You Can’t Make Dirt Clean So We’ll Just Lemon-Scent It
Monday. Well, faithful readers I'm back. Man, I have been absolutely slammed today. I had a pile of stuff to do waiting for me upon my return on top of a bunch of stuff I had to get done today because it was the first of the month. I also had to update a 21-page instruction manual on how to conduct a summary billing in our system because I had numerous requests for it after I gave my presentation. Oh, how did my presentation go? Well... I'm glad you asked...
Well, the trip overall went much better than I expected. Since I couldn't get a direct flight to Arkansas, I had to change planes in the same city as my company's corporate headquarters. After boarding my connecting flight, I noticed that across the aisle from me, no farther than two feet from my left was none other than my company's CFO. Now, some of you may be calling BS on me for this one since obviously a CFO of a Fortune 500 company with 9,000 employees and $4.3 billion in sales wouldn't be slumming it in coach with a bottom-runger like me, but this was a commuter jet so there was no first class. Although I hate to be a total brown noser, I realized that I was going to spend the next couple of days attending a conference with this guy so I better take advantage of this situation or look like an idiot when he recognizes me later at our given destination. So, I introduced myself and shook his hand and made some small talk with him for a little bit. I must have done all right because the Big Boss Lady told me later that afternoon that Mr. CFO mentioned to her that he had "a very pleasant conversation" with me that morning.
I felt a little slimy for being such a kiss-up, but overall it worked out because due to time constraints one of my presentations was cut out of the agenda. The CFO left early during the second day, and therefore I didn't get to present in front of him. Totally lame. However, I did get to give my other presentation on summary billing and I totally nailed it. Admittedly I was nervous, but all of my preparation paid off. Plus, I tried to interject humor where I could, and I got laughs instead of blank stares, so that was some more points in my corner. Afterwards all three district financial managers in attendance came up to me to discuss my topic, as well as did several other financial managers who requested copies of my presentation and complimentary written instructions. So overall, not too bad.
I also took every opportunity to network the best I could with those in attendance. I forced myself to sit at tables of strangers at every meal and to mingle the best I could during social opportunities. The first night we had a fancy dinner (jacket required) at an old southern mansion turned bed and breakfast (we had the place to ourselves). The second night we were invited to an evening of very good southern BBQ on a 94-foot houseboat owned by a big customer of our Little Rock branch. That was pretty neat as well. Of course, both of these late nights and very early mornings caught up with me by the end of the trip, and since I was averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night, I was pretty much a zombie by the time I landed back home in Colorado.
This was more than just a schmooze fest, though. I actually learned a few things. I learned that the Big Boss Lady gets a lot of respect from her peers in the upper echelons. As I watched and listened to other presentations from the higher-ups, I learned a lot about what they were doing and what I was not. These were things that I know how to do, but wasn't doing them. Up until this point I was doing the job the Big Boss Lady set aside for me the best I could and wondered why I wasn’t getting promoted. Now, I see what these guys have done and I realize that perhaps it isn't that I'm not doing my set job function well, but I need to be doing things not in my set job function well. If I want to get to that next level, I need to start doing the work of the next level without having it laid out in front of me. Perhaps I feel unchallenged and bored because I am waiting for the Big Boss Lady to challenge me. It is time for me to challenge myself. I came back with a head full of ideas, and I am going to put them into action. If that doesn't move me ahead, I honestly don't know what the hell will.
Well, that was a long, rambling post. There's a bit more but I should probably end it now. Oh, I listened to Modest Mouse's Building Nothing Out of Something on the way to work today. You all know how I feel about the Mouse, so no need to elaborate there.
Well, the trip overall went much better than I expected. Since I couldn't get a direct flight to Arkansas, I had to change planes in the same city as my company's corporate headquarters. After boarding my connecting flight, I noticed that across the aisle from me, no farther than two feet from my left was none other than my company's CFO. Now, some of you may be calling BS on me for this one since obviously a CFO of a Fortune 500 company with 9,000 employees and $4.3 billion in sales wouldn't be slumming it in coach with a bottom-runger like me, but this was a commuter jet so there was no first class. Although I hate to be a total brown noser, I realized that I was going to spend the next couple of days attending a conference with this guy so I better take advantage of this situation or look like an idiot when he recognizes me later at our given destination. So, I introduced myself and shook his hand and made some small talk with him for a little bit. I must have done all right because the Big Boss Lady told me later that afternoon that Mr. CFO mentioned to her that he had "a very pleasant conversation" with me that morning.
I felt a little slimy for being such a kiss-up, but overall it worked out because due to time constraints one of my presentations was cut out of the agenda. The CFO left early during the second day, and therefore I didn't get to present in front of him. Totally lame. However, I did get to give my other presentation on summary billing and I totally nailed it. Admittedly I was nervous, but all of my preparation paid off. Plus, I tried to interject humor where I could, and I got laughs instead of blank stares, so that was some more points in my corner. Afterwards all three district financial managers in attendance came up to me to discuss my topic, as well as did several other financial managers who requested copies of my presentation and complimentary written instructions. So overall, not too bad.
I also took every opportunity to network the best I could with those in attendance. I forced myself to sit at tables of strangers at every meal and to mingle the best I could during social opportunities. The first night we had a fancy dinner (jacket required) at an old southern mansion turned bed and breakfast (we had the place to ourselves). The second night we were invited to an evening of very good southern BBQ on a 94-foot houseboat owned by a big customer of our Little Rock branch. That was pretty neat as well. Of course, both of these late nights and very early mornings caught up with me by the end of the trip, and since I was averaging about 4 hours of sleep a night, I was pretty much a zombie by the time I landed back home in Colorado.
This was more than just a schmooze fest, though. I actually learned a few things. I learned that the Big Boss Lady gets a lot of respect from her peers in the upper echelons. As I watched and listened to other presentations from the higher-ups, I learned a lot about what they were doing and what I was not. These were things that I know how to do, but wasn't doing them. Up until this point I was doing the job the Big Boss Lady set aside for me the best I could and wondered why I wasn’t getting promoted. Now, I see what these guys have done and I realize that perhaps it isn't that I'm not doing my set job function well, but I need to be doing things not in my set job function well. If I want to get to that next level, I need to start doing the work of the next level without having it laid out in front of me. Perhaps I feel unchallenged and bored because I am waiting for the Big Boss Lady to challenge me. It is time for me to challenge myself. I came back with a head full of ideas, and I am going to put them into action. If that doesn't move me ahead, I honestly don't know what the hell will.
Well, that was a long, rambling post. There's a bit more but I should probably end it now. Oh, I listened to Modest Mouse's Building Nothing Out of Something on the way to work today. You all know how I feel about the Mouse, so no need to elaborate there.
posted by john at 4:58 PM
3 Comments:
dude that's awesome.
i think having direction is one of the coolest things there is. and if it doesn't pay off ? you've learned new skills for your resume.
also? welcome back. nice move with the cfo and in my mind fully appropriate. anything else would have been lame. props for handling with aplomb
Yes, congrats on a very good trip. I think that your right to start working proactivly toward a promotion. If more responsibility is what your after, take on more. The pay will follow. Good to have you back online.
Thanks, guys. It's funny because it wasn't too long ago I was swearing that I would never be chained to a desk and that ties were just designer nooses. Now I find myself kissing up to upper management, playing the corporate political games and trying to get ahead. I became the guy I swore I would never be and I'm kinda good at it. That's just scary. But... when I made the big decision to follow this path I realized that I had to play the game. I want to get promoted, LSD because that is the natural progression of moving forward. I want to get ahead, move up, gain more responsibility, and (of course) make some money. I agree, Sass, that having a direction is paramount to everything, whether it be work or just life in general. I set goals for myself and I actively work towards them. I can't stand stagnation and I don't like sitting still. It's funny, because really I'm a laid back guy, but I am always working on something that keeps me busy and that's how I like it.
I would just like to clarify, though, that I am not a cheat nor a back-stabber, I wouldn't sell anyone out or take credit for someone else's work. If I advance, I will have done it the right way. I may have sold my soul to the corporate world, but not my ethical compass...
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