Fight for your health!

Saturday afternoon it was sunny and about 70 degrees.  Leaves covered my front yard and I was busy at work raking them and enjoying the beautiful day.  I usually hate raking leaves but on this day it was a time of relaxation and enjoyment.  

Why the change in attitude?  Well, in March I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer which at that time was believed to be small and slow growing.  Subsequent blood tests (PSA) escalated much faster than expected and in early November my Urologist called the results "disconcerting."  Nothing like hearing that from a doc to throw you for a loop.  For several days I was devastated.  I prayed frequently, did my homework and met with an Oncologist as my doc had suggested.   I came to learn that most likely the initial biopsy missed something and that area probably is more aggressive than the samples that were taken.   I will shortly begin hormone therapy, have another MRI, a bone scan, then begin 9 weeks of radiation treatment for 5 days each week.  With God's help, the wonders of modern medicine and my doctors' expertise I will persevere and overcome this.  I have found myself to be  more grateful for everything in my life.

I bring this up for more than just telling my story.  I urge all of my male friends over the age of 40 to get their annual wellness exam as I do.  Make sure your doctor orders a PSA reading in your blood tests and does a DRE exam.  Don't let him or her persuade you that you are too young to worry.  We have been tracking my PSA numbers for years and I am confident that early detection will allow me to live for decades more.  For all of my friends, if you don't feel well, have lost energy, gained weight, are concerned about the number of medications that you take, etc have a frank conversation with your doctor.  Don't allow them to put you off, tell you to lose weight or exercise more, especially if you feel poorly.  Switch doctors until you find one that listens, understands the pharmacology of your medications and prescribes different meds or even reduces what you take.  I faced these challenges some time back and finding a doctor to do that has dramatically improved my health.  If any of you would like to discuss these items I am happy to make myself available.  

Finally, if you believe that you are healthy, you can always do better.  Eat better, exercise more.  Don't take your good health for granted.  I never thought about those things when I was young and believed myself to be invincible.  You will be rewarded with prolonged health and happiness.  

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and prayers for your continued health and well being! 

Employment Summary, November 2020

The U.S. economy added 245,000 non-farm jobs in November, below the 410,000-job growth forecast by economists. The unemployment rate edged down to 6.7 percent. While November is the seventh consecutive month of both job growth and unemployment rate improvement, the pace of that improvement has moderated reflecting the ongoing coronavirus and efforts to contain it.

However, as noted by Wall Street Journal reporter Sarah Chaney Jones, current vaccine rollout plans will be a factor in future job growth, “The labor-market recovery from the pandemic’s job destruction this spring has been stronger than most economists forecast. Many expect widespread vaccine distribution to eventually help lift the economy as businesses are allowed to reopen and consumers feel more comfortable traveling, going to the movies and returning to other in-person activities involving proximity to other people.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported in November, notable job gains occurred in transportation and warehousing, professional and business services, and healthcare. Employment declined in government and retail trade.

“With this month’s BLS Employment Situation report, the economy is once again reflecting a broad-based underlying optimism bolstered by recent COVID-19 vaccine announcements,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRI. “Members of our Network of over 300 executive recruitment offices sense a building momentum particularly in sectors like healthcare, construction, financial services, and professional services as client firms intensify their search efforts for the top executive, technical, professional, and managerial talent who will lead the evolution of their business models into 2021.”

The BLS reported in November, 21.8 percent of employed persons teleworked because of the coronavirus pandemic, up from 21.2 percent in October. These data refer to employed persons who teleworked or worked at home for pay at some point in the last four weeks specifically because of the pandemic.

Commenting on the November report, Sameer Samana, senior global market strategist at The Wells Fargo Investment Institute noted, “While disappointing, this news should be somewhat offset by the increasing odds of another fiscal stimulus package, and a Fed that stands ready and willing to do more to help the economy.”

Looking to future months, David Berson, chief economist at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. provided an additional optimistic outlook, “As infection rates go down, as the number of people vaccinated goes up, then we’ll start to see ... business activity expand at a faster rate, and we will see the employment numbers pick up more strongly.”

As reported by the BLS, employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 145,000 in November. Employment rose by 82,000 in couriers and messengers and by 37,000 in warehousing and storage; since February, employment in these industries has increased by 182,000 and 97,000, respectively. Job growth also occurred over the month in truck transportation (+13,000).

In November, employment in professional and business services increased by 60,000, with about half the gain occurring in temporary help services (+32,000). Job growth also occurred in services to buildings and dwellings (+14,000).

Healthcare added 46,000 jobs in November, with gains occurring in offices of physicians (+21,000), home healthcare services (+13,000), and offices of other health practitioners (+8,000). Nursing care facilities continued to lose jobs (-12,000). Overall, there are 527,000 fewer healthcare jobs than February.

Construction gained 27,000 jobs in November. Employment rose in residential specialty trade contractors (+14,000) and in heavy and civil engineering construction (+10,000).

In November, manufacturing employment increased by 27,000. Job gains occurred in motor vehicles and parts (+15,000) and in plastics and rubber products (+5,000).

Financial activities added 15,000 jobs in November. Gains occurred in real estate (+10,000) and in nondepository credit intermediation (+8,000). Financial activities have added 164,000 jobs over the past 7 months, but employment in the industry is 115,000 lower than in February.

Employment in wholesale trade continued to trend up in November (+10,000). Government employment declined for the third consecutive month, decreasing by 99,000 in November.

Employment in leisure and hospitality changed little in November (+31,000) but is down by 3.4 million since February. Arts, entertainment, and recreation added 43,000 jobs in November, while employment in food services and drinking places changed little (-17,000). Employment in other major industries, including mining, information, and other services, also showed little change in November.

“Our Network members are continuing to see client organizations invest boldly in growth, as they work to avoid the dangers of recency bias. We are helping our clients ensure they don’t over-index on the most recent global events to guide their decisions, but instead remain committed to objectively evaluating the full picture and focusing on what has historically driven economic vitality: great talent,” said Miller.

Nail Your Next Job Interview!

 You have cleared a major hurdle! You have an interview scheduled. What do you do next?

People hire and accept emotionally first, and justify logically later.

Here are some tips.

1. The initial question is generally an "ice-breaker", something like "Tell me about what you've done…". Be careful not to go through your entire work history here. But you also don't want to skim and miss something important. Tell the interviewer a synopsis of your experience, gearing your information toward what you know of the position in question (60 seconds). Then ask him for his description of the job's duties and responsibilities. As he describes the specifics of what he's looking for, share your specific experiences with the duties he's describing. Also, share your accomplishments in those tasks. You are positioning yourself as a direct solution to his specific need.

2. After hearing his description of all the duties and responsibilities, ask what the #1 priority is. What needs to be accomplished every day before you leave the office? And why? (Priorities are personal)

3.  What are the metrics for success?

What criteria will I be evaluated against? A good way to phrase this is, "Mr. Hiring Authority, if you and I were sitting here in one year, going over my annual performance review, and you were telling me how pleased you were with my performance, what criteria would you have used to come to that conclusion? This will cause him to answer specifically, giving you the information you need. It will also move him into a mode of mentally placing you in the company for one year successfully. Find out about problems or obstacles you may inherit.

4.  Questions

Ask any question that you will need to know in order to go to work for this company. You need to have all of your questions written out beforehand. Leave space to jot answers. The only questions not to broach are those regarding compensation or benefits. I wouldn't put you into the interview if there wasn't plenty of overlap in the numbers.

5. Ask for the next step. Too many candidates engage the interview in a passive way-answering questions, thanking the manager for the interview, never getting an idea of what the next step is. They also never give the interviewer a sense of if they even really want the job. Let him know. "I am very interested in taking this to the next level. From our conversation today, I feel that I would bring a lot to the organization, and that this would be a very good move for me, as well. Can we conclude our business today, or will I be coming back again for another

meeting? When will that be? Who will I be meeting with? What will they be focusing on?

Good Luck! You got this!

Is "Happiness" Stealing Your Future?

Have you created a plan to leverage your investment in your career?  What was the cost of your education, continuing education, certificate programs, etc?  Are those sunk costs or are you doing your best to not only recapture but make the most out of that investment?

Today we view and read much about work life balance, career satisfaction, and self fulfillment.  I am going to be blunt about something.  Those are all buzz words to justify complacency.    Your investment in your education, your development of your skills and knowledge are all investments in a business.  Satisfaction, self fulfillment, and happiness are emotions.  I understand that those are important emotions but should be looked upon separately.  If you are unhappy, you can fix that easily by changing your circumstances along with how you view your situation.  Being happy doesn't exclude you from more happiness in the future by doing something different and no career will make you happy if you are not one that focuses on being grateful.  Again, don't mistake emotional fulfillment with your business.  You can be equally fulfilled working elsewhere and/or doing something different.  

Don't rest on your laurels as we enter the 4th quarter of 2020.  Evaluate, then take action.  Here are some things to consider. 

Is my company well positioned financially to weather the uncertainty in today's business climate?

Where do I fit into their plans?

What areas of opportunity exist in my company?  In my industry?

What areas can I help expand business currently?

Am I proficient to step in and assist in those areas?  If not, how do I get to where I need to be?

What are the most valuable skills that I must learn that I don't currently posses?

What competitors may be better positioned to allow me to continue my career growth?  

What is my plan to meet with them before the new year to insure that I am maximizing my investment in my career and continuing to be satisfied professionally and personally?

 

The Face of the Conversation

I normally refrain from social commentary when posting on professional sites like LinkedIn but I am going to change my conduct, at least for today.

The picture below is my daughter Adele, taken about 25 years ago.  Adele will be 30 in a few short months and is my reason for getting up everyday, even now.   Being her father is a privilege as it is a privilege for each of us to be a parent.  I still have a responsibility, even today, to influence Adele in positive ways.  I know that even as she continues to mature, how I respond to things will have an influence on her and I take that responsibility seriously.  

Claudia Apolinar and her partner are also someone's daughter and son.  I can't imagine the horror that they felt when learning of the life threatening injuries inflicted upon them by the criminal that tried to murder them.  They instilled values in them that lead them to a career of service to and protection of others.  As I read of the attacks and continue to think about them this picture of Adele comes to mind, the innocence and the happiness.  I pray for her to have that today and everyday as I am sure that the parents of the deputies do for their children.  

The upheaval we are experiencing is not due to racism, it is due to the destruction of the nuclear family.  The absence of a mother or father from the home creates an imbalance in discipline, teaching of values, reinforcement of positive behaviors and the lessons taught by spending time together everyday when the children see how we react to everyday challenges.  Regardless of the teachings of the social justice movement none of us are limited in the United States by anything other than our own beliefs, attitudes, talents, skills, education, and effort.  Am I saying that racism, ageism, sexism and other isms do not exist?  Certainly not!  I am saying that those prejudices are overcome with performance.  That is the message that our young people need to hear.  

Our conversations with our children should never include our negative limiting beliefs.  Our duty is to drive them to levels of success insuring that they obtain the education that they need, develop their skills and talents and understand that regardless of their limitations that they can persevere with their efforts.  

Overcoming the racial divide

 Today Major League Baseball celebrates the life of Roberto Clemente.

Growing up in the 1960s & 70s in Western Pennsylvania, Clemente was an icon. Millions of Pirates' fans, of all races embraced him for his skill, athleticism, accomplishments and his humanity. Clemente transcended racial boundries as did some of his contemporaries in Pittsburgh Sports. Names like Willie Stargell, Joe Greene, Manny Sanguillen and Franco Harris come to mind. I think Clemente may have struggled more than most due to his language barrier earlier in his career, the distance from his family and friends and the racial hostilities in the 50s and 60s, but, his efforts, skills and loving nature won over the majority. Clemente was known by the media to be a hypochondriac and moody but as fans we either didn't see it or overlooked it due to his other attributes. Clemente was also part of the first all Black lineup fielded by Danny Murtaugh in 1971. Imagine, that was a big deal.

Today we see athletes at the forefront of much of the discussion about race. Most have little understanding or appreciation for the struggles of the Black pioneers in pro sports and have lead a privileged life from the time that they were children due to their skills and the accommodations granted due to those skills. They too have the ability to transcend race due to their skills and have a much larger platform from which to speak due to the new age media yet they choose to inflame rather than inspire.

As American's we have an obligation to lift each other reminding those that we influence of the possibilities that are available with skill, hard work and determination rather than tear down our institutions. When we see wrong, we can change it. That is what the ballot box is for. In any community, White, Black, Asian, or Hispanic the possibilities in the US are far greater than any place on Earth. Let's promote that!

Finally, my Pastor challenged us with his message on Sunday to take 5 minutes daily to consider the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. Pretty tough to riot, loot and burn if you consider that. Do you want to see change? Find someone in your sphere of influence that is struggling and become their mentor giving them hope, love and encouragement. That will transcend race, national origin, religion or socio-economic status.

The Facts of Life When Negotiating

Quite often other things in life can teach us valuable lessons for business.  I am including an article ( https://rumbunter.com/2020/09/04/pittsburgh-pirates-ja-happ-mlb/ ) that is a story of a failed negotiation to land a valuable free agent.  

JA Happ played the second half of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015 and was outstanding.  The team had a high level of interest in resigning him as a free agent for the 2016 season and beyond.  They presented a 2 year contract with the caveat, if someone offers more we would like to have a chance to match.  Someone did, and Mr. Happ accepted the other offer.  The Pirates walked away empty handed and many believe that this was the beginning of a spiral for the team that had gone to the playoffs for 3 consecutive seasons.  

The moral of the story is, when negotiating to hire talent, make your highest and best offer the first time, every time.  Use all of your resources to strongly advocate for your firm putting it in the best light possible. The ramifications can be devastating if it is a key hire and you miss.  The Pirates have gone from one of the top teams in baseball to likely having the worst record in baseball in 2020 after missing on this chance, leading to several miscalculated additions that didn't pan out. Not only did the roster suffer, but their reputation took a hit eliminating them in other pursuits.   

REACH FOR THE STARS!

I help companies hire Professional Civil Engineers.  My clients very often have specific ideas as to what achievements that they prefer experienced candidates to have accomplished.   Success in pursuing business is often a leading attribute that they desire.  As I discuss this with hiring managers I learn that they have been disappointed in the past with professionals that they hired that did not perform at suitable levels rapidly enough.  Other times I am told how hard it is to find people with those skills.  I usually reply that of course it is difficult.  Those folks are compensated well and treated even better as the skill set lacks among engineers.  Students don't endeavor to become engineers because they want to sell  They are technically focused with strong STEM skills.

The question begs to be asked, what should you do?

There is no way to know if someone will be successful in sales, especially when they are technically focused but your culture and hiring practices of entry level professionals can insure long term success.  Don't just look at classes taken, grades and interview performance.  What extra curricular activities did they participate in?  Did they work through school?  Are you administering personality skills assessments and considering the results in your hiring process?  What activities are you encouraging that they be involved with in addition to their project work?  Are you involving them in Toastmasters?  Are they participating in Client interviews?  When do you ask them to begin to pursue new business?  How are you preparing them to get there?

As your hiring practices develop, be sure to include analysis of personality types, achievements, types of activities in school, etc.  As an example, someone that participated in a debate class or was involved in a school drama club may have more confidence to interact with potential clients.  As I stated earlier, we all know how difficult it is to attract established professionals with strong business development skills.  The results are mixed at best.  Control what you can and reach for the stars when hiring, then invest in developing the desired skills to interact with and develop new clients. 

Video Conferencing Fatigue: Does a Constant Stream of Virtual Calls Impact Work-From-Home Productivity?

 Courtesy of the MRI Network

The WFH model is now an integral feature of virtually every white-collar professional’s daily routine. Freed from the daily grind of an energy-draining commute to the office, most knowledge industry workers report they are starting work earlier and fully engaged for longer hours. This would seem to be a recipe for added productivity, particularly when linked to new video communication technologies. But for many workers, the physical limits of Zoom-type technologies and the natural inclinations of bosses to ensure full engagement of dispersed teams can lead to WFH burnout.

Exploring these two powerful forces through the eyes of a multimedia expert working in a professional services environment can yield some surprisingly common-sense solutions. Patrick Convery, Senior Marketing Manager at MRINetwork, one of the world’s leading talent access organizations, addresses the challenge for employees from a technology and management perspective.

“Most of my professional life has involved work in front of and behind a camera – capturing vivid images and smart dialogue to drive training, internal communication, and B-to-B thought leadership content to build brands,” says Convery. “My background should have fully prepared me for the sudden transition to a full-time WFH situation driven by the pandemic. But I got caught in the trap between video technology and an overcompensation for the lack of quality face-to-face time with team members and clients.”

Technology-savvy Convery initially welcomed the elimination of a three-hour round-trip commute to the office and was excited about the added time to accomplish more work – both faster and more effectively. He soon found, however, that his new-found productive time was consumed by an endless series of video calls and his inability to protect those precious hours to accomplish critical tasks.

He created a path out of the technology and time trap through three axioms, which are applicable to almost any role in the new world of work.

Axiom 1: Video calls are unnatural acts. Make them as natural as possible.

As user friendly as new Zoom technologies are, they all force participants to live in a one-screen, one-position environment. Patrick notes, “In normal, live, face to-face meetings, you can shift positions, move from side- to-side, cross your legs, and look pensively out the window as you absorb your colleague’s comments. Your listening skills are engaged and your body language is adding a communication layer to the speaker who senses your response to the dialogue.” Convery offers two key production tips:

1.        Use a camera angle that allows you to shift between sitting and standing. Controlled motion promotes more natural participation. Use a standing desk or elevate the position of the camera. When standing don’t hesitate to look off to the side as if looking out a window from time to time (even if it is an imaginary window). It provides a non-verbal cue expressing your interest in the comments to the speaker or the audience.
 

2.        Avoid the Brady Bunch effect – don’t try to look at all the participants at once for any length of time. Shift from the gallery view to speaker mode for a more natural focus on the speaker. Every so often, go to voice-only to allow for a brief stretching exercise.
 

Axiom 2: Consider an old-fashioned phone call for quick routine exchanges.

You remember phone calls, right? Hassle free, simple to arrange, and easily managed to be short and concise. Don’t hesitate to turn down a video request and suggest a voice-only alternative.

Axiom 3: Don’t suffer in silence.

If your schedule is overloaded with video check-ins, say something! Tell your boss that too frequent, lengthy, and often unfocused video calls are not productive for anyone. So far, technology hasn’t provided a solution for that important comment with a colleague traded briefly around the water cooler or as a quick question over the office partition. Until technology delivers that immediacy (and be assured it is being worked on right now), Convery notes, “You must be assertive and jealously protect that most precious commodity, time, to successfully get a job completed. If you need to block off your calendar to focus on executing tasks and guard against additional calls and meetings being added to your day – do it and don’t feel about it.”

 

July 2020 Jobs Report

Courtesy of the MRI Network

Despite recent COVID-19 spikes the U.S. economy added 1.8 million jobs and unemployment fell to 10.2 percent providing support to the optimism reflected in the continued financial market rally. Economist forecasts had anticipated a weaker rebound with an addition of about 1.4 million jobs. Instead the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported stronger recovery associated with continued resumption of economic activity.

“The world of work may look different as we emerge from the pandemic,” said President and CEO of Management Recruiters International (MRI) Bert Miller, “but the fundamental demand for highly qualified people to reinvigorate the economy and provide the goods and services we all need will be higher than ever. We continue to see talent needs as our global Network of recruiters respond to our clients in the executive, professional and technical sectors. We anticipate even higher activity as effective virus treatments become a reality. Skilled American workers have always been and will continue to be the driving force behind our recovery.”

The BLS reported total non-farm employment rose by 1.8 million in July, and the number of unemployed persons fell by 1.4 million to 16.3 million. For the first time since the pandemic-driven shutdown of the economy, unemployment for a large segment of the non-farm payroll — adult men — fell below the 10 percent barrier at 9.4 percent.

According to the BLS notable job gains in July occurred in leisure and hospitality, government, retail trade, professional and business services, other services, and health care. The BLS also noted that the number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) declined by 619,000 to 8.4 million in July, reflecting a decline almost 700,000 in the number of people whose hours were cut due to slack work or business conditions.

“What the data continues to tell me is that we’re making progress from the pain that was most acute back in March and April. So we continue to have this recovery, but it’s uneven,” said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist for the U.S. SPDR business at State Street Global Advisors in comments to CNBC. “We still have a lot of wood to chop here, but we’re moving in the right direction.”

“We have seen a very troubling increase in COVID-19 cases in many states that had reopened for business, but we continue to be cautiously optimistic that the overall U.S. economy has turned a corner, and that the solid job gains announced today will be sustained," said Tony Bedikian, managing director of Citizens Bank in an interview with Fox Business.

Employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 592,000, accounting for about one-third of the gain in total nonfarm employment in July. Employment in food services and drinking
places rose by 502,000, following gains of 2.9 million in May and June combined. Over the month, employment also rose in amusements, gambling, and recreation (+100,000).

A July job gain in federal government (+27,000) reflected the hiring of temporary workers for the 2020 Census.

In July, retail trade added 258,000 jobs. Employment in the industry is 913,000 lower than in February. In July, nearly half of the job gain in retail trade occurred in clothing and clothing accessories stores (+121,000). By contrast, the component of general merchandise
stores that includes warehouse clubs and supercenters lost jobs (-64,000) following robust gains in recent months.

Employment in professional and business services increased in July (+170,000). Most of the July gain occurred in temporary help services (+144,000).

Health care added 126,000 jobs, with employment growth in offices of dentists (+45,000), hospitals (+27,000), offices of physicians (+26,000), and home health care services (+16,000). Job losses continued in nursing and residential care facilities (-28,000).

Employment in transportation and warehousing rose by 38,000 in July, following an increase of 87,000 in June. In July, employment rose in transit and ground passenger transportation (+20,000), air transportation (+16,000), and couriers and messengers (+9,000).

Ok, we are in a downturn.

I had an interesting conversation with a friend and friendly competitor yesterday discussing the downturns in our business since COVID19 restrictions.  Many are facing those same challenges.  Our challenges are different than many as we can continue to work, but, it has become a challenge to find clients that are willing to make major investments for our services.  My friend has decided to offer some auxiliary services which at first blush sounds great.  After analysis, I find 2 problems with that.  The distraction from the core business and the low margins in his new offerings.  His time away from the core business will be costly and replaced by trivial work that won't  fulfill his financial needs or contribute to long term success.

After taking some time to consider what we discussed, I began to focus on what I know to be true.  This exercise was a great reminder and I am sharing it here. 

1.  Don't devalue your professional services.  When prices fall dramatically customers begin to think that any price is too high and they perceive little value in your service. 

2.  Focus on solutions.  It is impossible to do that when speaking to a gatekeeper, procurement specialist or other individual not being directly affected by the existing problem that you may provide a solution for.  Ask questions.  Understand who the user of your service really is and determine if they are a decision maker.  Understand the pain that is being created by not solving the problem for the user and the decision maker.  (If they are different parties.)  NO PAIN = NO SALE!

3.  It is never over!  I have had prospects tell me no for years only later to become profitable clients.  Have  plan for regular follow up which will help to build familiarity, create a relationship, demonstrate persistence and strengthen your reputation with the prospect.  No is only for today.

4.  Increase activities in  areas that will help facilitate sales.  Email messages, low margin services, and unproductive activities like surfing the web aren't going to increase sales.  Your most powerful tool is your willingness to pick up the phone and call your prospective clients. 

 

Must I accept a new position after interviewing?

I speak with professionals daily, recruiting them for positions with their competitors.   The most frequent objection  that I encounter is that "I am happy."  When asked what their current firm provides, it usually includes non-specific reasons about nice people, corporate culture, being comfortable etc.  Basically, folks are telling me that it is easier not to have to consider an alternative. 

This always brings me to several questions.  Sometimes I ask them, but usually not as people seem to take offense.  Is this the happiest that you will ever be?  How do you know that another firm may not value your talent enough to provide everything that makes you happy with your current firm and more? 

There are numerous reasons to agree to interviews.  The main reason being is that it puts you in a position to fully understand what a competitor may offer rather than assume that your current firm is up to date on technology, has the ability to attract the most interesting projects, or is valuing your skills and supporting your goals as well as a competitor may.  In addition, expanding your professional network is always beneficial to enhance learning and perhaps create teaming opportunities. 

To thoroughly analyze a new company/position, several meetings will probably be necessary.  You are empowered to ask questions and research the firm at various stages.  After doing so, you have the choice to accept an offer if presented, propose different terms like compensation, roles, responsibilities etc., or decline and remain with your firm if the company presenting the offer doesn't provide compelling reasons for you to make a change.  You risk nothing by engaging in this process and may never know what riches (cash, opportunities, relationships) that you forego by being complacent. 

Forgiveness Provides You a Clean Slate

I always grimace when dealing with this subject.   "I have been wronged, why should I forgive" is a thought that always comes to mind.  I have learned though that a failure to forgive causes mental anguish for me while not affecting the person that I have not forgiven.

In business, there is plenty of opportunity to feel wronged.  I am a professional salesperson providing consulting services.  In order to build new relationships I must make an initial contact and begin to earn the trust of the person that I am talking to.  Those of you not in sales call this "Cold Calling."  Cold Calling is tough work.  You experience tons of rejection and many responses are less than polite, provoking angry thoughts on my part.  It would be easy to solve,  just never call that person again.  The problem is, the prospect pool is finite and would be non existent if I did not call those that had been abrupt, rude, etc. Early in my career I understood the need to continue to try to establish the relationships but struggled to be at my best during subsequent conversations.  It is very difficult to succeed when you are not at your best.  

What do you do?  Forgive.  If you do not, you will never succeed.  This is a valuable skill to learn in business but even more important in life.  Grudges are tough to bear so why hold them?  Here are some things that I remember during my better times.  Believe me, I still struggle with the issue but having a tool to overcome the struggle is a huge benefit.

1.  It is not about me.  Usually when someone does me wrong it is because they are facing a challenge themselves or lack skills, ethics or whatever in general.  I can't control that.  I must accept it.  As I am a believer that most people want to do the right thing, I assume that they are having a difficult time and don't hold a bad day against them.  

2.  No only means no today.  Circumstances change.  Moods change.  Relationships change.  It pays to build cordial relationships even when there has been a rocky one to this point.  

3.  Blow it off and move on.  Dwelling on it only affects my ability to be at my best for my next contact or my interactions outside of work.  

4.  Have a list of validations.  Do you want to change your attitude rapidly?  Take some quiet time and make a list of things that you are grateful for, things that you enjoy doing, people that you love and why you feel that way.  It's a great tool to refer to when angry, hurt or not at your highest level of motivation.    

Today's takeaway.  Only you are responsible for your emotions.  Forgiveness allows you to improve your attitude and levels of success in business and in your relationships. 

Pandemic Proof Your Career

One of my regrets is that I never finished my college education but anyone that knows me can say that my drive to learn has never ended. I frequently read and work on developing new skills. It may be learning new technical skills, improving my ability to communicate, obtaining licensure or certifications, learning to work better with people, etc, I invest heavily in time and money.
During these uncertain times it is more crucial than ever before. Companies assess a passion for improvement, a willingness to volunteer and the flexibility to adapt to new situations when making retention decisions or offering promotions. In addition, those attributes are attractive to perspective employers.
You should regularly work to improve skills and communicate your efforts to your superiors along with your desire to contribute in more ways. These things will provide dividends throughout your career.
Here is a recent article that you will find interesting.
https://www.vault.com/blogs/job-search/benefits-of-learning-new-skills

June Job Growth Exceeds All Expectations

The following is provided courtesy of the MRI Network.

Following strong May results, the hiring recovery continued to gain momentum with much better than expected job gains in June. The U.S. jobless rate fell 2.2 percentage points to 11.1 percent and payrolls rose by 4.9 million as businesses continued to look to a future free of pandemic-induced supply chain disruptions and its drag on overall demand.

“Today’s employment data adds support to a business trend our Network of almost 400 executive recruitment offices have reported. We continue to see month-over-month improvements in client demand for professional, technical, executive and managerial talent,” said Bert Miller, president and CEO of MRINetwork. “In spite of travel barriers and limitations on face-to-face interviewing, companies are recognizing the need to strengthen their organizations by hiring talented people who can thrive in the new world of work which is emerging from the coronavirus-impacted economy.”

Forecasts for the June jobs report had been wide ranging with a consensus 2.9 million new jobs. Analysts remained more uncertain than normal after the surprising gain of 2.5 million jobs versus a consensus of a decline of 7.5 million jobs in May. “We’ve got big forces at work here,” said James Sweeney, chief economist at Credit Suisse Group AG in comments to Bloomberg. “In addition to the return of workers and the (May) misclassification, more recently you have the new wave of infections slowing the return. So, this is tricky.” The June jobs report is also expected to influence congressional debate over the dimensions of an anticipated federal coronavirus relief bill.

The BLS reported broad improvements in the labor market reflecting the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed in March and April due to the coronavirus pandemic and efforts to contain it. In June, employment in leisure and hospitality rose sharply. Notable job gains also occurred in retail trade, education and health services, other services, manufacturing, and professional and business services.

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 4.9 million in June, following an increase of 2.7 million in May. These gains reflect a partial resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic in April and March, when employment fell by a total of 22.2 million in the two months combined. In June, nonfarm employment was 14.7 million, or 9.6 percent, lower than its February level.

Commenting on the June results to Fox Business, Andrew Chamberlain, chief economist at Glassdoor noted the better-than-expected report provided a “powerful signal of how swiftly U.S. job growth can bounce back and how rapidly businesses can reopen once the nation finally brings the coronavirus under control - a reason for optimism in coming months.”

Also commenting on the June jobs report and noting the current resurgence of coronavirus cases, economist Thomas Simons of Jeffries added, “There's continued risk that a second-wave could reverse some of these job gains in July, but that should not take away from the strength of the June data.”

In June, employment in leisure and hospitality increased by 2.1 million, accounting for about two-fifths of the gain in total nonfarm employment. Over the month, employment in food services and drinking places rose by 1.5 million, following a gain of the same magnitude in May. Despite these gains, employment in food services and drinking places remains down by 3.1 million since February. Employment also rose in June in amusements, gambling, and recreation (+353,000) and in the accommodation industry (+239,000).

Employment in retail trade rose by 740,000, after a gain of 372,000 in May. On net, employment in the industry remains 1.3 million lower than in February. In June, notable job gains occurred in clothing and clothing accessories stores (+202,000), general merchandise stores (+108,000), furniture and home furnishings stores (+84,000), and motor vehicle and parts dealers (+84,000).

Professional and business services added 306,000 jobs in June, 1.8 million below its February level. In June, employment rose in temporary help services (+149,000), services to buildings and dwellings (+53,000), and accounting and bookkeeping services (+18,000). By contrast, employment declined in computer systems design and related services (-20,000).

Construction employment increased by 158,000 in June, following a gain of 453,000 in May. These gains accounted for more than half of the decline in March and April (-1.1 million combined). Month-over-month gains occurred in specialty trade contractors (+135,000), with growth equally split between the residential and nonresidential components. Job gains also occurred in construction of buildings (+32,000).  Financial activities added 32,000 jobs in June, with over half of the gain in real estate (+18,000).

As Far as the Eyes Can See

Yesterday I had an appointment in Scotts Valley which is about 150 miles from home. I drove along HWY 101 North through the heart of much our vast agricultural lands in California. Similar stretches exist in other areas of California as well. California produces over 1/3 of the country's vegetables and 2/3 of the fruits and nuts. California is the leading state in production of agricultural goods and accounts for over 13% of the nation's agricultural value.

Driving through the area I saw hundreds of men and women working the fields, operating $millions worth of equipment. As I approached Salinas, the transportation hub for these products, I noticed millions of sq. ft. of warehouse space, hundreds, if not thousands, of trucks and dozens of those trucks on the highway. All of this is providing employment for millions of people and supporting their families. From the workers in the field, to the factory workers manufacturing the trucks and equipment to the checkout clerk at your grocery store, they are employed due to this unbelievable economic engine.

The US has its' share of problems but never forget, no other nation can match our ingenuity or production in agriculture or many other commodities. This provides $trillions in income for people of all types, regardless of national origin, education or other barriers. This greatness provides opportunities for a better life for anyone that wants one.

Social Media and Me

Yesterday a rather large fire started in a dry river bed about 3 miles from my home at about 2 PM. A sizable area was evacuated along the riverbed stretching for probably 2 to 3 miles and some distance away from the river. Several homes were lost.

While at work, I was watching videos and pictures posted to Facebook from area residents. I also follow several public safety FB pages that were doing the same. The fire appeared to be rapidly spreading, evacuations were being announced, sirens could be heard from all over the county racing to battle the fire. Finally, at about 3:30 I left work as I was concerned about the spread affecting my home. I took a circuitous route to avoid the areas in immediate danger and approached my home from a direction that was opposite to the direction of the fire. I arrived home and surprisingly could see no smoke and we were less than 3 miles from the fire. I was thankful to say the least. We spent a quiet evening while keeping an eye on the news in case things worsened. We were fortunate that they did not. Today, the fire is 60% contained with a small number of homes lost. Our first responders did a terrific job to prevent this from becoming a disaster of huge proportions.

I say all of this to get to my real point. Social Media and Media in general drives much of what we learn today. The immediacy, the redundancy, and the urgency all have an effect on how we think, what we think, how we interact with other and what actions we take. I understand the benefits that these media types provide, but, we also must understand how they amplify events in ways that may not be beneficial. My trip home from work yesterday, when there was little or no threat to my home, is the perfect example. I can think of many more where my mood, productivity, and responses have been altered by this phenomenon. We all should be aware and take great pains to manage what and how much media that we consume.

Fathers Day 2020

It's a time when most of us our celebrating our fathers or our children are celebrating with us.  Most fathers have had a profound influence on our lives.  My Dad wasn't a man of many words but when he spoke he demanded that I paid attention and remembered what he said.  I found his expectations to be daunting as a child but as an adult I am thankful for the lessons.  Here are a few.  Please note, I have paraphrased some to eliminate the "descriptive" language! 

1.  If you wonder what I would think, don't do it!

2.  There will always be people more talented than you, but, they shouldn't be able to out work you.

3.  Don't lie to me.  I can help you if I know the truth, but, I won't help you if you lie because I won't know what the truth is.

4.  Get it right the first time.  Some mistakes will kill you.  You can't fix it if you're dead.

5.  Make a decision.  Worrying won't make your decision any better.  The doubt will make you less effective once you make it.  

6.  Respect everyone.  Fear no one.  

7.  Accept it if you screw up.  Hiding it won't fix it.  Some things can't be fixed.  Don't dwell on it. Move on.  

Timeless Lessons Learned

The quote by Edison shown below is something that has driven me for my entire life. In addition, my Dad always drove me to new limits with school work, doing work around the house and more. I still hear him tell me: "There are numerous people more talented than you, but, nobody should ever be able to out work you." I have been reflecting on my early career this week as it is an anniversary of my real exposure to the business world. Life is full of lessons and these are every bit as valuable as they were back then. I hope that you enjoy my story.

Forty years ago this week I began a journey that would impact the rest of my life. I was promoted to manage an office in Greensburg for ITT Financial Services. I hated the drive from Mckees Rocks but looked forward to moving ahead in my career.

Coming out of high school I had been confused about what I wanted to do for a career. Throughout high school I had believed that I wanted to major in PreMed and then move on to Medical School. I decided upon graduation that I could not attend school for that period of time as I really disliked school. My Dad gave me 2 choices, go to college or work at General Motors with him. I picked college as I also didn't see myself in a factory for the rest of my life. College was a waste as Community College of Allegheny County classes offered nothing that I hadn't already learned in high school with many of my high school classes being more advanced. While in college I worked as a manager for Cinemette, managing various theaters in the Pittsburgh area. I really enjoyed the work and had a strong reputation within the company as I began working there as an usher at age 16. The only problem was that the pay was low and the hours long. There were no benefits and wages were too low to live on as an adult on my own.

After 2 years of college, I began in Consumer Finance in 1978 as a "Manager Trainee" for Domestic Finance. That was a glorified title for a bill collector. With record unemployment sweeping Pittsburgh and beginning to show in the rest of the country I was happy to have a job with benefits. I did well in my position and was motivated as other employment options at the time were limited. ITT began to expand in Pittsburgh and nationally so I made the transition there in early 1980 and it proved to be a good move. Not long after being promoted to manager in Greensburg, the office in Forest Hills was struggling. Our Regional Manager, Rich Lutsch (who went on to become a long time mentor for me) was left without many options for that branch as the problems were overwhelming. The office was the worst performing of about 700 offices nationally. I lobbied for the job but Rich was reluctant to throw a rookie into the fire. I don't know if I was persuasive or if there were no other options but Rich transferred me with the stern warning, "If you can't turn this around we will have to close it and there may not be another manager's spot." I was never concerned as I knew that hard work would overcome my lack of experience. Three years later, after returning the office to acceptable levels of performance, I was offered a promotion to regional manager reporting to someone that I didn't care for. Rich had been transferred and it was time for me to do something different with a different group of people.

I requested a transfer to San Antonio to manage a large office there that was not performing. I was able to rapidly turn that office into a profit maker solving many of the problems and awarded a trip to London for my performance there. It was also while in San Antonio that I met and married my first wife. After nearly a year in San Antonio I was asked to go to Corpus Christi to turn around an even larger office. Again, the improvement was rapid and earned me a shot at becoming a regional manager once again, this time in Orange County California, reuniting me to work with my mentor Rich. My efforts in Orange County resulted in recognition for performance in the Top 1% of the company and trips to Germany, Austrailia and Hawaii. In late 1987 I was assigned a new region, South Central Los Angeles. The region was a wreck with 7 offices, no direction, and increasing losses. I quickly decided to close 2 of the worst performing branches,, and relocated 3 of the remaining branches to areas that were safer. After 6 months I was exhausted and not sure how my performance would be evaluated. I was working 60+ hours weekly and the performance didn't match my efforts or my expectations but, I suppose I was too critical of my performance. In April of 1988 I received a promotion to be a Vice President with oversight of 30 branches and nearly 300 people. It was a reward beyond my wildest dreams, as was my entire career at ITT. The experiences there prepared me to be successful for the rest of my life. I learned how to interact with people in order to motivate them to achieve common goals, to plan, organize and anticipate. The experience also gave me the confidence to know that I could out work any problem.

If you are still with me you may be asking, why are you writing this? Well, as I noted above it has been 40 years since this story began but it is not over. The lessons are timeless. If I could do it all over again, I would have gotten my college education first, but other than that, I would not change a thing. The lessons of hard work, sacrifice, perseverance and the character built by overcoming extreme challenges are as applicable today as they were 40 years ago.