I recently had a discussion with my younger cousin about his employment situation. He’s taking any job he can get his hands on. I briefly mentioned why that’s not conducive long term. I mean yes, try everything but pick an industry or category and drill down from there. He asked how I do it and honestly I’ve never broken it down before. I gave him a pretty broad and general answer. I am on the subway now and didn’t like the answer.
I just know what I’m good at. I am good at operational management in the area of product manufacturing, importing, and fulfillment/distribution. Anything else outside of this is a generalist skill. Did I always know this though? No. So I’m going to start writing this and see if it’s something I can share with him. Maybe it’ll help. I think this is something I’ll refine over time.
I’ve been in a lot of deals, contracts, and ventures to do one thing: run a team for production or launch. What I work on has to come before who I work with. The reason is if my field of operating isn’t needed, doesn’t matter if the people I work with value me. Having the capability valued first will align time and value. Otherwise things will end up expensive, frustrating, and usually in flames.
Values: not always a priority for others
I have always put myself in a position where I can put my values first when exploring new opportunities. There have been moments early in my career I was put in front of clients who want to cut corners, sell promises they can’t deliver, or exploit their team until they break. I can’t change this. I have a choice, leave or pay me more. I know, I sound shitty that my values can be bought out. That’s not entirely accurate. In the beginning, I need the work. At that time, I don’t have the option to choose who I work with yet. I had to prove that my capability is tied to my values. I had to see first hand how predatory values in a work environment to recognize it. I had to see people burn their reputations thinking a quick win with no operating value was worth it. It never is.
After a while, I developed the chops to walk away rather than tie myself to people whose values I can’t respect. Also why it’s important to have enough money where I can survive a while where I don’t ever have to consider these options.
Time: matters as much as money
I can rebuild revenue. I can implement technology. I can cut costs. I can restructure teams. What I can’t do is get back wasted time. I’ve learned that if leadership meetings can drag for three hours and nothing gets decided, we don’t belong in the same room and I need to renegotiate our arrangement. It is not worth celebrating getting paid to do nothing. I would feel robbed of my youth. Today I’m ruthless about time with myself and everyone who operates with me because I’ve lived through the grind of pulling companies out of ditches. If I’m working with them, I expect urgency, clarity, and respect for momentum. Always remember not everyone can be commanded to fall in line. THey have to do it on their accord. However, I must hold my time accountable. This is a capability that must be honed. The right leaders who share this sentiment will see this as a positive..
Alignment: first step to strategy
Alignment isn’t just a high level conversation we end with, “we’re on the same page”.
It’s the day-to-day reality of whether people I work with is rowing in the same direction. It’s something I try to maintain within my leadership and my operating team without words. In my past, I walked in thinking everyone was automatically on the same page in their own way but that’s not the case. I’ve walked into too many situations where the C-suite says “growth at all costs” or “increase sales” while operations is stressing because they haven’t put out the last fire.
That disconnect is why companies bleed talent and cash. The mission of who I work with should always be clear. That’s how everyone including myself must create and follow clear objectives and goals.
This is the capability always needed to me as an operations guy. I have to see alignment across leadership, teams, and the market we operate in whether it’s good or bad.
Degradation
I’ve turned down contracts that offered good money because the team structure was a bad fit for me. I can do that today but that wasn’t always the case. This was only possible because I have grown and changed from seeing different operating cultures. I have stuck around in some places longer than I should have. These were all lessons learned that has allowed me to understand my operating style and capabilities. Now I can talk about what I”m good at.
Previously, I wanted to work for the shiniest brands or take a role that was so outside of what I did just because it paid a lot. It’s different now knowing my capabilities. I don’t work for companies so I can be famous. I work for companies where my role is important because my company recognizes my marketable capabilities.
I crave work that is worth my time and of value to who I work with and where the people in the room are capable in their craft as much as I am. But I also have to be aware this perceived value could be my peak amongst my peers and leaders. I have to be prepared for someone else more capable or technology deployment can disrupt my worth leading to a decline in my marketable skills. This needs to always resonate so I can maneuver accordingly.
How fitness is defined between Taipei, Hong Kong, and Shanghai
August 18, 2024