MaxiMeyer.com

I wanted predictability in my life.  If I do my part and do “good things”, God will do His part and my life will be blessed right?  My business will thrive, my family will be healthy, and I’ll live a long prosperous life.. right?  A + B should = C and good things should happen to good people.

So God, what’s the deal?  Have you ever been frustrated with the lack of success in your life?  Here is the Maximizers session from September 9th:

To see Mt. Rushmore in a magazine is one thing, to go there and see it in person is amazing, but to focus in with binoculars (as my son Easton is doing here) gives one a whole new appreciation of the detail that went into sculpting this monument. It took Gutzon & his son Lincoln Borglum 14 years and 400 workers to complete this work of art.

In our workplaces, ministries, and even small day to day encounters, the ability and power of focus can be a maximizing, life-changing differentiator.

Most of us fall into rock-skipping. We’re busy, trying to consume only what we absolutely have to, and are sprinting an inch deep and a mile wide at work and in life. We’ve all heard “focus”, but what can that really look like?

• At work…. The nature of my job is to be an inch deep and a mile wide as Operations Manager…however, our initiatives won’t get done without focus. Bill Hybels talked about having a “6 initiatives in 6 weeks” approach to your critical items. I find this very helpful to be able to say “no” to important things but will simply have to wait. Here are my current “6″ that are my focus to April 15th at Pinnacle as an example:
  Web strategy with blog- initial steps to build a contributing writer team for future blog
  Video research for online snippets for training and solutions for clients
  Bootcamp- 2 week training curriculum developed for new sales executives/employees
  Chief Technology Officer strategy as more companies are looking to outsource IT
  Marketing plan rolling with client experience focus
  Existing Customer process defined
• Freakanomics is a good read about focus. It shows how much common knowledge we all believe to be true is actually false when someone takes the time to dig into the data/details. (Like, is it more dangerous to have a gun in your home or have a swimming pool?) Real information is power, it takes focus to find real information…. Focus= Power
• Every day interactions. When we take time to stop and focus on a person (maybe at the grocery store or with a neighbor), we can make a real impact rather than having a relationship of news/sports/weather. Rob Wegner delivered a great message on this available here for $4 http://www.wiredchurches.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2717/.f His statement: Small intervention + Focus= BIG IMPACT Small intervention + No Focus= Little or no impact.
• I get overwhelmed with the amount of information available to me. I can’t read all the blogs, books, or attend enough conferences to keep up. I find myself “wishing” I knew more about scores of subjects. I’m learning…”it’s OK not to know it all, take a deep breath, pick my target, and focus on something to be an expert in…” Having great people around you with their expertise’ will fill in your gaps of information.
• Ever been to a Cirque du Soleil show? You’ll see what crazy, amazing ability can come from focusing on one talent. To see how fast and how many bowling pins two people can fire off at each other without dropping a single pin was staggering. I admire their focus to a single craft.

The people around me that are changing the world are focused on specialties. They are not spread thin, Jeopardy wanna-be-winner, know-it-alls. They are satisfied with being great at tackling a single problem/challenge, in a single area, for a single company/organization at time. They know what they can and cannot do. The employees I see that make a real impact have the ability to focus and be a real expert in their field…they do not skim the surface. Great Mom’s and Dad’s are taking time to focus with their kids in small interventions.

Are you focused or are you just trying to keep up?

The drumbeat from the $787 billion dollar stimulus package has been jobs, jobs, jobs. Last week President Obama visited Elkhart, IN to help sell the 4,000,000 jobs the bill would save and/or add. At that price tag, we are paying a staggering $196,750 per job. If the goal is to create jobs, let’s do it in 90 days (4-6 times faster) and for 1/2 the price. Here’s how:

• Offer $49,000 grants each year for the next 2 years for each new job created by pre-qualified/awarded businesses
• The $49,000 would cover the cost of salary, insurance, and other benefits for each employee (actual salaries could vary, this would be an average)
• Businesses would hire these people within the first 90 days of the program launch

How would you launch it?

• By district, grants would be allocated and prioritized by those hardest hit. Our elected Representative (in our case, Joe Donnelly) would be charged to form a quick team of local business minds and economists to review business applicants in their district
• Businesses would be selected on merits such as: ability to retain the jobs after two years, job training offered to new employees, benefits to local community, current strength, etc
• This goal of the selection process should be to keep it simple and swift
• Let’s launch this April 1, 2009

Benefits:

• Immediate impact on monthly job loss numbers, rather than seeing the 500,000 jobs lost in February, the American public would see these numbers subside or even reverse for a period of a few months
• Consumer confidence could improve on the news of a stimulus working… immediately
• Actual price tag would be less by eliminating unemployments costs of those sitting on their couch rather than employed through the grant program
• Millions of workers would have an opportunity to be retrained in a new industry, employers would be able to allocate training resources they would not normally expend
• Federal deficit for 2009 could be drastically reduced
• Businesses that are waiting to hire could hire immediately. Not all companies are struggling, but most have hit a cautious, hiring freeze button
• Rather than hire workers by contracts that could end in 6 months or two years (in the current plan), thousands of businesses would want to retain these newly trained workers after the two year grant

Immediate Questions:

• How would that be fair? Fairness is already at issue. Someone is going to get the contract to build a bridge in Minnesota, some other company is not. People are already in line for bailouts to save their industry. This would be aimed at “creating” vs. “saving”
• Couldn’t we get burned again by corporate America? These grants could be monitored and paid in “arrears” once businesses have demonstrated they’ve maintained their payroll levels, businesses would not simply receive lump sum deposits when approved to spend in other means (as we’ve experienced in the banking industry)
• How would be administer it? By having it handled by district, it immediately spreads our risk, creates accountability, and shares workload for each Congressional Representative and their staffs. Local chambers of commerce, municipal governments, and community leaders could all assist
• What about all the other needs in the current bill? Anything beyond jobs is simply “spending”, we should call it for what it is. I’m not saying some of these items aren’t valid or are certainly needed, but the concrete in a bridge is a “material cost”- not a job.

President Obama, Congressman Donnelly, the company where I work has 50 new jobs ready to go in the South Bend/Elkhart/Michiana area if this were approved…. we’re in. I’ve already talked with one of our owners, we have scores of resumes in hand, and we’re dead serious. We would train, deal with the human resources strain, find room, bring in computers, and whatever else it would take to make this happen. I’m confident that thousands of businesses would step-up to do the same. Small business all across America can lead this effort for recovery for half the cost and 400% faster. (If you are a business owner or influencer, feel free to send this or a version of this to your Representatives to let them know you’ve got jobs ready as well)

I’m not special, but I would be willing to help lead this effort. Just give me a call.

Thanks, Mark

5K races don’t mean much if you only run 3 miles. A 14 foot free throw doesn’t score any points. In the work place, those who can be finishers stand out from the crowd and people take notice. The halls and cubicles where you work are full of people that get projects and tasks 80-90% complete. You want to stand out and be a performer? Finish.

3 Ways to be a Finisher:

• Look for an opportunity to take an initiative that has been stalling out or hanging incomplete at work. Take it, and in your mind make yourself 100% responsible. Do what it takes to get it done and done well. Want to be normal? Be cynical and roll your eyes at how the project is just another company objective that will never get done…
• In meetings and conversations, be the best note taker- pay attention and get the details of what needs to be done whether it’s your responsibility or not. Help remind people of the tasks to do, priorities at hand, and assist people by reminding then what needs to get done. Normal is people on your team missing details leaving projects incomplete, clients unhappy, and money uncollected. Fill in the cracks for your team so your team finishes strong.
• Be willing to make a decision. Everyday there are scores of emails and conversations filled with questions, hurdles, and excuses. Bring clarity and be solution oriented… take those things that are spinning and bring them to a finish line. What’s normal? Add to the confusion, be vague, ask questions that seem really smart but just keep things undone, offer more reasons why something can’t be done and how you don’t have enough information. Hide in the multitudes of 80%.

There are incomplete puzzles all around your work, embedded in your emails, and with your clients. What will you do?

Being a finisher comes with a price. You’re going against the grain and at times it exposes “the normal” in others. People on your team will get defensive and will even go behind your back. Stay the course. Just keep doing.

At the end of the day, if you’re truly “for” your team and focused on the mountain your team is trying to climb- you’ll find purpose and growth in your work and in your life.

“A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”- Warren Buffet

Lesson: Observe what the masses are doing and consider an authentic distinction to do exactly the opposite.

How many times have you been part of a meeting talking about what the competition is doing and the reaction is to adopt a “we do that also” strategy?

• While the masses dread Monday at work, find a way to love it.
• When no one wants to deal with a particular client, be the one to ask for that account.
• While everyone is looking for fuel efficient vehicles, look for a ridiculously low priced SUV
• If everyone’s cutting their lawns with vertical lines, go horizontal…or better yet, put in astro-turf
• When people are panicked about the economy, have peace knowing our God will provide
• When all insurance agents send out calendars with mug-shots of themselves to their clients, send all your clients $5 Starbucks cards and offer to meet them for coffee
• When one candidate for President is for a $700 Billion bailout, be the candidate against it with a confident, thoughtful plan B

It’s time to go launch a mortgage company. Thanks for the reminder Mr. Buffet.

If I did this, I would have a completely different look on my face.

There are times when our roles may shift at work… If done too early or without the right process, you or people on your team can end up in this position…

Have you ever felt this way at your organization? Here are some observations of doing the “splits” at work:

• If you begin doing a role at work before you have any authority to do the role, you may feel some pain for taking it on too early.
• You can fake it for only so long… this guy has a determined look on his face now… I’d like to see him in an hour…
• With growth comes change. With change comes some pain.
• Not everyone can do the splits at your organization, there comes a need to have people that are flexible for a short period of time.
• Leaders, managers… are you doing this to anyone on your team? If so, don’t leave them “exposed” too long.
• Are you doing the splits currently? It’s better to have a conversation with the decision maker(s) and manage one post well than to drown trying to hold on to both…
• Clarity is important as roles shift- those impacted need to understand the changes and what adjustments they may need to make.
• Leaders, when you have done all the analysis of the changes, commit to it, support it, and keep casting the vision to your team. When you’re the one doing the “splits”, it just confuses your people and well, let’s just say you don’t look like this guy…
• Have both feet in with change, don’t keep one foot in the past.

Here’s what a few of our challenges can be with our clients:

• No point person or driver.
• Timelines are set for the project(s) but the client is too busy in their day to day operations.
• There are users excited about the project but the owner/management is disengaged- key decisions stall out and project could be in peril.
• Hardware and software can be buggy. Some clients think it’s just plug it, install it, use it.
• To save money, some want us to “train the trainer”- the only problem is, no one has told the trainer that or the trainer is not really a trainer.
• Too many people at an organization have the ability to order our services with no internal controls. 60 days later the CFO is opening up a can…

The flip side when dealing with a tech firm:

• Appoint or create a project leader/team and give them your full support (leaders)
• Clear hurdles where you can so they have the time necessary to properly implement
• Stay engaged with your point person- hold them to their timeline internally
• Hire a reputable firm and check references if you don’t have tech’s in house to be on team
• Be committed to training. Don’t accept getting 90% there but not be fully trained. Be upfront and talk about this with your consultant.
• Create internal processes for approving consultant time. Don’t allow people to grab the IT tech to unclog the printer. Have a specified hit list and stick to the critical items first.
• Explore fixed bids with good, clear scopes of work. While the perception is that you may get a “padded” bid, the reality is many times a good firm is eating overages. It also gives you some opportunity to budget rather than deal with an open checkbook.
• Ask for quotes prior to work being done.
• On development projects, have a fixed monthly amount for regular progress to be made on your project/systems. Work from critical items then down the punch list.

Since the inception of the technology firm I’m part of, we’ve experienced an amazing 35% growth year over year. As the company continues to expand, maintaining that type of growth clip is going to be an increasing challenge with several dynamics at play. While the future is always an unknown, I hope to be able to capture the progress of our growth at our current number of 50 employees (actually 54 as we just brought on four more developers over the past few weeks) to 100 employees. It would be great to hear your stories and comments of similar challenges you face in your companies and organizations as we press in together….

Some key challenges as I see them today:

• As the project manager (and also involved in some operations), my drive has been to raise the bar in our customer experience and processes within our projects and company. Our ability to continue to improve in this area while growing with new people will be an interesting dynamic.
• Currently we have three Sr. Managers each overseeing one of our 3 groups (ERP, Developement, and IT). They are extremely gifted technology gurus who will have to learn to grow into more management function or reshape the structure of their teams. (Either shift from be a do-er to a leader or find some alternatives). This goes for me too, I need to be preparing for what 100 team members looks like…
• Our internal processes for leveraging information (task coordination, emails, budgets, scope, proposals, etc…) need to make critical improvements. Implementing and syncing the functionality of SharePoint, MS CRM 4.0, and Outlook with other tools will be essential. Gaps in communication will only grow without continual tightening of our systems…
• Outside leaders are going to have to be able to succeed and assimilate into our group. We’ll be able to pull some up from within our team, however, most are talented “do-ers” that should stay exactly where they’re at…already adding huge value…
• Management is going to have to look at the number of direct reports they currently have- typically 6-8 is the max- currently we’re exceeding this in all three groups…
• Without acquisition, finding top calibur talent to come to South Bend/Elkhart, Indiana will continue to be a hurdle. We may need to stretch our boundaries and be creative with work locations, mobility, and communications to bring on new team members…
• We will need to have a plan to help each individual grow in their expertise’, feel connected to the team, know how what they do makes a difference, and that they matter and are cared for…
• Our service needs to be at a level that’s remarkable… something worth talking about as Seth Godin would say….

I love this team. I look forward to this run. While I’ll be limited in some of what I can share, I hope to be able to report the core of the experience along the way… stay tuned….

My core role in my day to day job is project management- over the years from the construction industry and now in technology, I filter and measure our performance based on four pillars/criteria:

Budget:

• Is the budget on track?
• Are we experiencing any changes in the scope of work that need to be added to the budget?
• Is the client comfortable with our progress and billing?

Timeline:

• Are we going to be on time with our original targets?
• What critical items could affect the timeline, are these clearly established with the team?
• Is the client comfortable with our current timeline and plan?

Quality/Scope of Work:

• Are we addressing our clients “pain points” with quality direction and solutions?
• Have we eliminated any “grey area” out of the project scope- are there any items that need to be addressed?
• Have we identified any items that are potential problems? Is there anything that needs to be presented to the client for positive alternatives?

Create a Fan/Communication (most critical):

• Is this client/will this client be a fan of ours when this project is complete?
• Will they talk about us, recommend us to others?
• Are we “wowing” them? Are we communicating the “wins” and the elimination of the “pain points” throughout the project?
• Are we communicating well throughout the project and building into our long-term relationship?

There are several other bullets that could be added under each of these four items- these are simply a start. Taking the time to run these through my head with any given project and with our team has served me well over the years…. what about you?