Meador Blog

From the Desk of a Temp - LOST on the First Day

Published by Ryan the Temp on June 7, 2010 in Business, Motivation and On the Job. 0 Comments

Last night, as I was watching one of the first episodes of the hit TV series LOST, Jack (main character on the show) brought to light a different way of dealing with fear. He said, “Only let fear in for five seconds, and after that you do what you need to do, completely fearless.” Granted my plane didn’t crash on a deserted island, but I can still relate to his advice. I’ve never had an office job before. I’ve never had to be responsible for a company’s progress/profit/security; whatever it is they will have me do. Neurotic would be an understatement.

My first day on the job at Meador. Frazzled nerves and a weak soy latte were all I could ingest on the way to work. My mind was clouded with questions that I had no answers to: Am I wearing the right clothes? Will my coworkers be nice to me? Should I even talk to them, or should I concentrate solely on what they give me? What will I even be doing? As a temp worker, I was sure some filing would be in order, probably a bit of tedious computer work, as well. I pictured this massive room with rows of files towering over me. I shook the thought out of my head, but just as soon as the image started to fade, another dreadful sight arose in my mind’s eye: a dimly lit room filled with cubicles, and inside each one was a run-down human being, eroded away at the core from hours of staring at a computer – and I was one of them.

By the time reality took back control, I was in the parking lot of my new 8-to-5 abode. Fifteen minutes early. Good. Already sending a statement: I’m punctual. Now, all I have to do is walk in. Easier said than done. After giving myself a decent pep talk, I began my twenty-pace trek toward the front doors. This was it. No turning back.

A blast of cool, crisp air greeted me as I slowly entered the lobby. The receptionist, however, greeted me quite the opposite. With a warm smile and an even warmer voice she said, “Good morning and welcome. We are so glad to have you here.” My sweaty hands began to dry with her welcoming salutation. I had only been in this place less than a minute and already my nervousness was beginning to subside.

I was led into an office with no cubicles, next to the filing room with no towering rows of cascading files, only two, normal-sized rows of organized files. There were no run-down human beings either, only a nice woman who just smiled and quietly listened to country music. It seems that fear of the unknown had struck again; preying on all the unconfident temps out there. Well, it didn’t have to be like that. I shouldn’t have let the fear in that long and assumed the worst.

With that said, let’s put this into perspective. It’s your first day on the job. Whether you’ve worked before or not, you’re most likely a bit nervous. Now, let the fear in, but only for five seconds. Slowly count to five with your eyes closed and let your mind wander. Once those five seconds are up, that fear is gone, and now you’re left with rational thought. Consider the following: a) The company you’re going to work for wants you to work there, otherwise, they wouldn’t have hired you. b) Offices aren’t like the ones you’ve seen on television (besides The Office, ha). c) Confidence is key; it’ll let you in plenty of doors as long as you have it.

As long as you know you can do the job, there’s nothing to worry about. Have confidence and you won’t be LOST.

What are you most fearful of when starting a new job? Any tips for helping to overcome the-new-guy anxiety?

Stay tuned for more musings from a day in the life of a temporary employee.

- Ryan the Temp

Communicating Success

Published by Morgan Meador on May 11, 2010 in Business, Job Search, On the Job and Writing. 0 Comments

Your success is tied to how well you communicate. Did you know that?

Not all of us are going to be great orators or writers, but being able to articulate our ideas intelligently is critical to our success.

Rudyard Kipling once said, “Words are the most powerful drugs used by mankind.” People like Billy Graham, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Mother Theresa, and Abraham Lincoln were not given to vague, sloppy language. They didn’t use fluffy jargon. Their language was specific and it conveyed their convictions and feelings.

The English language containts more words than any other language; over 600,000 words. German, a distant second, only has about half that number. We certainly have no shortage of explicit words. And yet, many people seem to lack precise, powerful, clear communication today.

A number of studies have revealed that a person’s vocabulary has more to do with income and position than almost anything else. As long as we live we should be adding words to our vocabulary. That habit will pay dividends.

One of the first steps we can take to improve our ability to communicate is simply to be clear on what it is we want to say. We should not start communicating unless we are clear about what our intentions are. Ambiguity and lazy language make poor use of our minds because our minds deal best with specifics. If you give yourself objective and articulate it with precise words, the goal is already half accomplished. There is something magical about a keen intention matched with clear communication. Perhaps they are the same thing.

Remember that clarity in communication is the beginning of excellence. If you have a clear purpose and an unclouded objective, your communication will never be mediocre. You know the thrill when you are speaking and are finding the perfect words that fit together that allow you to convey your thoughts and ideas perfectly? That experience you wish you could have every time you communicated? You can have it if you practice.

Remember this: Good communication takes practice, but it’s worth it.

When you begin a conversation with someone, or start a meeting with others, ask yourself these questions: What do I want to say? What specific outcome do I want from this engagement? How can I make myself easily understood? Being aware of the requirements to obtain anticipated results will enhance your chances for being an effectice communicator and more successful in your vocation. What are you doing today that enhances your communication or improves it?

Facebook wears many hats… Many, many, ever-changing hats

Published by Morgan Meador on April 19, 2010 in Social Media. 0 Comments

As of today, “Like” is the new “Fan” on Facebook. I can imagine you’re sitting there thinking to yourself, “What does that mean and how does it affect me?” Well, Facebook users or those interested in jumping on the bandwagon, in Facebook language, to “Become a Fan” of a Page meant that you connected to that business’s, organization’s, product’s, band’s, etc., Facebook Fan Page. This page is where all of that particular brand’s content (news, blogs, photos, videos, Fan interaction) is shared and funneled to its audience, also known as Fans. When a Facebook user wanted to connect to a particular Fan Page to receive that brand’s content, all he or she would have to do is click the “Become a Fan” button at the top of the Fan Page. (Still with me, Facebook novices?)

Welp, Facebook has done it again – changed some of the inner-workings of its network. Now, instead of becoming a Fan of a business, product, or other types of organizations, you now “Like” them; the “Become a Fan” button has changed to “Like”. This new feature was added, or altered I should say, today, so it’s okay if you’re still scratching your head. You will get the hang of it. And if you don’t, that’s okay, too. That’s the beauty of Facebook: they are changing things more often than not for the user’s benefit, so you can choose to be adept at using the social network or you can just go along for ride.

So, back to the initial question: what does this mean for you, the Facebook user? This means that you are no longer able to become a Fan of Pages. That feature has bit the dust. It is now the era of “Like”-ing a Page. You will still see all of the same activity as you would as a Fan, just a different button to click on to connect to that Page.

The Fan Pages will, for the most part, look the same, except for the box where the Fans are. The same people who are Fans are still connected to the Page, only now they are Facebook users who “Like” the Page. So, not to fear Fan Page Administrators, you’re not losing any Fans with this new feature. The only shift is in the title.

If all of this Facebook Fan mumbo-jumbo has got you in a tizzy, check out the changes I’m talking about for yourself. Sometimes having a visual is the best way of understanding. Visit Meador’s Facebook Fan Page to see the “Like” button for yourself. If you’re already a Fan (we love our Fans!), check out the space where other Facebook users “Like” us, too.

What do you think about Facebook changing the look of its hats so often and its new, or altered, feature? Is it a good or bad thing for Fan Pages? Do you “Like” what you see?

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of change

Published by Morgan Meador on April 13, 2010 in Business. 1 Comment

Avon and Tupperware failed to recognize that women were entering the workforce in record numbers and that their distribution would have to change to keep pace. Dairy Queen continued to see itself as a milkshake stand while other fast-food corners moved forward with greater choices, more modern facilities, and consistent quality. Polaroid did not recognize that the Japanese manufacturers were planning to introduce the camcorder and videocassette recorder.

Businesses that do not know how to change with change, that do not adapt and respond, do not survive. They become takeover targets, or are merged, purged, and submerged out of existence. They disappear into oblivion. We all must recognize that the challenge we face is the oncoming, overwhelming, accelerating pace of change. It’s a part of life.

In order to be successful in confronting change, there are two crucial skills we need to develop:

1. How to manage the future instead of the past, and

2. How to be an attacker instead of a defender.

Managing the future means riding the forces of change in the direction in which they are headed. It means paying attention to change of all types (social, cultural, economic, demographic, lifestyle, technological, global, etc.), and trying to see patterns that are developing. Managing the future also means meeting new and emerging customer needs and wants. This is where the attention needs to be.

Businesses that manage the future build loyal customers — constantly. When customers change, the businesses change. They strive to be slightly ahead of their customers, as opposed to being slightly behind. They introduce new ideas, new services, new marketing ideas, and they constantly reinforce the bond with customers. You always have to know where our customers are going, what lies ahead of them, not where they were yesterday. Having a deep relationship with your customer is the only way you will know this.

Successful businesses will cultivate the mindset of an attacker. Attackers enter and exploit markets where there are inefficiencies, where the existing players are complacent. They give the customer a new or a superior choice. On the other hand, defenders are blind to threat, busy managing the day-to-day operations. They do not notice what is going on before it is too late. Too often they are focused on internal procedures; they fail to grasp the external shifts that will soon clobber them.

Each of us need to become a trend watcher to spot changes that are taking place, find ways to introduce improvements in the way your business is delivered. Always be evaluating what you do and how you are doing it to find ways to do it better; there is always room for improvement. The future will belong to those who do these things, not those who are waiting for a return to the past.

Take this job and…

Published by jsilman on June 19, 2009 in Business. 0 Comments

In the days when I had more of a staff–even my own company–to manage, there were surely days when I wished I didn’t. Being a boss isn’t easy. Oftentimes it’s not fun. So, why on earth do people think that they want to be the boss?

I just read the results of an i4cp survey that asked current managers why they took their jobs. Surprise. The number-one answer wasn’t about higher compensation or promotion offers - though those play a role. The top-rated answer was that they want to make more of a difference in their organization. Nearly two-thirds of managers gave that answer, a figure that rises to 70% in large companies.

But plenty of non-managers in i4cp’s survey absolutely don’t want to take on the role of boss. Fully two-fifths of those surveyed said no way when asked if they wanted to become a manager. To quote the survey, the top reasons were that they think there’s no work/life balance, followed by the notion that there’s just “too much stress.” In write-in answers, one participant said, “It seems to change people for the worse,” and another summed up being a manager this way: “thankless job, stressful, between a rock and a hard place - conflicting interests.” Some were clearly speaking from experience: “Been there; done that,” one noted.

Just like we can’t have an organization of all Chiefs and no Indians, what are we to do if none of the Indians ever want to be called Chief? What will happen then?

Managers need to be seen within their organizations to indeed be that difference they seek. We need to make sure that they have the proper skills and enough room to do their jobs right–providing support, providing motivation to those around them.

That’s easy enough, right? Not so much. In the everyday world things are never that easy. The desire to empower teammembers is called indecisiveness, and the holding people accountable can be seen as micro-management. Go figure.

Management will always be a tough job, but knowing how to do it and given the latitude to do it well will make it more fulfilling.

Afterall, somebody’s gotta do it.

Do You Feel Like I Do?

Published by jsilman on February 13, 2009 in Job Search. 2 Comments

This morning I was interviewed for an article on ‘the things to consider when taking a buyout from your employer.’ We went through the obvious discussion of understanding the financial ramifications, the yin and the yang of the lump sum or installments, covering bases on insurance and investments. Then I said something that I’m not even sure I believe anymore.

I advised her readers not to sit too long before getting back into the job market.

I was warning against the temptation to take the money and use it like a mini-vacay or an interim retirement. I started talking all that old-school theory about too much time off between employment makes one less desireable for the next employer. But does it really anymore? In an age where books like “The Four-Hour Work Week” fly off the shelves, is there a stigma for taking a mini-retirement between gigs? Aren’t jobs becoming just that–a job? No longer a person’s sole reason for being? Business cards are no longer the means to validate your identity, but simply the vehicle to pass along your email address and your Twitter url (or whatever–I’m still trying to figure out the Twitter)?

Regardless of all that I do think that it’s much easier to get a job when you have a job. I think that’s related to some underlying psychological idea that everyone wants what the other guy’s got. So if you’re employed, you’re a challenge and a “win” for the new employer.

Anyway, back to my original thought. Are employers more understanding of time off between projects? Between gigs? Between jobs? Between careers? Weigh in on the topic. I’m anxious to hear other views.

Anticipation.

Published by jsilman on December 26, 2008 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments

Anticipation. Wasn’t that the name of a song? Something about ketchup? I know, I know. I’m old enough to remember that the song wasn’t originally about ketchup at all. Seems like it was in more rotation, though, as a ketchup commercial than it was on the radio as a Top Ten Hit.

But, I digress. Which is not all that unusual, except that it comes just after the first word of my post!

Anticipation.

Anyone who reads the headlines knows that our world is an uncertain place. And it’s certain that 2009 will bring with it even more uncertainty and change. There is enormous potential in the new year for meaningful change. 2008 should motivate us all to make 2009 the year we re-establish our priorities and re-direct our efforts within our personal lives and throughout our communities.

What sort of changes are you expecting the new year to bring? Personally? Professionally? We want to hear from you. Post your comment and tell us what you anticipate for 2009. We’re waa-a-a-a-aiting!

After the Storm

Published by jsilman on September 26, 2008 in Motivation. 0 Comments

Hurricane Ike was devastating to so many people, places and businesses. That’s a given. Whether on the TV, in the paper or just driving down your neighborhood streets, we’ve all witnessed the impact of this storm.Yet, when we’ve taken a moment to breathe, to stop and look and listen to what is going on around us there have been many really cool blessings bestowed and all because of the same Hurricane Ike. Or is it that–without power to turn on a TV, no A/C sending us outside to our yards, no internet to keep us tied to our computers, no gas to drive away in our cars–we can’t help but notice the good things in our lives?No doubt about it, we’ve had some of our own Meador family–our employees, our vendors, our clients and friends, suffer loss because of the storm. And, I in no way want to trivialize their pain. But I think it’s time to celebrate our blessings. …that giddy moment when you find the power to your home has been restored. …the opportunity to share with your neighbors as you rake their yard and yours, help to hold a rope while they run a chainsaw, or just sit outside and enjoy the gorgeous weather in the aftermath of the storm…the taste of an icy cold drink…the joy of opening your email and finding the well-wishes and concern of your friends and family around the country and around the world…the cul-de-sac impromptu BBQs as everyone cooks up anything and everything out of their freezers…the sound of kids actually playing outside–all day!…the relief when you find a store that has fresh milk and bread…the freedom of yards without fences…the kindness of more fortunate co-workers as they volunteer to babysit or offer their homes to those with less…the evidence of teamwork as everyone pulls together to move offices, realign work groups and do whatever necessary to get our company back to business…the exhilaration of finding gas at a corner store…no lines and no price hikes!…the simplicity of life without the gadgets of the 21st century I could take pages to describe some of the generosities I’ve witnessed from my Meador family–from Brian’s efforts to attend to our computer/communication tools before some of his own personal needs; that Gloria, because of spotty cell service, chose to sit at the worksite Monday morning to communicate the plan for recovery to the employees that couldn’t be reached by phone; Ben’s early words of encouragement, his calmness and commitment to recovery; accounting’s concern for our employees and quick action to make payroll; the impromptu creation of on-site daycare for staff; the sore muscles and tired backs of staffers who worked to box and move our entire corporate office within 48 hours; and when Katrina simply messaged from WalMart that she would be happy to pick up anything at the store for those of us who needed provisions. Some of these are such simple, small acts of kindness, some are over-the-top selfless examples and all are amazing to experience. Continue to pray for our internal employees, our clients, temps and candidates, our vendors and our friends who were in the path of Hurricane Ike–those of us with holes in our roofs, wind and water damage to our homes, trees on our garages, missing pets, fenceless yards, empty refrigerators, kids home from school and lots of mosquito bites! Continue to be patient with one another and our systems. Our infrastructure is particularly vulnerable to power surges, changes in organization and many, many factors beyond our control. We are all trying to do more with less and under less than ideal circumstances. Remember, it hasn’t even been a week since Ike, merely days. It has been an amazing past few days and I, for one, am so excited to see how we blow forward in the days to come! God Bless Texas and it’s resilient residents–nearly 100 of whom are Meador staff!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Published by LaurenS on July 7, 2008 in Motivation. 0 Comments

Experts in generational diversity in the workplace would say that unlike other generations, Generation Y has a desperate need for a pat on the back and encouragement along the way in the workplace. How would these same experts explain a woman in her sixties to seventies, working as an administrative assistant, weeping because she feels that her work is unnoticed and unappreciated? What about the middle aged individual on a temp assignment who calls in on her first day on the job just to find out if her new supervisor has offered any feedback on her performance?

Human nature begs for affirmation. I don’t believe that is simply generational. There are some people, regardless of their age, who don’t give a flip about what anyone thinks. And then there are the rest of us who beam with pride at the sound of encouraging words from anyone in the office who would swing in with a positive comment. I believe that in the heart of every individual, regardless of age, there is some form of hunger fo affirmation. I’ve heard many ministers refer to that moment when Jesus came out of the water from baptism and the Father spoke through time and space and said those ultimately affirming words, “This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased.” He had a great task to accomplish and received affirmation to prepare him for the journey. This is not by any means to compare us to Jesus, but to bring attention to the fact that everyone needs a boost to keep going.

Life would be incredibly dull and mundane without receiving some form of encouragement once in a while. What if we all went to work, sat at our desks and worked every day of the year with no recognition from anyone? That sounds torturous. No one wants a job like that. Do your part to encourage your co-workers and if you’re a manager, by all means give a pat on the back every once in a while. You’ll see your people sit up straight and get a renewed sense of purpose in their work, no matter what their age.

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