http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/2009/08/rethinking-the-ideology-of-carrots-and-sticks.html

For me there are several take-aways from this one (as is always the case after I watch a TED talk).  Today I want to talk about one of them; my professional paradigm shift.

I work for a large global technology company.  Two years ago, my position was eliminated and I was offered the chance to maintain my employment with this company by assuming a new position as Presentation Designer.  At the time I didn’t appreciate that this is my dream job – but after two years I can say with confidence that it is.

Part of why I love this job is that I intentionally chose to do this for me; not for my employer, not for the betterment of my team, and not to be a member of a world class org building world class stuff.  For the first time in my career, I chose to emotionally detach my sense of professional self worth from “the corporate ladder”.  I accepted this position even though I knew there would be zero chance for a raise, a promotion of any kind, or a career path with my employer.  I intended to do this for nothing more than to enjoy the experience(s) and push my own skill development and bounds of creativity in my own ways and at my own pace.

I have never been happier in my professional life. Dan Pink’s talk helped provide the grounded perspective I needed to make sense of why I feel so good in this job.   I’m doing this job for reasons that align with his theories about what makes motivation effective in the 21st century.  Every day I strive to be better at what I do – for me.  This makes me a valuable resource for my employer.  My job satisfaction isn’t associated with a career path provided by my employer (sweeter carrots or sharper sticks).  Instead, I devise my own career path and set my own goals.  I am the boss of me.  I know many of us uttered that phrase when we were 8, but it feels fantastic to be able to say it as an adult… and mean it.  Perhaps someday I will be self-employed, but for now I love that I get to work for this huge company doing something I love with all the perks of a corporate benefits package.

I use the time to relax and breathe in an otherwise pedal-to-the-metal kind of lifestyle.  I meet new people and strike up interesting conversations.  I also practice some balancing exercises (like standing on one foot for as long as I can).

Recently, when traveling home from Boston with a colleague, I found my belief about standing in lines, challenged.  We walked to the end of the security line together.  When we arrived, my colleague announced she was a member of the “Clear” program (which supposedly eliminates standing in security lines) and that she would see me on the other side.  She proceeded through on the fast track and I was left wondering.

We had just spent our day sitting in a tiny conference room; we barely stood or walked all day!  Yes, perhaps standing in an airport security line was a necessary evil for some (like me), but it felt good so stand and walk a bit without feeling rushed.  I reflected on my colleague and tried to consider some of the reasons that prompted her to buy a Clear membership.  Other than being separated from “the peasants” (like me and everyone else left standing in line) I could think of no reason.

Admittedly, this next bit was judgmental on my part.  I have known my colleague for six years.  Over that time, she has gained a noticeable amount of weight.  So much that she regularly comments about it in a self-deprecating fashion.  I kept thinking that it might make her feel better to infuse as much standing, walking, and other movement into every day.  And it might do her body some good, too.  Also, we don’t see one another often, so I always enjoy our conversations.  There was part of me that felt dissed by her departure, but I tried not to dwell on it.  I told myself I was content to stand in line and get through security the “old school” way.

As I approached the departure gate, I saw no sign of my colleague.  I thought for a second she may be belly up to the nearby bar or in the ladies room.  After all there was over an hour before departure.  Then, I got a text message that said she was able to board an earlier flight.

That’s when I “got it”.  It wasn’t only that she wasn’t interested in standing in line, but on this occasion she got home a few hours earlier than I did… and she got to see her husband and kids before bed-time.

For me, this is another life lesson about the importance of not prejudging others.

Since I was a kid, I have considered myself a goal-oriented person.  Now that I’m no longer a kid, I recognize I have been a superstar at setting and achieving short-term goals, but I have taken a back seat in my own life to the bigger picture; my long-term goals.  I have lived as if all the long-term, big-picture stuff would just fall into place; a place I never knew I always wanted to be.  Hmmm… in retrospect… not the best plan.  Okay, I know, it’s not even a plan.

Eliza Gilkyson wrote some awesome lyrics for her song “Hard Times in Babylon”.  I love this line:  “We’re coming upon a time in our lives when the little dreams live but the big dream dies.”  Several years ago, I was in Austin, TX listening to a live performance of Eliza and her band at Antone’s.  That’s when that line first hit me.  I reflected upon that “big dream” of mine.  What was it?  (I think I actually heard the sound of wind blowing across a dusty prairie in the Old West.)  Did I really forget to dream?  Perhaps I forgot how to dream.

Now some years later, I finally have a plan.  Well, it’s actually a plan to formulate a plan.  I bought a cute little book called “Five”.  I was initially attracted to it because it has a green linen-wrapped hardcover (green is my favorite color).  The whole book is only about a quarter of an inch thick – and it is a workbook.  The purpose of the book is to stir my creative juices and to inspire me to really get in touch with my dreams.  The goal is not to provide a list of what “should” be done with the next five years – but to stir up some exciting possibilities of what “could” be done.

I had visions of sipping a latte at my favorite coffee shop, and filling in all the blanks in this workbook.  I tried that, but this is tough stuff.  It’s going to be a journey, and it’s going to require a lot more purposeful thought than I imagined.  (dah!)  I bought the book in October and have the first half of page 1 completed.  Seriously.

My goal is to have the workbook completed by the end of June.  I have literally booked time on my calendar for introspection between now and then.  It’s time to start living on purpose!

The last two B&b products I purchased are sumowax and sumotech.  Each came in a recyclable box, and both boxes had a card inside.

• The sumowax card read:  “To injure another is to injure oneself.”  The quote was attributed to Bumbleananda (1434-1535).*
• The sumotech card displayed a list of hi tech things and their lo tech equivalents (like computer vs. pencil, nylon vs. naked and cell phone vs. smoke signal).  The list concluded with sumotech on both sides of the list.  (hi tech stuff and lo-tech style)

*The sumowax product also came with an accordian-folded insert that visually explains how to use the product.  The illustrations on the insert have a hand-drawn feel and there are bits of humor scattered throughout the instructions.  I love the whole thing – well done Bumble & bumble.

I usually prefer minimal packaging materials.  I love knowing when packaging is made using recycled materials.  What little “extra” packaging is included with these B&b products feels special and not wasteful, especially because I intend to use both insert cards in some multi-media projects I have in mind.

When I feel grounded, I notice it.

When I feel angst, fear, discontent, sadness, insignificant… I do not sense it.

Every day I try to notice the inspiration that surrounds me, because when I do it makes me a better person, with better ideas, and a better attitude about everything.  It makes me feel optimistic.  It makes me feel like I can accomplish anything I can imagine.

I am employed by “Corporate America”, and (fortunately or unfortunately) PowerPoint is the slideware of choice in this environment.  I am a visual [presentation] designer for one of the world’s largest high-tech companies.  I am the only person who does what I do amidst the thousand+ people in my global business unit. I often cringe when I see how PowerPoint is used by my colleagues.  Fortunately, I can help.  Unfortunately, there’s only one of me.

My greatest challenge is that I need to help visually support stories I may never fully understand.  High-tech material is heady stuff.  The presenters and content contributors with whom I work are subject matter experts.  I do not wish to reveal my ignorance on a regular basis, so I try to focus on being a process expert.  I try to ask thought-provoking questions that help them bring their best and most succinct story forward.

My greatest pet peeve is that I often receive draft slides/presentations and am given very little time to make them look better.  These drafts are submitted without a script and often without a verbal “tour” of the storyline.   I produce presentations for active sales cycles all over the planet, which infuses my experience with challenging delivery timelines and an awareness of cultural differences and expectations.  It is difficult in these situations to do anything beyond a cursory “scrub”.  (I would have said “put lipstick on a pig” but I hate that phrase and think it was overused during and since the recent race for US Presidency.)  Because I may not understand the flow of the story, it is difficult to capitalize on themes, motifs, icons, etc.   Within this context, I also find it difficult to suggest meaningful ways to improve the flow.   This process limits my ability to do what I do best, which is bring the data to life, visually.

In an ideal world, I would receive projects in the form of a script or an outline.  I would work with the presenters to storyboard the material, then I would produce the presentation and other corresponding materials (like handouts, session workbooks, job aids, findings reports, posters, screensavers, brochures, trade show loops, etc).

I decided I would try to develop and implement a purpose-built process that serves my “ideal world” scenario.  I’m reading and re-reading materials from Duarte, Atkinson, Tufte, Reynolds, and others to arrive at a solution that will work.  I think I need to develop a program that includes a 1-page-summary, story template, storyboarding process, visualization techniques, templates and design elements.  I’ll post updates as I make progress.