Points to Ponder

Considering Corporate Culture

/ Cat Harvey / Leave a comment

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I was putting my thoughts together for this article, and I thought I would do some field research.  I asked someone for one word that came to mind when they think about “Corporate Culture”.  Their one word was “integrity”.  I thought that was encouraging, and went on to ask the next person.  Their one word was “corruption”.  Hmmm.  I stopped there.  Granted, I could have included some more research. But I think that the first two answers gave me an indication of the scope of attitudes towards “Corporate Culture”.

So, is the use of the word “culture” a rhetorical device, or does it have actual meaning in the business world?  Nobody would feel comfortable saying that their company really doesn’t focus on culture.  Everyone wants to think that it’s a very big deal in the workplace.

Corporate Culture is based on a set of common “core values”.  These may be expressed in the company’s mission statement, which is given as a handout to new hires.  How much actual time in management meetings is spent talking about core values on an ongoing basis?  Isn’t it more likely that the conversation turns to shareholder value? 

Values clarification exercises are critical to personal self-improvement. This is the process through which core values are identified and used as a guide to behavior and actions.  They must be revisited from time to time, and adjusted as necessary.   I just can’t picture executives sitting in the boardroom discussing values clarification.  They are more likely discussing ways to increase growth and revenue.  That’s not a problem.  It’s the way business works.

Another facet of Corporate Culture is shared attitudes and beliefs. How do we come together on beliefs and encourage diversity all at the same time?  I understand that this means corporate beliefs and not personal beliefs.  I know that in the business boat we all have to row together to get anywhere.  I’m just saying that in this climate, we can’t count on people to separate personal from professional.  People don’t want to set aside their differences.  They will cling to their uniqueness, even if it means that they’re not as “successful”.

And… do we profit (pun intended) if we all think and act alike?  Does that get us to the goal faster?  Consider that it takes all kinds of people working together to really make a dynamic difference!  Yes, we all have to move towards the goal.  Are there different ways to get there? Is there a benefit to taking the proverbial road less traveled?  Does somebody know a shortcut?  Or is the direct route best?

Enter the “team builder”!  Team builders are always fun, and help you learn something about other people on your team.  I think that they are beneficial to the team, and they keep meetings from being boring. They may be quick exercises, off site days, or even corporate getaways. They can be invigorating, and help employees approach work with a renewed gusto.  Team builders are touted as one of the best ways to build culture.  They’re awesome, but do they increase focus on core values?

Communication is key to building culture within an organization.  If you can go a step beyond that, and actually connect with people on a human level… even better!  Listening to people increases their feelings of self-worth.  It’s natural that your team will perform better, together and as individuals, if they feel valued.  As a leader, if you want to teach empathy to your team, be empathetic.

Culture makes a difference to every aspect of a company.  It affects the hiring process, training, and employee retention.  It will affect the way your customer service initiatives are carried out.  It can determine the landscape of the work environment.  And… bonus!  It will affect your earnings.  Be a company for which people want to work.  Attract and keep quality employees by considering, reviewing, and living your culture everyday.

–  Cat

Are You in Love With Your “STUFF”?

/ Cat Harvey / Leave a comment

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I was listening to a podcast today about “minimalist living” and all the joy it will bring you.  That got me thinking about us crazy Americans and all our “Stuff”.  People are into designer handbags, brand name shoes, and fancy cars. I’m not really interested in a lot of that.   Maybe we’re too materialistic, but I don’t know if I could swing a stuff free life.

I love to watch the Tiny House shows on HGTV.  People want to live in a 200 square foot place with a baby and two dogs.  People want a tiny house, but room for 6 kayaks, or 13 surfboards.  People want a tiny house with entertaining space.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve yelled at the television “It’s a TINY HOUSE!”  Can we really let go of our stuff?  Could you lead a minimalist lifestyle?

Years ago, I read a book by John D. Freyer.  It’s called All My Life For Sale.  It’s an interesting read about a project that John did.  In Phase One of the project, he sold everything… everything he owned on eBay. In Phase Two, he spends time traveling all over the world to visit his stuff. 

The woman in the podcast today, Genevieve Parker Hill, is the author of Minimalist Living: Decluttering for Joy, Health, and Creativity.  She talks about how her family experienced a house fire, and lost all their possessions.  Through this journey, she learned that relationships are important, not stuff.  So was the house fire a blessing or a curse?

Friends of ours, who always had a big home, with lots of wonderful stuff, decided to live in an RV and travel around.  I wonder if they went through stuff withdrawal at first, or did they just make a decision and flip the switch?

I would say that I’m in the middle on the scale of stuff crazy people. My husband is definitely into stuff.  He’s not a hoarder, but he is a serious collector.  He keeps it tidy, and doesn’t break the bank.  That’s all I care about.  Honestly, I think I’m more about the acquisition of stuff, and lose interest in a lot of it after the fact.  That’s sounds horrible, but I believe it’s true. 

So, pause and think for a minute.  Where do you place in the rankings?  Are you the keeper of the stuff, or a sensible purger from time to time?  Do you think you can do it?

– Cat

The Lost Art of Customer Service

/ Cat Harvey / 1 Comment

When I was considering my blog topic for tonight, I thought that I should write about something more personal.  The thing is… I take customer service very personally.  These days, you can buy or sell anything on-line.  They are converting to order taking robots at McDonald’s.  I saw a vending machine with iPads and iPhones in it.  Is customer service dead?  Are we programmed not to care about our buying experience anymore?

I spoke with my prescription drug company recently.  I had a credit card on file with them.   They could charge whatever medication they sent out, rather than sending invoices to pay.  So, my credit card was compromised, and had to be replaced.  When I saw that I had a balance with them, I called their customer service to straighten it out.  Of course, I get the automated menu.  I’ve learned what to say when they ask you to state why you are calling.  I just say “customer service” repeatedly, and it gets you to a human faster.  Bottom line… you have to trick a machine in order to speak with someone.

I told the representative about my card.  I let them know that I was calling to pay my balance and add the new card for future payments.  He says “Okay, I’m going to try to add that card.  Usually, it doesn’t let you change cards if you have a balance.”  I asked him “Well, how will I pay my balance if you won’t take my new card information?”  That stumped him for a minute, and he put me on hold so he could speak with his supervisor.  Then he came back on the line, and the two of them had decided that they would work it out for me.  Wow!  I’m pleased to report that all is well now, but what a cluster!

I had a beautiful online experience recently with a company called Brighton.  I purchased a lanyard from them that I really loved.

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So, when it arrived, ahead of the expected time, it was in a box, with a heart shape cut into it… beautifully done.  I opened the box, and it was wrapped in two shades of tissue, and tied up with a gorgeous bow.  When I opened the ribbon, there was a card enclosed.  It had my first name on it, thanking me for my purchase and sending me good wishes.  It was hand signed by someone.  Classy!  I would buy from them again in a heartbeat.  Why? Because I felt appreciated as a customer.

This is the thing that’s hard for machines to do.  They really can’t express gratitude for your business.  They can’t help…  they can just refer you to another source, usually a website.  If I wanted to talk to your website, I would have logged in.  There’s a reason I called you instead.

In this world, your business can stand out by delivering a great experience.  If people didn’t notice in the past, they do now.  It almost takes you by surprise when someone is pleasant in their work these days.  I look for those places to do business with.  It’s proven that people will travel farther, and pay more, for the experience.

What are we thinking?

-Cat

My Favorite Football Team

/ Cat Harvey / Leave a comment

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So… here it comes!  It’s that time of year again.  Let’s be distracted from politics for a few minutes.  Let’s talk non stop about the teams, the halftime show, the commercials, and all of the other hoopla surrounding – THE  SUPER BOWL!

This is actually a lonely two weeks for me.  I have nothing relevant to talk about.  Last year around this time, my coworker, Nate, asked me who I liked in the Superbowl.  I told him that I didn’t care.  He then asked me who my favorite football team was.  I told him that my favorite football team was “Art and Music”. He seemed puzzled by that.  When I went on to explain that I preferred art and music to football, he looked even more perplexed.  I told him that I wasn’t into sports.

My first husband loved watching sports on TV.  I wanted to like it.  I tried to like it.  I pretended to want to try to like it.  It didn’t work out for me.  When I left him, he told me how great it was to be able to stay up all night and watch the game.  He didn’t have to worry about ruining someone’s night, making someone cry or be angry.  I told him that was okay.  I didn’t have to listen to it, watch it, or have it wreck my plans, or waste my time.  In other words… it worked out for both of us!

I hit the jackpot in my current match!  His favorite football team?  You guessed it… art and music.  What a world of difference!  We never talk about sports, we don’t watch sports, and we don’t plan our life around sports.  He will sometimes watch golf if we’re home and it’s on.  I’m okay with that… it doesn’t make much noise.  True fact – before I wrote this post, I asked him “Hey, the Superbowl is this Sunday, right?”  He responded by saying “How should I know?”  I Googled it.  It’s this Sunday.

Is it in our genes to watch sports?  I never watched sports growing up.  My Dad’s trophies are more for the chess team and debate team.  I grew up with two sisters.  None of us played sports.  My family encouraged my love of art and music.  It wasn’t until I started dating my first husband that I learned about TV trays for Thanksgiving.  I have four grown kids.  My oldest loves his football.  My second son isn’t really into it. My third son hates sports.  My daughter can take it or leave it. 

I made all my kids play sports when they were growing up.  I see the value in it, and wonder if I would have been better off for playing when I was young.  By the way, I loved watching my kids play.  My boys were all pretty athletic.  My daughter was the first girl to complete a season of football with the Boys and Girls Club in our area. Other girls had come out in August to practice, but had not played once the season started.  I remember the first play of the first game Catie was in.  She got knocked about ten feet out of her cleats, and landed squarely on the ground.  After that, she developed tenacity and coping strategies, and didn’t fall for that again.

I love to go to a live sporting event.  There’s so much to see, and it’s all happening at once!  I just don’t want to devote the time it takes to follow it on TV.  I get it, I’m just not into it.

I hope your team wins this weekend.  I know mine will!

– Cat

 

All You Need is Love…and Prayer…Oh, and Meditation

/ Cat Harvey / 2 Comments

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Working towards my writing resolution for this year, I’m focusing on four things to do in my spare time.  – Learning, Blogging, Working, Reading.

Part of my learning experience has been to try to listen more intently and effectively.  I’ve discovered that nothing sharpens your listening like a guided meditation.  I can’t tell you that I’m an expert, or that it’s changed my life… yet.  But I can tell you that I have faith in the process.

Now, not all guided meditations are created equal.  I have turned to the master of guided meditations, Deepak Chopra.  I guess I’m rediscovering him, as I used to listen to him years ago.  His voice is relaxing to me, even when my mind wanders and I stray from listening.

He’s written roughly 50 million books.  I may be exaggerating a little, but it feels pretty close to that.  I’ve made it my goal to dig in, but I’m afraid to listen to audiobooks by him, especially while driving.  That voice.  One way or another, I’m going to sleep.

If this feels to new-agey to you, there is an element of that.  Maybe you feel like prayer is the same thing.  Some think that meditation is a secular form of prayer.  I think that they’re two components of the same thing.  You might call it God, or some other name (Mother Earth, Higher Power, etc.)  For this example, we’ll call it God.

So, when you pray to God, you are putting something out there. Sending something to God, or into the universe.  When you meditate, you are listening for the answer.  I wish I had this explanation at hand for my grandson when he was talking to me about prayer.  He asked me “But, how do you hear God?”

I think that this is a problem for most of us.  When we pray, we tend to say “Here’s my problem, God, and here’s what you should do to fix it.”  As if we would know.  Then we get frustrated and feel that God’s not listening when things don’t go our way.  How many times have you prayed for something that, as it turns out, would have been a disaster?

We never know whether something is a blessing or a curse.  Some things may not be revealed to us in this lifetime.  I don’t know what the big picture… the grand plan, is.  I could have the whole thing wrong.  I’m actually not trying to figure things out.  I’m just going to believe that things will work out exactly like they’re supposed to.

– Cat

Being Left-Handed…It’s Not Just About Scissors!

/ Cat Harvey / 3 Comments

Most right-handed people will probably skip over this post.  They most likely feel like it doesn’t have anything to do with them.  Most of us left-handed people won’t notice.  We’re used to people ignoring our left-handedness.

At work, I move the mouse over to the left side on shared computers when I’m using them.  Yup, I want to use the mouse with my left hand.  I don’t move it back to the right when I’m done.  I figure that you might have to move it if you use a computer after me.  But, consider that I have to move it EVERY time I use the computer, because it’s never set up on the left.

Most of you righties think that being left-handed is about comfortable scissors for us. And a lot of it is.  Maybe you think about desks in school.  If you’re not first in the classroom to claim a left handed desk, it’s tough making a go of writing assignments.  Do they still use pens and pencils in schools?  If they do, it might interest you to know that you can buy left handed writing sets on Amazon.  If you love a lefty, you can buy them a complete left handed College Set (Also available for left handed middle schoolers).   I didn’t even know that was a thing.

Other things you might not know were available for left-handed people:

  • Notebooks – YES!  I use one that’s bound at the top
  • Kitchen Utensils (?)
  • Can Opener – Good Idea
  • Tape Measure – (?)
  • Guitar – Okay
  • Watch – Not Sure
  • Computer keyboard (Numbers on Left)
  • A Left Handed Saute Spoon (from Le Creuset) ???
  • Holster – Makes Sense
  • Playing Cards (?)
  • Mouse – YAY!
  • AND…Chopsticks for Left Handed Children

Obviously, a lot of its marketing.  But there are some great ideas there.  So… being left-handed is a different mindset.  You are often the odd man out.  You may adapt, but some things are awkward.

You want to arrange your kitchen differently than the rest of the world.  When a look at a magazine, I like to browse from back to front.  With a juicy gossip magazine, it doesn’t make any difference, since the stories are two pages tops.  Bowling balls are tough, believe it or not.   You do, in fact, drag your hand through ink when writing. The alternative is making people stare as you exhibit the left-handed writing contortion technique.  Then, your hand stays clean, but you get cramps in weird places.  I prefer inky.

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My Mom is left-handed.  None of my kids are left handed except for my stepson, Andrew.  My Stepfather is left handed.  When my Mom was growing up, they smacked you on the hands at school if you were left handed.  I’m glad they stopped that by the time I went to school.

When people notice that you’re left-handed, they feel obligated to remark on it.  It’s usually “You know what they say… left handed people are in their right mind.  HaHaHa!”  Here’s the joke I tell to left handed people who I meet:

“You know what they say about right-handed people?”

“nothing”

– Cat

Paradigm Shifts

/ Cat Harvey / Leave a comment

Some of those “aha” moments are pretty strange.  They say that insanity is “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  I must be insane.  It seems my thinking gets lodged in a crevice.  It gets encouraged by my emotions and there it sits.

Until… BOOM!  Hello paradigm shift!

This phrase was coined by Thomas Kuhn.  He was an American physicist and philosopher… that’s interesting as a stand alone.  Anyway, it’s a deep and fundamental change in the way you view or understand something.

Maybe it’s God saying “enough already”.  Maybe it’s a self-preservation measure initiated by our subconscious.  When I think of some of the major paradigm shifts I’ve experienced in my life, I can’t really pinpoint the catalyst.  I guess that’s not the point, but it sure would be nice to conjure one up when you feel in need of one.

I’ve had several paradigm shifts that have forced me to take my life, or my thinking about my life, down a new path.  It’s always turned out right, although it usually involves some “going through” stuff.  It also feels like working without a net, which can be scary and exhilarating all at the same time.

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                                                                                                              Mary Engelbreit

I love this illustration by Mary Engelbreit.  Pay no attention to the date, and that I’ve kept this in my memory for about thirty years.  The image is very instructive, and cuts right to the heart of things. 

Sometimes we make a choice to walk through a door.  You may feel uncertain or scared of the door you’ve chosen.  When you try to go back through it, you find that it’s locked. One Choice… Keep it Moving!

– Cat

Being Brave

/ Cat Harvey / Leave a comment

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It’s hard work, being brave.  I love this quote, because it’s so true.  We do think of Braveheart, or war heroes, and even Merida in the movie BRAVE.  We do think of people without fear, being strong and living their lives, no matter what gets hurled at them.

The truth is, we’re all scared.  Of all kinds of things.  Some people seem scared.  Some people seem brave.  But none of us get out of this life without some hurt, frustration, and self-doubt.

I saw an ad on Facebook… I know, shocker, huh?  It’s advertising jewelry to promote awareness of mental health issues, particularly depression and suicide.  I’m thinking about getting this piece of jewelry.  Because it’s a great cause, and we could use some dialogue.

But really… I want it because on it are the words Be Brave.  I want it to remind me everyday that you’ve got to be brave.  You’ve got to process and deal with whatever crosses your path.  We all need reminding from time to time.

When I think of some of the cancer survivors that I know, I am overwhelmed at how brave they are.  When you lose someone close to you, it takes bravery to get through the following days.  For some people, getting out of bed in the morning is an act of bravery.  I would say that on the bravery challenge sliding scale, I’m someone there in the middle.

Another quote on bravery that really got to me:

“Be Brave.  Even if you’re not, pretend to be.  No one can tell the difference.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

That’s true, though.  By the time you convince others that you are brave, you have almost convinced yourself!

I love the complexity of humans.  Two things strike me in particular:

  • How resilient we are
  • How fragile we are

What makes the difference between bending and breaking?

It’s bravery!

The ability to say “Is that all you’ve got to throw at me, life?”  The  fine art of planning your next bold move while the walls are falling down.  Being a phoenix.

I feel as though I’ve been more cautious than brave as I moved through life.  I’ve paid the price for that too.  Some people do see me as brave.  I hope I’ve got them fooled, since that means I’m on my way to actually being brave!

– Cat

In the Year 2000

/ Cat Harvey / Leave a comment

 

When I was a kid in elementary school, most people had a TV in their home, but not everybody did.  I guess that’s why they trotted us down to the school auditorium every so often to watch Walter Cronkite.  He narrated a show called “The 21st Century”.  The show was, at first, called “The 20th Century” and took a look at history.  It changed in 1967 to “The 21st Century”, a show about the future.  I found and attached this YouTube clip so you can check it out.

It’s a funny video to watch, and it’s interesting to see what they got right and what they missed the mark on.  It seems to me that some of the things we see today are way ahead of where they thought we would be.

Somethings though… Where is this 30 hour work week that was coming along with  the increased technological advances?  The thing I’m most disappointed with…  No flying cars.  There wouldn’t be any traffic jams in the year 2000.  We would all be driving flying cars to relieve the road system.

Now I’m asking you to think of a time you were in a traffic jam.  We have them every day here in the Washington, DC, area.  Realistically, I don’t think we’d be better off if everyone was flying, instead of driving, in most scenarios.  Anyway, I feel like I Walter lied to me.

The future is hard to predict.  I remember selling computers in the nineties.  Most people were buying their first home computers. The knowledge and familiarity were just not there.  People would come in and say “My kid needs a computer for school”.  It’s the same as people who come into a cell phone store now and say “My grandkid says I need an iPhone.”

I can’t be too hard on Walter.  3D printers are $3500 now.  I guess it won’t be long before they’re affordable and we all have one.  If you try to think fifty years into the future, I’ll bet you don’t know the half of it.  It would be interesting to write down your predictions and revisit them in fifty years.  I don’t have that kind of time, but maybe you do.

It’s hard to believe that we’re getting ready to ring in 2017!  When I was a kid, 2000 was way in front of us.  Now, the Year 2000 is long gone.

Happy New Year!  Have a great 2017! I hope we get flying cars soon.

– Cat

Review, Reflect, Reinvent, Resolve

/ Cat Harvey / 1 Comment

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I’ve seen so many posts on social media in the past few weeks.  It seems like so many people are just over 2016.  Lots of folks are saying that 2017 has to be better than 2016.  Is one year better than the rest, or is every year what you make of it?

The title of this post lists the four things I like to do over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  For some people it’s a time to party hard.  I prefer to use the time for marking progress and moving on.  Of course, I like to celebrate as much as the next person! As the new year begins, though, I like to start with a sense of purpose.

Review

When you’re reviewing 2016, be mindful of the ups and don’t focus on the downs.  There will be plenty of tough spots in every year.  Rent them… don’t make a long-term investment in them.

Reflect

Spend some time reflecting on your accomplishments and your opportunities during the past year.   Bask in the sunlight of your achievements.  You really did a great job in a lot of areas last year!  Maybe everything didn’t go as planned. But let’s face it, some things went extremely well.  What would you like to change?

Reinvent

If anything were possible, what would you work towards in the coming year?  What’s keeping you from getting where you want to be? Use this precise moment when the year changes to reinvent yourself. You’re in charge of creating the life you want!

Resolve

Set your mind where you want to go, and fix your sights on it.  Then turn your feet in that direction and start moving.  Don’t allow yourself to be distracted.  This is not a dress rehearsal… this is your one shot! It’s go time!  2017

If you think that this sounds like a pep talk, it is!  It’s my new and improved 2017 pep talk to myself.  I’m sharing it with you, because I suspect you need a pep talk too!  If you don’t… tell me how you figured it out!  If you do, you can borrow mine, or create your own.  But whatever we do,  we won’t let life “happen” to us in 2017!

– Cat