Foto Finish Friday on Saturday

"Winter in Central Park", originally uploaded by * Nina *.

Due to my own personal travels and the fact that yesterday was a holiday, I was unable to post the typical Foto Finish Friday on Friday. So here's a weekend edition. Hope all of you enjoy the weekend!


*Each Friday an interesting photo is selected to end the week on.

Take A Step Back

oh joe.....
Originally uploaded by The 10 cent designer

Simple.

Most of the time it's best.

We trend toward clutter with most things over time. More stuff does not a better life make.

Cut back. Slice. Dice. Clean house. Slow down.

Simple.

Most of the time it's best.

5 Things You Should Do Now

Face to Face
Originally uploaded by drewmaniac

For those of you that don't know, school's in. Prepare to get your hands dirty in 2010. You better get to work in 2010. Assuming 2010 will be a year of great recovery as far as the economy is concerned would be unwise.

I don't usually make predictions, but I'm going to go out on a limb this time around and make one. 2010 will be a year of leveling out. The economy will remain stagnant at best, will crash a little more at worst. I don't expect a huge recovery and that's coming from someone who always tries to be optimistic.

With that in mind, here are some things you should be doing now. If you would prefer to procrastinate, this list isn't for you.

1. Start your New Year's Resolutions now. Why wait? Imagine if you've had a whole week and a half jump on everyone else. If there's something you need to change, improve, or challenge yourself with waiting until January 1 won't improve your odds of sticking with it. Being serious about it now will.
   
2. Update your resume now. It never ceases to amaze me how many people don't update their resume until they need a job. The current economy offers no guarantees and is unstable. You shouldn't be waiting until you are shipped out to start working on your resume. While you're at it, why not shop around? Always keep your eyes open to new opportunities.
3. Set long term goals for 2010 now. This is a little different from making a New Year's Resolution. Set some long term goals for 2010 that you hope to accomplish by the end of the year. Even if it's as far away as December of 2010, you should start preparing now. I've got a few of these myself. 2010 is going to be a year of all sorts of changes for me personally. You should be looking ahead as well.
   
4. Help others out now. In a position where you can help someone who has found themselves out of work? Help them out. Don't assume they have family who will help them if they need it. Don't assume they had plenty stashed away for a time like this. Don't assume the unemployment check is helping them get along. If you're in a position to help out someone in need, help them now. Don't wait.
5. Network, network, and network now. Make connections now. Build relationships. Help others make the connections they may need within their network. Don't wait until you need something. You can probably get away with not updating your resume until an emergency (like losing your job), but waiting until you're out of a job to network is dangerous. Don't be that guy who calls you a year after your first connection begging for a job. Network now. Don't wait.
   

If you have more you could add to this list, feel free to do so in the comments. Let's be prepared for 2010. Most importantly, let's get started now.

Foto Finish Friday

, originally uploaded by razorbern.

*Each Friday an interesting photo is selected to end the week on.

Just Thankful to Have a Job?

Originally uploaded by kevin russ

“In today’s environment, I’m just thankful to have a job."

I've heard this a number of times of late. I'm sure that you have too. I get the idea. Should you and I be thankful for our jobs when so many find themselves out of work? Yes. Should you and I be thankful for our jobs at the expense of improvement or opportunity? No.

Some thoughts.

• Is your job a dead end? Be thankful you have a job, but don't get stuck in a dead end job just because you're thankful.
  
• Unhappy with your current job and would like to change careers? Be thankful you have a job, but don't suffer through it because you're thankful.
  

Be thankful for your job in any economic environment, not just the bad times. When you shrug your shoulders and say things like, "I'm just thankful I have a job," you're inviting mediocrity in. It's as if you're ceding defeat. When I hear people say those things in reference to problems they're experiencing professionally I hear, "I've decided it's not worth searching for other opportunities, because I'm lucky I even have a job."

So instead of just being thankful for your job, why not use the poor economic environment to do some real soul searching? Do you want to stay in that dead end job or job you're unhappy with simply because you're thankful? Really?

It's good to be thankful. It's not good to be thankful if you're using it as an excuse for mediocrity.

Are You Depressing Excellence?

Originally uploaded by razorbern

When you decide to depress excellence in any area of life, you invite mediocrity in. There's no way around it.

Pick your poison. Refuse to uphold accountability. Put aside trust. Lose sight of your integrity. Lower expectations to the lowest performing employee so they can "catch up."

Once you've picked your poison, you're well on your way. You've started depressing excellence. Watch morale in the workplace crumble. Say good-bye to your best performers. Welcome mediocrity in with open arms.

Hope that's what you were looking for.

Foto Finish Friday

sow and piglets, originally uploaded by globevisions.

*Each Friday an interesting photo is selected to end the week on.

More on Reactionary Management

Originally uploaded by laura taylor.

One more thing about reactionary management. It doesn't matter your style of leadership. You could be a visionary who sees the big picture or a functional who is focused on the functional details of the job.

If you procrastinate often, you'll be forced to be reactionary. If you refuse to be held accountable, you'll find yourself being reactionary. If you fail to hold others accountable for their actions or inaction, you'll find yourself being reactionary with each emergency.

The solution, of course, is to take care of things now. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant.

I said a lot earlier about what I termed reactionary management, so I won't say it all over again. Just a few things to think about today.

Are You Investing Time In Those You Lead?

Los Poderosos del Norte
Originally uploaded by Tinta China

Are you getting to know those you are leading? Are you investing time in them? If not, why not?

Some excuses I've heard.

• I’m here to work, not make friends.
• I’m saddled with so much responsibility, I don’t have the time.

Some answers to those excuses.

• I can see the merit in that line of thinking, but only to a point. Refusing to invest time to get to know people because you don't want friends is foolish.
  
• You should never be so busy that you are unable to make a moment for those you lead.

Here's the point.

• When you don't get to know the induviduals in your team, you risk wasting good talent.
  
• It is difficult to lead people through the fire if they don't have any confidence in you. One way to establish confidence is by investing time in getting to know them.
  
• Keeping it all business all the time can create a disconnect.
  

So I ask you again. Are you getting to know those you are leading? Are you investing time in them?

Thinking Out Loud

love
Originally uploaded by will vastine

Don't mind me. Just thinking out loud over here.

• Sometimes the best move is to turn down an opportunity.
  
• "Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming." ~ Richard Branson
• Do something each day that will stimulate some thought. It can be easy to get caught up in your routine and not stop to think for a moment. Do something to change the pace entirely. Read, write, or pause a moment to relax.
  
• Many like to say it's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. I get the idea, but it's even easier to make the right decision in the first place.
• It's easy to think how you're told to think. Sarah Palin's a dunce. Obama's a socialist. The job you have is a dead end job. The job you have is to be envied. The hard part is knowing why you think the way you do. It can even be harder to explain it, but that's the point we need to all get to. Do you think it because the group says so? Do you think it because you are informed from many sources? Why is Sarah Palin a dunce? Why is Obama a socialist? Why? Don't just repeat what you're being told.
  
• Too many simply take what they're given.
• Unplug. You and I probably don't do that enough.
  
• As a leader, make your goals clear. Make sure your team knows what game is being played and the rules that they will be playing by.
  
• Inconsistency will always diminish your influence.
  
• Every organization benefits from increased accountability.
  

How about you? What are some things you are thinking about? It doesn't even have to be related to anything in this post.

Bonus music because I'm in a good mood tonight.

Come On! Feel the Illinoise!

Originally uploaded by razorbern

The weekend is coming to a close. Monday is quickly approaching.

Many will be grumbling about the new work week. Resist the urge to join in and decide now you will have a good day. You know what it takes to brighten your mood, to change your outlook, and ease your nerves. Do that and if you must, do it often.

For me, some good music usually does the trick. This fan video of the Sufjan Stevens song, Come On! Feel the Illinoise! is a good start for me. The fact that it gives a great glimpse of Chicago doesn't hurt either.

When Is It Enough?

124*(365)
Originally uploaded by will vastine

At what point are you satisfied? When will you be content? What's enough? When do you have enough money? How much profit is enough profit? How many cars is enough? How large of a house do you really need? Can you be content with what you have right now?

I've seen businesses whose entire culture is such that they are never satisfied. Nothing is ever good enough. Even when employees meet and even exceed expectations, there's always something else that was done wrong and that's what receives the attention. It's like working for that overbearing parent who will never be happy, no matter what the child does. The employees in that environment take out their frustration that comes from never being good enough on their customers. They give up. They show up for the paycheck. They don't care what happens when they go to work, because whatever happens and whatever they accomplish will never be good enough.

There's a line that's somewhere between working toward improvement and greed. It should never be crossed.

Foto Finish Friday

Spindle, originally uploaded by holgalicious.

*Each Friday an interesting photo is selected to end the week on.

Within Reach

lil' shutterbug
Originally uploaded by macwagen

Remember when you were a kid and everything was within reach?

What Game Are You Playing?

Players
Originally uploaded by ***Karen

Would you tell a group of people to show up to the gym the next morning for a game and not provide the details of what game you plan on playing? Probably not.

The reason is clear. If you tell a group of people to show up for a game without providing the details of what sport you'll be playing there's no telling what might happen. Some might show up with a basketball, while another person comes with a volleyball. Some may show up completely unprepared to play any game because, after all no game was specified. If you came ready to play racquetball you'd be disappointed that no one else thought of that. The result of course would be chaos, disappointment, and quite possibly failure to play any game.

That example is absurd of course. But, is it?

Consider for a moment your workplace. If you're a leader within the organization are you making the vision clear? Do your employees (the players) know what to bring? Are the expectations of the game clear? Do your employees really know what game to play or is one showing up with this game plan, another with that game plan, and still yet another with a different game plan?

Now that you've looked at it that way, is the first example as absurd as it seemed at first? Probably not.

Until all the players (your employees) understand what game they are playing, the end result is almost always chaos, disappointment, and quite possibly failure.

Instead of making your reputation as a reactionary leader, make it as a visionary leader. Make the vision clear and concise. Don't keep them guessing on the expectations or change the expectations in the middle of the game. Tell your employees what game you're playing so they can play along.

What Might Happen

Originally uploaded by holgalicious

Being afraid of what might happen is normal. Taking a chance wouldn't matter as much if no one was afraid. The key is to keep from allowing that natural, initial fear from paralyzing you.

• You stay at that drag of a job because you're afraid of what might happen if you start looking for something else. You might not find a better job. You might not be happier in a new job.
• You tolerate mediocrity in the workplace because you're afraid of what might happen if you began demanding more. People might get upset. People might quit. People might think your expectations impossible to achieve.
• You ban all forms of social media in your workplace because you're afraid a rogue employee might Tweet something negative. You might have to deal with an employee who abuses their Internet privileges. You might have an employee who becomes bigger than your brand.

I could list more examples, but you get the drift. You're freezing yourself when all you do is think about what might happen.

Some questions to seriously consider:

• What if you do find a better job? What if you're able to find your dream job? What if you're able to find a much better paying job?
• What if everyone on the team began to excel? What if you refused to accept mediocrity and then because of your example everyone else began to do everything thing could to get the project finished? What if people didn't get angry and quit, but instead appreciated you setting the bar high?
• What if you didn't stifle your employee's voices and instead they were able to Tweet positive things about their job? Would they be more likely to be positive if they weren't silenced, but instead encouraged to be ambassadors for your brand? What if you placed some trust in your employees to make the right decisions?

If you're allowing what might happen to restrict your decision making, you probably don't have answers to those questions.

Why not try looking at the situation a little differently? Don't let what might happen blind you to the possibilities.