Shameless

It has never been one of my ambitions to make history by breaking all the rules.

I respect the men and women who have. In their rebellion, they have overhauled systems of law and commerce; these warriors have lived passionate lives, full of heroics, and they carry the torch of the "American Rebel" spirit into every new generation. Our pace of progress rests on their shoulders. Where would we be--in this modern age--without those individuals?

Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, and J.P. Morgan (for better or worse) would never have pushed the envelopes of business and created the trust culture which financed our greatest industrial age. Nor would they have been the giants whose fall ushered in the rise of the middle class.

Carnegie looks cuddly, doesn't he?

Gloria Steinem, and her peers, would never have become the megaphones for feminism; and we might still ignorant of how low the "glass ceiling" could hang.

Sandra Day O'Connor might never have brought her brand of justice to that very important bench. 

Harvey Milk would never had changed the political landscape for the LGBT community.

Kathyrn Bigelow's remarkable cinematic storytelling might never have led to the first Oscar for a female director; more importantly, her storytelling in a male dominated world might never have been heard.

All impressive, all noteworthy...the list could go on, and on, and on. The warriors of our collective national history found rule books and they did what unlikely leaders do best: they broke every rule they did not like.

But there is another sort of individual who makes history: the Guileless Innovator.

 

The individual whose pioneering efforts created the incredible, the new, and the desperately-in-need-of-regulation category. And maybe, just maybe, they never meant to start a movement. These are the folks that bring a secret smile of admiration to my face. They never went to "war," or overhauled a system. Their mark on history is unquestionable--but their approach so very eloquent: these men and women did what they did first, and so they predated the rules and regulations of their so-called industries.

Mary Kay Ash, the entrepreneur, needed a business model that could grow while she slept. One that would allow her to succeed based on the quality of effort she put forward, rather than the scale set forth by a corporate culture. So, she launched a cosmetics company that has provided millions of women with financial independence over three decades. A model that is now mimicked by hundreds of boutique American businesses.

Oprah Winfrey, Media Mogul, tackled daytime television when daytime television was a breeding ground for little more than soap operas and appliance commercials. Sure, she knocked down several racial barriers in her career as a journalist, but her unexpected achivement came later. She built a platform on which the feuding (post feminist divide) Domestic Female could connect to her Career-Culture counterpart. On national television. She probably also inflamed a consumerism problem ("My Favorite Things"), but let's share credit where credit is due.

Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of the Wikipedia Foundation, saw an opportunity to create shared knowledge among nations, peoples, and neighbors. His presence in the modern subconscious is certainly as strong as that of Mark Zuckerburg, and his Facebook creation. The difference? Wales invited the world to share in authorship. And created one of the most visited information resources on the planet, with more information kept on its pages than in the lost library of Alexandria.

And, arguably, my favorite woman of cinema: the seductive, guileless Queen of Metro Goldwyn Meyer, Norma Shearer. The first time that I saw the film The Women, I was transfixed by this beautiful, gregarious starlet. Charming, witty and so very present. And I wondered why I had only a vague memory of her name. Well, one quick look into Tinseltown's history and you will find a woman credited with every (though few) brave cinematic roles in Pre-Code Hollywood. She played a naive little divorcee, a royal adulteress, and in The Women, a housewife who refuses to pretend that her husband's infidelity is not cause for a trip to Reno. In pre-code Hollywood there were no rules. Society may have had them, but no one had yet to say that the theater or cinematic world was a place for censorship. This was art. She was the first talkie super star. And, after all, if Shakespeare's crude comedies were still getting stage time, why not a shattered housewife, desperate to maintain her dignity while struggling with love for her husband? Well, Code Hollywood reacted to the lovely Norma with many restrictions. Script content was monitored, clothing choices were scrutinized. The lovely Queen of MGM? She simply took off her tiara, influenced the producer's chair and steered cinema into new waters by her hubby's side (Mr. MGM himself).

So, in the grand tradition of Navigating the Nuances, I bring you a topic from the far left field to consider. If the legacy were to be yours, which would you rather:

Be a rebel who finds victory in the spotlight,

Or be the guileless innovator who makes history before the spotlight has even caught up?

The Working Woman's Woes: The Unforgiving Workload

 Despite my many attempts to delve further into one of my favorite topics—navigating the ever changing workplace—I admit to abandoning this entry on multiple occasions.

Why? Well, my explanation is a fitting one: I have been juggling THE workload.
The serial took second priority.

Shortly after drafting the bones of “The Working Woman’s Woes” series, I made the decision to shift roles at work. At the time, my juggling act was quite impressive on its own: after participating in a 6 month staff restructuring process, I assumed a new role as the Development Manager for roughly 18 counties in SWVA. It was an exciting endeavor. I was fortunate to play a significant role in developing the job description for my new “responsibilities”. Leaving the Grant Manager position behind was not scary, it was an opportunity. One that did—oh yes, it did—stretch me. Unfortunately, we were not in a position to hire a replacement in my former role quickly, so I juggled. And my department was incredibly supportive. It all worked out beautifully, though I was overwhelmed, for a few months.

But a new twist was rapidly approaching—and the experiences that I have had in the months since, have given me a whole new perspective on “time management.” In February 2012, I took a role overseeing the local presence of a state incentive grant. In retrospect, that whole journey requires a bit of faith to believe. My current Director has known me for several years, and had approached me to write for a multi-year project funded by SAMHSA. Well, after days juggling two roles at one organization, and the responsibilities of privately contracted grant writer by night, I was stretched. But we were awarded the funding. Then, I was asked to apply for the project coordinator position. And today I have shifted my responsibilities into the realm of project management (plus, development duties, but that will wait for another day!).

Rather than waxing poetic about the positive results of finishing before the deadline, or learning to prioritize your to-do list Covey style, I think I can accurately sum up the best stress navigation method in four words: consistent performance & expectation management. 

Your Level of Effort Should be Predictable—

Don’t run. This isn’t the boring “never deviate from the routine” sort of lesson. But there is one truth to your relationship with your employer: with consistency of performance you will develop trust, and with trust you will have the freedom and autonomy to take the risks you want to take. 

On the few occasions that I, or my friends, have noted strained relations in the work place, it usually falls on the doorstep of low effort performance. What does that mean? Well, I actually don’t think it has that much to do with delivering the “stellar” performance, or of never missing the mark on a project. Life happens. We will never be 100% successful at everything—and if you are, I would wager you have taken few chances with your skill application. Up the ante.

Consistency is about a two things: first, it sets the stage for building your reputation on a solid work ethic; and second, it is the perfect motivator for advancing your professional goals in a timely manner through uninterrupted levels of effort (thereby avoiding the strained 4:59 pm submission deadline every week). What it should never be about: stifling your creativity. For your employer, a consistent level of engagement in every project, whether you love it or hate it, will prove that you are both competent and thoughtful in your work. As such, if you NEED to shout “Mayday!” on a Wednesday when the to-do list threatens to crush you, chances are the boss will acknowledge your cries. And you will get the extension you need, or the necessary support to get the job done. And the hurdle will be cleared, and all will be well.

On the other hand, when have you ever heard of the lazy guy in the office not getting “the” lecture after filing for an extension? Not a frequent occurrence. 

Consistency will both help you maintain control on your projects, as well as keep you focused on the end game. Consistency is based on a long term plan; and I should hope—please?— that that is an ambitious one.

 

Do Not Pretend You Can Spin Golden Thread

There are few situations in which you are going to be rescued by a supervisor or client, just because “they lowered their expectations.” Admitting your limitations is part of being a good employee or business owner. If a supervisor or a client comes to you asking for a very ambitious product—whether due to the time commitment or the sheer difficulty level—then you need to call on your honed negotiation skills. 

Granted, when you are growing a business or first starting out in your career, you do not have the luxury of sending away potential business or projects. You need to make ends meet, and you need to build a portfolio from somewhere. As you move forward in your career, however, the number of projects that you are juggling will only grow in size and difficulty level; when that happens, a well-placed, “No”, will serve you well.

It stands to common sense that a client will appreciate a surprise over a disappointment any day. As the saying goes, “under-promise and over-deliver”. That strategy rarely backfires if you remember to promise a good product from the get go. At the end of the day, your supervisors or your clients do not care about the other 400 things waiting on your desk, or the 20 unreturned voicemails in your inbox, or even the fact that you haven’t had a vacation in 6 months. They care only about what you can tell them concerning their product, their interests, and their investment. Which means, you have now entered into the field of TIGHT ROPE WALKING! Welcome! It will be fun! You will not fall…most likely.

To balance all of the things you have on your plate—in addition to performing consistently, and being affable, and finding a good mentor (see previous serial installment)—you need to find that sweet spot where you can advance your own interests while managing the expectations of those around you. Please note: this is not a lesson in personal profit. Managing the expectations of those around allows for honest communication, better time management, and ultimately a much better product. Profit is the by product.

If you are too stretched by multiple projects or incessant details, it simply doesn’t matter what level of effort you put in—something will suffer. And so begins to cycle of compromise. You lose the ability to control your collaborative partners. You lose say in when a project reaches fruition. Worst of all, you lose confidence in the quality of your product. Stress makes for shoddy workmanship. Your skills are your legacy, your currency, and your source of personal achievement. If you allow others to enforce unrealistic or intangible expectations onto those skills, then you will risk compromising those strengths in the name of an unshared goal. 

Navigating Cubicle-ville, or your own makeshift desk from home, is a delicate thing. Some days I succeed. Some days, I see the edge of the cliff approaching and force myself to talk through the stresses with my Director. It is never 100% comfortable. But it is necessary. To become a successful, confident, and effective professional, there is no escaping the mounting to-do list. It is going to grow and grow and grow. If you are doing your job well, the pace will likely accelerate before you have time to learn the art of “no”. But, if you have been consistent in your performance to that point, then a minor blip on the success radar will be forgiven and forgotten—just try not to make it a habit.

The Working Woman's Woes: Mentors

~Mentors~

Feel like a post straight out of left field? Read the Overview here like a good reader! 

Best advice I was ever given: find a mentor. It isn't easy. I have not perfected the art by any means, and I wish I could have started at 17. Still, I have discussed the matter at length with friends all across the nation (and world), each in different professions. The need for a mentor never fluctuated in any of those situations. In several cases, the mentor presence made the difference between promotion at the 1 or 3 year mark. Same college pedigrees, same GPA profiles, similar college internships, often obsessive work ethics, similar corporate/non-profit cultures and still...different promotional timelines.

Seeking out that one great sounding board can be difficult for complicated reasons. There is the personality compatibility factor: you will not have success if you fail to identify with the person. There is the timing factor: sometimes there just isn't time to find one! We are busy proving ourselves! But find on you should. End of story.

Also, let us not forget the hard truth that not every industry has continuity: someone in hospitality can learn best practices for customer relations and apply them 80% of the time, while someone in public relations needs a mentor familiar with the regional and social markets that he/she is working in. Even more daunting, is the speed at which our communications are changing with the advent of social media. We may have constant access to knowledge, and the ability to share events and information, but there is still an etiquette of professionalism that applies to everyone...unless you are Perez Hilton. In which case, just stop reading. No, really. STOP.

"Would You Be My Mentor?"  

Initiating the conversation that leads to the non-verbal "yes, I will be your mentor" should not be nerve racking. You do not have to deliver an evite equivalent to the "Be Mine" hearts of February. I mean you are not approaching anyone for a date. And if you are (mainly the sisters out there) you should seriously reconsider your intentions! Rejection should not be the greatest fear in this case. If you just don't know where to begin, try this:

• Build a list of people whose work you respect, perhaps they are co-workers or superiors, but they might also be at another firm or organization. They might be in another career field.
• Use networking events for easy initial meetings, or leverage your personal and professional relationships to score a one-on-one introduction.
• Do not barrage anyone with 21 questions about work mere moments after learning his or her name; sometimes the most important lessons are in the personal details of someone's story. I.E. Why this area to work? Where was their start? So, listen. Find personal commonalities, like hiking or restaurants. The thing to remember is that GENUINE interactions should always be valued. You may be on an active search for a mentor, but you are also looking for a friend in this professional Yoda character.
• Never underestimate the value of your friends and family; sometimes, they can identify more readily than you why an obstacle at work is standing in your way. After all, they are stuck with your personal and professional eccentricities. 

"I Got an Email BACK! Now what?"

Professional courtesy dictates that you be the available one, as you are the one who needs something. Be patient. Do coffee whenever possible. Keep in touch with emails, or whatever mode of communication is best suited to the person you feel you can learn from. The reality is, unless you are the incorrigible Jeremy Piven on Entourage, most colleagues want to foster new talent in their field. That said, those professionals have lives outside of their careers: they paid their dues, found their niches, and deserve to ignore you during an 8 week period in the summer. Use that time to beef up your resume, or hell, improve your golf game. Something!

The key to making the most of a mentor relationship is to be appreciative of any advice or time you are given. And to maintain (a non obsessive level of) contact. Learn what you can. Life will always be the best teacher, so you are going to figure out just what not to say to the client whose marketing account you are courting the hard way. It is going to happen: you will make a mistake and have no one to blame but yourself. The beauty is that your mentor will help out once you have made the faux pas, since more than likely, he or she can tell you how to pick yourself up and move on...or, if you are lucky, just how to fix it.

One last thing: never presume to use the advice or connections of your mentor without permission. You have been given a gift in his or her knowledge. Respect that. If your mentor is with a competing firm or agency, under no situation should you scalp their professional plans. I have seen it ruin careers and reputations. Do NOT do it. Success almost always follows the ambitious, but respect in your professional circle follows integrity.

When One Person Is Not Enough~

I mentioned earlier that sometimes a field is complex. How can an architect, or construction site manager, do his job without knowledge of the topography, current technologies available, or personality of the target audience or construction crew? Well, I never said you should stop at one mentor. You didn't stop at Psychology 101 did you, Mr. Psychiatrist?  No, I didn't think so!

Lists! (You know I love those.) What what help you? If you are in media, maybe you need to have a seasoned journalist in your friend set...but would it hurt to have someone who can walk you through the ins and outs of the local industry issues? After all, if presenting a sensitive labor issue how do you navigate relationships between plant managers and the unions without alienating either? Or maybe a situation calls for some marketing expertise: if you are writing a column or preparing a human interest piece, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have someone advise you on the way to brand a story, pictorially and semantically. 

Ultimately, the community or market that you are working in has a personality. It has quirks, preferences, a type of audience. They all affect your professional success, and a mentor is able to share the tips and experiences that helped him or her assimilate and prosper. 

Build a network of confidantes around yourself that will allow you to serve your employer first, development your career second, and serve your community always. 

Feel like a post straight out of left field? Read the Overview here like a good reader!