Caden took his first job at the local grocery store this summer and I have been really proud of him and how he has been responsible, had so many people comment to me about how he is so friendly and outgoing and he has quickly learned other departments in the store. This has been a great experience for him and he has really started to understand the value of money (Saving and such)
I was trying to remember my first job which was at a grocery store that is no longer in business. The first real issue is the fact it was over 30 years ago. Talk about making me feel old! Most of what I can remember was how time stood still. You would think you had been working for 4 hours and it was 4 minutes! Yet so many other things this early work experience taught me.
Customer Service
Patience (OK Could still use more of that)
What good and bad management looked like
Treating people well
How little things make a big difference
Money, Money, Money - Managing personally, corporate profit management and more.
Definitely a great experience and in retrospect I would not change any of it.
Monday, October 7, 2019
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Happy Birthday?
Yep, turned 46 yesterday. I am officially the age when I though others (When I was in my youth) were old. Still don't feel that old and still have my fun, young perspective of the world.
So what changed in the last couple years? Well, mostly comfort and self awareness. You over come the insecurities of youth. I have marketable skill sets, continue to learn and grow as a leader every day and with that has come of confidence that can be expressed as vulnerability. Easier to admit I am wrong, see others side of the conversation and relate to others perspective.
Guess I will see what comes this year!
So what changed in the last couple years? Well, mostly comfort and self awareness. You over come the insecurities of youth. I have marketable skill sets, continue to learn and grow as a leader every day and with that has come of confidence that can be expressed as vulnerability. Easier to admit I am wrong, see others side of the conversation and relate to others perspective.
Guess I will see what comes this year!
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Give a Child an iPad - 8 Years Later
I have always been an early adopter of technology even way back. I remember being in grade school programming in BASIC on my Commodore 64. Technology has changed a lot since then. It is much more obvious the impact it can have on learning. When the iPad 1 came out in 2010 I was one of the first to have one. iPad was not the first tablet in our house (tablet being defined by a touch screen computer in slate form); however, it was the first that was truly refined and did what it promised.
That same year, my son Carsen (he would have been 3 ½ then) got to know the iPad. He loved music and before the iPad we spent hours in front of the computer listening to music (back in the days when you had a desk for the computer). The iPad to start with was music, but shortly became the source of lots more. I specifically remember people questioning my judgement of a 3-year-old having a $500 device. But he was definitely one of the first kids in the world with the source of all human knowledge in a format that he could learn from before he could read.
Not to worry, we always kept a close eye on the content (Ok there were probably some music lyrics that are a bit inappropriate for his age), but we always had the content filters turned on for our home network. You might also be wondering how having this access affected his interactions with the real world (versus the virtual world) and really since he has always had access, it isn’t something special. If anything, interacting with other children, adults and family was the special interaction so he would put the iPad down and interact well. He gets top marks in school, has lots of friends and still loves baseball. He was Facetiming Grandma when no one knew what Facetime was!
So, what does a kid do on an iPad some 8 years later? Well, first they began to distribute iPads to the kids in grade school for learning and he was way ahead of them when that happened. He still brings home his homework on his school owned iPad every night and does math homework and more (now in middle school). Really what I find interesting is his consumption of knowledge. I believe most of his time is spent on YouTube listening and watching videos on everything from the latest video games (Fortnite) to learning about things I would have never thought a 12-year-old would be into like history. It is constant the information he is asking me if I know. Information on the 80’s (as if I didn’t live through it) to how to get things done, and even the latest world news.
I remember back to the early days when I would pay a dollar or two for the interactive book apps where he could look at it on the iPad, it would read it to him and be interactive where he could touch certain characters and things would happen. Others might have viewed it as a kid playing with a toy (which is true), but take that some 8 years later and what has this taught him?
Reading
History
Math
Problem solving in a digital world
Computer skills
Typing
This summer I was working on our mower at the house and struggling on how to fix it and that is when Carsen pulled out his digital tool and played the YouTube video on how to fix that specific problem. Even I never thought about the digital world fixing the physical.
The other question I get is how many has he broken? Just one. We never had big, shock absorbent cases on his iPads and just a couple years ago he broke his first screen. When we travel he takes his own pillow and puts his iPad inside the pillow case. He picked the pillow up from the wrong end getting out of the car and out came the iPad on the concrete. That was the only time we had to have one repaired and don’t worry, he won’t do that again.
So, what is the lessons learned from a child growing up with technology almost from the beginning?
You see these children at the store throwing a fit when their parents won’t let them have their phone? Carsen never thought this way because having the device wasn’t unique.
It can be thought of as a game or as access to all human knowledge. It is both.
Just because he has had access to technology does not mean he can’t socialize. If anything, I believe he can socialize with all ages and interests.
When I grew up, I had a record player, radio, video games, books, magazines, newspapers, TV and more. Carsen has all of these as well, they are just in one device though.
I was told that when I was young one of my favorite toys was the small workbench. You know the one. It had a hammer and plastic nails, nuts and bolts and such. I believe that the iPad is just the modern, digital version of that. We will see what the next 8 years bring.
That same year, my son Carsen (he would have been 3 ½ then) got to know the iPad. He loved music and before the iPad we spent hours in front of the computer listening to music (back in the days when you had a desk for the computer). The iPad to start with was music, but shortly became the source of lots more. I specifically remember people questioning my judgement of a 3-year-old having a $500 device. But he was definitely one of the first kids in the world with the source of all human knowledge in a format that he could learn from before he could read.
Not to worry, we always kept a close eye on the content (Ok there were probably some music lyrics that are a bit inappropriate for his age), but we always had the content filters turned on for our home network. You might also be wondering how having this access affected his interactions with the real world (versus the virtual world) and really since he has always had access, it isn’t something special. If anything, interacting with other children, adults and family was the special interaction so he would put the iPad down and interact well. He gets top marks in school, has lots of friends and still loves baseball. He was Facetiming Grandma when no one knew what Facetime was!
So, what does a kid do on an iPad some 8 years later? Well, first they began to distribute iPads to the kids in grade school for learning and he was way ahead of them when that happened. He still brings home his homework on his school owned iPad every night and does math homework and more (now in middle school). Really what I find interesting is his consumption of knowledge. I believe most of his time is spent on YouTube listening and watching videos on everything from the latest video games (Fortnite) to learning about things I would have never thought a 12-year-old would be into like history. It is constant the information he is asking me if I know. Information on the 80’s (as if I didn’t live through it) to how to get things done, and even the latest world news.
I remember back to the early days when I would pay a dollar or two for the interactive book apps where he could look at it on the iPad, it would read it to him and be interactive where he could touch certain characters and things would happen. Others might have viewed it as a kid playing with a toy (which is true), but take that some 8 years later and what has this taught him?
Reading
History
Math
Problem solving in a digital world
Computer skills
Typing
This summer I was working on our mower at the house and struggling on how to fix it and that is when Carsen pulled out his digital tool and played the YouTube video on how to fix that specific problem. Even I never thought about the digital world fixing the physical.
The other question I get is how many has he broken? Just one. We never had big, shock absorbent cases on his iPads and just a couple years ago he broke his first screen. When we travel he takes his own pillow and puts his iPad inside the pillow case. He picked the pillow up from the wrong end getting out of the car and out came the iPad on the concrete. That was the only time we had to have one repaired and don’t worry, he won’t do that again.
So, what is the lessons learned from a child growing up with technology almost from the beginning?
You see these children at the store throwing a fit when their parents won’t let them have their phone? Carsen never thought this way because having the device wasn’t unique.
It can be thought of as a game or as access to all human knowledge. It is both.
Just because he has had access to technology does not mean he can’t socialize. If anything, I believe he can socialize with all ages and interests.
When I grew up, I had a record player, radio, video games, books, magazines, newspapers, TV and more. Carsen has all of these as well, they are just in one device though.
I was told that when I was young one of my favorite toys was the small workbench. You know the one. It had a hammer and plastic nails, nuts and bolts and such. I believe that the iPad is just the modern, digital version of that. We will see what the next 8 years bring.
Sunday, February 10, 2019
Somtimes you just have to have others back.
Recently I have seen this trend in business that when it counts the most people don't show up for you? I want to do the opposite. That is when the pressure is on, all the chips are on the table or when it matters the most I am in your corner. Now, I have to be honest, there are not a huge group of people that get that kind of respect from me. We most likely have to have a long standing history, I know your ethics and all around decision making capability.
If all of this is known then I will have your back and even if you make a mistake. One thing I know for sure is the fact I am not perfect or even close. So mistakes can be made but that doesn't mean I leave your corner. If anything it means that I am going to be with you even more. The number of people I have had over the years that were this loyal are very few yet I know who they are and would do anything for them.
I am sure we have all seen the leadership traits that state how you overcome mistakes and learn from them is how the best thrive. With that very few of us are willing to own mistakes and help others through that difficult process. Maybe it is time to stand strong for those you believe in when it matters most and make sure to communicate it loudly.
If all of this is known then I will have your back and even if you make a mistake. One thing I know for sure is the fact I am not perfect or even close. So mistakes can be made but that doesn't mean I leave your corner. If anything it means that I am going to be with you even more. The number of people I have had over the years that were this loyal are very few yet I know who they are and would do anything for them.
I am sure we have all seen the leadership traits that state how you overcome mistakes and learn from them is how the best thrive. With that very few of us are willing to own mistakes and help others through that difficult process. Maybe it is time to stand strong for those you believe in when it matters most and make sure to communicate it loudly.
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
I am simple, most people default to complicated
Einstein stated "If you cannot explain it simply then you don't understand it well enough" (Rough translation)
There are days at work where I believe that most people try and make things complicated. Not necessarily on purpose rather it is just how people work. I am always teasing my Mother In Law about how she tells stories. She will want to tell me about how she went to the grocery store but then will get stuck in the miniscule details. Example could be "I went to start the car but left my keys in the house so went in the house to get my keys, then the phone rang, it was Fred and oh how we laughed about the weather and how we used to..." meanwhile back in the story she started I have lost patience and want to know why we are talking about going to the store in the first place!
Work processes I see people make complicated. Simple task could be take out the trash. Then one day someone forgets the bathroom trash. So now the process needs to include all the locations of trash and we add a check list (Ugh) It would have been so much easier to just address the person who made the mistake and move on. But because we don't address that one person the list continues to get larger to include
Recycling
Location where trash is to be taken
Shredding
What if trash bin is full outside then what
Putting plastic bag inside of garbage bins after taking trash out.
What days to take the trash out
What if one of those days are holidays?
and so on.
I have made a career out of making complicated things simple. Others make jobs out of making simple things complicated. I know which one pays more...
There are days at work where I believe that most people try and make things complicated. Not necessarily on purpose rather it is just how people work. I am always teasing my Mother In Law about how she tells stories. She will want to tell me about how she went to the grocery store but then will get stuck in the miniscule details. Example could be "I went to start the car but left my keys in the house so went in the house to get my keys, then the phone rang, it was Fred and oh how we laughed about the weather and how we used to..." meanwhile back in the story she started I have lost patience and want to know why we are talking about going to the store in the first place!
Work processes I see people make complicated. Simple task could be take out the trash. Then one day someone forgets the bathroom trash. So now the process needs to include all the locations of trash and we add a check list (Ugh) It would have been so much easier to just address the person who made the mistake and move on. But because we don't address that one person the list continues to get larger to include
Recycling
Location where trash is to be taken
Shredding
What if trash bin is full outside then what
Putting plastic bag inside of garbage bins after taking trash out.
What days to take the trash out
What if one of those days are holidays?
and so on.
I have made a career out of making complicated things simple. Others make jobs out of making simple things complicated. I know which one pays more...
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Time Lapse of Pools Plus Kansas building my pool
I have learned a lot about pools and installation! It has been installed since fall 2017, so open one full season. Some of the details are;
18X32 foot inground liner pool
Stamped concrete all around
Salt water (This has been fantastic, I shock at least every two weeks and it has been no trouble)
Sand filter - all Pentair equipment
LED light
A bathing step
I have automated it with Smart Things outlets on pump, light, landscape lights and added a temperature sensor
I do use a solar cover to keep it warm. We like the pool 88 degrees which was consistent from mid may to October (Kansas)
I will do another post on what I would do different (But not much)
Friday, December 21, 2018
2018 Year in Review and what I learned. The big 8 things.
Time continues to accelerate. I was recently speaking with some High School students about careers and what I have learned over the years. We were relating to the years on some of my first jobs where you stared at the clock. You felt like two hours went by and 15 minutes was the real time that went by. Today I refer to my office as a time machine. I go in and 8 to 10 hours go by and it feels like 15 minutes. Now more than ever I must plan my day and stick to managing my time.
Today is my last day in the office for the year. By far one of the fastest years ever. Watching my boys get older is an amazing way of seeing time fly. Caden is now driving and Carsen has really become his own person. So proud of both of them and how they don't let others influence them into making bad decisions. Reason I am writing is to recap what I learned this year at work. This year I have been from Phoenix to Scotland and including Florida twice, Indianapolis, Texas, Denver, Branson and so many more places. Way too much travel in the summer and am going to limit that in 2019 for sure. So here is my list of what I learned.
1. As we continue to go down the building processes direction I have discovered there can be some real loops you can get stuck in. For sure building the processes is very important and documenting is key. However one thing I have found is for some teams and people there will never be enough process. You detail what you think is a very fine line of detail and some want more. So where is the line of doing it the same every time versus wanting to take any decision making out. The customer experience is key and unfortunately things will always challenge the processes you built. Key is defining the 80% then focusing on the 20% and educating the teams on what good decisions look like. Then you cannot wield the sword of accountability when it is really people trying to understand they why or just clarifying things.
2. Culture is never done. You must continuously communicate in many different ways and never stop. Right when you think you have it right you find out you have people worried. Safety in jobs builds the right culture. That doesn't mean no accountability it means communicating failure then building trust through candor.
3. Only the best leaders build future leaders. If you have not been part of building a future leader then are you really a leader? Possibly, however there is a time where you must have done this to really be successful in your leadership path. That doesn't mean you had to be their boss to help build them, you just had to be part of another's leadership journey.
4. It amazes me how few people really care for others. I don't mean that they don't empathize, I mean at their core would do anything for people they respect. Having a few that you just say "I will do anything for them period". That list grew significantly this year for me and should have a bigger list for sure.
5. Support and love the people and the rest will follow. Heard it, seen it hundreds of times. Sometimes faith is key to making this happen.
6. Self awareness is not a given. Only the best leaders have this skill and as people get bigger titles there are fewer people to give feedback (That is authentic) Looking into the mirror is a must however don't look too close because you will become paralyzed.
7. Learning is never done. I continue to learn more every year. I just get better at picking who/where I learn from.
8. Personal relationships will get you a long ways. It helps bridge the gaps where people don't get along.
I look forward to next year and can't wait to see what it teaches me. Hopefully it won't slap me!
Today is my last day in the office for the year. By far one of the fastest years ever. Watching my boys get older is an amazing way of seeing time fly. Caden is now driving and Carsen has really become his own person. So proud of both of them and how they don't let others influence them into making bad decisions. Reason I am writing is to recap what I learned this year at work. This year I have been from Phoenix to Scotland and including Florida twice, Indianapolis, Texas, Denver, Branson and so many more places. Way too much travel in the summer and am going to limit that in 2019 for sure. So here is my list of what I learned.
1. As we continue to go down the building processes direction I have discovered there can be some real loops you can get stuck in. For sure building the processes is very important and documenting is key. However one thing I have found is for some teams and people there will never be enough process. You detail what you think is a very fine line of detail and some want more. So where is the line of doing it the same every time versus wanting to take any decision making out. The customer experience is key and unfortunately things will always challenge the processes you built. Key is defining the 80% then focusing on the 20% and educating the teams on what good decisions look like. Then you cannot wield the sword of accountability when it is really people trying to understand they why or just clarifying things.
2. Culture is never done. You must continuously communicate in many different ways and never stop. Right when you think you have it right you find out you have people worried. Safety in jobs builds the right culture. That doesn't mean no accountability it means communicating failure then building trust through candor.
3. Only the best leaders build future leaders. If you have not been part of building a future leader then are you really a leader? Possibly, however there is a time where you must have done this to really be successful in your leadership path. That doesn't mean you had to be their boss to help build them, you just had to be part of another's leadership journey.
4. It amazes me how few people really care for others. I don't mean that they don't empathize, I mean at their core would do anything for people they respect. Having a few that you just say "I will do anything for them period". That list grew significantly this year for me and should have a bigger list for sure.
5. Support and love the people and the rest will follow. Heard it, seen it hundreds of times. Sometimes faith is key to making this happen.
6. Self awareness is not a given. Only the best leaders have this skill and as people get bigger titles there are fewer people to give feedback (That is authentic) Looking into the mirror is a must however don't look too close because you will become paralyzed.
7. Learning is never done. I continue to learn more every year. I just get better at picking who/where I learn from.
8. Personal relationships will get you a long ways. It helps bridge the gaps where people don't get along.
I look forward to next year and can't wait to see what it teaches me. Hopefully it won't slap me!
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