’m an accounting major and I believe it would be beneficial to have an MBA going forward with my career. I’ve heard varying opinions about the value of a masters degree and I believe that it would be valuable for me to continue learning. I truly enjoy learning and increasing my knowledge, is an MBA the right way to do that? I’m not really sure. As a small business owner, how do you stay fresh and make sure you are always learning? I’m excited to find out and learn more about other ways to stay on top of learning…fill me in.
Is your heart in the game? – 17. March, 2008
Today I read a blog post from Seth about having a resume, or the lack thereof. He talks about having about the point of having a resume if there is nothing remarkable on it and that most people who are remarkable do not even have a resume. I certainly agree with him. His discussion really made me think about whether you have your heart in the game and always working to create something remarkable. Sometimes when I’m driving along I think about how unremarkable my day was or the lack of remarkable customer service or talent that I experienced throughout my day. It really motivates me to make a difference and create something that is truly purple. My spring trip took me to a small town in Wyoming (ok, ok they’re all small!) and I met with an eye doctor that is working on making a remarkable difference in his practice. His past experience as a sales person and marketer has helped him to accelerate the practice and gain new clients in a flash. It isn’t so much about his sales and marketing skills as much it is about his presence and experience he creates for his patients. The word of mouth created by each patient is priceless. Each patient leaves having a great experience and feels great rapport for the doctor, which is truly uncommon in his field. He has committed himself to the practice and his heart is in the game. He wants to make a difference and become a purple cow, or in Wyoming a purple buffalo. What should you be doing to build your personal resume and brand to become remarkable?
Hiring a Consultant – 3. March, 2008
When a company goes to hire a consultant, I think that there is one major factor that is overlooked prior to engaging outside help. Similarly to my post about hiring within, I believe that organizations should ask employees for their contribution prior to adding the expense of bringing in an outside consultant. From my personal experience and extensive reading, it seems that the solutions to many problems or processes can be developed by simply giving your employees the freedom or autonomy to create and implement a solution. Recently, I’ve been part of an organization that is bringing in outside help to fix a process that the internal team has the talent solve if given the respect, resources and control to complete the change in process.
Aside from giving a group or department the power to create or ideate solutions, it is imperative to give the power and respect to implement their ideas and solutions. Most often you can find the solution to your problems by looking internally (inside yourself or within your organization). Once your employees have the ability to think freely and develop solutions, step back and watch your company grow at pace that it would not have otherwise.
