1. My drive to work. Living downtown with a three-minute commute, I'd forgotten how nice it can sometimes be to be by yourself, in the car, listening to RAD or belting out a tune along with the radio. It's peaceful in my car by myself. I know that eventually I'm going to have to start taking the bus or the lightrail, so I'm trying to enjoy my solo commute right now.
2. Brown-bag lunches. I don't like making lunches, but it sure is nice to have your lunch all ready to go at work. I like not having to decide what to have, or stand in line for the microwave, or waste half my lunch hour going to get something. I have also discovered eating in my car; it's not sad and pathetic like I used to believe it was. It's peaceful, and wonderful, and relaxing. I can read my book, eat my sandwich, and no one disturbs me for one entire hour. Heaven!
3. Weekends. I'm patiently witing for the next one. Okay, you got me - I'm not patiently waiting, I'm tapping my foot and wasting time at work not working but in fact blogging because I'm avoiding work because I just want it to be the weekend! Whew!
4. Iced caramel macchiatos. Okay, so it's been a LONG time since I've had one of those. Usually they're too sweet for me now, but for some reason, it just sounded good. And boy, is it good.
On a side note, someone in the office just burned popcorn. Now I'm just sitting here, hoping the fire alarm will go off so there'll be some excitement in my day. :)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Top Five
Today is Wednesday, which means on RAD this morning, Rob and Arnie were doing their Top Five lists. I've decided to start my own Top Five list of sorts - it may be a top five list, it may just be five random things, but what the heck. You all want to know more about me, right?
This inaugural top five list is actually a post I created awhile ago but never finished. I was having a particularly bad day at work, and I was making myself feel better by making a list of things I'd remember to do (or not do) when I'm a manager.
So here goes - Top Five Things I Wish Management Would Remember (From an Employee's Point of View).
1. As an employee, I am not your friend. I am your employee. Please remember that and don't tell me about your family, or your divorce, or even what you did this weekend (five minutes, okay, but not an hour). Do not expect me to share my personal life with you, because I don't want to.
2. In order to secure everyone's buy-in, you have to ask for input from your staff. And simply asking for input is not enough; you must implement staffs' suggestions (or at least explain why they are not feasible). Don't just shut staff down. Instead of "No I don't want to do that," a manager could say "Let me tell you my concerns with that."
3. The fastest way to kill an employee's motivation is to demonstrate that you are not open to their suggestions or assistance.
4. PLEASE prove to me that you are a professional who is worthy of being a manager. When you call a meeting, have an agenda, and stick to it. Before you ask me for help, say on how to open an Outlook Calendar, try to do it yourself. You may figure it out.
5. BE FAIR! I don't care what kind of boss you are, if you are fair and consistent, you will be respected. I've had bosses that I just did not like, who I had to respect, because they treated each and every person the same. They treated everyone the same, and they were consistent across the board.
This inaugural top five list is actually a post I created awhile ago but never finished. I was having a particularly bad day at work, and I was making myself feel better by making a list of things I'd remember to do (or not do) when I'm a manager.
So here goes - Top Five Things I Wish Management Would Remember (From an Employee's Point of View).
1. As an employee, I am not your friend. I am your employee. Please remember that and don't tell me about your family, or your divorce, or even what you did this weekend (five minutes, okay, but not an hour). Do not expect me to share my personal life with you, because I don't want to.
2. In order to secure everyone's buy-in, you have to ask for input from your staff. And simply asking for input is not enough; you must implement staffs' suggestions (or at least explain why they are not feasible). Don't just shut staff down. Instead of "No I don't want to do that," a manager could say "Let me tell you my concerns with that."
3. The fastest way to kill an employee's motivation is to demonstrate that you are not open to their suggestions or assistance.
4. PLEASE prove to me that you are a professional who is worthy of being a manager. When you call a meeting, have an agenda, and stick to it. Before you ask me for help, say on how to open an Outlook Calendar, try to do it yourself. You may figure it out.
5. BE FAIR! I don't care what kind of boss you are, if you are fair and consistent, you will be respected. I've had bosses that I just did not like, who I had to respect, because they treated each and every person the same. They treated everyone the same, and they were consistent across the board.
Are you a coupon clipper??
Today I had a momentary creative lull at work, so I logged into Hotmail to check my email. When I logged out, it took me to the MSN homepage, and as I started to close the browser window, my eyes caught sight of something.
MP Dunleavey, who is a financial writer on MSN.com, mentioned Confessions of a Shopaholic, one of my all-time favorite books. She discussed the movie in her article, and talked about how sad it is that, especially considering the downward spiral of our economy, Hollywood produced yet another movie about a young woman being rescued at every twist and turn and never being held responsible (in this case, financially responsible). (On a side note - I hated the movie. I was upset when I first heard Isla whats-her-name was playing Becky, because I don't like her. She turned out to be okay, what wasn't okay was that they combined the first two books, cut out a TON of stuff, changed a ton of stuff, and made it a very fluffy, silly, over-the-top movie, where nothing was real and you couldn't identify with anything (whereas in the book, I identified with a lot).)
Anyway, I read through the article and at the bottom, MP mentions a group that she leads called "Women in Red." Apparently this is a support group of sorts for women who want to save more, spend less, and pay down their debt.
I'm always interested in financial advice (I should add financial advice that is not boring and doesn't put me to sleep) so I read a little more about the group and then went to their message boards. I found a message board called "The Grocery Challenge" and I was hooked. I spent far more work time than I should have reading through this board (shh, don't tell anyone).
Why was I so interested, you ask? Well...I used to be a spending Nazi. I would track every last cent that I spent, and would analyze how much of my income was going to groceries, rent, fun stuff, etc. I've become quite lax lately, and it's bothering me. I miss all the time I used to spend balancing my checkbook. Really. I do. I've been collecting receipts again, went to the bank to get a fresh checkbook register, and have been researching financial software online. (I know, I'm a big geek - you can say it.)
When I was single and lived on my own, I used to spend MAYBE $50 a month on groceries. That's right, a MONTH. I bought a lot of Pasta Roni, but it's what I liked. That and I ate most of my lunches out, didn't eat breakfast (and/or bought coffee at La Bou), and I didn't cook a lot. If I felt like having cheerios for dinner, that's what I had; no prep work and easy clean-up (I was also going to school full time, so often I went straight from work to school and had a power bar or something, if that).
When I started the dreaded Atkins oh-so-many years ago (which ruined my body forever, thank you very much), my grocery bill jumped to a whopping $85 a month! Astronomical in my mind. (These were also the days when I had maybe $100 left to spend after I paid my bills each month, so extra money on groceries, or anything, was huge.)
Now that I'm married, I pine for those single days when my grocery bills were dirt cheap. Sure, I cook a lot more, and we make lunches, etc. But still. We are a two person and one dog household, and we spend $400 - $500 a month on groceries. One month, we spent almost $800!!! (Okay, that was the month that, thanks to our wonderful landlord, we didn't have a fridge, and we went to the grocery store every other day so that we could keep fresh stuff in our ice chest. But still.)
Again, I've been lax. We just moved, but when we lived downtown, there were two Safeways within six blocks of me; it was too convenient not to go there, so I did, and I paid the price (literally). I didn't go to Winco, or Walmart, or shop at the farmers' markets in the summer. Now that we own a house, though, and really, just because I'm tired of throwing away money (and food), I've had a real desire to slash my grocery bills by shopping smart, using coupons, planning weekly menus, and shopping ONLY for the things on my menu. I've also been working hard at making lunches every night so we don't buy lunch.
Back to the Women in Red. So I'm reading this message board today that is filled with posts about women challenging each other to slash their grocery spending. I'm picking up all kinds of tips, seeing sample shopping lists, and getting really motivated, all at the same time. I signed up at Coupon Mom, made a mental note to buy a newspaper this Sunday, and started pulling receipts out of the dark recesses of my purse so I could, gulp, see how much I've been spending.
I'm totally excited to start slashing my grocery budget, making menus, and sticking to my list when shopping. I know it'll take some work, but this is exactly the type of project I'm good at. I get to make lists, organize things, plan...what else could a girl want!?!
So - how many of you out there are coupon shoppers? Do you clip them from the paper and/or get them online? Do you plan your menus one or two weeks in advance, then shop weekly according to the menu? Has that helped reduce the number of trips you take to the store for "just one thing" (that ends up costing you $95..wait is that just me?)?
Tell me, please! I need info, I need help...my analytical mind needs data to gather, organize, and dissect!
(Can anyone tell that I just finished my latest book and I have extra time on my hands at night? Yes, I should be unpacking, but really, that's boring.)
MP Dunleavey, who is a financial writer on MSN.com, mentioned Confessions of a Shopaholic, one of my all-time favorite books. She discussed the movie in her article, and talked about how sad it is that, especially considering the downward spiral of our economy, Hollywood produced yet another movie about a young woman being rescued at every twist and turn and never being held responsible (in this case, financially responsible). (On a side note - I hated the movie. I was upset when I first heard Isla whats-her-name was playing Becky, because I don't like her. She turned out to be okay, what wasn't okay was that they combined the first two books, cut out a TON of stuff, changed a ton of stuff, and made it a very fluffy, silly, over-the-top movie, where nothing was real and you couldn't identify with anything (whereas in the book, I identified with a lot).)
Anyway, I read through the article and at the bottom, MP mentions a group that she leads called "Women in Red." Apparently this is a support group of sorts for women who want to save more, spend less, and pay down their debt.
I'm always interested in financial advice (I should add financial advice that is not boring and doesn't put me to sleep) so I read a little more about the group and then went to their message boards. I found a message board called "The Grocery Challenge" and I was hooked. I spent far more work time than I should have reading through this board (shh, don't tell anyone).
Why was I so interested, you ask? Well...I used to be a spending Nazi. I would track every last cent that I spent, and would analyze how much of my income was going to groceries, rent, fun stuff, etc. I've become quite lax lately, and it's bothering me. I miss all the time I used to spend balancing my checkbook. Really. I do. I've been collecting receipts again, went to the bank to get a fresh checkbook register, and have been researching financial software online. (I know, I'm a big geek - you can say it.)
When I was single and lived on my own, I used to spend MAYBE $50 a month on groceries. That's right, a MONTH. I bought a lot of Pasta Roni, but it's what I liked. That and I ate most of my lunches out, didn't eat breakfast (and/or bought coffee at La Bou), and I didn't cook a lot. If I felt like having cheerios for dinner, that's what I had; no prep work and easy clean-up (I was also going to school full time, so often I went straight from work to school and had a power bar or something, if that).
When I started the dreaded Atkins oh-so-many years ago (which ruined my body forever, thank you very much), my grocery bill jumped to a whopping $85 a month! Astronomical in my mind. (These were also the days when I had maybe $100 left to spend after I paid my bills each month, so extra money on groceries, or anything, was huge.)
Now that I'm married, I pine for those single days when my grocery bills were dirt cheap. Sure, I cook a lot more, and we make lunches, etc. But still. We are a two person and one dog household, and we spend $400 - $500 a month on groceries. One month, we spent almost $800!!! (Okay, that was the month that, thanks to our wonderful landlord, we didn't have a fridge, and we went to the grocery store every other day so that we could keep fresh stuff in our ice chest. But still.)
Again, I've been lax. We just moved, but when we lived downtown, there were two Safeways within six blocks of me; it was too convenient not to go there, so I did, and I paid the price (literally). I didn't go to Winco, or Walmart, or shop at the farmers' markets in the summer. Now that we own a house, though, and really, just because I'm tired of throwing away money (and food), I've had a real desire to slash my grocery bills by shopping smart, using coupons, planning weekly menus, and shopping ONLY for the things on my menu. I've also been working hard at making lunches every night so we don't buy lunch.
Back to the Women in Red. So I'm reading this message board today that is filled with posts about women challenging each other to slash their grocery spending. I'm picking up all kinds of tips, seeing sample shopping lists, and getting really motivated, all at the same time. I signed up at Coupon Mom, made a mental note to buy a newspaper this Sunday, and started pulling receipts out of the dark recesses of my purse so I could, gulp, see how much I've been spending.
I'm totally excited to start slashing my grocery budget, making menus, and sticking to my list when shopping. I know it'll take some work, but this is exactly the type of project I'm good at. I get to make lists, organize things, plan...what else could a girl want!?!
So - how many of you out there are coupon shoppers? Do you clip them from the paper and/or get them online? Do you plan your menus one or two weeks in advance, then shop weekly according to the menu? Has that helped reduce the number of trips you take to the store for "just one thing" (that ends up costing you $95..wait is that just me?)?
Tell me, please! I need info, I need help...my analytical mind needs data to gather, organize, and dissect!
(Can anyone tell that I just finished my latest book and I have extra time on my hands at night? Yes, I should be unpacking, but really, that's boring.)
Thursday, March 12, 2009
I thought of another one!
I told you before, I can't remember all of my pet peeves off the top of my head, but when someone does one, it all comes screaming back to me. Well, I remembered another one.
Why?
Because I went into the restroom at work as I was on my way out to lunch, and someone WAS ON THEIR CELL PHONE IN THE BATHROOM.
If I haven't told you already, let me just tell you now that restrooms in general gross me out, especially when it's not my restroom. Public restrooms have one purpose, and one purpose only, and it involves the toilet (okay, there's more than one thing you can do there, but you get my drift).
NOTHING else should be done in a public restroom. Don't talk to me over the stall, don't bring your coffee cup in there (ew, the germs and floating air particles that could get in your french roast!), and please dear Lord don't use your cell phone! Do you think the person you're talking to will appreciate hearing you do your business?
Note to those who know me - please don't ever, EVER call me from the bathroom. Seriously, I can wait until you're done.
Why?
Because I went into the restroom at work as I was on my way out to lunch, and someone WAS ON THEIR CELL PHONE IN THE BATHROOM.
If I haven't told you already, let me just tell you now that restrooms in general gross me out, especially when it's not my restroom. Public restrooms have one purpose, and one purpose only, and it involves the toilet (okay, there's more than one thing you can do there, but you get my drift).
NOTHING else should be done in a public restroom. Don't talk to me over the stall, don't bring your coffee cup in there (ew, the germs and floating air particles that could get in your french roast!), and please dear Lord don't use your cell phone! Do you think the person you're talking to will appreciate hearing you do your business?
Note to those who know me - please don't ever, EVER call me from the bathroom. Seriously, I can wait until you're done.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
The night before packing
I hate the "night before" packing. I always end up waiting until the last minute, and then just throwing things into random boxes. This time, I told myself it'd be different. We're moving to a house, not just another apartment. I'll be organized, I said; I'll have everything packed and ready.
And at first, I was doing so well. I packed, and I cleaned, and I took stuff to Goodwill. Then I packed some more, made a mess, and cleaned up a bit.
And yet, here I am - the night before the move, and I still have packing to do.
I HATE the feeling of the night before a move. You're exhausted, because you've inevitably been working all day, or for a few days, on the new place. You don't care about the old place, so you don't want to clean it as you pack. You just want to get some sleep, yet you know that if you stop packing, there's no way you'll get up early to finish.
So you plug along...packing less, blogging more.
Tomorrow's going to suck.
And at first, I was doing so well. I packed, and I cleaned, and I took stuff to Goodwill. Then I packed some more, made a mess, and cleaned up a bit.
And yet, here I am - the night before the move, and I still have packing to do.
I HATE the feeling of the night before a move. You're exhausted, because you've inevitably been working all day, or for a few days, on the new place. You don't care about the old place, so you don't want to clean it as you pack. You just want to get some sleep, yet you know that if you stop packing, there's no way you'll get up early to finish.
So you plug along...packing less, blogging more.
Tomorrow's going to suck.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Can I tell you a secret?
I thought you'd say yes.
So here it is - I have a LOT of pet peeves. Really. People bother me. It's funny, because I am often described as a people person, and I really do get along with most everyone. I think I'm pretty easy going, but there are certain things people do that just bug the crap out of me.
If you asked me on the spot for a list of my pet peeves, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I forget. But, when they happen, I think, OOOOHHH, that was it! That is exactly what just happened.
I walked into our training room to check on a class that is going on all week. I was in there for all of 30 seconds, and I heard two separate people use the following phrase:
"Just times it by that."
Times it? What are we in kindergarten? These are smart, fairly educated adults in a training class at work, and they're using the phrase "times it?" How have they never been taught to say that you should "multiply something by something else?"
Poor grammar bothers me like you wouldn't believe. I know I'm not perfect, but I've always prided myself on my writing and grammar skills. If I don't know how to say or write something, I'm going to look it up.
So, you're now privy to April's Pet Peeve #1 - poor grammar and English skills. I'll forgive you if you're sending me a text message...maybe!
So here it is - I have a LOT of pet peeves. Really. People bother me. It's funny, because I am often described as a people person, and I really do get along with most everyone. I think I'm pretty easy going, but there are certain things people do that just bug the crap out of me.
If you asked me on the spot for a list of my pet peeves, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I forget. But, when they happen, I think, OOOOHHH, that was it! That is exactly what just happened.
I walked into our training room to check on a class that is going on all week. I was in there for all of 30 seconds, and I heard two separate people use the following phrase:
"Just times it by that."
Times it? What are we in kindergarten? These are smart, fairly educated adults in a training class at work, and they're using the phrase "times it?" How have they never been taught to say that you should "multiply something by something else?"
Poor grammar bothers me like you wouldn't believe. I know I'm not perfect, but I've always prided myself on my writing and grammar skills. If I don't know how to say or write something, I'm going to look it up.
So, you're now privy to April's Pet Peeve #1 - poor grammar and English skills. I'll forgive you if you're sending me a text message...maybe!
We did it!
It's been a long, annoying, frustrating, and anger-filled process. But, it's over. As of about 3:00 p.m. yesterday, we're officially homeowners!!!
I never really thought it would happen. Of course, I thought it would happen in that obscure, "Oh I'll own a home someday" kind of way. But I certainly didn't expect it to happen now. And it was not an easy process - which surprised me, because when we were first pre-approved, we were told we were financially solid, that our employment history was great, etc.
And yet - there were bumps in the road.
One thing people often don't know about me is that I'm a worrier. I try to hide it, but it's there, in the pit of my stomach. I found out only a few years ago that my mom is the queen of all worriers - I had NO idea growing up what a worry wart she is, but she can put me to shame (I guess she hid it well, too!).
So anyway, throughout this whole process, I've had this knot in my stomach and a tiny, nagging, negative thought tucked away in the spider-webby back caverns of my brain. I was unwilling to believe we were actually going to be homeowners until we had the keys in our hand, because you never know what can go wrong. Plus, I didn't tell a lot of people at first, because, again, if something went wrong, I didn't want to have to explain it to lots of people.
If you haven't bought a home yet, let me tell you - the process blows. We had an awesome realtor, who worked harder than she probably needed to, but I appreciate her even more for it. However, it is amazing the amount of information the lenders need from you - I am glad we don't have kids yet, because I'm fairly certain they would have taken our first born. The fact that they needed all this information didn't bother me; I expected it. It was the lack of organzation that bothered me (did you read my earlier post about lack of preparation? Same thing). Every day I'd get a phone call or an email, asking me for additional information. Then, the next day, they'd need either another form of that same info, or more info that they could have asked for that first time. It was soooooooooooooooooo annoying!
Anyway, it's done. Grant and I stuffed ourselves full of sushi last night to celebrate, realizing that it'll probably be awhile before we can afford to eat out again. Tomorrow, I start cleaning the new place, painting Friday, and moving Sunday.
And yet still, I don't feel like the process is done. I still feel like something could go wrong. Maybe after the move, when I physically sleep there, I'll feel better.
Of course, then I have to unpack!
I never really thought it would happen. Of course, I thought it would happen in that obscure, "Oh I'll own a home someday" kind of way. But I certainly didn't expect it to happen now. And it was not an easy process - which surprised me, because when we were first pre-approved, we were told we were financially solid, that our employment history was great, etc.
And yet - there were bumps in the road.
One thing people often don't know about me is that I'm a worrier. I try to hide it, but it's there, in the pit of my stomach. I found out only a few years ago that my mom is the queen of all worriers - I had NO idea growing up what a worry wart she is, but she can put me to shame (I guess she hid it well, too!).
So anyway, throughout this whole process, I've had this knot in my stomach and a tiny, nagging, negative thought tucked away in the spider-webby back caverns of my brain. I was unwilling to believe we were actually going to be homeowners until we had the keys in our hand, because you never know what can go wrong. Plus, I didn't tell a lot of people at first, because, again, if something went wrong, I didn't want to have to explain it to lots of people.
If you haven't bought a home yet, let me tell you - the process blows. We had an awesome realtor, who worked harder than she probably needed to, but I appreciate her even more for it. However, it is amazing the amount of information the lenders need from you - I am glad we don't have kids yet, because I'm fairly certain they would have taken our first born. The fact that they needed all this information didn't bother me; I expected it. It was the lack of organzation that bothered me (did you read my earlier post about lack of preparation? Same thing). Every day I'd get a phone call or an email, asking me for additional information. Then, the next day, they'd need either another form of that same info, or more info that they could have asked for that first time. It was soooooooooooooooooo annoying!
Anyway, it's done. Grant and I stuffed ourselves full of sushi last night to celebrate, realizing that it'll probably be awhile before we can afford to eat out again. Tomorrow, I start cleaning the new place, painting Friday, and moving Sunday.
And yet still, I don't feel like the process is done. I still feel like something could go wrong. Maybe after the move, when I physically sleep there, I'll feel better.
Of course, then I have to unpack!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Oh the pain
I had this great post in mind for tonight, and I'd even started composing it in my head. I wanted to get to the computer so that I could get it all in writing before I forgot it.
Then I tripped over Bruiser and kicked the wrought iron legs of my stool, and I think I broke one or more toes. It's been an hour and there's still a sharp, shooting pain in my foot.
So I'm going to bed. More tomorrow. If I'm still alive.
Night!
Then I tripped over Bruiser and kicked the wrought iron legs of my stool, and I think I broke one or more toes. It's been an hour and there's still a sharp, shooting pain in my foot.
So I'm going to bed. More tomorrow. If I'm still alive.
Night!
Preparation is key
Preparation is key.
We've all heard that phrase before. It's probably one of the phrases you've heard so many times you don't really pay attention to it anymore. In fact, I used to think it wasn't true - I am a born procrastinator, and I am not ashamed to admit it.
I do some of my best work at the last minute; I think if I have too much time to think about something, I think about it too much. My thoughts become too broad and wishy-washy. If I wait until the last minute, however, I become much more focused and decisive.
But back to preparation.
I used to think that because I was a procrastinator, it meant I didn't prepare for anything. I've come to realize lately that this is in not true. Regardless of the fact that I am preparing at the last minute, rather than far in advance, I'm still preparing. In fact, if I prepared far in advance, I'd forget what I was preparing for by the time my due date neared.
Today at work I came to the abrupt realization that one of my biggest office pet peeves, one of the things that make me the most frustrated, is lack of preparation. Take this morning - I came to work in a great mood. I was feeling positive, thinking good thoughts, and knew I was going to have a great day.
By 8:25, all positive thoughts had flown the coop of my brain and were immediately replaced with fuming, frustrated, angry thoughts about anyone and everyone I work with.
I work in a training unit, and for the particular training that we are currently conducting, we are using guest instructors (supervisors from our division). They are the subject matter experts, so they are conducting this very technical training - makes sense, no?
Today's instructors were completely unprepared. I had high hopes at first - they did a great job of introducing themselves, describing their background, and going over the ground rules for the class.
Then they began reading from the power point presentation. Reading EXACTLY what was on the power point presentation.
They finally remembered to go to their instructor's manual and look at what they were supposed to be teaching. By not familiarizing themselves with the lesson, they failed to do two exercises, read over something out of order, and had to stop and find their place several times in the first hour of class.
Why does someone else's lack of preparation upset me so? First, as the lead analyst in the training unit, their poor performance ultimately reflects on me. I know there is only so much I can do to help them prepare (we gave them the lesson and materials over a month ago, held a "Training for Trainers" class so they could learn to present, and organized all the materials so a five-year old could understand them (or so I thought); I know they have to take the initiative to be prepared, but I am frustrated nonetheless.
Second, I sat in on the class for the first two hours, and it was a waste of time. When your instructor is not prepared, you really don't learn anything from them. The only way you learn from an unprepared instructor is to read through the materials provided and teach yourself. I hope that the students in today's class took their own iniative to read their handouts, because they certainly were not receiving top-notch instruction.
Finally, the instructors sent me in and out of the room to duplicate materials that were supposedly missing from participant's binders. Were they really missing? No. The instructors, once again, were unfamiliar with the material because they had not prepared. Out I went to make copies, which is SO not in my job description, and when I returned, it of course turns out that they'd found the so-called "missing" materials.
My dad used to work for an elected official. At every meeting this official had with his top executives, or any meeting at all, really, he asked a lot of questions, and he expected you to know the answer. If you hesitated at all in your answer, or if it was clear that you were not prepared, he cut you off and told you to go find the answer and report back. He did not want anyone to guess, or to give him information that may or may not be true.
I am that same type of person. I expect you to be prepared, whether it be for a meeting, a training you're conducting, or simply an assignment you've prepared that I have a question about. In return, you can expect the same from me. I will come prepared to meetings, I will fully prepare for training by practicing and at the very least, reading through my materials, and you can bet I've done enough research on my assignments that I can answer any question you may ask. On the off chance I can't, I won't fake it - I'll tell you I don't know and I'll go find the answer.
I don't believe what some people say - persons in lower paying positions probably won't have the skills and abilities you would like. This is not true - they may not have adequately developed skills and abilities, but in some people, you can tell the potential is there.
And in some people - it just isn't.
We've all heard that phrase before. It's probably one of the phrases you've heard so many times you don't really pay attention to it anymore. In fact, I used to think it wasn't true - I am a born procrastinator, and I am not ashamed to admit it.
I do some of my best work at the last minute; I think if I have too much time to think about something, I think about it too much. My thoughts become too broad and wishy-washy. If I wait until the last minute, however, I become much more focused and decisive.
But back to preparation.
I used to think that because I was a procrastinator, it meant I didn't prepare for anything. I've come to realize lately that this is in not true. Regardless of the fact that I am preparing at the last minute, rather than far in advance, I'm still preparing. In fact, if I prepared far in advance, I'd forget what I was preparing for by the time my due date neared.
Today at work I came to the abrupt realization that one of my biggest office pet peeves, one of the things that make me the most frustrated, is lack of preparation. Take this morning - I came to work in a great mood. I was feeling positive, thinking good thoughts, and knew I was going to have a great day.
By 8:25, all positive thoughts had flown the coop of my brain and were immediately replaced with fuming, frustrated, angry thoughts about anyone and everyone I work with.
I work in a training unit, and for the particular training that we are currently conducting, we are using guest instructors (supervisors from our division). They are the subject matter experts, so they are conducting this very technical training - makes sense, no?
Today's instructors were completely unprepared. I had high hopes at first - they did a great job of introducing themselves, describing their background, and going over the ground rules for the class.
Then they began reading from the power point presentation. Reading EXACTLY what was on the power point presentation.
They finally remembered to go to their instructor's manual and look at what they were supposed to be teaching. By not familiarizing themselves with the lesson, they failed to do two exercises, read over something out of order, and had to stop and find their place several times in the first hour of class.
Why does someone else's lack of preparation upset me so? First, as the lead analyst in the training unit, their poor performance ultimately reflects on me. I know there is only so much I can do to help them prepare (we gave them the lesson and materials over a month ago, held a "Training for Trainers" class so they could learn to present, and organized all the materials so a five-year old could understand them (or so I thought); I know they have to take the initiative to be prepared, but I am frustrated nonetheless.
Second, I sat in on the class for the first two hours, and it was a waste of time. When your instructor is not prepared, you really don't learn anything from them. The only way you learn from an unprepared instructor is to read through the materials provided and teach yourself. I hope that the students in today's class took their own iniative to read their handouts, because they certainly were not receiving top-notch instruction.
Finally, the instructors sent me in and out of the room to duplicate materials that were supposedly missing from participant's binders. Were they really missing? No. The instructors, once again, were unfamiliar with the material because they had not prepared. Out I went to make copies, which is SO not in my job description, and when I returned, it of course turns out that they'd found the so-called "missing" materials.
My dad used to work for an elected official. At every meeting this official had with his top executives, or any meeting at all, really, he asked a lot of questions, and he expected you to know the answer. If you hesitated at all in your answer, or if it was clear that you were not prepared, he cut you off and told you to go find the answer and report back. He did not want anyone to guess, or to give him information that may or may not be true.
I am that same type of person. I expect you to be prepared, whether it be for a meeting, a training you're conducting, or simply an assignment you've prepared that I have a question about. In return, you can expect the same from me. I will come prepared to meetings, I will fully prepare for training by practicing and at the very least, reading through my materials, and you can bet I've done enough research on my assignments that I can answer any question you may ask. On the off chance I can't, I won't fake it - I'll tell you I don't know and I'll go find the answer.
I don't believe what some people say - persons in lower paying positions probably won't have the skills and abilities you would like. This is not true - they may not have adequately developed skills and abilities, but in some people, you can tell the potential is there.
And in some people - it just isn't.
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