Spring Time is Here!

If you grew up in the midwest, there is a good chance you are a weather junkie like me, especially during this time of year. Tonight was our first significant weather event here in KC and for me it was the first time ever I integrated online viewing with my TV viewing. It was like a 360 degree theater of weather watching and it was awesome! Or like Jim Flink said on Twitter..it's like surround sound stereo! If you happen to be online while watching storm coverage on TV I thought you may find these sites interesting.

First is www.kcweather.org. This site was mentioned multiple times during channel 9 coverage and happens to be ran by a friend of mine. They host a live chat during severe weather situations when Ed Roberts (Ed runs the site) is available, which is most of the time. Ed also posts daily podcasts that you may find helpful. Not only do you get some meteorology education, you also meet some pretty cool people in the room. I had a great discussion with the Yahoo sports writer from Rivals.com and ended up getting into a side discussion about the NFL draft, high school recruiting and appreciation for online communities. Fun stuff!

For those of you on twitter you can follow @kcweather to get live updates. For those of you not on twitter, you can simply go to search.twitter.com and search on #kcstorms and you will see all live tweets that often have weather spotters providing live updates from around the metro area.

I know, I’m a super geek to be doing this kind of stuff on a Saturday night but my daughter had a softball tourney this weekend so was hanging at home. One more thing..in case you didn’t see the live tornado video on KMBC channel 9 it is a must see…a photojournalist and reporter got caught in the I-70 turnpike tornado and had to escape to a ditch…they got it all on video.

Spring is here in KC and I’m soooo happy!

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series Wrap-Up

WOW! Those 40 days went by fast.....super fast. I had a great time sharing with you just some of the fantastic people I have had the pleasure and honor of working with the last 20 years. I hope you learned something along the way as I know I learned a ton! I need to thank three more people as I wrap-up the series...my parents Tom and Rita Nicholson and my husband Jackie Qualls. My parents instilled in me a serious work ethic to keep going, do what it takes to get the job done and don't quit. They have provided an endless amount of support throughout my career. My ever patient husband taught me how to let go of the tough days and to celebrate the good ones. He also taught me the power of loving the difficult as there have been many days I have been difficult at best and he loved me anyway. I am truly grateful for having their love that inspires me each and every day.

Many people have asked me if I planned out who I was going to write about. I did write a list of about 40 people when I got the idea for the series but I didn't plan on when I would write about them or what I would write about. I also had names and memories that came to me while writing the series. Before I would write a post I would ask God for guidance and it never failed the name would come through loud and clear. Many times I would hear from the person that they had no idea they made such an impact and that I couldn't have had better timing...God works in mysterious ways. Once I figured out who I would write about the story would flow pretty easily. I found it interesting that every post would take a life of its own. What I thought I had learned from the person often times would be something different by the time I got to writing the golden nugget. Ultimately, the experience left me feeling blessed, thankful and in awe of the amazing people who have touched my life.

40-Day Series Review:

Annette Loos Golden Nugget: Don't assume people know when they do good work or are making a difference because more than likely they don't. Taking a few minutes to share a note of your observations can inspire a lifetime of confidence.
Linda Chappell Golden Nugget: Don't be afraid to give the rookie a chance to make a difference. Simply believe in them, encourage them, help them find their way from time to time and then watch them grow as they take your company to new heights.
Tony Painton Golden Nugget: 1) Take care of your team, even if it means breaking the rules from time to time. 2) Laugh the tension away
Victor Alba Golden Nugget: Share your passion and hobbies with your co-workers, you may find a connection that transcends business and leads you to new possibilities in life.
Shushan Aleaqui Golden Nugget: Take the time, show the patience and have the courage to be authentic when coaching others.
Kathy Walker Golden Nugget: Don't forget where you came from and be willing to lead as your authentic self
Claudio Lima Golden Nugget: Don't be afraid to ask the smart guys for help and if you are the smart guy help the student feel smart too. Be kind to those who are on assignment and/or new to the group.
Sharon Williams Golden Nugget: Be a listening ear and know when to tell a joke
Steve Coker Golden Nugget: Find someone who you trust enough to call you a chicken and appreciate it when they do
Linda Sherlock Golden Nugget: If it isn't good do what you have to do to fix it and make it great.
Tim Lunsford Golden Nugget: Foster an environment of debate, challenge the status quo and be wary of the Yes man
Jean Matkovich Golden Nugget: Embrace learning and share what you know with others.
Simon Kuo Golden Nugget: Stay in touch with old colleagues and be open to new opportunities they offer
Craig Cowden Golden Nugget: Ask the tough questions and have your voice be heard
Rebecca Caldwell Golden Nugget: Embrace community service and let others help you to achieve the "impossible"
Tricia Howe Golden Nugget: Energy creates energy..giving 100% is infectious!
George Porta Golden Nugget: Appreciate people for who they are and focus on their strengths
Glen Boney Golden Nugget: Give unconditional help and support
Laurie Halfert Golden Nugget: Listen without judgment
Fong Johnson Golden Nugget: Being a mentor is more about learning than teaching
Francine Ray Golden Nugget: Keep the small stuff small by taking care of the details.
Tony Krueck Golden Nugget: Create a culture of quality and trust by encouraging and accepting candid discussion
Clay Holyfield Golden Nugget: Know what your customer wants and give it to them
Jay Bluhm Golden Nugget: Appreciate the time spent with your siblings
Amy Mahalovich Golden Nugget: Be compassionate with others
Jo Blagovich Golden Nugget: Give people second chances
Fred Harris Golden Nugget: Think twice about how you treat your co-workers
Susan Morgan Golden Nugget: Learn, stand-up, reach-out and lead
Tom Hoskins Golden Nugget: Family First
Jerry Leeper Golden Nugget: Being the best you can be requires practice, discipline & dedication
Lori Ames Golden Nugget: Trust someone to catch you when you fall, they'll push you back up.
Sally Harding Funk Golden Nugget: Provide meaningful training to employees
Tom and Rita Nicholson Golden Nugget: Keep going, do what it takes to get the job done and don't quit
Jackie Qualls Golden Nugget: Let go of the tough days, celebrate the good ones and love the difficult people as they need it the most

If this series taught you something please leave a comment as it may teach us all a golden nugget. Thank you for stopping by and check back again soon.

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Sally Harding Funk

Sally developed and taught me how a long distance telephone call works. Your phone to the end office to the central office to the PoP to the PoP to the central office to the end office to the phone you are calling. There is a bit more to it than that but that is how we started. The diagram is called a call flow. She would teach me the fundamental knowledge I would lean on throughout my entire telecom career.

I didn't realize it then but I was so very fortunate to get such training. Most of my colleagues didn't get an overview let alone a two-week, sit down, white board, deep dive crash course in all things telecom. Sally walked me through a ton of call flows, network diagrams, and telecom definitions. When I started that job I thought ATM was a place where you pulled money...Sally would teach me a whole new ATM, Asynchronous Transfer Mode network. Voice, data, T-1's, OC-3's, and PVC's...a world I never knew existed would become the world I would live and breathe the next 10 years.

I would be exhausted at the end of our sessions from brain overload but she had a way of making it fun and exciting. She was patient with all my questions. She would become a trusted supervisor and team mate who would provide valuable advice through some pretty challenging career events. She helped me establish a foundation of knowledge that was critical to both my personal and professional growth.

Golden Nugget: Provide meaningful training to employees

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Lori Ames

Lori and I love the MU tigers, love Springfield, MO and love golf. We had an instant connection when we met (which happened to be during a business interview). Our team had all intentions of hiring someone else and then we met her and changed our mind. She had this aura of confidence, calm and intelligence.

Little did I know during that interview just how much fun Lori was going to be. We shared college stories, happy hour stories and made new stories of our own. Lori wasn't just a good time, she was a true friend and confidant. She helped me get through political turmoil, new bosses, and adjust to jobs I thought were over my head. She would stop me cold when I was whining, tell me to get over it and jump back in the fight. She could challenge me like none other and I didn't want to disappoint.

Lori is one of the most courageous people I know. She manages personal challenges that requires the strongest of faith and intestinal fortitude. She knows who she is, gets stronger every day and is full of love, love, and love. We have many great memories that I reflect on often. A born leader, true professional and amazing friend, that's my Lori.

Golden Nugget: Trust someone to catch you when you fall, they'll push you back up.

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Jerry Leeper

A bit of a different twist with this entry..I am going to talk about someone from my junior high/high school days. You may think this is a stretch to connect this experience to making business personal. Bear with me, I'm optimistic you'll understand the connection.

Jerry Leeper was my band and orchestra teacher in 8th grade. We had heard horror stories in the 7th grade which was in a completely different building miles away from the junior high. With the way the first few weeks of 8th grade band started I had no doubt why the stories existed. Mr. Leeper was loud, demanding, and had no tolerance for excuses. He was the first teacher for all of us that set expectations and made sure at you met them. As you can imagine the attrition rate was high that first quarter but if you held on and stuck with it you wouldn't be disappointed.

The junior high band ALWAYS sounded better than the high school band. We would win top awards, get invited to cool places, and would work our butt off to be better than any other band in the area. Mr. Leeper would push and drive us to improve our musical ability with challenging scores and intense practice sessions. He would tell us we only shortchange ourselves if we cut corners. He demanded we be the best we could be as trying to be anything else was simply being lazy.

It may sound like he was this tough mean old guy, and I would be lying if I didn't say there wasn't days when we thought he was a bit scary but I can tell you he really was one of the nicest caring teachers in the district. He pushed because he cared. He challenged us because he knew we had it in us. He was demanding because he wanted us to know the accomplishment that comes from giving it everything we had.

A true testament to the respect we had for him was years later when Mr. Holland's Opus came out and everyone one of us who kept in touch thought of Mr. Leeper immediately when we watched the movie. He was our Mr. Holland, he made his business of teaching personal. He would spend countless hours staying late helping us practice both as a class and individually. He would become a private instructor teaching me the oboe. He taught me that to become great was only possible through practice, discipline and dedication. To respect yourself was to respect your craft...take it seriously, reach for the high bar and be the best you can be..no more no less.

Golden Nugget: Being the best you can be requires practice, discipline & dedication

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Tom Hoskins

A true gentleman. Have you ever had the opportunity to meet one? I not only had the pleasure to meet one but the honor to work with one side by side every day for almost 3 years. Tom Hoskins was a retired Air Force Colonel and Vietnam War veteran. I remember him telling me about one of his most exciting days when he was invited to fly in a Stealth plane...pretty cool huh? He had quite a few interesting stories and I loved to hear him tell them. I always learned something new and he never got irritated with all my questions (at least that I knew of, I'm sure he had to get tired of them from time to time :) )

Tom was always calm, cool and collected. I on the other hand was the opposite. He was my zen master. He could just give me a look and I knew it was time to take it down a level. We spent countless hours talking. We would talk about meetings, bosses, and colleagues and what we could learn from them. I know I learned something from just about every conversation I had with him.

Not only would we talk about work but also our families, friends and home life. He encouraged me to be a better mother and wife. He would push me to leave the office on time. He would remind me that children grow fast and you don't get a second time around to do it better. My only regret is I didn't heed his advice and wisdom as often I should have. My wish for you...to have an opportunity to have a Tom Hoskins in your life...it will make you a better person.

Golden Nugget: Family first

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Susan Morgan

I honestly don’t have any idea what kind of career I would have had if I had not met Susan when I was assigned to work network migrations. Here I was this 20-something, high-energy, over eager kid not knowing a damn thing about technology, network or project management. I know there were times she had to just shake her head wondering what in the hell she was going to do with me. She had incredible patience and always took the time to answer my endless amount of questions. She would teach me just about everything I would ever know about managing projects, reporting on projects and dealing with project politics.

She taught me to understand the big picture. Always start with the big picture. If you didn’t understand the why and what you couldn’t develop the when, where, and how.

She taught me the importance of understanding the various team members and their why and what. Always respect your team members. You needed to know where your team members were coming from, what their role and responsibility was and why they may push back (typically because their boss was telling them to, which you could figure out if you knew the big picture).

She taught me the power of the project sponsor. Always treat your sponsor like the customer. Without a project sponsor you don’t have a project.

Finally, she taught me to be a project manager meant you were the leader. The buck stopped with you. If there was an issue, a delay, a quality issue you took the blame…you never ever threw a project member under the bus. You took responsibility; you fixed the problem and ultimately led the team to deliver the project per plan.

She also taught me the importance of continuing your education. Susan was always working on a new degree of some kind. She also taught me to enjoy hobbies and appreciate being good at more than one thing. Most important, she taught me to be kind to the rookies, embrace the challenges and be a real leader who stands up without fear.

Golden Nugget: Learn, stand-up, reach-out and lead

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Fred Harris

Fred was one of the best human beings I ever had the pleasure to work for. He was so much more than his title. He had lost his son to leukemia, the kind that doesn’t give you very much notice. He helped start the Heart of America Bone Marrow registry to honor him. The lives he has touched are many and I feel honored to have had the privilege to learn from him.

Fred and I shared a passion for quality…we believed company performance was directly tied to the quality of an organization’s strategy, processes and measurements. Sprint at the time was a big proponent of the Malcolm Baldridge Chairman Quality Award. Fred sponsored me to become a certified CQA examiner so I could bring the lessons back to his organization. What an amazing experience! As if that wasn’t enough he then accepted my proposal to create a CQA task force within his organization. He didn’t just ask one of his directors to participate; he requested that they all become involved. Some of my ideas weren’t very corporate…like the toy horns and hats I had the team wear at a milestone meeting but there was Fred wearing the hat and tooting the horn.

His guidance, never-ending support, and encouragement were somewhat rare for a man at his level to give to a junior level employee. But that was Fred, he didn’t try to fit the corporate norm…he was his own man, with his own idear’s, and wasn’t afraid to speak out on what he thought was important. There was one time he even brought up heaven at an all organization conference. His point was to get us to think about how we might be measured at the end of our life. He asked that if we were spending the majority of our life at work shouldn’t we be mindful of how we act to others as well as perform? That moment alone told me what an incredible man he was. I had the pleasure to witness his words in action and I’m a better person because of it.

Golden Nugget: Think twice about how you treat your co-workers

Be who you are and learn to be better,

Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Jo Blagovich

I honestly do not know where to even start when writing about Ms. Blagovich. Dame. A real life dame. If you asked me one word to describe Jo that is what I would answer. She is smart, fearless, fun, and makes things happen. A leader who does not apologize for her high standards. She can be a bit intimidating when she wants to be. She would give me my big break in the corporate world by hiring me in to my first salary position.

I was assigned to a position that I knew nothing about and I'm not exaggerating...I really knew nothing. Fortunately I had many people around to help me but the learning curve was long. I was responsible for frame relay migrations with my primary focus advocating for our B2B customers. We had capacity issues that kept delaying migration schedules so I came up with a report to track the issues. Typically you have a stoplight report that reflects green, yellow and red issues but Jo was color blind. Now before I continue with this story I have to tell another story to give color (no pun intended) to the situation.

Weeks before I created the report I fell asleep at my desk. I had come off a very long weekend with no sleep and was asked to read some really awful, long and boring requirements document. While reading I dozed off. Of course Jo happened to walk by and busted me. I was still relatively new and was scared I was going to get fired. My manager told me I wasn't going to be fired but that I would have a long road to recover with Jo. Now back to the report story.

So I knew I had this one opportunity to impress Jo. I also knew she was a hard woman to impress and the odds were against me after the "resting my eyes" incident. Knowing she was color blind I made the report in shades of purple. She loved it. She fondly called it the "Barney Report" named after the popular kids dinosaur show at the time. I still had a ways to go to earn her trust but the recovery had begun. To this day she loves to tell the sleeping story.

Jo would become a HUGE influence in my career. She was my Sprint angel...watching over me as I moved job to job. Always answering my call and willing to meet with me when I needed her wisdom. She never held back and if I needed to hear the hard truth she was the one to tell it to me. I love this woman. I can't say it anymore simple than that...I love Jo. I think we are kindred spirits from a previous life...we share a name, work philosophies, and enjoy downtime fun. I would never had the career I had without Jo. I wouldn't be a business owner today. Thank you doesn't come close to representing how much I appreciate her. I thank God often for bringing this dame in to my life and showing me the way.

Golden Nugget: Give people second chances.

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Amy Mahalovich

As I wrote about Jay Bluhm and appreciating time spent with siblings I was inspired to write about my real sibling, Amy Mahalovich. I know it may sound odd that I am thanking my sister for making business personal but trust me she has taught me a TON about making business personal. She is an RN. She has worked on both ends of life's spectrum...she has taken care of kids with cancer through their last days and she has brought new healthy babies in to the world. She takes her role seriously and treats each and every patient with such amazing care and thoughtfulness.

I have spent a fair amount of time in hospitals and I can say with confidence that Amy performs her "business" above and beyond what is expeced. She often gets cards, gifts and many many hugs from her patients...a true testament to the way she approaches her job. She makes it a point to understand her patients, their concerns, and their fears. She answers their questions, teaches them how to take care, and provides them the support they need, regardless if it is beyond her "role." I have had many conversations with her when I was opining about the trials and tribulations of my work. She never trivalizes what I am saying even though she could...my job isn't life and death...hers is.

I have complained about long days...she works 12 hours a day and that is on a good day. She will work both night and day shifts confusing her biological clock. She shares her talent and skill by helping her children's school district with nursing services. She embraces her role with passion, love and joy that many will only ever dream of. She has taught me the power of listening, authenticity, compassion,and empathy to connect with others in powerful ways. She works because she loves it and I can assure you it isn't because of the money. As a fellow professional I have the utmost respect for her approach, talent and skill that she delivers day in and day out. As her big sister I have such pride and admiration for what she does and more importantly how she does it.

Golden Nugget: Be compassionate with others

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Jay Bluhm

I think Jay and I were brother and sister in a previous life. We had a connection that was rare in the corporate world. I even received coaching one time to be careful with being perceived as Jay's little sister. I understood the concern but honestly thought of it as a compliment. In some ways I really did look up to Jay as if he was a big brother. I only have one sister and always wanted a brother and in many ways Jay served in that role.

He offered support, encouragement, tough love, and even protection when needed. He introduced me to the Business Professional Certification program which would change my life. He coached me, taught me and connected me to new people. He made me laugh...a lot. He drank beer with me, found me a hotel room when I was stranded in D.C., and listened to me. All of this and I never worked directly for the man or even on his team. In fact, there were a few times where I may have caused him some stress through escalations and red risk assessments. And yet, through it all he was there sharing advice and always guiding.

I don't see Jay as often these days since I left Sprint a year ago. He is still there busting his ass to make sure good things happen through some of the biggest obstacles he has ever had to face. His success often times results in additional responsibility, bigger teams and a huge work load. He accepts it all as he believes it gives him more opportunity to make a difference. I can tell you first hand he takes full advantage of every one of those "opportunities" and DOES make a difference. I miss our chats, our weekly beer sessions and his laugh. But as a little sister I am so proud of what he is doing and know that when I need him he'll be there.

Golden Nugget: Appreciate the time spent with your siblings

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa

40-Day Series: Thank You Clay Holyfield

I just had lunch today with Mr. Holyfield and thought what a great person to write about in this series. Clay and I started working together a few years ago and I have had the distinct pleasure in seeing him grow as a professional and as person throughout that time. He is a snappy dresser, terrific husband/father and one hell of a smart guy. He comes from a blue collar background, is a K-state grad and appreciates a well played football game (meaning smash mouth all the way!). He has a sensibility about him that enables him to be great at just about anything he does.

Clay worked his way up from the ground floor so has a unique perspective on what it takes for a company to be really good. He has worked in product management creating the product, in internal operations delivering the product, and has supported sales directly selling the product. He and I worked together on a custom solutions team so he also understands that many times what the customer wants isn't exactly what a company offers so you have to make it up as you go. He knows to be successful requires playing in the gray area and that some lines are meant to be stretched to satisfy the client.

You often hear "customer comes first" but many times the customer gets lost in the process, the reports and the bureaucracy. Clay made sure the customer never got lost..even if that meant working long hours to do so. I was always amazed at his ability to take care of both his external and internal customers simultaneously...a task difficult to do at best and impossible at worse. He accomplished this with his professionalism, attitude, skill and sincere desire to satisfy his customer. That is another thing...he took personal ownership of his customer, he made it his responsibility to not let anything keep him from taking care of what the customer needed to be happy. A class act who took ownership and accountability to do more than give lip service to customer satisfaction, he made it happen!

Golden Nugget: Know what your customer wants and give it to them.

Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa