Growing up in the nineties, you may have heard of a guy named Michael Jordan. You know, the basketball player who made long shorts, a bald head, and Nikes must-haves for every basketball toting kid in the world.
While millions of people spent their childhoods aspiring to be like Mike because of the Gatorade commercials, the Air Jordans, or the hangtime, I have a different reason for being envious of the iconic athlete.
I wanna be like Mike (I would also settle for being like Serena or Tom or Tiger – I am not picky) because he made his living in a line of work (i.e., sports) in which goals and measures of success are everywhere.
A basket is made or missed, a serve is in or out, a pass is caught or dropped, a putt is long or short - the goal is clear, the result is immediate, and success or failure is easily determined.
Yesterday I set out for a three mile run. In an amount of time I will not share with this audience (more than 15 minutes and less than an hour), I finished my run and felt good about meeting my goal. I had done something productive and I had bettered myself - in no time at all (well, if I am to be honest, it was a moderate amount of time).
I have left the office after more than one eight hour day only sure of the fact that I had successfully jammed the photocopy machine yet again. A game winning jumper or a 125 mph ace a jammed photocopy machine is not.
If I stand to be corrected and there are those of you who have created short-term goals that have helped you to be successful at your jobs, please pass along some tips. I clearly need the help.
Until then, I will continue to want to be like Mike. Why? In sports, games are played every week, if not everyday, and they are won or lost. I am a few years into my professional career and still have no sense of how to gauge my success. Am I winning? I would like to say yes, but the truth is I am not even sure how to determine the score.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Betty White, Passing On My Left
The missing fifth Golden Girl in spandex shorts is the best way I can describe the person I saw in my periphery vision.
Let me explain. Like many twenty-something’s, I run fairly regularly. I fully admit that, especially on my more lethargic days, the speed of my running could spark a debate as to what defines a “run.”
As an ex-college athlete, though, while my foot speed has steadily declined, my competitive streak has persisted. The desire to win has served me well – in athletics, in the classroom, in business, and in not-so-friendly games of Trivial Pursuit with family and friends. No matter the activity, I do not go down without a fight.
You can understand, then, the combination of surprise and anguish that overwhelmed me when I realized that this older woman had not only caught me from behind, but that she was about to pass me. I am in no way an ageist, but if I saw this woman on the street, I would be more likely to challenge her to a game of mahjong than to a foot race. Here she was, though, pushing me to run faster and even more quickly dispelling the ideas I had about her lack of athletic prowess.
After my run I got to thinking about how I would have never known about this woman’s ability had she not, literally, run into me. How many people she deals with everyday, who may never see her run, are unaware of her ability?
Similarly, how many of us do not display our full set of abilities within our current jobs? How much more could we be doing, that we are not, because our jobs do not require us, or because others expectations limit us, or simply because our own insecurities hold us back?
From writing, to customer service, to marketing, to technology, to networking, to building client relationships, what potentially lesser known skills do you have that you are currently not utilizing in your job? More importantly, why are you holding back?
It does not matter if your business card says Vice President, Assistant to the Vice President, or Mailroom Guy, you can make the most of all of your skills and abilities. After all, if you do not, who will?
A Betty White look-a-like passed me during a recent jog. I am glad she did, though, because I know she is using every ounce of her ability and that is commendable. I am also okay with it because I am pretty sure that I have her number in mahjong.
Let me explain. Like many twenty-something’s, I run fairly regularly. I fully admit that, especially on my more lethargic days, the speed of my running could spark a debate as to what defines a “run.”
As an ex-college athlete, though, while my foot speed has steadily declined, my competitive streak has persisted. The desire to win has served me well – in athletics, in the classroom, in business, and in not-so-friendly games of Trivial Pursuit with family and friends. No matter the activity, I do not go down without a fight.
You can understand, then, the combination of surprise and anguish that overwhelmed me when I realized that this older woman had not only caught me from behind, but that she was about to pass me. I am in no way an ageist, but if I saw this woman on the street, I would be more likely to challenge her to a game of mahjong than to a foot race. Here she was, though, pushing me to run faster and even more quickly dispelling the ideas I had about her lack of athletic prowess.
After my run I got to thinking about how I would have never known about this woman’s ability had she not, literally, run into me. How many people she deals with everyday, who may never see her run, are unaware of her ability?
Similarly, how many of us do not display our full set of abilities within our current jobs? How much more could we be doing, that we are not, because our jobs do not require us, or because others expectations limit us, or simply because our own insecurities hold us back?
From writing, to customer service, to marketing, to technology, to networking, to building client relationships, what potentially lesser known skills do you have that you are currently not utilizing in your job? More importantly, why are you holding back?
It does not matter if your business card says Vice President, Assistant to the Vice President, or Mailroom Guy, you can make the most of all of your skills and abilities. After all, if you do not, who will?
A Betty White look-a-like passed me during a recent jog. I am glad she did, though, because I know she is using every ounce of her ability and that is commendable. I am also okay with it because I am pretty sure that I have her number in mahjong.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Now, I Only Sort-Of Dislike Dentists
Until yesterday, I strongly disliked dentists - a real lot.
The smell of the office, the picking and prodding that accompanies every visit, finding the most appropriate sort-of truthful answer to the question, "do you floss every day?" - I did not like dentists.
Then I showed up for my annual cleaning and met a hygienist who loves her work. She changed my mind about dentists. Now, I only sort-of dislike them. A real lot.
My new hygienist was gentle with my gums and my nerves, she answered my questions completely and thoughtfully, and her interest in dentistry was obvious.
While she jammed a variety of sharp objects into my mouth, she happily threw out tooth trivia (Who was the first person to use teeth as a means of identifying a person? The answer is at the bottom of the blog. I do not want to ruin it for those of you who take trivia at seriously as I do). She brought over a mirror to point out the gum tissue that needs to stay healthy for my smile to remain intact. She even positively reinforced my brushing behavior by saying that I had done a fairly good job and should keep up the good work. (I was secretly hoping for a sticker or a gold star, but apparently being twenty-something precludes you from rewards that are shiny and/or colorful. Why is that?)
Throughout the cleaning, my hygienist displayed all of her meticulously cared for teeth. Her smile had nothing to do with a dental exam, though. Her smile was wide because people smile when they love what they are doing.
“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.” Samuel Taylor Coleridge said this and was referring to something slightly different than the flair in the movie Office Space. Coleridge was referring to real heartfelt enthusiasm – the kind that no amount of flair can adequately represent.
One trip to the dentist with one enthusiastic hygienist made me think differently about an entire group of dental workers. I can now say that I only sort-of dislike dentists - a real lot.
Imagine the positive impact that could result from each of us finding the thing we were meant to do and bringing the same type of enthusiasm to that job everyday.
Now that I only sort-of dislike dentists, does anyone know a parking meter attendant who really loves his work?
(The reason you bothered to read this far. The answer: Paul Revere. At least according to my hygieniest.)
The smell of the office, the picking and prodding that accompanies every visit, finding the most appropriate sort-of truthful answer to the question, "do you floss every day?" - I did not like dentists.
Then I showed up for my annual cleaning and met a hygienist who loves her work. She changed my mind about dentists. Now, I only sort-of dislike them. A real lot.
My new hygienist was gentle with my gums and my nerves, she answered my questions completely and thoughtfully, and her interest in dentistry was obvious.
While she jammed a variety of sharp objects into my mouth, she happily threw out tooth trivia (Who was the first person to use teeth as a means of identifying a person? The answer is at the bottom of the blog. I do not want to ruin it for those of you who take trivia at seriously as I do). She brought over a mirror to point out the gum tissue that needs to stay healthy for my smile to remain intact. She even positively reinforced my brushing behavior by saying that I had done a fairly good job and should keep up the good work. (I was secretly hoping for a sticker or a gold star, but apparently being twenty-something precludes you from rewards that are shiny and/or colorful. Why is that?)
Throughout the cleaning, my hygienist displayed all of her meticulously cared for teeth. Her smile had nothing to do with a dental exam, though. Her smile was wide because people smile when they love what they are doing.
“Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm.” Samuel Taylor Coleridge said this and was referring to something slightly different than the flair in the movie Office Space. Coleridge was referring to real heartfelt enthusiasm – the kind that no amount of flair can adequately represent.
One trip to the dentist with one enthusiastic hygienist made me think differently about an entire group of dental workers. I can now say that I only sort-of dislike dentists - a real lot.
Imagine the positive impact that could result from each of us finding the thing we were meant to do and bringing the same type of enthusiasm to that job everyday.
Now that I only sort-of dislike dentists, does anyone know a parking meter attendant who really loves his work?
(The reason you bothered to read this far. The answer: Paul Revere. At least according to my hygieniest.)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
My Less-Than-Perfect Blog
Perfect.
This one word has prevented me from creating a blog until recently.
I have plenty of ideas. My experience as a Consultant, the research I have conducted on employee development and human motivation, and my own less-than-direct career path combine to create a pool of ideas that would be difficult to dry up during the hottest of summer months.
Even without these professional experiences, though, I would not be short on material.
The last time you met friends for drinks, how long did it take before the discussion turned to career drama or feelings of workplace discontent? If your conversations are anything like mine, I am thinking you didn’t even make it to the second beer.
My friends (like myself and like you) are in their twenties and this means they are struggling with issues regarding careers, jobs, work–life balance, expectations, education, and those darn layoffs.
I think about these topics everyday. While I often considered posting my thoughts, I never followed through. Why? I was working under the impression that perfect was the only option.
If my writing was not perfect, my grammar was not perfect, my ideas were not perfect, then the outcome would be less than perfect. That was not good enough.
Then I realized, after being affected by the most recent set of layoffs at my organization, that nothing is perfect. We are living, and trying to advance our careers, in an imperfect time.
While I do not condone taking shortcuts or settling for less than the best, I do think that there is something to be said for understanding how to do the best with what is in front of you.
If you find yourself in a job you do not love, do your best to make each day a productive experience (while you look for a better opportunity). If you have been laid off, keep moving ahead with an eye towards finding the next great opportunity. If you have difficulty finding the next great opportunity, consider that not every job will be, well, perfect, and think about what you can take from each experience.
So, am I right? Is perfection, at times, overrated?
I welcome any responses – no matter how imperfect.
This one word has prevented me from creating a blog until recently.
I have plenty of ideas. My experience as a Consultant, the research I have conducted on employee development and human motivation, and my own less-than-direct career path combine to create a pool of ideas that would be difficult to dry up during the hottest of summer months.
Even without these professional experiences, though, I would not be short on material.
The last time you met friends for drinks, how long did it take before the discussion turned to career drama or feelings of workplace discontent? If your conversations are anything like mine, I am thinking you didn’t even make it to the second beer.
My friends (like myself and like you) are in their twenties and this means they are struggling with issues regarding careers, jobs, work–life balance, expectations, education, and those darn layoffs.
I think about these topics everyday. While I often considered posting my thoughts, I never followed through. Why? I was working under the impression that perfect was the only option.
If my writing was not perfect, my grammar was not perfect, my ideas were not perfect, then the outcome would be less than perfect. That was not good enough.
Then I realized, after being affected by the most recent set of layoffs at my organization, that nothing is perfect. We are living, and trying to advance our careers, in an imperfect time.
While I do not condone taking shortcuts or settling for less than the best, I do think that there is something to be said for understanding how to do the best with what is in front of you.
If you find yourself in a job you do not love, do your best to make each day a productive experience (while you look for a better opportunity). If you have been laid off, keep moving ahead with an eye towards finding the next great opportunity. If you have difficulty finding the next great opportunity, consider that not every job will be, well, perfect, and think about what you can take from each experience.
So, am I right? Is perfection, at times, overrated?
I welcome any responses – no matter how imperfect.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Breaking-Up Is Hard to Do
It hurts to be dumped.
No matter if the message is delivered via e-mail, text, tweet, or post-it, and no matter how right the dumper was to make his or her decision, the news brings with it feelings of inadequacy and resentment. The dumpee is left to consider why the time, effort, and energy put into the relationship were not enough to make it work.
Here is the million dollar question - would you go back?
I ask because I find myself in this predicament. I was recently dumped - by an organization.
Sure, it was an organization and not a man that dumped me, but everything seems very much the same. I was told in an uncomfortable conversation that it was not my performance, my professionalism, or my effort that led to the separation. No, the decision to cut my position was simply a business matter. In other words, it was them and not me.
Ouch.
I now find myself in my twenties, well-educated, professional, and, oh yah, laid off.
For those of you who have experienced a lay off or have a friend who has been affected by organizational cuts, have these changes made you think differently about the organizations and/or the industries in which these former positions reside?
My current job search has forced me to consider what I really want to do and who I really want to do it for. In my best case scenario, I hope to find a challenging and enjoyable position within the field in which I was most recently employed. However, I have moments when I think that being dumped once may be enough for me and it may be time to locate those other fish I have heard are swimming around the sea.
I wonder what you think - has the way you were treated, or have seen others treated, affected the direction of your career? In spite of my understanding that critical business decisions need to be made, and that these decisions are rarely personal, it is impossible to remove human emotions from the equation. As I look for my next opportunity, I am forced to ask myself if I would have the humility to return to the person (job / industry) who dumped me.
Maybe this feeling will pass. It was, after all, them and not me. Right?
No matter if the message is delivered via e-mail, text, tweet, or post-it, and no matter how right the dumper was to make his or her decision, the news brings with it feelings of inadequacy and resentment. The dumpee is left to consider why the time, effort, and energy put into the relationship were not enough to make it work.
Here is the million dollar question - would you go back?
I ask because I find myself in this predicament. I was recently dumped - by an organization.
Sure, it was an organization and not a man that dumped me, but everything seems very much the same. I was told in an uncomfortable conversation that it was not my performance, my professionalism, or my effort that led to the separation. No, the decision to cut my position was simply a business matter. In other words, it was them and not me.
Ouch.
I now find myself in my twenties, well-educated, professional, and, oh yah, laid off.
For those of you who have experienced a lay off or have a friend who has been affected by organizational cuts, have these changes made you think differently about the organizations and/or the industries in which these former positions reside?
My current job search has forced me to consider what I really want to do and who I really want to do it for. In my best case scenario, I hope to find a challenging and enjoyable position within the field in which I was most recently employed. However, I have moments when I think that being dumped once may be enough for me and it may be time to locate those other fish I have heard are swimming around the sea.
I wonder what you think - has the way you were treated, or have seen others treated, affected the direction of your career? In spite of my understanding that critical business decisions need to be made, and that these decisions are rarely personal, it is impossible to remove human emotions from the equation. As I look for my next opportunity, I am forced to ask myself if I would have the humility to return to the person (job / industry) who dumped me.
Maybe this feeling will pass. It was, after all, them and not me. Right?
Monday, September 21, 2009
The Road Did Not Diverge, It Splintered
You have likely heard how two roads diverged in the woods and, according to Frost, choosing the one less traveled made all the difference. I think I will be the first to tell you that this poem has started to irritate me.
How, you may be thinking, can a classic piece of literature have become more grating than the omnipresent discussion about Kanye West’s mental health? I am on edge because as I try to make a decision regarding the road to take in my own career (and life), I feel less like the road has neatly forked and more as if it has splintered. Not only can I choose the more or less traveled path, but I can also cut through the woods, swim across the river, kayak downstream, or helicopter out of the area altogether.
Which is the right path for me? I am having an increasingly difficult time making this decision and it is not a lack of motivation, a lack of ability, or a lack of interest that is contributing to my uncertainty. I have done well in each stop I have made thus far in my career – count them off with me- in coaching, academia, business, and consulting. Each stop has been accompanied by a unique set of positives and an assortment of challenges. And yet none has been my tall, skim, vanilla latte, extra hot - i.e., the perfect fit for me.
Perhaps it is unrealistic to believe that a perfect job does exist. However, I have been brainwashed to believe there must be something out there for me. There must be a position that will allow me to work to my potential, challenge my mind, and create worthwhile outcomes.
As I look around and contemplate my next step, I am confronted in magazines and on television with examples of people in their twenties who have made it big, doing what they love, and loving what they do. I have to believe I am not alone, though, in being part of the other group – part of the group that continues to look for answers.
If you have come to a fork in the road and are having a tough time choosing a path, I would love to hear from you. If nothing else, we can flip a coin together. Best out of 5 wins. Do you think I would leave a decision this important to just one flip?
How, you may be thinking, can a classic piece of literature have become more grating than the omnipresent discussion about Kanye West’s mental health? I am on edge because as I try to make a decision regarding the road to take in my own career (and life), I feel less like the road has neatly forked and more as if it has splintered. Not only can I choose the more or less traveled path, but I can also cut through the woods, swim across the river, kayak downstream, or helicopter out of the area altogether.
Which is the right path for me? I am having an increasingly difficult time making this decision and it is not a lack of motivation, a lack of ability, or a lack of interest that is contributing to my uncertainty. I have done well in each stop I have made thus far in my career – count them off with me- in coaching, academia, business, and consulting. Each stop has been accompanied by a unique set of positives and an assortment of challenges. And yet none has been my tall, skim, vanilla latte, extra hot - i.e., the perfect fit for me.
Perhaps it is unrealistic to believe that a perfect job does exist. However, I have been brainwashed to believe there must be something out there for me. There must be a position that will allow me to work to my potential, challenge my mind, and create worthwhile outcomes.
As I look around and contemplate my next step, I am confronted in magazines and on television with examples of people in their twenties who have made it big, doing what they love, and loving what they do. I have to believe I am not alone, though, in being part of the other group – part of the group that continues to look for answers.
If you have come to a fork in the road and are having a tough time choosing a path, I would love to hear from you. If nothing else, we can flip a coin together. Best out of 5 wins. Do you think I would leave a decision this important to just one flip?
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