iMethods Blog

Truth be told, I have struggled in the past to actually BE on vacation when ON vacation.  All of us sales and production oriented folks seem to always feel like the world is going to turn off if we do…call it pride, control…whatever you like.

Somehow, I have gotten better and better at disconnecting from work for a little while over the past few years.  Being in small business still has its realities, but I mean really…is it that hard?  Come to find out…not really…what I have found is that while the boss is away the mice are super productive and make great decisions and enjoy the freedom of working on their own…flexing their own entrepreneurial spirit.

Consistently, my team always has my back…no matter what issue arises while I’m out.  Additionally, they always send me great news about what is happening while I’m away…which further showcases their abilities to get the job done…no matter what.

Hiring the right people to work with is a critical part of the “BE on vaca when ON vaca” scenario.  If you can’t trust the people you have left in charge of your business, then please just fire them and find someone you CAN trust.  That way, you can have some balance in your life…your Family will thank you for it!

Employees at Hire Methods are expected to take risks, make mistakes, take ownership, have BIG jobs and lots of responsibilty…while being results driven, trustworthy…all that.  So, when someone is away from their role ON vaca, they can rest easy knowing that the crew has their back…and maybe…at least in my case…they’ll get more done than if you were there ;-)

Hmmm…so what will I do with all my time!  So, make sure you get to truly disconnect from time to time.  In my case, a great team makes it easy to let go and get out of their hair for a while!

Crazy Love to my crew…and thanks for always having my back!!!!  Off to NSB for a while.

My wife tells me that I am an anomoly in that I seem to have no problem having a conversation about sensitive topics…  You know…things that make people uncomfortable like telling someone what they really need to hear vs. what they want to hear about life, impact, career, friendship, love, or whatever topic that people may tend to tip toe around.  Politics….that’s a good one ;-)

I suppose that over time, I have sort of become accustomed to tough conversations through life experience, building a company, growing and maturing…  Mostly I feel like it is my obligation to tell people what they need to hear…especially those closest to me or under my care or direction.  There is this crazy thing about “telling the truth in love” (Eph 4:15) that I take pretty seriously.  See, if you really care about someone, you are going to muster up the courage to lovingly have that tough conversation and if you are truly taking their heart into consideration, they will feel and know how much courage it took to come to them and know that you are a true friend, confidant, leader…

Tough conversations don’t always have to be “tough” so to speak…  How often have you not told someone how much you love them or what a positive impact they have had on your life.  I recently lost a friend to cancer that I wish I had told (more often) how much I cared for her and how impactful her story had been to me…  So, I didn’t let a day pass by that I started telling her husband how much I appreciated him and how inspired I have been by his ability to get through the loss of his wife.  Those vulnerable conversations can be just as difficult to have because you are putting yourself “out there” a little bit, right?  But man…just say it!  So simple…just have the courage…

So lets assume you muster up all this courage to tell someone that they way they are acting is impacting you poorly…you go to them and lay it all on the line in a loving manner…and they get defensive (which they will) and its uncomfortable and all that…maybe it doesn’t even go well at all and ends in some worst case scenario.  Well, I can tell you that 99% of the time, that won’t happen, but if it does I can almost guarantee that in the end, your relationship with that person will resolve and they’ll know how much you cared about them because otherwise, you wouldn’t even bother, right?

I sure feel defensive when someone confronts me on something, but I try to listen well and remember that the person delivering the message really loves me and that they wouldn’t come to me if they didn’t care about me.  So over time, I do suppose I revel in the “uncomfortable-ness” of tough conversations.  I think they have meaning and bring people closer together by being transparent and showing the strength it takes to be true to someone.

Really, I guess…the question is never whether there’s going to be conflict. The only question is when (and over what). However, that said, it’s not the conflict that creates real relational problems. It’s avoiding those difficult conversations that does them in. So, don’t avoid conflict. Have the hard or vulnerable conversations as soon as possible, have them with a loving and caring heart!  Your family, friends, co-workers will thank you for caring enough about them and trusting in the strength of your relationship!

So yeah….Just Say It!

Even though I think we have written on this topic before, it simply cannot be stressed enough that playing to your strengths is far more effective than working on your weaknesses.

At Hire Methods Inc. (iMethods Parent Co.), we have been focused on building a strengths based culture for over 4 years now. After reading the book, “Now Discover Your Strengths” written by Marcus Buckingham, we decided to dive in head first. What that meant was doing our best to make sure that everyone in our organization was playing to their strengths so that they could be the best they could be!

One of the most important revelations in the book for me was that as we grow older…the more and more we become like who we really are… Doing tasks that we just aren’t cut out for is a death sentence to productivity and morale. For me, that means sitting me in front of a computer analyzing financial data in Excel…just awful!

We all have to do things that we don’t want to do…so that one day, we can do the things we DO want to do… That is almost a given in entrepreneurship and small business…and of course, I still sit in front of that excel spreadsheet when I need to, but not as my primary job. As you go through the book, you will be prompted to take a “strengths assessment” that helps you draw out your strengths and makes it easy to describe them in a way that is unique and applicable. (Hint to you job hunters…this is an awesome way to stand out)

In fact, we changed employee’s roles within our company based on this assessment and confirmation with the team member so that they could play to their strengths, have more fun, enjoy their work and in the end…be more productive! It seemed king of radical at the time, but in many ways it has been liberating for our organization. Now, this doesn’t mean you ignore your “weaknesses.” You still have to mitigate them and manage them within your job and life.

I encourage you to pick up the book. It’s a great read because it’s all about YOU and who doesn’t love that?

January results are in everybody and they are very strong!  Having said goodbye to 2009 and being cautiously optimistic about our 2010 opportunities, I could not be happier with the way we are coming out of the gates!  There is still a long way to go, but I wanted to outline a few bright spots in our struggling economy.

First, one thing to understand is that contract and temporary work will pick up as companies begin to recover and hedge their bets on hiring…and that is just what we are seeing!  I am very encouraged that our clients are moving forward with projects and ramping up their staff…  The hottest areas we are seeing right now are in IT / Healthcare IT / Administrative and Clerical skill sets and some Finance and Accounting!  Our clinical division (Medical Methods) is also seeing a dramatic increase in activity in PT / OT and Speech Therapy needs.

Contract to Hire requests are also building as companies that have had layoffs begin to rebuild their staff.  Hesitant to make a full commitment upfront, recovering businesses are utilizing the contract portion of an assignment to evaluate the candidate fit while on the job…  I would comment here that the majority of our contract requests are most likely filling an ordinarily permanent need and that while contract to hire requests are lagging behind pure contract requests (officially)…there are more permanent jobs our there than reported.

Permanent job opportunities (requests) are lagging both contract and contract to hire requests but are far more prominent than anticipated…especially for January.  In fact, Hire Methods completed 10x more direct hire requests in January 2010 than in January 2009.

So some context to these leading indicators of an economic recovery is that overall, our companies are up over 50% comparing January 2009 to January 2010.  I can tell you that our momentum has completely shifted and instead of being concerned about how we’ll stay in business, I am now concerned about delivery and quality.  Both situations are stressful, but I’ll take our current pain any day ;-)

As we continue down the new economic path, I’ll keep you updated on our trends and what that may mean to you as you follow the market, engage in job searches or candidate searches.  It feels good to see some light at the end of a pretty dark tunnel and I hope that your are seeing it too!

I must say that I have never been so excited for a year to end.  Looking back on 2009, there are so many things that I wish would have or could have been different.  Despite being a little anxious to move on to 2010, there have been so many blessings for our company both personally and professionally throughout this year that will make us so much stronger for the year to come.

Entering this Christmas, I am so grateful to:

Have a Family that loves and cares for me despite my shortcomings.

Have friends that call it like they see it…whether I want to hear it or not.

Still be in business and have a platform to affect lives and shape careers!

Know that it’s not all up to me…

Have a 10 year old daughter…going on 20 ;-)

I mean, the list is endless really.  This year, as with any trial, has produced maturity in my heart and in our company…most of my realationships have grown deeper…  When it boils down to it…despite the trials of the economy or whatever our challenge is for the day…I am grateful to have matured in business, friends, family and faith.  I hope you feel the same as you look back at a most challenging year and see the blessings for which you should be grateful!

Merry Christmas

This November entry will be pretty short and sweet…I think.  What I want to tell you is that the economy is turning…albeit slowly and painfully…it is starting to move and pick up speed!  I am ecouraged because a couple of friends have said so, too…not just my own rhetoric here ;-)

First, is a fellow entrepreneur that happens to be in the transportation and logistics industry.  Much of our economy can be followed by tracking “inventories” and how much or little inventory companies are carrying.  Well, inventories are creeping up and his business is starting to go like gang busters!  Important to know this because like staffing…transportation/shipping, etc are leading indicators.  The reason this particular friend is opening a new company is because he sees light on the horizon…and that is good.  When people go out on a limb and call their shot…I love it!

Second is another friend who is a residential realtor.  A few years ago, he left his realty practice to come in out of the cold and work in sales for a large corporation.  Those of you who know sales…know that it really takes a couple years or so to really get things moving and start earning a living that pays the bills with a little left over.  So, just as he is hitting stride in his new corporate sales career…he tells me that he is giving notice and going back to real estate full time because things are really picking up and he can’t handle it part time any more.  He doesn’t know for sure if things are going to work out, but he knows enough to step out on faith and call his shot…I really do love it!

As for little ‘ole iMethods…I can tell you that we have been busier in the past 6 weeks than we have at any other point in the past 18 months.  Now, 6 weeks of busy-ness is nothing to get too excited about after such a painful recession, but lemme tell you something…it feels like a breath of fresh air.  We stepped out on faith almost 6 years ago and I could have never anticipated such a struggle.  Today I am more than encouraged and although I’m not ready to signal a major economic comeback…I am feeling good enough to call my shot and tell you that the rest of this year will be a strong finish and 2010 will look nothing like 2009.

Employment will remain a bitter topic for a long time to come, but temporary and contract staffing will be a very strong economic front runner as companies turn the jets back on in the coming months…  So hang, stay hopeful and call your shot!

Always wanted to be a shot caller…

I think that some positives of the “Great Recession” have been that businesses have either gotten better and more efficient or gone out of business (leaving us with a stronger economy in the end); that households have trimmed the fat and maybe realized what is most important to them (overdue in our culture); and that while money is important, as a whole we’ve realized it isn’t the only component moving us forward at work and at home.

Realizing that not everyone has a job or has been able to hold on to their business through the economic downturn, I suspect that the above statement still holds true.  If your life has been turned upside down a little or a lot, I’m betting that your priorities have changed over the past couple of years…because mine have for sure.

Our companies have suffered quite a bit over the past couple of years and we have had to make some pretty tough decisions.  Those employees that have been able to stick things out with us have done so with amazing fortitude and sacrifice…for which I am grateful.  Part of the reason I think our staff has stuck it out is because making money through working at iMethods or Medical Methods isn’t the only motivating factor.

While we have a traditional pay for performance compensation model for our producers, I have found that…that model alone is not enough to retain great employees and create an environment that is fun, meaningful and engaging.  I can say that because no one at our companies have been earning the same amount(s) of money they were the year before…or the year before that.  Part of why I think we have maintained such a good environment is because Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose have always been important elements to enabling top performance (in addition to a strong comp plan) from our employees.

Dan Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future and Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, attacks the most common money driven motivation tactics to improve performance. Dan offers a more compelling argument on what really drives performance, happiness….Meaningful Work!  Check out this link to his presentation at the TED Conference for more insights and challenges to the traditional pay for performance model.  I can say that it has really challenged my thinking here!

So reading through this fragmented commentary…I need to tie a few things together.  We have all had to find more meaning in our work due to the economy and related factors.  In fact, many folks I work or consult with are rocked financially and have never been happier to have found new meaning in their new work…whatever that may be.  Most times their new work has far more Autonomy, opportunity for Mastery and Purpose.

So while our companies aren’t perfect, I am grateful to have an environment…created by our people…that promotes Meaningful work…and motivates me to perform to my best ability…for them…and my Family.

This week, I have been spending a little time watching the US Open and marveling at so many of the talented underdogs in the tournament.  Everyone loves the underdog…even if the incumbent is a fan favorite.  It’s something about the American spirit I suppose.   17 year-old Melanie Oudin has already beaten Maria Sharapova this week and as I write this…is trying to unseat the #13 seed, Nadia Petrova…great story for this young Georgian.

If you think about it, being the underdog is such a great place to be.  You are clearly talented and one to watch, but you don’t have the added pressure of everyone expecting you to win.  Maybe you don’t even expect to win…It can give you freedom to compete without such a burden and allow you to perform to without expectation.

While expectation can be a great motivator I think it can more often be a terrible detractor.  How often do you let yourself get disappointed because what you expected to happen didn’t?  It’s a really selfish thing isn’t it?  The path that you are on right now is absolutely guided by your goals, movtivation, discipline, focus, hard work…whatever you want to call it, but in the end…there is no way to know what the end result will be from those efforts.

In our small business, it is great to be the underdog.  No one expects us to make it through this economy…no one expects us to beat our competition with a fraction of the resources they have available to them.  We still have clear goals, processes, discipline…all that, but still, the results are not always what WE want them to be.  Only one person knows what’s really going to happen…and we take comfort in that.

So sure, I still get jammed up on my expectations not coming to fruition.  Afterall, I am just as selfish as anyone else out there, but I do know what it’s like to be the underdog and still take advantage of good planning, preparation, effort…all of that…and I think it’s a healthy place to be.  Knowing that we are not in control of everything under the sun…I can feel good about the efforts I put into the game and that gives me peace with the outcome…whatever it may be.

Easier said than done…to play like the underdog that is.  Melanie Oudin is playing with all heart and with NOTHING TO LOOSE.  That’s a great way to exceed any expectation you ever set “yourself.”  So this week, I’m playing like the underdog that we are and taking comfort in knowing that the outcome will take care of itself!  Take peace in knowing you are in His grip.

Man, what a day.  I started off this morning with Bryant Gumble’s Real Sports on HBO.  I have to admit…I don’t always “like” the show that much, but appreciate the human interest that his show brings to sports.  Today was one of those days.

The story that moved me most today was about a young girl, Jaclyn, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.  For a while…each day she went to Chemo and stayed in the hospital, she rolled by a picture of a celebrating lacrosse player.  Turns out that she connected with the Northwestern women’s lacrosse team and they adopted her as one of their own…treating her as a team member…calling her when she needed a lift…celebrating with her as they won 5 consecutive national championships.  Watching and listening to her father recount the experiences simply put me in my place.  I encourage you to watch if you can http://www.hbo.com/realsports/stories/2009/episode.148.s3.html Today, Friends of Jaclyn (FOJ) is a non profit…matching collegiate teams with kids in need of a lift…just amazing.

Earlier this week, Dean Medly in our office mentioned a video series that he had watched at church over the past week or so.  I really didn’t have the courage to investigate a video series called “30 Days to Live” until this evening.  Pretty sure that the Jaclyn story softened me up this morning…  So, I hit the link and investigated the website http://www.30daystolive.tv/theirstory.php Again…it put me in my place, I am trying to write this blog as an encouragement to you…that as you get into work this Tuesday morning…after the Monday we all just had…you’ll remember what’s really important.

I was most impacted by the story of Larry Damerval.  If you can take just 30 minutes or so to listen to his perspective on life after his ALS diagnosis…you will be in a better place this crazy Monday morning getting back to whatever crisis you are encountering - I think anyway ;-).  If you don’t have enough time to listen to his whole interview…I’ll ask you to take a few minutes and fast forward to time marker 13min 05sec.  To me, he really brings the essence of “meaningful work” to light.

See…I am just a crazy small businessman who can feel like the sky is falling right on me. Most of the time, I feel like it’s ONLY falling on me.  I mean, what gives!  I write all this great stuff about meaningful work and balance and all that and just like everyone else, I loose sight of what’s really important and freak out over sensless things that, while may be very important…do not deserve the amount of attention that I give them…geesh.

Here’s the deal.  Instead of coming up with some powerful business blog for you today…I wanted to encourage you to live as if you had 30 days…  Work harder, love harder…you know…dance like nobody’s watchin…all that.  Tell your Family how much you love them…better yet…why don’t ya show them!  Have absolutely NO REGRETS today!!!

That’s what I’m gonna do today…hope you join me.

It’s a beautiful Tuesday.