Ok, so this will be the last time I move (for sure). I am moving my blog to:
http://www.joshua-arnold.com
I will probably post in both places at first, but by the end of the year I will drop this account. Please come and visit!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Realizing My Dreams - Chapter 2: Perception of Perfection
It's 8:30 and I have a few options. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet:
So what's it going to be today? Well, I really don't feel like driving anywhere this morning...
I was standing in line for security and still wondering exactly how all of my transportation plans were going to work out. Can I get a cab when I land? Do they provide a shuttle? To be honest, I had no idea where the resort was or where I was in relation to the resort. I felt fine, though. I was on my way to orientation and I was excited. It turned out that the arrangements were a lot simpler than I had imagined. I landed very close by and, after a 15 minute cab ride, I was checking in and walking to my room.
Those two days were absolutely brilliant. Mingling with people who had been with the company for years and were switching departments, meeting people who were transitioning into their new positions after years in the industry, and only two of us who were coming straight out of college (coincidentally, we were both Neumont graduates). Perhaps I should have picked up on the pattern that the majority of the people I met who were "moving up" had began their career with the company, left for higher paying jobs, and were now returning. I left with a number of things firmly ingrained in my mind. I think there's a term for this...ah, yes, "brainwashed". Yes, I had been brainwashed.
To be fair, it wasn't all deception. In fact, I strongly believe that the majority of information given to all those attending was accurate. The values, goals, and overall direction of the company had been communicated effectively. I was motivated to make these values and goals my own and begin moving in the same direction immediately. The philosophies are brilliant and I will argue this with anyone.
"What's the problem then?" is what you're probably thinking to yourself right about now. In fact, I'm kind of hoping that you are. You see, it's this perception of perfection that has driven me to where I am right now. The very fact that it could be incorrect has to be supported by some shocking story of betrayal, corruption, or something equally has exciting. It's the climax of the story, if you will. I don't intend to deprive you of such a thing, but I kindly ask that you wait patiently as more explanation is in order first.
If you're thinking that this is merely an explanation of "why I left my previous employer" then I hope you will look deeper. This is realization of my dreams, the process of my maturity, a revelation in perspectives, and potentially more of a "coming of age" tale. You see, I originally anticipated this to be exactly what you might have thought it would be. Now I see it for what it truly is and no, I don't see an end in sight. I might break the rules and ruin the false sense of consistency you might have picked up on. However, I do hope that you'll continue reading.
It had been quite the adventure by then. I had missed my flight (which I didn't completely mind since I got a chance to hang with my favorite cousin for a couple of hours and crash on his floor) and I was up early that morning to catch the first available flight from D.C. to Raleigh. I drank probably an entire pot of coffee along the way and was still trying to find the strength to keep my eyes open. Nevertheless, I ran into my apartment, took a nice shower, threw on some more appropriate clothing and I was off to the office to meet up with my mentor. Turns out they weren't kidding about the relaxed dress code after all...
I had been warned about a number of things during orientation and was expecting the following:
Well, it was my first day and I was in my first meeting. The first five minutes were about me - welcoming me on to the team. After the nice warm welcome, they launched into a large discussion about procedures, acronyms given to subsequent items within those procedures, and they used plenty of inner-team lingo. No, I'm not afraid to admit that I have absolutely no idea what went on during that meeting. I vaguely recall the participants but I can't even be 100% sure about that. I did make quite a lengthy list of the acronyms though and was determined to figure out what every one of them meant (for reference, I never did learn all of them).
I spent the day meeting new people, talking with my manager, getting my workstation setup and beginning to understand just what it was that I would actually be doing. I had a high-level of understanding of everything that was just explained to me. I would liken it to being "book-smart" without having any true experience to support said knowledge. "What happens when scenario x occurs and the client is asking for y?" I had the answer memorized in my mind but I was beginning to wonder when or how I would ever internalize any of it.
On top of learning the interesting processes (and the lovely programs used to manage them) I had to learn the actual component of which I would be working with. I began burying myself in technical specifications, product documentation, and <insert millions of technical terms here>. I quickly began to have a high-level understanding of what it was that I would be maintaining. Now, if you know anything about my technical background...the previously term was put in "bold" for a specific reason: you probably know that it's not something that I would ultimately choose as my career path. I knew this but the flexibility that I had heard so much about allowed me not to worry about this so much. Four days into this phase, I was bored.
"The average employee takes x weeks to..." I stopped him right there. You see, I've never been a fan of having these types of phrases recited to me when they ultimately just do not apply. I fully understand the purpose and need for such phrases. I argue that the people that recite them to others do not have this understanding. From a higher-level management perspective, these phrases are excellent. It helps keep statistics at a satisfactory level and allows processes to be formed to optimize the amount of resources that are spent on transitioning an employee into a new department. However, these phrases are not particularly useful for those employees that understand the material and have the motivation to move forward. In fact, they're just the opposite. They hold you back and completely disable your ability to excel.
I can still feel the frustrations, can you? Your passion is to push the envelope, drive change, take leadership responsibilities, and truly exceed expectations. How do you feel when you're incapable of doing so? These frustrations didn't surface right away. Oh no, there was no way that this could possibly happen, I was sure of that. I HAD to figure out how one goes about doing the things that I wanted to do. It has to happen all the time, right?
"Let's have you read the material one more time and stretch it across the next couple of weeks. After all, the average employee takes x weeks to..."
a.) I have a job
b.) I can perform the responsibilities of said job from virtually anywhere in the world.
b.) I can perform the responsibilities of said job from virtually anywhere in the world.
So what's it going to be today? Well, I really don't feel like driving anywhere this morning...
"Team,Email sent. Now I'll make myself some breakfast while I wait for some replies...
I'll be working from home today."
I was standing in line for security and still wondering exactly how all of my transportation plans were going to work out. Can I get a cab when I land? Do they provide a shuttle? To be honest, I had no idea where the resort was or where I was in relation to the resort. I felt fine, though. I was on my way to orientation and I was excited. It turned out that the arrangements were a lot simpler than I had imagined. I landed very close by and, after a 15 minute cab ride, I was checking in and walking to my room.
Those two days were absolutely brilliant. Mingling with people who had been with the company for years and were switching departments, meeting people who were transitioning into their new positions after years in the industry, and only two of us who were coming straight out of college (coincidentally, we were both Neumont graduates). Perhaps I should have picked up on the pattern that the majority of the people I met who were "moving up" had began their career with the company, left for higher paying jobs, and were now returning. I left with a number of things firmly ingrained in my mind. I think there's a term for this...ah, yes, "brainwashed". Yes, I had been brainwashed.
To be fair, it wasn't all deception. In fact, I strongly believe that the majority of information given to all those attending was accurate. The values, goals, and overall direction of the company had been communicated effectively. I was motivated to make these values and goals my own and begin moving in the same direction immediately. The philosophies are brilliant and I will argue this with anyone.
"What's the problem then?" is what you're probably thinking to yourself right about now. In fact, I'm kind of hoping that you are. You see, it's this perception of perfection that has driven me to where I am right now. The very fact that it could be incorrect has to be supported by some shocking story of betrayal, corruption, or something equally has exciting. It's the climax of the story, if you will. I don't intend to deprive you of such a thing, but I kindly ask that you wait patiently as more explanation is in order first.
If you're thinking that this is merely an explanation of "why I left my previous employer" then I hope you will look deeper. This is realization of my dreams, the process of my maturity, a revelation in perspectives, and potentially more of a "coming of age" tale. You see, I originally anticipated this to be exactly what you might have thought it would be. Now I see it for what it truly is and no, I don't see an end in sight. I might break the rules and ruin the false sense of consistency you might have picked up on. However, I do hope that you'll continue reading.
It had been quite the adventure by then. I had missed my flight (which I didn't completely mind since I got a chance to hang with my favorite cousin for a couple of hours and crash on his floor) and I was up early that morning to catch the first available flight from D.C. to Raleigh. I drank probably an entire pot of coffee along the way and was still trying to find the strength to keep my eyes open. Nevertheless, I ran into my apartment, took a nice shower, threw on some more appropriate clothing and I was off to the office to meet up with my mentor. Turns out they weren't kidding about the relaxed dress code after all...
I had been warned about a number of things during orientation and was expecting the following:
- I would be in meetings more often than not
- Most meetings had nothing to do with me
- Every meeting would use a million and one different acronyms and I wouldn't have a single clue as to what any of them meant
Well, it was my first day and I was in my first meeting. The first five minutes were about me - welcoming me on to the team. After the nice warm welcome, they launched into a large discussion about procedures, acronyms given to subsequent items within those procedures, and they used plenty of inner-team lingo. No, I'm not afraid to admit that I have absolutely no idea what went on during that meeting. I vaguely recall the participants but I can't even be 100% sure about that. I did make quite a lengthy list of the acronyms though and was determined to figure out what every one of them meant (for reference, I never did learn all of them).
I spent the day meeting new people, talking with my manager, getting my workstation setup and beginning to understand just what it was that I would actually be doing. I had a high-level of understanding of everything that was just explained to me. I would liken it to being "book-smart" without having any true experience to support said knowledge. "What happens when scenario x occurs and the client is asking for y?" I had the answer memorized in my mind but I was beginning to wonder when or how I would ever internalize any of it.
On top of learning the interesting processes (and the lovely programs used to manage them) I had to learn the actual component of which I would be working with. I began burying myself in technical specifications, product documentation, and <insert millions of technical terms here>. I quickly began to have a high-level understanding of what it was that I would be maintaining. Now, if you know anything about my technical background...the previously term was put in "bold" for a specific reason: you probably know that it's not something that I would ultimately choose as my career path. I knew this but the flexibility that I had heard so much about allowed me not to worry about this so much. Four days into this phase, I was bored.
"The average employee takes x weeks to..." I stopped him right there. You see, I've never been a fan of having these types of phrases recited to me when they ultimately just do not apply. I fully understand the purpose and need for such phrases. I argue that the people that recite them to others do not have this understanding. From a higher-level management perspective, these phrases are excellent. It helps keep statistics at a satisfactory level and allows processes to be formed to optimize the amount of resources that are spent on transitioning an employee into a new department. However, these phrases are not particularly useful for those employees that understand the material and have the motivation to move forward. In fact, they're just the opposite. They hold you back and completely disable your ability to excel.
I can still feel the frustrations, can you? Your passion is to push the envelope, drive change, take leadership responsibilities, and truly exceed expectations. How do you feel when you're incapable of doing so? These frustrations didn't surface right away. Oh no, there was no way that this could possibly happen, I was sure of that. I HAD to figure out how one goes about doing the things that I wanted to do. It has to happen all the time, right?
"Let's have you read the material one more time and stretch it across the next couple of weeks. After all, the average employee takes x weeks to..."
Friday, November 9, 2007
Realizing My Dreams - Chapter 1: Deceptive Illusions
This morning I realized I had come so far for reasons that even I had forgotten by then. I stared at the ceiling fan waiting for the next chance to hit snooze. I knew I was only prolonging it, but the day seems much more daunting when you've just found out that you're 2000 miles away from everything that you've grown to love. 7:30? I can still sleep for another hour...
Finally, it was time for the real interviews. I had been prepping for this my entire life. This had been my passion, my life-force, and my one dream for as long as I can remember. I'd committed my life to this skill set and now it was time to see it all payoff.
They came and went but none of them truly caught my attention. Then I opened a new email to find that I would be interviewing with the Big Blue in a few short days. "This is it!", I thought to myself as I began thinking of all the additional things I could do to prepare for this. Three days later I was waiting in the lobby, resume and notebook in hand, awaiting my time to shine.
It was perfect. The tension was low from start to finish as we immediately found a mutual humor to alleviate it before it arose. In fact, the first five minutes we discussed snow-boarding and skiing in the lovely mountains of Utah. We ended on a positive note after I knocked the problem solving question out of the park. You can ask anyone that was around me that day, I was feeling on top of the world.
A couple of weeks later the calls had coming in and I had some decisions to make. Do I want to move to Boston? What about Atlanta? None of these sounded very exciting to me...and then Raleigh lit up my life (in more ways than one).
The description was perfect. The area wasn't exactly my preferred choice, but why not, right? Let's pack up and go! It may not have been the ideal position for me, but it sounded like I could move around pretty easily. I was assured by everyone I asked, people switch departments all the time. I could show up, rock the boat, get recognized, and be on my way up in no time. My belongings were in boxes and I was on a flight across the country before I even truly thought it through.
It seems a little...melodramatic doesn't it? What could have been so bad that I'm lying here complaining to you? I assure you, this is not an exaggeration. These are the effects that Corporate America has on guys like me.
Oh, they'll throw millions of dollars into the paintings that you so easily adopt into your minds of innovation, creativity, and efficiency. The end-all solution, if you will, where great minds go to think. They do an excellent job, don't you think?
You're free to innovate and you're free to streamline efficiency....but before you do, can you check with Bill? He has to give the OK on all new ideas. Oh, I'm sorry, Bill's out of the office today. Can you check with Karen instead? Oh, this a cross-department initiative, let's get Jim in on this discussion. Oh, Jim's unavailable right now.
Can we reschedule this for next month?
Thursday, November 1, 2007
:: bye bye, big blue
Well, I did it. I put it in my two weeks notice this morning and I'm about to embark on yet another life changing journey as I pursue a new career. For those of you who are interested, I will explain my reasoning behind my departure.
1. Bureaucracy + Change Management = Non compatible
The processes and policies that need to occur to change even the smallest aspect of your job quickly becomes a painful burden. Moreover, the people in your department have more than likely been doing the same thing the same way for years. Do you really think that they're going to want to change that? What are they going to think of you if you're the reason that they have to learn something new when they really don't want to?
My thoughts on this? Change is painful. Deal with it.
There are times when change is called for. The changes that I pushed for were proposed after careful analysis of the current processes and were designed to not only capitalize on the department's strengths but also to improve its weaknesses. Did they get put into place?
Not a single one.
2. Corporate America + Upward Mobility = "Please kiss my @$$"
Would you like that on the left cheek or the right cheek?
Seriously, if you're expecting to be doing any "moving" in a large company then be sure to have at least 5 years of experience under your belt before the direction is UP. Does this make sense? Sure, it does. Is it the best way to handle it? HELL NO.
This has relatively the same effectiveness as standardized tests. Let's measure people's knowledge and expertise by the number of years that they've been working in a particular field. Never mind the fact that they could be mediocre, a complete slacker, and only lift a finger when they really need to. Never mind the fact that they could struggle so hard with the material and never truly "master" it. Never mind the fact that there are always exceptions to the rule.
So, how do I feel about year-based promotions? I think they work in large environments where people are numbers and nothing else matters. Was that impersonal? Yes, you're damn right it was. Can we do anything about it? Well, that depends...do you know anybody in upper management? Oh! That's right, the only workaround is political (you should ask me what I originally wrote here...it was good).
3. Corporate Thinking: Keep it INSIDE the box
I can not imagine myself staying in a place where I am unable to push the envelope on a day-to-day basis. I'm an innovator, I'm creative, and damn it I am motivated. If you put a cap on my creativity, ability to innovate, and stick me in a square cubicle...who am I?
Give me freedom and lay down the guidelines. I will stretch your expectations and will do my best to always go above and beyond. Give me a place that encourages the initiative and appreciates the extra mile and I will never leave.
There are plenty of things to love and plenty of things to hate. Obviously, I've chosen to focus on the latter this time around. Keep a look out for an upcoming 4 parter and my lessons learned through this lovely debacle and updates on my newest adventure.
1. Bureaucracy + Change Management = Non compatible
The processes and policies that need to occur to change even the smallest aspect of your job quickly becomes a painful burden. Moreover, the people in your department have more than likely been doing the same thing the same way for years. Do you really think that they're going to want to change that? What are they going to think of you if you're the reason that they have to learn something new when they really don't want to?
My thoughts on this? Change is painful. Deal with it.
There are times when change is called for. The changes that I pushed for were proposed after careful analysis of the current processes and were designed to not only capitalize on the department's strengths but also to improve its weaknesses. Did they get put into place?
Not a single one.
2. Corporate America + Upward Mobility = "Please kiss my @$$"
Would you like that on the left cheek or the right cheek?
Seriously, if you're expecting to be doing any "moving" in a large company then be sure to have at least 5 years of experience under your belt before the direction is UP. Does this make sense? Sure, it does. Is it the best way to handle it? HELL NO.
This has relatively the same effectiveness as standardized tests. Let's measure people's knowledge and expertise by the number of years that they've been working in a particular field. Never mind the fact that they could be mediocre, a complete slacker, and only lift a finger when they really need to. Never mind the fact that they could struggle so hard with the material and never truly "master" it. Never mind the fact that there are always exceptions to the rule.
So, how do I feel about year-based promotions? I think they work in large environments where people are numbers and nothing else matters. Was that impersonal? Yes, you're damn right it was. Can we do anything about it? Well, that depends...do you know anybody in upper management? Oh! That's right, the only workaround is political (you should ask me what I originally wrote here...it was good).
3. Corporate Thinking: Keep it INSIDE the box
I can not imagine myself staying in a place where I am unable to push the envelope on a day-to-day basis. I'm an innovator, I'm creative, and damn it I am motivated. If you put a cap on my creativity, ability to innovate, and stick me in a square cubicle...who am I?
Give me freedom and lay down the guidelines. I will stretch your expectations and will do my best to always go above and beyond. Give me a place that encourages the initiative and appreciates the extra mile and I will never leave.
There are plenty of things to love and plenty of things to hate. Obviously, I've chosen to focus on the latter this time around. Keep a look out for an upcoming 4 parter and my lessons learned through this lovely debacle and updates on my newest adventure.
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