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Alumni Experiences Feature Fall 2001 Fall 2017
How Pivotal Experiences Change Us and Our Careers
I feel a deep sense of gratitude for Brigham Young University and its noble purpose. It has been at the very root of my conversion to the gospel and has laid the foundation for my private happiness and my professional progress.
The promised powers of incorporating data into decision-making read like an advertisement: Make decisions better, faster, and more accurately! Minimize uncertainty and maximize returns! Gain agility and accountability! Facilitate innovation and disruption in all the right ways!
Remember that bad acquisition? The one who couldn’t handle the office environment and left all dried up in the middle of busy season? Or that great candidate who needed a lot of attention but really brightened up the place? Acquiring the right office plant has a lot more to do with fit than with the color of your thumb. To cultivate a mutually beneficial working relationship, scan the résumés of these office plants for a skill set that aligns with your organization’s goals.
The stories I have chosen to tell are not easy for me to share. These are not my proudest moments, and I usually prefer to wear my confident, professional persona for public consumption.
I own two small companies. It’s hard to pay myself benefits, let alone all my employees. The first thing to look at is making sure they are paid a competitive wage, then add vacation/holidays and keep within reason. Next, they might need health insurance, but if the spouse is working elsewhere and is covered, we can sometimes eliminate it. Finally, you might look at adding tax deferred savings plans and insurance. Since both my companies are retail, we offer very steep discounts to employees. It has been my experience that most people working for small companies do not expect superb benefits. Also, in order to keep costs down, you must do a lot of shopping.
Several weeks ago, I traveled to the north side of Chicago to visit my son. I drove from downtown Chicago to Lincoln Park, where he lives. As I turned onto Clybourn Avenue, I suddenly encountered a scene that I hadn’t seen or thought of in years—the Clybourn Gospel Chapel.
Over the next year, many of you will go through a performance review. your direct supervisor will evaluate the contribution that you have made to the success of the organization and help you develop a plan to build on your strengths and focus on opportunities you have to improve.