A friend of mine, who was CEO of a complex hospital operation (I guess that’s why they call them “hospital complexes”), had recently hired a bright, young graduate of a local university. He was planning to groom this young lady and to eventually move her into a middle management position. He arranged for her to be his direct report for her first six months on the job.
He gave her an assignment to write up a proposal for a new emergency room procedure that he was thinking of implementing. He gave her a very specific outline of what he envisioned and sent her on her way.
A day or so later she came back with several pages and sat down to discuss it with him. She told him she made a couple of changes in his outline because, frankly, what he was proposing did not sync with her vision of what an ER operation should look like.
He was slightly taken aback, caught between being both amused and annoyed by her audacity. After regaining his composure he said:
“I guess I didn’t make it clear when I hired you, your are here to implement my vision not yours!”
Needless to say, my friend’s comment knocked his new employee down a couple of rungs on her ladder. It was pretty obvious that the way for her to please her new boss was not going to be through her own ingenuity and creativity but, instead, by helping him to achieve his.
It’s ironic. When you are looking for a job, exactly the traits that make you attractive to a prospective employer can be the same traits, if you’re not careful, that can cause your demise.
An intelligent, resourceful, can do, will do employee is an asset we all seek…with one major proviso: we want that employee to use her skill sets to accomplish our goals not hers. Too often employees forget that they were not really hired to do “their thing”, they were hired to do “my thing”.
The higher you get on the organization chart, the more you get to do things your way. That’s what responsibility and authority are all about. If you want to climb concentrate on making your boss successful and, eventually, you will be able to hire people who will make you successful.
The CEO of any organization writes the agenda, employees do not. The best way to get a raise or a bonus is to let your boss know how dedicated you are making him or her look good, + and then doing it. Talk (especially behind his/her back) is cheap. You’re either on board or you’re not. And, by the way, you will often relinquish credit in public for your own work because it’s not about you; it’s about him/her. A good superior will share credit with you when it’s appropriate. Don’t forget, the outside world is well aware that you are a key staff member, so you always get tacit credit for making a contribution even if you’re name is not on it.
Attempting to be in the limelight too soon in your career is a great way to wreck your career. The limelight is earned as a result of a continual track record of supporting the organization (i.e. your boss), not for standing out in the crowd.
I’d like to make an important clarification. No one expects you to be a hypocrite or to sponsor behavior that is, in your opinion, contrary to the best interests of your boss. If you think something you’ve been told to do is morally or legally wrong or ill advised you have the responsibility to make your case to the boss. But, and this is a huge but, I am not talking about preferences. Your case must consist of demonstrable right or wrong not your opinion about right or wrong. The right to your own opinion is available way up on the ladder.
So, if you want your pay grade to ultimately give you the right to impose your preferences on others, work your way up by helping your bosses to get what they want. In the end, you’ll get what you want!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Occasionally the World Suddenly Makes Sense
Occasionally the world suddenly makes sense. I guess those times are what they call “ah ha” moments.
You know all the oversight committees in Congress? It’s always bugged me that every time some major catastrophe occurs, the committees and departments and task forces seem to be looking the other way. And then it dawned on me: These groups are not in charge of oversight, they’re in charge of oversights. And, in fact, they’re doing a terrific job. Going back to 9/11, there have been a litany of oversights.
My curiosity got the best of me, and I did some research. I found someone inside the Washington beltway who would tell me the truth (a task in itself), and here’s what I found out:
The oversight committee is actually part of a whole system. It handles the generally mundane task of dealing with day-to-day events. It traces its origin back to the Nixon administration and the concept of “plausible deniability.” In order for the president to be able to distance himself from an event, Congress is charged with creating a plausible oversight, as in “Oops, it was just an oversight.”
In Nixon’s case, a simple oversight wasn’t adequate so the “overlook committee” was created. This is a “select” committee, meaning that only special people serve on it, and its existence is not very well-publicized. When an oversight isn’t adequate this committee makes a conscious decision to overlook something. Whereas an “oversight” is seemingly an accident, deciding to “overlook” is on purpose.
As you might expect, from time to time, intentionally overlooking something is not enough. When this happens, the issue escalates to the “cover-up committee.” Things don’t get to the cover-up committee without presidential involvement. However, in order to preserve plausible deniability, the president only communicates with the committee in code. It’s something like the nuclear codes and changes with each administration.
I don’t know what the code phrase is in the Obama Administration, but under George W. it was “Heckuva job, Brownie.”
You know all the oversight committees in Congress? It’s always bugged me that every time some major catastrophe occurs, the committees and departments and task forces seem to be looking the other way. And then it dawned on me: These groups are not in charge of oversight, they’re in charge of oversights. And, in fact, they’re doing a terrific job. Going back to 9/11, there have been a litany of oversights.
My curiosity got the best of me, and I did some research. I found someone inside the Washington beltway who would tell me the truth (a task in itself), and here’s what I found out:
The oversight committee is actually part of a whole system. It handles the generally mundane task of dealing with day-to-day events. It traces its origin back to the Nixon administration and the concept of “plausible deniability.” In order for the president to be able to distance himself from an event, Congress is charged with creating a plausible oversight, as in “Oops, it was just an oversight.”
In Nixon’s case, a simple oversight wasn’t adequate so the “overlook committee” was created. This is a “select” committee, meaning that only special people serve on it, and its existence is not very well-publicized. When an oversight isn’t adequate this committee makes a conscious decision to overlook something. Whereas an “oversight” is seemingly an accident, deciding to “overlook” is on purpose.
As you might expect, from time to time, intentionally overlooking something is not enough. When this happens, the issue escalates to the “cover-up committee.” Things don’t get to the cover-up committee without presidential involvement. However, in order to preserve plausible deniability, the president only communicates with the committee in code. It’s something like the nuclear codes and changes with each administration.
I don’t know what the code phrase is in the Obama Administration, but under George W. it was “Heckuva job, Brownie.”
Monday, May 10, 2010
Man, Have We Ever Lost Our Way...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 40 million Americans received food stamps -- the latest in an ever-higher string of record enrollment that dates from December 2008 and the U.S. recession, according to a government update.
U.S. Food stamps are the primary federal anti-hunger program, helping poor people buy food. Enrollment is highest during times of economic distress. The jobless rate was 9.9 percent, the government said on Friday.
The Agriculture Department said 39.68 million people, or 1 in 8 Americans, were enrolled for food stamps during February, an increase of 260,000 from January. USDA updated its figures on Wednesday.
"This is the highest share of the U.S. population on SNAP/food stamps," said the anti-hunger group Food Research and Action Center, using the new name for food stamps, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). "Research suggests that one in three eligible people are not receiving ... benefits."
Enrollment has set a record each month since reaching 31.78 million in December 2008. USDA estimates enrollment will average 40.5 million people this fiscal year, which ends Sept 30, at a cost of up to $59 billion. For fiscal 2011, average enrollment is forecast for 43.3 million people.
Credit: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton/Files
What is wrong with this country? We have Democrats and Republicans fighting with each other over power and politics and miscellany that improves nothing while 12.5% of our population needs food assistance. I find that totally unacceptable.
We have this Tea Party aberration raising rabble about government interference, and any other thing that can raise a crowd, while that same government is feeding 12.5% of our population.
We have wealthy people criticizing the fact that other wealthy people were bailed out by the government while other people, some of whom used to be wealthy, are using food stamps.
Man, have we ever lost our way.
rjs
U.S. Food stamps are the primary federal anti-hunger program, helping poor people buy food. Enrollment is highest during times of economic distress. The jobless rate was 9.9 percent, the government said on Friday.
The Agriculture Department said 39.68 million people, or 1 in 8 Americans, were enrolled for food stamps during February, an increase of 260,000 from January. USDA updated its figures on Wednesday.
"This is the highest share of the U.S. population on SNAP/food stamps," said the anti-hunger group Food Research and Action Center, using the new name for food stamps, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). "Research suggests that one in three eligible people are not receiving ... benefits."
Enrollment has set a record each month since reaching 31.78 million in December 2008. USDA estimates enrollment will average 40.5 million people this fiscal year, which ends Sept 30, at a cost of up to $59 billion. For fiscal 2011, average enrollment is forecast for 43.3 million people.
Credit: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton/Files
What is wrong with this country? We have Democrats and Republicans fighting with each other over power and politics and miscellany that improves nothing while 12.5% of our population needs food assistance. I find that totally unacceptable.
We have this Tea Party aberration raising rabble about government interference, and any other thing that can raise a crowd, while that same government is feeding 12.5% of our population.
We have wealthy people criticizing the fact that other wealthy people were bailed out by the government while other people, some of whom used to be wealthy, are using food stamps.
Man, have we ever lost our way.
rjs
Remember the Good 'Ole Days of Banking?
Here’s a new definition of “chutzpah”. Part of the new financial reform legislation forbids domestic banks from trading in derivatives. Derivative trading (basically financial instruments that bet on other financial instruments) is a major source of revenue for the institutions that are currently posing as banks. The top five “banks” have spent upward of $6 million lobbying to have the prohibition deleted.
Their argument, now get this, is that if they are not allowed to play in the derivative market it will be left only to foreign banks AND FOREIGN BANKS ARE NOT REGULATED BY THE US GOVERNMENT.
Remember the story of the kid who murdered his parents and then pleaded with the court to give him a break because he was an orphan? This is even better than that! Who are these guys kidding?
They don’t want to stop playing the market because then they may be forced to try to make money being banks. If you look at the obscene profitability that banks are now reporting (and asking for an attaboy for recovering from last year’s meltdown) and then look at the source of the profits, a small fraction of it comes from normal banking activities. Interest arbitrage, derivative trading and the like represent the majority of the profits.
Remember the days when a bank took depositors’ money and loaned it to businesses so that the local and national economies would have a source of fluidity? Oops, that required exposure to risk and the careful analysis of financial statements and management activities. And, as we now know, most of the largest companies were lying (and their auditors were swearing to it) so who wants to be in the middle of that mess?
Besides, it’s much more sophisticated and fun to play with the big boys (and become one yourself) than it is to sit behind a roll top desk and serve customers.
How ‘ya gonna keep ‘em down on the farm after they seen Paree?
rjs
Their argument, now get this, is that if they are not allowed to play in the derivative market it will be left only to foreign banks AND FOREIGN BANKS ARE NOT REGULATED BY THE US GOVERNMENT.
Remember the story of the kid who murdered his parents and then pleaded with the court to give him a break because he was an orphan? This is even better than that! Who are these guys kidding?
They don’t want to stop playing the market because then they may be forced to try to make money being banks. If you look at the obscene profitability that banks are now reporting (and asking for an attaboy for recovering from last year’s meltdown) and then look at the source of the profits, a small fraction of it comes from normal banking activities. Interest arbitrage, derivative trading and the like represent the majority of the profits.
Remember the days when a bank took depositors’ money and loaned it to businesses so that the local and national economies would have a source of fluidity? Oops, that required exposure to risk and the careful analysis of financial statements and management activities. And, as we now know, most of the largest companies were lying (and their auditors were swearing to it) so who wants to be in the middle of that mess?
Besides, it’s much more sophisticated and fun to play with the big boys (and become one yourself) than it is to sit behind a roll top desk and serve customers.
How ‘ya gonna keep ‘em down on the farm after they seen Paree?
rjs
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Ideas Are a Dime a Dozen!
Business ideas are a dime a dozen! If every idea we have for improving the world or for making a million were successful, we'd all be living in paradise (not that St. Louis isn't paradise, but you know what I mean).
Seriously, at the idea stage everything looks feasible. Especially those 2:00 AM ideas. So what happens? Why don't most ideas every turn into reality?
It's simple...ideas don't fail in theory, they fail in the execution. I don't know the number, but I'm sure that the odds of an idea bearing any fruit are somewhere in the vicinity of winning PowerBall. Wishing doesn't make things happen.
But at the moment, we need to increase the likelihood that a business idea can turn into something. With so many people out of work and unlikely to find a decent job we better do something in a hurry. After all is said and done, starting a business my be the only career path left.
Introducing the Matterhorn Project – not your ordinary idea factory. At Matterhorn we teach execution. While everyone else teaches the theory of running a business, we teach the practice.
There is more information available about creating a small business than any human being is capable of absorbing. Some of it's good and some not so good. But, in the end, you can't learn to do something well by reading a book or attending a seminar. You need practice in order to apply what you've learned.
Matterhorn includes theory, taught by experts, but doesn't stop there. 2/3's of the time you invest in Matterhorn is spent actually running your business and earning a livelihood.
So don't spend money on trial and error. Do it right the first time with the Matterhorn Project!
rjs
Seriously, at the idea stage everything looks feasible. Especially those 2:00 AM ideas. So what happens? Why don't most ideas every turn into reality?
It's simple...ideas don't fail in theory, they fail in the execution. I don't know the number, but I'm sure that the odds of an idea bearing any fruit are somewhere in the vicinity of winning PowerBall. Wishing doesn't make things happen.
But at the moment, we need to increase the likelihood that a business idea can turn into something. With so many people out of work and unlikely to find a decent job we better do something in a hurry. After all is said and done, starting a business my be the only career path left.
Introducing the Matterhorn Project – not your ordinary idea factory. At Matterhorn we teach execution. While everyone else teaches the theory of running a business, we teach the practice.
There is more information available about creating a small business than any human being is capable of absorbing. Some of it's good and some not so good. But, in the end, you can't learn to do something well by reading a book or attending a seminar. You need practice in order to apply what you've learned.
Matterhorn includes theory, taught by experts, but doesn't stop there. 2/3's of the time you invest in Matterhorn is spent actually running your business and earning a livelihood.
So don't spend money on trial and error. Do it right the first time with the Matterhorn Project!
rjs
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Starting a Business is a Process...Not An Event!
It’s a process that most people get wrong, because 50% of the time they don’t make it through 2 years. The ironic thing is that there are more seminars and books and blogs about “How to Start a Small Business” than probably any other business-related topic. So what’s up?
Learning to start and run a business by attending seminars and reading books is about as effective as learning to be an Olympic ice skater by reading a manual. Failure is not caused by a lack of information but, instead, by a lack of the ability to execute.
That’s why we developed the Matterhorn Project. Matterhorn breaks the start-up process into two segments: 6 months of learning followed by 12 months of actual business operation. Any qualified organization can teach you the theory, only Matterhorn coaches you to successful execution.
So, go for the gold! Find out more about the Matterhorn Project today. Don’t start a business without it.
rjs
Learning to start and run a business by attending seminars and reading books is about as effective as learning to be an Olympic ice skater by reading a manual. Failure is not caused by a lack of information but, instead, by a lack of the ability to execute.
That’s why we developed the Matterhorn Project. Matterhorn breaks the start-up process into two segments: 6 months of learning followed by 12 months of actual business operation. Any qualified organization can teach you the theory, only Matterhorn coaches you to successful execution.
So, go for the gold! Find out more about the Matterhorn Project today. Don’t start a business without it.
rjs
Thursday, March 4, 2010
About This Project!
We have more than 100 years of combined experience in marketing, training, sales, accounting and banking! This program will guide you from the very beginning stages of a new business development, through business start-up and we will walk beside you for your first full year in business! Think of it as an "internship" in your own business!
rjs
rjs
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