6 Reasons You Should Consider a Start-Up For Your Next Career Choice

Attention Job Seekers!  This post is for you!  When I was in business school, the big push was for students to take opportunities with large companies and Fortune 500 firms, which is not a unique business school experience.  Now, before I go on, and at the risk of sounding contradictory, I do think that there is something to be said for starting your career with a big, well known company.  I did not do this.  I've always worked for small and/or entrepreneurial type firms.  My current organization is the most “corporate” environment I've ever worked in and it’s a far cry from true “corporate America”.  I mean, I get to watch sports, or attend a pro sporting game during my workday – it’s pretty awesome.  My current employer is actually over 100 years old, but it’s transforming in ways that give it the occasional start-up like characteristic.  The balance of both is new for me, and part of what drew me to the role over my traditional pick of the entrepreneurial feel.  What can I say, I want ALL the experiences!  However, I've watched others follow the path of starting in large firms, and moving onto small or mid-size firms later in their career.  From both a career development and compensation standpoint, I won’t argue that starting your career and spending the first 2-10 years in a large firm has value.  However, I would argue that many successful careers were built on the model of building knowledge, skills and abilities in a more independent way via start-ups and small businesses as well. 

Whether you’re looking for your first job, looking to make a change out of corporate America, re-entering the workforce, or just want to explore your options, here are 6 reasons (from my experience) why you should consider working for a start-up or entrepreneurial company as your next career choice:

1.  You will have more responsibility.

In a start-up, you are probably part of a small team.  What this means is that you are likely very different from your co-workers – you probably have a different skill set and a different way of approaching tasks and problems.  In my first role after graduate school, I worked for a start-up and was the HR Director for a company that started at 40 people, and ended at 150 before I left.  Being the HR Director for a high growth start-up meant that I had the responsibilities of recruiting and performance, but don’t forget that I was also responsible for many of our facilities, and the smooth operations of the office and leadership team.  I had to scale the company for growth by designing the structures of each department, and then actually getting the talent in door.  I also had to make sure we were getting the most from our staff and that they were engaged, while also handling all the administrative responsibility of HR such as payroll and benefits, as well as make sure our facilities were in tip top shape, and so much more.  I might not have been given the same level of responsibility at a larger firm.  Was I the most important person on the team?  Absolutely not.  But, was I an integral part of it?  Definitely.  And that's an empowering place to be right out of graduate school.

2. You will be able to do and try a lot of different things.

I have heard on more than one occasion from my peers in large, Fortune 500 companies that the part they dislike about their job is that they are generally stuck with their main task and don't get to branch out into other areas.  This sentiment better resonates with me after having worked now in both start-up and more structured, corporate like environments.  One person per task doesn't sound like any start-up position I've ever heard of.  Working in a start-up means wearing lots of hats, and I mean LOTS.  I would joke with my friends, that in my roles with start-ups, I would be having a strategic conversation one minute about the structure of a department or the direction of a product, and the next minute, I would be squatting with a wet vac to avert the most recent office crisis. 

3.  You will learn from brilliant people.

All companies are looking for “problem solvers”.  If you don’t believe me, go look at the career website listings of 3 organizations you know of.  Trust me, even if you have to read between the lines, they are looking for people who can either sell, or help solve their problems.  People who start their own business have a different mental and professional makeup than those who have never gone off to create something on their own.   Entrepreneurs solve problems in original and innovative ways, which make them some of the best people you can learn from.  Innovation is more than creativity – it’s solving problems in new ways, and learning how to act and react in flexible ways.  Some people have a real gift for this, and they often start companies.  You should want to learn from these people - it makes you more valuable in the job market.

4.  You will be visible.

This is a double edged sword, because in a start-up, visibility magnifies both accomplishments and failures.  Anyone who has seen "Office Space", "The Office", or any other comical show or film around office satire knows that in big companies, your work goes primarily unnoticed, or someone else takes the credit for it.  Due to the nature of a small team, your successes will be recognized instantly.  As a benefit to working in a start-up, I recommend you savor these moments, and bask in the glory.  The other side is that it’s pretty easy to see when someone makes a mistake.  I’d argue that this isn't necessarily a negative though.  There is a lot less slacking in an entrepreneurial environment.  It would only be a matter of days before your coasting would be noticed, and trust me, your team members will be upset.  It also makes you more conscious of producing error-free work.  Since you know the lights are on and everyone is center stage, you will be focused on not making mistakes, so as not to disappoint your co-workers.  Then, when others say, “we couldn't have done it without you”, you’ll know they mean it.

5.  The work culture is awesome.

Those of you reading this who currently work in a start-up are probably wearing jeans or shorts, sandals, and t-shirt right now.  I actually enjoy dressing up a little, but I can tell you that being able to throw on jeans in the morning if you want to is a real perk.  It’s also a really fun environment.  If there isn’t at least one good joke or email per hour between you and your co-workers, it’s probably a slow day.  You also get to form real friendships with your co-workers.  It’s much easier to be friends with your co-workers when you have to work so closely and rely on each other so heavily.  There’s no room for backstabbing and excessive office politics.  Additionally, passion is contagious, and it comes really naturally in an entrepreneurial atmosphere.

6.  There are financial rewards.

There are two pieces I want to talk about here.  First, working in a start-up teaches you to be frugal.  At one company I worked for, being frugal was one of our core principles.  It’s likely that money is tight.  Even if investors are knocking on every door, or the owner has a really rich uncle who stops by frequently, it’s highly likely that you will be asked on a regular basis to do more with less.  This responsibility will certainly transfer to your own life as well, and you'll end up finding new ways to find fulfillment beyond spending your money. Instead, you'll likely discover a joy in creating and doing, rather than consuming.  In the start-up world, it's about creating more and consuming less (except when it comes to your favorite lunch joint).  Now, you must be in it for more than money when joining a start-up, but let’s be honest, very few people get rich working for a big company.  Many people who make millions, make it in stock options.  It’s also nice to know that there is real upside for your hard work, besides a shiny pen at the end of a 40 year career.

I kept this list to 6, but one additional value I found was that these experiences have permanently instilled the value of hard work, ownership, and self-sustainability within me.  This alone, is something I can never say “thank-you” enough for.  Keep an open mind about your next opportunity, and consider a start-up!

4 Workplace Assessments – And My Reviews on Them

I've had the good fortune to take part in many personality assessments over the years.  I've had the pleasure to use 4 in the workplace with staff.  I’ll only be reviewing assessment which I've both taken personally, and used as a facilitator.  I've used these assessments to infuse teams with collaboration, to enable them to work more effectively, and to provide insight that allows them to work better on a personal basis.  Each of these assessments also provided me with some insight, or solidified the characteristics I already knew about myself.  The assessments I’ll be discussing include:

• Strengths Finder (www.strengthsfinder.com)
• Myers Briggs Type Indicator (www.myersbriggs.org)
• Interaction Styles (www.interactionstyle.com)
• In Color Insight (www.incolorinsight.com)

Let’s get right into it:

Strengths Finder:  I started with this one, because Strengths Finder is a bit of a cult favorite among HR and managers in terms of assessments.  To take the assessment, you must purchase the “Strengths Finder 2.0” book and use the code in the book to take the online assessment which consists of several questions you will answer on a likert scale.  You only have 20 seconds to respond to each question so as to get your “gut” response.  The assessment gained exposure and notoriety through its affiliation with Gallup.  The idea behind this assessment is to focus on strengths, rather than shortcomings because focusing on strengths yields the best results and most potential for growth.  The idea is that if one focuses on a weakness, they will improve, but will likely only ever be mediocre at the skill or characteristic.  Focusing on traits that are already strengths allows one to move from “good to great”.  The Strengths Finder book argues that encouraging your staff to focus on strengths also yields high employee engagement.  After answering the questions, the assessment identifies your top 5 strengths (out of a total of 34 themes).  You can then use the book to learn more about the strengths, and gain ideas for leveraging those strengths.  People really love this assessment.  I would venture to say it is probably the most widely popular assessment of this kind, and for that reason it’s easy to get individuals engaged in using it.  While I generally agree with focusing on strengths, I think one must be careful with that message, as it can send a mixed signal for some individuals whose developments are barriers to growth and progress, hence stalling their development.  While this assessment has earned a top rank among HR practitioners and even academics, this is not an assessment that I’m particularly fond of.  I found that I didn't really learn anything about myself by taking the assessment, and that the terms are difficult for me to relate to.  Further, I found that there is a real lack of actionable advice that goes with Strengths Finders.  However, it is entertaining and interesting to read about the results this assessment spits out.

Myers Briggs Type Indicator:  Myers Briggs (also known as MBTI), has been around for some time, and it is used widely in both educational and professional settings.  MBTI is based on the psychological research and theories of C.G. Jung, specifically noting his ideas around introversion/extroversion, archetypes and pulling upon the idea of personality “preferences” (i.e. we prefer to act certain ways, particularly when focused or under stress). 

• Favorite world: Do you prefer to focus on the outer world or on your own inner world? This is called Extroversion (E) or Introversion (I).
• Information: Do you prefer to focus on the basic information you take in or do you prefer to interpret and add meaning? This is called Sensing (S) or Intuition (N).
• Decisions: When making decisions, do you prefer to first look at logic and consistency or first look at the people and special circumstances? This is called Thinking (T) or Feeling (F).
• Structure: In dealing with the outside world, do you prefer to get things decided or do you prefer to stay open to new information and options? This is called Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).

Your Personality Type: When you decide on your preference in each category, you have your own personality type, which can be expressed as a code with four letters.  The assessment is typically taken online, and the results, along with accompanying information about the type are typically provided.

The 16 personality types of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument are listed here as they are often shown in what is called a “type table.”

ISTJ	ISFJ	INFJ	INTJ
ISTP	ISFP	INFP	INTP
ESTP	ESFP	ENFP	ENTP
ESTJ	ESFJ	ENFJ	ENTJ

I’m really quite a fan of MBTI.  It’s been around for ages, so I've taken it three different times, and I suppose I’m rather consistent, because I've gotten the same results each time.  For the record, I am a INTJ.  I find that this assessment provided me with the most robust self reflection tools of any assessment.  So, if self-reflection is the goal of what you’re trying to accomplish – I think MBTI is your best choice, hands down.

Interaction Styles:  Interaction Styles is similar to other assessments, but focuses more heavily on the ways in which people interact with each other, rather than on the internal personality.  The idea is that most people regularly behave out of their propensity of a style.  Most also enjoy being treated as they behave (a different approach than the In Color Insight).  There are four different styles:  Relater, Expresser, Analyzer and Director.  There are two axes that make up the four quadrants of the Interaction Styles.  The horizontal axis is called the “Action-Oriented Dimension” and the vertical axis is called the “Emotion-Oriented Dimension”.  Your propensity for both action and emotion determine your interaction style.  

One of the biggest benefits to this assessment is the fact that it is available in a paper format, rather than just electronically.  For this reason, this particular assessment is good to use with front-line staff or staff that are not savvy with technology.  I also find this is a good assessment for individuals who are taking on either a new leadership role, or who are taking on a very different leadership role than they've held previously.   It gives a good framework to work from for such transitions, and can be easily translated to most low-skill or mid-level position workers.  Because this assessment does not require technology, it can be a good one to use as a complementary exercise during other trainings, and generally keeps participants highly engaged since they must work through the questionnaire on the spot.

In Color Insight:  This last one is rather new to me, but perhaps one of my favorite assessments, which is why I left if for last.  In Color Insight utilizes the Personal Insight Inventory (PII) which uses a short word-association survey to provide a profile of an individual’s behavioral preferences, energy drivers, and expectations for interpersonal interaction – using color to depict orientations toward action, people, ideas and structure.  InColor Insight operates on the finding that human beings intuitively associate certain qualities and feelings with certain colors.  Using the universal language of color, the profiles communicate easily using four primary colors to represent behavioral orientations:

Action-oriented – Red

People-oriented – Yellow

Structure-oriented – Green

Ideas-oriented – Blue

After answering the questions, the assessment reveals a full report outlining your personality according to the colors different “systems”.  The assessment first outlines your behavior system (how you prefer to act), your expectations system (how you expect yourself and others to act), and your energy/need system (your subconscious, or the way you act under stress).  The assessment is based upon the research and theories of many people over time and tries to incorporate the significant ideologies of many other assessments.  The simple scheme creates a fun and memorable shared language teams can use to apply the insights gained from the assessment.  From my experience with this assessment, the common language it creates lives long beyond the debrief exercise, and it probably has the most lasting impact within teams for that reason.  I believe this assessment is the best at providing team building while also providing some self reflection.  Using the colors, teams can talk about their interactions with one another, and find ways to better collaborate using the new shared language of color.  I highly recommend this assessment if you are working with teams that are newly formed, or that are going through significant change.  It’s also a good tool to use with teams whose working relationships may have become stale.  If one of the main goals of doing a session with an assessment includes team building, this is by far the best assessment of the four.

As you can tell, I believe each of these assessments has a place; otherwise, I wouldn't bother mentioning them.  There are many assessments out there that I've used that are not worth the paper they are written on.  So be careful when choosing to use assessments with your staff.  Carefully determine what your goal is before using any type of assessment with your employees.  By knowing what you hope to get out of it, you’ll better be able to choose and leverage the tools available to you.

What other assessments do you like using with staff?  List them in the comments below!

Messy Desk = Messy Perception: It Can Hurt Your Career

This week, I cleaned my desk.  Not just a reorganizing-of-piles type of cleaning.  I sorted through everything and even took the Clorox wipes to it.  In comparison to others, I’m not necessarily a messy desk type of person.  However, after a couple hectic weeks it begins to look a little disheveled, and a pile or two of papers begins to form.  I recently found an article online from the University of Texas about how people perceive people who have messy desks.  The study from UT found that people with messy desks or offices are less efficient, less organized and less imaginative then people with clean desks.  And you know what – I bet you didn't need an academic article to come to that conclusion.  Why is that?  The bottom line – it can hurt your career.  If you have a messy desk, you look like you operate in a constant state of chaos and are out of control.

Now, I think about some of the people at my organization who have messy desks.  What I often hear from these individuals is that, “It’s not really that messy”, or “it’s an organized mess – I know exactly where everything is”.  Their argument essentially is that they operate just as well and efficiently in their messy space than the person next door who is neat and tidy.  The more I think about it though – that could be true, but it doesn't really matter.  Why?  Because my perception is that they aren't efficient or organized, even if they insist they are. 

I think this goes a little deeper though.  Having a messy space is really undermining their career, even if just in subtle ways.  If you’re a senior leader, buried in a mess, the perception is that you’re in over your head, or you can’t handle the responsibility of your role.  If you’re in middle management, you may be overlooked for special assignments, or even promotions, because people worry that when they trust you with something important, it may disappear in a pile of papers, never to be seen again.  Consider the idea of someone wearing a clown costume to work.  I know it sounds ridiculous, but in actuality, the job could likely still get done.  However, it wouldn’t instill confidence in others to work with or rely on that person.  Appearance is an important part of human nature, whether you agree or not.  This means that the tidiness of your space is as important as your outfit.

Consider the study cited above as a warning to managers as well.  Are you considering promoting someone who has a messy work space?  Perhaps it’s a mistake.  It probably seems to others as though the person might be in over their head, or they just don’t care.  Is that the type of confidence you want to instill in staff through your new leader?

Another anecdote I've heard from messy deskers is, “It’s an expression of who I am!”  And this I believe is true – it does seem like a messy space may be a reflection of what is going on in someone’s head.  But being efficient, organized and creative are important in today’s workforce, and those individuals are setting themselves behind.  I would encourage them to create a reflection at work of their best self – especially if you don’t want to unknowingly hurt your career.

Action plan and food for thought:  consider implementing a practice where everyone tidies their work space before leaving each day.  It might sound a little extreme, but as a leader (and from an talent development perspective); in a small way it allows you to build your people up to their greatest potential by not allowing them to undermine themselves.

Picture:  In the spirit of practicing what I preach, I've included a picture of my desk after I cleaned up.  I left out the before picture, so as not to undermine myself or give you the wrong impression ;)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic - leave your comments below!

3 Steps for Developing People Through the "Art" of Difficult Conversations

Part of my role includes talent and organizational development, and one of the 2014 initiatives in this area that I've been spearheading is leadership and manager development.  To kick things off, our entire leadership team (managers and above) just spent two intensive days at Kellogg’s Allen Center participating in a customized leadership development session around the managerial gaps in our organization.  We covered several topics including performance management, coaching conversations, and fostering team collaboration.  However, I want to speak with you about one particular tool we learned around the “art” of difficult conversations.  The session on "Developing People Through the Art of Difficult Conversations” was lead by executive coach and faculty member Brooke Vuckovic and this blog post is based on her presentation.

This topic would be relevant in nearly all leadership development or management training sessions.  Our organization is no different.  I mean, who enjoys tough conversations?  Who even knows someone who enjoys tough conversations?  If there’s one thing I've come to believe on about training and leadership development, it would that it’s much easier to approach what can be an intimidating task if you have a framework to work from.  The framework that Brooke highlighted in her session is the CPR model from Patterson, et al Crucial Conversations, 2005.

Before going into the framework, I want to emphasize a couple points, and the first is to examine whether you should have the conversation at all.  Some things to consider when deciding to have a difficult conversation:

• You’re beating a dead horse – the person gets it
• Timing
• You don’t have the facts
• You don’t understand your emotions or you feel morally superior
• Expectations are not clear
• What’s your intent?  Are you enforcing standards to stick it to others?
• The relationship is superficial or time limited – you should let it go

Additionally, I can’t overemphasize the importance of choosing the right problem to address.  Many leaders fall into the trap of choosing the wrong problem.  Some warning signs that you may have chosen the wrong problem include:

• You’re constantly discussing the same issue
• You feel increasingly frustrated, even if the problem itself isn't escalating, just continuing
• You resolve the issue you originally discussed, but you still don’t feel quite right:  the discussion didn't address what you really want

Once you have correctly identified the problem that needs to be addressed, it’s time to consider the CPR model.

Content:  For first time problems, stick with observable behaviors:  

“Sally, I notice you missed the meeting you had agreed to attend with the client.  I was wondering what happened.  Are you OK?  Did you run into any setbacks?”

Pattern:  If the behavior occurs multiple times, the pattern becomes the issue:

“We've discussed this before.  You agreed it would not happen again, and I’m concerned about the pattern of disappointing our clients and putting the onus on less senior members of the team.  What are our options for resolving this?”

Relationship:  The issue is no longer the behavior or the pattern; it’s that you've lost trust in them; and it’s affecting how you treat one another.

“This is starting to put a strain on how we work together.  I feel like I have to check up on you to make sure client care is managed well and I do not like doing that.  My fear is that I can’t trust you to keep the agreements you make.”

Most difficult conversation topics can move progressively through this model – although it could be argued, that skipping steps can sometime be appropriate, depending on the employee situation. 

When you think of difficult conversations with employees, asking yourself questions to determine if you should even have the conversation is a meaningful exercise, and one that many managers miss when leading their people.  Another potential pitfall for leaders, is addressing the wrong problem.  Consider the three questions above when determining if you've wrongly identified an employee problem.  And lastly, use the CPR model when having those difficult conversations.  Focusing on behaviors, patterns and relationships can keep these tough topics from becoming too personal, and will keep you pointed at the right things.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on handling difficult conversations, and if you've encountered any other models or tactics that work well for you.  Share them in the comments below!