Good to Great to Better to Best ...

Jim Collin's outstanding book Good to Great was perhaps my most enjoyable read of the semester. Time after time I found myself verbally agreeing with his findings (much to the chagrin of my roommate, who is trying to break my habit of talking to myself). LDS gospel principles are often described as "plain and simple truths" that you can believe in because they just make sense.
There are no quick fixes that will allow a company to see long-term improvement. I loved the quote from a Walgreens executive who, when asked to pinpoint on a timeline when his company's turnaround occurred, gave a range of about nine years; it may have been tempting to give the date that a change in policy was initiated. However, he realized that true, effective change, the kind that influences company culture, needs to sink in.

Non sequitur: Big Fish is Tim Burton's best film. Took my opinion of him from good to great.

I appreciated that Collins also debunked the myth that a company must create a crisis in order to motivate employees to change. Motivated people, the author explains, already feel the need for improvement. If a company is wise enough to invest in self-motivate individuals, it can avoid undergoing or even fabricating stressful scenarios to see their changes implemented.

I am a world-class procrastinator. These posts are an example of this trait. Although I've known for an entire semester that I needed to write up a post on my extra credit reading, I put it off until the last possible day. But my homework schedule does not need to be full of my fabricated crises. I hope to discipline myself to be more self-motivated in the future. This character trait will allow me to stop relying on the energy crutch I get while working under tight deadlines.  

However, not everything made sense in this bestseller. For example, more than one of the companies that Collins highlighted for making the transition from good to great is now infamous for its ruinous demise. I suppose I will have to read his newer title, How the Mighty Fall, over the break to find out what happened.

A (Hopefully) Intelligent Post on Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence was an intriguing read. I was interested to see the parallels of what I was taught in MCom lecture and what I was reading in this bestseller by Daniel Goleman.

One of the sections that caught my attention was on showing emotion. I suffer from a condition that cannot be stated in a BYU assignment, but rhymes with "resting witch face." My facial features draw themselves into a series of straight, horizontal lines unless I make a concerted effort to compose them otherwise. 

This personal attribute was in the back of my mind as I read about how expressiveness registers with others. Initially I felt smug as I perused Goleman's story about Vietnamese monks. The holy men walked through a line of fire completely unharmed because their calm and poise literally took the fight out of the American soldiers. The author explained the situation by stating that emotions are contagious, and an exchange can alter the other party's feelings. We imitate the emotions others display.





However, there is a flip side to this. While I feel my collected appearance is seen as calm, others often comment that I seem depressed or concerned--two emotions that I would not like to be around for a lengthy amount of time.

While negative self-criticism is never a good route to improvement, perhaps I'll take a piece of advice from MCom and be open to recording myself before really important interactions, such as job interviews, to see what the other people in the room perceive.

Outstanding Outliers

I was excited to read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I had heard a lot about the book and its analysis of what makes certain ordinary individuals stand out in extraordinary ways. Although there are things out of our control (such as the year we are born), there are certain aspects of our lives that we can harness to maximize our experience (such as, again, the year we are born).

His hair deserves its very own post. Amazing.

As you can tell from the title of this blog, I am Beatles fan. The writeup that Gladwell did on the keys to their success was of particular interest to me. I knew the origin story of the band fairly well; they got their start in Hamburg playing at sleazy clubs. However, I did not know that the sets they played in these venues were inordinately long. Eight hours to be exact. Gladwell includes a quote from John Lennon, who gives the length of the band's sets as the reason behind them developing a new way of playing their songs. Although the majority of their songs were covers from other bands, they performed onstage about twelve hundred times before Ed Sullivan had even heard of him. This insane amount of practice allowed them to become highly disciplined at what they did.

However, all this practice would be for nothing if they had not had incredible luck with breaks. Gladwell states that the Fab Four are similar to Bill Gates and the tycoons of the 1860s and 70s in that they were the right age at the right place at the right time.

I liked how the author stated that these two factors have worked in tangent throughout history to develop incredible outcomes: timeliness and talent. Which got me thinking. What is the world in need of right now? What skills am I gaining and what talents am I sharpening to help fill that need?

I took an entrepreneurship lecture series a year ago. One of the guest lecturers said that she owed her very impressive success to asking herself how she could harness her skills to fill a need she saw in her industry. Her short attention span and need for organization led her to develop a faster filing system for a medical office she worked in. Eventually that system turned into a company which was purchased several years later for nine digits.

While I don't see any unfulfilled needs quite like that in the food industry, I will keep my eyes open. And keep practicing in the meantime.

What Shall We Give?

This past Sunday my ward experienced the post-Thanksgiving attendance lull. My roommate was only given 2 hours notice to teach the Relief Society lesson, so she decided to speak about Christmas (she is one of those heathens who starts celebrating immediately after the turkey carcass is turned into soup stock. Personally, 12 days of holiday cheer is more than sufficient).

Anyways, her talk reminded me of the lecture on presenting we were given a couple weeks ago. She came early to set the up the projector, dim the lighting, and set the optimal speaker level. However, she neglected to queue the correct video. She intended to show use this:

But she ended showing up this:

Although the clip did not contain a narrative from President Monson, the music still set the proper setting for the discussion that followed. Although queuing the video would have allowed the lesson to go off without a hitch, she managed to handle the mixup with poise.

Insert Overused Thankful at Thanksgiving Title Here

This holiday weekend has been one of reflection and learning.

I checked out several of the titles on the extra credit reading list from the library and having been working my way through them. As I've made notes on the insights provided by each author, I have had a deep sense of gratitude for the learning and self-improvement opportunities I have been granted. Not every one is so fortunate.

As the semester comes dangerously close to finals, I will try to keep a perspective of gratitude. Millions of people would love to have the opportunity to earn a university degree. I hope someday to provide easier access to educational resources to the masses. Perhaps this hope is what draws me to libraries. I always leave those hallowed halls with a cheerier outlook on society.

Today, While the Sun Shines

Yesterday I had the great privilege of attending the services of a very dear neighbor. The chapel was filled with ward family and kin alike, some of whom had travelled from his native New Zealand for the funeral.

As I sat in the audience yesterday, I was thoroughly impressed with how well the family presented their tributes. I was particularly touched by the talk given by my friend, the departed's daughter. He adopted this darling girl and her sister from a Northern Siberian orphanage when he and his wife were in their fifties and had just entered empty nester status. Although she struggled to see her notes through her bleary eyes, she provided a measure of humor by explaining that she had printed off her thoughts in a font that was too small, allowing the audience a much-needed laugh.

Perhaps the most moving part of the service came when the deceased's oldest daughter, a Metropolitan Opera singer, shared the following poem (the same poem shared at her own mother's/his first wife's funeral) right before performing Weepin' Mary:

There was not a dry eye in the building after the performance. Clear, emotive communication is one of the most moving powers the human race possesses. We would be foolish not to practice and perfect such an incredible force.

Online Meeting

A couple days ago my group had its first online meeting. The experience had a few hiccups, but we were able to accomplish what we had intended to accomplish.

The platform that we used was Google+ Hangouts. A couple of my team members had not used this before, and I had forgotten to complete a mock meeting during our last in-person meet-up. This would have eliminated a couple technical difficulties when we were setting the meeting up.

While the platform did force us to be more succinct than we typically are in person, I don't think that it was worth the tradeoff of losing body language cues. For example, there were times that we would all start talking at once, since the delay cut out indication that someone was about to start talking.

Overall the meeting went well and we communicated what we needed to, while resisting the urge to use the mustache feature. In the future, I would prefer live meetings, but I know that we are capable of using online meetings as an alternative if necessary. 

Wonder of Wonders, Miracle of Miracles

Remember my last post? About practicing for what you want and not taking yourself out of the running? This week has been a surreal confirmation of just how powerful that kind of thinking, coupled with action, can be.

The position that I was applying for during the in-class interview was assistant manager in the BYU QA lab. I applied for the actual job at the last minute, knowing the position was not open to seniors such as myself. I was excited to gain some more interview practice to help me in my future job search. I prepped my PAR stories, created a list of ways I envisioned improving the lab, and reviewed my cover letter.

The actual interview was a really enjoyable experience. I used Professor Middleton's advice and infused humor into the conversation to help set a comfortable mood. 

When asked what my least favorite part of working in the lab is, I shared an experience of slicing my finger on a jagged piece of metal during a product test. This began a roundtable of lab accident stories, with each interviewer sharing multiple similar experiences. The conversation created a nice ice breaker; I later learned that one of the other candidates almost passed out because they forgot to breath. The managers were still a bit on edge from the experience, so showing that I felt at ease in the situation allowed them to relax as well.

The next morning I received an email that began with "I am pleased to inform you ..."

I didn't need to read the rest of the email. I could not believe that I had received the position that I have wanted for the past year, but almost didn't apply for because I thought myself unqualified. I am absolutely thrilled to have a chance to improve the lab that I love working in so much, and to add some leadership experience to my resume before I graduate.

This experience furthered my belief that sometimes the only thing standing between me and what I want is my own self-doubt. Not every application results in an offer, or even an interview. But you never know where those experiences will take you until you get out of your own way and give it your best shot.

Online Interview

My online interview experience was interesting. I had never used the platform before (Facetime, which, I know, I should have started using years ago), which was a rookie mistake. The video cut out a couple times, but the call was never dropped.

However, I did remember the advice given in class and sat in front of a background that did not distract from the interview.

To be honest, the most difficult part of the experience was coming up with questions to ask my classmate.

I will have to be better at using the breathing skills that we talked about in class today. Even in low-pressure situations like this interview, I often forget to breath deeply and the pace of my words speeds up until my sentences become a tangled mess.

I will also have more concise stories to share about the experiences I choose to include in my resume.

Overall, the experience was a good one, and it helped me to target areas I can improve upon.

The Power of Positive Thinking

During my sophomore year, I had the opportunity to take an entrepreneurship lecture series. One of the guest speakers was a woman who had recently sold her medical data processing company for an absurd about of money.

As she was listing off everything she had achieved and gained over the last few years, she mentioned that she had a secret that had contributed to her success. She then showed us a slide of what she called her "dream board." The screen looked like a chaotic Pinterest board. She explained that whenever she had a dream about achieving something, she would find a picture to symbolize that dream and include it on her board.

The system had worked for her so well, she had completed all the dreams on her first board, and she was starting a second one.

Source

At the time, I was feeling a bit jaded with life, and I scoffed at the idea that someone could improve their situation in life with a glorified scrapbooking page.

However, I tried something similar a few months ago. Whenever I think of something that I would like to have or change in my life, I no longer ask why I should deserve to have it. Granted, these are no possessions like the private jet or ski boat that the CEO had shown us. Rather, they are jobs, relationships, and personal qualities.

The results have been astounding. Changing my perspective from "Why?" to "How?" has made all the difference in the world. My confidence in my ability to make things happen has drastically improved virtually every aspect of my life.

I thought about this change in thought patterns during class this week as Professor Middleton discussed the importance of confidence while applying to jobs. Don't take yourself out of the running. Train for the run, be confident in your training, and don't stop until the finish line.

Who's Dewey?

Having fun isn't hard

Our session in the good ol' HBLL on Monday was a wakeup call. There are countless resources available to us while we are students at BYU, and many go unused. The Daily Harold wrote about a few interesting library facts.

Beyond using the search engines and databases available through the library, I decided that I want to study in the building more often.

I only wish that this app was still functioning. At least we can still use the website's fantastic name.

Too Many Social Media Articles Include "140" in the Title

My relationship status with social media has always been complicated. I teeter between wanting to share the goodness I see in the world and wanting to keep it to myself for fear of obtaining a Pollyanna reputation.

However,  I've found that I generally receive positive feedback so long as I maintain a tone that mirrors my voice IRL (to steal a social media acronym).

Those who mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind.*





*To tie in another topic from class this week, the complex attribution history of this quote can be found here.

The Goldenrod Ones Go to Roz. Leave the Puce!

Organization is an attractive trait

This week we discussed how to minimize clutter in email inboxes. Professor Middleton mentioned a saving grace, called OTHER INBOX. If you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend it.

I have reached the point where I need an extra help in maintaining order in my email. With two jobs, an internship, school, family, church, and companies enticing with coupons, there is plenty to stay atop of.

Memo to Me: "Maim You After My Meeting"

Hades doesn't have eternity to create internal business letters

Did you ever receive an assignment to write a 5-page paper in grade school, and then have a small meltdown at the prospect of forming enough sentences to fill the space? I sometimes experience the same emotion in college, but with one twist: nowadays the writing block comes when a professor states that the length of a paper is limited to 2 pages. Funny how times change.

Short messages are convenient. They allow us to save time and be efficient with our words. However, they are often ineffective. Writers who try to preform branch surgery may find they have actually loped off the trunk of their message.

I appreciated the chapter we read for class this week about different brainstorming techniques. I often find myself with dozens of related details with no clear main idea. In the future, I will definitely use the bottom-up approach to drafting.

For What Do We Live, but to Make Sport for Our Neighbors, and Laugh at Them in Our Turn?

Studying for the grammar test has heightened my awareness of the writing mistakes I see each day. Although I still struggle to catch errors in my own writing, I have noticed several funny grammar blunders on Facebook this week.

My favorite confusing sentence was written by a wedding photographer who was attempting to exclaim her excitement about an upcoming booking.

She wrote, "I am thrilled to photograph this sweet couple's wedding next week and am looking forward to them getting married for a little while."

Was the sentence simply mixed up, or was she subtly jabbing at what she felt was a doomed marriage? Either way, the post provided an excellent example of the dangers of failing to proofread before posting. 

The title of this post is a quote from Pride and Prejudice. While it is easy to see faults in other people's writing, it is important to remember that you are not infallible. 

Yes, Mr. Bennet, not even you

The photographer's poor grammar reminded me of a typo I failed to catch on a cover letter for an internship application. I was trying to state my admiration for the company's commitment to alleviating world hunger. Unfortunately, I sent a draft that said, "I admire you company's commitment to elevating world hunger." 

The recipient had a good sense of humor and we laughed about the mistake during my interview. However, I doubt I will be fortunate enough to get an interview if I make a similar mistake on future applications. I have learned to ask others to proofread my important documents before I submit them.

Angie After Dentist

We had a lecture about networking on Wednesday. Professor Middleton had each student write down three things they would like to receive advice on. I was training someone new at my internship the next day, so I used the opportunity to get training tips from my classmates.

One common theme in the responses I received was to make my communication as clear as possible, which seemed like a simple enough task. However, as I reviewed my schedule for the next day, I discovered that I had a dentist appointment a few hours before work. My time in the chair included a shot to induce local anesthesia on the right side of my mouth.

Despite my newfound imparity, my eight hour training session with the new intern was a success. I explained my situation at the beginning of the shift, and she was kind enough to ask me to repeat any instructions that seemed muddled. I will be sure to review my schedule more carefully before booking two potentially conflicting engagements so closely together.

Something Old, Something New, Something that Burrows, Something Blue

The title of this post provides a template for the entry.

I am a senior at BYU--something old and blue--attempting to train for a 10K--something new. 

I prefer to run in the evenings, using the exercise as a reward for completing my daily checklist. In my mind, the benefits of running at the close of the day have always outweighed any dangers. Yes, the dark makes navigating automobiles and texting-while-strolling pedestrians a mite more difficult than runs I've completed in full daylight. However, the exhilaration of racing the remaining sunlight as it slides past the horizon made me feel justified in downplaying any safety concerns.

This week I had an experience that me wonder if my justifications were putting me in danger.

I was halfway through my favorite route, curving my run around the South campus trail to enjoy the water features. As I rounded up a hill, I stopped dead in my tracks.  A gang (though Google states the correct term is "gaze") of creatures--something that burrows--guarded the top of my climb.

(sofiahomestead.wordpress.com)

As a child, I frequently read through my family's copy of Worst Case Scenario. The situations in the book seemed so far-fetched that I enjoyed them for their science fiction quality and never internalized the advice. But now, over a decade later, I found myself wishing I remembered how to handle encounters with masked bandits. 

Fortunately, the feline-like creatures contented themselves with a 5-second staring contest with their intruder--the gaze gazed at me--before they lost interest and disappeared into a patch of neglected landscaping.

I returned to my apartment that night with a better appreciation for the dangers associated with running at dusk. Maybe I'll leave nature in peace for its nighttime rest and allow myself to do the same. After all, I've heard that racing the sun as it climbs the mountain peaks is just as motivational.