Thursday, July 9, 2009
New Job, New Challenge
Dear Dad, I started a new job recently and had a three month review of my performance. I have two bosses which poses its own set of problems, but my greatest concern is meeting their expectations. They have suggested my progress is slower than they expected, suggesting that I should be more aware of the information needed to perform the job. It's really not a fair judgement. To do my job requires inside and outside influences. There are numerous facts, contacts, sources of supply, codes, descriptions, equipment settings, etc. In fact, the information is so complex that my bosses will sometimes ask me to clarify some specifics that they themselves haven't learned after years of being in the business. When I don't immediately have the information they are seeking, they translate this to mean I am not progressing to their satisfaction. Do you have some advice for me?
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The bosses are challenging you to impress them.
About 20 years ago, I had secretaries that would type my correspondence.
I would reread everything, find errors, correct and then mail correspondence. There were carbon copies... you have no idea how bad and slow everything in business was in those days.
Back then, I decided to write, edit and send my own letters with word processing and spreadsheets. I stepped ahead of most executives my age and decided NOT to rely on a notebooks or notepads... you know... the book you right everything down on during the day; the information in process.... information you can't find later, without looking through days or weeks or months of notes.
I realized that 6% of everyone's time is wasted hunting for things.... some people 25%
So, I decided to keep a simple spreadsheet instead. It can then even be copied or seeded online for when I am traveling, now that computers are everywhere. Not MAXIMIZER, Not OUTLOOK... just a simple endless MS-Excel Spreadhsheet.
Every cell has room for pages of information.
Addresses, birthdays, colours and series, ANYTHING... even ideas.
Everything is EASILY searchable, by any fragment of memory, part of address (CITY) anything you can remember about your own information you are retrieving.
This is immediate and much faster than a notebook. At the end of each day, I can even add the notes or information, even from e-mails... anything I think might be later needed information.... now I have a dynamic database of knowledge.
When other people rely on you for answers, it makes the job a lot easier. MUCH EASIER AND MUCH QUICKER... it also makes you a valued and sometimes indispensable employee and they gave raises to such valued employees.
On my desktop I also have an MS-Excel spreadsheet and it is deep with information....my ideas and helpful support information.
It gets bigger every year... sometimes I remove information when out-of date... but no real reason for it... the speadsheet is endless and it's backed up everyday or every week.
This is an idea, proven with time and it saves time.
Challenge is not stress. Not having the answers, when needed, is stressful.
Challenge should be fun. To have the answers is fun. To have a single source of all answers and to fill the source with the myriad of details, knowing that you will not be hunting it again, is really quite liberating.
I'm not suggesting you strive to be what others think you should be.....I'm suggesting you do more to meet these expectations, with very little effort.
Don't sweat the little things.
"Everything worth attaining is worth some sacrifice and effort." Plant a little time now and it will grow and be there later, saving you time, when it's needed.
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