Life and Work Balance Is Doable (Post 1 of 3)

Balance-is-BunkThe September issue of Harvard Business Review had an article titled “Work+Home+Community+Self”.  Sort of clumsy title… but a good article.

It was written by Stewart D. Friedman, a Wharton professor.  He’s the author of Leading the Life You Want: Skills for Integrating Work and Life.

His take on life balance is based on a concept he calls “four way wins.” The four ways are work, home, community, and self.  Instead of trade-offs between these four different parts of a life, his approach is to look for a way to have a “win” that improves all four dimensions.

Interesting approach!

In leadership, he proposes following three guidelines.  Be:

  • Real
  • Whole
  • Innovative

In being real, he states leaders need to know what matters, embody values, line up actions with values, use stories to share values, picture your legacy, and hold yourself accountable.  “Getting real” took me some time.

For example, on my first wedding anniversary, I told my wife to celebrate on her own… not a good call!

Luckily, since then, I’ve righted the ship and identified personal values that drive my life:  caring, commitment, humor, and honesty.

On my next post, I’ll share additional thoughts on Friedman’s on balance.

standardOctober 3Tom SalonekLeadership

Building a Best Place to Work Published in Octane

Entrepreneur's Organization

Entrepreneur’s Organization

My thanks to Octane magazine for printing my article “Building a Best Place to Work” in the September 2014 issue.

Octane is a magazine exclusive to members of Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO).  Because of this, you won’t find it available in stores but you can view a PDF of the article here.

standardOctober 2Tom SalonekLeadership

Building a Winning Business – Patience with New Employees

Building-a-Winning-Business-BookWith introductions and administrative formalities out of the way, it’s time for your new team member to roll up his proverbial sleeves and get to work. Understandably, your expectations are high. You’re finally going to see this genius in action!

Take a deep breath,make a cup of tea, and repeat this ancient Chinese proverb three times: “He who makes no mistakes, usually makes nothing at all.”

With software and probably every other creative endeavor in the world, a poor first draft is almost a requirement. Just expect it. Actually, do more than that. Give your new employees support and encouragement—you know they’re capable of getting it right.

Tom’s Takeaway:  “Nothing of value is created without time and effort.  Be patient with new employees and communicate your confidence in their abilities. People usually live up or down to our expectations of them.”

—

Thoughts Since the Book:

  • Error on the side of “stepping in early” for employees who seem to need more help, training, or resources.  If you have a rigorous hiring process, it makes sense to support new folks 110%.
  • Similarly, for new employees who are “hitting it out of the park,”step-in  early and provide additional training and team members to help them increase their impact on the firm.
  • The $’s associated with a wrong hire are huge (10’s of thousands of $’s).  Treat it as such.
standardSeptember 2Tom SalonekHappy Employees

Star Tribune Features Intertech in “Communication, culture boost Intertech”

Star-Tribune-Top-100Intertech is featured in the article “Communication, culture boost Intertech” in the Monday, July 28th, 2014 Star Tribune business section.

As shared in a previous post, Intertech was named the #1 employer in the 50-150 employee category and a special award winner for ethics in the Star Tribune’s 2014 Top Workplaces award.

My thanks to the Star Tribune for supporting the local community with the Top 100 Workplaces and my special thanks to our customers and employees for making us possible.

standardJuly 28Tom SalonekArticle on Intertech