Beyond 254

Enjoying the Lull

The last few weeks have been pretty peaceful for me. Currently, I have very few active projects, so it makes the work day less stressful. I am enjoying every minute of this "downtime" and not complaining one bit. I have some projects coming up in the near future, but I am in no hurry for those to start. The first 7 to 8 months of 2008 were very stressful. Even my Manager mentioned the challenging projects I had earlier this year, so I totally deserve this slow period. I need it so I can recharge. The next time you encounter a slow period on your job embrace it. Most people would complain of boredom, but instead of complaining use this time to reflect on the past challenges and what you learned from them. Take it from me, your body and mind will appreciate this slow period, so take advantage of it.

Were You Listening?

I was on a conference call last week with a team of people. During the call, we outlined our steps with the client for an issue that needed to be resolved. The client stated that they will not be able to give us a timeline until they have the requirements from my team. The very next day, I received an e-mail from one of the directors that attended this call. He asked if I had a timeline from the client. I felt like saying, "You were on the same call, were you listening?" I politely reminded him that they need the requirements from us first, so I was going to set up a team meeting to discuss this. I know that people have plenty on their plate nowadays, but sometimes a lot of my work is reporting information that was currently discussed.

Tip of the day: Make sure all meetings are documented and send the notes to the attendees that were present. Even if they fail to read the minutes, you can simply forward the information to them when they ask questions associated with that meeting.

Over 400 Miles, One Sentence

  I had to attend an out of town team meeting on Monday. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss our high priority projects. I spent Thursday and Friday last week and the time while I was in flight, preparing for this meeting. Not sure what to expect, I wanted to make sure I was prepared. Two other team members had to travel to attend this meeting. The total attendees were nine (that included the locals and the out of towners). The meeting was scheduled for two hours. We started reviewing the first set of projects and I noticed that the Director, VP and Senior Manager did most of the talking, they rarely requested our input. The majority of the time, upper management did most of the talking amongst themselves. At one point, the VP stated, that if we do not get to all the projects, we can conclude on a conference call. I thought to myself, this meeting should have been conducted via conference call to begin with. I did manage to say one sentence in regards to my projects. Wow, just think, I woke up at 4:00am to catch a flight to a city over 400 miles away to say one sentence. At least they briefly skimmed over my projects, they did not even discuss the projects of my other traveling colleagues.

On the positive side, we got a free lunch and I got some time away from the office. Also, since I was prepared, I was not nervous or tense, because I tried to anticipate all their questions before hand.

Tip of the day: It is better to be overprepared, for any major meeting. You will be more relaxed and at ease because you will be prepared for any questions that come your way.

Maybe I Spoke Too Soon

Just when I thought the drama was over, more turmoil developed from that horrible project I just completed. Another component to this project, which we are still working on, started taking on a life of its own. This component was not supposed to be as stressful as the first phase we just completed. The first phase was more complex and difficult. Even after accomplishing a major hurdle, the end users on this project would not let me enjoy a little bit of peace and success. Some of the end users started complaining today about not having enough meetings for the second phase and just when I thought all the chaos was over. Sometimes these people make a mountain out of a mole hill. It goes to show you that in Corporate America, there is always something. Of course, anything you do will have challenges, but at least when you are your own boss you are involved in something you enjoy. When you are doing something you love, the challenges are not as frustrating. When you are working at a job you hate, the challenges can be very difficult to deal with. I bring a book of scriptures that I read whenever I get frustrated. It helps keep me uplifted. Of course, the challenges are still there, but it helps me deal with them a little better.

It's OVER!

Sorry, I have been distant this past week, but the project at work that was giving me a lot of grief is finally OVER! This is a very important project that will generate plenty of revenue for the company. But, it was a logistical nightmare to manage, because it touched so many departments. I had meetings upon meetings trying to coordinate and keep people informed, because if these people are left out of the loop, even for a second, they start complaining. I am not going to lie when I say that most of these people got on my nerves. Like I mentioned a couple weeks ago, in False enTITLEment, dealing with directors can try your patience. At first, I thought it was only me that was getting aggravated by these people, but my senior director was also annoyed with their constant whining. I was relieved to know that I was not alone. Of course there will still be follow up work for the next few weeks, but at least I am over the main hurdle. Now I can breathe again. It was really tough at times, but I can finally say that I have gone through the storm.

Tip of the Day: Sometimes when dealing with tough projects, instead of taking it day by day or hour by hour, you might have to take it minute by minute. Just be present in the moment and focus on getting that task completed. You will find out by the end of the day, you have somehow completed everything you set out to accomplish that day.

Looking Forward To The Business Trip

I will be out of town on a business trip the next few days, so I will not have any new postings until I return. But one thing I will say is that I look forward to the trip. I will admit at first I was not thrilled, but I decided to stop looking at every interruption as an inconvenience. Sometimes a business trip can be good, because it takes you away from the office. Even though you are still working, I notice for me, it is a little more relaxing. Also, being away gives me a chance to catch up on my reading, since I do not have the usual distractions. It also gives me a chance to see and discover new cities. So the next time your boss tells you that you have to go out of town, embrace it and look forward to all the possibilities that you might encounter on your journey.