Rodent Regatta

This week, we’ve been working on a number of enhancements to the services we provide. We’ve also begun a (lengthy) process of repackaging the marketing information we produce about what we do.

Thus far, we’ve only partially reworked our company’s web site. That work will continue for the next few weeks. For work that I am doing and speaking engagements I accept, we’ve produced a personal site.

Because of our belief that Wi-Fi or its variations are solutions to the metro network or ”last mile” problem, we’ve begun a crude page of notes concerning Wi-Fi. This will also be enhanced over time.

As always we’d appreciate hearing about any broken links or problems with any of these sites.

Somebody who knows Microsoft from the inside out might be able to answer this question. What percentage of Microsoft’s employees write code? I want one of those jobs that doesn’t involve writing code!

You’re in a race. You overtake the second place runner. What position do you now hold in the race? (answer: Hope you didn’t say first place. You overtook the second place runner, so you’re in second place.

from Dan Miller’s latest CareerLink newsletter

With a redoubling of effort, I’ll be making a fourfold increase in what I’ve been trying to do with career, job and employment. Here are a few of my alternatives:

• Expand our existing business
• Go to work for another company
• Develop some new consulting fields
• Change careers entirely

I’m going to be rethinking these between now and Monday. Watch for a radically expanded effort in one or more of the above areas.

Here’s a quote from Po Bronson’s terrific book that characterizes my own career perfectly. The words were spoken by Heidi Olson:

There had never been a job description that fit her. ”I do best in organizations in flux,” she realized. ”if they’re undergoing rapid change, need to be reinvented or fixed, a cleanup or a new build, I’ll do great. I’m not right for a regular job.”

December 1, 1937 in Forbes:

&nbsp&nbsp&nbspWanted: Ideal Executive In very large corporations the ideal executive line-up includes four different types. First, a chairman who is a business statesman, broad-gauged, intelligently interested in national affairs, as well as being capable of shaping policies and finances. Second, a dynamic president, expert in production problems and, preferably, able to sally forth to the firing line when big contracts are being let. Third, a master sales manager, bubbling over with ideas, originality, enthusiasm, pep, capable of inspiring the whole salesforce-and of commanding their respect for his practical abilities. Fourthand this is what many corporations lack-a vice-president in tune with labor, preferably a man who has come up from the ranks, a man of deep human sympathies, temperamentally fitted to meet and mingle with wage earners, to talk their language, to inspire their confidence.

Po Bronson’s What Should I Do With My Life? has steadily climbed the bestseller lists. Here’s another excerpt:

”He arrived expecting to see an incredible ostentatious display of wealth. At the time, a full three-quarters of the employees were millionaires. ”But they were still working in cubicles. Even the founders! And they were so nice!” One moment that stood out: an assistant had to get lunch for David Filo and Jerry Yang. She grabbed two premade turkey sandwiches from the cafeteria and threw them on the table in the conference room. Carl couldn’t believe she hadn’t asked them what they wanted, or let them customize their orders. When Carl was her age, he had to get lunch one day for Joel Schumacher and another executive. Joel ordered gazpacho with no croutons, no sour cream, and chopped egg on the side. The other executive ordered a hamburger with grilled onions on the side. But the burger came by accident with the onions on the burger. The executive refused to eat it, and chewed Carl out for not checking the order to make sure it was accurate before presenting it.