Spin-O-Rama » relationship

My Thoughts On Managing

Steve — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:06:12 +0000

Been managing a very long time, some 28 years. I taught my first of 3 or 4 more sessions on “New to Management” for my employer. So, I started thinking more about being a manager. When I think about my career and what is it to be a manager – a number of things came to my mind. So, I thought I would write them down and share.

We all have to start with a baseline , managers are the vehicle that turn intentions (mission, strategies and expectations) into results. I have been doing this for a lot of years, many of my peers have as well – we are getting ready to finish up our careers and pass the baton to others. So, what are my thoughts?

Management is probably the best and most challenging job around. If you really want maximum impact – sign up now.
Great managers really do what many will not try or do. It all starts with the choices that you make everyday. Those managers approach and blast away barriers. Don’t shy away from the difficult task of stopping busy work for the really important work.
Management is a social act. Sitting in your office is not very social. You have to get out, have conversations and develop relationships. Simply put: erode relationships, erode results. Get out there and bring out the best in others.
You are in the middle and much is expected of you. Too many times I have heard, “that is why you make the big bucks.” Completely understanding the expectation (from your manager and the needs of your team) will help you chart your path.
Time is critical. Look at your inbox (unread), calendar, to do list and count the instant messages during the day. Each and everyone of those are opportunities to engage and excite. How are you spending your time? Would you change anything? Great conversations are worth lots. Remember, relationships = results.

There has been much written on management over the years. There has never been any new silver bullet to being completely successful. What I learned over the years, is nothing new. Remember to spend time on yourself (learning, developing and listening). The true important part is – How you apply the learning’s and experiences.

What Was said, What Was heard!

Steve — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:31:24 +0000

We all know that communication needs to be two ways. We have the sender that says something (“What was said“) and a receiver that hopefully heard the message (“What was heard“). They do get mixed up from time to time. Over the past, weeks I have been communicating, listening and adding some of my peers to this discussion. Below you will find a list of some of the more humorous “What was said, what was heard”.

What Was Said	What Was Heard
Be More Assertive.	Make them agree with you.
Scope is not clear.	That’s not what I meant.
Your data is misleading.	That data makes everything look bad.
You’re a bit too aggressive.	Being a “B” (male or female version)
Think out of the box.	Heard all your ideas before, get some new material.
Emerging Market Strategy.	Moving jobs offshore.
You always offer ideas on how to improve.	Too opinionated.
Viewed as a SME by peers.	Total Know It All.
Keeping it real for me, thanks.	Better use a “filter” (don’t say that) for others.
You’re doing great!	Probably has no clue how I am doing.
Fly under the radar.	Don’t tell anyone – what they don’t know will not hurt them.
That is not what I meant.	Bring me a rock exercises are fun, not!
Disagree and Commit.	Just agree with me, it is much easier.
You are too valuable to the organization.	No transfer for me.
Need to be more open-minded.	Have to get alone with everyone.
That will not work.	Not invented here, so of course it will not work.
Site strategy.	More compressed office time.
That *should be Zbb*	Nights and weekend work.
Only the best and brightest work here.	Someone is full of themselves.
It’s confidential.	It’s a test… Will I or won’t I tell someone?
Put your corporate hat on.	Suck it up…
Let’s bin that.	Ok, now that one is dead.
Take it off line.	Done listening or Shut the hell up!
That’s Steve being Steve.	Ignore him; he will eventually go away.
Not a good idea in this environment.	Didn’t think of it, so we are not going to do it.
You’re a solid team player.	You are not a leader.
Too foster better work/life balance involve teammates.	You’re too slow at this task.
You take a very direct approach.	You sometimes leave a trail of dead bodies.
You need to find a new outlet to support your career passion.	Your career desires don’t fit within this group.
One-way rotational	What the heck? (Trying to rotate me out?)
Is it done yet?	Moving a bit slow.
Sorry, I was on mute, what you say?	Not paying attention (mute your ears?)
Your Program or project is not strategic.	Time to update the resume.

We all know there are more.. Please share…

A New Journey Begins

Steve — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:17:50 +0000

Wanted to give everyone an update on a post I made about a month ago, Life Changing Decisions. Short summary, I was at a cross-roads with making a decision on to retire or not. I made a decision – I am going to go ahead and retire from Intel. Timing of when this will completely happen is yet to be finalized, but I have till 1/3/2011.

This was not an easy decision for many reasons. I have been working for Intel for over 28 years. During that time, I have grown up, learned a lot, raised my family, traveled to places I know I would not have traveled to and have met some amazing people. I have put in 28 years at one company. Something that in today’s world, just does not happen that often. I was 22 years old when I started, just out of college and was looking for some stability for me and my new family. I guess I found it.

For entertainment value, I thought I would put in the stuff that I will not miss…

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings and more meetings – I hate to count up the hours that were spent in meetings. Sometimes we had meetings to prep for meetings. Sometimes we had post meetings on the meetings. In order to get work done – you had to schedule a meeting with yourself on your calendar.
Email! I don’t know what has happened over the years, but email had become the number one way to communicate. Yes, it beat out meetings. Why? Because you usually got one to five emails around the meeting. The email’s I will not miss – did you get my voice mail (now our voice mails go to our inbox), those that come from the person that sits in the cube next to me, reply to all blasts – asking to be removed from the distribution list and my all time favorite ones – an email asking if we can talk!
Processes… To say that I have seen an increase in processes over the years – that is an understatement. Some are completely necessary, I get that. Others, well let’s say some people have jobs because of them.

I will miss stuff as well, like:

The people! There are some amazing people that I have met, worked with and helped out over the years. Without them, I know I would not have had as much fun as I had. Would not have gotten much done by myself. Would have hated to sit in my cube – waiting for the next meeting or email.
Experiences and memories that I have. Even those that are not so good. They shape us into who we are.
My usual parking spot… I started in 1982 in the Chandler CH2 building.. Looks like I will end my time in Chandler CH2 building (I have had stops almost in every building in Chandler and some in Oregon). I joked when I came back to CH2 about 5 years ago, I started parking in the same spot in 1982. Well, maybe Intel can put up a marker on my parking spot!

I am excited and nervous about the journey that I am about to take. I am not going to stop working.. I just will be doing it somewhere else.

Ever Get a “Bad” Feeling?

Steve — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:00:20 +0000

From time to time I am asked how do I know when to decide one way or the other? Sure we would love to have all the necessary data to decide which way to go. Sometimes that just is not possible. Where data is missing – something kicks in. We all have our own special sense of knowing what is right or may not perfect, but good enough. I have laughed at times and commented that my gut tells me. I truly don’t believe that it is my stomach telling me, but it is a feeling that I get that just knows. Feelings – not very scientific, but what are they. To me they are the experiences that I have had and the information that I have collected over the years that gives me the push for the actions that I chose. Ring true to some folks? Look back on growing up – how did you know not to touch the hot stove? Parents told you to, but yet you did somehow experience it (hopefully not getting burned, but close enough to know). Dating – always a good one… When you found someone special – how did you really know? Had to kiss some toads (experiences) to find the prince.

New experiences come everyday. How do you usually handle them? I say, we usually form our opinion rather early on and act on our feelings first. As much as I like to think that I am very deliberate and cautious on these things, I am not. Meeting people for the first time, do you size up the person across from you? Do you draw on your experience with others to help understand this person better? Do you look at the company that this person keeps to help form some understanding? And yet, we have to remember not to judge the book by the cover…

Feelings are real.. If used properly they can help you make decisions or what course of action to take. Those feelings are your experiences and information that you have gathered! Use them wisely.

Life Changing Decisions – What to do?

Steve — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:13:03 +0000

Everyone has moments in their life that could be called life changing. Comes with the territory of life. What do you do? How do you come to your decision? For me, I am now at one of those cross-roads that I need to make a decision. I am at one now. Do I retire from my current employer (as I do meet the criteria) . Since I have been working for them for over 28 years – and am just 50 years old – I really don’t see true retirement in my cards… But….

Decision needs to be made (retire or stay)… Time to put in place my usual way of handling such life changing decisions. Here is what I do…

Pull out a tablet of paper – draw a line down the middle of the page. Left hand side – Pro’s (taking early retirement); Right hand side – Con’s.
Find a quiet, early morning spot to sit and write down everything that comes to my head for each.
After I have exhausted my thoughts. I asked my family to discuss this with me. As much as this is my decision, this is a family decision as well. My family is important to me and they are my number 1 supporters, their input is valuable.
Grab some more of that quiet time to reflect on my information, what my heart is saying and what my family has shared with me. A decision needs to be made, and will be made.
Communicate my decision to my family!
Make my decision completely available to my employer – this has to be done by the end of July.

Many are probably wondering what is going on with this? Well, step one, done and am filling in the Pro’s and Con’s. Is there something that you use differently? Please share…