It always strikes me as interesting the relationship of employment.  It is so similar to a marriage, or dating, that sometimes I have to laugh.

employee: “Boss, do you have a minute?  I need to talk to you.”

boss: “Not right now, I have a meeting coming up.  I have some time next Tuesday, say 9ish?”

employee: “Well, I’ll just make it quick.  I’m leaving – I found someone else”.

boss: “What? All of a sudden?  I thought everything was going great!”

employee: “It’s me, not you… I’ve been unhappy and… unfulfilled”.

boss: “Well, let’s talk about it.  What’s wrong exactly?”

employee: “No, it’s too late for that.  I’m going, here is my resignation.  My last day is Friday.”

boss: “Wait!  I need you!  I can’t do this without you!  Come back!”

Another sudden breakup.  It’s a common problem with employees / employers – there is no communication, no feedback, no caring.  It doesn’t take much, just a quick “thank you”, or “I’m very impressed on how you handled that” kind of statement.

I’ve heard people say to run a marriage like a business.  Maybe it’s time to run a business like a marriage.  What do you think?

Finding yourself with too little time on your hands?  Yeah, me too.

When I leave work, I put on one or many of my other hats, Mom, Wife, Volunteer, Jazzerciser, etc and don’t think about work until the next day.  I want so badly to read more books in the business and technology (in the web seo/design/marketing) arena, but time gets away from me.

That’s why I recently recalled a website my company created a while back (it was sold off, so Radius3 no longer hosts or maintains it now): www.BusinessBookReview.com.  They have a staff that reads the books for you and provides a 300, 600 or 900 word synopsis for you.  It’s not as good as reading the whole book cover to cover, but it sure saves some time!

I’m considering joining for $195/year (Individual membership; cheaper if your company signs up 1-many employees).  If I were to buy the books (library is an option too but I know I can’t finish a book in 2 weeks and I’m bad about renewing), they would cost approx $15-ish each at at one/month, that would cost $180/year.  What if I bought a book and never finished it?  Wasted money!  I despise waste.

Now if I were to read one review/week = 4 books per month => $60/mo =>$720/year value AND I could talk intelligently at business gatherings.  No more… “so what do you do?” rather “I’ve just read the book [insert book name here].  … ” and hence an intelligent conversations and business partnership starts to blossom.

Maybe it’s worth a look into if you have a short attention span, short amounts of time free, a wanderlust for information gathering…

I signed up for the newsletter to get a taste: Newsletter Signup – Business Book Review

Tell your company about it or call BBR at 1-800-653-2726 (x2218) - tell them that someone at Radius3, their original programmers recommended it; maybe I’ll get a free subscription for a year before I decide to join.

-NotesFromKris (Twitter)

Through a few links of Twitter, I came across a video from Mike Row on Dirty Jobs, speaking at the TED conference.  For those of you who don’t watch his show, he basically goes around the country doing the jobs that no one in their right mind would think of doing.  He does the job alongside the people that normally do them, and the jobs are usually far more difficult (and disgusting) than they sound.

He made a point in his video that we seem to have forgotten the workers.

The people that do these jobs – roadkill scrapers, trash sorters, sewer workers, pipe fitters, welders, steam fitters – those are the people, really, who are at the core of this country that keep it going.

The media typically takes the job and makes a joke, or stereotype of the person that is doing the work.

Small business owners depend on their employees – we all know that no matter how great the idea is, if you don’t have people willing and able to actually put in the time and do the work, oftentimes menial and dangerous – your dream eventually comes to a standstill.

Most of us were there – we did the work, we worked on the floor, in the field, in the cubicles.  Now that we are working for ourselves, when the time comes to thank the people that work with and for us, we need to remember who is helping us to fulfill and chase our dream.  A pat on the back, a heartfelt “thanks”, a dinner, a bonus, a raise – no matter how you do it – just remember the people that helped you along the way.

They are the people that build this country from the ground up, with their hands, sweat, and blood.

Support the workers.

Watch the video

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/mike_rowe_celebrates_dirty_jobs.html