Professionalista

All the best professionals do it.

I'm sure your mom did it. A favorite teacher? He did it. Your most-respected supervisor ever? You know she did it. Let's do it!

I am talking about complimenting; sharing of praise; thoughtful commenting. To say something positive about someone's work costs nothing. It's hardly even an effort. Try this: as you're walking by a co-worker who took one for the team and wrote the committee report say, "Hey, Dorcas, that was a great report you wrote. Thanks for doing that."

If you're a boss and have an employee who works hard, even if he has not done something spectacular recently, at the end of a weekly meeting say, "Hey, Chuck, I appreciate your work. Keep it up!"

There are many articles in HR, training and management magazines about the entitled generation - those Gen Y'ers who have supposedly grown up on praise just for the sake of praise - praise that is not merited. But here's what I think, if this is true, so be it: throw 'em a bone. "You'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" the old idiom goes. You don't have to give them an expense account, a logo tote bag or an extra .5 hours of CTO time. You just have to make them aware that you care that they are working at your company.

Now you'll have to go excuse me while I go tell my 18-year-old what a great job she is doing sitting in the sun reading a book and my 15-year-old son how amazing he is at sitting in his air-conditioned room listening to music.

Root for Joan

  

Newsweek did their annual "Emmy Roundtable" in the August 23 & 30, 2010 issue and three of my favorite TV actors are nominated: Matthew Fox (Jack!), Christina Hendricks (Joan!) and Chris Colfer (Kurt!). I think all three nominations are well deserved. The moment I saw the Glee actor/dancer/singer Colfer in the first episode of Glee, I said to H., "He should win an Emmy." (So it has been said by this Professionalista, so it will be done.) Fox really came into his own in the last season of Lost (to see him smile and be at peace at the end...sigh). But Hendricks is my favorite. Her portrayal of Joan as a strong working woman with a brain as big as her heart and boobs is a showstopper. And the way that girl can work a dress.

But this is what motivated me to post:

Look at her wonderful legs! No stick legs and boy hips for this workin' gal.And how smart is that jacket? She keeps it feminine while still looking tailored. Her breasts are not front stage but they aren't hidden. A boxier traditional suit jacket would make her look like a rectangle instead of a delicious pare (pair?). 

But even if Hendricks doesn't win this season, she can console herself. She does have a Barbie made in her likeness. As does Fox (well, an action figure). Colfer: your doll time will come.

(My apologies to Colfer for cutting out everything but his knee and elbow - no disrespect intended.)

Another sad blow to this professionalista: our last summer intern standing, M, had her last day today. She is now back to college to tackle a fifth year. Just like dear K, the intern who shared my office, M is smart, hard working, able and willing - not to mention sweet and generally helpful (qualities I personally value). M even stayed at my house while we went on a four-day college tour vacation and watched our little half rat terrier/half chihuahua Ginny. Is that not wonderful? Sigh. Anybody want to intern and do fun things like respond to requests for information, create Twitter posts (or must that be tweets?), create content for a blog, deal with PR clips, perhaps organize an event or two. Anybody? Anybody? Faith thee well, fair M! You'll kick buttocks in the real world someday soon.

Murses revisited

I've blogged before on murses (man purses). Not a big fan. But this post on the Beyond Fabric blog highlights some good lookin' mags (man bags). [Note: Thanks to Shoe Daydreams for the link.] I'm all for a man carrying a sophisticated leather briefcase, a soft leather satchel or a messenger bag. It's when the traditional and utilitarian work bag verges into the contemporary dude accessory that I lose respect.

I'm a man purse bigot. I hate to admit it but it's true. Look, I understand that men have things to carry too. Someone feel free to set me straight on this burning issue.

Jacket Lust

I went downtown with my daughter today to get her a pair of pants that she can wear to her part-time job at my hubby's - her father's - work. (She's doing a dang good job scanning documents.) Of course, we stopped in to Stella - a great shoe store here in Burlington, VT. I saw probably five pairs of shoes I would like to own but was able to take the high road. And then I saw a Hazel and Jaloux kahki jacket - modified army style - with a waist. I've been wanting one for a while. The lust started when I saw a post on The Coveted. She was wearing an army jacket over a floral dress and tights. And because it is cold 8 months out of the year here in VT, and because I almost never wear pants, I'm a big fan of tights - and jackets/blazers. Anyway, I bought it reasoning that I would wear it a lot and many times over many years. It's a great casual jacket that I can wear with jeans, straight skirts with tights(!), etc. This isn't the best shot of me or the jacket.  Note that I rolled up the sleeves to 3/4 length - and I'll generally open the neck wides. But, hey, it was 8:00 pm on a Sunday night. But I'm happy.

Love. Shoes. Vanity Fair. NYC. 'Nuff said.

OK. These aren't professional at all. They are fun. They are hot. They are Christian Louboutin. I am in love with them and would marry them if you could marry shoes. And I wasn't already married to a handsome, big man.

Let me reminisce: I saw them first in the Christian Louboutin store window in NYC after a day trip with my colleague Lizzie. She was doing a photo shoot for Vanity Fair with...the Jersey Shore Girls. I know, I know. What's Vanity Fair coming too? [Side note: does my life sound glamorous at this moment? Let's go with that. I was just the PR "people."] I took a picture of these shoes through the store window because I didn't have the balls to go in, didn't have any money, and my feet hurt from wearing hot shoes. I had that picture as a wallpaper on my phone for a long time. But of course, I can't find it right now. Anyway.

Why are some people shoe lusters and some aren't? Why are people so quirky that we like particular things? I know it has to do with a combination of how our brains are configured, our past, our hopes for the future, and who knows what else? Whatever. I love these shoes.

If you want to see more pics go to ShoeGirl

Saying yes to something means saying no to something else

I have a wonderful colleague. We'll call her V (because her name starts with a V.; I'm clever with this super-secret name-withholding coding). And she is one of those detailed, list-making, Type-A organizers. We need her. I personally respect her and value her process-oriented method of tackling tasks (because I much prefer to build relationships, market, sell and present rather than focus on the minutiae). Because I only get paid for a certain number of hours/week, I often rely on V. to help me with the process of sales and event management.

All this leads to the title of this post. V. recently shared an article, as she often does: "Don't Manage Your Time, Manage Your Attention" by Wayne Rivers, president of The Family Business Institute, Inc. Much of the article is focused on content from a book written by Lee J. Colan and David Cottrell. I share all this in case you care. Several valid points are shared in the vein of "understand your priorities and do them." I think we all know this. But the nugget that sticks with me is that when we choose to say yes to a project, we pretty likely need to say no to something else that we need and/or want to do.

Most of us juggle 1.2 million tasks every day (statistic attributed to Professionaldawn). Some are big picture steps and others are niggly details that must happen to make something else happen - the deadline-driven tasks. Sometimes we must allocate time to visionary thinking and strategic planning. But, honestly, we have to judge each week and then day what the priorities are. Sometimes it is going to be those annoying details (that V. is so good at and that I just do because it's part of the process). Annoying details can be the priority. The trick is to learn how to be a good judge of priorities.

Colan and Cottrell write, "In the absence of clearly defined priorities, you'll find yourself involved in trivial pursuits [Important side: I love that game]." Identify your priorities - whether grand or minute - and then know when to say no. But please, if you're saying no to a colleague, do it with consideration in the vein of

I'm an optimist and a believer in being open to opportunities. But perhaps I need to kick myself in the buttocks and do some thoughtful priority setting each week and reassess each day. And then I need to follow my friend Larry the Cable Guy's advice and "Git 'er done!"

Bonus! If you want to know how President Dwight Eisenhower managed priorities, click here.

Tea length? It's baaa-aaack!

I remember my senior-year sorority formals dress: white base, pink/green strapless Laura Ashley. It was the most sophisticated dress I'd ever purchased. And was it a mini? Nope. Was it full length? Nope. It was tea length. In 1987, tea length (mid-shin) was the sophisticated length for formal evening wear for girls of a certain age/status/whatever. If I had the energy, I'd jump up and scan a photo for you. But I don't. So look at the dress above.

From what I'm reading in the blogosphere, tea length is once again hot. I'm fine with this. I like dresses of every length. But here's what I have to say to little women, women of a certain height and perhaps width: consider showing the full bottom-half of your legs. Knowing what I know about fit and proportion at this stage in my life, I know that I look more proportional at 5'3", 130 lbs with some leg showing (but not my thighs, for God's sake!). I seem to lose my body with longer dresses. The affect you want to have is that you have a shape, not that you're hiding it. Of course, if you're thin or tall, you are more likely able to carry off a tea length.

Here's a cute picture of tea length on The Sartorialist blog.

Why is found clothing so delicious? I mean those pieces that appear to you in odd places that become part of your life.

I spilled gas on a pair of rubber flips (with spangles on the cross straps) yesterday; today I threw them away, with grief. They smelled. They really had to go. I found these free jewel-like sandals underneath a bed in our room at DisneyWorld resort four years ago. Would I have EVER bought these flip flops? No. Never. Did I wear these every summer into early fall for the past four years? Hells yes, I did.

Another "found" item: When I was a camp counselor back in my college days, I went to a yard sale in the small town where the Girl Scout camp was located. I had no money and no intention to buy anything. And then, there it was: a men's small tuxedo jacket. It was too long in the arms, but they rolled up nicely (it was the 80s and that worked smashingly well) and it was burning-down-the-house big in the shoulders (again, 80s). It was a quarter. Yes, 25 pennies. I had a quarter. I wore that jacket almost every night I went downtown to whoop it up. I believe the first time I kissed my future husband, I was wearing that jacket. If it's not clear to you, I loved that jacket. After the lining totally fell apart, and I moved beyond college into working, I let it go. I still think of that jacket and once even went to a second hand store and bought a similar jacket. It hangs unworn.

What is it about clothing found? Do you have any stories? Do you have any theories about this phenomenon? Do share.

Don't read this if "Leadership" bores you

I'm 45 years old. There's no hiding it. And over the course of 45 years I have worked in at least a dozen businesses. A handful of them were full-time, long-term gigs; the remainder were temping jobs, some a day or week, others a month or months. And I learned something about leadership from every one of those opportunities. I've had a couple bosses that I had absolutely no respect for because of their lack of leadership ability (and overall kindness factor) and one that I emulate to this day (because she is the most gracious lady in the world - and smart and hardworking - all things good).

Excellent leadership is an interest of mine.I'm a graduate of Leadership Champlain (a Chamber-sponsored learning experience); different United Way trainings (I've chaired the Keyperson Training - to help them learn how to lead successful fundraising campaigns); lead an office of six employees; and most recently, my 11-day image and professional development training. So, really, I'm not obsessive about this, but it's part of who I am and how I roll. I was just leafing through a book I've been meaning to read: Kouzes & Posner's Leadership Challenge (pub. John Wiley & Sons, 2007). They espouse "Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership":

• Model the way
• Inspire a shared vision
• Challenge the process
• Enable others to act
• Encourage the heart

I'm not going to go into a diatribe on what works for guiding people and creating a successful business. Don't need to. I agree with Kouzes' and Posner's bullet points. Here are my two cents on each:

• Model the way: No modeling? No respect from me.
• Inspire a shared vision: Embrace your passion and bring me along for the ride.
• Challenge the process: Some leaders are all challenge and no modeling, inspiring, enabling and encouraging. I'm thrilled to be challenged - just not when all the other good stuff isn't along for the ride.
• Enable others to act: Of course, for those of you who know me, this is my favorite. Model, inspire, challenge, encourage and then let me do what I do best (um, whatever that is.).
• Encourage the heart: Really, this one is probably asking too much. But I'll take it!

There's my Sunday morning sermon. Go forth and inspire.