Category: Corporate Games

Many people claimed to be
‘Buy and hold’ investors’
but when the markets took a dive,
the truth came out.
They didn’t hold,
they sold.

Faith is not faith unless it has been tested.
An entrepreneur is not truly an entrepreneur
unless she has gone completely broke
at least once.
A survivor is not a survivor
if she’s only survived happy times.

I could go on
but you get the picture.
If you’re going through tough times right now,
as many of us are,
the upside is
that you’re about to find out
what you REALLY stand for
and who you REALLY are.

Embrace this.
It may be a short term struggle
but, if you learn from it,
it will bring long term happiness.

One month to the end of 2008.
Look at your goals for this year.
Have you accomplished them?

If not,
it is time to get off your ass.
Andrew at Lyved
has a checklist to assist you.

My favorite is
“Figure out what you want to do now;
not what you want to do forever”

Today, I’m editing a novel.
Last week, I was pre-auditing accounts.
The week before, I was programming code.
All were enjoyable
but I wouldn’t want to do any one task forever.
If I had to make that choice,
I’d still be deciding.

Do what you have to get done for today,
THEN worry about tomorrow.

And GET MOVING!

If you want a future in the company
and that company has an employee stock purchase plan,
then yes, you should.
At least a token amount.

Yes, I know the plan is supposed to be confidential
but the key words there are
‘supposed to be.’

Even if that information isn’t leaked,
you will be asked
(at some point)
and most people are horrible liars.
Sniffing out liars is an exec sport.

Also as a new business development gal,
I could never stand up in front of an exec team
proposing my solution as
best for the company
without owning a piece of that company.
That type of internal disconnect is a career killer.

A friend of mine told me
she doesn’t consider herself a writer
but instead as someone who writes.
She feels like a fraud
calling herself a writer
because she has only had
one novel
(out of forty published)
top the New York Times Bestseller List.

I bill myself as a new business development gal
but the thing is,
I’ve only launched a few hundred products.
There are many people who have launched more.

We all think we’re frauds.

There will always be people who
have done more
or know more
in your chosen field.
That doesn’t mean you’re not worthy of the expert label.

Some clear indications that you’re worthy are…
– You are asked to speak on the topic
– Clients solicit your consulting services
(no pitch required)
– You attend a seminar on the subject
and know more than the presenter
– You give more back in knowledge
than you take

A loved one had an RFP for a high profile deal.
His current staff couldn’t handle the additional workload.
He didn’t have time to train a temp,
Instead, he offered a contract assignment
to
a newly retired employee.

She knew the systems.
She had the skills.
She even had contacts at the company
they were pitching to.
It was the perfect solution.

It is called double dipping,
an employee receiving
both retirement income
and employment income
from the same company.

It works out well for everyone.
The company gets a well trained temp
and the retiree gets a boost to her bank account.

Unfortunately,
45 percent of companies place restrictions
on rehiring retirees.

If your company doesn’t,
stay in touch with your retiring employees
(the ones you wouldn’t mind rehiring).
Keep them in mind for special projects.

It is holiday party time again.
Every year, I debate going over the rules
yet again
and then every year,
I attend a party
where a rising star crashes and burns
by breaking them.

First, treat this like business.
Because it is.
Holiday parties are
when execs and managers introduce
and then evaluate their star employees.
See all those execs huddled in the corner?
They’re talking about you.
Make sure that talk is positive.

Second, don’t drink.
Have a glass if you can handle it.
If in doubt, stick to soda or water.

Third, prep your date.
Tell him or her what your goals are
and
how you want to be perceived.
There is nothing more powerful
than a third party (your date)
singing your praises.
I was the spouse at a party two weeks ago.
On the Monday following,
the hubby was called into his manager’s office
and told that after talking with me at the party,
the manager added an extra percent
to his raise.

Actually, I lied.
There is something more powerful
than your date singing your praises
and that is
if your EXEC’s date sings your praises.
Don’t ignore spouses.
A good exec spouse
is doing exactly what your date is doing.
He/She is gathering information.

Most attendees don’t follow these rules.
That works out in your favor
because you’ll stand out when you do.