Sometimes you see something online and you just can't help but laugh hysterically. I found the following image online yesterday, and I feel compelled to share it here. This is an absolutely perfect explanation of work relationships in modern business. I admit to falling into the project manager column, and I believe almost everyone I've ever worked with views me as one of these variations. Enjoy!
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"Oh good, a philosophical post," you mutter as you shrug and roll your eyes. No, really, you should stick around for this one. On tap: reactionary versus proactive decision making.
The world is an ever-changing place (obviously). Mobile devices, the Internet, and social media all drive that change at a vastly accelerated rate over what we encountered even five years ago. Businesses have to be far more fluid than in years past, meaning they have to be prepared for market changes and expect significant shifts in their respective industries. How businesses implement policies to handle market shifts - when the rubber meets the road - says a great deal about how those businesses are run. When a company responds to market shifts and creates action plans after the fact, it is said to be reactionary. On the other hand, when a business anticipates market tendencies and preemptively aligns itself with future outcomes, it is said to be proactive. Companies shy away from proactive decision making for a lot of reasons, but none more than the ever-present business assassin, risk. What if the company shifts prematurely? What if the anticipated change doesn't occur or occurs in a manner other than what's expected? While these concerns are legitimate, they are no less avoidable than other inherent business risks when approached with the right frame of mind. Look at mobile apps - great example of these concepts in action. Company A sees a market trend - people can't seem to stop buying $0.99 applications that run on mobile devices. Company A seeks to exploit this trend in its industry before its competitors can do so. All the while, Company B sees the same market trend and discusses it ad nauseum. Rather than changing its business model to preemptively capture a potential high-growth market, Company B rejects mobile app development on the premise that sharing revenue with a third-party distributor for each copy of the software sold is ridiculous (even though its current distributor relationship offers an even greater discount on physical products). Six months later, Company B is exploring mobile app development (albeit with the same, "don't-share-your-profit" mindset) because an obvious revenue stream has manifested. Company A has completely reinvented itself, captured a new market segment, and increased its industry reputation all while making a good deal of money in the process. The only reason this was possible was because Company A believes in proactive decision making; Company B does not. Whatever course you choose when it comes to decision making, be sure you evaluate the short- and long-term consequences of both courses. Be sure you understand the managerial projection this issue will have on your employees. When at all possible, try and stay ahead of the curve. Decide, implement, and leave your reluctant competition behind. Good day all! I find that there seem to be a lot of morons out there who think that, because the government gave them a certificate at some point, they should be flight instructors. To you non-flyers that’s like the 90-year-old who’s blind in one eye, can’t hear, heart “knock-knock-knockin’ on Heaven’s door” who thinks that since he got driver’s license number 4 in 19-whatever he should still be driving his 40-foot land yacht to the grocery store - at 15 MPH. Just because someone told you that you could do it once doesn’t mean you can do it forever or that you’re really even that good at it in the first place.
Those of you who know me well know that I love flying. I have now been involved in it for more than half of my lifetime. It means something special to me, and I just can’t stand to watch the idioti screw it up. Venting complete; on to the “how to recognize the stupids” list. (Note: Venting about to begin again.) How To Recognize a Stupid Who Wants To “Learn You To Fly”
So, use this guidance well, and steer clear of bad flight instructors. Find a good instructor who can keep you excited and engaged throughout your training. Become an instructor yourself and join the fight to rid the world of the stupids! You know why learning to fly is so great? It’s okay; there isn’t really just one answer to that question. Honestly, my answer to that question probably changes on a daily basis. Today though, the best thing about learning to fly is the resultant impact that the process has on your brain.
I’m in the process of a major revision to audio reviews for the Private certificate and Instrument rating here at Gleim. As I’m going through the existing files and making my changes and moving things around, I’m struck, once again, by how much raw information pilot applicants really need to know. In the case of this project, I am building scripts primarily around preparation for the FAA knowledge tests. As is usually the case though, I find myself wandering down rabbit trail after rabbit trail in search of the “end” of a given topic. After some very interesting and satisfying self-lecturing, I have to remove myself from the material and realize that I’ve gone way too far down a road that is well beyond my intended scope. There really is so much information there. It’s all important to various degrees, but in pilot training, it is important to not get bogged down in minutia to the extent that we miss the core knowledge we’re trying to convey. I remember knowing nothing about aviation – just looking up in the sky and thinking “wow, how does that even work!?!” Now, I’m teaching other people how it works. A good pilot understands that learning doesn’t (or at least shouldn’t) stop when the pilot certificate is issued. That’s really the point where you can get out there and add some practicality to all that academic stuff some over-excited CFI (finger pointed at self) poured into your brain. I’m still learning, and, luckily, there are some great teachers out there. The best of them admit they are still learning too, and that’s really the way it should be. You stop learning in aviation and you start forgetting. Science hasn’t confirmed it yet, but I feel confident that soon we will be able to identify the aviation lobe of the brain. Only pilots will have one. It will be full of equations and acronyms and weather charts and checklists, but the resource it will hold in the greatest abundance is a passion for learning, improving oneself, and grabbing the controls of a flying machine and ripping off into the sky – smiling all the way. Ever feel locked in line? The line isn't moving; you're just stuck there? Lack of progress on a project is a sure fire way to create resentment and poor morale among team members. I saw an image online today that made me think about my personal strategy for resolving deadlock and instigating progress. I added a little speech balloon, and...well...we have this... Morale of the story: Look for an escape route. If you're on a boat, and it springs a leak, are you just going to sit there and except your fate or are you going to get up and try to save yourself? Unless your suffering from Eeyore syndrome, you are gonna get up and do all you can to not drown! Task/project productivity should be treated the same way. Not making progress? Well then, look for an alternative path that will allow you to get the job done.
Just to clarify, this office will never be done. Over two months, I've completely changed my mind about it at least five times. However, progress has been made, and wall decor has been mounted. An inspiring ode to aviation if I've ever seen one. Vintage airplane models, vintage airplane artwork, AND a window to the outside world. Note my new throne (discussed in a previous post) prominently featured behind the never clean glass L-desk. The open area there, beside the desk, is available for rent. Let's make it $500/month, one year minimum contract, paid upfront. Takers? An alternate view showing my a portion of my portal to the outside, and my open-area floorplan. This will almost certainly change, as it already has several times thus far. The short, black two-drawer cabinet is actually rather enormous. It will soon house my newest distraction - a 32" HDTV. Soon I'll get even less actual work done. But wait, do you know what looks amazing on a 32" HDTV....? My work blog! Perhaps I will get something done after all.... So, I unwrapped an enormous box at work today. Inside was this awesome flight simulation chassis from HotSeat. Looking forward to getting it set up and functional. In the mean time, the following terrible photo will have to suffice. Updates will follow as information is available.
Like most desk workers, I spend a lot of time in my chair. Now I love my standing desk; don't get the wrong idea. I'm just saying, every once and a while, you have to sit down. When I sit, I want to be comfortable. My new chair (throne) affords just such a luxury. This sucker is ELC approved! Man it's nice. Official name: Realspace Draycott. I call it butt heaven. Picked it up by accident actually at Office Depot. It was on clearance, priced at $149 (normally $249), and I couldn't pass it up. I am now sitting in this plush paradise, digitizing a document for use on a webpage. I am so comfortable I thought, "you know, I should brag about this baby in the Work Blog." And wouldn't ya know it, that's just exactly what I did. If you need a new office chair, proceed immediately to the nearest Office Depot or OfficeDepot.com and order this chair. It is well worth the $249 price tag, no doubt.
Now, about getting Office Depot to throw me some kick back money.... In May, I had the good pleasure of being a part of a great collaboration of the aviation community. It was the Pilot Training Reform Symposium, conducted by SAFE, the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators. Over the course of two days in Atlanta, we covered everything from growing the pilot population to improving the flight instructor corps to updating/overhauling FAA training/testing standards. The impact of the symposium was felt immediately as free pilot training syllabi (the lack of which was identified as a serious problem in our current training environment) started flooding to the Internet. HD videos of every panel presentation is now available on Vimeo, and a preliminary report of symposium outcomes and action items is also online. So I was there. I went; I saw; I ran my face. What was different than usual you ask? People listened! I went on behalf of Gleim Publications, and I spoke on the need to modernize the FAA knowledge test. You can watch my panel presentation here. Since you obviously care about watching me (laughs), you can fast-forward to about 6:19. All in all, I think the event was a great success. We'll have to wait and see what renders long term. I think our personal company interests were furthered, and no one booed me offstage. We're gonna put that in the "win" column. In the iconic words of Hannibal from A-Team, "I love it when a plan comes together."
As one who considers himself a content aficionado, I love delving into what makes the content-centered mind tick. As part of my daily exploration of all that is Twitterdom, I stumbled across a great infographic on that very topic. Now, you must know, infographics make me happy. Being a predominately visual person, infographics convey a message in a way my brain likes. I love the open, user-guided access to information. But I digress... Richard Ingram (www.richardingram.co.uk) has a great blog on content strategy and the critical role it plays in, not just getting the message across, but getting the intended message across to your audience. He did a great infographic on the content strategists' skill set - what is it, who has what, and where are the havers. Kudos Richard on great work. Please keep it up!
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Work BlogEverybody needs something to do. I have lots of things to do. This is where I archive them, reflect on them, and (sometimes) persecute them. Archives
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