Category: job

communication, corporation, culture, job, leadership

Opinion as fact not accepted here

Christa Avampato

My friend, Kelly, always had a saying in graduate school that she’d repeat whenever someone in class decided to spout off their belief system to chew up class time and to hear themselves talk. She’d say something like, “why do people think it’s okay to state opinion as fact?” Today at work I was reminded of that saying during my team meeting.


We were discussing some of the alignment issues our department has, not on our specific team but elsewhere in the organization. I think we might have all been getting a little too down on the structure of the business as a whole. 

One of the many things I love about my boss is that she has a great way of recognizing a negative attribute and then in the next breathe providing a unique positive that we hadn’t considered. She’s been at the company for a number of years in several different roles and one thing that she loves about the company is hearing the CEO speak. To quote her directly, “there is no CEO better to get you inspired about your business. In the world of CEOs, he is as good as it gets.” Immediately I thought, “oh, he must be very good at keeping people’s spirits up and encouraging them.” My boss followed up her statement with, “it is fascinating to hear him speak because he speaks only about facts. He never gives a speech based on opinions. Ever.”  

Now, I’ve heard a lot of speeches from leaders but my boss really got me thinking back to all the speeches I’ve ever heard. Some people throw a bunch of positive quotes and pretty pictures onto powerpoint slides and call that a motivational speech. They put up lists of books and websites they follow and reference and call themselves a resource. A lot of leaders do that. Many of them pace back and forth on the stage and say how much better they are than the competition, akin to cheerleaders. Most leaders do not base every speech in fact. Heck, some never base their speeches on fact. Now I find my new CEO even more remarkable, especially because our company, being in financial services, is under the microscope of every industry analyst, reporter, and rival. A tough climate to state just the facts, making my CEO’s continued honesty all the more worthy of admiration.

For the last three weeks I’ve been standing tall when I tell people the company I work for. Now I know I can stand even taller, up on my tippy toes if necessary, because all of this pride I have in the company is not based on opinion or belief or a “feeling”. It’s based in fact, and that feels great.
business, care, career, corporation, job, social work

Care in the workplace

Christa Avampato

If care were a stock being offered on the market, it would be a wise commodity to invest in at this time on the planet. Care will soon be on the rise because everything else has been tried. –Doc Childre


While caring is a characteristic noted in philanthropic work or purely service businesses like health care, there are broader implications where care is not as prevalent a topic and should be. The care of employees, of customers, of communities around the world that are impacted by our businesses. I would go so far as to say if business leaders are not empathic, compassionate, and caring, then their success going forward will be compromised. 

This week I’m going to lunch with the VP of my division. A busy man, traveling all the time, sent me an invite on his first day back from vacation. And then came to my desk to make sure I received the invitation and to make sure I understood that he invited me to lunch to get my perspective on what the company is doing that makes sense and what’s “just stupid”. (His words not mine.) “You were hired for your opinions as well as your talents.” In other words, I count. A rare straight-forward statement that opened a whole new world of caring in the workplace for me.

This new job is making me a kinder person. Our Division President gave his monthly town hall two weeks ago and he was emphatic about listening to the voice of the customer (VOC), so much so that he is including VOC metrics in every business and employee review. Because I’m new to the role as well as the company, I am spending a lot of time talking with people who are experts in areas I know nothing about, and they are patiently helping me up my very steep learning curve. I imagine their advice as a helping hand that’s reaching down as I trudge up this mountain of vocabulary, processes, and requirements. The internal politics are virtually zero, and despite the strong structure and culture, they have maintained a feeling of a flat organization where ideas, opinions, and questions from everyone of every level are encouraged, valued, and vetted. It is nothing short of remarkable for a company that is so old and so large. And it’s driven by the care and concern of individuals. 

Business leaders are famous for spouting trite cliches like “it’s business, not personal.” On this one, I’m with Meg Ryan’s character in You’ve Got Mail: it’s ALWAYS personal. Everything in life, anything that involves people, is personal. We cannot continue to disconnect the business aspects from personal aspects of doing business. The line is blurring to a point where it’s barely even distinguishable. The sooner we embrace the fact that management and leadership are personal, service-oriented endeavors, the healthier our world economy will be.      

Images above can be found here. 
career, corporation, job, work

Survive and Thrive

Christa Avampato

I woke up this morning wholly unemployed. Sort of. I’m being paid through Thursday, which I greatly appreciate, though I’m not actually going to work. Yesterday was my last day in the office. My suspicion is that my access to information because of who I worked for is too much for some peoples’ comfort. And that’s okay; I get it. I’m very grateful to have a few free days before my new job begins on Monday, particularly because I’m being paid, so we all came out ahead by me leaving before my time was scheduled to be up. A win-win all around.   


The day was anti-climactic. I’ve cried every single time I’ve left a job. If not at my good-bye party, then certainly afterwards by myself or with friends at the after-party. This time – no party, no fanfare, no tears. Maybe I’m growing up. Or maybe there are times when a change occurs that is so obviously a good move that there isn’t any way for sadness to be a part of the shift. I wished them well, they wished me well, and off I went. It was a departure entirely free of drama. 

There are two main lessons that I received in this experience and that I fully realized as I was driving that long, slow drive home for the last time. No matter what kind of business, the products or services that are sold, big or small company, the single defining determinant of success is leadership at the very top. Without it, truly nothing else matters. Nothing. As if CEOs needed any more pressure on them. Sorry CEOs – that’s why you get paid the big bucks.     

I realized the other insight as I crossed over the border to NY, looking out along the skyline sparkling in the cool, unseasonal sunshine. A few hours earlier, there was a storm that seemed almost apocalyptic in nature. The sky was practically black at 11am. My friend, Richard, said it was Heaven’s way of washing away this experience in favor of the new adventure I am about to take. I agree with him. I also think the weather today, its vascillation between storm and sun, was very much a reflection of two pivotal professional experiences I’ve had – one in 2000 and one now, 8 years later. 

The storm: In 2000 I worked for a woman named Charlotte Wilcox, a crusty broad who didn’t let anyone push her around, ever. If she was involved in a show, there was no question who was the top dog. She was hard on herself and hard on her staff, especially me. She taught me how to survive in business – it wasn’t a pleasant experience, in the same way that a root canal isn’t pleasant, but the lessons she taught me about follow-through and work ethic, your own and that of your boss, have been absolutely critical to my success. She told me that the great problem with my generation is that we have no follow-through and that I should never, ever, under any circumstance, work harder than the person signing my paycheck. And if I ever get the opportunity to sign paychecks, I better remember that I need to work harder than anyone I pay. As a result, I am conscious to ask more of myself than I ever ask of anyone else and I follow-through, always. 

The sun: Bob, my most recent boss, taught me a very different lesson. He was what I think of as the anti-Charlotte. I spent a mostly joyful year, a bit more, working for him. I learned and read and reasoned and tried my best to offer insight, advice, and counsel. And 99% of the time I was greeted with gratitude to an embarrassing degree by everyone I came into contact with on a variety of projects. I worked very hard to be valuable and helpful whenever and wherever I could. In short, Bob taught me how to thrive – how to use my very best strengths to make a difference, and for that lesson I am most grateful. 

In the end, I think all of life, and most particularly our professional lives, comes down to those two basic blocks: surviving and thriving. The rest is all decoration.   

career, corporation, friendship, job, personality. relationships, work

What bird are you?

Christa Avampato

My friend, Alex, recently had a company off-site where they evaluated their personality types in an effort to work better as a team. They took a relationship assessment that I had never heard of. Tony Alessandra developed an assessment related to birds that describes four common personality types:   


The Dove: Relationship-Oriented
The Owl: Detail-Oriented
The Eagle: Results-Oriented
The Peacock: Socially-Oriented

I may have a predisposition to these type of exams because my father was a clinical psychologist and used to administer them. Alessandra’s main point is that communication type, and knowing which one you are, can make all the difference in your career progression. Of course there are always hybrids – my friend, Alex, is a pea-gle – a combo peacock and eagle. My conundrum is always that I think I have elements of each type. I strive to be relationship, detail, results, and and socially-oriented. So what do I do? How can I learn how best to work with people if I am very honestly a complete chameleon?  

On the one hand, I could be the perfect partner – able to work with anyone. And conversely, I could be in a tough situation because I may never be quite certain that I am being true to myself, mostly because I have the ability to adapt almost to a fault. My challenge will be identifying which of these relationship types is the one which plays most to my strengths, and perhaps which one leaves me the most energized and effective. I envy those who easily fall into one bucket or another. My path is more a long and winding road.    
career, corporation, job, networking, relationships, social media, social network, work

Spinning the web: Making the most of the final two weeks at a job

Christa Avampato

I never expected that anyone would much care that I was leaving my current job for a new opportunity. I figured people would pat me on the shoulder, wish me luck on my new adventure, and send me on my way. Just the opposite. People have gone out of their way to connect, to learn about my new job, and to make sure that they have my personal contact info correct so we can stay in touch. And these aren’t just my friends from work, but senior people whom I greatly respect and admire. It is nothing short of flattering. Of course, there are a few odd responses – people who have written me off before I’m out the door and those who have even chosen to ignore me altogether – but those are the very small minority and are people I never hoped to stay in touch with going forward.

While I have sometimes dreaded winding down my time at a job, and know many others who have had similar experiences, this time around I am glad to have over a week remaining. Closing these loops and ensuring their long-term stability are important. I now understand how professional networks and webs are built, and absolutely see that they are at least as valuable, if not more so, than the actual experience from a job. These days, everything seems to be about relationships.

The dawning of the age of social networking tools also eases the sting of leaving a job. I am a self-admitted sap. I think I’ve cried every time I’ve left a job. Though this time with these new tools at my disposal, it is easy to see that the many wonderful people I have worked alongside of will be in my life for years to come. It’s not a “good-bye”, but a “see you around the bend”. All the more reason to make sure those bridges remain whole and intact.

career, economy, job, money

Advice for Young People in Tough Economic Times

Christa Avampato

Money concerns and economic worries are top of mind for nearly everyone in my life at the moment. Front page news, top of the evening nightly news broadcasts, and the subject of blog post after blog post. As an econ major and MBA, I’m fascinated by the psychology of money and it’s ability to shape the quality of our lives just by the very perception we have of it. Feelings and emotions move markets at a mad pace.

For young people, these tough economic times are particularly worrisome. High debt from school, fewer job prospects, trepidation about their very lengthy futures. It can be discouraging, though I think there is reason for hope. This week, CNN Money offered up advice from a variety of people from money managers to authors. I didn’t agree with all of the advice, but wanted to add my own anecdote and advice about money in the hopes that it’s helpful in these troubled times. 

1.) Regardless of the economic situations, there are jobs out there for people who are diligent, ambitious, and optimistic. In a bad economy, many people assume they can’t find a job and don’t even bother to look. Take advantage of that and cast a wide net. 

2.) Use new technology to control your spending, especially on your credit cards. Sites like Mint.com and AmericanExpress.com offer text messaging and emails of balances to help you keep tabs of where you are in your spending so you aren’t surprised at the end of the month when you receive your bills. American Express also offers a myriad of on-line consumer resources with tips and advice to help you manage your financial life.

3.) Stay diversified – and not just in your portfolio, but in your career, too! Most people I know work hard at their day job without having anything other source of income. As you get further in your career, think about how your skills can be utilized in a freelance capacity that you enjoy. It gives you extra money to sock away when times get tough or unexpected expenses arise (case in point – my recent car troubles), you’ll be more in control of your career and finances as opposed to the company you work for having all of that control, you’ll build your network, and if you are the subject of a layoff, cut in salary, etc. during a downturn in the economy, you’ll have a bit of a cushion to tide you through a job search or switch. You’re the CEO of your career – make sure you’re watching out for it. 

Would welcome any comments an other suggestions. Times like this require group action and efforts – a rising tide lifts all boats. 

career, friendship, job, relationships

The tough truth about honesty

Christa Avampato

Getting what you want is tough. Figuring out what you want is even tougher. A seemingly simple sentence like “follow you bliss” or “do what you love” becomes exceedingly complicated when closely examined. Whether you’re trying to get what you want or what will make you happy, not always the same thing, in a job, a relationship, a friendship, or the city you live in, getting what you want requires honesty. Sometimes brutal honesty. And to be honest you have to get real and dig out the truth, even if you don’t really want to see it.

A year after graduating with our MBAs, some of my friends are at that one year mark when they’re trying to decide whether or not to move forward in their current jobs. They’re confronting some disappointments – a few have a different boss than they started with a year ago, a few have been shuffled into completely different responsibilities, and a few realize that they fell hook, line, and sinker for all that wining and dining companies did during recruiting season.

This last group I don’t feel quite so bad for. If you couldn’t see that wining and dining for what it really was, then you needed to learn the lesson the hard way. The two former groups I have enormous sympathy for. They signed up for a specific journey, to do what they truly wanted to do, and they spent a long time considering many different factors that are the ingredients to happiness. And then without warning, the picture changed and all of a sudden they ended up doing something they don’t really like at all, despite their best efforts.

Disappointment is tough to deal with. Doing something about that disappointment it tougher. A heart to heart with yourself or the person causing the disappointment can help. Some times the differences can be resolved and you can get what you want by taking action. So while summoning the courage to be honest can be a Herculean task, if in the end you are happier, it’s worth the effort.

The true difficulty comes into play when you make ever effort to get what you want, realize your situation is not going to improve, and then you either have to tough it out, unhappy, or walk. And there’s often no right answer in this instance that is immediately apparent. Unhappiness makes it tough to get up in the morning, and it pervades every facet of your life. Walking away into the unknown is sometimes not even possible, or at the very least it’s frightening. Sometimes it is easier to deal with the devil we know rather than the one we don’t.

I put my best foot forward to get what I want. I have the hard conversations. I take a lot of time (and I am lucky that I have the luxury of time) to reflect and consider my happiness. I am patient for a considerable amount of time. For reasons that are too long to list here, I am obsessive about being happy – I just cannot imagine being content for a moment in another state. When I’m in a funk I’ll do what it takes, even if it’s uncomfortable, to get back to happy. When it comes to getting what you want, having non-negotiables helps.

career, employment, job, New York Times, work

Me, Inc. brand promise

Christa Avampato

After the articles in the New York Times yesterday and today regarding an all-time high in the increase of month-over-month unemployment, I am thanking my lucky stars that I have a good job. I also feel for my friends who are just graduating from school with large loans and a smaller number of job prospects than graduates had just one year ago. And I think of my friends who want to move on from where they are, and are frustrated with the lack of openings to move to. 

In my career, I have changed jobs fairly often, mostly because the industries I was in demanded it. In theatre and in nonprofit, you often have to move on to move up. I recently met two people with the completely opposite type of resume. One has been at his job for 8 years and the other for 24 years. In years past, that kind of dedication would be relished by companies. Today, many companies wonder why anyone would stay one place for so long, and they wonder why I have changed jobs as often as I have. It seems that we are in a time when all career moves, regardless of tenure at a company must be justified.  

What if we could turn the paradigm of job hunting on its head? What if we, and possible employers, looked at every employee as their own CEO of their own brand, “Me, Inc.” and evaluated what all of those “Me, Inc.”s could do for the company? My friend and mentor, Richard, is a perfect example of this kind of outlook. His personal brand promise is that he realigns companies, or specific departments within companies, especially those that are in turmoil, and gets them going in the right direction again. Once finished with the alignment, he leaves a competent team in place and moves on. He doesn’t enjoy keeping the boat going on course once it knows its destination. He prefers the messy of business of turning it around rather than maintaining smooth sailing.

What if we could all do that – what if we could drop into an organization, do work that plays to our strengths and what we enjoy, and then pass it on to someone for the next step necessary, and the step that that next person happens to be good at and enjoys? Why does it need to be about stick-to-it-iveness? Why can’t it be about doing what we love, in the areas in which we are talented, for as long as that lasts? ‘d like to believe that the answer is that we can, and should do that, and eventually the working world will catch on.  

The photo above can be found at http://www.logoblog.org/wp-images/logo-branding.jpg 

adventure, career, creative process, creativity, job, technology, youth

Is experience everything?

Christa Avampato
I have been thinking about experience on a regular basis lately. I notice that every time someone mentions wanting to do something new be it a hobby, a job function, or even related to travel or choosing a new city, one of the first questions people ask them is, “Do you have any experience with that?” or “Have you ever been there or done that before?” 
I got asked this question all the time about a year ago as I was interviewing for jobs post-MBA. It seemed that experience counted for far more than my education or my interests. I actually went to one interview in which an interviewer asked me what the hell I was doing there because I had never worked in the industry the the company was in. When I mentioned that the company, in desperate need of a turnaround, needed fresh eyes to look at old problems to find new solutions, the interviewer looked at me as if I had begun speaking in an unknown language. 
And in a manner of speaking, I guess it was a new language – the language of youth and energy and passion, three things the interviewer did not possess. And I don’t mean youth in terms of age, but rather in terms of attitude and thinking. The interviewer refused to believe that any problem could be solved using new methods. It was very much an “I’ve been there, done that” kind of deal. And then I considered the incredible success of Silicon Valley – it is an industry that was largely built by people who had no experience in the areas they were trying to master. They couldn’t have experience because they, and the world for that matter, were venturing into unknown territory. It was a great blessing that no one had the ability to say, “Well, when I was at X company, we did it this way.” With that attitude, we may have never been able to witness the www as we know it. 
I mentioned this concern about “old thinking” to my friend, Dan, recently, and he said that this may very much be a function of just getting older and more experienced. And that got me thinking, and then it got me worried. Am I destined to become one of those people who believes she has seen it all before, someone who will eventually discard the energy and fascination with newness that so many young people have?
No. I’ve decided that I just won’t be that way. I can’t be that way, for the sake of my own success if nothing else. So I keep challenging myself to go places and do things that I’ve never done before. I do things that scare me. Things that I believe are beyond the scope of my ability. And this is critical to retaining youth – because even if I fail at these new ventures, at least it will remind me that I don’t everything about anything. It will remind that there is always, always something new to learn. 
career, creativity, culture, innovation, invention, job

Soil and seeds

Christa Avampato

I met with a group today who is interested in doing some consulting work with my company. We can’t afford them, though I enjoyed the way they spoke about their projects. They think of them as soil or seed. 

Soil projects are those embedded in culture, building competencies and new skill sets. Seed projects are those that explore new opportunities or new systems. Though the metaphor is simple, it has a tremendous amount of power. A ground of fertile soil won’t grow anything if seed isn’t sewn, and the seed won’t flourish if it’s planted in concrete.
Companies are the same as soil and seed. No matter how many fantastic ideas we have, if we don’t have a culture of innovation and comfortability with change. And if we have a strong culture without the creativity to create new ideas and concepts, the culture won’t do us any good. 
There’s just one snag in the soil seed metaphor. I am left wondering if one can generate the other. Can a creative culture inspire creative project ideas or can a collection of ideas inspire us to build a culture that brings those ideas to life?