I Landed an MBA Level Role and I Live Happily Ever After

Written by Amy VanderVoort

Hollywood always supplies a happy ending and I am glad to supply my readership the same! Amy Vander Voort, MBA has landed. I start my new job in medical sales on October 26, 2009.

For those of you who are keeping track, it’s been 11 months total. Some people will be shocked by the length of my search, others will not. It’s all relative, right? I’m glad it’s less than a year, though. I wasn’t looking forward to facing another holiday season without work and I was worried that things would slow considerably in November and December, leaving my best chances at employment until 2010. It was my time!

When I received the offer, I temporarily went into shock! I had so many things brewing, was in multiple candidate pools and I definitely felt an offer coming. It was anyone’s guess as to which company it would be! I prayed for a position where I could be successful, for myself and my new employer. I also prayed for an environment where I can grow and be nurtured—something that has been missing lately in my career.

Medical sales is an area that has interested me for a long time. I like that all is based on performance. I like being out and meeting new people. Mostly, there are exponentially more jobs in healthcare sales than in hospital administration, in any geographic market or during any economy. I feel this is a great career move, a chance to learn new skills and a way to successfully earn a living for the remainder of my career. Bring it on!

My search has been an amazing journey and a real period of personal growth for me. I have met so many wonderful people who have dispensed advice, encouragement and career ideas and I am so thankful to all of them.

The IAMBA blog has been a particular blessing and boost to my search. I have really enjoyed connecting with everyone online and sharing experiences. The blog also helped me stay in better touch with my contacts which ultimately led to my employment.

On a larger scale, it gave us a voice: the professional, educated job seekers who are having a collective experience and facing the same challenges across the U.S. and the globe. Thank you to everyone who wrote to me on LinkedIn, posted to the IAMBA site and made this into something that was greater than myself. You gave me a gift that I will always treasure.

For those of you who are still in the trenches—hang in there! I did it, and so can you. I was facing the same bad economy, an industry gripped by fear (healthcare) and an unusual resume that confused my interviewers many times! There were days I felt the odds were stacked against me. Have faith in yourself and know that you have value. Stay determined and things will come together for you!

Wishing you all every success!

-Amy

How MBAs Can Get Rich…In A Different Way

This week, I got to interview Inspirational Speaker Tim Richardson, an energetic guy who wants all of us MBAs to live a rich life. He’s in the category of what I call my ‘zen friends’ because he lives in complete harmony about all of his career and life choices. He even contributed as an author of Meditations for The Road Warrior.

The funny thing is, at an MBA event last month I asked a group of graduates if they ever meditated. It started a whole discussion about scenes from Eat, Pray, Love. We MBAs seem so type A that we can’t let our minds stop for three seconds. Nearly everyone had tried, yet gave up because it seemed boring.

His newest book is Living Rich: Giving, Working, and Playing Like There’s No Tomorrow. I think you’ll enjoy Tim’s perspective on ‘richness’.

LISA: You recommend building a strategic plan for your life. What elements should be included and why?

TIM: Of course, people value different things. For me, I spend time thinking about and planning in the following areas: health, career, faith, family/friends, hobbies/interest, life long learning/intellectual stimulation and finances. I think all of it should relate to fulfilling your purpose in life. If your purpose is clear, it makes everything else easier. There’s an article on how to “retreat to advance” on my website.

LISA: What prompted you drop your goal to be a millionaire?

TIM: I didn’t really drop that goal, I just don’t focus on becoming a millionaire as one of the most important things in my life. A happy marriage, having great kids, doing things I enjoy, making a difference, and being healthy ALL trump becoming a millionaire. I’d rather have those things than a billion dollars. As trite as it may sound money does NOT buy happiness and it certainly can’t buy you those things.

LISA: Many MBAs set goals to be rich. You talk about “richness” as more than money. Tell us more about that.

TIM: The bottom line is that being rich is not about how much you have, it’s about what you give. The more you give, the richer you become. It’s amazing to me to see the number of MBA’s today who are using their MBA’s in ways that make a difference. That to me, is RICH.

LISA: So many of us have trouble disconnecting. You do a personal one or two day reflection and planning session every year in inspiring places…a “think week” as Bill Gates puts it. Tell us about a key insight or goal that was born at one of yours.

TIM: My very speech topic of Living Rich came as a result of one of these sessions. I had been thinking my old speech was tired and needed to be retired yet I didn’t have something new in the pipeline. A day of thinking produced a list of questions which in time led me to discovering a new speech and whole series of projects that re-energized me, focused my speaking, and helped create a unique topic which sets me apart from my speaking colleagues.

LISA: You wrote a book about meditations for road warriors. Many professionals cannot quiet their minds. How can crackberry addicts learn to stop thinking and doing for a few minutes?

TIM: Technology is of course a mixed blessing. It both helps us connect AND it keeps us from connecting. Resist the temptation to take your technology everywhere you go. Have a day a week when you just don’t use technology at all. For the addict, that will be tough but people have survived thousands of years without being “connected” so anyone can survive a day. Plan some tech free time in your life. You’ll be absolutely amazed with how much more productive you can be by reducing technology and only using it when necessary. Quiet time and daily reflection are as vital as exercise and healthy eating.

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Tim is looking for an MBA student or MBA class that might be interested in helping with the research for his next book (the working title is How Companies that Care Lead and Profit from Giving Back). Tim is seeking examples, statistics and research that support his hypothesis that giving back, CSR, etc boost employee morale, inspire workers, attract and keep customers loyal and impact the bottom line. Contact Tim if you would like more information or are interested in helping.

If you want to hear more from Tim, be sure to check out his blog. Thanks, Tim, for participating in our expert interview series!

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I Just Laid Off 3/4 of My Team, Now What?

Today’s economic situation is serving up record unemployment rates, continued job losses, and lots of fear. Hurricanes, school shootings, and terrorism fills the news. A friend of mine recently laid off 3/4 of his team, and he’s trying to inspire the survivors who feel like soon-to-be-victims. Leadership in times of crisis is hard.

This week’s interview is with Bob VandePol, President of Crisis Care Network. He helps leaders respond to crises in the workplace. If you’re looking for a dose of resiliency, read on. Bob has a special way of helping leaders step up in times of need. There’s no better time than now. Everyone is watching.

LISA: As President of Crisis Care Network, you’re in the business of getting people through tragedy. How can leaders help create calm amidst chaos?

BOB: The silence can be deafening. When tragedy strikes an organization, leaders experience that daunting split-second upon entry to the scene when all eyes in the room immediately lock on to them. Some eyes are tearful, some hostile, some avoidant, some hopeful, some frightened, and some a million miles away. All are asking questions: Can she help me? Does he pose yet another threat? Does he know his stuff? Does she really care? These questions must be quickly “answered” correctly because both tremendous opportunity and serious risk for individual and organizational recovery are at stake. The moment is pivotal. The pressure’s on.

To illustrate, when a high school football player is injured on the field, the student trainers sprint to his aid. Not the doctor. She or he confidently and purposefully strides onto the field in a way that communicates professionalism and control. Quick — but not in a hurry. Sprinting with the trainers or remaining on the sidelines would trigger panic in every seat in the stadium.

Like the team physician, leaders must be prepared to convincingly present that they care plus a quiet confidence in their expertise. Individually and organizationally, recovery is facilitated when the leader can acknowledge the personal impact upon involved people while at the same time transitioning them to next steps. He must embody and communicate the transitions from chaos to structure and helplessness to effective action. Those watching must witness a confident, competent person who doesn’t minimize the effect of the incident but communicates an expectation of recovery.

LISA: The current economic crisis leaves many MBAs fearing job loss or worse. How can we make the best of a situation that seems harsh and prolonged?

BOB: Last Autumn, Crisis Care Network was heavily engaged in response to the ’08 hurricane season. Hurricanes and the resultant floods are additionally difficult simply because recovery takes such an agonizingly long time. Often, the greatest source of stress is not the incident itself but having to deal with immense, protracted logistical tedium when not at one’s best. The current economic crisis carries with it many dynamics comparable to the impact of a flood: financial ramifications, a sense of powerlessness, an undefined target for attributed blame, and an expanded time frame minus a definable endpoint.

Becoming preoccupied with that which we cannot control only drains us of energy and adds to the frustration. It is important to engage in those activities that are in our control and give immediate results, i.e. keep busy, focused, and productive on today’s job. Research has shown that after a natural disaster those who actively engage in purposeful tasks fare better emotionally and physically than those who withdraw or become passive and apathetic. Exercise, rest, and good nutrition at times of high stress are effective strategies to avoid exhaustion and are activities most people have control over, reinforcing a sense of self-efficacy. Focus upon that over which you DO have control, rather than that over which you have none.

LISA: You speak professionally about leadership during times of crisis and how leaders determine the trajectory of workplace responses. Tell us a story about a leader who did this well.

BOB: The incident was a double homicide/suicide in the parking lot of a large manufacturing facility. A dozen employees witnessed the shooting deaths of two co-workers, ducked behind cars to avoid bullets aimed at them, and then watched the shooter turn the gun on himself. Hundreds of additional co-workers did not witness the event but were understandably shaken.

The CEO was a brilliant businessperson but obviously well outside his training, expertise, and comfort zone. Fortunately he realized 1) that his employees were going to go through this tragedy with or without him – so he led them! 2) that he needed to listen to crisis response experts, and 3) that his people needed him to be himself as he stood before them.

He led visibly and used a crisis communication model as taught to him. The ACT model provides a structured process to facilitate individual and organizational recovery.

Acknowledge and name the incident

• Have an accurate understanding of the facts and avoid conjecture.
• Demonstrate the courage to use real language that specifically names what occurred.
• Acknowledge that the incident has an impact and that individuals will be impacted differently.

Communicate pertinent information with both compassion and competence

• In these situations leaders must “know their stuff” in a caring way. Being prepared helps mitigate one’s own anxiety and supports the presentation of quiet strength others need at this time.
• Training, preparation, and practice facilitate a calming, “unscripted” response in which the leader is less likely to make anxiety-driven mistakes and more able to demonstrate caring behavior.

Transition

• Sensitively transition to a future focus.
• Communicate an expectation of recovery. Those impacted must gain a vision of “survivor” rather than “victim”.
• Help identify and facilitate access to the individuals’ natural resiliency supports – both internal and external. Encourage “return to work” and “return to life” normalcy firmly and flexibly. Problem-solve practical solutions, but not in a way in which people feel that their productivity is more important than their personhood.

Although the incident was tragic and impacted many people, the CEO led in a way that facilitated a renewed sense of community, support, and motivation.

LISA: What can we do to prevent a post-crisis meltdown in an organization?

BOB: Yes, leaders must focus upon return to productivity via business continuity plans to address IT, infrastructure, power, etc. but should not forget their people. As quoted by Marsh Crisis Academy (2003):

There is no business recovery without people who:

• Are healthy enough to return to work and be productive
• Are assured enough of their safety to not feel afraid to return to work
• Have had their trust in the leadership established so that they desire to return to work
• Have had their loyalty rewarded so they remain employees over the short haul and the long haul

LISA: Hurricane Ike got a lot less press in 2008 than Katrina did in 2005 or the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004. Do you think that we get fatigued by repeated tragedy? If so, how do we not turn into disinterested fellow humans?

BOB: I’m not certain that media coverage is an accurate indicator of compassion but rather of financial opportunity. Tragedy plus any controversy sells papers. I think that “over-coverage” of the initial event can predict under-coverage of those that follow. Likewise, the relative disparity in coverage between the shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois probably did not mean that people cared less about the second set of students. But they were second!

When listening to the radio traffic report, the definition of a “minor fender bender” is one that happens to someone else! In these days of instantaneous, intimate media coverage of worldwide tragedies we can prevent desensitization and resultant disinterest by getting personally involved in finding solutions. Volunteering to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and protect the abused makes it personal and keeps us in touch.

There is no greater honor and no greater responsibility than to be there for someone on the worst day of their life.

—

Thank you for the interview, Bob.

For more information on the Crisis Care Network, visit their website. To get more of Bob, consider hiring him as a speaker at your next event.

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Are you High Performance, High Maintenance Manager?

This week’s interview is with Colleen Kettenhofen, a motivational speaker, author, former top sales producer, and workplace expert. She has appeared on The Today Show and Fox News, and has presented over 1,000 programs in 47 states and six countries. What a powerhouse for us to learn from!

By the way, she co-authored the book Masters of Success with the likes of Ken Blanchard, Jack Canfield, and John Christensen. If you manage people or want to in the future, take a look at her thoughts. She reinforces that our skill in working with people might just be the success factor that matters most.

As an expert on leadership and management skills, life balance, motivation, difficult people, and presentation skills, she has a lot of insight to share with us.

LISA: You speak to many audiences on the topic of life balance. How do you define life balance?
COLLEEN: I think there’s a fine line between working smart and being successful, and having an outside life. Whether that outside life consists of wonderful friends, family members, spending time with our beloved pets, enjoying a hobby, or most likely, all of the above.

LISA: Many of our MBA readers want to unplug more frequently, yet feel an achievement drive tugging in the opposite direction. How do you reconcile the two?
COLLEEN: For people to consistently perform well, they have to feel well. That also includes things like eating healthy most of the time, exercising, and having a passion for something outside of work. For example, I recently spent the day in Sedona, Arizona. It was on a Tuesday, and I could have felt guilty. But I’d been working very hard, and just seeing the snow on the towering red rocks was enough to “fill the well.” It increased my energy and renewed creativity. It made me more productive. I rarely do that. And I know not everyone can do that. But, even taking one day a week on the weekend to relax, not pay bills, not do any work, can help.

I’m seeing a trend where when I’m asked to speak on leadership and managing people, the person hiring me wants me to add something from my website on life balance. For example, many people want me to include information such as the top brain foods for boosting mental acuity and productivity, the top things you can do to reduce depression and increasing energy. Leadership and life balance, especially in this economy, is hotter than ever.

LISA: You also speak a lot on managing people. What are the most important actions a leader can take in the first 90 days with a new team?
COLLEEN: One of the main reasons teams fail is because people on the team don’t like each other. Or, because one or two team members are difficult to get along with. You can have a team of individual superstars, but unless everyone’s been trained in conflict resolution, and how to communicate effectively, it can result in chaos. The leader needs to set boundaries for what is acceptable behavior. Otherwise, you can have someone who is what I call “high-performance, high maintenance.” They can wreak havoc on a team. Remember, there’s no “I” in the word team.

LISA: When you see outstanding managers and leaders, what are they doing that is different from the pack?
COLLEEN: A lot of managers and leaders are promoted to leadership positions based on their “hard skills” or technical skills. They were promoted because they were doing a good job. But they’ve never been trained in communication, conflict resolution, and managing people. Yet, now they’re managing people! So, I notice the most successful leaders are those with strong social skills. They possess good interpersonal skills. They’re excellent communicators and good listeners. They understand the importance of acknowledgment even if they’re not always in agreement. They’re good role models who practice what they preach. They know how to motivate others. Most importantly, they’re honest.

LISA: You’re a cancer survivor. Give us three practical, easy tips for celebrating life today.
COLLEEN: 1) Focus on what you have, not on what you don’t have. 2) Spend time each day doing something nice for someone else. It gets your mind off yourself. 3. Try to be in a line of work you enjoy because life is short. Work is a four-letter word. Passion isn’t.

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If you want to hear more, she is available for keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars by calling 800.323.0683 or emailing Colleen directly. Visit her website for free articles, new video clips, or to sign up for her e-newsletter. You can find Masters of Success on her website as well.

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Life As An Entrepreneur

The International Association of MBAs is committed to bringing you interviews from experts and authors who bring unique perspectives. Tanisha Roebuck, the President of Treasure Enterprises, offers us a transparent look at life as an entrepreneur. Her background is full of discovery and achievement. She’s an attorney, an entrepreneur, and a visionary.

 

LISA: Many of our MBA members dream of starting a business. What type of strategic planning is important to do to get the ‘life ducks’ in a row before writing a business plan?

TANISHA: Another lesson I learned the hard way when I was looking to start a business was developing a plan first and then moving carefully. If there were three top points that I would convey to the next entrepreneur it would be:

1. Do your homework;

2. Build a solid team; and

3. Make sure you can handle your own finances before you try to handle a business financial statement.

 

LISA: What is your favorite thing about life as a consultant?

TANISHA: My favorite thing about life as a consultant is being in control of my own time and the ability to help another person’s dreams come to fruition. After reading Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, I realized that my purpose and gift was helping others. I enjoy doing for other people. Now a lot of people have mistaken my kindness for weakness, and to those who try to cause harm to the purpose in which I was created there is a song that goes, “I’m stronger, wiser and so much better”.

 

LISA: Many professionals are concerned about this economic rut. How can we position ourselves to find the opportunities that lie hidden?

TANISHA: Well, Lisa when I first started and wanted to be in business for myself, it was during the last economic downfall we had in 1999-2000, when I was laid off at Polaroid. I started examining my “Plan B”. I was introduced to network marketing and through the various trainings and opportunities that were presented; I saw a whole new way of doing things and learned the term “profit centers.”

 

Take your typical service station where you get your gas. These days you can get more than gas for your car, you can get a car wash, candy bar, cappuccino and lottery ticket. Each one of those products/services represents a “profit center”. Not every one is going to get a car wash, but they most likely will get gas and a beverage. That service station has now capitalized on the consumer’s dollar by offering more by not leaving money or in this case, opportunity on the table by satisfying a need.

 

So to answer your question. In order to compete in this economy and position yourself for opportunities that lie hidden, you have to become a “one-stop shop” resource tool. Offer services and products related to your field by partnering with those who were once specialized. A prime example is Pizza Hut. Most Pizza Huts merged facilities with KFC. For Treasure Enterprises, we offer consulting and management to music artists, professional athletes and small to mid sized businesses. Since I have my jurist doctorate and over 17 years of legal experience, I am able to consult with my clients as to the various types of business entities and objectives they are seeking to achieve. I can consult with them on the liabilities they expose themselves to wanting to do XY and Z and with what items that fall outside of my scope, I have relationships with a host of attorneys capable of providing those services. Some of Treasure’s services include preparing and implementing marketing and business plan, or just being a liaison to a resource desperately needed in their business initiatives.

 

LISA: tough times tend to bring soul searching. You have a background with wide ranging experiences from law to entertainment to volunteering for Big Sisters. How do you pull it all together to live a passionate life while not feeling overwhelmed with commitments?

TANISHA: One word: Balance. Over the last few years, I have had to learn to live with some health issues. I never use to listen to my body before just worked all the time, but now I know my limits before my health starts acting up again. I honestly think that God has a way of slowing us down so you can smell the roses. There are three things that are important to me and that I have in common with the clients I decide to take on: 1) A relationship with God, 2) Family 3) Giving back to the Community. My family is very important to me so I spend as much time as possible with them because they allow me to be the big kid I am inside and not think about work.

 

As for not feeling overwhelmed with commitments: the most valuable lessons I’ve learned over the last seven years is to assess who you are and whether you are worth my time to “sow” into. When you make an investment, you want to make sure that your investment is a wise decision and will produce the types of results you anticipate. When you decide to work with a person, business or get into partnership with someone, you have to make a proper assessment of their strengths and weaknesses to determine whether it’s worth sowing into in order to yield the proper return. I’ve learned the hard way that you cannot work or do for everyone because not everyone will appreciate your time and effort. Time is a valued commodity and something you do not get back.

 

LISA: What’s your philosophy on personal achievement? What inspires you to do so many great things?

TANISHA: Passion! Everything that I am involved in has had some direct impact on this journey we call life. I love music, I play the piano and sing and when I can’t find the words to express exactly how I feel, I find a song that passionately expresses my feelings. So, I respect artists and their craft and enjoy discovering, developing and promoting talent. Treasure Enterprises encompasses all of the things I am passionate about in my own life and because it is important for me to be “selfless” vs. “selfish” with the talents I have been blessed with, I seek to share my knowledge with others and make things happen for them without all of the mistakes I have made along the way. Treasure Enterprises will be the conduit for artists, professional athletes and businesses owners for PURPOSE DRIVEN RESULTS.

 

After my divorce and vehicle accident, I lost everything I had worked many years for and my credit is still in recovery, I met my business partner Brooke Lindsay and she was already helping and educating people on cleaning up their credit and making better financial decisions. If I only knew then what I know now, I would be further along in the preparation process for the economic times we are experiencing right now. I have a new found respect for money and how to handle it. I believe it is important to share knowledge with other people to help them from making the same mistakes I made. Alpha Financial Solutions, LLC helps repair your credit and teaches you how to make better financial decisions for the long haul. For more information on our corporate seminars, employee benefits or personal evaluation, contact Brooke Lindsay at 877-239-9820.

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