Help me to help you

This week I confirmed that as a "right-hand man" you are required to watch the act of thinking.  In my job, while I am not an assistant by title, I always end up assisting my boss with numerous tasks and projects, making copies, fetching files, and the most fairest of all - watching her think. 

With some internal company restructuring we have a new leader with a different management style, and different needs and priorities.  With this comes more complex projects requiring me to assist my boss on assignments I've never been exposed to before.  This is great news for me, because I now have the opportunity to learn some new skills and interact with other colleagues.  Yea Me!

However, I realized that its not enough to listen to my boss debrief the situation, get educated on the details, retype documents that our predecessors did not save electronically, analyze the next steps based on my perspective as a newcomer to the information, BUT I also must sit in my boss's office and watch her as she thinks of where additional documents may be, who could have possibly signed the missing document, what the calculation on the 19th page of the contract means and so on!!!!!   How do I know that this to is a requirement - because when I position my body to leave her office to return to my desk, she snaps "Wait, give me a minute".  A minute to do what, I ask myself.  While it would be fantastic if my superhuman power was mind reading, I don't possess that skill set and watching someone think is a waste of time if it isn't an active brainstorming session.

At the end of the day, don't ask someone to watch you think, help them to help you accomplish whatever outcome you are looking for by not wasting their time, but telling them what you are trying to achieve, uncover, or make a decision on.  Next, write down the follow up items that need some additional thought and lastly, decide on a time to reconvene once you had the opportunity to actively think and discuss next steps. 

Telecommuting or snow day?

Like most of the Midwest and Northeast, this morning I awoke to lots of snow and a slow snow plower.  After trying to power drive my way through 6 inches of snow, I backed my car back into the garage, called my boss to let her know I was stuck and logged onto our work system to telecommute until I am no longer being held hostage by the abominable snowman. 

While my job does not support telecommuting unless we are subjected to situations like this one, I started thinking maybe I should revisit my proposal (about a year ago, I suggested our company move in this direction with no success) for flex schedules and telecommuting where possible. 

With a quick google search I have already located 10 reasons it works! 

Some include:

1. Conserving Energy - See I am using my own energy right now, not the company's
2. Improved Health - I feel great, positive attitude, ate a balanced breakfast all in my living room
3. Promotes Safety - Because the weather is bad, I am way safer at home than on the street
4. Allows employee freedom - Granted I am blogging right now, as soon as I publish it, I will be right back to work - because I am disciplined!

For the full list, check out the link below.

http://www.gilgordon.com/telecommutesafe/telebenefits.html

So, that means I have to work for 50 more years...

Is what I said when I left my 1:30pm meeting today where the topic was "what to do about our current retiree medical plan".  With the costs rising each year, leaving retirees unable to continue to afford the plan, in the same breath leaving those with preexisting conditions unable to find alternative plans - I wondered where does that leave me?

1 - Contemplating how I am going to fast forward my career plan to make the big bucks

2 - Finding me a rich husband who will be able to afford a stand alone retiree medical plan for the both of us 

3 - Prying me out of my blogging slump - which is due to my busiest time of year at work: Open Enrollment, followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years holidays.

Needless to say, picturing working until I am 80 has definitely got my creative juices flowing, my mind churning and my fingers typing.