Monthly Archives: March 2014

Personnel Growth Strategy

As companies grow, they become more impersonal.

  • Emails are no longer from Cassie in accounting. Now they’re from accounting@yourcompany.com.
  • Focus is no longer on an individual’s strengths. Now, it’s on an individual’s tasks.
  • Many decisions aren’t made by you anymore. Now they’re made by a handbook or the board of directors.

The remedy for dealing with your company’s growth and it now being very impersonal?

Don’t take it personally.

And, keep doing your best at recognizing individuals. Because that’s what got you there in the first place.

[Good running into you, Brad Malis.]

An alternative to also

Making two points in an email is easy.

  1. Here’s point 1.
  2. Here’s point 2.

Also, this is the best way to make two points. Because if you have an “also”, you actually have a second point. Except “also’s” get lost. “Also’s” get ignored. “Also’s” are an after-thought.

See?

WWRD

Some good reminders from Rashard Mendenhall’s story:

  • Work hard.
  • Make it to the top of your game.
  • Make a bunch of money.
  • Do the right things for the right reasons.
  • Quit while ahead.
  • Seek new challenges.
  • Write.

What would Rashard do?

HT to Rashard Mendenhall.

Because a good Stage 1 makes a better Stage 2 and 3

Events have three stages.

Stage 1: Anticipation and planning.

Stage 2: The event.

Stage 3: Reliving and debriefing.

Undoubtedly, life-cycle events are easy to experience all three parts. Weddings sit in Stage 1 for 6-12 months. 

Of course, weddings are a once-in-a-lifetime event (hopefully!). But who says you can’t have a Stage 1 for all your plans?

Movies, concerts, lunches, massages, walks, happy hours, etc. Will they reach their full potential?

Love your calendar. Relish in all your Stage 1’s.

P.S. Alana’s wedding was incredible. Still reliving and debriefing.

Top three, agree?

If there was a fire in your house, what three things would you take with you?

For me, I’d want my:

  • Work, so would grab my laptop.
  • Memories, so would grab some photos.
  • Ability to travel and identify myself, so would grab my passport.

But what if I didn’t need any of that stuff?

Probably time to backup my files, publish my photos, and email myself my passport.

Are you ready for a fire?

My sister is getting married tomorrow

I can’t imagine:

  • How she’s feeling now.
  • How her twin sister is feeling now.
  • How her father is feeling now. And her mother. And her grandparents. And, of course, her fiancé.

But why try to imagine what’s going inside of everybody’s head?

The goings on in mine are crystal clear.

So ‘effing proud, Lana.

All my love.

P.S. Your wedding gift is en route.

How to be, naturally

How do you act? When you know everyone’s watching.

How do you write? When you know everybody’s listening.

What do you say? When you know everybody’s listening.

The answer is the same for all.

The same.

 

Give it some thought

Over the past few years, I’ve made several investments. Not traditional investments, but investments in stuff. Here are some of the best ones:

  • Macbook Pro.
  • Vitamix Pro 750.
  • Dyson Vacuum.
  • Briggs & Riley luggage.
  • Logitech mouse.

These investments took a while to finalize. After all, they were not cheap. But research and nights sleeping on the decision paid off.

So?

Give it some thought.

Because the stuff not requiring thought probably isn’t worth getting anyway.

An assistant, a 5k, and a couple grand

Managing a team is scary. Hiring an assistant is not.

Running a marathon is scary. A 5k today is not.

Leaving a salaried job is scary. Earning some money on the side is not.

Identifying the end-goal is important. It makes the baby-step seem easier. And if you start to worry about how you’re going to get to the end-goal, just identify the next baby step.

Why?

Because a few assistants, a few 5ks, and a couple grand on the side add up quickly.