Tag: Business

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motivation productivity

Working Hard or Hardly Working

I used to believe that hard work was the only thing that makes a person or business prosper. While I believe it is still key, I have observed that hard work is only part of the formula.

Hard work can only get a person so far if they are not kind and empathetic towards coworkers and clients. A person can do superior work, but nobody wants to do business with them because they are a bear to be around. Our emotional intelligence, or EQ, is as important as our IQ.

Hard work doesn’t mean much if a person is working hard at the wrong things. Anyone can work hard at digging a hole, but is the hole good for anything? Does it have a purpose? Is the action in line with the company’s goals?

Hard, good work is essential. It is the fuel that powers creation. It creates value. But hard work without vital relationships and purposeful focus is like the Myth of Sisyphus. A person can roll that boulder up a hill, only to see it roll down and repeat the action.

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Business teaching

Teaching in Order to Learn

It amazes me whenever it happens. Whenever I teach, I learn just as much as the students. I have seen it when I lead kids in large group on a Sunday morning. And I have seen it in the workplace as well. 

For the last two weeks at work, I’ve had the opportunity to teach a person my duties. I’ve been in my role for under ten months and there are many things about my job that are still new to me. The person who taught me retired in late June. Since then, I have been applying what she taught me. Now I have the chance to do the same for another person.

As I have shown her the systems, the exceptions and the why behind the way we do things, I have been energized. Sure, I am not using the same words, and every experience is different. In fact, that is part of the teaching/learning process that thrills me. I can paraphrase what I was taught and see the results in a whole new way.

We have this tendency to believe once we are done with our formal schooling, we are done with education. This fallacy keeps us from growing. I have found it is much better to keep learning. And one of the best ways to learn is to teach others what we do.

Blogging is one way we can do that. And that is why I am going continue writing about my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned through being a writer, illustrator, and a graphics manager.

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Career

Predicting the Future in Hindsight

In 1988, I was a graphic designer for National Printing Plate, in Indianapolis. They made printing plates for the flexographic industry. It was a good job, and I enjoyed the people I worked with. I married Paula in December 1988. Life was humming along.

Unfortunately, in January 1989, the business suffered a fire. Not only was I newly married, but I was newly unemployed. This motivated me to find work quick! I didn’t want my new father-in-law to think I couldn’t provide for his daughter.

Continue reading “Predicting the Future in Hindsight”
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Business Cartoons cartoon Christmas holiday

Saint Nick and Noncompetes

Cartoon of a stern businessman and Santa Claus. The man says, “I saw you at another mall, Santa. What about our noncompete agreement?”

Santa has a tough time in the retail world. He gives toys away, he cares about good behavior, he works at all the malls without concern for competition,  and his distribution system is superb to Amazon’s. Keep it up, Santa. We love you just the way you are!

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Business

3 Myths About Starting a Company in the Midwest

Lucas Oil Stadium Exterior, Indianapolis

Source: 3 Myths About Starting a Company in the Midwest

This Entrepreneur.com article proclaimed what Hoosiers and Buckeyes have known for quite some time. The Midwest is a great place to run and thrive in business.

While it’s true we don’t have the high office lease prices of the left and right coast, and we don’t have twenty-four-hour sushi bars, We do have quite a bit of business going on among amber waves of grain.

Most of my experience with the area has been in the Indianapolis area, but I am learning quite a bit about Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio these days. 

Indianapolis has become a tech powerhouse thanks, in part, to Salesforce. Dayton has seen great growth in medicine and tech startup industries. In all these cities, I’ve witnessed hardworking, innovative leaders that are taking the best of technology and making their businesses sing. Truly, the Midwest, especially around Indiana and Ohio, is a great place to start a business.