CareerNinja

People are Human

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:41:19 -0800

It's a familiar setting; you, the intelligent employee, are yet again biting your tongue when your manager says something contradictory to his or her own policy or statements, or is once again making a promise that you know, that you KNOW, will never materialize, ultimately wasting your time and their own.

Perceived incompetence.

While I talk a LOT about Perception Management in the interview setting, it is important to remember that an interview is a microcosm, an attempt to concentrate as much of your personality and work ethic into as small a time frame as possible for the examination of those determining your hireability. As we all know, though, managing perception is something that some do very, very well (Rudy Giuliani) and some the very, very poorly (George W. Bush), often at their own peril. Now, if you're in a position of leadership imagine for a moment the possibility that you have been perceived in the way that your employer was portrayed above. Now take that possibility and move it firmly and finally into reality; you have and will again be perceived as an incompetent boob by those that you are in direct command of. It's a sure thing, because entirety of perception is something that NO ONE has control over. This idea extends into all facets of mentality, including a person's feelings toward race, gender, nationality, even hair style, speech style and physical body presence.

The key here, though, and the reason I bring this up is not to make you feel like you're going to be looked at like a moron constantly and in every exchange with those that you believe respect you. That simply isn't the case. I say this in the hopes of preparing you a bit better for when you ARE looked at in that way and so that it comes as less of a shock. Much like when you get a flat tire, it's something that will happen to all of us in life, and knowing how to deal with it is the key, rather than avoiding every single nail or replacing your tires every 500 miles.

The key is flexibility of self-perception. Know that you can and will be wrong at times and that it's not a bad thing. It's true; much like any deviation from average, everyone has a degree of deviation from "correct" judgment, and it's something that's built into business. This delightful margin for human error is reflected in cushions in operational productivity, in slush funds for overages in budgets, and in a million other small places that allow for wiggle room. Now, I'm not advocating that you go about your professional life all nimbly-pimbly, jumping from uneducated decision to bad business speculation like some sort of jungle cat. No, there are plenty of people who deviate so much that they ruin the margin. Do, however, acknowledge when you've made a mistake and own up to it by fixing it and learning from it. This lets those below you AND above you see that you are, in fact, human and will, in fact, make mistakes but will always fix them and not repeat them.

This DEFINITELY applies to those leading YOU, as well. Be understanding and be the ADVOCATE for the person struggling, even if they don't know they are. I believe that those that support me from below have saved me more than I know and many more times even than I have saved them. I am definitely OK with this and am very proud of this fact because as a leader of a team you are also a member of that team.

Long story short, remember that people are human, and that no one is just a title, regardless of whether all you see from them is their email address or phone number.

Sex in the Workplace: Out is In

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:56:38 -0800

Oh, the sweet, sweet forbidden fruit of the workplace romance. Quoting MSNBC, at this point, in 2008, 62% of the American workforce has been involved in an office affair. Roughly 50% of women and 20% of all men have had an affair with a superior, compared with 7% of women and 25% of men who have dated a subordinate.

It would seem that many of us are climbing the ladder in ways more enjoyable than revving up our resumes...

With 92% of the population of the American workplace admitting that they've flirted with or been flirted with in an intentional (that means in a way that is intended to precipitate in the nasty), our water cooler chat is quickly becoming our broom closet "meeting". And we're penciling partners in faster than ever before; a whopping 41% currently claim to have participated in sexual activities while on the clock.

Wow. Overtime never sounded so good.

It makes sense, though, if you think about it. Not ONLY are we all getting hotter as cosmetic procedures become more available and more affordable and people mature to peak sexuality sooner and more aggressively, but the timeframe for these interactions grows wider as the Cialises and Viagras of the world keep men in the game well into their 70's. Add to the equation the welcome and needed increase in female executives and the corresponding increase in established female power and wealth, and BANG!... You've got yourself one sexually charged world to work in.

Here's the deal, though...

Stay out of it.

As astonishing as Roxy the new marketing agent looks in red, as hard as it is not to stare at Chad's shoulders, as long as you've been fighting the advances from three cubicles over, keep fighting. I'm definitely part of too many of the statistics listed above, and I can tell you this: In hindsight I would not repeat the actions. The distraction, the worry, the highs and lows of these situations DO NOT COMPARE in terms of quality-of-life enhancement with relationships that don't correspond with your professional life. While many companies have historically been stepping away from regulating and governing their employees' relationships for both legal and moral reasons, the pendulum has begun to swing the other way as even the most flexible companies are now forbidding the hiring of spouses, close family or life parters under the same management.

And, folks, if you're a manager who has been thinking (or more than thinking) about doing naughty things with your admin or your assistant, or your left-hand-person or your bottom-rung-employee, don't. Please, please don't. The power that you transfer in that situation is very nearly material. Think of sleeping with someone you are professionally responsible for as if you were allowing them to move into your home and assume partial ownership. Once that link is established, they have a power and role in your life that you simply can't refute, because the way that person is disciplined, incentivized, promoted or fired will all then be influenced by you, whether you're making it happen or watching it happen after you've been fired or sued. Regardless of who you think this person is, please remember that this person will be someone different when you've allowed that transfer of power to occur, guaranteed.

That being said, while it can still be one hell of a bad idea, especially if you could ever be a partner's direct report, lateral office romances are extremely exciting and nearly impossible to resist as these people are usually ones you're spending a great deal of time around and with whom you are often much more well-aquainted than you realize.

So, while I would never advocate getting involved in a relationship in the professional environment, I recognize that sometimes it happens... Just make sure you realize what you're getting yourself into.

Pun intended.

Mastery

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 13:29:56 -0800

I was exposed to a very interesting concept a few days ago while having lunch with one of my employees. You see, this fellow is renowned throughout our company as someone who just flat knows his stuff when it comes to the outdoors and the gear you need to get where you're going and stay alive doing it. This is the guy who has summited Kilamanjaro, who has done the "Into the Wild" thing, and who knows more about GPS units than Ron Jeremy knows about coitus.

I asked Greg, the aforementioned employee, what his goal was in his parenting. He has two daughters, aged 3 and 5, both of whom ski better than I do, can swim, can roller blade and can snowboard. Basically, in two years these children have amassed more physical prowess than the average 30 year old American. Sad for the average or inspiring for the individual, your choice. Anyway, the question was referring to Greg's goal in his parenting of these kids. His explanation was that he wanted his children to understand the concept of mastery. Greg has "mastered" a number of skills and areas of knowledge, "mastering" being the act of becoming so knowledgeable, so versed, so fluent in something that there are few, if any, that can teach you about it.

The idea of this mastery being something that a child can perceive and build their confidence, their world view, their personality around is a very valuable one, and is applicable to each and every one of us, whether we're a 3 year old snow phenom or a 37 year old leader of people. The thing is, we all think back to a time when we were quite good at something. I personally think back to when I was dancing and teaching a great deal. While there were plenty of people in the world that could teach me more about the art, in my immediate world I was the authority on the topic, and it was a fantastic sensation. I'm not talking about the arrogant "king in the castle" sensation of power, but the idea that you have worked to accomplish something and for it you have to show the confidence that you've earned.

The REAL power of this idea is that you don't always have to be a "master" to understand the concept. Having ever mastered something and keeping that feeling, understanding what it means, is the key. You don't have to master all things, but to know that, having mastered at least one thing, you could master any of them is one of the greatest sensations we as people can have.

And, boy, if you can apply this to your professional world you will see an entire new life rolling out in front of you.

Professional Afflictions

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:24:23 -0800

Many of us carry afflictions that have done much to create and define us. An affliction can be any number of things, extending from the physical malady type that most associate with the word to the very non-physical, reaching into the psychological and experiential. Regardless of its nature, we all have afflictions that have shaped us and taught us.

My affliction is kidney stones and the many problems that go with them.

The problem of my particular kind of kidney stones is a very interesting one. You see, as a morbidly obese child, I was cursed with kidney stones at a very early age, and have continued to enjoy their "contributions" to my life to this day. Much like a first kiss, a first car, or first grade, after many years and many of all of the above, kidney stones included, none of them are as world-shattering as the first. This affliction of mine teaches me a great deal, though, because the nature of these stones is eerily similar to the old "rolling stone gathers no moss" saying. You see, a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet lead to the formation and growth of kidney stones. This rewrites the saying as, "a moving Jonathon gathers no stones."

Ouch.

In any event, every time I pass a kidney stone it is a sharp (very sharp) reminder that some practice of mine needs to change. I love to spend time on the computer and I love to read, two activities that don't stir things up much. Also, I find that my diet has drifted from the extremely healthy one that I enjoyed in lighter and healthier days. Additionally, stress levels have fluctuated up in recent days and months, further degrading the situation. The thing is, none of these issues are anyone's fault but my own, which makes it all too appropriate that each stone would be suffered by me and me alone, and in a place that couldn't possibly get more personal.

I wouldn't trade my affliction, though, regardless of the myriad effects it has had on my entire life. Take a few minutes, turn off the music and the television, maybe on the drive to work, and reflect on your affliction. Whatever it is, it's the first thing that comes to your mind, whether it's your Mother being abusive, your repressive religious upbringing, your inability to balance a checkbook, alcoholism, a birth defect, depression, OCD, your disabled sibling, whatever it is that YOU perceive as your affliction. This is all yours, so enjoy it and ask yourself, after taking stock of your life as it is and the person you are, if you'd trade your affliction for any other one in the world.

And THAT'S what makes it yours.

Ambition and Opposition

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:06:34 -0800

Men are more often bribed by their loyalties and ambitions than by money - Robert Jackson

The difficult thing about personal ambition is that both of its edges are razor sharp. When cutting in the positive direction ambition is quite possibly the most valuable trait one can possess. When it cuts you there is little that can gouge you as quickly or as deeply. You see, for every single step you take, or even skip, by being the ambitious individual, you incur jealousy and sometimes even wrath on the part of those overlooked or bypassed. While it not true that every single advancement comes at the cost of another, the opportunity cost of succeeding quickly can sometimes be someone else's cost, which ultimately comes back to us... Tenfold.

Ultimately, I am beginning to realize that the best course is the one of calm advancement, keeping in mind the Chinese proverb of never fearing moving slowly, but to only fear standing still. In this American world of ours that is so very, very focused on money and possession, it can be difficult, sometimes even humiliating, to grow slowly. I personally struggle to keep from measuring myself against my high school reunions and comparisons of those that I grew up with. It's easy to base your own level of success on those with whom you went to school because they had the same advantages and challenges you did, right? So making your success relative to theirs seems realistic, right? I believe that success relative to anyone's definitions but your own should be thrown out. This completely includes my own views expressed herein; Define your own success, whether that's entry-level management for a mid-sized company or constantly aspiring towards self-determination of income.

At the end of the day, I believe that it is impossible to be the character from the John Grisham novel that can anticipate all events and thusly only benefit from ambition. It is for this reason that the path of the calm man is the one with the least traps, and the one that I personally look forward to walking for many years to come, regardless of how far along other people's paths it may lead.

A Rampage of Invincibility

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:31:36 -0800

Inspiring words from Abraham and Ester Hicks

Capoeira of the Foot

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 13:11:35 -0800

Pub Fifa Street 3 (Foot Capoeira)
by mehzz

The Indescribable Value of Five Minutes

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 18:56:27 -0800

I am a workaholic. I know this because Dictionary.com defines the word as follows:

work·a·hol·ic [wurk-uh-haw-lik, -hol-ik] "a person who works compulsively at the expense of other pursuits."

It just so happens that both my blogging and my daily work are two things that I greatly enjoy, but I often make choices that will benefit my professional life while making sacrifices in my personal life. I have suffered the loss of relationships, hair pigment, personal contacts and hobbies. I do not, however, feel bad about this fact. Each day of your life is your whole life, in a manner of speaking. Basically, your whole life is made up of the small things you do each day, and I wouldn't change anything about my past.

"Why is he rambling on about his past and workaholism? Where's my Youtube shortcut button?"

I draw this picture for a reason; To illustrate the fact that over-devotion can sometimes not only destroy that which is sacrificed, but that which is sacrificed for. Today I will be talking about any manager's favorite situation, the Human Resources Intensive Scenario.

"Oh, Lordy, you mean the one I have every other day?"

Yes, that one.

There have been many times that I have become angry with an employee. Not frustrated, not perplexed, but pissed off and ready to say some emotionally very appropriate but professionally very inappropriate things. It's why I'm a good Operations guy and a good executor; The instinct to react quickly and decisively to forces working against your cause. Read that last sentence again, please. The instinct to quickly and decisively to forces working against your cause. Remember this as point A.

Now, an alcoholic's cause is the consumption of alcohol. Thusly, if you were to reach your hand to remove a decisively-acting alcoholic's glass of whiskey from him, he would likely act because the threat you represent is real to his cause. This is where point A works into the definition of workaholism.

"Sweet Zeus' Beard, this article is starting to make sense!"

As a workaholic, my cause and that which I draw a great deal of happiness from is my work and the success of whatever business it is that I'm engaged in at the time. That being said, an employee who acts in a way that is contradictory to the growth and progress of my business is, in a sense, reaching for my glass of whiskey. I've known this about myself for some time, so it's become a habit of mine to take a five-minute break to re-assess any situation in which I could be terminating or disciplining someone. It's very easy to look only at the facts in a scenario and to then act on them, completely forgetting the human element. It's too easy, in fact, and can often land a manager in the same seat of the person he just fired. Nothing in my career has been more valuable than the five minutes I take before making a decision that will affect another person's life, regardless of the severity of the change I'm about to sign off on.

How Flammable Are Your Bridges?

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:48:18 -0800

As you go about your business day, think about the bridges you are building. No matter what you're doing, you're establishing connections, even If only one brick at a time. The idea is to build bridges that will last through the fires of life. For instance, if you were to leave your company unexpectedly tomorrow, would your relationship with Phil what's-his-name (strange, men don't usually hyphenate their names when marrying...) in receiving continue? Considering that you talk to Phil once a week and you don't know Phil's last name, it's doubtable. The "fires" would wipe that bridge out and your connection would be gone. Think now, however, of someone who you would keep in touch with after an unexpected leaving of the company.

Is this person someone you look forward to communication with? It's very likely. Is this person someone you communicate with on a routine basis and with whom you feel a bond? Yes. That bond is the bridge I'm talking about. Some people are natural bridge builders, throwing up lasting connections wherever they go and maintaining those bridges in ways that would leave the greatest engineers scratching their heads in awe. The vast majority of us, though, are not innately built for connecting, and could benefit from a few exercises in visualization to prevent us from ending up an island after a fire...

So take a given day when you're not going to be super-ultra busy and imagine each conversation, each contact, each email as a varying amount of structural integrity that you are putting into that bridge. Some people are farther, requiring a much greater expenditure of energy and time to reach stably. However, much like the longest bridges in the world, once they are built they are rock solid and a pleasure to drive across.

The idea of bridge flammability is extremely useful in personal life, but becomes imperative in professional life. The contacts that you are creating today, the bridges you can walk across each day, can be the way you escape disaster. It is widely held that more than 70% of upward mobility is gained through familiarity with those making the decision rather than prowess alone. 70%!!! When the merger comes, the layoffs happen, the natural disaster strikes, the economy tanks, those iron-clad, unbreakable, act-of-God bridges will be the ones you can escape on in order to survive. Then again, there's always the chance that you'll be the one saving a friend, which is often even greater than being saved.

Don't Settle for Second Best

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 13:40:22 -0800

We've all been there. Dreaming big dreams but never really arriving. It's common in life to hold tight to the safe bet, the decent job, the satisfactory relationship. We justify that it's ok and while we can do better, this is good enough. But deep inside there's something that says if I just could figure out how to get what I want, it could be a hundred times better.

Why Not Settle?
The difficulty with settling is that good enough seldom produces great results. Think back to the jobs you've held in the past. You can tell the ones that aren't a fit for you right away because you can't wait to get home and once you get there you never talk about your job, you're always looking forward to the weekend, stressed out, and just wishing your boss would just leave you alone. Was there really any room for creativity and expression there, the chance to be successful, make great money, impress your friends, be passionate? Of course not. In a depressing job all your energy gets channeled into merely enduring your duties, instead of using it to have fun with them and joking with the other folks in the office.

What Is Possible?
What if you woke up inspired to go to work and give it your all? Stayed longer because there's an interesting puzzle that you wanted to figure out? Your coworkers loved you and you go home more refreshed than when you arrived. Working with customers isn't a chore but rather a responsibility you look forward to because you have a product you believe in and can't wait to share it with them.

In a job that you love, this is the way things normally work. All sorts of things start to work out. You find yourself sitting around dreaming up new things to try out in your business - ideas and solutions to problems will just show up in your mind. You consider your coworkers real friends. Customers become partners and you value the relationship not only for the money they give you but the also the fact that you get to provide them with a valuable service.

What Do You Want?
If you already know what you want, the hard part is over. Skip ahead to the next paragraph. If you're undecided, spend a few minutes and consider some of the dreams you've abandoned. The ones that would put you in the state I mentioned above. Is it standing at the easel painting portraits for people? Inventing new gadgets that would make Apple envious? Working with the United Nations to feed the hungry? Look and find that thing that seems out of reach but if things would just work out, seems so fantastic.

The Decision
Now decide that you're going to reach your dream. It may take you a month, a year, maybe a decade. But decide that nothing is going to stop you and you're going to make it. So long as you waver, this journey will be fraught with obstacles, difficulties, and self questioning. The moment you decide to truly pursue it, the path will start to emerge and you can begin the steps that will carry you on towards you destination.

Turning Dreams into Reality
"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." - Dale Carnegie

The most important thing you can do is start taking action. A dream that remains in your head will remain there forever until the moment you start to act. Beyond just progressing towards your goal, taking action has another more important effect. You will start to realize that your goal really is attainable. It stops being this hazy thing that's not very well defined with no real plan, and becomes something you can get your hands on. You feel like you're actually getting somewhere. This is a truly remarkable and inspiring change that will give you the confidence continue forward when the going gets rough.

Taking Steps
"What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Start taking action that will carry you towards your goal. Research what it takes to start a business. Take a night class that would assist you in the field you want to work in. Float your idea for a product during conversations and see how people respond. Talk to friends and see if they know anyone who can assist you.

Educating Yourself
If you need to understand a new area of study, flip through the local yellow pages and call a business and chat with the owner. Find out what they like about the job, the biggest challenges, how they advertise, the lessons they've learned. If you're daring enough invite them out to coffee and spend an afternoon absorbing information. Most entrepreneurs love to talk about their businesses and will welcome the opportunity to share their story with you. Internet forums can also provide contact with individuals who possess useful information and guide you along the way. As you do this, you're already start to think like and become the sort of person who you want to be.

Maintaining Stability
Transitioning into a new career may not happen overnight. Unless you have a good nest egg built up, it may not make sense to drop everything you're doing, leave your significant other, move to Alaska, and live in the garage till the Widget 9000 is ready for production. There's no need to burn all your bridges at once. You can maintain your current level of comfort while using it to support you move towards the ultimate destination.

Instead, shift your priorities in a direction that will bring you closer to your goal. If it's feasible and useful, scale back your hours and spend more time on activities related to your dream job. During your free time do things that bring you closer to your goal. Take night classes. Work part time in some sort of training position that will teach you what you need to know. If you need money to start a business, start saving more than you did in the past, knowing that the sacrifice you make will be repaid tenfold in the end.

Each step you take will bring you closer to your goal and the life you want to live. And if you've truly found the right goal you'll have fun as you move towards it. Best of luck.

The Rule of 5

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:34:15 -0800

"Everyday, do five specific things that will bring you closer to your goal. Don't deliberate; pick five things, and get moving on them. TAKE ACTION." - Jack Canfield, Success Principles

Need more tools for your ninja toolbelt? The Rule of 5 is one of the useful things you can use to get your goals accomplished. Watch obstacles fall and success draw nearer and nearer. The basis of the Rule of 5 is to get five things related to your goal done every day. Multiplied by 365, that's a whole lot of action. So much action that it's practically impossible to fail.

The actions you take can be simple, this doesn't need to be a Rude Goldberg machine that takes hours. If you're looking for a job it can be as simple as sending out filling out five job applications, looking over five job search websites, or letting five friends know that you've reentered the employment pool. You can mix and match and do something like the following:

update your resume
read a chapter in a book related to your profession
search the local classifieds for jobs
browse a personal development website
submit an application

Why is this one of your top weapons? As you do this you'll find your morale jumping. It puts you back in action and you start to see results almost immediately. If you've stalled, this is the perfect way to get your Ninjamobile started. Instead of focusing on something negative, you get out of your head and back into the world. It's hard to complain about your circumstances when you're doing something to make them better. Imagine asking out five girls or guys out each day for a week. You'd have to stop after a few days because you wouldn't have enough evenings to date them all.

The other wonderful aspect of the Rule of 5 is that the universe will start responding to you. By taking action, you're aligning your efforts with your goal and start to attract the resources necessary to complete it. The universe responds to heartfelt desires, and action signifies that you're serious about what you want. Whereas you might have been spinning your tires the day before, people magically appear to assist you, problems vanish, and results happen.

For example my goal today was to do five things to improve this website. First, I researched other people's information about the Rule of 5. That led me to several blogs that covered not only the Rule of 5, but other topics as well. Those topics got the creative juices flowing and prompted me to come up with at least two more article ideas as well as several bits of useful information. I wrote this and two other articles. And I made a few minor cosmetic changes to the website. Right now I feel pretty darn good.

You can keep applying the Rule of 5 each day till you achieve your goal. The more you work at it, the more results you'll get.

Perceptions: The Constant Opportunity

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:35:34 -0800

I don't like Manager Speak. The modern world is endlessly convoluted with this rapidly growing language comprised of ubiquitous terminology, vexing acronyms and nonsensical vagaries. (i.e. "Bob, can you explain your game plan for sales in Q3?" "Absolutely! We're going to capitalize all opportunities both known and unknown while keeping an eye on the bottom line and maximizing profitability through top-line focus and bottom-line awareness." "Great! ... Wait a minute...")

It's a dangerous thing because the more fluent you become in Manager Speak the more English becomes a second language, nearly crippling the communication process.

The reason that I'm bringing Manager Speak up is to illustrate the importance of perceptions. Take, for instance, the manager who communicates nearly exclusively through Manager Speak. If someone came readily to mind there is an extreme likelihood that this person is not respected as someone that has anything to say. The idea is to avoid being someone who will say anything when they don't have anything to say.

There are many variations on the popular quotation, "Perception is 90% of reality", all of which are probably very valid. There are competing arguments woven throughout various faiths, business models and media ranging from the idea that the entire world is simply the creation of the individual mind to "Nothingness Theories" that preach the concept of nothing actually existing on any level. Whatever belief it may be that you subscribe to, success in one's career hangs heavily upon the hinge of perception.

So, anecdotal rambling aside, what are some things that help cultivate a favorable perception in the eyes of those around us? The single greatest asset in this constant opportunity is the inner character. The concept of living your values and representing something definite is not only the most important idea one can focus on, it is the most difficult one to remain diligent in exercise. Keep this idea in mind, though: No matter who it is that you are, be that person constantly and those around you will quickly learn to respect your presence. If you are wavering and infrequently the same person, those above you and below you will never know where you stand and will therefore not consider you as powerful or respectable as they might have.

Perception is valuable in all aspects of the Career Ninja's practice. An employee that knows where you stand on things will simply not create problems for themselves or you. Your direct command, when knowing who you are, will be much more likely to turn to you in situations of trust and value your opinion much more so than that of the inconstant character.

Simply put, be who you are every single day and you will establish yourself in the eyes of everyone that matters, including (first and absolutely foremost) yourself.

Discuss this article in the forums

You: Your Most Important Performance Review

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:26:58 -0800

If you've read a few of these posts you know by now that I like to deal in specifics. Generalities are very safe (just ask political candidates) because you have the laws of averages on your side. The idea behind mixing words and speaking in generalities is to make as many people happy (or, in some cases, as few people angry) with you as humanly possible. Think of someone that you know who bets their happiness and success on what everyone around them thinks. Now let's rename this person "Pat." Is this person a strong individual that you look to for guidance or motivation? Probably not. They are probably so busy making sure that they are liked that they perform poorly in their professional and personal lives.

What does Pat's self of sense look like?

I phrased this title in the way that I did to capitalize on the importance we, as Americans, place on our employers' evaluations of us. While it is certainly important to maintain a positive position in the eyes of your employer and, often more importantly, your employees, we are basing an increasingly great amount of our self-worth on our worth to our employers. As discussed in the CareerNinja.com article "So Let's Say: You're Getting Fired" part 1, this can be extremely dangerous.

Remember this, Career Ninjitsu pupil: A business is a living, breathing organism.

The senior management of a company are, typically, its brain, which chooses how the organism will move and how (if) it will survive. If the organism decides to change its diet, it won't need the same set of teeth, the same digestive tract, the same tools. Depending upon your level in your company, you may very well be the brain deciding what the organism needs. The odds are, though, that you are an herbivore's flat tooth, or a hunter's rope, or an omnivore's third stomach. This means that, as the business climate changes, which it will, the organism may need to alter itself to adapt and survive. While you may be the best plant grinding tooth in recorded history, if the available botanical population in the area vanishes you will either be sharpened to a canine point or you will be shed in order to adapt more quickly to the change. The same is true of the vanishing of available huntable prey and of the need for a third stomach in drought.

Long story short, you are, to your business, expendable.

Cold? Yes. The concept, however, is a necessarily cold one., and I mention it to illustrate how bad life will get for Pat when the organism that he has happily and successfully contributed to adapts away from needing him and he finds himself discarded. Many of us have experienced this and it can be absolutely life-shattering for an individual who has not reviewed themselves.

What do I mean by "reviewing yourself"? I am talking about personal happiness. Does your job provide you with more than a paycheck? I'm not talking about compensation of any monetary or material type. If you were released of all debt and fiscal responsibility would you continue to do what you are currently doing? If your answer is a "No" or even an overly-hesitant "Yes" then something needs to change and soon.

That's it. Please read on for ideas on how to find what it is that you want to do with your life, but as for this article, please take the abrupt end as a very clear message: Get into something you actually like no matter what it takes. Don't make excuses about financial needs, family constraints, or anything else. You're not too old, you're not too sick, you're not too good at what you do to do something you actually want to do.

So start now and figure out what it is and do it.

Discuss this article in the forums

Interview Kata: Shred the Script

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:15:39 -0800

WARNING: If you have ever conducted a number of interviews in a given day, or for a specific position over a number of days, you may not want to read this. The experiences described herein may evoke facial twitches, blinding migraines and instant balding due to flashback. You have been warned. Your hairline is in your own hands now.

Let's talk about big picture interview strategy. You've got your resume polished to a mirror shine, your suit looks like something from which Giorgio Armani might draw inspiration, and when you smile the daisies bloom. Great. Your visual and preemptive presentation are dialed in. Feel good; you deserve it.

So how about the interview? If you're as prepared as Johnny (or Janet) On-The-Spot here, the smart money says that you've also been practicing your interviewing skills. Here's where it gets important. These skills probably include responses to specific questions dealing with your position. If you're lucky (or a tricksy little Career Ninja!) you may even have come across a copy of the exact questions you will be asked. Excellent!!!

You have, however, never been in greater danger.

Why, you ask? Because the Ninja that spars with the same opponent each day will be dealt a sore blow the first time he is thrown a new blow. This is doubly true of your interview. I have seen this happen to a number of my clients, ranging from a entry-level college near-graduate to an interview for a Vice President position within one of the largest news networks in the U.S. You walk into the interview with A++ answers to the ten questions that you're sure they are going to answer, and you walk out with C- answers to the 8 questions they actually asked. Devastating.

The key is to practice concepts, not specifics, and to have five very specific examples ready, each of which could apply to a few different ideas. It's the difference between Erica (candidate A) and Angelina (candidate B)

Candidate A: Prepared for the interview question, "Please provide a specific example of a time in which you motivated a team to improve less-than-projected sales numbers while simultaneously focusing on morale." Erica has an extremely well thought-out description of the example situation and has rehearsed the answer to this specific question to near Miss America-level perfection.

Candidate B: Prepared for interview questions that involve specific concepts such as leadership, driving morale, motivating sales, and diversity. Angelina has sat down and laid out five clearly though-out examples of times in which she shone through each of these key managerial challenges.

If (when) the interview question changes, even only slightly and in the wording, there is a good chance that Erica will be the deer and the interviewer will be the semi, if even for only a moment of perceived panic. Angelina, however, having practiced in a medium of versatility, will have been anticipating only that she cannot anticipate the question, and will be much more relaxed and prepared in her answering of it.

Focus on preparing your responses around concepts, not specifics, and you will also be able to calmly and effectively answer question that are more peripheral. The candidate that prepares for questions involving leading teams will be able to seamlessly segue into an answer about how individual affect the team dynamic, and vice versa, by discussing many of the ideas covered by the initial preparation.

Because, after all, the successful Ninja knows that you cannot know where the blow will fall until it is thrown.

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Wu Shu and Ninpo sat down for tea one day...

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:21:13 -0800

It was a flawless day in the Garden of the Masters. The fragrant cherry blossoms wandered silently between the Sun's warming beams and the barely present breeze to the patient Earth while distant chimes rang, rounding out the final course in this feast for the senses.

Early noon found two quiet individuals slowly and purposefully advancing into a secluded grove. The first wore a quiet calm that spoke of a readiness and confidence that, over the years, had stunned many in presence and awed more in rumor. The second moved with the same grace as the breeze that gently nudged the blossoms from their home, insinuating rather than asserting and leaving the onlooker with a feeling of deep calm and respect.

Each was aware of the presence of the other for some time, for here were the avatars of the arts of Ninpo and Wu Shu, respectively. Each regarded the other as it became clear to both that they were mutually intending to enjoy the placid calm of the grove.

"Old friend, I find joy in your companionship on this flawless day." Wu Shu calmly and almost impartially spoke with a perfectly courteous hint of a smile and a bow that, if advanced, could easily have been the very beginning of a long, flowing motion from which no one could look.

Returning the courteous gesture with a genuine bow of the head and a placid, meditative expression, Ninpo replied, "Yes, for joy shared is joy twice doubled. Will you join me for tea on this truly idyllic day, friend?"

As effortless as their entrance, each produced a thin pillow and took a seat across from one another next to an ancient stone table adorned with the last scant millimeters of timeless symbols nearly lost in the current of countless years.

The Sun meandered across the azure expanse. Each blossom petal fell in perfect syncopation. The conversation between Wu Shu and Ninpo moved much like a ribbon released to a steady draft, each complimenting the others' contribution in turn.

As the shadows' daily march brought their reaches near to the opposing end of the courtyard, another natural process took hold. Just as the elements test one another in their constant posturing to maintain balance, Ninpo and Wu Shu very calmly began to discuss and compare their arts to one another

Ninpo, the consummate master of strategy and preparation, was the initiator of the contest, though unchangingly respectful line of conversation.

"Tell me, Wu Shu, which do you feel is the more valuable trait, calm or preparation?"

"In knowing one the true warrior will know both, Ninpo. Exclusivity breeds imbalance."
While thoughtfully acknowledging Wu Shu's comment, the subtle feline smile of a successfully sprung trap danced upon Ninpo's face.

"Balance is paramount in the practice of any bound for true success, yes, but where have you placed focus, dear friend? Without focus there can be no advancement, as the bird that chases two mice will catch none, and that selfsame bird in hand is worth two in the bush."

Wu Shu, having spent millenia becoming familiar with nothing and thusly being truly ready for all things, gazed placidly at this conversational snare while deftly disarming it. "Your very spirit speaks to the notion of readiness through preparation and forecast, Ninpo. Is it not true that disciples of your art are diligent students of each predictable variable, including even the movement of the moon and stars in order to accurately gauge even the depths of the sea through which they will move in their readiness?"

Ninpo smiled, for this fact spoke very truly of the extent to which the practitioners of Ninpo would go in order to properly assess a situation. Ninpo's students were widely feared by their opponents in battle and the gaming hall alike, leaving each with either an enemy's blood on blade or coins in purse. "This is true, Wu Shu, for without complete knowledge of one's environment how can one act with complete certainty that each action will embody the intention behind it?"

Wu Shu's reply, more even than the fluid grace of speech and gesture, embodied that which Wu Shu represented. "You speak of focus, my fellow avatar. However, who is it that can focus on each and every aspect of each thing? Without the complete knowledge of the path of each atom concerned, how can one possess an absolute certainty through which to act in complete disregard of doubt? It cannot be, for each variable consists of an infinite number of variables, the calculation of which would lead to an eternity spent attempting to realize the path of a single blossom' fall." As if to punctuate the comment and the end of the discussion, a single blossom came to rest in the very center of the table between them, symbolizing both the impossibility of certainty and the importance of awareness of all things.

Again in balance, each having presented through both action and speech the virtues of their arts, Ninpo and Wu Shu stood and, with the love and honor of the masters of any art, bowed and silently left the grove to the blossoms and the shadows.

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