It is hard to explain what it is like raising market animals in the suburbs. On one hand it is a great way to educate a population that is very disconnected from where their food comes from, but on the other hand you are a target for all who disagree with using animals as food. The vegan and vegetarian population is much more abundant in suburban and urban areas. There are a few factors that […]
Hiding inside an effective project manager is a verb that is often not discussed… calendaring. In my first year working with Gretchen of Hartke Designs, I noticed that she takes her schedule very seriously. As a vendor partner, managing and satisfying multiple clients and projects at a given time, her time must be shared effectively. We were discussing a client deadline approaching in three months. She requested for us to open our calendars to secure […]
It’s embarrassing how obvious it is but… Early in my career, I was staffed on a project to organize 500 people to move from a downtown office to a suburban office. Hold on… I was a programmer and a database administrator, and now I was asked to get everyone organized. It sounded so simple and beneath me. So ok, I can do it. I was told to inventory the details of all firm-owned electronics that […]
It took me a long time, but I eventually realized that being a “Perfectionist” at work is impossible, as there is ALWAYS something else I can do to make things better. My brain works in a way that I have to outline every step of the project before I am comfortable enough to begin. There’s nothing worse than starting something when I don’t have everything ready to finish it. Someone finally got me to […]
The first time I traveled with Kevin for work, we went to Dallas to facilitate a half-day learning solution to 200 people. We flew early morning the day before to prepare the room, verify technology and practice our facilitation. The point is we had tons of work to do. When we arrived at the hotel, I was ready to jump into gear. Kevin said to get settled in my room and we would meet in […]
While onboarding to The Regis Company, I was shadowing my boss to meet existing clients. Entering the first client building, Kevin asked Dave, the security guard, about his golf game. At the second client, the front desk receptionist greeted him by name. He approached the desk and asked Megan about her family. He talked with Megan before filling out the registration paperwork. In each of these instances, it only took about ~45 seconds. During this time, […]
It wasn’t until I started working with my sister about 10 years ago that I finally understood what she meant when she would say “it’s good enough” as she would use this phrase frequently. We were working on a project for a client. The solution was basic without a lot of bells and whistles. But, the client was very happy with it as it achieved the desired goals and outcomes. A new person joined the […]
I’ve always been afraid of disappointing people. Early in my career, I naively thought if I did everything right, worked harder than the next guy, and had a solid plan, I could avoid having to encounter people who were unhappy. Now, fifteen years into my consulting career, I know better. People are people. People get disappointed. People get angry. People get frustrated. It’s no easier on my heart and soul, but one of the best […]