When I opened my door this morning, I thought I was being visited by Realtors. On my doorstep stood two women in careful outfits, hair coiffed, makeup applied tastefully. Their smiles were endearing, their pastels soothing, and they asked for my husband by name.
I was pretty surprised. Our usual Jehovah's Witnesses are men with terrible dandruff, in rumpled suits, carrying briefcases. I went to my husband's office and he swung his aeron chair around just far enough to tell me "I'm really not available right now."
If you've ever read a book, you know that there's a lot more to it than its cover. In fact, sometimes "covers" can be misleading in the most irritating ways. When I went back to the door and offered to take the reading material they offered, one woman introduced herself, and started to tell me about the literature.
"This is about current events, " she said. "Violence, an everyday thing. Just today a man was killed in New York. Do you think about these things?"
I took a deep breath, flashing to the fact that I had, in fact, heard Steve Inskeep on my drive to yoga practice this morning, discussing the violent death of a possible terrorist. It had made me feel melancholy and hopeless. Then during yoga, I spent 80 minutes breathing, stretching, and absorbing energy in a beautiful place, supported by caring people.
"That's an interesting question" I said, "and one that I am NOT going to discuss with you," I did NOT say.
"Well, we are Jehovah's Witnesses, and we think about these things. And we think about what God and the bible say about these things."
She flipped though, showing me some pages, and I looked down at the booklet in her hands. Then I looked her straight in the eyes. "But, Why?" I wanted to ask. "You are a friendly, articulate person, with excellent mascara application skills. Good on you for thinking about the world you live in, but why do you need "God" to help you with that?"
I thanked her politely and wished her a good day before closing the door.
The world is easier when appearances match our expectations. Today I was attracted to the cover of a book I did not wish to read. I don't want God or a church in my life. I want to be mindful and aware and think about my daily life experiences without having them colored or interpreted or commented on by a religious belief. If that is a perspective on the world that I am denying myself, so be it.
There are a lot of good books out there. The bible is just one anthology among many. I've read it, and I have other things to do with my time than talk with a stranger about it.
Now, if you're inviting me to your open house in my neighborhood, that's a different story.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Sunday, August 12, 2012
There's Always Someone Worse Off
Here's a fitness tip: You should really stop whatever you are doing, and rest, and take care of yourself if you feel like you are going to cry. Same goes for puking. Just STOP. Not stop FOREVER...just stop for now.
Whatever physical activity you are TRYING to do, you are not getting enough air to do it. As my amazing yoga teacher says, "back off the intensity, and find your breath."
The training ride I planned for today made my workout buddy overtired, vulnerable, and about 3 miles from the end of my planned ride, weepy. She called her partner to be picked up and taken home. Ooops. I was quite happy and supportive of her decision to stop. I was SO grateful that she didn't try to "tough it out." I have zero interest in dealing with an injured or collapsed team mate. WHEW.
The situation was only hilarious because of all the time I worried over a route that would add mileage and some small hills to make it "hard enough" - to make it worth her while. Again with the Oops.
I've been riding my big heavy bike (nicknamed affectionately by my ALC team members "The Tank") to and from yoga class. I've been riding it up and down from the beachfront. I've been riding a LOT compared to her (apparently). So, even though she she can go twice (if not three times) as fast as me on her road bike with her clip pedals...she's just not as ready for hills.
So today was a reminder that when you take on any new challenge, beware assumptions. I assumed she was more fit and more prepared than me. Not so much. I assumed that because she had been "a cyclist" that she was mentally prepared as well. Now I know what being stretched a little too thin looks like for her.
Damn am I glad she was with me, and let me help her. How unbearable would it have been to be in that physically and emotionally beat-down state all alone?
I'm also very grateful - as horrible as it sounds - to have the reminder that there's always someone worse off than me. I may have a terrible time keeping off and losing weight; I may have a big, clunker of a bike; I may not be able to get to the top of a big hill without some slow, resting, catch-my-breath time...but I am surprisingly healthy. Fit. And getting fitter as each week goes by.
Whatever physical activity you are TRYING to do, you are not getting enough air to do it. As my amazing yoga teacher says, "back off the intensity, and find your breath."
The training ride I planned for today made my workout buddy overtired, vulnerable, and about 3 miles from the end of my planned ride, weepy. She called her partner to be picked up and taken home. Ooops. I was quite happy and supportive of her decision to stop. I was SO grateful that she didn't try to "tough it out." I have zero interest in dealing with an injured or collapsed team mate. WHEW.
The situation was only hilarious because of all the time I worried over a route that would add mileage and some small hills to make it "hard enough" - to make it worth her while. Again with the Oops.
I've been riding my big heavy bike (nicknamed affectionately by my ALC team members "The Tank") to and from yoga class. I've been riding it up and down from the beachfront. I've been riding a LOT compared to her (apparently). So, even though she she can go twice (if not three times) as fast as me on her road bike with her clip pedals...she's just not as ready for hills.
So today was a reminder that when you take on any new challenge, beware assumptions. I assumed she was more fit and more prepared than me. Not so much. I assumed that because she had been "a cyclist" that she was mentally prepared as well. Now I know what being stretched a little too thin looks like for her.
Damn am I glad she was with me, and let me help her. How unbearable would it have been to be in that physically and emotionally beat-down state all alone?
I'm also very grateful - as horrible as it sounds - to have the reminder that there's always someone worse off than me. I may have a terrible time keeping off and losing weight; I may have a big, clunker of a bike; I may not be able to get to the top of a big hill without some slow, resting, catch-my-breath time...but I am surprisingly healthy. Fit. And getting fitter as each week goes by.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Because some of you asked about the interview-that-won't-lead-to-an-offer, I thought I would share the crux of the mis-match:
I always do this exercise prior to job interviews. Unlike my husband, for example, who has a finely honed development skill that he applies to many different companies, products, types of software, I have a toolbox of different skill-sets that can be applied to a variety of job types. He tells me lovingly it makes me an excellent commodity in the job market. However, it does mean I have to define and manage my career with an eye towards the long term. Mere employ-ability does not a rewarding career make.
If I don't manage my positions carefully, I risk ending up doing work I am good at, but that does not excite me. Because I have experience and skills in many areas, choosing the wrong position means unhappy employers or clients, and more frequent job changes. Because I am a people-person, I enjoy developing and maintaining relationships for the long term.
As I try to broaden my ability to be "A Consultant," at a minimum that means acquiring clients and providing excellent services. That would be hard with a long-term, full-time job. I suspect the two are mutually exclusive for me, since I really like my evenings and weekends. I believe it would be especially hard with a full time job because of the work style and culture.
During the interview I was asked to describe why the position was a good fit for my career path.
Uh-Oh. I had spent about a week, trying to answer this question. And my answer had a lot of "IFs":
In reality, they clarified, they hope to make the position permanent.
So that is it. I applied for a position that was explicitly two-years and project based...which is not what they actually want. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, because in all other ways, I am a Lego fit for their criteria (they can just snap me into every aspect of what they need to build) .
Now that some firms are hiring again, the best way to approach the job market is by asking yourself: "Where do I want to be five to 10 years from now, and how do I get there?" - Paul Bernard
4 Tips for Getting Hired in the Improving Job Market
I always do this exercise prior to job interviews. Unlike my husband, for example, who has a finely honed development skill that he applies to many different companies, products, types of software, I have a toolbox of different skill-sets that can be applied to a variety of job types. He tells me lovingly it makes me an excellent commodity in the job market. However, it does mean I have to define and manage my career with an eye towards the long term. Mere employ-ability does not a rewarding career make.
If I don't manage my positions carefully, I risk ending up doing work I am good at, but that does not excite me. Because I have experience and skills in many areas, choosing the wrong position means unhappy employers or clients, and more frequent job changes. Because I am a people-person, I enjoy developing and maintaining relationships for the long term.
As I try to broaden my ability to be "A Consultant," at a minimum that means acquiring clients and providing excellent services. That would be hard with a long-term, full-time job. I suspect the two are mutually exclusive for me, since I really like my evenings and weekends. I believe it would be especially hard with a full time job because of the work style and culture.
During the interview I was asked to describe why the position was a good fit for my career path.
Uh-Oh. I had spent about a week, trying to answer this question. And my answer had a lot of "IFs":
- IF it is only two years...
- IF it is just this one, interesting project...
- IF it allows me to be a part of a specific community...
- The work was interesting
- The goals were aligned with my values
- I Love UC (Alumna, after all)
- The contract is two years
In reality, they clarified, they hope to make the position permanent.
So that is it. I applied for a position that was explicitly two-years and project based...which is not what they actually want. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, because in all other ways, I am a Lego fit for their criteria (they can just snap me into every aspect of what they need to build) .
Monday, February 27, 2012
Valuable and Necessary
I read a blog post and an article to meet my goals today. The first one was a FB link courtesy of a friend. Entitled Your Brain is a Horse Named Clyde, I couldn't have asked for a better inspiration to get on with my work!
Your Brain is a Horse Named Clyde is a post containing delightfully creative advice for novel-writers. I'm not finishing a novel (yet), but the most important piece of the post for me was the reminder that I have to self-manage my brain, my thoughts, my intentions. It is necessary for me to get clear on Who I Am and What I'm Doing...and valuable as well, as we will see later.
Kathy Hepinstall writes, "What you need to tell your brain, out loud, to yourself, in many words and gestures is that “You are a novelist and you are writing a novel.” Give your brain proof. A special pen. Books on writing. A candle-lit ceremony."
Valid advice, whether you are writing a novel or, as I am, seeking a perfect-fit career opportunity. You cannot find the perfect thing if you do not know what you are looking for. Keep in mind (and I would argue, heart and soul) who you are, what you do brilliantly, and what your steps are to reach that goal. I believe clarity of purpose is key, whether finishing a novel, or finding the company that needs you more than anyone else in the world, to take a job that fits like a glove.
The other reading I did today was an article providing some very interesting examples of the risks inherent in making assumptions about what is really necessary to provide value to a customer. Necessary and Valuable are Not the Same provided two current examples of how "we need that" thinking can lead to business failures. It is a reminder that lean manufacturing concepts apply to more than factories: Bill Waddell provides one example in the legal arena, and another in advertising.
Waddell writes that "Rationalizing costs that do not add value in the eyes of customers as necessary and unavoidable is just so much whistling past the graveyard...and there is apt to be plenty of room in that graveyard for you if you believe that ‘necessary‘ and ‘valuable‘ mean the same thing."
Waddell wrote the article for Lean CEO online magazine, and the message I take away is remove as many assumptions as you can about how you do your work: question everything! I love this basic idea behind Lean Manufacturing because I am by nature a problem-solver, brain-stormer, and (I admit it) trouble-maker. When it comes to how "It Must Be Done," a quick tool I enjoy for getting to what is valuable is to ask "Why?" at least 5 times in a row.
So to show myself that managing my career through clear and positive thinking is not only necessary, but also valuable to customers, I can ask why: Why is it valuable for a client to hire me, with my specialized skill set to train a potential user on Arena? [NOTE: lest you think I am illogical, or missing my own point, I'm not asking why a client would hire me INSTEAD of other training options.]
I am one of only a few experts who can train on the software.
Why?
My deep understanding of Arena software is based on understanding manufacturing basics, systems thinking, business processes, and the software design.
Why?
Without all of these pieces, it is difficult (if not impossible) to convey how to use the software to a variety of users who all do different work tasks.
Why?
Arena users are cross-functional, from many departments. It takes flexibility and multiple approaches to assess needs, build rapport, and provide information in a way that is immediately applicable.
Why?
Because successful manufacturing requires a workforce with a diverse complement of skills and work styles, users are also different in how they process information, learn, and complete tasks. Answering the specific questions about how Arena will be used in day-to-day work requires familiarity with what that work entails.
Why?
Arena is not a software package that does one thing, it does a LOT of things, and those things can be done in different ways. Training to the ways that will be easiest for the users also gets the fastest results and ultimately, the most effective implementation and use of the product.
Wow! So there's my value add in a nutshell: Clients should hire me because I remove non-value-add time and tasks by first asking what is needed at the organizational goal, company process, user task, and Arena product levels. Training can then be designed and delivered to result in increased efficiency and more successful use of Arena over time.
This is a clear path to finding clients and selling my services to customers who want immediate value...and that is only for one of my skill sets!
Why are YOU the very best at what you do, and how can you go about doing more of it?
Don't be afraid to pose and answer the question. If you don't like the answer, set goals and take steps to clear the path in your mind and heart, and get back on track!
I look forward to hearing how you articulate and reinforce your value,
Yvette
Your Brain is a Horse Named Clyde is a post containing delightfully creative advice for novel-writers. I'm not finishing a novel (yet), but the most important piece of the post for me was the reminder that I have to self-manage my brain, my thoughts, my intentions. It is necessary for me to get clear on Who I Am and What I'm Doing...and valuable as well, as we will see later.
Kathy Hepinstall writes, "What you need to tell your brain, out loud, to yourself, in many words and gestures is that “You are a novelist and you are writing a novel.” Give your brain proof. A special pen. Books on writing. A candle-lit ceremony."
Valid advice, whether you are writing a novel or, as I am, seeking a perfect-fit career opportunity. You cannot find the perfect thing if you do not know what you are looking for. Keep in mind (and I would argue, heart and soul) who you are, what you do brilliantly, and what your steps are to reach that goal. I believe clarity of purpose is key, whether finishing a novel, or finding the company that needs you more than anyone else in the world, to take a job that fits like a glove.
The other reading I did today was an article providing some very interesting examples of the risks inherent in making assumptions about what is really necessary to provide value to a customer. Necessary and Valuable are Not the Same provided two current examples of how "we need that" thinking can lead to business failures. It is a reminder that lean manufacturing concepts apply to more than factories: Bill Waddell provides one example in the legal arena, and another in advertising.
Waddell writes that "Rationalizing costs that do not add value in the eyes of customers as necessary and unavoidable is just so much whistling past the graveyard...and there is apt to be plenty of room in that graveyard for you if you believe that ‘necessary‘ and ‘valuable‘ mean the same thing."
Waddell wrote the article for Lean CEO online magazine, and the message I take away is remove as many assumptions as you can about how you do your work: question everything! I love this basic idea behind Lean Manufacturing because I am by nature a problem-solver, brain-stormer, and (I admit it) trouble-maker. When it comes to how "It Must Be Done," a quick tool I enjoy for getting to what is valuable is to ask "Why?" at least 5 times in a row.
So to show myself that managing my career through clear and positive thinking is not only necessary, but also valuable to customers, I can ask why: Why is it valuable for a client to hire me, with my specialized skill set to train a potential user on Arena? [NOTE: lest you think I am illogical, or missing my own point, I'm not asking why a client would hire me INSTEAD of other training options.]
I am one of only a few experts who can train on the software.
Why?
My deep understanding of Arena software is based on understanding manufacturing basics, systems thinking, business processes, and the software design.
Why?
Without all of these pieces, it is difficult (if not impossible) to convey how to use the software to a variety of users who all do different work tasks.
Why?
Arena users are cross-functional, from many departments. It takes flexibility and multiple approaches to assess needs, build rapport, and provide information in a way that is immediately applicable.
Why?
Because successful manufacturing requires a workforce with a diverse complement of skills and work styles, users are also different in how they process information, learn, and complete tasks. Answering the specific questions about how Arena will be used in day-to-day work requires familiarity with what that work entails.
Why?
Arena is not a software package that does one thing, it does a LOT of things, and those things can be done in different ways. Training to the ways that will be easiest for the users also gets the fastest results and ultimately, the most effective implementation and use of the product.
Wow! So there's my value add in a nutshell: Clients should hire me because I remove non-value-add time and tasks by first asking what is needed at the organizational goal, company process, user task, and Arena product levels. Training can then be designed and delivered to result in increased efficiency and more successful use of Arena over time.
This is a clear path to finding clients and selling my services to customers who want immediate value...and that is only for one of my skill sets!
Why are YOU the very best at what you do, and how can you go about doing more of it?
Don't be afraid to pose and answer the question. If you don't like the answer, set goals and take steps to clear the path in your mind and heart, and get back on track!
I look forward to hearing how you articulate and reinforce your value,
Yvette
Time for some 'Professional Development'
Each day that I am unemployed I plan to:
The first three bullets on the list above are things I should really have been doing the entire time I was employed. Like so many people I know, I never made the time for them. Now time is what I have - and only time will tell how badly I have fallen behind in managing my career...and how quickly I can refresh my knowledge and skills sets for the interviews that will land me my next paid challenge.
Because let's face it, career management may be critical, but it isn't always easy. In high school I knew that job security had gone the way of the dodo bird. Career Management was a skill that was explicitly taught in the mid 90s when I graduated from college. American - or at least Californian - culture had accepted that employer and employee loyalty was dead: 'At Will' was King. And the new King demanded those 40-80 hour work weeks in exchange for the privilege of bending to his will...oh, and a paycheck.
For the moment, I AM KING!
It feels pretty great to have that crown...but my kingdom feels a bit small. Maybe some of my fields and forests are overgrown. Maybe a few castles are in disrepair.
In this stretch of my unemployment, whether long or short, if I want to work on my "extracurricular" projects (feasting, hunting, jousting) I plan to hold myself ransom until my "work" is done. I hope that this will be easy, since I have a pattern and habit of working 8-10 hours a day, breaking for meals, tea, and exercise. It has become a question of re-defining what my daily "work" is and making every task count twice (or maybe 3 times): once for my job search, once for my professional development, and lastly for my personal development.
Do you try to do things everyday that count in all three categories? What do you do and how do you do it? Watch for daily posts, and I look forward to your feedback!
- Read (at least) 2 professional articles or posts
- Watch (at least) 30 minutes of video at Lynda.com to learn something new OR Attend one live webinar or web class
- Write (at least) one blog post
- Apply to (at least) 2 jobs
The first three bullets on the list above are things I should really have been doing the entire time I was employed. Like so many people I know, I never made the time for them. Now time is what I have - and only time will tell how badly I have fallen behind in managing my career...and how quickly I can refresh my knowledge and skills sets for the interviews that will land me my next paid challenge.
Because let's face it, career management may be critical, but it isn't always easy. In high school I knew that job security had gone the way of the dodo bird. Career Management was a skill that was explicitly taught in the mid 90s when I graduated from college. American - or at least Californian - culture had accepted that employer and employee loyalty was dead: 'At Will' was King. And the new King demanded those 40-80 hour work weeks in exchange for the privilege of bending to his will...oh, and a paycheck.
For the moment, I AM KING!
It feels pretty great to have that crown...but my kingdom feels a bit small. Maybe some of my fields and forests are overgrown. Maybe a few castles are in disrepair.
In this stretch of my unemployment, whether long or short, if I want to work on my "extracurricular" projects (feasting, hunting, jousting) I plan to hold myself ransom until my "work" is done. I hope that this will be easy, since I have a pattern and habit of working 8-10 hours a day, breaking for meals, tea, and exercise. It has become a question of re-defining what my daily "work" is and making every task count twice (or maybe 3 times): once for my job search, once for my professional development, and lastly for my personal development.
Do you try to do things everyday that count in all three categories? What do you do and how do you do it? Watch for daily posts, and I look forward to your feedback!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)