Escape from Cubicle Nation

Overwhelmed with possibilities when plotting your career? Try this approach

Having a gigantic selection of career possibilities is a good thing, right?

Not so much if you have a huge desire to make a change in your life and feel overwhelmed by choices.

It reminds me of my single days, when I didn't have my handsome, warm husband at home.  In any social situation, there would always be that nagging question in the back of my mind:  Will "he" come swaggering in the door today?  Could this guy be "The One?"  How will I know?  What if he is not and I miss out on "The Real One?"

In that kind of context, possibilities are kind of exhausting. 

What should you do?

The same is true for people who feel paralyzed trying to figure out the next step in their career.

• Should you quit your job, make a dramatic exit a la Jerry Maguire, read your manifesto to the entire office, take your fish and figure out next steps later?
• Should you start a small business on the side?
• Should you sign up for the MLM business your brother-in-law has been pestering you about for the last eight months?
• Should you look for another job to tide you over until you figure out what you really want to do?
• Should you move back in with Mom and Dad?

All of these questions leave you stumped if you don't have any context or criteria for your decisions.

In fact, in the middle of writing this post, I got this email from a new newsletter subscriber (referenced with her permission):

"I am pondering self-employment. However, I'm not sure that I would've given it a thought if it had not been for an unceremonious parting of the ways with my previous company. After a year of struggling with a new manager, we both realized that I was leading a program in a different direction than the direction she wanted it to go. I was given a couple of unpalatable options so after 8 years of contribution I moved on.

Only I don't have another job. And I need one. But I don't ever want to get stuck again in such a bad situation. So I've been exploring consultancy or freelance work. However, that takes a lot of effort and energy that is different from the effort and energy that goes into finding a new job. How can I tell which direction is right for me? Are the 2 directions mutually exclusive? If I'm serious about self-employment should I take a bridge job to tide me over until self-employment can be made a reality?"

Define your ideal life

What I suggest to this kind reader is to spend some time fleshing out a picture of her ideal life, which doesn't have to include a specific description of an ideal job, or an ideal business just yet.

It can be something like:

• I live in Boston
• I work about 20 hours a week from home, doing a variety of freelance projects. 
• Virtually all of my business is conducted over the internet.
• I travel to deliver keynote presentations six times a year in major cities like London, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
• I have a small team of great partners who compliment my skill set. We all work for ourselves.
• I have a happy and fulfilling home life.  I am present in my kids' lives and have time to participate in school activities, help with homework and bandage skinned knees.
• I exercise every day.
• I have "x" dollars in retirement accounts and "y" dollars in savings.
• I make "z" dollars per year
• In my spare time I am a backup dancer for Beyoncé

Once you begin to develop this big picture of your ideal life, you can create a list of "must-do's" to accomplish that picture.

The must-do list

This list can contain things like:

• Skills to learn (writing, freelance marketing, sales, accounting, Hip Hop dancing)
• Experience to gain (teaching, blogging, creating websites, presenting)
• Money to accumulate (retirement cushion, launch fund $, savings accounts)
• People to connect with (mentors, partners, friends, Beyoncé)
• Places (to live in, visit, frequent)
• Brand to build (incoming blog links, press mentions, raving fans)

Then, with this list in mind, you can select your next step with the specific purpose of checking off a few things from your list.

• You could choose to take a job in Boston which would get you settled in the place you intend to live
• You could take a less than ideal, but very short-lived and high-paying freelance gig that would allow you to bank up the money needed to start up your business
• You could move back with Mom and Dad with no shame, in order to have time to get your freelance business off the ground without the pressure of paying for rent
• You could start to perform your backup dancer skills at Talent Night every Friday evening in every surrounding city

This chart is a visual example of how each step takes you a bit closer to the ideal vision (click on it to make bigger):

What if your ideal vision changes?

Of course your ideal life vision may change as you start to make concrete progress towards it.  Most likely, you will make a series of tweaks as you get experience and information about what will make you the most happy, healthy, wealthy and wise.  Expect things to change a bit.  Just pay attention to making concrete progress in gaining the specific skills, experience, knowledge, contacts and resources to bring your dreams to life.

By choosing criteria, you can give yourself a break

We tend to get quite melodramatic when we make career decisions.

• If I take a real job again, I will show the world I am a failure as an entrepreneur
• Only losers sleep on Mom and Dad's couch
• If I take on one less-than ideal project, I will be doomed to do them the rest of my freelance life

This is only the case if you choose to see it this way.

When I was pregnant with Josh, I chose to work on one of those "less-than-ideal-but-megabuck" consulting projects.  The travel schedule was grueling -- I traveled every single week from Phoenix to the Bay Area and worked on things that weren't necessarily my core passion.  Because I get terrible morning sickness when pregnant, the travel was really a pain.

But as a result, I was able to bank up a bunch of cash and took a whole year off after Josh was born.  This allowed me time to change directions in my business, start a blog (this one!) and spend lots of time learning about online branding and marketing.  It was definitely worth the momentary discomfort!

I hope this approach to career planning gives you a bit of context and decision criteria for your next step.

How many Lehman employees do you think have backup plans?

My heart broke as I watched dejected Lehman Brothers employees carry their personal effects out of their offices on Sunday.  As much as they were aware of strain in their company, if they are like typical corporate employees, most did not expect the bankruptcy outcome.

I was so fascinated to see this right as I am polishing the chapter of the Escape from Cubicle Nation book on why corporate employees are afraid to leave their jobs to start a business.  A very common concern is that their "cushy" situation is as good as it gets, and they would be foolish to leave the "stability" of a corporate job for the "uncertainty" of entrepreneurial life.

I would bet that those Lehman employees who had small gigs going on the side:  consulting projects, eBay stores, blogs w/ad revenue, niche products, are feeling a little less panicked this morning.

The New York Times said yesterday (my paraphrase) that now might be a crappy time to leave your job to start a business. (must register to read). (hat tip to Carlos for referring this article)

Yes, things feel quite bleak in the market today.

But, I would argue, if you are sitting back with your head between your knees gripping your corporate job like a favorite teddy bear, you are putting yourself at risk.

I learned from my martial art days that the safest thing to do when under attack is to keep your eyes wide open, ground yourself, leverage your strengths and let curiosity, not fear, be the emotion your opponent sees in your eyes.

Like in any crisis or economic downturn, some people are going to thrive and grow despite the chaos. These are the people who are not afraid to try new things, work on side projects, network like crazy outside of their day jobs, and maintain a balanced and positive outlook on life.

What position are you in, feet firmly planted on the ground with your eyes wide open, or crouched in your chair waiting to see what will happen to you?

photo credit:  Reuters

Are you selling your entrepreneurial soul if you take a day job?

I was really excited to do this interview with Andy Wibbels of www.andywibbels.com after I heard that he took a "day job" as Marketing Manager at Six Apart.

I have known Andy for a long time and have always admired his candor, sass and brand, as well as his business sense.  Since he has done almost everything right to create an effective business, like:    

1. Create a successful blog
2. Define and own a particular niche
3. Develop a huge mailing list of devoted followers
4. Team up with great partners like Darren Rowse and Michael Port
5. Write a successful book (Blogwild)
6. Get mainstream press like the Wall St. Journal and USA Today

I wondered what would make him decide to become an employee.

I think his answers will interest you, if not challenge some of your long-held beliefs about entrepreneurship.

Check out the podcast interview here.  It is about 36 minutes.

My conclusion at the end of the conversation is that there is no work configuration that is inherently evil.  It is all about what you are looking for, what is important to you, what you are willing to trade off, and how likely you are to be successful on the "outside."

As for me, I think I am, as Jim Collins once said about entrepreneurs, "constitutionally unemployable," but that doesn't mean I don't respect someone's decision to take a day job.

What do you think?

---

Funny backstory:  You will hear as I introduced Andy that I said that Six Apart made Wordpress and Typepad.  As soon as I said it Andy caught me.  The funny thing is that Andy and I (as well as others at Six Apart) have been going back and forth about Wordpress vs. Moveable Type for my blog redesign.

Sorry for the Freudian slip Andy!  :)

You weren't meant to have a boss by Paul Graham

One of the things I am really enjoying about Twitter is quick access to really great stuff around the web.  Via following Hugh McLeod of Gaping Void, I found this gem by Paul Graham.  It is called You weren't meant to have a boss and is thought-provoking, especially for programmers.

It is also perfect fodder for the first chapter of my book:  I have a fancy title, steady paycheck and good benefits.  Why am I so miserable?

How do you know when is the right time to quit your day job?

As the saying goes, if I had a nickel for every time someone asked me "When is the right time to leave my day job?",  I would be rich. 

Just the other day, I received the following email:

"Can you recommend a good strategy for leaving the "cube nation" when there are limited job opportunities should you fail at your own business?  Is there a formula to determine if you should stay at your day job? This is my situation and I know there are others who feel the same way.

The company I work for pays the best and offers the best benefits for technology people (which is my background and experience).  Most people I meet on the street have tried for years to get in my company. When I hear this I think I'm crazy for wanting to leave.  I know I could leave and possibly return, however I have already done this once and feel I might not get a second chance to return. 

So essentially I'm frozen by the great pair of "golden handcuffs" with the fear of never getting a good pair again."

This is a very typical situation for many cube dwellers.

For starters, this decision ranks right up there with:

• How do I know if this is the right person to marry?
• Should I buy this house?
• Is it safe to sink $20,000 into this stock?

All of these decisions have both emotional and practical components. And they all involve great risk. Because they are totally dependent on your individual tolerance for uncertainty and change, there is no magic answer, as much as I would love one. But here are some things to weigh if you are considering quitting your day job:

1.  What is at the root of your fears?

If you are like most people, "When is the best time to leave my job?" is not the question that gets your heart racing.  Underneath that question are concerns like:

• What if I fail miserably and fall on my face?  How will I get over the embarrassment?
• What will be the impact on my relationship if I finally follow my dreams?
• Will I lose my entire savings and end up eating leftover bits of hamburger from trash bins?

Napoleon Hill, in his 1934 book Think and Grow Rich names six basic fears that hold us back from success:  fear of failure, fear of poverty, fear of criticism, fear of old age and ill health, fear of loss of love, fear of unknown. 

The thought of quitting your day job plays into most of these fears.  It is no wonder that most people sit in a perpetual state of "wait and see" instead of plunging head-first into self-employment.

So as a first step, be honest and dig down to figure out what is at the root of your fears. Then take action to address the problems and concerns.  Think you don't know what you are scared of?  You may just be afraid of the truth.

2.  How much do you loathe your day job?

• On a scale from 1=I don't love my job, but it is fine for now to 10=I feel violently ill when I drive up to my building, how do you rate your day job?
• The question of loathing is a key determinant in the timing of your departure, because if you have a high loathing scale, it is very probable that at least one of the following things will happen:
  • You will develop serious health problems like high blood pressure, migraine headaches, ulcers or an autoimmune disease
    
  • You will do something very inappropriate like attack someone in a meeting or skip an appointment with a very important customer
    
  • You will get laid off (for seemingly "business, not performance reasons," when we all know better)
  • You will get fired
• Unfortunately, there is no correlation between the degree to which you hate being an employee and the degree of success you will have as an entrepreneur.  I have a non-empirical hunch that some of the best entrepreneurs today were not management-hating grumblers, but rather generally positive and productive employees with bigger dreams than the confines of a corporate environment could handle. 
• Bottom line?  If you hate where you are, you better start making plans to leave before someone makes them for you.

3.  What is your financial situation?

• Do you have at least 6 months worth of expenses saved in the bank?
• Do you have low debt?
• Is your partner or spouse willing to step in and support you while you are in the start-up phase of your new business?
• Are you aware of all the costs involved in starting your new venture?
• Are you up-to-date with your taxes?
• Are you willing to scale back on expenses,including steps like moving to a lower-cost city or trading your Executron mansion for a smaller house?

While none of these conditions are mandatory prerequisites for going out on your own, they will certainly help you feel safer about cutting off your regular income stream.  If you are in a less-than-ideal financial situation, you may want to spend at least six months focusing on this area.

I also suggest talking with a trusted, objective financial adviser who can help you sort out different options, like whether to use savings or debt to finance start-up costs, what to do with your retirement  and health insurance plans and how present your financial situation in a way that will be attractive to lenders or investors.

4.  Is there any "there" there?

Obviously, a key part of your success as an entrepreneur depends on having a viable business idea. Have you done the following things?

• Chosen a target market and specific niche?
• Determined the major problems or concerns faced by people in this market and developed your product or service to address those needs?
• Evaluated your competitors?
• Shared your idea with a successful, more experienced entrepreneur?
• Developed and deployed a prototype or sample of your offerings and gotten good response?
• Had success in any other self-directed parts of your life like volunteer activities, fundraising drives or lemonade sales?

Of all these elements, I recommend testing your real product or service with real people to see if it works.  Make sure you are not betting your livelihood on an idea that has never made it out of your head.

5.  What other employment options do you have if your self-employed gig doesn't work?

The reader quoted in the beginning of this post stated:

"I'm frozen by the great pair of "golden handcuffs" with the fear of never getting a good pair again."

While I know that this can feel true, when you look at all of the ways that you can make a living, this is obviously not the only job opportunity on the planet.  And fearing not getting a good pair of handcuffs in the future makes me think of a correlated analogy:

"He may be a low-down, cheating husband, but he is MY low-down cheating husband."

Ick.  Don't live your life that way.  You are worth more than that.

Be creative in researching your options for generating income.  You may be surprised that instead of feeling trapped and limited, you have endless opportunities, including living the globe trotting lives of my virtual buddies Lea and Jonathan.

6.  How close are you to retirement?

For those that have worked for many years in one company, or who will receive significant, long-term  financial benefits by staying another two or three years in your day job, consider this:

• Sometimes it is worth staying in your job now to have lots of freedom later.
• You can make the most of these last years of employment by building out the infrastructure necessary for going out on your own.
• Much depends on your loathing factor, described in point #1.  I knew a miserable, dedicated employee who put up with tyrannical, abusive bosses for most of his 30+ year career because he wanted to have security post-retirement.  In his last week as as employee, he was riding the subway into the city.  With no warning, he clutched his chest, slid down in his seat and exhaled his last breath on earth on the floor of a commuter train.

7.  How supportive is your partner/spouse?

If you are in a serious relationship, you know that career decisions are never only about you.  Your spouse will feel ramifications in every aspect of his or her life, including financial, emotional and work/life balance.  Although living a dream may seem like a good idea, you may find that as you change, your relationships change too. For tips on how to have the "I want to quit my job" conversation with your spouse, look here.

Even if you checked every single box on this list and find that you are mentally and physically able to quit your job, your business can still fail miserably.  I am sure I will hear (and hope I do) stories of wildly successful entrepreneurs who started their businesses without testing anything, in a financial cesspool and against the virulent protests of their spouse.

Your inspiration to quit may come from a much more improbable source, that lies somewhere between a small hunch and a profound spiritual revelation.  Many people who have made the leap say that they just "knew it was the right time."

For my dear friend Steve Darden, the inspiration to quit came through his son Seth, who woke up from a nightmare one evening and called out for his Dad.  Steve was a hundred miles away, staying in another city so he could fulfill his dream of managing a large agency.  Haunted by the loss of his own father when he was just 3 months old, Steve realized that he was sacrificing his role as father for a job.  He quit, and never looked back.

For those who made the leap, please share how you did it.

Ode to print journalists

I have been reading about the death of newspapers for sometime now and have seen the decline myself by anemic daily editions that land at my doorstep.  But it wasn't  until I read the following line in Seth Godin's book The Dip that I got nostalgic:

"If you work at a big-city newspaper, you can see that there's no light at the end of that career-choice tunnel.  Circulation is dropping, and it's going to drop ever faster.  Most papers have little chance of replacing their traditional businesses with an online alternative.  As a result, every day at most papers is going to be just a little bit worse than the day before.  Every day you stay is a bad strategic decision for your career because every day you get better at something that isn't that useful-and you are another day behind others who are learning something more useful.  The only reason to stay is the short-term pain associated with quitting." (p. 55)

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is home to the San Francisco Chronicle, or what we affectionately call "The Chron."   In its heyday, The Chron had a host of colorful columnists like Herb Caen, Charles McCabe ("Any clod can have the facts, but having opinions is an art") and Art Hoppe.  What they wrote could not be considered one-way journalism, as they were tapped into the heart and soul of their community.  Their tips and comments came from hand written letters, or, even better, by catching their ear in person at any number of local watering holes like the Washington Square Bar and Grill (otherwise known as "The Washbag").  It was considered a great honor to be quoted in Herb Caen's column, a feat accomplished by my own mother, who hand wrote a note to him during the controversy over the renaming of the Orange County Airport in 1979 ("They are not going to be able to name it the John Wayne Airport since they would have to remove all the left wings on the planes!")

Some advocates of social media celebrate the fall of traditional, "elitist" journalism, citing the open, free and democratic ways of blogging and citizen journalism.  "I can swear, dammit, and there is nothing you can do about it!"  "Watch me publish a piece with a typo and fix it 2 minutes later!"  "I can build up a readership of tens of thousands while your monolithic, dinosaur organization shrinks and shrivels."

Here is the sad part.

There is beauty, grace, grit and skill in good journalism.  I don't imagine that most bloggers have had to contend with a cantankerous editor who rips holes in first drafts of stories, nor with the intense heat to produce smart, interesting and relevant work with crushing deadlines. 

Journalists have a strong grasp of language, know why to avoid dangling participles, know the difference between complement vs. compliment (thank you Matthew Stibbe) and never confuse their active and passive voices.

Undoubtedly, some take an elitist attitude and think that they are the only people qualified to report the news.  But many, even most, have a strong spirit of pride and true love of a good story.

So while the medium of print journalism is on the decline, I like to think that the profession of journalism will be resurrected in a new and useful way.

I was tipped to the sad state of San Francisco Chronicle veteran staffers by Ben Casnocha's del.icio.us bookmark,  Rancor plagues Chronicle employee buyouts.  It says:

"One Chronicle staffer who did not want to be identified said departing workers received 'no acknowledgment, not even a sheet cake, from the managers. No thank you notes. No speeches. Everything but armed security guards. It's ugly.'"

How disappointing to think that this is how we are sending off friends who scoured the hills and back alleys of San Francisco looking for stories, who spurred lively discussions between spouses and kids over bowls of Wheaties and who spent years of their life drinking strong coffee and pulling their hair out so they wouldn't miss a deadline.

I try not to get too nostalgic when industries ripen and change, since I think it does a huge disservice to employees who remain, who, instead of preparing for the next stage of their career, become bitter and resistant.

But I can't help but feel that we are cutting off a vital appendage by dismissing all traditional journalism as "last century."

No matter how excited I get with an incoming link from Guy or Hugh or Kathy, my parents are still most impressed by a page 14 mention in The Chron.

I appreciate the smell, feel and spirit of a really good story told on newsprint.

So thank you, journalists, for slogging it out in increasingly unbearable news rooms.  There is light at the end of the tunnel as we will always need good writers to explain, shape and give context to our daily lives.

I live for these emails

The absolute best part of writing this blog is when I get emails like this from my readers:

"I wanted to let you know that I've left my University job of 12 years to do workflow consulting. I read David Allen's book "Getting Things Done," which made a huge improvement in my life and lead to a crash-course studying modern productivity techniques. I then created my own seminars and started doing one-on-one consultations, with great feedback. So far I've been working in the Northeast with people from mid- to large-sized organizations, including senior staff and faculty at UMass, and the results have been exciting. I'm now getting requests from around the US, so it looks like it's time to expand."

In this particular case, I am so thrilled that the person writing is my long-time devoted reader and often thoughtful commenter Matthew Cornell.  He has been talking about leaving his "employee gig" for a long time and starting his own business, and he took all the right steps to make it happen.  He didn't leap without looking, he carefully researched his market and planned his business, he started a blog on his topic of interest and cultivated a body of readers eager to learn from him and he was helpful, supportive and friendly to other bloggers in the spirit of true camaraderie, not self-interest.

Matthew, congratulations for making the leap!  You are in good company, joining the other EfCN readers who made the leap as well, like basquette and Timothy King.

If anyone out there is in need of some serious help with work flow consulting to manage the overwhelming volume of "stuff" inundating your life, check out Matthew's new business!

I know we are all cheering you on Matthew - congratulations.

 

Bob Knight: the perfect mascot for "The No Asshole Rule"

I have had an advance copy of Stanford Professor Robert Sutton's book The No Asshole Rule:  Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't  for a couple of months now and have been waiting for the right time to weigh in with my thoughts.  You may say that Robert and I bonded over the word "asshole" - he was pointed to my Open Letter to CXOs post by a colleague in Australia and, after connecting, we have shared thoughts about  civil and uncivil workplace behavior. 

There have been some excellent, thoughtful reviews of his book already by people like Guy Kawasaki, David Maister and Sigurd Rinde.  What more could I add?

Then, while watching ESPN while on vacation, I saw that Texas Tech basketball coach Bob Knight was about to achieve the "winningest coach" (is that a word?) designation.

I will qualify this post by saying that I don't know much about basketball, or basketball coaching techniques.  The fact that I briefly dated the center of my high school basketball team and he went on to win the state championship the same year is pure coincidence (but true - San Anselmo Sir Francis Drake High Pirates - go team!).

I do know a lot, however, about assholes, having worked as a consultant in Corporate America for many years.

Robert Sutton defines assholes through two simple tests:

Test One:  After talking to the alleged asshole, does the "target" feel oppressed, humiliated, de-energized, or belittled by the person?  In particular, does the target feel worse about him or herself?

Test Two:  Does the alleged asshole aim his or her venom at people who are less powerful rather than at those people who are more powerful?

There are also some more specific indicators, defined by Bob as The Dirty Dozen:

The Dirty Dozen

Common Everyday Actions That Assholes Use

1. Personal insults
2. Invading one's "personal territory"
3. Uninvited physical contact
4. Threats and intimidation, both verbal and nonverbal
5. "Sarcastic jokes" and "teasing" used as insult delivery systems
6. Withering email flames
7. Status slaps intended to humiliate their victims
8. Public shaming or "status degradation" rituals
9. Rude interruptions
10. Two-faced attacks
11. Dirty looks
12. Treating people as if they are invisible

Following this criteria, the flamboyant, angry and chair-throwing Bob Knight is a card-carrying asshole.  What I found interesting was the conversation on ESPN's Quite Frankly, Hosted by Steven A. Smith, about whether or not  his outrageous behavior should muddy his designation as the most winning coach ever.

Steven Smith had two journalist guests on, whose names I didn't write down.  One called Bob Knight's passing to the top slot "a dark day in college basketball history."  The other journalist, from Bob's former hometown of Indiana, said that "If Bob's employers don't have a problem with his behavior, why should I?  College basketball is a billion dollar business and all that matters is winning games."

Herein lies my big beef with highly productive assholes like Bob Knight.

There is no denying that he is an incredibly talented coach who understands how to mobilize a team to win games.  But what is the collateral damage?  The journalist who stated that "all that matters is winning games" is overlooking a huge factor:  Bob Knight is coaching college students who are in the midst of learning how to be productive citizens, at the same time they are playing basketball.  You cannot tell me that his behavior will not influence some of them in both their basketball and business careers.  My niece is a student at Texas Tech, and I am sorry that she has to witness his antics on the basketball floor as she enjoys her team's games.

Over and over again, I have seen talented spoiled brats in senior level corporate positions stay in their jobs because their bosses were afraid to "mess with a winning formula." 

I also think there is a certain mythic reputation given to some superstars who are actually more admired because their wildly unacceptable behavior is untouchable.  It is usually stopped only by one of two factors:  criminal charges or a lawsuit.  Then you see the finest of corporate PR backpedaling as management attempts to show that they were "taken by surprise" by the allegations or "totally unaware" of the behavior until the charges were filed.

Robert gives some great, specific advice for avoiding assholes in the workplace, including his somewhat controversial perspective that sometimes we learn to "develop indifference and emotional detachment."  I don't think that he is advocating staying in a toxic setting if it is affecting your health or well-being.  The way I take the advice is to not give up your power to assholes in your workplace by leaving with your tail between your legs if you have valid reasons for staying there.  Be like an Aikido practitioner and use the force of their negative energy to gently direct them to their own demise.  If you engage in direct conflict with them, you will lose.

The most important lesson I take from the book as an entrepreneur is twofold:  Watch to make sure that I don't behave as an asshole, and avoid them in the form of clients, partners or mentors.  I have had mentors in the past who pushed me to be more aggressive, critical and in-your-face with my clients.  As I looked at their own lives, I saw that besides financial success, their highly critical behavior tended to leak into their personal lives and they had difficult relationships with their spouses and children.

There is nothing glamorous or powerful about making someone feel inferior, ashamed or humiliated.  As much as we hold up competition and winning in our culture, it should not be the only criteria for measuring success.

I think Bob Knight should have been stopped in his tracks a long time ago by his management and held accountable for his behavior.  His incredible talent and skill is overshadowed by juvenile behavior that is embarrassing to him and his family.  What a waste of a tremendous gift.  And what a disservice to the many young men he mentored as a coach.

If you are plagued by a similar figure in your workplace, you will enjoy Robert's book.

Fascinating BusinessWeek article - "Smashing the Clock"

My Arizona buddy Pete just sent me the link to a really fascinating article by BusinessWeek online that chronicles the bold experiment by Best Buy to "smash the clock" and not require headquarter employees to observe any kind of fixed time schedule.

In my rant to CEOs awhile back, my point #8 was "Focus on the work people do, not how or when they do it."  This is a concrete example of this philosophy in practice.

Excerpts from the article:

"One afternoon last year, Chap Achen, who oversees online orders at Best Buy Co., shut down his computer, stood up from his desk, and announced that he was leaving for the day. It was around 2 p.m., and most of Achen's staff were slumped over their keyboards, deep in a post-lunch, LCD-lit trance. "See you tomorrow," said Achen. "I'm going to a matinee."

Under normal circumstances, an early-afternoon departure would have been totally un-Achen. After all, this was a 37-year-old corporate comer whose wife laughs in his face when he utters the words "work-life balance." But at Best Buy's Minneapolis headquarters, similar incidents of strangeness were breaking out all over the ultramodern campus. In employee relations, Steve Hance had suddenly started going hunting on workdays, a Remington 12-gauge in one hand, a Verizon LG in the other. In the retail training department, e-learning specialist Mark Wells was spending his days bombing around the country following rocker Dave Matthews. Single mother Kelly McDevitt, an online promotions manager, started leaving at 2:30 p.m. to pick up her 11-year-old son Calvin from school. Scott Jauman, a Six Sigma black belt, began spending a third of his time at his Northwoods cabin."

It seems like this radically flexible schedule is having an impact on hard business metrics like productivity, employee engagement and turnover.  If indeed it is true and not hype, I am really encouraged and hope that some other companies try this approach.

Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, and for some, having a flexible schedule coupled with the perks of employment would be a good deal.

If you know anyone who actually works for Best Buy in this arrangement, I would be fascinated to hear from them.

Do you think it is hype, or would something like this have a real impact on your satisfaction level as an employee in a corporate environment?

My strange personal connection to the Patricia Dunn/HP Story

As I was browsing the magazine rack at the Newark airport last week, I saw the cover of Newsweek with the picture of Patricia Dunn, embattled Chairman of Hewlett Packard's board.  I read the story with great interest for the following two reasons:

• I used to work for Patricia Dunn many years ago at my last "real" job (ie as an employee!) at Barclays Global Investors.
• Hewlett Packard was my first client when I became a consultant, and I worked on a small project to redo the HP Way video

My memories of working for Ms. Dunn are slightly vague since so many years have passed, but I do remember that she was an excellent communicator, was impeccably dressed and was very smart.  At the time, she was second in command.  I would often organize new employee events where she would speak, and I always enjoyed hearing her story of how she started at the firm as a secretary, and made her way up through the ranks of management.  As a fresh-faced 20-something, not yet jaded by what I would learn about corporate life, I found her story inspiring and encouraging. On a personal basis, she was always kind and polite.

When I left Barclays and started consulting at HP, I was excited to step into the culture of a firm that was still very well regarded by leadership consultants and practitioners.  They had an amazing legacy of good management practices started by Bill Hewlett and David Packard, or Bill and Dave as they were remembered around the hallways.  Lew Platt was CEO at the time, and although it was clear that the culture was shifting and changing, there was still a pretty fierce and widespread support for the HP Way, the statement of values that Bill and Dave had articulated many years before.  And it was not just corporate HR folks that embraced it, it was the rank and file, from administrative assistants to programmers.  (the HP Way is spelled out here)

I am sure that the drama of the Carly Fiorini regime, the Compaq merger and other major organizational changes really dampened the spirits of longtime HP'ers who liked to believe that the legacy of the founders could live on despite the turmoil.

But this latest fiasco just leaves me baffled and sad. 

What, exactly, was the board thinking?  Did the thoughts, feelings, perceptions and trust of the employees they were supposed to be representing ever come up?  Why did it have to come down to a bizarre and covert sting operation to get them to talk openly with each other?  Who were they accountable to? 

All this highlights how insane the senior levels of  corporate leadership can get when left to the modern day business practices of greed, hubris, polarization and conflict.  I know that I should not be surprised at this behavior anymore, but I still am.  I am disappointed that someone I respected was involved in such a royal mess.

And can you imagine the repercussions?  How will any senior leader be able to stand up with a straight face and talk to employees about the importance of trust, ethics and basic human decency in the workplace after the public antics of their board?

What a sad day for HP.  I have to believe that Bill and Dave are peering in on the mess and wondering how the boardroom of their beloved company turned into such a nasty place.