5 Things Workshifters Won’t Say, But Should

The post which follows is an approved re-print of my recent article on Workshifting.com, and is soon to be excerpted in a new book entitled Out of Office (by Gihan Perera, August 2011 ).*

For anyone not familiar with the term, “workshifting” refers to “anyone who works out of coffee shops, hotels, airports and whose home every bit as much as the office” (Definition courtesy of www.Workshifting.com, Powered by Citrix).

Given that I still struggle with these tenets daily – when the need to please and assist mask the [greater] need to produce and produce well – these statements are helpful reminders that quality, balance, and living your truth are crucial to productivity and success.

5 Things Workshifters Won’t Say, But Should
By Natalya Sabga on June 22, 2011 12:08 PM |

Making the proverbial shift into workshifting is tough – for employers and workshifters, alike. Though gaining greater credibility, the workshifting lifestyle is still nebulous at best and completely scary at worst to most organizations considering permitting an employee to workshift or hiring a workshifter outright.

This perceived dilemma can make some workshifters second guess their daily decisions, promises and commitments in order to say what we believe the hiring parties want to hear.

So, I have come up with the 5 things most workshifters won’t say, but should:

1. “My greatest quality work is produced when I have the most flexibility in time, location and method.”
2. “I would love to help you/your organization with this project/issue, but it’s not within my core competency and it would be better for you to ask someone else with that strength.”
3. “I would need to assess the current status of your organization and measure the gap between where it is currently at versus what you want this project/assignment to achieve, before I commit or spec out my statement of work.”
4. “As a rule, I need a full 24 (48) hours’ notice in order to attend a meeting on-site, except in the case of an emergency or project showstopper.”
5. “I lobbied for a workshifting lifestyle so I could perform at my best and serve you at the highest level of my capability; therefore, being asked to commit to more than my realistic capacity or having to forgo my flexibility defeats both of our ultimate and intended goals for success.”

Some of these statements may appear harsh or “un-A-player-like” at first, but rest assured – they are often the mantras which need to be heard first and most. Your opportunity to workshift has been hard won and much deserved; so wouldn’t you prefer to set yourself up for success with expectations based on realistic and supportive parameters or speak only empty promises and have your work and workshifting lifestyle suffer?

Wishing You Success in any workstyle you adopt,
Natalya

* Find Gihan Perera on Facebook!

Photo Credit: forangels.org

The “CEO” Gene

I remember penning my book and implying in its title that my journey took me “From Secretary to CEO“…facetious or otherwise, my career path and attitude had taken me on a distinct trajectory in the upward direction. And, I truly believe that – had I continued along the path – the succession planning Gods would have voted in my favor and landed me as close to a CEO position as I chose to be.

At the risk of sounding self-important and utterly overconfident – which I am NOT – I should explain that what I didn’t know then is that I possessed certain key characteristics which, today, are known as “The Five Traits That Get You Promoted to CEO”*:

*Author’s Note: Although aptly named, the article could just as well be called “The Five Traits Which Get You Through Life With Strength and Success…”

From his interviews with over 70 chief executives and leaders, New York Times columnist Adam Bryant identified the “X factors” for leading an organization—qualities that can determine who gets promoted to that corner office:

• Passionate curiosity: Relentless questioning and being infectiously fascinated with everything around you, human nature in particular ~ [N says] It’s not enough to just “learn the lingo” of the industry or organization, you need to learn the players, the art of interacting with them to get things done and how to lose in order to win…
• Battle-hardened confidence: Overcoming—and even relishing—adversity. CEOs most often ask job candidates how they’ve dealt with failure in the past ~ [N says] Failure IS your friend if a) you’re the first to call out your mistake (or as soon as it is discovered), admit fault and ask how you can learn from or avoid the same mistake in the future. Adversity awaits you around every corner; sometimes it’s your fault and other times, it’s someone else’s. So, knowing how to address and mitigate damage as soon as adverse events occur are keys to undoing the ill effects while growing in confidence the next time something goes wrong.
• Team smarts: More than just being a team player, understanding how teams work and getting the most out of the team (in sports terms, being a playmaker) ~ [N says] Independence is a fallacy- we are all interdependent, and nowhere is this truer than when the collective success of your team = your success. Learn your people- their strengths, weaknesses and buttons so you can guide them to their highest success (and ultimately your own…)
• A simple mindset: Being concise, simple, and clear in your communications ~ [N says] I speak at length in my book about working for an IT company, where my advanced education was rendered moot by 19-year old hacking geniuses. Had it not been for my command of the written word and the ability to sound like I knew what I was talking about, I would have never made it past the reception desk. Communication skills, both verbal and written are the greatest muscles you can tone. If these skills do not come naturally, find yourself a Business Writing course and Dale Carnegie chapter…
• Fearlessness: Comfort with the unknown and taking calculated, informed risks; also, seeing opportunities and being proactive about positive change ~ [N says] The operative words here are calculated and informed . Do your homework and once you have earned that battle-hard confidence, taking educated risks, but not risking overconfidence, will become second nature. And yes, with change does come opportunity – so keep your eyes wide open and don’t let the slim opening of opportunity close before you exert a little upfront effort to see what positive influence you can make with or without the promise of reward and recognition.

Whether you are an aspiring executive or the CEO of your own career path…do you possess these traits?

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Image Courtesy of You Know You Made IT When…

Do Remarkable Work

I recently read a tweet from one of my gurus, Marcus Buckingham. In the past 2 years, he has taught me not only to seek out my strengths but more importantly, to embrace and utilize them in light of and in spite of my weaknesses.

A simple and profound aspiration: Strive to become a hard act to follow. ~ @MWBuckingham #strengths

We all have both strengths and weaknesses – it’s WHO WE ARE. Haven’t you ever admired someone for being such a talented marketing mind, a super-organizational machine, a social connector, or even someone who just makes you smile and feel peaceful in their presence? Well, you’re seeing all of these individuals’ strengths shine through and not noticing any of their [underlying] weaknesses.

Yet, most of us seem to focus primarily on the areas upon which we need to improve – I’m too disorganized, I’m not detail-oriented enough, I’m too laid back, I’m too intense, I work too much, I don’t have my priorities in line - well, while any or all of these may be true , and there is certainly nothing wrong with aiming to improve and grow, what if we simply focused on what we already [ translate: inherently] do well, and allow that facet of our personality to lead the way?

Marcus Buckingham’s quote above sent my mind in several different directions:

• The first reminded me that I hold myself to an incredibly high work ethic – everything I produce has my stamp on it and it better meet my standards and reflect who I am (for better or for worse). Even the work I am not so proud of signals a red flag to me to change direction, refocus and accept only those initiatives which will lead me to future growth, productivity and expansion [ which, to me = success ].
• The second direction reminded me that doing “remarkable” work, however you may define or categorize “remarkable”, entails simply doing your very best in any endeavor you choose to undertake, and, understanding that each endeavor IS a choice – whether personal or professional – which bears your very own stamp of quality and respect. You better be sure that when you turn your back, and someone speaks of anything you have said or done – whether positively or negatively, that you are proud to stand up for the result.
• The last direction takes us full circle back to the quote – Let your strength lead the way, and that in itself will make you a hard act to follow. I remember “falling into” the practice of project management at my first job, and immediately receiving high accolades for the quality of work I produced with little to no experience. In those [naive] days, I assumed I was a “good employee to have”. Now, I know… that because I was inadvertently using my [yet unrecognized] strengths, I was not only doing very well but making it look easy (which it was not and still is not!!!).

Be a part of something you believe in. Those around you will notice your enthusiasm. ~Marc and Angel

So, all that being said, whatever your line of work or priority in life – strive to be who you are and the best at being that person. Don’t waste time focusing on what you are not, for that creates empty space and no room to grow.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

It’s My Job….And I’ll Cry If I Want To….

I just happened to be working from home one day and a newscast on MSNBC caught my ear….on crying in the workplace.

How should emotions be controlled in a professional environment?

Apparently, according to Ann Kreamer (author of It’s Always Personal: Emotion in the New Workplace ), workplace anxiety is both commonplace and problematic for many. While this factoid certainly did not surprise me, the results of Kreamer’s study on reactions to unveiled (i.e., exposed) emotions in the workplace were shocking:

Women view other women who cry at work as unstable.

Men view other women who cry at work as unprofessional.

Those are strong judgments!!!! I get the need to be professional, to a fault, particularly in today’s competitive environment which demands that we all raise our standards on a daily basis. And, I am the poster child for professionalism, often overlooking even the most basic social niceties and getting directly to the point or project at hand. Yet, for me, something is definitely missing.

We are Human BEINGs not Human DOINGs.

How many of us have not had “those moments” at work – where life, work stress and someone or something – took us over the edge? Perhaps our voice raised a few decibels, our throat got choked up, or we shed a few (or many) tears in public or private? I certainly had MANY of these moments managing projects that would not end and clients that would not cooperate. And, although over time, I have learned to manage my reactions more effectively – in those very human moments, sheer frustration and exhaustion were my truths.

So, raise your hand…I would venture to say that there are actually going to be many who can attest to that prize-winning status of never showing your weak side at work. But, I would go one step further and say that society is holding us to an unhealthy and unrealistic standard – not to mention false and inauthentic.

In [my] weakest moments, and those of my own staff over the years, I much prefer to have the issue and accompanying emotions acknowledged with compassion, and then guidance provided on how to address it…this does not mean pamper nor babysit, but it does mean understand.

I see compassion, understanding and guidance as closely tied to longevity, results and productivity. So, sue me, or…try a little kindness

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Image Courtesy of: blogs.forbes.com

If You Get…Give. If You Learn…Teach

If You Get…Give. If You Learn…Teach ~ Maya Angelou

Both the title of this particular blog, and the quote above, are the words of the brilliant Maya Angelou. While I have not studied her works in great detail, the wisdom and peace which can be derived from mere snippets are surely mere portents of her full works.

And the aforementioned quotation, in particular, resonated with me greatly. With the super surge in blogging, tweeting, “facebooking”, LinkedIN, podcasts and the like – you are either overwhelmed with an onslaught of information and want nothing to do with it OR you cannot get enough. Really no in-between. Despite authoring a blog of my own, I was -admittedly- a member of the nothing-to-do-with-it club for many months.

Even as I wrote my first blog entries, I wondered ” who really cares except me…? ” A lifelong student of human behavior, coupled with an ease with words, I could not help myself but blog – all of those experiences and behavioral observations co-mingled with a platform on which to finally express them was too much to resist! Yet, the nagging voice which decried the relevancy of my thoughts and work lingered and often does to this day…until I realized how much I derive from the information imparted by other fellow bloggers and tweeters. I am addicted and grateful to them for funneling timely, relevant and otherwise easily-overlooked information to continuously fill my brain and exercise my mental muscle.

So, thank you Ms. Angelou for not only encouraging but justifying the shared expression of knowledge and thoughts -for each blog entry is a compilation of what someone has learned, including me, and it is a privilege to be taught by these writers.

On that note, I must take this moment to recognize some of my favorite, most-admired and thought-provoking bloggers – which, btw, I discovered from reading other blogs that had linked to these – I do hope you will check out my Top 5!

• Alisa Arenas (Sanera)
• Marc and Angel (Marc & Angel Hack Life)
• HR Bartender

And, for the PMs…

• The PM Coach
• Head First PM
• The PM Student

Wishing you Success,
Natalya

I’m Not W-BS’ing You…

We all have tasks, goals and wishes…and we cannot live without accomplishing these. In some case, completing certain tasks means earning a living or fulfilling our responsibilities to others; similarly, achieving certain goals or having our wishes come through may mean fulfilling our responsibility to ourselves.

So, what is the method for the madness of tasks, goals and wishes all swimming around in our heads?

Well, ask a project manager and he/she will tell you – it all begins and ends with a WBS.

A work breakdown structure (WBS) breaks a project into smaller, more manageable components. It is the basis for project planning…

The operative words here are smaller and more manageable…

Large, complex projects are organized and completed successfully only by breaking them into progressively smaller pieces which result in a collection of defined “work packages” or individual tasks. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the tool used to provide the framework for organizing and managing the work in front of you. Then why not, too, use a WBS for your life milestones?

I recently mapped a WBS for my personal and professional goals. The exercise resulted in:

1. Realizing where my priorities landed. Unfortunately work was a Level 2, Priority 3 item – I won’t even tell you where vacation and R&R landed. Good news is, writing was priority #1.
2. Mapping out what it would take to actually accomplish each milestone and progressively elaborating through a list of the work packages which comprised the larger goal. For example, if I am trying to write another book – sublevel 2, item 1 would be defining concept; sublevel 2, item 2 would be mapping out chapter concepts and titles…etc – and I could progressively elaborate as many subtasks as needed until the book is finished, published and marketed.
3. Reducing anxiety. In planning any project or approaching any new task, it is normal to find oneself possibly overwhelmed and confused. But, breaking a project into logically arranged, step-by-step pieces is a proven way to get to where you need to go!

The journey of a million miles…begins with one step. ~ Attributed to Tao Te Ching

So, take that step today, and WBS your own life’s projects and milestones! Preparing and understanding the steps for your life’s projects are an effective way of managing and achieving your goals.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

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The Journey of a Million Miles

Image Courtesy of: The Project Diva

Managing Change – Flexibility or Fallibility?

A few of my long-term projects lately have been encountering changes on the fly. OK, if I am being honest here – the actual truth is that every project I’ve ever worked on in the past ??? years has faced change requests somewhere along the path to completion. YET, every time an email floats in that threatens to alter scope, resources or content, I stare at the laptop like an alien in a UFO just landed on the keyboard. My heart flutters and a certain minuscule level of anger rises up in me. What is wrong with me… shouldn’t someone tell me to stop being surprised by now??!!

The only constant is change…

Did I even need to block quote that? I think not. We all know that change is inevitable, unavoidable, unexpected yet expected, annoying and welcome at the same time. And, clearly, I am not alone. A recent study published by Wharton’s Aresty Institute for Executive Education cites that “most CEOs consider themselves and their organizations largely ineffective at implementing change.” The study cites the failure rate for initiatives at almost 60 percent, with just 61 percent of CEOs reporting that they managed change well in past projects. The study also reveals that the percentage of CEOs who expect substantial change climbed to 83 percent.

So, if 83% percent expect the change, 61% feel that they manage well to change, why then is the failure rate(60%) still so high?

And, for a project manager like myself – who manages to a carefully laid out plan, where change requests are actually integrated into the plan, and whose success hinges on bringing projects to positive completion, where is the delineation between flexibility and fallibility – both in projects and in life….?

Interestingly enough, the answer to that and the CEOs’ high failure rate problem are much alike…

Expecting change is not just an emotional connection, it must be tactical, too - whether you see the change coming or not, experience tells you it will come, so know how you will deal with it. Develop change management procedures and coping mechanisms which can be widely adopted regardless of circumstance. Wharton Professor of Management Sigal Barsade notes, “Even as executives realize they’re not effective at implementing change, they continue to approach new initiatives with the same methods they used in the past. ” Hello, definition of insanity calling….

Understand change – I don’t care how many people actually admit to it or not, but NOBODY LIKES CHANGE. And we are pre-programmed to berate ourselves when we find that our involuntary reactions to change invoke feelings of instability (reference first paragraph, last sentence of this very blog!) Be it positive or negative, change can evoke excitement, happiness, anxiety, anger, denial, sadness, frustration – whether we want/allow it. And, more often than not, we cannot do a darn thing about the change other than to….

Accept and Adapt - And herein lies the simple answer to my original question, which was fraught with complexity and frustration: “Where is the delineation between flexibility and fallibility ..?” Change WILL happen, so accept that, and flexibility will follow. Be prepared for change, whether it is by building float into your schedule, reviewing lessons learned from the past before embarking on new/repeated initiatives, or invoking coping mechanisms. Change is not synonymous with a disastrous ending, it’s simply a re-start – so learn techniques to adapt, be flexible within those adaptation techniques, and failure will no longer be in your forecast.

Perhaps you cannot predict change, but we can all predict how we behave in its wake.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

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Journey v. Destination

When haven’t we all asked ourselves this age-old question…Which is more important, the journey or the destination?

I’m not sure anymore that there is a right answer to that question. So, if you haven’t found the answer yourself, don’t fret.

It is human nature to focus on the destination – i.e., the goal, the reward, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And, it’s important to have destinations that create the possibility for the journey.

Personally, I’d like to believe that the destination guides the journey; but in the end, does it even matter if you ever get there or not…?

Image Courtesy of Dopiaza

So, let’s talk for a moment about what actually happens along the journey.

~ Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. ~ Arthur Ashe

In 2009, I had a destination in mind ~ a virtual one, that is. Create a website to showcase my project management skills: a virtual mirror for me to glimpse at my capabilities from the outside in, if you will. Within the website a blog would exist. The blog would be an outlet for my love affair with words and a harmonious marriage between what I do as a PM on a daily basis and what I write. Well, almost 20 months into writing the blog, I can count on one hand the number of posts which had anything to do with project management! Needless to say, I needed some help with scope management on my own project!

According to the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), there are 5 phases to a project:

Initiation – Planning – Executing – Controlling – Closing

I need not highlight the fact that I veered off course at Initiation. My blog became a stream-of-consciousness exercise as opposed to a stream of knowledge!

So what does that have to do with the case of Journey v. Destination, you ask?

The way I see it, “destinations” complicate the journey too much. They’re no more than placeholders, mile markers if you will, and how you get there is in no way comprised by whether or not you get there…. It’s not written anywhere that we must reach certain destinations in life, no more so than it’s etched in stone what each of my blog posts must be about. That is not to say you should not have goals, or resolutions, or set mile markers of achievements to which you may aspire – and if you need help setting those, check out fellow blogger extraordinaire, HR Bartender’s, post here – but, it may mean that destinations will be arrived at on their own merit, as long as you seek fulfillment and growth along the journey’s way.

Wishing You Success on Your JOURNEY,
Natalya

Author’s Note: Ironically, my 20 month journey gone askew led me directly back to its initial destination…writing about Project Management. Just when I thought my scope had creeped too far and the risk of retrieval too high to mitigate, the compass turned 180 degrees back to writing blogs about PM. (Funny how that works, eh? ) I hope not to “projectize” my blog too far such that I lose readers along the way, but rather illustrate how you, too, can project manage your life.

Morning Routines and Evening Rituals

A reprint of my latest contribution to Workshifting…now if only to consistently practice what I preach..

I said goodbye to traditional office life some 17 months ago, yet still struggle with defining my workday. Whether open-door, closed-door or cubicle-bound, office life offers a stability and consistency that come with scheduled work hours and responsibilities.

Upon entry into the Workshifting realm, the before, during and after work all become one. And, as is the case for many workshifters, your load will effectively increase if you become responsible for your own IT, marketing and the like.

How You Start and End Your Day Influences What Happens In-between

So, now, productivity not only becomes more challenging, it becomes more integral to successfully reaching any destination along the workshifting highway. Here are some ideas I am tinkering with, in order to move into the HOV lane of productivity.

Create a morning routine which invokes a positive flow of energy and ideas through the remainder of your day.In physical terms, this ritual could involve a swim, a walk with the sunrise or a cup of freshly-brewed coffee. Sometimes, just having your coffee in a different place and checking your personal email or reading a few edifying articles will prepare your mind for the work that is ahead!

Mentally, the activity should calm you while at the same time awaken your brain to remain open to a flow of ideas throughout the day. Life coach and author, Wendi Blum, suggests that you start your day with a gratitude list – i.e., on a positive note. Or, perhaps, set the intention for what you would like to/need to accomplish on that day. Different from mere calendaring or goal-setting, setting the intention implies a connection and commitmment to the task at hand and the possession of the talent/skills/discipline needed to achieve!

Remember that the key to the morning “routine” may be keeping it exactly the same each day, or switching it up sometimes depending on what type of flow of thoughts/creativity/ energy you seek!

Create an evening ritual which encapsulates the positive aspects of your day and sets you up for success tomorrow. As workshifters, it can feel as though our ‘work’day never ends! Therefore, it’s that much more imperative that we create a physical and/or mental separation to transition from work to relaxation. Whether it is an evening social activity or walk outside – find a way clear the clutter of the day.

Stop, ask your mind/heart/soul to receive the wisdom and knowledge you need to fuel the next day’s tasks. These requests of yourself act like the automatic “Windows updates” your computer performs at night, readying it with the latest tools it needs to work at optimum levels.

What are your morning routines and evening rituals that make you most productive?

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Reflecting Back & Looking Ahead

Interestingly enough, I keep saying that I am not going to write an “Ode to 2010 and Hello 2011 ! ” blog; yet, at this time of year, I simply cannot help reflecting back and looking ahead in my own life – and as you all know by now – what I observe and learn ends up here

Although I am self-proclaimed “Type P (the ‘Planner’) and incessantly project manage my own life and others’ when they allow me, I recently did something I have never done before….I sat down to map out my goals for 2011. In fact, I went so far as to book and pay for a seminar on goal-setting. When asked to introduce ourselves and why we came to the seminar, I stated candidly that there is no lack of goals I can set for myself- but somehow ( translate -always) they get buried under the noise in my head and around me, and rarely become reality.

So, I thought this seminar would be great for me. Document my goals – map out my long-term vision and inject short-term motivation.

Although I am a master at making lists and complicated spreadsheets, those are simply not effective for goal execution. As I reflected on the best method to not only strategize around my goals but also execute them, I realized that I could (of course!) invoke some of my favorite, tried and true, project execution techniques within my personal goal-planning exercise:

A. Exceed Expectations:

To a project manager, this means exceeding stakeholder expectations and delivering a project that is on time, within budget and which meets all requirements. So, if my goals are my personal project, that would mean that I am the primary stakeholder and I have to set the timeline that is the most realistic and within the budget of my capabilities and constraints. And much like any project manager has to do, I must identify all of the steps (mini-goals) it would take to achieve each main goal (milestone), map out the mini-goals in logical order (work breakdown structure), sequence (precedence diagramming) and track their progression against the calendar year (schedule baseline). Ultimately, it’s me I want to please and impress – and so I should treat my goal setting with the same importance and priority as any other project I undertake.

B. Create a Quality Plan:

Within the realm of any project, it’s pointless to complete the sequence if the outcome is junk. Therefore, quality control measures are leading indicators of ultimate project success. Project managers create well-defined project quality plans at the beginning stage of projects to monitor each deliverable in the project plan and ensure high quality results are achieved throughout the project. Similarly, I would need to monitor my efforts on each mini-goal that would lead to the end result I wanted to achieve. This means that I need to be focused, present and accountable for each step, but more importantly, that I give each mini-goal the attention it needs and commit to reviewing my own progress along the way.

C. Establish a Results-Management Office:

Large consulting conglomerates, such as Deloitte Consulting LLP, have begun to take an innovative approach to continuous improvement of project results company-wide, and to ensuring that projects do not run over budget, miss milestones nor disappoint stakeholders. How? They implement dedicated “Results-Management Offices ” which are responsible for not only achieving project outcomes, but more importantly, ensuring that the organization’s efforts realize the rewards for the specific project. (1) So consider this: in personal goal-setting, you are your own ‘CRO’ (Chief Results’ Officer) - and as such, you are responsible for measuring and taking pride in the achievement of your goals. You can see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind and begin realizing benefits and building on success along the way.

Begin with the simple act of writing down your goals – it may intimidate you to do that (it did me) but it makes all the difference. If you can SEE it, you can DO it!!!!

So, as we look ahead to 2011 – remember: What gets planned gets measured. What gets measured gets done…

Here’s hoping we can plan, set, measure and achieve our collective goals in 2011!

Author’s Note: though it may not be documented as a project success technique per se, one other item of note I learned is that we must be grateful and see the blessings embedded in each step we take toward the primary goal. Celebrate the small successes and continue to follow the path you have mapped out toward the end goal (whether you ever decide to reach it or not!).

Wishing You Success as 2011 Approaches…,
Natalya

(1) PMI Credential Passport, December 2010 © 2010 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

Image Courtesy of: Ericblue7

The iNspired Series #1: GPS-less

Just a few weeks ago my portable GPS unit (best gift ever, in case you need some Christmas ideas for the directionally-challenged in your life) had to be sent back. It refused to power on despite forcefully pushing the power button; and it when it did start up, it either froze or drew a blank screen. Thankfully it was still under warranty (another option to consider when gifting said GPS; it’s likely the directionally-challenged in your life is also technically-challenged ).

Ironically, the behavior of my GPS closely mirrors my own brain and psyche lately. Unfortunately, there’s no warranty plan for life and sometimes our internal computers do get stuck or act temperamentally. So, we do a mental disk defrag, clear off our harddrives and maybe even make time for some expert maintenance.

I did just that this past weekend, attending a workshop from the creators of Inspiration University. Never before have I seen conference-goers all so intent on absorption that the need to eat, drink and breathe took second place to a session on the jam-packed schedule. Myself included.

Timely as it may be, I will forgo the typical, somewhat mundane “end of year blog entry” for 2010; and instead, what will follow is a series of blogs (the iNspired series) that sum up the lessons I learned, the wisdom I borrowed, and the experiences I had from this one inspirational weekend.

So, as 2010 draws to a close and 2011 approaches – I have no choice other than to quiet the noise in my head, sit still and reflect. I will reflect on and release the unsuccessful chapters, in an effort to heal and learn the lessons that lived within the suffering. I will end on a high note with the wins, and be proud of the limbs onto which I climbed this year instead of remaining in the safety of the warm nest. And, I will pray that 2011 does not bring anything I do not have the grace to handle…

Wishing You Success as You Reflect out 2010 and into 2011, too…
Natalya

Changing Spaces

I have been examining [my] part traditional – part home office-based work lifestyle of late, in an attempt to refine my levels of productivity.

By happenstance, I’ve also noticed an interesting correlation between location and production:

I moved my primary laptop from my home office to the small built-in kitchen desk adjacent to my patio, and my brain traveled to different, more productive, creative places.

Wanting to test this theory of productivity in an external environment, I moved myself from the spare office where I usually set up shop at the University for which I contract and into a student study room. My ability to focus quadrupled.

Not willing to trust my own evidence, I took special note when a student commented to me that they, too, got so much more done when they were able to sit in a study room as opposed to the other dedicated study spots in the College atrium.

What was this phenomenon and why was it occurring?

External forces are everywhere and their impact on us should not be underestimated. Our nervous systems react to the input and stimuli which come from our environment and then tell our brain how [well] to work. And changing one’s external environment is one of the fastest and surest ways to guarantee different results.

Not too long ago, I recalled a company policy which forbade employees from “dressing down” on a Friday for reasons related to productivity; i.e., wearing jeans or more casual attire subliminally changed employees’ attitudes so that their work, etc., too, would relax [ presumably to unacceptably low levels ]!

Research also shows that color can affect output.

Colors can change our mood, make us work tirelessly or feel tired – imagine, your room colors may be the reason for your bad productivity or lower creativity! And, although I do not believe that that line of reasoning will allow you to be excused from a missed deadline, consider why many people choose muted pastel colors for a bedroom – so they can subliminally encourage their minds to shut down and relax in order to sleep.

In fact, I can recall producing one of my favorite blog entries in the middle of SEA-TEC (Seattle, WA airport) waiting for a red-eye flight. Despite being surrounded by fellow travelers, and thanks to a heavy dose of Starbucks and the proliferation of wi-fi, its open, fresh, light design allowed my thoughts to flow more creatively and cohesively.

So try a different venue and measure your output – did it increase? Decrease? Did the creativity flow?

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Image Courtesy of…Broadband UK

The Flexible Ruler Style of Work

Flexible ruler might seem like an oxymoron to some, and until the recent past it would have been. Today, flexible rulers really do exist.

And, more and more – flexible rules also exist in the workplace. Telecommuting and flexibility programs are terms used to describe arrangements whereby valued employees are permitted to work remotely, to come into the office for meetings only, to work during alternate hours, or a combination of all.

However, these types of programs are not entirely ubiquitous despite the extensive technological advances which easily support such arrangements. Why is that?

There are two fundamental reasons:

1. The office environment cannot support external employees - despite, or perhaps as a result of, technological advances, business move at the speed of light. One direct-to-voicemail missed call or a slow email server can spell inefficiency when the main office has already resolved and moved on from an issue in which the remote worker is still enmeshed. Adding to that less than perfect communication skills, and the operation will quickly become out of sync. A well-choreographed dance occurs among remote and main office-based workers, which relies on trust and the ability of one party to lead. Therefore, if you are the remote employee or a manager of one, basic rules of telecommuting should be examined prior entering into such an arrangement.
2. Employees cannot be trusted to work [independently] – I have never been the clock-watching type of employee nor manager. Where there is work to be done, it will be done – at 4am, 11pm or anytime in between that I can spare in order to meet deadlines. Therefore, it would make sense that where the work gets done should not matter either, correct? Unfortunately, whether in a traditional office environment or a remote office, many managers simply cannot trust that work is being accomplished unless the employees are under their nose to oversee. In my mind, and simply put – then you may have hired the wrong employee. ( Of course, there are times when F2F brainstorming, meetings or physical proximity to other employees/office infrastructure is essential.) However, in a less black and white world, we would all be better served if we simply observed the rules of results-based management.

But how do you know they’re working if you can’t see them? That question, and the fact that it’s asked so often, points to a real problem with management today. Whether your employees are down the hall or thousands of miles away, if you’re not measuring by results, you really don’t know who’s working and who isn’t. ~ Kate Lister

No longer are flexible work hours an exception; in fact, many of the most successful companies (including those in the Fortune 500) have embraced flexible work arrangements as an essential business strategy because it prodcuces greater productivity and innovation within its employee base.

When you ignore the where, when, and how work is done, and focus on results, your employees are more productive,more creative, and more successful. ~ Kate Lister & Tom Harnish

Results-based management should not be perceived as a new, innovative, complex concept. In its simplicity lies its efficacy – focus on what needs to be done and hire the people who can get it done. When those two factors are present, wearing pajamas versus pin-stripes really should not matter.

Stay tuned for my next post on freeing your mind by shifting your workspace.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

IMAGE Courtesy of…….RapidOnline

Autonomy..or, in other words…Nobody Owns Me…

au*ton*o*my
[au-ton-uh-mee ]
-Noun
Independence or freedom, as of the will or one’s actions.

A strange phenomenon has been occurring in my family for my whole life – wherever there was work to be done, advice to be given and opportunity to be had, my father – an educated, independent, successfully self-made man – would be in its midst, energized by the possibilities which lay within each endeavor. Today, despite being “retired”, he is busier than ever…his dance card full helping internal constituents with neither the intent nor expectation of remuneration – even more of a unique phenomenon!

I never understood where the desire, far less for the energy, to enthusiastically keep working/exploring/helping came from…to me, work was work. If it was supposed to be fun, they would have called it fun. A means to make a living, pay bills, exert some effort and hopefully make good on the education I had been given. Quite frankly, at times work felt like drudgery and at other times a drain on my psyche.

The latter mindset and emotions led me, over one year ago, to reevaluate my position literally and figuratively. I simply could not make myself subscribe to the daily grind any longer and felt as though I was not only wasting my own time, but more importantly wasting everyone else’s because nothing I did came from my heart. (my brain was fried at this stage, too, but we won’t mention that.) Despite how risk-averse a being I am, I took the greatest risk: electing to walk away from it all with not even a solid Plan B, and re-evaluate…

Then a strange turn of events occurred – some may call it irony, others destiny.

… I was afforded the opportunity (and I do not use that word lightly) to resume parts of my former position, but only those parts which capitalized on my strengths and to which I could legitimately contribute, without being tied to the balance of responsibilities my former position held. I know what you are thinking, because I was, too! Surely, too good to be true. I was hesitant at best, and concerned that I was walking right back through the doors from whence I’d come and this time, the doors would slap me as they swung closed behind me on my way back in. But, grateful for the opportunity and wanting in part to give back to the employers who had been so good to me during my tenure, I made a vow to entertain the offer and contribute what I could… a win-win for us all, I told myself.

But if I am to be honest- I am the big winner. For I have learned the difference - the difference between: doing because you have to versus doing because you want to; doing what you are inherently good at and enjoy versus doing what is demanded with no choice other than to comply; doing when there is the opportunity to take a risk and learn something versus doing when there is the risk of losing yourself. And most importantly, the difference between doing what I can within my own limits, therefore producing a high quality result with mettle and energy left for the next endeavor – versus overextending myself for the sake of getting the job done and losing the desire to do anymore…then,everyone loses.

And although I know not what the future holds, be it another full-time position or a continuation of this semi-entrepreneurial exploratory phase, I will take the lessons and gifts that autonomy has brought me, fear not the possibility of defining both my strengths and boundaries, and ensure that the extent of my efforts remain my own choice, driven by my own motivation, and reflective of the fact that nobody owns me.

Wishing You Success in Finding Your Own Autonomy,
Natalya

LIFElong Learning

Every day, for the past 5 years, as I drove through the University campus on which I work – I would pass the “LifeLong Learning” building. I would slow down and allow the elderly constituents who frequent this department for its seminars dedicated to the 60+ crowd to cross the road, never giving the building nor its programs any further thought.

Until recently… Serendipitously, after having a conversation with a colleague about her penchant for constant learning I happened upon this article which extolled the virtues and identified the means by which to continue learning for a lifetime.

Needless to say, the article contains some helpful, but still standard, recommendations: visit your library, read industry journals, visit museums, join organizations to stay connected….Nothing most of us don’t already know, but perhaps rarely do or do only because it may help us sound informed or helps us maintain job security.

However, one of the article’s recommendations touched a deeper chord:

Create a lifelong learning plan …force yourself to make decisions regarding the optimum approach for continual lifelong learning based on your needs [and wants].

Of course, easier said than done..for those of us fortunate enough to have both the time and inclination to want to pursue lifelong learning, the biggest challenge is choice. And for others who simply do not have the luxury of reflection amidst life’s chaos, the obstacle is time. There is finite time juxtaposed against infinite choice. How can we cross that bridge – where, on one side we must choose how to focus our efforts and passion and on the other side we must choose when or if…?

1. One recommendation is both simple and valuable. Derived from an esteemed colleague of mine whom I admire for his balanced and fair approach to life: [We should all have ] “a day each month dedicated to planning and/or professional development..”* to get where we need to go.
2. Recommendation two reflects a more personal approach to the challenges I face in my own lifelong pursuit of learning. Particularly today, when a plethora of knowledge abounds right into our laps via the web and travels with us wherever we go – whether by laptop, smartphone or IPad, choosing which subject to learn first, how much time/effort/money to put behind the pursuit of knowledge can be overwhelming. I am not sure I have found a way to make that choice yet, myself. But what I do know is that the answers don’t lie in a list of upcoming programs nor in a resume upgrade with a new credential, but rather it lies deeper within and is heard by listening to our hearts and heads to know, really know, what we are supposed to learn next in order to use first to make our impact on the world.

Needless to say, I will be hard pressed to drive by that building on campus again without re-evaluating the next steps in my lifelong learning plan…

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

If You Enjoyed This, You Might Also Enjoy…
• ConGRADUATIONS on Your Graduation…
• Your Second Calling

Image Courtesy of tharpo

*Quotation Courtesy of Rich Haney