Your meaningless recommendations are ruining LinkedIn

I’m a big fan of LinkedIn as a professional networking tool. Since I am a fan of the site, I take its mission seriously. I don’t accept invitations to connect to me from people I don’t know, and at the same time I don’t ask others to connect to me unless I know them. (Granted, it might have been a brief encounter at a networking event…but that’s what those events are for.)

When i checked in this afternoon I saw that a group of people in my network had apparently spent the entire day writing glowing recommendations of each other on LinkedIn. Every bit of my updates were crowded with three people that, in every possible permeation, had recommended each other.

It might not have stuck out to me as unusual had I not known the people. See, none of them are ones that i would write a recommendation for…or surely not one with as much praise as the ones they each received today. I call these people “collectors” and the way they manage their online profiles are the amateurish ones that usually get a laugh from me.

Here’s a few things to keep your professional networking profile professional:

• Ditch the avatar that isn’t a professional photo. No beach photos or provocative photos.
• Update your profile with accurate information. If you’ve got numbers to back up your claims, put ‘em in there!
• Don’t write recommendations for people that don’t deserve them. It waters down your true recommendations.
• Be a resource online. Answer questions in LinkedIn and communicate with your network.

It does matter what other people think

Adomatica posted a video from the interns at a local ad agency that was supposed to be a carefree “end of summer” at the agency video. Instead, the comments tore into the agency and it made the circuit as a joke in the local interactive community. Talk about losing control of your brand!

The agency has a reputation for being a “churn and burn” shop and not real dedicated to hiring or growing their talent. I actually interviewed there and found the atmosphere to be exactly what I’d heard it would be. When I asked people about their reputation they assured me they were trying to change their image. That is until I met with one of their C-level executives. He was from New York and it was the first thing he let me know. He said, “I’ve lived in apartment buildings bigger than Austin” and “I don’t give a fuck what the people in this town think about us.”

I made up my mind right then that I wasn’t interested in working there. They may have the same opinion about me.

This brings me back to marketing and reputation management.  I believe that what makes a great company is great people. Especially in the advertising agency world. You have to seek out the talent, cultivate the talent you have and let your clients and campaigns be your swagger…not your downtown offices. You also can’t have lip service to a message but not live it. In this instance, the team wanted to believe that they were working on re-inventing their agency and improving on a damaged reputation…however, the C-level executives clearly weren’t buying in. Not only that, they were actively doing more harm to their reputation in this instance.

Maybe that C-level executive is no longer with the company. I don’t see his photo on their leadership team page. If not, perhaps they have indeed worked on managing that reputation since my interaction with them.

If I were on the management team of this agency, I’d not just shrug off comments of the interactive community or advertising community as jealousy or petty but I’d take a long hard look at what we were doing wrong and how it was affecting our ability to grow and develop good talent, good campaigns and ultimately good results for our clients.

But, that’s just me. I guess I could say I don’t give a fuck what this agency does and we could call it even.

Breaking the cycle of overworking

“Workers in the United States are putting in more hours than anyone else in the industrialized world.”

That is from a report by the United Nations International Labor Organization in 2001. Nothing has changed in 2008. CNN reported that workers have already successfully sued companies for after-hours Blackberry usage. People complained that their company expected them to be available after-hours via Blackberry and instead of pushing back, the workers demanded to be compensated. I guess that’s a start…but it’s not a long-term solution.

American workers are working longer hours, tied to their Blackberry at all times–even on vactions, which they never take.

WebMD has five great tips for creating some balance in your life. Remember “self-care” is a strategy I use to remind myself of what’s important in life. I enjoy my work, I’m good at what I do and I feel a real sense of accomplishment when I complete a project. But, working 10-12 hours a day 6 days a week leaves little time for me to focus on my personal life.

To get back on track, determine what is important in your life. Focus on something outside of work just as passionately as you do work. Defend your private/personal time with the fierceness of an army. Turn off the Blackberry, don’t check emails, don’t get sucked into “going to the office for a minute” on the weekends.

Living outside my comfort zone

I like to consider myself an evangelist for change. I don’t get along well with people that are resistant to new ideas and ways of doing things. It’s part of my world every day in what I do.  The business world is constantly changing and evolving and we have to keep up.

That’s all well and good until I have to do something wildly different that’s outside my area of expertise. It’s a whole different story then. But, as a true believer in “rolling with the punches” I usually step right in and get through it somehow.

What got me to thinking about this is that lately I was asked to do some things on television. I have no broadcast training or experience, but hey, “Why not?” I thought. I’m used to public speaking, I do have a lot to say and it can’t be that hard. I mean, have you met some of these on-air people in person?

Wrong. It’s very different than public speaking. I have dived right in and am enjoying watching how unbelievably uncomfortable I am and laughing at my mistakes on air. I usually come out of the studio with a serious nervous twitch. But, I continue to go back and do it every week.

As I do, I’m getting more comfortable and learning new things. I don’t think I’ll ever consider a career on-air anywhere, but it is interesting to learn something new.

So, when asked to do something outside of your comfort zone don’t look at it with fear. Look at it as an opportunity to learn something new. Even if you mess it up, at least you learn something…and after all…learning is about adapting and change, and I love change.

Facing a layoff? Plan your exit on your terms.

I can’t believe I’ve never written about this! I’ve been laid off 4 times in my career. One thing I’ll tell you is that it hurts every time. I tend to take my job personally and, admittedly, wrap too much of my own self-identity in my job. But, that’s my character flaw…it isn’t everyone’s that faces a layoff.

Most of the time we know the layoff is coming. Either through rumors or or the inevitability because of a downturn. That doesn’t make it any easier when you get the news. Companies aren’t getting any better at delivering the news, either so that’s no help. At one company we were put in color coded groups–Blue and you’d be asked to stay on, Green and you would be asked to stay on for a certain amount of time and then offered a severance and Yellow if you’d be let go immediately. We all knew what the colors would mean the day before we all got envelopes with a colored card in it. The entire building had 24 hours to discuss what color group they thought they would be in or what color they hoped they be in the following day. I also worked for a company that didn’t pay us and then just locked the door…that was less of a layoff that management by idiocy, in my opinion.

Still, there are ways to prepare. There are a few lessons I’ve learned from my four experiences with a layoff. Most importantly, is that you can live on turkey hot dogs and Doritos for longer than you think.

Here’s a few tips that are practical, though.

• Cut expenses prior to the layoff. Reduce everywhere you can if you see this coming. The more you cut now, the more you’ll be able to stretch later.
• Save money. I feel comfortable with three months of savings in the bank. I feel relaxed with six months. Make it a rule.
• Start networking early. The earlier you start looking for a job the better. There may be a chance you’ll find something even before you get laid off. Don’t let the allure of a nice severance package let you delay your new job search. (I learned this the hard way. I turned down a job so I wouldn’t lose my severance and then went four months without another offer)
• Thank those that have helped you. Lifehacker linked to a great point on not burning bridges. Even though you are losing your job…surely there are people that have helped you that deserve a little thanks. Be gracious.
• Be practical. I have a “one box rule” that I follow. I never have more than one box of personal items in my office. I’ve had to make enough “two trips to my car” exits to learn that lesson. (It’s probably not just me, but the shame of having to walk past all the ones that didn’t get laid off not once but TWICE with your box of crap is an experience you do not want to have!)
• Learn humility. After one layoff I went from the corner office on the 15th floor to working the 3-11 shift at a 59 room hotel’s front desk. You can’t fall much further than that. I will say I was the best damned front desk clerk that hotel had.
  

  I got a 40 cent raise after 1 month! That put me at a whopping $7.80 per hour. Best raise I ever got, you know why? Because I learned that no matter where I worked, it did not define who I was as a person. My quality of life actually improved when I took the biggest fall of my career.

  I try to keep that lesson with me even as I’ve long since recovered. I will admit I’ve never had another turkey hot dog since that time.

Going through so many layoffs is probably why I started this blog in the first place. Early in my career, I did not even know what work/life balance meant. It’s not a buzzword…it’s a way of life for me.

My last bit of advice is try to negotiate your exit. I’ve rarely just taken what the HR person asked me to sign and accepted it without question. See if you can negotiate severance pay, continued benefits for a specified period, or even your end date.

Lastly, walk out that last day with your head held high. A layoff doesn’t come with the same shame it used to…now it’s kind of a badge of honor. It rarely requires any explanation on a resume…after all if I’m interviewing you I know exactly what you went through.

Good luck. Pick yourself up and get back in the game as soon as possible, you’ll be better for it.

The Oak and The Reed: Flexibility, Adaptability and Embracing Change

I love the fable of the mighty oak and the humble reed. The oak that was so confident and proud of his deep roots and stature compared the the humble reed that grew along a riverbank. As you know in the fable the storm blew the oak down and the reed survived the storm by bending with the wind instead of fighting to stand tall.

This fable applies to so many life lessons and reminds me to be an agent of change. Being rigid and refusing to respond to changing market forces will wind up with you felled and laying on the ground like a useless log (to continue the metaphor).

As much as I create change and react to change in my industry, I still find myself being rigid in certain aspects of my life. I posted a note on my monitor that says, ABF–Always Be Flexible, to remind me of the benefits of being a modest reed.

I recently finished the book, Our Iceberg is Melting, about the 8-step process to embracing and implementing change.

Here are the 8 steps and, of course, my commentary.

1. Create a Sense of Urgency–This is important, especially in a traditional business with long time employees. The sense of urgency from management requires people to act and not just talk about action items that they may do sometime in some undefined future. Do it now!

2. Pull Together the Guiding Team–Find the right leader. Not just the leader with the title of “leader” but the agent of change…the visionary, the relationship builder, the one that breaks through obstacles to get tasks done. I’ve talked a lot about finding the right talent and putting them to use in the right way. This is a prime example of throwing out your old human resources policy and procedure and the legacy hierarchy of management rulebooks and getting the right people in the right place to do the right things for your business.

3. Develop the Change Vision and Strategy–Communicate to the entire company what the future will be and how you plan to get there. Put together a strategy and make sure your leadership team lives it every day. The example they set with the confidence in change will contribute to the sense of urgency and communicate commitment to the company…and the shareholders.

4. Communicate for Understanding and Buy-in–Get the buy-in all the way down to the reception desk (you having a receptionist is something we’ll talk about later, but I’ll let it go for now). Get everyone talking about the future and not how great this place has been for the last 20 years.

5. Empower Others to Act–I cannot say enough about rewarding those that embrace change and getting the right people for the right jobs in place. The people that buy-in and understand and are urgent are your best allies in bringing about change. Remove obstacles to their success. (Sometimes that may mean removing people. I have been known to tell people–”get out of my way or get out the door.” My commitment to long-term viability of a company I work for is more valuable than the obstacle of one person that doesn’t embrace the change.

6. Produce Short-Term Wins–Knock some things of an action item list. Celebrate them as milestones. That’s product management 101 right there. Let people know you are making progress in your march to the future and you are focused on executing a plan.

7. Don’t Let Up–This may be the hardest one. Change is exhausting and can be like a bloody prize fight. Being relentless with change will create continued buy-in and keep people focused.

8. Create a New Culture–No easy feat! Look back on all the things that were accomplished to bring about the change and embrace the future and implement a culture based on that experience. Celebrate accomplishments, reward the right people, empower people and never stop looking at the future. The days of relying on past successes to create future ones are over.

Vindicated! Thank you HP

A new study in the UK, commissioned by Hewlett Packard, finds that constantly checking emails lowers your IQ more than smoking pot. I knew it! I’ve railed against the evils of email a lot on this blog.

“This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” Wilson said. “We have found that this obsession with looking at messages, if unchecked, will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness.

I have said basically the same thing when people are consumed by email. Some spend their entire day with Outlook open and they stare at it…waiting for the new email to pop up…or they dive for the Blackberry when it buzzes. These people are destroying their brains.

Talent is number 1

I just read this: 76% of all companies in the survey were found to have some kind of succession plan in place, yet 40% of companies lacked any process or capability to identify future talent. (via)

I thought, you know, there’s a reason companies like IBM and GE radically changed the way they did business. They changed their entire business model in order to survive. Companies like Google have entire teams dedicated to searching and finding the right talent to help them grow. I hear more and more companies saying, “We are always searching for the right person. If we find someone amazing, we’ll create a position just to hire them.”

It makes me think, who are these companies that aren’t focused on their talent? In this new age we live in, the “intellectual capital” of a company can be just as valuable as the commodity they produce. For those companies/industries that don’t produce a tangible product but a service…the talent is the thing.

I see a lot of executives reading “Good to Great” so I know a lot are probably thinking about finding and getting the right people “on the bus.” Malcolm Gladwell recently discussed the mismatch problem companies are having when hiring and said,“Life has become more complex…We want profoundly different things from workers today than we have in the past…but the way we hire has largely remained simplistic.”

The CMO of Bazaarvoice recently blogged about this “hiring gap” and came up with his 5 Stars of a “Rockstar” Employee. It’s got some great tips in identifying good talent. I love the term “Strategic Agility” because I didn’t have to read his definition…I have to live it with what we are doing in my role today. (via)

The natural evolution of business requires every industry to shift, make changes and be nimble. Reacting and getting out in front of a change in how we recruit and hire is just as important as forecasting market growth and revenue goals.

In my work, I tell people that the change in our industry makes it like drinking from a firehose every day it all comes at you so fast. I know I’m not alone, because the change in so many industries is the very same way…whether we choose to acknowledge it or not is a different story.

Stop. You’re Going too fast and nobody cares.

I spend a lot of my time on self-care. When you find yourself working 18 hour days in short bursts to finish projects or cover in times of crisis, you have to focus on yourself…or believe me your body will force you to at some point.

Has your body just ever knocked you flat?  Two days later, and you are back working an 18 hour day. Chances are you are the only one to notice.

Your work product can suffer, too. Just because you are struggling to cover the most basic things during times of crisis, the things you let slip are getting stuck in someone’s craw.  You may find yourself in crisis mode, but developing a reputation of not “following through” in someone’s eyes.

It is important to communicate to management when you are in crisis mode. Don’t just assume they see the bags under your eyes and the fact you’ve sent emails at 2 a.m. to understand all that is going on. Ask for help. Ask for the patience of management and expect them to rally around you and support you whenever possible. Can they spare some help? Is there work you can offload? Can someone’s schedule be adjusted to cover things you can’t?

If you send up a flare, you should expect to see people come together in response. If you send up a flare and find yourself still sitting alone in a life raft, then perhaps it’s time for you to start rowing toward an exit.

In praise of the three day weekend

It’s the Fourth of July week and a lot of people took the whole week off here in the office. Not me, I’m leaving at 3 on Thursday, though for a nice long weekend. I’ve never been one for a one or two week vacation because I get bored, but a nice long weekend is all I need to rejuvenate me.

What are some of your favorite 3 day getaway places? Let me know.

Oh, side note: After ProductCamp, I have become aware of many other barcamp events and interactive events in town. I’m very interested in the social media club and will be checking it out soon.

You can see me next at Mark Strama’s Campaign Academy having a group discussion on the influence of social media on political campaigns.

That’s all the rambling I’m going to do for now. I’ll clean this up later and add more stuff. Or not.