Nearly every organization be it political, private or public sector, military or non-profit promotes from within, with some variations, i.e. you worked on Capitol Hill, Legislature or other senior federal position, but all in all its a groom from within culture. Some of this has to do with the 800 pound gorilla in the room. So how do I get promoted to more responsibilities? It means that you must show initiative, work smart, improve the organization and demonstrate the capacity to lead & work w/ teams, oversee budgets, manage people, and through your ideas bring more business in or serve more people-- but it means you have to have something to show for. If no one knows what you do or what your capable of turn it around and demonstrate that your capable of doing more. That said, nearly every organization promotes from within. That's a good thing. That's where you come in. If your goal is to be president, director, manager, operations officer, general officer, etc it's … [Read more...]
Know What’s In an Inch
A few weeks back I visited my hometown, City of Mount Vernon, Washington. I sat down for a cup of coffee with my old construction boss, Mr. Hector Trujillo. We discussed what it takes to succeed in the construction business, despite an economic downturn, a recession and massive layoffs. He's been in the business since he was a teenager. And, he's weathered every downturn and in each of these he provides a host of lessons learned. However to distill our 60-minute conversation it boils down to this: know what's in an inch. What's In an Inch? Do you think it matters? Is it important to know your specialty? If you work in construction, the most important thing to know is that there are 16/16th in an inch. If you are the crew boss it is important to follow the trends and patterns of the industry to ensure your team is positioned properly. How to read blueprints, manage teams and simple math are some other basics. Of course if you are planning to be the boss, then understanding these … [Read more...]