There's an old running joke about Chicago weather: "There are two seasons in Chicago, winter and construction." I thought about that as I drove up to see my family in Milwaukee. I went through four road construction zones during the trip that covered almost a half of the 80 mile drive. Road Construction Parallels Yes, it is super-annoying to go through that much construction. But it's work that has to be done (usually). It made me look at some similarities between road work and our professional and personal lives. 1. Maintenance is a part of the game. Entropy and wear is a real thing. Potholes spring up and concrete loses its … [Read more...]
How Ambitious College Grads Can Network Better
The first few years after college can be exciting: The freedom, the friends, the fun. It's also stressful. You have to find your place in the world, figure out how you're going to pay the rent, and what you want to do with your career. Building a strong professional network around you is important for your short-term career success. More importantly, though, it's how you can plant seeds that you can harvest the rest of your life. This is especially true because the work world continues to become more and more mobile. If you're a recent grad, you’ve probably seen statistics quoted with the average number of jobs you will have in … [Read more...]
The “Punk Rock” Guide to Networking
I learned all of my best networking strategies from punks. No, really. Back in the late 90’s and early years of the 2000s, I played drums in a ska band in Chicago. You don’t have to know what ska is for the purposes of this story. But you do have to know that due to a weird historical hiccup in the 70’s, the ska and punk music scenes were inextricably linked. So while my band had a horn section and suits, most of the shows that we played included at least a few other bands that sported lots of guitar distortion, combat boots, and mosh pits. I’m often asked where I developed my networking chops. Was it at business school, running … [Read more...]
You Can’t Do Anything You Put Your Mind To
No matter how badly you want to, you can't do anything you put your mind to. Sorry. It's a dangerous myth that we often hear when we are children. We are told constantly that "you can do anything you put your mind to" as the moral of the story in sitcoms and Saturday morning cartoons (remember the G.I Joe "knowing is half the battle?). It's dangerous because it's untrue and it usually has the exact opposite effect that's intended. Before you get all huffy, know that I'm a huge proponent of personal growth and development; that's why I know this idea isn't true. No matter what happens, I'm not going to be able to slam-dunk a … [Read more...]
If I Were 22 I Wouldn’t Try to Change the World
Me giving advice to a 22-year-old is a lesson in irony; because I know that the 22-year-old me wasn't good at listening to other people's advice. I'd like to think that I've gotten a little better over the years, but I'm a work in progress. Feel free to take or leave what I have to say. So I guess that's my first piece of advice: decide on your own who and what to listen to. But after that, I guess my second thought would be: Don't try to change the world - Try to change yourself The earth has been here for over 4 billion years and countless humans have walked its surface. It takes a lot of hubris to think that it needs you to save … [Read more...]