Bits of colored ribbon
January 6th, 2007Mike and I often call each other to comment on notes we get from listeners, telling us how much our work is appreciated. The work we are doing is enormously intrinsically rewarding, but we love hearing from our listeners and members. Sometimes, at 1 a.m., it’s a thank you email or post that makes us keep going.
Our favorites are the ones that tell us how you have USED our recommendations. That, to us, is the acid test. These are the ones I print out and stick to my wall for a few days.
Like this one:
Mark & Mike, I would like to thank you both for the Manager Tools podcast. I have never in my career come across such a singularly useful source of information and guidance about how to operate more effectively. Every day I think differently and more positively about my work as a direct result of listening in, and I’ve recommended your show to five people already. I am enjoying a very successful career - and yet here’s just some of the things you’ve helped me with the past few months:
* I discovered why my attempt at being mentored didn’t work
* I bought “Getting Things Done”
* I realised I didn’t know my manager’s objectives
* I worked out my manager’s preferred means of communication
* I got my first direct reports
* I noticed one of my reports is a “High-I”
* I lined up a new job
* I resigned my current job
* I re-wrote my resume in under one page… and it’s better
* I spent time organising my contacts, and planning how to stay in touch
* I learned to use CTRL-SHIFT-K
* I apologised
I could go on, and on - but hopefully your podcast will instead.
It’s considered inappropriate to write a thank you note in response to a thank you note, but there are no such proscriptions for appreciative blogposts.
Mike and I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to write, both on the forums and on this blog, as well as send truly wonderful notes to our offices.
Thank you all.
We truly love what we’re doing, and love doing it FOR YOU.
Napoleon once said that “a soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.” Thank you notes have become the colored ribbons of modern organizational life, and for Mike and me in our work on your behalf.
We could go on and on.
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January 6th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Getting my iPod and then having the complete fortune of finding this netcast was the 2nd best thing to happen to me in the last 5 years (my son being the first). It completely changed my view of my job. I always was looking for ways to improve upon being a manager but had to rely on my own mistakes and some feedback. These netcasts provided the framework I was looking for. What’s great about it is the breadth of topics. Books usually focus on one particular trait. This is a holistic method to better management. I have preached the word on top of the mountain, and the word is “Manager Tools!”
January 6th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Tom-
WOW! Thanks for the kind words, which make it even more of a privilege to serve.
Mark
January 7th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Tom,
Thanks as well … certainly made MY day!
Mike
January 7th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I did it! I created a one-page resume. It was tough, as you predicted, but also a valuable exercise. As you said in your podcast, the need for a resume came up rather unexpectedly as someone invited me to apply for a research contract. I hadn’t written a resume in about 5 years and had never written on in such a format.
My job is not very technical, so it was hard to think in terms of accomplishments, but I did it. For example, I “increased leadership opportunities and reduced costs by instituting a new team model.” I was even able to put numbers to some of them.
One place I had to compromise was that I listed conference presentations as accomplishment bullets. I did this because it allowed me to highlight the experience that’s most related to the contract I’m applying for. I also took more room in the education section, since that was another place I could highlight relevant content knowledge and research skills.
Thanks for the push Mark and Mike. I am feeling pretty impressed with myself right now
.
R.
January 7th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
R-
We are too! Well done you!
Mark
January 8th, 2007 at 1:24 am
Guys,
I can’t tell you how long I have searched for practical, bite size, advice on key topics / challenges in management. Manager Tools has far exceeded my expectations.
I wish I had discovered you a long time ago, though I am glad that the archives are fully populated and provide me the chance to catch up!
Thanks for all you do!
Blake
January 8th, 2007 at 3:07 am
Blake-
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you’re getting value from our work. 10 years from now, someone will think of you as sooooo lucky for having discovered us when you did… and they will have 10 years of catching up to do!
Mark
January 8th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Mark,
Just curious; by “bits of colored ribbon”, are you referring to the practice instituted by Napoleon?
Thanks,
Shawn
January 8th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Shawn-
Uhhh… did you not read the whole post?
Mark
January 9th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Just wanted to chime in with my own list — since listening to my first MT podcast over a year ago, I got promoted, started doing one-on-ones with my team, coached, gave tons of feedback, learned how to shake hands, started looking at people through the eyes of DiSC, became a better presenter, instituted late-stage coaching with a direct, did a Skip Level, did a time management analysis, cut down on my email usage, apologized, and while I was at the company Christmas party without my wife, I politely became part of a group. It may sound silly, but these tools really work and are a tremendous part of why I am successful. Thanks!
January 9th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Drink…-
Thanks! We’re glad you’re getting value from our work.
As always, the credit goes to the person in the ring, and we love hearing about our recommendations being used.
Changing the world of management, one manager at a time.
Mark
January 10th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Mark,
I thought I had, but obviously not. As an old boss of mine used to say, “Look with your eyes, not with your mouth!!” I guess I’m not done learning that lesson…
Shawn
January 11th, 2007 at 2:28 am
Shawn-
Neither am I. Your aphorism reminds me of one of my favorites: a closed mouth gathers no foot.
I’ve eaten LOTS of shoe leather in my life.
Mark
January 11th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Mark,
Thank you for your magnanimity. Since we’re trading aphorisms, I’ll share a similar one we use here in Idaho: “Never miss a good chance to shut up.”
Shawn
January 11th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Nothing is often a good thing to say, and always a clever thing to say.
Ah, to be clever.
Mark