Tag Archives: Personal

Do you hate driving?

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I hate driving… in rush hour traffic. I’ve toyed with leaving early, leaving late–to no avail. Unless you’re an hour and a half ahead of the pack you won’t get anywhere in Denver. My 50 mile drive turned into an 90 minute sit-and-stare fest. That’s one reason I just leased a new car.

Nissan Sentra SLI’ve been driving a Subaru station since the beginning of college (it’s a ’94) and I figured, with my big-boy job and all, it was time I gave the family car back. I visited my local Nissan dealership, had my research and information all done and I was ready to commit. Two hours later I signed a two-year lease to a 2007 Nissan Sentra SL.

It’s pretty, it’s fast, it’s fun, it’s new. I’m quite pleased. I don’t have to deal with the poor old Subaru’s clutch all day in traffic, I don’t have to wonder if my car will start this morning, I didn’t have to drop a ton of cash. I’m pleased with how things turned out. So, with all that said, I wish I didn’t have to drive; Denver is far too spread out.

One of the best companies…

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I sit here debating whether or not to publish this post; I’ve never been keen on writing about my employers. But, I have a really good point I want to make: employers need to take care of Gen Y. Why? Because we’ll take care of you, too. My employer is one of the best companies to work for.

It shows during training: you’re fed well, you’re given a wealth of knowledge (more than you can handle), and you’re surrounded by awesome people. Managers willing to consult you, check up on you, chat at the bar with you. Trainers willing to joke with you, talk sports with you and, of course, educate you so you can be successful. That’s all I ask! I don’t need to be “coddled,” just comforted.

I know I’ll be working hard in the coming weeks. I’ll spend a bunch of time away from people during “busy season” but, again, I’ll be on flights to training all around the country. Global organizations are great like that. In return, I’m excited to start learning on the job and contributing in as many ways as I can.

Its truly exciting to see an understanding, a conversation between generations. I realized it really meant something when my friend Ryan was quote in the same NYTimes article as one of my instructors last week. Thats when I knew I was with one of the best companies to work for.

As I transition…

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As I transition I ask for your patience. I realize I haven’t been here in a few weeks. I’m no longer in college, I’m no longer on vacation: I’m beginning my career in public accounting. I hope you stick around and see what’s in store.

I love brevity

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I tend to write more ‘asides’ (they’re the pink ones on here) than ‘articles’. I like concise writing but it takes more thought. I know people who write long-winded paragraphs and essays in email, blogs, 9rules notes, and comments. Do your readers (message receivers) a favor: the more to the point, the better responses you’ll get. I’m personally starting with this policy: five.sentenc.es. Can’t you be more brief?

What are your strengths?

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Ryan pointed to the very cool online quiz (slash hardcover book) called Strengths Finder 2.0. It’s a great tool (over 150 questions) that helps you determine what you should really focus on.

Society says we should overcome our weaknesses. We should conquer that which we apparently cannot. I think our country was founded on that. Our movies certainly like telling stories about it (Rudy is the example given in the book). That seems silly; keep doing what you’re really good at. This test shows you where you have potential of developing your strongest talents.

It was definitely worth the $20; I went to the store, picked it up, read the book and took the test. An hour later I know a lot more about myself. Here are my results (my top 5 strengths).

  1. MAXIMIZER – People who are especially talented in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb.
  2. LEARNER – People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.
  3. ACHIEVER – People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive.
  4. SELF-ASSURANCE – People who are especially talented in the Self-Assurance theme feel confident in their ability to manage their own lives. They possess an inner compass that gives them confidence that their decisions are right.
  5. ARRANGER – People who are especially talented in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity.

The reports you’re given are great. You get a myriad of tasks and actions to help you work on your strengths. That’s the point right? Do what you can do well… even better! Then it helps you develop a personal action plan.

I haven’t figured out my plan yet but I always enjoy learning more about myself. Knowing myself means I know my own needs and I can communicate them to my teammates, colleagues, bosses, etc. Talk about win-win-win!