September 15, 2008

The Little Things

James Hooper

This morning something fantastic happened. I didn’t win the lottery, nor did I wake up on a beach with the sun bronzing my skin and the wind rushing through my hair. Although these things would indeed be fantastic, it was something much smaller, far more menial and to many an irrelevance, but to me it made my day. As I walked up to the local paper shop, as I do most weekend mornings, the owner walked out said good morning and handed me the paper that I was just about to ask for.

This may not seem to be particularly fantastic, or even noteworthy, but when you consider that London is home to more than 7 million people and there are numerous periodicals to choose from, I found it refreshing that this guy had remembered which paper I buy and had made an effort to come and greet me. This is not the kind of customer service I have encountered before during my 9 months in London.

It got me thinking that if such a small thing can out a smile on my face, then I should definitely make a concerted effort to pass this good will on. A while ago I read somewhere that you should make sure that you compliment at least 3 people each day. I do try to do this and it’s very rewarding to see how one small sentence can change someone’s day.

I think that what I’m trying to say is that the little things really do make a difference. I challenge all who read this to pass a compliment to 3 people tomorrow, be this in the office the grocery store or just a room mate.

See what it does for them and for you. Enjoy your day.

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September 8, 2008

The Apprentice

A lady I work with stopped by my cubicle this morning and dropped a tiny piece of paper on my desk. She smiled and simply said “When I read this I thought of you”.

I picked it up and immediately realized it was an article from Our Daily Bread. If you’re not familiar with these things, they’re daily Christian readings that I’ve always found popular with old people (my mom’s a fan). This incident very much solidified my previous notion.

Anyway, this article really hit home for me. Whether you’re a Christian or not, I’m sure you can relate being a young associate in corporate America.

The Apprentice
Joshua 1:1-7

When some employers were asked what makes a good apprentice, they responded that they seek to hire “someone who wants to learn”

In the Bible, a good example of an apprentice is Joshua. We remember Joshua for marching around the wall of Jericho. He also had some important responsibilities as a spy and as a warrior. But he was often in the shadow of someone else - Moses. For 40 years, Joshua served as Moses’ assistant, aide, and apprentice.

God takes His own time to prepare us for service. Sometimes that period of waiting is as valuable as learning all the needed strategies and goals. Joshua observed Moses’ faith in God. He learned what it meant to be humble, how to take instruction, and how to be a true servant of God. Even a display of Moses’ temper was an opportunity to watch and learn. By spending time with Moses, Joshua learned things that couldn’t be learned from a book.

Joshua’s own time to lead was coming. And when it came, he was able to trust God’s promise to him: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Josh. 1:5)

People who become great leaders
Sometimes need to learn
How to serve and follow others -
Then they’ll get their turn. - Sper

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August 26, 2008

Poor Communication Sinks Floating Ship

In the high seas “communication” probably won’t save a sinking ship. In corporate America, however, communication can act as a giant lifesaving cork to irrationality and panic. In its absence, gossip and anxiety rise above chest level. People start tossing out resumes like lifejackets. You might even find the rare individual humming the chorus of Dido’s White Flag.

When you leave things up to interpretation you’re counting on an unfortunate game of telephone. Someone whispers “We’re in a really bad storm”. Somewhere in between a bad storm turns into the Perfect Storm. We finish it up with “Oh, god the boat is going down everyone is going to die!!”.

David Neeleman knew this too well after getting the axe from the top spot at Jet Blue. “… Board members don’t know that much about the company. They really don’t. I was so busy… that I didn’t have time to update the board on everything. If you don’t, somebody else will. You have to be able to give them an accurate picture of what’s going on, or they develop their own perceptions and start creating their own stories…”. He summed it up pretty well in his interview with Fortune - When things start going south, communication should increase.

Although Mr. Neeleman was referring to communication up stream, the same can be said about the people below. Warren Buffett has a pretty solid portfolio. One key component of his management of investments is determining the attributes of a quality company. In this assessment he looks “for clear explanations of a company’s successes and, more importantly, its failures in reports to shareholders”. He wants “honest management teams that communicate with shareholders in a candid fashion”.

Strong and honest communication gains huge points in Warren Buffet’s company assessments. On the other hand, poor communication got David Neeleman canned as CEO.

Knowing how and when to communicate is powerful. In his famous “Lost Speech” Abraham Lincoln truly captured the audience. “So powerful was his eloquence that the reporters forgot to take notes of what he was saying. Several commenced, but in a few minutes they were entirely captured by the speaker’s power, and their pencils were still.” The words of Abraham Lincoln were able to stun audiences. His famous “Lost Speech” was never recorded because reporters were so captivated by his words.

Lincoln spent hours upon hours putting his speeches together. Learning to communicate well takes a lot of effort. It takes time to think of how you want your message delivered. It takes that extra effort to send a follow up email, make the extra call, or even swing by “that guy’s” cubicle. The more thought and effort you put into communication the stronger your team will be.

This isn’t the green light to projectile vomit every little detail at the next staff meeting. Holding the cards close to your chest shouldn’t be your first thought either. Think through what needs to be communicated and paint an honest picture with your words. Poor communication destroys marriages, brings down winnable projects, and sinks a ship that otherwise could stay afloat. The opposite has the power to inspire, win confidence, and move a generation - possibly ours.

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July 27, 2008

Your First Corporate Golf Tournament

This isn’t the Friday afternoon with your college buddies. Instead of the measly $8 pot you’re looking at a fully loaded Infiniti FX for closest to the pin. You aren’t skipping class either. The company actually pays you to be out playing this beautiful sport. Hopefully you’re not the guy nervously hacking away on the practice tee. Still, for all of us in our rookie season here are a couple quick pointers on how to make it through to the 18th.

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Gear Up
Your lucky cargo shorts aren’t going to cut it out here. When you walk up to the practice green you’ll find a lot of well dressed egos. A key to seeming confident and making a good impression is actually looking the part. Make the investment.

Know the rules
Don’t step in someone’s line. 90 degree rule with the carts. Ready play is acceptable. If you’re clueless on any of the aforementioned statements you need to do some research. Rules of the game, rules of the course, and rules of the tournament. Golf is not a game of beginner’s luck. You will suck when you start… really bad. So practice.

When in Rome
The idea is to match the style of the higher ups. If your boss isn’t drinking, don’t get tanked. Although you’re not wearing a suit, you need to bring the professionalism from the office to the course. You should be able to figure out what’s appropriate within the first three holes. Have some decent cigars handy and conjure up some funny golf stories to build rapport and break the ice.

Client Etiquette
If you’re paired with a client, the rule of thumb is not to talk shop before the 3rd and after the 14th. As a rookie you’re not closing anything on the golf course anyway. The senior sales execs will take care of that later. You’re teeing up the appetizer. Leave a good impression about yourself and the company.

Networking or Competition?
Don’t be that uber-competitive asshole. If your ringer couldn’t make it don’t get frustrated with your team’s performance. My opinion is to see the tournament more for networking than competition. Focus on building a rapport with your superiors and make a point to meet other associates and clients. Modesty should be part of your charm.

Relax and Have Fun
Or at least pretend you’re not freaking out when teeing off on front of the clubhouse. It’s not all about work. Flirt with the cart girls, enjoy the taste of free beer, light up a stogey and laugh about the time your old roommate went swimming after regrettably chucking his putter in frustration.

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How this Scottish sport became such a part of the corporate world I have no idea. Hopefully you started out in high school or at least college. Whatever your skill level, unless you can win the US Open with a broken leg you have room for improvement. So get out there and repeatedly knock that little white ball into that gopher hole hundreds of yards away. It’ll do you good.

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July 20, 2008

Taking Charity to the Personal Level

I had five one dollar bills in my hand looking up at three jars on the table. Each jar had a label I had written and glued on under my dad’s instruction; Spending, Savings, and Charity.

I worked hard for those five dollars and I really wanted new baseball cards. Still, I kept thinking of that sad little boy earlier in the week that didn’t have enough money for an ice cream. He must have been poor. I put one dollar in Charity (enough for a Rocket Pop) and put the rest in my pocket. I looked up at my dad and reluctantly pulled a dollar back out and put it in Savings - “You and your mother are too much alike”.

I don’t know how many times I feel like I’m standing on front of that jar again. Call it guilt or pity. Whatever. Putting in a dollar made me feel better and that’s no different now. I’m making a little more than my old weekly allowance, but I’m still falling into the same pattern of giving. Standing on front of that charity jar was always a point-of-sale decision. I acted on impulse and walked away satisfied with my actions of doing good.

Unfortunately, the more money we make the easier it becomes to simply write a check and not think twice about it. I’m buying that extra mulligan at the charity golf tournament - I’m fumbling through my wallet seeing the plate getting passed to my row - Sure, I’ll support your run for XYZ foundation. In our busy lives as young associates we easily become detached from our giving. We have a million other things to think about and the impact isn’t so harsh on the wallet.

I think there’s something missing when we don’t find charity to be on some level personal. I’m not saying it’s bad if you don’t go there, but I don’t believe it’s experiencing life to the fullest either. I’ve heard charity described in the extreme as something that affects you deeply. It’s part of the search for what hurts your heart. Something so personal that you can actually feel yourself entering into their pain. Your giving of money becomes simply an overflow of that.

Some of us haven’t experienced any sort of tragedy in our life. We’re lucky, but how about if we all started looking for it? The time we spend searching for a cause is just as much charity as giving away our money. It’s an act of will and not an impulse at the point-of-sale. The more time we invest in the search the more personal it becomes. Putting more of ourselves in the thought process draws us closer to the cause when we find it.

“Good and Evil both increase at compounding interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.” - C.S. Lewis

I’m not saying to pull a Bill Gates and retire to go into full time philanthropy. Start small by simply taking the time to do some research. The smallest start can grow into something amazing.

A Book:

Giving by Bill Clinton

I bought this from a grocery store one day ’cause it was on sale. I highly recommend this as a start ’cause Bill gives a good overview of a lot of options out there for you to look into. Everyone will be drawn to different things and this hits a wide range of opportunities.

An Idea:

I’ve always preferred to experience something not entirely by myself. I think charity definitely applies. We’ve all seen the infomercials of sponsoring a child in Africa. Why not go in and make the investment with a couple of close friends. Don’t simply end there, but make a pact to plan some vacation time together in the future and go as a group to visit the kid in Africa. I’m sure people have done this before. There’s just something about meeting face-to-face that takes it to a whole other level.

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July 6, 2008

Making Hard Decisions

So here we are. We’re actually living the question “What do you want to do when you grow up?”. A new found independence, a new sense of self, the world at our fingertips… Are we ready for the tough decisions that this lifestage lays at our feet?

Maybe down the road, when we become seasoned professionals, we’ll look back at this moment and smirk at the weight we currently feel on our shoulders. Maybe… but I’m obviously not there yet. I see a fork in the road and the answer isn’t black and white. I look left to right and see nothing but shades of gray.

Come on, I mean I still think lightsabers are cool. My maturity phases in and out. Can I possibly be ready to make decisions that will impact the trajectory of my career… my life? I don’t know what questions you’re facing these days, but I know everybody has a couple big ones that are awaiting answers we don’t have. Uncertainty is a part of life. It’s what keeps it interesting and keeps us humble.

So how do I deal with it? What’s my formula for making life decisions that are beyond my comfort level, beyond my experience, and beyond, well, everything…

1. Pray.

Just for the record, God hasn’t come down in a booming voice with what I should do… ever. I don’t think that’s the point. For the most part I don’t think he cares so much about our end decision. It’s how we get there. Remember in grade school when your best friend came up to you and started conversation with the words “I haven’t told anyone this yet…”. That always made me feel pretty damn special.

In the same way, I believe when the time comes and I’m standing on front of the big man himself, he’s not going to pat me on the back and say “Good job, you made the right decision”. I think he’ll say something more like “Remember that time you were completely stressed out and you were making a really hard decision. Thank you for asking me for help. Thank you for pulling me into the conversation. That made me smile.”

2. Advice.

I’m not that smart, but I have really smart friends. Well, I guess some dumb friends too, but they’re willing to impart wisdom from their past mistakes. Even if they don’t have the answer I think it helps to talk it out. There’s just something about confiding in people that allows you to emotionally unload the weight on your shoulders.

Just this week I sent an email to Will and Hoops. They’re pretty good for the peer-to-peer perspective on professional advice. I have my go-to people for different problems. Start thinking about who could be yours.

3. Reason.

Use reason in your decision process and take emotion out of it. I try to see all the advice I’ve been given and visualize the big picture. I take myself to that bird’s eye view, use reason to my best ability, and make a decision.

True, there are times I have to experience it for myself. I go against the advice I’ve been given and general reasoning. This is definitely not an everyday occurence, but you can’t count out that gut feeling inside. A gut feeling and “emotion” are not the same thing.

4. Act.

Don’t wait and second guess everything. Start putting plans into motion. The quicker you start logistics the less you’ll spend hesitating. This puts more confidence in your decision. Hesitation is frustrating not only to yourself, but to the people around you that are impacted by your decision. Act quickly. You’ve already taken the time to think this through and you’ll reassess at the milestones. So get going.

 

I guess decisions get harder as you get older. More responsibility means more ways to screw things up. Still, with every major decision you grow and learn more about yourself. Sometimes you just need to trust what you’ve decided, take a leap of faith and see what happens.

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June 30, 2008

Don’t Become a Victim of Your Own Success

We played state together so I knew his style. He was an overrated arrogant prick. He was quick but had no creativity. The same runs and the same moves I’d seen him use over and over. He was never outmatched in skill, but during the game he could never pull a decent shot. We figured out his formula for success and he couldn’t adapt. He became predictable and we shut him down.

Transition from the pitch to the high rise buildings in Atlanta, GA. The fall of Douglas Ivester as CEO of Coca Cola was the story of a man victim to his own success.

“[Ivester's] extraordinary attention to detail, which had been such a virtue in finance and operations proved to be a hindrance in this new position. [He] could not free himself from day-to-day operations enough to take on the strategic, visionary, and statemanlike role of an effective CEO” - Michael Watkins, The First 90 Days

To become a leading associate you’ll have to change your formula for success in every new position and stage in life. There are no universal rules for success so don’t start creating one in your mind. Know that with every new project, every new relationship, every new conversation you need to adapt and adjust to be successful. Don’t come with a pre-conceived cookie cutter solution. Instead, continually match your strategy to the situation.

Some of us find it hard to let go of our old ways. It’s difficult to approach situations in a manner we’ve never done before. The fear of failure usually pulls us to revert to what we know has succeeded in the past. Never branching out and never trying new things will not get you far. Every life stage brings with it new challenges and new opportunities. Learning to adapt and move with the changes will accelerate your transition to the next level - Whatever it may be.

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June 29, 2008

It All Starts With A Jog

My mind started slipping into the whole woe is me complex. Everyone experiences this from time to time. Life’s tough and it doesn’t help when you’ve just moved to a new city. I just started feeling fed up with everything. Instead of enrolling into team angst I decided to get up and go for a jog. It snapped me right out of it.

I’m not a hardcore runner. The only time I actually enjoy running is if I’m chasing a ball. My Sunday jog, however, was just what the doctor ordered. I had a sweet playlist on my ipod consisting of Coldplay, Starfield, and the Temptations (my taste in music is all over the place). Since I didn’t have a coach breathing down my neck I could stop and walk whenever I felt the desire to do so. It was great.

During my breaks I started thinking about everything. It was like as the sweat seeped out of my pores it unleashed a flow of creative juices. New blog ideas, new work ideas, even new confidence in getting out and meeting new people. I was exploring new areas of the neighborhood (FYI - if it’s your first time testing out a new path avoid street signs that end in CT). After getting back in my air conditioned apartment I felt refreshed.

Everyone knows exercise is good for you mentally and physically. I definitely experienced that today. Maybe I’ll even start eating an apple a day.

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June 22, 2008

Finding the Leader Within

“The vision of a champion is bent over, dripping in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when NO ONE is watching.” - Anson Dorance

What is your definition of leadership? I was a little surprised by the question, but I gave the standard answers stolen from various books on the subject. After I clicked send I knew the response I was getting would make me think ten times harder than I had during the entire week. Dave Gregorio, one of my mentors, usually finds time within his hectic schedule to stretch my thinking cap. One of our discussions on leadership did exactly that…

Dave told me the proudest period of leadership in his life came at a point when he had no one to lead but himself.

“One of the greatest challenges I faced in my life after leaving my career in 2002 was that of losing my identity. I spent the better part of the previous 15 or so years leading people… I no longer had a team to lead or motivate. It forced me to take a new look at myself and leadership.”

How many of us coming out of college find ourselves exactly in that situation? As a professional student we constantly took on positions of leadership everyday. It could be captaining a soccer team, working in student council, or even taking the lead on that business project due in 24 hours. We graduate and find ourselves in a humbling entry-level position where we work alone for hours on end. Are they under utilizing our leadership skills?

The conversation I had with Dave made me realize how I constantly looked externally in my idea of being a leader. I always required a team, a company… someone to influence and validate my leadership. My development required me to step away from that and start looking within. I needed to learn what I was made of when there was no one around. In essence, how to lead myself.

A natural born leader finds it easy to influence and motivate his team to get the job done. How does he fare when he finds himself in a situation alone with no one watching? It’s really easy in a large company to hide and get away with doing the bare minimum. The pursuit of a job well done takes strong leadership. It’s in this period as a grunt, chugging away in our cubicles, that we learn both how to cut corners and how to do a good job. At the end of the day, we’re the only ones to justify our actions or pat ourselves on the back.

Before Jesus went on to teach his disciples and I guess save the world, God sent him into the desert for forty days - Alone. There is a lot of truth in building greatness in periods of solitude. Leading yourself makes you look inward to find the values and principles that guide your life. These are the orders you follow when no one is giving them but yourself. Bernard Ebbers and Jeff Skilling didn’t take the time to learn this when they were starting out as young associates.

It’s easy to brush off our starting positions. It’s easy to be negative about the work we’re given that will never get any recognition. Don’t look outward for validation and self worth, but develop your self esteem from within. Put everything you have in the tasks that you’re given. To become a true leader worth following you have to lead yourself when there is no one around.

The vision of a champion is bent over, dripping in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when NO ONE is watching.

 

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June 20, 2008

E-mail Top Tips

James Hooper

Unless you live in a cave you probably send or receive at least one e-mail each day. Whether you send 1 or 100 the rules remain the same. The below should act as a reminder, but judging by some of the e-mails that I receive some people obviously were never given such sound (if I do say so myself) advice.

1. Always include something in the subject line, the more informative the better.

2. Make sure you address the e-mail to the recipient. Failing to do this probably is not going to get you a reply. Also make sure you get the spelling right. I’ve had e-mails addressed to Mr. Hopper, Mr. Cooper and once Dennis Hopper. Needless to say I replied to none of these.

3. Keep your content concise and to the point. Avoid long paragraphs as they are not appealing to read.

4. If you are sending the e-mail to get some information make sure that this is emphasized. Often it’s best to start and finish with this.

5. Keep your language easy to understand and unambiguous to make sure that a thesaurus isn’t needed to get the meaning.

6. Always include a salutation of sorts. Anything from ‘Thanks’ to ‘kindest regards’ will suffice. It just makes the whole e-mail look better.

7. Include a signature that details your contact information. This should include your business telephone number.

8. Before you send it, quickly re-read it to make sure that what you have written is what you want to say.

9. Remember you shouldn’t e-mail anything that you wouldn’t want published on the front page of the newspapers. Although we see e-mails as private don’t forget that someone somewhere is checking them for all sorts of reasons.

10. Lastly, if you really need something quickly pick up the phone and call the person.

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