Koala-T Assistant (MyKTA)

Sometimes life is a circus and everyone else is the Ringmaster. Don’t let that deter you from getting what you are after. Push through and enlist help whenever and wherever you can. Most people are more than willing to help, 1. if they can, and 2. if it costs them nothing more than a little bit of time and effort, without burden or expectation.

Over the past month I have been focusing on couple of my goals. At times, there are moments that seem to be effortless. At others, I feel stuck and frustrated. I feel like I have hit a wall and my progress has become stilted. It is in these moments that I must remember to forge ahead, think of alternate and different methods of getting to the next desired step of the process.

In getting a task completed, I must talk to various personnel in different state departments. Some people will have an attitude right out of the gate. Well, a less than helpful one anyway. I believe that there are many people who do not appreciate what they do or do not see the value in what they do. Instead of being helpful, they go to lengths to make it difficult for the person on the receiving end to get what they are looking for. So it is my goal to get them on my side by letting them know that I appreciate everything they are doing to help me. They probably feel unappreciated, underpaid, overworked, and undervalued. Well, I appreciate and value what they are doing for me even if in the end I still need to seek out another resource to get the task completed. And, I will let them know that too by thanking them for their time and effort at the conclusion of our conversation.

When enlisting help or getting someone on your side, tell them what you are trying to do and why. Sometimes it brings out the cheerleader in them. It creates purpose instead of just doing the job. They now have a reason to help you succeed and who doesn’t like seeing someone achieve their goal. They get to be a part of your success. And, to be honest, we really can’t do it all on our own without the help of others doing what they can on their side to get to the finished result.

If they are not able to provide you with what you need, ask questions. Ask them where or who you can talk to get the information you need. Ask for suggestions or solutions. Ask for names and phone numbers of possible resources. If they have information, but need some time to collect or process it, follow up with them later. Let them know that you will be following up and when so they don’t feel like you are taking up their time when there is nothing else they can do on their end. They will let you know if they have done everything they can and a nice courtesy would be to thank them for their time and to let them know that you will not be contacting them until you have the information you need to provide to them.

You may feel like you are running around in circles. It is possible that you just might be. Forge on. Move on to another portion of your task and it is possible, with time, the information you are seeking will appear. Sometimes, things need a little bit of time to work themselves out and come together.  I call that,

Giving it time to marinate.

I have found that many things work in an ebb and flow kind of manner. Some things seem to just roll through and you find yourself speedily getting what you need done. Then there are the times when you are at a standstill or even lost in the process. Take those times to recharge, come up with creative solutions, ask for help, and muster up determination. Also, start your day out with a positive affirmation. Something like,

Today is a great day. I will get so much done and everything will come together perfectly for me.

Create a positive attitude in that if you do not get what you need at that instantaneous moment, there is a perfect time that it is supposed to be resolved that is to your advantage. Pushing harder on something that doesn’t give just elevates frustration and stress. Step away and take a look at the situation in a different perspective or angle. Just like a wall, you might need to dig a tunnel to go under it, or you may need to go around it, or find a way to climb over it. Many times our biggest hurdle is our own attitude.

You are the Ringmaster of your life. Don’t let others make you feel like you don’t have the controls. You get to make the decisions and that includes how you treat people along the way. Be gracious, helpful, and accommodating and they will do whatever they can on their end to help you get through the hoop.

We understand the value of lists, but do we really use them to our best advantage? Is your life complicated? Lists can uncomplicated it and give it more structure. Is it uncomplicated? A list can give you direction in where you want to go in life. Is your life controlled externally, making you feel like your days are dictated by the urgencies of others or circumstances? Make a list.

There are lots of different kinds of lists:

• The To-Do List
• The Christmas List
• The Wish List
• The Shopping List
• The Goals List
• The Procedures List
• The Master List

What got me to thinking about lists were a couple of things:

1. During the week, I work my 8-hour shift, eat dinner, and go to the gym. Needless to say, my place blows up through the course of the week and I am left with lots of cleaning and organizing through the weekend.
2. Two things I need to make a priority to do each day is going to the gym and sending out resumes for promotional positions.

This would consist of a list for each day.

1. Create lists of goals.
2. Break those goals down into their respective tasks of what it takes to achieve them.
3. Incorporate a task from each important goal into the list for each respective day.

Doing something small each day removes it from being a large task later on.

Here would be an example of my Monday:

As you can see, from 7:00am to 5:00pm and the end of the day would be pretty consistent. If I workout 2 days on and 1 day off, that would give me Wednesdays to run an errand during that time, write on here, get in some reading time, or go out with friends or family. My weekends would have room to go to the lake, ride my motorcycle, go to a museum or gallery, have coffee with a friend, have a spa day, or do absolutely nothing. I will be accomplishing all the things that are important to reaching my goals without making me feel like I don’t get a day off to just relax. Those days are important too.

So start creating your lists.

Create a list for:

• Work
• Family
• Home
• Social
• Community
• Spiritual
• Health / Fitness
• Educational
• Fun

You will be amazed at the progress you make in only a couple of months, how much you will rediscover and nurture you, and how much more joy you will bring into your life by living more consciously. You will still have time for the spontaneous, probably more time by living your life with purpose and on purpose.

I attempt to lead a relatively simple and, to a certain degree, quite a minimalist lifestyle. Sometimes that makes me feel like a bit of an outsider at times. Not always going with the direction of what would be considered “normal” or necessarily mainstream. Not so much a follower of the population, but I do try to follow my heart, listen to my intuition, and keep my eyes open for “signs.” I don’t mean to sound metaphysical, just to express that, with all the craziness of trying to keep up, I make every effort to retain my perspective, the idea of who I am and want to be, and my sanity by not getting bogged down by all the activity that takes place around me that can steer me off of who I inherently am inside or question the greatness that is within me and provoke me to act in a way that is against my best judgment or call into question my morals and values of what I believe is right. Living my life with integrity that represents the core of who I am, the contribution that I make with the people I interact with each day, and the appreciation I receive when I am authentic.

What You Already Know

There are things that you already know about yourself. What you like, what you don’t like. Do you find when you do something that you already know you don’t like, you find yourself disappointed? I do. So why do we keep doing it? Is it thinking that there will be a different outcome? Or that the situation deserves another chance? I love trying new things, new foods, new styles, new destinations, meeting new people. That’s different. When you continue to do things that you know doesn’t work for you, what does it take to make you clear your closet of that and replace with something that doesn’t work for you with something new that may be even better.

Moments of Epiphany

It dawned on me that I don’t look good in grey. I love black and white, those are always my classic colors, but grey completely washes me out and makes me look and feel drab. I know I have a pair of grey pants, so why do I keep them? To reduce the clutter in my life for what doesn’t work for me it is time to get rid of the grey in my life. I also have a wide array of lipstick colors, but there is only one that I always “want” to wear, because no matter what I wear it always looks great. I do have a second color that adds a little punch, and I stroke a bit of my favorite over the top of that. I can also wear just about any gloss over the top of my favorite and it looks fabulous. So why do I hold onto the rest of the colors? I keep thinking if I wear pink, the pink lipstick would look good; or I would wear red during the Christmas holidays, but when I do, I don’t think it is my best color. What I should do is toss all the lipsticks that are taking up space and stick with my “classic” and splurge every once in a while on a fun gloss to mix things up. I’ve also come to realize that black eyeliner is just too much for me and the browns always make my blue eyes that much more bluer. The solution… get rid of the colors that don’t make me feel good, get colors that do make me feel good, and try some new colors that just might make me feel good.

You Have So Many Choices

I loved working in law, I also loved working in engineering. I find both industries to be dynamic, interesting, intellectual, and challenging. I’ve worked in other industries and find them rather boring in comparison. So why haven’t I focused on finding more work that is in line with law or engineering? I guess I never took the time to realize some of the specifics about what I love about being a executive professional other than being really good at getting things done and how to get things done. Still, the industry in which you work can provide passion in the details of what you are doing and why.

Create a List of You

I’ve written in the past about making a list of what you want to accomplish and listing what you need to do to get there. But, I never suggested, starting your list of assessing who you are and what you already know you love or what makes you feel good. If you use this as a starting point, you are able to hone in on what activities or goals are really a perfect match for you, instead of chasing after what you think you should be doing. You will avoid a lot of wasted time and disappointment by going after things that really make your spirit sing. I don’t regret working in the various different industries. After all, that is what helped me discover more clearly what I do love in the work I do. I can also expand on the skills I provide because I have become more conscious of what I naturally have a knack for, what I struggle with, or what I’m really not very good at.

Make It Work For You

I work out at the gym five or six days a week. There are times when I can’t wait to get into the gym that day and am actually looking forward to it. Other days, I have to literally drag myself to the gym, but once I get there, I am full steam and motivated. I didn’t think I would like the elliptical, but found it to be less stressful on my knees and, after a while, now find myself enjoying it as I get into the rhythm of the music for the pace that makes me feel pumped up. I didn’t think I would enjoy the cycle because I am sitting down, I think I could be accomplishing much more aerobically by doing something else. Now I find the cycle almost meditative, I’m able to decompress on the cycle and even watch a movie, and still break a sweat. I also spend an hour on the elliptical and a half-hour on the cycle to offset my thinking that I am not pushing myself like I should. I tend to feel intimidated by weights, but have found that I can get through them very quickly and find myself already done. So I have found ways that make my workouts enjoyable, makes me look forward to going in each day, and feel like I’m missing out when I don’t go. The pros: I feel more fit, my weight is more manageable, and I’m reaching health goals. The cons: being early in the year, the gym is sometimes pretty crowded and it is almost like “Where is Waldo?” when looking for a piece of equipment. I don’t care for crowded locations to a certain degree and would prefer a lighter amount of traffic that makes me feel like there is more air and space flow that surrounds me. So I go as late as possible without getting out of the gym at midnight when I have to get up early in the morning.

Just Do It!

By eliminating what doesn’t work for you and replacing it with the things that do, you create more balance in your life. Believe it or not, many times it is the “things” in our life that we don’t let go of, knowing that it isn’t right for us, that clutters our minds and our life. By removing these things, you allow better things to come into your life, whether you know it or not. And you become more particular and more focused on what you already know works for you to allow them in. This includes friendships and relationships. You and I are sometimes the very people who set up our own roadblocks by letting the unimportant take up space in our lives. We allow it take up residence in our psyche thinking we have a reason for letting it be there.

Don’t! Get rid of what is unnecessary. Make room for what makes you feel good. There are some things that you just can’t change at this very moment, but you can make a concerted effort to step away for a moment to clear your mind space and come back centered and focused. Sometimes you may just need to let what is going on around you just sort of flow past you. To let the energy around the activity sort of pass by with very little reaction from you. To just not take that day so seriously. And, sometimes, to just take a personal day and step away to shake off and let some of the intensive energy settle in order to get back in, hopefully with your perspective, your energy, and your authentic self to reemerge.

Thank You

We are continually on a journey of self-discovery. Find appreciation in the things that make you remarkable; find appreciation in the remarkable things around you; find appreciation in the little things that come your way; find appreciation in the challenges that you take on and overcome along the way that make you stronger, wiser, and more patient.

Find the Grace of God in each day, whenever you can.

If you find this article helpful, pass it on to someone who can use a boost.  If you know someone who always seems overwhelmed or a bit harried in life taking over, this article might remind them of their value and the importance of taking the time to appreciate themselves.  And, if you liked this article and it really kind of hits home with you, leave a comment and let me know.  I would love to hear from you and hear about what keeps you authentic.  And thank you for stopping by to visit with me.

I am an electronic techie geek.

I actually fell into this by accident. I actually started out as a hairdresser in California. I have always been creative and hair, beauty, and style was always interesting to me. And, it seemed, I was pretty good at it. I always had friends and family who wanted me to do their hair or change their look. Soon after getting my Cosmetology license, I met the man of my dreams, got married and pregnant, and we were soon moving to different states when he decided to leave the Air Force. We moved to Ohio, where he was from; then off to Pennsylvania, for his college to work on airplanes (he used to work on fighter jets); and then to Minnesota where he took a job with one of the big boys (at the time) with Northwest Airlines. The excursions that took us outside of California eliminated my ability to work as a “beauty consultant” as each state requires its own licensing. I was moving around to too many different states to keep up.

So off to college I went to attain knowledge in a profession that was more “practical” with my circumstances. So I chose the certificated program, “Legal Secretarial Specialist” at Rasmussen Business College in Minnesota. I chose to take the most difficult administrative program with the thinking that I could work in the administrative field in any industry and any state. This was the time when home computers were starting to take off and my little nomadic tribe of a family decided to get one. The days of DOS.

That is where it all began. Whenever we had problems with the computer, I was the one who was asked to fix it. Most of the time it was about how slow the computer would run. So I picked up books on DOS and learned the various macro systems that would increase the speed, ran the defrag program, and tweaked his games so they seem to run seamlessly as he enjoyed shooting things up.

I got a job with a law firm who represented several cities as the “City Attorneys.” They did a large amount of criminal documentation that was given to the assistant as dictation. Before I came on board, every word was typed in. Most of the information was for the offenses and redundant, used over and over again in most of the Criminal Complaints. This was when WordPerfect was the only choice for word processing and most law firms still use this software today. This is where I honed my skills in creating templates and macros. After that, we were able to get the Complaint done within days instead of weeks. This was also when “reveal codes” was a necessity to examine because you did not always print what you saw onscreen. This was before WYSIWYG. I still use reveal codes to see the details of what is in a document today with Word.

That is the evolution of my electronic techie geekiness. I have since built my own desktop computer, that is still wicked fast today, even though most of the time I work on my laptop.

I am always surprised when I come across administrative assistants who still use the computer and various applications as a glorified typewriter. The programs offer so much functionality and access to creating truly creative and dynamic ways of presenting information. Most have a handle on the more intermediate applications of programs today. You have to in order to keep up with the needs a company has in presenting information.

Today.

I continue to keep up with technology by visiting the various sites you see on my sidebar to learn new skills and applications that the various programs can do. I don’t go out and buy the really big books like I used to, but would like to. I also keep up with the new programs shortly after they are offered. I usually give a little bit of time for the company, usually Microsoft, to work out the bugs. And then I am off and running.

I find the program that I probably live in the most in today’s technology age is the Calendar. I use the “Task” function a LOT and should probably do a write up on that because there is so much you can do with it. The Calendar also houses the email system. Email has become the method of communication. No longer is the boss coming to you with the request of a project or task, it is now being sent via email.

On my quest to seek out technology that simplifies my life, I was greatly interested in the new iTouch with the Apps feature. I had put it off for quite some time as I was hoping they would come out with one that had the same GB as my current one, which they now call the “Classic.” However, I decided to go for it.

There is a bit of a back story to the reason why I ended up getting it before they hit 120 GB. I thought I lost my “Classic” at the gym. I know, God forbid. On my way to Best Buy, I stopped by the gym and, shocking to me, someone had turned it in. YAY! So I began to reassess my purchase. I started thinking, “Well this month is my birthday. You wanted to get this in the past, so what would you get yourself instead for your birthday?” I could get a nice pair of shoes, or maybe go to the bookstore, or maybe something that I needed. I decided on the iTouch.

One of the reasons I actually wanted the iTouch was for the functionality that of a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). I used to have a Palm, but something went crazy on it. I also had a Palm phone when I was on Verizon. I could carry all my information with me wherever I go. I realize that many of the phones have the various features, but I didn’t find the features to be quick and easy to use on the phone. After all, that isn’t their primary function. The iPhone has all of this, I realize, but I am not with AT&T. However, I am a big fan of Apple and have had the iPod for many years. So getting the iTouch was upgrading, again. I still hope to get a Mac. Maybe next year’s birthday gift.

I downloaded some Apps and am really interested in getting back to you on my impression of a free app called “Intuition: Mom’s Assistant.” I also read about an app called “Siri Assistant,” which I hear is phenomenal, but can only be used on the iPhone. Oh well.

I would love to hear from you what programs, features, and technology you just can’t live without. What makes your job and life easier? What helps you to be more efficient, productive, organized, and sane?

Don’t forget to take a look at the sidebar for websites that offer tutorials and tips on making you the “go to” person in the office when something techie needs to be done.

I have a friend who does photograph and film.  Actually her major is film, so that is her creative challenge and inspiration.  I had mentioned to her that I would like to have some current pictures done as it has been some time now.  Her mind process goes straight into film as that is where her love is.  I, on the other hand, have a hard enough time with having pictures taken of me, so film just scares the bejeeses out of me.

So she took a look at my website and that is where the brainstorming began.  She got excited with me on what I was doing with the website and ideas that I had, while offering some suggestions on what interesting things we could do.

This post is to let you in on some future ideas that I hope to incorporate into the website that will provide even more information on the professional assistant and tools with the little tips I write about.

Interviews on Film

With collaboration with my “videographer,” I will be looking to do some interviews with professional assistants located here in the Sacramento area, in interesting locations around the city that discuss the industry they work in, what they love about their job, what skills would be suggested to work in that industry as a professional assistant, and a fun conversation that showcases some of the really great local professional assistants.  If you live and/or work in the Sacramento, California area, please feel free to volunteer.

Interviews on Paper

As I am interested in the amazing administrative professionals that are out there no matter where you live, I plan to put together a standard template of questions for a monthly “Professionals” posting.  Feel free to volunteer.  I also plan to include interviews with the people who hire administrative staff in their industry, what the industry is like, and what they are looking for in the professional they are looking to hire.

Video Tutorials

Currently I write the “How To” on the different challenges I come across with the various Microsoft and computer programs and plan to incorporate a video tutorial for the visual.  I will continue to write the details of how I do it, as sometimes it is just nice to have a written version to refer to and also some businesses block websites or video from staff computing.  I have to admit that I love the written version at work because I don’t play videos due to the proximity of others being able to overhear when working in a cubicle environment.

So these are some of the exciting things I am working on with my videographer to enhance the experience of coming to this website, as well as showcasing the administrative field with the amazing talent that it comprises.

Requests for Participation

I would like some suggestions on what questions you would like answered to get to know the different industries, skills, and background of the administrative professional.

I would love to hear back from those of you who would like the experience of participating in either the video or written interviews.

And I look forward to introducing you to my collaborative partner, my new videographer.

I just finished reading an article about whether or not blog comments are essential to a site, such as this, or not.  The biggest issue that  comes up from having a comment section on a site has to do with controlling spam, self-advertising, and just random crap.  I take a couple of precautions for this.  One is that I moderate comments seeing that it reflects what is written, as well as information that contributes to others using a plugin called Diques Comment System.  I also use the WP-SpamFree plugin.  I have found these two tools to be very helpful in managing the degree of random comments and allows me to focus on the quality comments.  It is an extra step, but it also allows me to stay on track and respond in a timely manner.

I don’t plan to discontinue them at this time because I believe there is more than one point of view.  This allows others with similar experience in what I write about to contribute or an alternative way of doing the same task.  It also allows a person to disagree and detail why, an alternative point of view.  I use Feed Reader to manage quite a few blogs that I like to keep up with that provides me lots of ideas and suggestions, and some purely for entertainment.  Personally, I find the comments entertaining and informative.

It could be viewed as self-aggrandizing that is if you are merely looking for a “pat on the back.”  I appreciate the comments for two reasons, the opportunity for someone to give their feedback and the opportunity for others to provide their experience and suggestions.  Personally, I comment on someone’s blog when I feel I have something of value to contribute.  Many times, as I generally read through my Feed Reader, I don’t get to view the comments, but can quickly read through the articles.  I will click on the article link if I am interested in what comments others have made or would like to contribute a comment myself.

At this point, I don’t believe that a comment section is a “make or break” option for a website.  However, I believe it is the quality of the content that dictates a websites traffic.  If you provide quality content that is written well, your followers will come.  I must admit that I don’t believe I get that much commenting.  I don’t know if that is good or bad, but do find my website traffic increasing over time.  This I track with both a Google Analytics plugin and FeedBurner.  If people find your information interesting, they will keep coming back and will refer others who may enjoy it as well.  As you will see on my sidebar, I share many of my favorites to you as I love sharing really great things, opportunities, and ideas.  As if you couldn’t tell by the information that I write on here to share.

I would love to know your view on comments, whether you use them or not, and your personal experience with them.  So feel free to share your experience on both the commenting and the moderating sides of commenting.

My challenge, actually for the week, has been managing overload. I realize that I can’t do it all, but I make every effort to, and to do it well. That is the problem with overload. You find yourself sacrificing the quality of your work. You don’t mean to, but it’s inevitable.

As an assistant, the job is all about managing constant interruption. Not everyone can do it. We are multi-tasking between all sorts of activities. Our job is not the kind that you can start on a project, focus, and plow through. While working on a task or project, we are also answering the phone, managing email, stopping to assist with a question, routing documents, logging, and processing. In reality, sometimes I’m amazed anything gets accomplished.

These days I find myself walking into work and booting my computer up with a minimum of 30 emails, and it’s not uncommon to start the morning off with 60. That doesn’t include the stream of emails coming through each and every hour. When managing through email, and most things, I am a “first in, first out” kind of gal. What I am getting better at is, while going through the oldest mail first, attempting to manage the latest mail that comes in too. So I’m kind of running through email from both ends.

Everyone has advice because everyone’s stuff is priority. Well, every piece of email I get requires me to do something with it. Whether 5 minutes or 30 minutes and it is all important and it all must get processed. Nobody knows all that you do and, really, they don’t want to know because they are busy too. So how do you handle the barrage of demands. After all, you are only one person.

Don’t let it get you worked up, stressed.

First suggestion.  You have to breathe and keep your calm, sense of humor, and sanity. It is called “grace under pressure.” The difficulty is dealing with an environment like that every day, which really isn’t healthy either.

Manage your space.

Some people seem to function in stuff. Stuff everywhere. I’m not one of them. I like a clean and organized desk. I like leaving the office with everything off my plate so I can come into work the next day with a fresh “plate,” so to speak. But this isn’t always the case. So, knowing that you are coming in the next day with a “boat load” of stuff to get done, try to organize your desk before you leave so you at least walk in with everything in place for you to get off the ground running and not begin your morning feeling cluttered and out of control. I’m not a morning person. I like to get my cup of coffee, boot up the computer, and build steam as the day progresses.

Manage your time.

This could mean when someone gives you a request, ask for a deadline. When do they really need to have it completed? Communicate if there is a conflict in getting the task completed on that timetable. They may be able to compromise or juggling the other conflicts may be required. The point is, make sure that there is clarification on priorities. We may think one thing is a priority when it turns out that it may not be as urgent as our initial impression of there being one.

Do the best you can.

Perfection is non-existent. Well, other than an amazing sunset or a beautifully prepared meal. Strive in greatness in all that you do. Make sure that your attitude is that of high quality and that will reflect in the output of your work. Some environments are toxic, but that doesn’t have to be you. Don’t allow others to get in your head. Stay true to yourself and keep your attitude elevated so that you are better for yourself and for the people who matter to you.

Don’t take the job home with you.

Which brings me to another good point. When you’re done with work, you’re done. Leave it there. Go home and enjoy spouse, kids, dog, cat, and even yourself. If you need something to vent on, find something that moves the energy out of you and brings good energy into you. That could be a hobby, meditation, a nicely prepared meal where you sit down and enjoy your healthy food on beautiful plates. I go to the gym and I go 6 days a week. I not only lost 15 pounds in one month, but I have been known to sweat 2 hours on the elliptical or beat up the weight machines. They can take it and they don’t say anything back. But don’t take it out on the really important people in your life. They are the ones who deserve your best. Find an outlet that can take the beating, something you love or at least enjoy, and it makes you a better person for doing the activity.

Appreciation.

Appreciate what you do. Even if you don’t get it directly, love what you do and it really doesn’t matter what other people think. Understand that there are a lot of people who either do not like what they do or they are going through their own issues. We don’t have the full story of why people are the way they are, so by not being confrontational or aggressive will sometimes cut the edge off how they may interact with you. And, yes, sometimes it is hard to do. You might feel like you need one of those bits that you can bite down on to manage excruciating pain.

As an assistant, we like helping people. That is just how we are wired. It brings us satisfaction knowing that we were able to put something together that looks effortless and easy. It is when you no longer take pride in what you do that you lose what makes you so great at your job.

A Handy Dandy Checklist

Halogen Software came out with a handy dandy checklist for the manager on “How to Conduct a Successful Annual Performance Review.” I thought it would be a good idea to share with the other side of the review table, the reviewee, and some thoughts on how to be prepared. Or, in the alternative, if your manager conducts a relatively simple review process by simply discussing what you can improve on, you can come to the table with an arsenal of information that is to your advantage and well-prepared to shine.

So I am not taking credit for the initial checklist and will provide the link to their site at the end. Besides, isn’t it nice to have an idea of what management may be evaluating you on, instead of walking out of the interview even more confused and without details of exactly what is expected. It’s the same thing year after year. Lack of communication to help you be better at your job and then feeling deflated and frustrated when it’s all over.

So here we go!

Here’s The Agenda

The Boss:
Set up a date and time for a private meeting with each employee.

Some Ideas:
This allows you to be prepared, the moment of truth arrives. Carpe diem!

The Boss:
You may want to ask your employees to prepare a summary of their accomplishments over the last year, assess their performance of competencies, draft some objectives for the coming year and think about career aspirations. (If your process doesn’t already include self-appraisals.)

Some Ideas:
Make a duty list. List all the things that you do on a periodic, daily, weekly, monthly basis. What are all your duties. List them and keep it up-to-date. Add and delete as your tasks dictate.

The Boss:
Consider your and each employee’s social and communication styles.

Some Ideas:
Are you outgoing and gregarious, but your boss is more nose to the grindstone?
Are you quiet and reserved, but your boss is personable and interactive?
Are you to the point, but your boss is more ambiguous with what they say?
Try to pin down what your boss’s style is and that may help you prepare for how he/she views your communication style. Neither is right or wrong, just different. People seem to gravitate towards those who have a similar working style, because they believe they will get the job done in the manner they think is the right way.

The Boss:
You may also find it helpful to collect feedback from your employees’ peers and/or internal clients. (If your process doesn’t formally include this.)

Some Ideas:
Pay attention to how you treat your fellow colleagues. Pay attention to how you treat the people who do business with your company and the boss. Not everybody’s personalities will mix, but it does mean being professional and courteous to others. If all you do is complain, that will come out. If you are seen as a social butterfly, you may not be seen as industrious. Make note of what your colleagues think of your work and your attitude when it comes to collaborative assignments. Are you considered an asset to be on the team, or someone who needs to be constantly advised of what needs to be done and meeting deadlines.

The Boss:
Review last year’s performance appraisal form and ratings.

Some Ideas:
Take a look at the former year’s appraisal and make notes on what you have done to improve, things you have changed, and actions you have taken to continue to expand on your skills and level of competencies.

The Boss:
Review the employee’s self-appraisal and any feedback from other sources (if requested).

Some Ideas:
Be positive. Don’t be aggressive. Turn negatives into positives by displaying and suggesting what you can do in the future. And ask, specifically, what their expectation is so you can make efforts to strive toward excellence in those expectations.

The Boss:
Review any development plans from the previous year, and ensure they’ve been completed.

Some ideas:
What systems have you created or improved since the previous year. List any expectations that were discussed and be prepared with answers for what you have been doing and are developing in those areas.

The Boss:
Get the new performance appraisal form.

Some Ideas:
You may not get a copy of what the appraisal will discuss. This will hopefully help you prepare. However, if you do receive a form for the review, detail every point clearly and with an attitude of constant improvement and development.

The Boss:
Transfer information about last year’s goals to this year’s form. (If your system doesn’t do this for you automatically.)

Some Ideas:
Review, review, review what was discussed the prior year. They will probably come up as topics again. Note what you have done and how your efforts have improved personally, as well as having actual examples of work that you do that expresses the fact.

The Boss:
Review the rating scales you will use this year.

Some Ideas:
Be fair and try to see it from your boss’s perspective. He/she may not see everything that you do and your level of contribution. You are there to simplify his job. He doesn’t know how you do it, but he always knows when you don’t.

For Each Employee:
Evaluate Previous Year’s Performance

The Boss:
Rate your employee’s demonstration of competencies.

Some Ideas:
What do you think are your greatest skills and achievements? Where do you shine?

The Boss:
Rate your employee’s performance on each of their goals.

Some Ideas:
Have you made professional or career goals? Express them and detail what you have done to move forward on those goals. Did you boss give you clear-cut goals? If so, list what you do to fulfill his/her expectations of improvement. If not, get them from this review so you are prepared to achieve in what are his/her most important priorities. His priorities maybe different than yours and, most likely, are.

The Boss:
Determine an overall rating for their performance last year.

Some Ideas:
What would you give yourself as a performance rating personally? Now, what would you give your performance rating if you were your own boss?

Establish Objectives for the Coming Year

The Boss:
Define goals for your employee that are in line with functional and corporate objectives.

Some Ideas:
Ask for them before leaving your review, a clear and actionable list of goals and expectations. If you are unclear, ask for clarification. This is your job too. You can’t find satisfaction in your job if you feel like you are always missing the mark. Ask.

The Boss:
Define any development plans required to support your employee in completing this year’s objectives or to address skill gaps.

Some Ideas:
Once again, ask. There are times when an expectation is expressed, but you are not given the tools or resources to meet the objective. Have a clear understanding that you both will support the efforts to achieve what is being dictated.

Conduct the Performance Appraisal Meeting

The Boss:
Establish a comfortable environment for the meeting.

Some Ideas:
Be professional, don’t wear anything that can make you uncomfortable, make sure that you have eaten a good breakfast or lunch, and gotten enough rest to be refreshed, mentally alert and prepared.

The Boss:
Review and discuss your performance ratings on competencies.

Some Ideas:
Listen, breath for a moment, and then contribute. Do not get defensive. Try to view it as a collaborative negotiation in which you are both looking for excellence and evolution.

The Boss:
Review and discuss your performance ratings on goals.

Some Ideas:
Listen objectively, stay calm, listen, breath for a moment, and then respond.

The Boss:
Review and discuss overall performance.

Some Ideas:
Same as the last one.

The Boss:
Set goals for the coming year.

Some Ideas:
Make a list of your goals. What you would like to do, create, or contribute. Express educational goals that you would like to do that make you better at your job. Be seen as someone who is always learning and improving.

The Boss:
Set development plans to address skill gaps.

Some Ideas:
If there are certain skills, knowledge, or information that you need, ask if they have programs or financial assistance with getting that training.

The Boss:
Discuss your employee’s career aspirations and set appropriate development plans.

Some Ideas:
Does your employer encourage advancement? If not, set your own. Whether they are in the improvement of your existing job level or something you can develop to take to another opportunity. Knowledge is power and keeps you in the forefront of your competitors.

The Boss:
Complete the administrative paperwork for the appraisal. (If your process is not automated.)

Some Ideas:
Request a copy of the evaluation. They usually have you sign it. Having a copy gives you a blueprint on what you can work on or whether you need to move on.

Throughout the Year
Observe and Coach Performance

The Boss:
Provide feedback and coaching on an ongoing basis.

Some Ideas:
This is where your Duties List comes in handy. Also, keep a list of continued education you have taken, seminars that you have gone to, and any other activities that you are involved in that display your “can-do” attitude.

The Boss:
Manage performance gaps.

Some Ideas:
Are you working in some kind of crisis mode all the time, whether personal or professional? Request input on what can be done to alleviate or minimize it so that your performance and attitude about your work and job can improve.

In Conclusion

Also remember, that you have the chance to evaluate your boss. Maybe not directly, but it’s a good to have a clear idea if that is the work you want to continue doing or the business you want to continue working for. If it’s not, you will have outlined goals that will prepare you to seek out an opportunity that displays your best. You will have created your own agenda in preparing for something better. Remember, you represent your company, good or bad. Life gives you choices, you make the choice!

Here is the link to the website where this initiated:
Halogen Software

Today’s challenge.

A colleague needed to send out an email with over 20 attachments (I’m guessing because it was probably more). I came by her office to ask her for some personnel data that I needed for a department budget worksheet that I work on. So the timing was perfect. She puts the email together and has all the documents attached. She asks me if there is another way to attach so many documents. When there is a list of attachments, most people don’t realize they have to go through the scroll bar to see that there are more than the five or eight that are within view and actually miss the extent of information that has been provided.

The solution.

Zip them up. I brought up the Zip program, anything like WinZip will work, grabbed all the files she needed and attached that. It took less than five minutes and now all the recipients will receive the collection of files already foldered up in one place and viewable at a glance.

Tell me what suggestions you would have come up with for this challenge.

Have you ever had something staring you right in the face and you just don’t get it. It happens when you buy a car. All of a sudden the car you buy is everywhere, before, you rarely saw it. Now they are EVERYWHERE.

Let me just say, I didn’t mean for this to be so long. After going through the information, I really wanted to provide the details of what you would see and get. So with that said, I hope you enjoy the post and check it out for yourself.

That brings me to my challenge for today. I work on three different computers: the office, home, and the laptop. I don’t lug my laptop around with me wherever I go. So I was looking for technology that met three criteria:

• My work has become more collaborative, requiring the necessity to be able to share documents with people who are not on my network or server;
• I would need access to the documents when working on a different computer, once again, not on the network or server; and
• I need to be able to work the document in the program I created it in and others can use as well.

There you have my dilemma.

It dawns on me that I have been reading a lot in my “feeds” about Google Docs. So I dove in to see if this was the answer I had been seeking. I work on resumes and require access to the most current version of the document when preparing a mailing series. The document is in Word, complete with graphic lines and WordArt Text.

Google Docs failed my qualifications. Google Docs strips it down to its basic elements. Looks nice, but anything graphical is eliminated. I suggest this as a simplistic method of sharing information. One great use is for students. Kids who are living between two houses and juggling homework between the two. This option eliminates carrying a flash drive in a bag full of books.

My conclusion for Google Docs is a glorified word processor and hard drive in the clouds. Nothing fancy, but it does store your documents for retrieval wherever you are and available when working on various computers.

My second option, Office Live Workspace. As soon as I executed the desired workspace, the Job Search Workspace, loaded the Word document, and then executed the saved document, I got exactly what I wanted. Microsoft Word executed and the exact replica of the document slid onto my desktop. Now I had to test the second criteria: sharing the document. I sent off the invitation to my client to see if she was able to access her documents.

She was floored with what she was presented. She had her resume and cover letter, but she was also greeted with the following: Interview Preparation Notes, Interview Schedule, Interview Thank You Letter, Job Contacts, and Informational Interview Request. I had just prepared her with the perfect “workspace” to keep everything organized, managed, and manageable. And, she could access all this information anywhere.

She divides her time between the office, the place she lives at during the workweek, and her home 100 miles away. She prefers to keep her travel light, so eliminating the need to transport her computer back and forth every week definitely simplifies her life. However, she does travel with a plethora of flash drives and my work doesn’t have to be included when she is searching for all her job search documentation. I just made her computing life easier, arrangement of all her job search information in her workspace environment, and now whenever she needs changes, I have access to all the necessary information at once.

Needless to say, our previous method of manipulating the information was emailing back and forth. When the next round of resume submissions came, I had to request her most recent information. There just had to be a better way. The “cloud.” Now, we are on the ground running.

In the Workspace I have provided her the following documentation:

• Resumes;
• Cover letters;
• The Interview Schedule, listing the company, job position, the event the company is attending or attended, location, the start time, the end time, job description, the interviewer(s) name(s), the interviewer(s) title(s), and the interviewer(s) phone number(s);
• Interview Preparation Notes where she can contact the department in advance to prepare for her interview. She works for the State and is seeking a promotional position. If you have been asked for an interview, you can request their interview questions in advance and they will email it to you. I know, that was weird for me when I first found out.
• The Interview Thank You Letters;
• Job Contacts where she can enter information from their business cards to send their Thank You Letter and follow up; and
• Information Interview Request. It was an option that she had not even considered and may consider in researching what it might take to get the position she wants.

Office Live Workspace comes with a variety of workspaces that preload with various templates just for that subject. Here are the choices of workspaces and their preloaded templates you have to choose from:

1. Class Workspace
   • Class List with Contact Information
   • Class Notes
   • Essay Outline
   • Important Dates
   • Syllabus
2. Essay Workspace
   • Paper Milestones
   • Team Paper Outline
   • Term Paper Template
   • Thesis Template
3. Event Workspace
   • Business Event Flyer
   • Directions
   • Event Agenda
   • List of Invitees
   • Notes
   • Party Invitation
   • To-do List
4. Household Workspace
   • Announcement Board
   • Emergency Contact List
   • Grocery List
   • Household Event List
   • Household To-do List
5. Job Search Workspace
   • Cover Letter
   • Informational Interview Request
   • Interview Preparation Notes
   • Interview Schedule
   • Interview Thank You Letter
   • Job Contacts
   • Resume
6. Meeting Workspace
   • List of Attendees
   • Meeting Minutes
   • Meeting Notes
   • Meeting Presentation
   • To-do List with Owners
7. Project Workspace
   • Participants
   • Project Notes
   • Project Overview Presentation
   • Project Post-mortem Presentation
   • Project Proposal
   • Project Schedule
   • To-do list
8. School Workspace
   • Graduation Requirements
   • Notes
   • Semester Schedule
   • Sports Schedule
   • To-do List
   • Useful Contacts
9. Sports Team Workspace
   • Announcements
   • Directions
   • Season Schedule
   • Snack Schedule
   • Team Roster
10. Study Group Workspace
    • Announcements
    • Event List
    • Meeting Notes
    • Report Template
    • To-do List with Owners
11. Travel Workspace
    • Business Trip Itinerary
    • Packing List
    • Personal Data Form
    • Travel Checklist

On the left sidebar you have “My Workspaces” where you can view and select from the various Workspaces you are working with. On the right sidebar you can view “Activity,” “Comments,” and your list of “Shared” persons for the selected Workspace. The preloaded templates use the various Microsoft software applications, but Workspace is not limited to just Microsoft applications. Because you can upload your own documents, you can have access to any of your program documents as long as you have the program application on the computer.

It’s easy and it’s free.

If you found this article interesting, I hope you will share your thoughts and ideas of what you do in resolving sharing issues in an age where sharing information has become essential. How have you simplified your sharing challenges? I look forward to hearing your experience.