I usually try and keep my updates business or personal development related. But every once in a while, you just have to vent.
Living in the Midwest, the winter months can be a marathon. The constant gray skies, the inconsistent temperatures, the wind, the snow, the 30 minute commutes turning into 90 minute commutes, etc. I have lived in the Midwest most of my life except for a stint in Seattle, so I am used to the winter blues. However, I have never had to experience winter with a 19 month old who attends daycare. And when I say daycare, I should probably change the name to "Petri-dish" care. My daughter has been sick for the last six months...no big deal, it is to be expected when she is in a room with 6-9 other kids. However, since Thanksgiving, she has been a walking Petri-dish that has brought me wonderful gifts like bronchitis, the stomach flu (TWICE...but hey, at least I haven't had to work out this winter), two sinus infections and a cough that apparently I am going to have forever. My wife and I have just learned to live with it, but it definitely adds a layer of stress to the winter months.
The "icing on top" moment happened this weekend. My wife was out with some friends for her birthday and I was home with my daughter. The flu hit my daughter and she began a rendition of vomit-tag the likes I have never seen. This continued for several hours while I was trying to keep my daughter in clean pajamas, change the sheets, clean up the crib, clean up the carpet, explain why "puppy" and "blankie" had to be washed and try and get the laundry done before the next attack. Saturday was vomit free, but our daughter was still obviously sick. However, the furnace decided to go out at 7:00 PM...Luckily it was repaired by 10:00 PM. The point in all of this is simple...Life isn't easy. We all know this. But we need to remember that the great things in life do not come to us easily. We have to collectively work our way through situations and remember that even the most difficult times and events usually have some highlights along the way. Even as my daughter threw up on me for the third time, I had to chuckle. She threw up all over me, and before she started crying, looked at me and said "Yucky." I couldn't have agreed more and realized that despite a less than desirable situation, my daughter correctly learned a new phrase. And 10 years from now when I hear my daughter say something is yucky, I will remember the first time I heard her say it...And that is something pretty special.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Family, Faith, Health, Job
Family, Faith, Health, Job is the mantra of Indiana Business College, the company I just started with two months ago. Previous to joining IBC, I had worked in Marketing and Sales for 11 years, and I never was part of an organization that was so in your face regarding the work-life balance. Now the hardcore business-person may think that this mantra somehow weakens the IBC brand or indicates a sub-par business model. I would argue the exact opposite. IBC has been in existence for 106 years and has grown to over 5,000 students. In addition, Indiana Business College was rated as the 18th Best Place to Work in Indiana for 2008. Coincidence? I don't think so. It is extremely motivating to work for a company that does not watch you as you enter and leave work. It is incredibly refreshing to know that you can leave at 4:00 on the occasional day to go see your daughter at school meet Santa Claus for the first time. I feel energized when I come into work, because I know that I plan to put my full effort into doing my job to the best of my ability...and still be home in time to tuck my daughter in at night.
There is very much an entrepreneurial spirit where I work. I am fortunate enough to interact with some of the best "big picture" thinkers in the proprietary education industry. And the mantra we follow internally spills over to our care and concern for our customers and students. We understand the importance and value of time, and we run our business to best accommodate as many people as possible.
Don't be mistaken however and think that for a second we are less than anything other than a FOR profit company. We are all tasked with finding ways to drive more students and generate more revenue. But it is done within the framework of keeping the really important things in life at the top. By focusing on being more connected to your family, faith and health, you naturally gravitate towards being significantly better in your role at work. Proper alignment and attunement of your priorities makes your personal and professional lives operate in partnership with each other as opposed to opposition. This mantra allows you to become a more complete individual while maximizing our most vital resource...time
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
ABN- Always Be Networking
January 12
Networking may seem like an obvious concept for those of us that are currently or used to be in sales positions. But networking is not just for "salespeople" anymore. Or maybe more appropriate is the fact that more of us should consider ourselves salespeople no matter what our job title is. In the current economy it is important to network, but just as important is to make connections when the economy is strong. You interact with people in order to position yourself for future business opportunities or interactions. It is easy to call on or meet with individuals when their business is going well. But the true networker and business opportunist is someone that is putting the effort into building a relationship when business is down. Building up your business credit with an individual is a key to earning their respect personally and professionally. I am going to be much more likely to give someone my business that has spent time developing a partnership with me over time, as opposed to the person that walks in to my office the day we open up a new campus.
With technology advancements it is easier than ever to have initial connections to an unlimited amount of people. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. are all incredible tools. But the true networker will go beyond responding to a “Status Update” and dig deeper. Work to take things to the next level with someone, be it a phone call, a face-to-face meeting or taking them out to lunch or dinner. We all are in the business of sales…Selling our personalities, ideas and time. Don’t wait to capitalize on an opportunity to form a great relationship.
Networking may seem like an obvious concept for those of us that are currently or used to be in sales positions. But networking is not just for "salespeople" anymore. Or maybe more appropriate is the fact that more of us should consider ourselves salespeople no matter what our job title is. In the current economy it is important to network, but just as important is to make connections when the economy is strong. You interact with people in order to position yourself for future business opportunities or interactions. It is easy to call on or meet with individuals when their business is going well. But the true networker and business opportunist is someone that is putting the effort into building a relationship when business is down. Building up your business credit with an individual is a key to earning their respect personally and professionally. I am going to be much more likely to give someone my business that has spent time developing a partnership with me over time, as opposed to the person that walks in to my office the day we open up a new campus.
With technology advancements it is easier than ever to have initial connections to an unlimited amount of people. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. are all incredible tools. But the true networker will go beyond responding to a “Status Update” and dig deeper. Work to take things to the next level with someone, be it a phone call, a face-to-face meeting or taking them out to lunch or dinner. We all are in the business of sales…Selling our personalities, ideas and time. Don’t wait to capitalize on an opportunity to form a great relationship.
And Away We Go
January 10
I am attempting to start a readable blog once again. It is 4 AM Eastern Time and I should be asleep, but for whatever reason I am up and wanting to jot some things down. Maybe it is that I just had my 36th birthday or maybe it is my wife asking me what I am doing up, but it is amazing to me how quickly life moves at us now. Technology is changing by the day and the options to receive information seem endless. Let us be mindful of the fact that the best interaction is still face to face. It is growing more diffiuclt to have a coversation with someone in today's age without one or more parties simul-texting, answering phone, returning an email or downloading a podcast. Face to face interactions become rushed and forced and seem to be time consuming. But in order to really get to know someone and "see" their point of view, let's make the time to speak to our friends, colleagues, business partners, family members and the person you just met in the groecery line. Those interactions are becoming to infrequent and in 100 years we will remember those more than our newest Twitter or Facebook update.
I am attempting to start a readable blog once again. It is 4 AM Eastern Time and I should be asleep, but for whatever reason I am up and wanting to jot some things down. Maybe it is that I just had my 36th birthday or maybe it is my wife asking me what I am doing up, but it is amazing to me how quickly life moves at us now. Technology is changing by the day and the options to receive information seem endless. Let us be mindful of the fact that the best interaction is still face to face. It is growing more diffiuclt to have a coversation with someone in today's age without one or more parties simul-texting, answering phone, returning an email or downloading a podcast. Face to face interactions become rushed and forced and seem to be time consuming. But in order to really get to know someone and "see" their point of view, let's make the time to speak to our friends, colleagues, business partners, family members and the person you just met in the groecery line. Those interactions are becoming to infrequent and in 100 years we will remember those more than our newest Twitter or Facebook update.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)