I'm Baaaaccckkkk...

For some, blogging is probably a chore. Once you start it, it’s not an easy thing to quit (at least if you have a plan and that plan involves your blog somehow making you a thought leader and more importantly, making you money).  For me, it’s not a chore because if it were, it would be the most neglected chore possible.

So what is it? Well, the past few months have been busy, but not to the point that I didn’t think about blogging (at least 5 times a day, not exaggerating here). I thought about what I would write about, how much I could share with young professionals, how sarcastic most of the posts would be and ultimately I thought about how much I missed it.

Thankfully, I never attributed my lack of visits to www.fischer510.com as some kind of professional failure. The truth is, if my mom (and one or two other readers) didn’t have the chance to read my blog posts every day, that means they probably had time to talk to me at events, see an occasional tweet or better yet in the case of my mom, text and try to skype me until she finally succeeded.

So, my blog will probably take on a little less professional and a little more ‘Megan’ in the next few months (which at the rate I am going could mean one spectacular post). But know this – even when my posts make absolutely no sense to everyone in the blogosphere, they make a ton of sense to me.  I love to write (especially when I don’t have to consult the AP Style Guide every two minutes).   It’s a passion. It’s a release for me and it’s a release that clearly this summer (I took an extended summer, okay people) I needed badly, but not as badly as I needed a break.

Moving forward I will not promise anything about my blog. I won’t say – hey guys, look for a post every other day – or even once a week. Instead, I am making blogging more about fun and less about another item on my to-do list which needs some serious help at the moment. I bought this yesterday in Lake Geneva with money I absolutely do not have to buy things like this. I put it in my office to remind me how incredibly important it is that I continue to be absolutely ridiculous.

Regroup. Rebuild. Rediscover.

A blog isn't much of a blog without relevant posts and current discussion. Kind of similar to the fact that I wasn't much of a networker without my network. Many of you know that I loved the job I left last Wednesday but I struggled for seven months with one thing- I felt hopelessly detached from my network. I constantly felt like I was canceling lunch dates, registering for networking events and then ultimately dropping out, letting the mentor program at MU fall apart and frantically spending free time trying to reschedule meetups with friends (deep down knowing that rescheduled date would be canceled too).

I left with the utmost respect for opportunity I was given, the people that I met and the chance to really learn more about myself (my personal brand), my network and my future.

I read a blog post a while back about 'personal branding' and this quote really captured my attention: "Being a personal brand isn't all that useful to anyone else, if its just about you." Isn't that the truth? So, I decided to create a list of all the people that have contributed to my success, supported me along the way and made a lasting impression on me throughout the years. That list was LONG. That list also proved that my 'personal brand' is truthfully an extension of about 150 solid relationships that I have made in the city of Milwaukee. 

Some of these most influential people (to me) may not even know how much I value them as a person and professional and it's important I fill them in on the impression they made - even if it was for 15 minutes, a year or throughout my entire career. I could list them all, but instead I would like to call them each out in future blog posts - talking about who they are, why they matter to me (and why they could/should matter to you) and the difference they have made in my life.

So, I can finally say again - that I have made time for networking and I love networking. Well, actually, I love genuine networking. One-on-one meetings. Listening and responding. Asking questions and learning from others. Since I put my notice in, I have spent the last few weeks and practically my entire income on breakfasts, lunches, dinners and happy hours. 

It wasn't easy (for me - the 'I never relax'/I have to be productive personality) to take a week off and focus strictly on reconnecting with people but it has been the most rewarding week in a long time. I have had the chance to regroup with my network, rebuild the most meaningful relationships and rediscover the passion and energy I have for communicating with others. 

Keeping a Secret

Well friends. It’s official. I recently accepted a new position at a strategic research firm just outside of Washington, DC. Before you reach for the tissues, don’t shed any tears yet, I actually get to work from home for now and travel to DC as needed.

As my blog might tell you, I have wrestled with what I want to do, which area of marketing communications I want to specialize in and one thing has been made clear over the past few years – I like change. I like variety. I like working on business development and driving sales and most important – I love a challenge. In my new position, I will be working with an incredibly smart and talented bunch of PhD’s and research analysts - and I can promise you that I will be challenged on a daily basis.

I am sure there are people out there who can’t believe I am leaving my position after only seven months; and while I appreciate the concern – trust me… I couldn’t have imagined a position so perfectly suited to me as this new opportunity. I have the chance of a lifetime to work from home, focus on my professional growth and development, actually live the work/life balance I so often talk about (finally back on track with running/gym plans)– and travel to a city that I could someday see myself moving to – Washington, DC. And, I just might have the most loyal co-worker a person could imagine – Cooper the Dog.

Granted I will miss the camaraderie of going into the office at times, I look forward to a very productive at-home office and conversation with marcom professionals all over the country on Twitter. And of course visiting my favorite places in Milwaukee once again for the occasional coffee, lunch meeting and happy hour. 

That’s it for now. More blogging to come now that the news is ‘public.’ 

Taking the Leap

Thats it for today. A new favorite quote about embracing challenges and never looking back... Just leap, if it's meant to be - the net will appear. 

The Problem with Over Analyzing

We all have sensitivities that co-workers may not be aware of – it’s important to keep that in mind when someone makes a comment that offends you personally. For instance, yesterday someone asked me ‘why did you stop working out?’ Now, to the every day person (or man), maybe they would have laughed it off and been like – yeah, I clearly need to hit the gym hard next week. But when I was asked that question, my mind started spinning and I was really hurt.

 

The truth is – I have gained weight. Well, 1.2 lbs. So, if I am spending enough time with coworkers for people to actually notice a 1.2 lb weight gain, I have other issues I need to address. But the truth is, weight is a very sensitive subject to me and it always has been. I grew up in a family of four girls in Naperville – home to more Lululemon, Lucy, Bikram Yoga, Lifetime fitness joints than I can count. People there care more about appearance and weight than in any city I have visited. It’s important not only just for health but also for your emotional well-being. And… even though I hate to admit it, weight is important in the workplace (read Nicole Williams ‘Girl on Top’ or Gordon Patzers ‘Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Imagined’).

 

BUT, in this case it’s possible that the comment came from someone who recently overheard me talking about how much I miss running and how awful shin splints and knee issues really are. I was discussing the issue with another coworker (who also is training for a ½ marathon) and we were coming up with solutions to our ailments and deciding if knee issues will eventually lead to our break-up with running. Doesn’t mean I can’t become a stellar biker or even work it off on the elliptical, but the truth is, running may not be the most realistic of sports for everyone to pursue.

 

Needless to say, I took the comment very personally and watched everything I ate like a hawk last night… lifted, went on a long walk with Cooper the Dog and tried to shake it off. Regardless of the person’s intention – I probably took it the wrong way and they would probably feel terrible if they knew how much it affected me.

 

So, when someone makes a comment – whether it is about appearance, money or family – don’t over analyze. Shake it off and if it really hurts, look at why it hurts. Maybe it’s something you’ve been thinking about yourself (whether it’s weight gain, spending more time with family, etc) and you can use the comment as a little extra motivation to hit the ground running and achieve your goals.

Zappos Insights

I have seen the Zappos Culture Book and looked upon it with envy as friends proudly displayed it on their shelves. Just the other day I started thinking about the importance of internal communication - and how just 'feeling a part of something' can drastically improve employee moral. So, within two minutes of googling, I stumbled upon Zappos Insights and was pleasantly surprised that I could simply request the culture book - for free!

I was almost as excited to submit my request for the culture book as I am when I hit 'checkout' and know a few pairs of shoes are coming my way in the happy Zappos box. True to their word, the culture book arrived within two days of my original request - free. I opened it and the first quote I read was: "People may not remember exactly what you did or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel." Remember that quote. It is easily forgotten when deadlines arise and projects are due - but it's important.

We have all been in buildings and seen core value signage or worked for companies that talk about 'core values.' But I wonder how many people can say they lived by the companies core values like people at Zappos probably do. For that reason, I am going to 'borrow' their core values and share them with any reader of my readers who wants to be enlightened... (if you request the book you can also be enlightened with pages and pages of the peep contest)...

1. Deliver WOW through service.
2. Embrace and drive change 
3. Create fun and a little weirdness 
4. Be adventurous, creative and open-minded
5. Pursue growth and learning
6. Build open and honest relationships with communication
7. Build a positive team and family spirit
8. Do more with less
9. Be passionate and determined
10. Be humble

This list of 10 values speaks to each of us at any given moment in our life. In fact, if we all applied Zappos' core values to our relationships, marriages, parenting styles, workout routines - ANYTHING - we would lead such purposeful lives.

And now as a tribute to Core Value #3 - a collection of photos from their Zappos Peep Contest - fits the fun and weird to a tee. 

Curiosity - Key to Career Success?

Growing up I was often afraid to ask 'why' for fear that I was wasting people’s time or bothering the class with a question that they already knew the answer to. Now, I ask the question ‘why’ more than most 3 year olds. And finally, I think my company and my coworkers are actually lucky that I have the courage to do so. Asking ‘why’ isn’t a sign of weakness and it certainly isn’t a sign of stupidity.

I admire people who ask why. It shows that they have a love for what they do, they care enough about whatever the topic is to learn more and they aren’t afraid to push the boundaries and explore the reasoning behind a decision, strategic position or plan. 

Today I spoke at Marquette over the lunch hour to students who want to know more about professionals and life after Marquette . I hope to impress upon each of them the importance of growing as a professional, identifying what drives you as a person and the necessity of asking ‘why’ early on to best understand the direction you are headed. Aside from just asking 'why' as it relates to business and marketing plans, make sure to check back with yourself when you accept a job offer, pass an offer by or decide to leave an industry completely. At times it may be appropriate to say, ‘why not?’ – But other times, make sure you have solid reasoning behind your decisions.

One of the panelists, Jon Adler, said that he has always been far more curious than he is smart. He was on to something. A lot of people are born smart or intellectually gifted, but not everyone has a curious personality. Although it’s only three letters, ‘why’ can be one of the most challenging and telling ‘W’ questions you’ll be faced with over the course of your professional life. Embrace it.

Addicted to Amazon

Unfortunately, I have an addiction to Amazon. So much so, that when I see a book review I often head to Amazon.com (don't even have to login because I probably never logged out) and add books to my wishlist (actually, I buy them but my husband may be reading this and he may think all of my books are from the library).

So, on Friday when I had a few minutes to browse the bookshelves at Barnes and Noble I was surprised to find a few new titles and quickly added them to my mental wish list. I thought I could wait until my birthday or try and find it discounted online - but little did I know - I already did!

Monday and Tuesday of this week I received brown boxes from Amazon and was shocked to open them and find out that the books I wanted so badly at Barnes and Noble - were already purchased (probably in my sleep) on Amazon. Normally I get excited when packages arrive to work but this time I just looked kind of confused - I had no idea which books I bought the week before.One that I can't wait to dive into - Switch by Chip and Dan Heath and Just Let Me Lie Down by Kristin Van Ogtrop.

I rarely make it past 11pm (unless working on a deadline) but I was wide awake reading the first chapter of Switch. If you liked 'Made to Stick' - you will probably have a hard time putting Switch down. I hope to finish it before the end of the week and will provide inside and thoughts at that time.


Just Let Me Lie Down - well, this book looks good but I probably won't have time to read it until next week or the following. Which, is probably just fine considering it's a book that speaks to the half-insane working mom. Since I don't have kids and won't have them for the next year or so - I will probably only be able to relate as a mom to my dog, Cooper. When I purchased the book it was probably in one of my many moments of researching to understand the balance involved in managing a family and a career. This could also explain my subscription to 'Working Mother' that I have now had for two years and my obsession with researching anything to prepare for the years ahead.

Reviews to come in days ahead.

I don't know if it has to do with my love of Jeff Bezos or just the fact that I can find ANYTHING in the world on Amazon - but, I will leave you with a quote from Jeff - obviously, his genius thought of creating an online bookstore - will never be a regret of his.

"Most regrets, by the way, are acts of omission and not commission. If you do bad things, if you go murder somebody, that would be bad and that would be an act of commission that you would regret. But most everyday, ordinary non-murderers, when they're 80 years old, their big regrets are omissions."- Jeff Bezos

Hacked

Sometimes your blog gets hacked. And maybe the timing was perfect considering I didn't quite 'squeeze' the time into my schedule to focus on blogging. And the truth is - I really missed it.

April may have started a few days ago - but my goal is to blog at least 3 times a week from here on out.

Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend.

And no, this three sentence blog post doesn't count as one of them.

Before You Burn Out

It's bound to happen in this economy. People love their jobs. And people are so thrilled to HAVE a job that they will do anything to keep that job. They love what they do and they work incredibly hard day in and day out (and often times on the weekends, too). But it's possible that after putting in three 70+ hour weeks, it's time to take a step back, take a deep breath and re-evaluate what makes you the successful employee you have grown into. It is okay to catch yourself before burning out. 

At this stage in my career there is nothing more important than being reliable, proving my worth and persevering until the end of a project. But what happens when that 'project' turns into a lifestyle and it's important to always be 'on' and cranking at 65+ hours a week? Many choose to live this way and work this hard, and more power to them. Other people get caught up in the commotion and end up realizing months later that their priorities have shifted and sometimes if they are lucky, they catch themselves right before they break.

It's fair to say that I dedicate a lot of time to better my company, my career and department. But I also have a breaking point that thankfully I have come to recognize and embrace. I hit my breaking point this past weekend at Mile 3 during the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago (the Shamrock Shuffle that I PROMISED myself I would run competitively). 

Mile 3 was more of a joke than Mile 2 because I was about ready to die and on the verge of walking faster than I could run. Also, the 'slight uphill' at the end of the race when the crowds were saying ' you are almost done' - well, thats just cruel. Apparently my idea of 'just around the corner' is far different than those skinny marathon runners who meant, 'you only have one mile left.' Anyway, it doesn't matter - the point is that even if you are athletic, you can't just throw running shoes on in 40 degree weather and hit the road for a 5 mile run amongst 37,000 dedicated runners and 'make it happen.' No, you should start training at least 8 weeks before (or break in the running shoes you ordered three months ago) and make the commitment to yourself to actually train for the run (like the people below). 

I spent 75% of the race (I gave new meaning to it's name 'shuffle') beating myself up and yelling at myself for not training for the race. I spent the other 20% thinking about how much time I had put in at work and why I didn't just carve out some time for myself to train for something that meant so much to me? The other 5% was spent on thinking about the glory days when my Shamrock Shuffle was more of a Shamrock Spring. Since 4th grade (yes, a long time ago), I have done the Shamrock Shuffle. I know it's coming every year and yet, since I started my professional career - I have failed to make it a priority. 

I know when to make work a priority. I know when to make family a priority (well, I am learning how to make this more of a priority). And I am LEARNING how to make 'me' and my needs a priority. There will always be days when I need to dedicate 100% of myself and time to work - but hopefully this doesn't become a way of life. Granted I will probably always put in a solid 10-11 hour day (and until I have kids dedicate a solid 80% of my energy to work) - but I need the other 14 hours to work on making me, 'me' - whether it's working out, reading, taking classes, networking, catching up with colleagues and friends or even sleeping. 

Even if you are on the verge of a breakdown, remember that you are incredibly valuable to your organization ONLY when you respect yourself and know your limits. It's okay to scale back if you feel your productivity slipping.

Please visit my blog again in early August to see if I am on the verge of my second breakdown of 2010. I signed up for the Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon in Chicago on August 1st. Barring any injuries or health concerns, I had BETTER run across that finish line at a respectable pace.