Feedback on Small Business Article

Thanks for the article on small businesses! It was concise, easy to read and simple to follow.

It was also relevant in the sense that it reiterated the need for small business to be professional in their outlook, and not use their being small as some sort of excuse to 'get away' with minor mishaps. (If that doesn't sound too harsh!)

Thanks again,

Will
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Will -

Thanks for the day-brightener! The article was a bit of a rant, but I enjoyed writing it.



Paula Williams
www.ravenwerks.com
Committed to Your Success

Headhunter Etiquette

Hello,

There is one scenario that I’ve been wondering about which wasn’t covered in the article. (Etiquette for Job Hunters) A work colleague was asked if she knew anyone who was interested in an open position (by a headhunter). She thought of me and emailed me the headhunters name & contact information.

Is it inappropriate to call and ask for more information so that I may edit my resume? Or should I just send my resume and cover letter? I think this would be particularly useful. Since my gut tells me it’s 50/50. There are pro’s and cons to both sides.

Kindest Regards,

C

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Dear C,

I would agree with the 50% of your guts telling you to call the headhunter.

You will have the opportunity to introduce yourself, ask questions, and fine-tune your resume and cover letter, if you use one. You can simply say “Alice told me that you were looking for a person to fill a _____ position and I wanted to let you know of my interest in that field.”

Your resume will be much more targeted and relevant if you are able to ask questions about the opportunity beforehand, and it allows the headhunter to give you more information and ensure you’re a good fit for the potential position.

As an FYI, it’s not a bad idea to cultivate a networking relationship with headhunters, even when you’re not looking for a job. If you’re in a position to know a lot of people in your industry, you will always know of someone who needs a position filled or someone who needs a job, and headhunters are always glad to have sources of information. Help them out when you can, and don't be bashful about asking for help when you (or a colleague) needs assistance they might be able to provide.

Best wishes, let me know how it turns out!

-Paula Williams
www.ravenwerks.com
Committed to Your Success

Has the War In Iraq Been a Success? It’s a Matter of Point of View.

We’ve heard that there are two sides to every story. To every really complicated story, there are hundreds, or even thousands, of “sides.”   A couple of the more credible but apparently polar opposite points of view:

           New York Post, June 9, 2008 – Arthur Herman

America has won, or is about to win, the Iraq war.

The latest proof came last month, as the Iraqi army - just a few months ago the target of scorn and abuse from Democratic politicians and journalists - forcefully reoccupied three cities that had served as key insurgency bases (Basra, Sadr City and Mosul).

Sunnis and Shias alike applauded as their nation's army compelled insurgent militias to lay down their arms. The country's leading opposition newspaper, Azzaman, led the applause for the move into Mosul - a sign that national reconciliation in Iraq is under way and probably irreversible.

USA Today, June 10, 2008 - Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press

Uncertainty over Iraq security pact could outlast Bush's term

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is conceding for the first time that the United States may not finish a complex security agreement with Iraq before President Bush leaves office.

Faced with stiff Iraqi opposition, it is "very possible" the U.S. may have to extend an existing U.N. mandate, said a senior administration official close to the talks. That would mean major decisions about how U.S. forces operate in Iraq could be left to the next president, including how much authority the U.S. must give Iraqis over military operations and how quickly the handover takes place.

 

So which is true?   Probably both.   So how do you measure success of a complicated project?  We can learn a lot from the Iraq war that we can apply in project status meetings!

•  Define (and communicate) the mission, goals and objectives as simply as possible.  If we all agreed on what the mission, goals and objectives were for the Iraq war, we’d have some common ground.  Unfortunately, there are many different thoughts about what those objectives are and which of them are most important among international entities and even within the U.S. government.  You may never get consensus, but if you don’t lay out what success is supposed to look like before you get started, you’ll never be able to know or communicate when you’ve achieved it. 
• Use the same metrics.  If you measure things a different way each time, you have no basis for comparison.  Different groups use different metrics to prove their own point.  In your projects, you have the advantage of agreeing beforehand with the stakeholders about what metrics will be used and how they will be measured.
• Use relevant metrics.  From listening to many demonstrations, the number of U.S. casualties is the only important metric for how we’re doing in the Iraq war.   But some of the bloodiest conflicts in human history were also seen by history as great victories when measured by other metrics.  (Defending against the Nazis in World War II, for example.)
• If you need help with metrics, see Measuring Results - Are We There Yet?
• Know when you’re done.   Set clear criteria for ending the project – whether it’s a success or failure, it will have to end sometime, and this is best done at logical decision points, rather than by inertia.   This is easier for most of us than it is for the strategists of the Iraq war.  Since “terrorism” has existed since the beginning of human history, it is not likely to end. So the “War on Terror” is, by definition, unwinnable.
• For more help on  killing projects that go south on you, see Making Good Kills  - Stopping Projects, Quitting Jobs, Terminating Employees, and Other Necessary Failures 

It’s easy to second-guess and armchair-quarterback.  John and I have mixed feelings (as most couples probably do) about the Iraq War, and I often have mixed feelings myself, depending on the news, which inevitably comes from different points of view. 

It certainly gives us a good example, though, of how success of a “project” can become a very subjective thing.

One thing we agree on is that we are very grateful for the men and women serving in our armed forces.  If you have served in the military, thank you for your service.  If you’re a family member or loved one of a service member, thank you for  your service as well. 

Getting More Done by Not Going To Work

I have the best boss in the world.

She doesn't let the trappings of authority get in the way of reason and practicality.

As a product manager, I attend a lot of meetings during the week. I also accrue a lot of action items from the meetings, and I'm responsible for doing long-term planning and strategy that is hard to do in a cubicle with a lot of distractions.

About a month ago, I started working at home on Thursdays. This happened to be the day that was lightest on meetings, and the one regular meeting I have on Thursdays is a call-in with people in another city, anyway. So for the last month my productivity has gone through the roof. And I'm more relaxed and have more time for people at work.

Now everything I come across that requires concentration and doesn't require collaboration with others goes on my "Thursday List." This includes at least an hour of brainstorming and future planning that would NEVER get done if I were in the office. I get a lot of items checked off my list on Thursdays, since I have almost eight hours uninterrupted (I do answer the phone and check email several times during the day so that I'm available for those weird little emergencies that always happen.) And I'm less stressed about getting work done during the week, so I'm free to linger and chat after meetings and I'm more welcoming to visitors to my cube who drop by with an idea or a concern.

As we all know, those conversations are often the most enlightening and valuable part of the day.

The expensive gas I save, the fact that I'm not adding to the summer smog, the extra hour that I'm not spending in my car, and being able to work in jeans and sneakers is a beside the point as far as my boss is concerned, but it means a lot to me!

For some tips on how to make telecommuting work for you, see Virtual Teamwork - Long Distance Collaboration on the Ravenwerks site.

Have a great day!