tag:www.megadodo.com,2008:/quitter//4 2007-06-25T00:21:45Z What I've Learned After Working For 15 Companies In 13 Years... In Blog Form Movable Type 3.33 tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.28 2007-06-24T23:50:04Z 2007-06-25T00:21:45Z

All productive employees are valuable to the organization. If you haven't fired them, there's a good reason (or there should be a good reason!). Showing an employee they're valuable to your company, though, requires some care. The worst thing you...

...Paul All productive employees are valuable to the organization. If you haven't fired them, there's a good reason (or there should be a good reason!). Showing an employee they're valuable to your company, though, requires some care. The worst thing you can do is show you really don't care about them. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.27 2007-06-14T20:18:07Z 2007-06-14T20:57:22Z

Accountability is a key element in any arena. It's a popular word to use in politics these days, but so often, it's as meaningless to the Bush administration as it is to many companies. Most people will take personal responsibility,...

...Paul Accountability is a key element in any arena. It's a popular word to use in politics these days, but so often, it's as meaningless to the Bush administration as it is to many companies. Most people will take personal responsibility, and take accountability as a point of honor. When this happens, usually there isn't much of a problem. When it doesn't happen, there needs to be something to make accountability meaningful. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.26 2007-06-13T20:37:29Z 2007-06-13T21:02:38Z

It's not often you find an employee who really simply does not produce. There are some who are simply in over their head, they've overestimated their abilities, or they've overpromised their schedule. These individuals at least appear to be busy,...

...Paul It's not often you find an employee who really simply does not produce. There are some who are simply in over their head, they've overestimated their abilities, or they've overpromised their schedule. These individuals at least appear to be busy, they have the right goals, they just can't cut the mustard. Then there are those occasional people who you have to wonder what they're thinking. They're not in over their heads, they just can't seem to actually get anything done -- and worse, they seem like they don't want to get anything done. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.25 2007-06-12T19:30:18Z 2007-06-12T19:31:20Z

Been busy with interviews yesterday and again today, so next significant post will likely be tomorrow (Wednesday)....

...Paul Been busy with interviews yesterday and again today, so next significant post will likely be tomorrow (Wednesday). tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.24 2007-06-08T18:38:24Z 2007-06-08T23:00:21Z

Even my good experiences contain scattered bits of disappointment. I set a longetivity record at Hotelecom, but it wasn't without some headaches, mostly centered around accountability....

...Paul Even my good experiences contain scattered bits of disappointment. I set a longetivity record at Hotelecom, but it wasn't without some headaches, mostly centered around accountability. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.23 2007-06-07T22:17:51Z 2007-06-07T22:40:50Z

Accountability is an absolutely crucial element in business. It's what keeps projects on schedule, or prevents good money being thrown after bad. It's usually fairly easy to figure out who is accountable, and for what, but I've always been surprised...

...Paul Accountability is an absolutely crucial element in business. It's what keeps projects on schedule, or prevents good money being thrown after bad. It's usually fairly easy to figure out who is accountable, and for what, but I've always been surprised at the reluctance some people seem to have to actually either accept accountability, or to enforce it. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.22 2007-06-04T21:44:34Z 2007-06-04T22:28:07Z

My shortest job on record is four days, and no, I wasn't working a contract, either. I was fired, which was great for me, because I would've quit very soon after, and this way, I ended up getting two weeks'...

...Paul My shortest job on record is four days, and no, I wasn't working a contract, either. I was fired, which was great for me, because I would've quit very soon after, and this way, I ended up getting two weeks' severance to boot. What job would be so horrible as that I would be so happy to be fired inside of a week? tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.21 2007-06-01T19:32:53Z 2007-06-01T20:23:54Z

While a little whitewashing may be beneficial when dealing with external factors, it is most definitely not appropriate for a group leader working with direct reports. When you enter into a new environment, you need to establish yourself as someone...

...Paul While a little whitewashing may be beneficial when dealing with external factors, it is most definitely not appropriate for a group leader working with direct reports. When you enter into a new environment, you need to establish yourself as someone people can rely on, and can look to, for leadership. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.19 2007-05-30T18:22:14Z 2007-05-30T18:22:38Z

Not all of my experiences have been horrible. Several times, I've found myself working for and with some exceedingly bright people, and have seen them really shine....

...Paul Not all of my experiences have been horrible. Several times, I've found myself working for and with some exceedingly bright people, and have seen them really shine. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.20 2007-05-30T05:14:09Z 2007-05-30T05:17:01Z

To give the companies I've worked for a bit more of a memorable naming scheme, I've taken the advice of two people and renamed them -- keeping their order by using the radio phonetic alphabet as part of their name....

...Paul radio phonetic alphabet as part of their name. Thus, "Company E" is now "Echo Communications", while "Company I" is now "India, Inc." Yes, I tried to have some fun with the names. Should any of the names I came up with actually refer to a real company, be assured, they are definitely not the same company. I've never worked for a company named herein, with the exception of Raytheon (which, since I named in the prologue, I figured I'd leave as-is). ]]> tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.18 2007-05-29T18:22:48Z 2007-05-30T05:13:02Z

Once you have a vision, and you've communicated it, all your oars should be rowing in basically the same direction, but you still need to have someone at the front of the boat, leading the crew. This might sound easy;...

...Paul Once you have a vision, and you've communicated it, all your oars should be rowing in basically the same direction, but you still need to have someone at the front of the boat, leading the crew. This might sound easy; you tell people where you're going, what to do, and it's all good, right? Wrong. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.17 2007-05-25T21:28:28Z 2007-05-30T05:11:27Z

Sometimes a lack of corporate vision isn't as obvious as being told, "We're not re-investing in your company, you have no coherent strategy or vision." Sometimes it shows up in the behavior of people further down the chain of command....

...Paul Sometimes a lack of corporate vision isn't as obvious as being told, "We're not re-investing in your company, you have no coherent strategy or vision." Sometimes it shows up in the behavior of people further down the chain of command. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.15 2007-05-24T17:59:00Z 2007-05-30T05:10:49Z

Why do I place so much emphasis on vision? Why is a well-defined corporate strategy simply not enough? It's because my experiences have led me to this conclusion, sometimes in very obvious, no-question-about-it ways....

...Paul Why do I place so much emphasis on vision? Why is a well-defined corporate strategy simply not enough? It's because my experiences have led me to this conclusion, sometimes in very obvious, no-question-about-it ways. tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.16 2007-05-24T00:54:18Z 2007-05-24T00:57:31Z

Had to laugh when I saw today's Dilbert, given today's entry on corporate vision:...

...Paul ]]> tag:www.megadodo.com,2007:/quitter//4.14 2007-05-23T22:30:04Z 2007-05-23T23:25:02Z

The biggest question in my mind, when starting to write this blog, is how to actually approach the material. I could simply rehash all my experiences at each company, in chronological order, analyzing what went right, and what went wrong,...

...Paul The biggest question in my mind, when starting to write this blog, is how to actually approach the material. I could simply rehash all my experiences at each company, in chronological order, analyzing what went right, and what went wrong, in each chapter. I could pick out each lesson learned, and make a chapter out of it, and simply use my experiences for examples. I then realized that the way I needed to resolve this question was actually analogous to one of the most important lessons I've learned: One must have a vision of the future, from which they can make strategic, and ultimately, tactical, decisions.