OPEN – Ordinary People, Extraordinary Network

June 8, 2015June 9, 2015 / Josh Green / Leave a comment

Leaving my office the other day, I was feeling really excited about a client I had helped out. They were looking for information and I was able to put together data from various people who solved their issue. I said to myself, “I really have an extraordinary network of people to draw support from.” As soon as I said it, I thought back to Ted Coiné and Mark Babbitt’s, A World Gone Social. It was one of those moments where I felt like things had come full circle.

One of the many great items from the book is the OPEN concept; Ordinary Person, Extraordinary Network. The book asks the question whether you would rather have the top expert in the field, or one thousand ordinary people chosen at random. It is an interesting question. There are a few things that come to mind now that I have had time to process my thoughts.

What is an ordinary person? Is that me? I think I am an ordinary person in the sense that I don’t believe I am an outlier in many, if any, categories. This means that I, alone, will not likely solve a major mystery of the world. However, one of the most valuable lessons I have learned is that it is not just about what I can bring to the table myself, but what I can bring to the table with me.

It is through this, and similar experiences, that I have learned that I truly have an extraordinary network; built through several different times in my life. First, I have two incredible parents who know someone in what seems like every industry out there. I am also a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and was able to meet hundreds of people who I am personally connected with throughout my time on the General Fraternity staff. My current role in the NSBDC allows me to connect with any of my fellow business advisors in the over 1,000 SBDC offices around the country. My office is also housed at the University of Nevada, so I also have access to immensely intelligent minds spanning many subjects. And, finally, I have a wide network of friends throughout the country.

When it comes down to it, I have an extraordinary network that continues to grow. This offers me a tremendous opportunity to solve problems and get information from the people who know far more than I do about any given subject. Through this network, I feel like an old school telephone operator making connections from one side of the board to the other. This has been a great asset as I look for new and creative ways to solve problems that help others achieve success.

This has reiterated a powerful lesson to me – network and build relationships. I would rather have 1,000 ordinary people with each having a network of their own to help find solutions. While experts know their field, having 1,000, each with their own ideas, offers a level of strength that is difficult to match.

What is the best example of what you have been able to put together as a result of your network? Please add your response in a comment below.

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A World Gone Social

A World Gone Social: Six Months Later

BYOD: Bring Your Own Device

June 3, 2015June 4, 2015 / Josh Green / 2 Comments

For a class project in the spring, I was part of a team that looked at bringing your own devices to work, instead of a company providing them. We reviewed the pros and cons of both phones and laptops. I use my personal laptop in the office and have remote access to our network, which means I can work from anywhere. The only time I am on my work desktop is when I need to print. I am also using my own phone. By doing this, I am able to be more productive through increased flexibility. Our findings were interesting and provided me new insights.

Cell phones were the first item we reviewed. The benefit of having a work phone with you at all times is that customers and coworkers can contact you, via phone, email and/or text, at all times. This can greatly increase efficiency, as well as customer service. When a company provides a separate work phone, we found that this requires many individuals to have two phones with them at any given time. That often leads to work phones not being taken from work or left at home when it is not during regular business hours, which defeats the purpose.

By allowing individuals to use their personal phone, the benefits can be seen through only needing to have a single phone. Call forwarding can be used so the employee’s phone number is not being given out or used by mistake if he or she leaves the company. There are also services that pay a stipend directly to the cell phone provider to ensure employees are not taxed on the money through a regular paycheck. Specific security measures are also available, at low-cost, which protects company information. Overall, we found the greatly reduced costs through allowing employees to use their own cell phone for work outweighed any risks.

Laptops were also reviewed as part of the project, but the outcome was quite different. In first looking at potential cost savings, there was certainly money to be saved. However, we found the savings, in this case, did not outweigh the potential risks. The security issues, theft/loss, viruses, repair, intellectual property, and commingling of data were too substantial to overlook. The main concern for any firm would be the potential loss of sensitive company data. The small percentage of dollars saved could not overcome the clear issues that were presented.

By undertaking this project, I certainly learned a lot about these different ideas and what benefits and risks arise with each. I certainly enjoy using my personal cellphone and laptop for work, but as a graduate assistant, both were my own choice. When outside of the university setting, I will certainly use this information when presented with the question of bringing your own device to work.

If you have seen specific risks or benefits that weren’t mentioned here, please let me know through a comment below.

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Family, Faith and Work: Prioritizing the Work/Life Balance

June 1, 2015March 31, 2020 / Josh Green / Leave a comment

This is going to be a particularly busy week for me. I have three summer courses running simultaneously, several work projects are coming together at once, my fiancé is graduating from her residency program, one of my best friends is getting married and I am traveling 4 out of 8 days. However, this is what I live for. Nothing makes me happier than being busy and having so many wonderful things going on at the same time. The only way I am able to find a perfect balance is through a well-developed set of priorities.

Over the course of my life, I have been taught, and learned on my own, what elements are most important. Some people share these same items, and in the same order, but there are also many who do not. In ranked order, from most important, I value family, faith and work. That has come to mean some very specific things as I have continued through my career. I have also learned it is much easier to say this than implement it.

Family, as well as friends, is what drives me to succeed more than anything else. While I want to help as many people as possible, the motivation to do so is based upon the energy generated through my interactions with those who I love. For the most part, it is not about giving anything up to put family first, but about making shifts to what will allow for both to happen. The only instances when one is above another is when opportunities come along where only one event can be put in one slot of time. That is the test of the prioritization. And, it should be noted that it is not about what happens when as the outcome, but that first moment when you realize there is an issue.

Faith comes next, but also includes my personal values. This, too, is what drives me to do what I do and gives me the strength to push on and find success. I am extremely proud of the moments when I made the tough choice to stand up for something I believe in, not compromising my values, and put my faith first, however, there have also been lessons learned when that was not the case. My goal is always to use those moments where I fell short as a learning experience as it is a feeling I do not wish to have again.

Finally, there is work, which is one of the most time-intensive and important elements of my life. The opportunities I have had in my career have only served to help me define my prioritizes, learn and develop as an individual, and create value that impacts my personal life. My current position with the NSBDC is an excellent example of being able to develop a great passion for what I am doing. Doing this only pushes me closer to my first two prioritizes.

There are so many wonderful things going on in life and I can barely stop to think about it all at the same time. This next week is going to be very exciting and I can’t wait to learn from what transpires, continue to push to become the best version of myself and help as many people as possible along the way.

Think about your own priorities and how you make decisions. Then, think about the ones that went well and those that didn’t. Finally, think about what you learned and how to push yourself to be the best version of yourself.

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Working for the NSBDC

May 28, 2015May 29, 2015 / Josh Green / 3 Comments

Working as a business development advisor for the Nevada Small Business Development Center (NSBDC) has allowed me to continue my goal of helping others achieve their greatest level of success. In fact, that is really at the heart of the NSBDC’s mission. Over the course of the last six months, I have learned a great deal and it has helped me to focus on what I would like to pursue in the future.

Since starting, many people have asked me what I do, so I created a video blog below to discuss the NSBDC and my role in the office.

The NSBDC is celebrating its 30^th year of helping entrepreneurs and small businesses across Nevada. Funded through partnerships that include the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the University of Nevada, the NSBDC offers its services at no charge. This allows individuals and businesses to receive support they would otherwise not have been able to afford.

As a graduate assistant and businesses development advisor, I have been given a tremendous opportunity to help others. Specifically, I work with clients to provide whatever they need to succeed. This includes creating and reviewing business plans and financials, researching market and industry information, developing marketing plans and creating partnership that include various University departments. The clients I have been able to help range from needing help with financial projections for a loan to move to a larger location to generating a business plan to raise $20 million for a large project.

In addition to working directly with clients, I also write articles for the Reno Gazette-Journal, recruit and train student interns, writing grant proposals and helping to improve the efficiency of the office. Everything I have done for the NSBDC has been a great opportunity to use what I have learned through my MBA coursework, and continue to develop my professional skills.

To learn more about available resources, visit the websites for the NSBDC and SBA. To find a Small Business Development Center near you, click here.

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5 Benefits of Using the Cloud

May 21, 2015May 29, 2015 / Josh Green / Leave a comment

One of my favorite advances in technology that has benefited me in my career is the emergence of The Cloud. I was first introduced to cloud computing in a previous job when I joined a new team towards the end of 2009. Since that time, I have been using cloud computing in one form or another on a daily basis. My main platform is Dropbox, but I also use Google Drive from time-to-time. Through my years of using these tools, I have developed a specific perspective on a few aspects of the technology.

Access: By using a cloud service, there is a great deal of flexibility given for working outside of an office. I am constantly traveling for work and do not always have my laptop with me. By using Dropbox, I can easily access all of my information on any computer with an internet connection. This makes giving a presentation easy because there is no need to create duplicate copies through emails or flash drives.

Mobility: Not too long after I started using Dropbox, they developed a mobile app for my iPhone. For me, this allowed for an almost exponential increase in functional use. By having access to all of my documents at all times through my phone, I had the ability to provide better customer service because answers that I would have needed to go back and check on were always at my fingertips.

Safety and Security: The nature of The Cloud is that information is not just sitting on one computer waiting to be lost at any moment when a hard drive fails or someone spills water on the keyboard. Backing up is almost redundant because your information is not just on one computer or device. Additionally, files are secured directly through protection from Dropbox. While hacking of their system does occur, I don’t believe the risk to my non-sensitive information outweighs the benefits.

Time Savings: The Cloud has also allowed me to save time on several different fronts. The first is for sharing files with myself on various computers. If I need to print a document, my files are already on the desktop I use for printing. This also saves time when sending a document to someone else. They are provided a link that will remain the same as I make updates; one location to find the latest draft.

Collaboration: Specific to Google Drive, being able to collaborate with others – in real-time – is one of the greatest benefits available. This is particularly useful when I am working with coworkers who are 3000 miles away. Again, this eliminates redundant drafts left out for people to mistakenly use.

The Cloud has greatly changed how I work and my productively. I wouldn’t call myself an early adopter, but I have been using this resource for many years and have tried to maximize the benefits with each new feature. I am certainly interested in seeing where the technology will go next.

If there are any other benefits you find from using The Cloud, please post them in a comment below.

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Working Remotely: Creating Your Own Office

May 16, 2015May 18, 2015 / Josh Green / 2 Comments

For my third post on the topic of working remotely, I am going to discuss the most important aspect – actually getting work done. Getting out of the office is a unique feeling with endless opportunities. For me, the ideal was taking my laptop down to the beach and being able to watch the waves crash whenever I look up from the screen. After reality hit, I had to think about what was going to be most effective for day-to-day work. My process came together over years of trial and error. It still isn’t perfect, but neither is being in the office. Start with a plan: For some, it can be tough to get into the workday and just start going at it. It is important to remember that you must create your own ritual to follow. I like to get up, check the news, have breakfast, take a short walk (usually to the beach) and then take a look at my to-do list; all happening before 8am. Not being a coffee drinker, that is one step I never added that many others do. Scheduling time for specific items: Something I do, and even did today, is put together a full schedule of how I would spend my time; 8am – 9am emails, 9am – 10am blog, 10am – 2pm grant writing, etc. By doing this, I give myself small goals and little wins to knock off my checklist. This also helps to keep me focused on what is most important for that day through reviewing my entire to-do list. Work when you are most efficient: If you are an early riser and can knock out four hours’ worth of work between 6:30am and 8:30am, then use that time for the most difficult tasks for the day. The time I would otherwise spend on a commute is when I am able to be the most productive. If afternoons are when you start to slow down, then schedule meetings or do research; whatever requires less creativity. Working remotely isn’t always for home: There is a wide spectrum where I do my work. From the beach to my kitchen table, airports, coffee shops, bars and libraries in between, sometimes we don’t get to choose where we work. On any given day, I enjoy getting work down at a high level in the morning, and then going for a walk to a coffee shop or library to get out of the house. Some fresh air and new scenery helps me get a different perspective on whatever I am working on. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter where it is, only that it works for you. These ideas really are for any work environment, but especially when working remotely. Sometimes moving your laptop to the conference room of the office can be just the change you need. Working remotely is all about finding your own rhythm. I am constantly working to perfect mine. Please let me know your favorite place to work, either in the office or anywhere else, in a comment below. Related posts: Working Remotely: Friend or Foe? Working Remotely: Maximize the Benefits Image Credit

The Professional Business Traveler

May 15, 2015 / Josh Green / Leave a comment

Over the course of six years, I flew hundreds of thousands of miles on business trips. Along the way I was able to become part of the traveling elite with perks and benefits thrown at me from every direction. It wasn’t until I stopped traveling for work that I began to appreciate some of the finer things a high status level brought. Better seats, upgrades, free baggage and more miles were just some of them.

While I still travel quite a bit, there is always the memory of what I once had. In my video blog below, I will detail what stood out to me the most. For those who also lived this life, please add anything else that stood out to you.

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Time Management: The Almighty Checklist

May 9, 2015 / Josh Green / 1 Comment

One of the most important elements of being a leader is keeping track of information and time. As I have progressed from simply being led, to also leading, there are many practices that I have picked up along the way that have helped to keep me on track. This has come about as the result of trial and error, as well as taking from the practices of others. It is important to remember that everyone must find their own style and practices that work for them.

Checklists, for me, are one of the most important aspects of my time management process. Keeping track of what I need to accomplish has been a fluid process over the last few years. One of the practices that I established early in my career was to centralize my action item lists. The first iteration was my email inbox. Those who emailed me would automatically be on the list because their message was kept in my inbox. As soon as it was taken care of, I would file it away. For the other items I needed to accomplish, I would simply email myself.

Email has two positive features as my checklist. First, it is easy to access as it is on my computer, as well as my phone. And the second, if I accidentally delete something, I can go back to my sent folder and retrieve it. Next, I added in calendar reminders, which have their own characteristics that are beneficial and each is emailed right to my inbox.

My calendar is where I put appointments in red to ensure they stand out, and everything else is in blue (as an Arizona Wildcat, those are the only two colors I know how to use). I set calendar reminders to accomplish certain tasks on a regular basis, such as submitting timesheets, but it is also makes it easy to push things back when needed. Something I learned, early on, with the calendar as a checklist, is that care must be taken to prevent it from getting out of hand. By setting a calendar reminder to come up when items need to be accomplished, it leaves less clutter on my email checklist. I have found the email and calendar checklist system to be very effective, and it has long been a part of my life.

The most recent element added to my checklist process is a desktop sticky note. Sitting on the right side of my screen, I track my major work, school and personal items. It is always there and, again, very easy to update. This has only been for around for three weeks, so it is still in the experimental phase, but it has been working so far.

Finally, while at work, I also use written sticky notes (my only non-digital reminder) to keep track of urgent and important items. These are generally for phone calls, emails and meetings that must be taken care of within 24 hours. I write them down and put them in front on my keyboard so they cannot be missed. When accomplished, I simply throw them away.

My current process has only come about after traveling on a long road. While the system I have used has changed over the years, it has done so usually as I become more involved and have more responsibilities; needing something to keep me on track. These have been excellent methods that keep me about 99% focused on what needs to be accomplished and when. It isn’t perfect, but that is why it is a journey.

What is your best method to keep track of your information and to do list? Please leave your ideas in a comment below.

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Working Remotely: Maximizing the Benefits

May 5, 2015 / Josh Green / 5 Comments

I am a big fan of working remotely, and there are many pros and cons. My previous post focused on those. Here I will discuss what I feel allows me to be successful and productive when working outside of the normal office environment.

Set alarms: They are not just for waking up, but for when to start and stop projects, break for lunch and end for the day. Over time, they may no longer be needed, but they can help keep you on track as you get started – especially not over working.
Use Your Commute Time: By not having to drive, that can add anywhere between ten minutes and three hours to your available productive time each day. The average American spends 6 hours and 18 minutes commuting per week. That is almost an entire extra day of work. This means you can work almost one full day less per week, or you can look at it as time to be more productive. If you are a salaried employee, think about the massive amount of extra work you could get done and stand out among your peers. At 50 weeks a year, an extra 6 hours per week is 300 hours that could be used for being an all-star; at home and for work.
Run Errands More Efficiently: My goal with working remotely is to minimize wasted time. Run errands during the middle of the day when traffic and lines will be shorter, if there at all, is another way to do this. I am a big proponent of waking up early and taking breaks as needed. By running personal and business errands in the middle of the day, you are saving time that can be better spent with family or accomplishing more objectives. A work/life balance is extremely important. Even if this only saves you an hour a week, that is an extra hour that you wouldn’t have otherwise had.
Distractions: This is one of the toughest parts of working remotely. They come in all shapes, colors, sizes and ages. Everyone has their own items that will pull them away from work, so there is no point in trying to list them out. However, they fall into a few categories that I will discuss. If it is a spouse or roommate, then let them know what you need to get done and when; keep them in the loop and set boundaries. Sometimes that is easier said than done, but it is a great test on relationships. If it is little people – children – then I am truly unqualified to make any recommendations. If this issue is TV, food, or nice weather, then find ways to focus on work. Perhaps spending the few minutes to put on business attire will get you in the mindset of work; this can certainly be a helpful tool when you first start working remotely. Tracking exactly how many hours you worked in a day by writing it down will let you know if there is a distraction or focus problem.
Work Station: It is easy to sit on the couch, or in bed, when working remotely, but that may not be your most productive location. Find a place where you can focus – the kitchen table, an actual desk, etc. Like distractions, when you first get started, it is easier to transition from a work desk to a desk at home.

Working remotely is an opportunity to work on your own terms. I have found it is the chance to maximize the amount of work that can be accomplished, as well as the amount of extra time dedicated to your personal life. For some, it needs to be eased into because it is a big step and there are many potential distractions. However, I have always looked at working remotely as the opportunity to get ahead while having more personal time to keep the batteries charged.

Please share your own helpful hints for staying focused or maximizing your time while working remotely in a comment below.

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Choose Your Attitude – FISH! Philosophy

April 22, 2015April 22, 2015 / Josh Green / 5 Comments

Many years ago, I was asked to read a book before I started a new job. The book was FISH! by Stephen C. Lundin, Ph. D., Harry Paul and John Christensen. This was my first job out of college and I was raring to go and excited to have some reading material prior to starting. I had never heard of the book and only initially knew what I read from the cover; 2 million copies sold and a remarkable way to boost morale and improve results. I thought that was interesting and took the few hours to read it; at only about 100 pages I just sat at my desk until I was done.

I took a lot away from FISH! and would encourage everyone who works anywhere, so pretty much everyone, to read it. However, there is one topic from the book, in particular, that I would like to focus on here. That is to choose your attitude. Having gone to the bookshelf and pulled it out, I will likely reread it and discuss the book itself in detail later. For this post though, I specifically chose not to reread the book yet because I wanted to be able to discuss the ideas I have formed over the past seven years.

Getting the Idea: The idea of choosing your attitude has to come from somewhere, be it this blog, the book itself, a coworker mentioning the way of thinking, etc. No matter how it comes to be, the important thing is to understand what it means; or at least means to you. For me, choose your attitude means to deliberately act in certain way when at work – regardless of what the specific situation. Understanding that the most important time to choose your attitude is in difficult situations that overwhelm the senses.

Thinking about implementing it: Once you have head wrapped your head around the idea, you have to think about how this can fit into your general way of thinking at work. Run a self-assessment on how you feel. Do you like your job? Do you like your coworkers? Do you like your boss? Do you like the work you are doing? Do you like your desk, office location, parking situation, etc.? After you have answered these questions for yourself, you can think about how you can choose to be positive about it. Short of quitting your job, which is always a possibility, you have the opportunity to view your situation in a positive light. Sometimes this can be very difficult, I certainly understand and have lived that, but I have always tried to hold to having a positive attitude which results in positive behaviors.

Testing it out: Now comes the fun part. Go to work and be positive. When you see the person you don’t particularly care for, simply smile and say, “good morning.” At your desk, put up a picture of your loved ones. If you already have that up, put a picture of your favorite vacation or a place you are looking forward to going to next. If you need something more challenging or would like to explore another aspect of your job, talk to your manager/boss/supervisor about taking on a project to try it out. When something goes wrong, be objective and try to learn from it and share your thoughts. If you need ideas, just ask me and I will try to help you out.

Making changes as needed: After you have started to actually choose to be positive, especially when it is difficult, think about how it went. Are there changes you need to make? If so, test out new ideas. For me, the easiest way to get in the mindset, especially during tough times, I find a mirror (and with no one looking at me) and just smile. I smile into the mirror and see the happy guy on the other side. It may sound simple, or corny, but it can really work for me. If you see yourself happy, then it is easier to get in that mindset. You can try what works for me and/or come up with your own process.

There it is, just that simple. Writing has made me think about what I have learned about choosing my attitude over the last few years. While I generally have a positive outlook on life and it may be easier for me to look through rose-colored glasses, I still have rough days just like everyone else. That is when I am truly tested and have to put in extra effort to choose my attitude.

Please share your ideas for keeping a positive attitude in a tough situation at work in a comment below.

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