Greetings from Babylon by the Bay (San Francisco)

I’m rejoining the forum after a two-year hiatus. How’ve you been?! (I never stopped listening—and re-listening—to the podcasts, but I dropped off the boards. No excuses or explanations: I decided I needed to focus on other priorities.)

I work for a small (~30 people), rapidly growing philanthropic services company, providing products and services to make tax-smart charitable giving easy, accessible, and effective.

My job title is Director of Marketing, but my role is to support the decision-making of prospects and to help ensure a consistently good experience for our existing clients. My focus is on 1) managing all web projects, 2) acting as lead copywriter, and 3) supporting the development of junior colleagues.

I'd been in marketing at a Fortune 500 company for several years before I took a project management class and it was eye-opening. I realized that, with a little discipline & process, all projects (not just huge tech projects) would benefit. Then I discovered Peter Drucker. Then David Allen. Then Manager-Tools. Previously, the extent of the management training I received at this Fortune 500 firm when I moved from service to marketing was my boss telling me "I find it's helpful to keep lists."

Manager-Tools has given me tactical, practical advice and inspiration. It has given me an understanding of how to manage others and how to manage myself. More importantly, Manager-Tools has given me a greater sense of control over my career, my professionalism, and my effectiveness.
[b]
Thank you Mark & Mike. [/b] I earned my promotion to Director based on my efforts, but without your guidance and encouragement, I wouldn’t have had the enthusiasm, focus, or tools to make that happen.

“Intelligence, imagination, and knowledge are essential resources, but only effectiveness converts them into results.”
-Peter Drucker