Climb the career ladder—or perch in a tree

It's not always about promotions

It’s time we start thinking beyond promotion as the only way to climb the career ladder. The reality is, we’ve lost nine million jobs in the past few years; and it’s looking like many of the new jobs being created will be at the top and the bottom of skill sets, with fewer in the middle. Further your education? That’s now a goal that seems increasingly out of reach for many people. Whether dictated by economic conditions, or by personal talent or preference, career trees provide a viable alternative to traditional career ladders.

Career trees were introduced online in 2010 by Bocoup (www.bocoup.com ) to help people visualize their careers as a tree, with the lower branches representing your education, the upper branches your employment, and the leaves the positions you’ve held. I like to think of career trees as not only a place to track your upward movement, but as a place to happily, and safely, perch.

Progressively responsive positions

Why is it that job opportunity ads continue to list “progressively responsible positions” near the top of the requirements for almost any job? Why should employees who perform outstandingly in every way but choose to remain in the same spot or make a lateral move be discounted? And what about the engineers, IT and other subject experts who may be promoted into management, not because they want to change their role, but because that’s the standard way to move up or jump to the next pay grade?

Our professional standing, our pride, and our livelihood have typically been measured by how much and how quickly we climb the rungs. Often, though, those higher rungs haven’t meant greater happiness or job satisfaction. And when experts are promoted out of their jobs, does the organization necessarily maintain the same level of excellence they had in that role with a new person? Or do they gain a better manager? Often, the answer to both questions is no.

Why not change our thinking about what a career should look like? In this economy we should be able to perch, without penalty, while we wait for the right job opportunity to come along; while we get trained in new skills; or while we save money for more education. And, if we find a particular branch of our career tree so challenging or satisfying that we want to stay in that perch for a number of years, why not do it without jeopardizing our future? Shouldn’t we be amply rewarded for being increasingly better at what we do—without having to constantly climb?

Tapping the talent that’s there

As employees, we each have a unique mix of talents, interests, and drive. Even with skills training, some people will never be suited to management, or technology, or customer service. Through assessments, self-analysis and life experience, it’s up to each of us to understand our personal mix and what it means in terms of career goals, options and satisfaction. Then go after it, recognizing that you may find greater rewards stepping across or sitting in a comfortable place, instead of climbing ever higher.

The other side of this vision is employers. Rather than force employees into roles they don’t have the talent for or interest in, employers should tap the natural talent and strengths of individuals, then provide appropriate skills training. Recognize and reward people for using their talents for the benefit of the business, for being loyal, for being innovative, for being kind. You may not always be able to promote, nor should you think of promotion as the only way to reward. Employees who grow while they perch in their tree can be as valuable as those who have the talent and drive to climb the ladder.

Wayne Dyer famously said: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Instead of thinking of a career path as a ladder that you climb up and back down, why not think of it as a tree that you can climb, or stop comfortably on any branch to perch for a while.

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Eide Bailly promotes three

 TJ Bert, CPA, has been promoted to audit partner in Eide Bailly’s Denver West office. He has more than 11 years public accounting experience providing services to a variety of industries, with a special focus on  real estate and construction. He also has experience with SEC reporting and compliance standards and also focuses on oil and gas companies in the areas of exploration and production and well drilling and servicing. 

Judy Vorndran, CPA, JD, has been promoted to state and local tax partner in Eide Bailly’s Denver West office, specializing in multi-state and local taxation for businesses and corporations.  Vorndran started Eide Bailly’s  SALT practice three years ago and now heads a staff of nine professionals. She advises start-ups as well as more established companies with complicated processes and deeply ingrained systems.

Todd Harker,CPA, was promoted to tax partner in the Vail Valley (Edwards) and Summit County (Frisco) offices, where he will be the partner in charge of both offices. Todd has more than 21 years private and public accounting experience providing services to a variety of industries, with a special focus on  real estate and  construction, restaurants and resorts, healthcare and specialized trades and retail. He specializes in taxation, accounting and management advisory services, with expertise in small business consulting and tax planning.

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Brad Ross Named Transaction Services Partner at Hein & Associates

Brad Ross was named transactions services leader at Denver-based Hein & Associates. He will consult with both corporate and private equity clients on transactions ranging from $1 million to several billion dollars in deal value. Ross’ expertise extends to buy- and sell-side diligence, as well as lender services projects.

Ross has 20 years of professional experience and 13 dedicated to transaction services. He has worked on numerous high profile transactions throughout his career, including transactions in Canada, South America, Europe, India, China and Japan.  

Headwaters MB Announces Classic Brands’s Strategic Sale to Topperscot

Headwaters announced that it advised Classic Brands LLC on its strategic sale to Topperscot, LLC.. In a separate transaction, Headwaters also said it advised Housatonic Partners on the sale of Continental Fire & Safety Services of Rockville, MD to RHV Capital, LLC. A price was not disclosed for either transaction.

In other news, two Headwaters MB directors in its Denver Headquarters, Brendan T. Burke and Daniel C. McBroom, were named winners of 40 UNDER 40 by the M&A Advisor. Burke and McBroom were chosen for their accomplishments and contribution to the industry from a pool of nominees by an independent judging panel of distinguished business leaders.

Bluth and Williams promoted at St. Charles

St. Charles Capital, an investment banking firm headquartered in Denver, Colorado, promoted David Bluth to principal and Jim Williams to senior associate within the  firm’s information technology group. 

Bluth, previously a vice president at St. Charles, has been with the firm since 2005 and has been a shareholder since 2011. He focuses his efforts on advising internet services, software, and IT services companies in executing merger and acquisition and capital market transactions.  He has worked in mergers and acquisitions for his entire career and has completed nearly 40 transactions and advisory assignments since joining the firm.  Prior to joining St. Charles Capital, Bluth worked for KeyBanc Capital Markets. He earned a B.S. in both finance and accounting from Florida State.

As a senior associate in the technology group, Williams focuses his efforts on executing merger and acquisition transactions and financings. Prior to joining St. Charles Capital, Williams served as in-house counsel and a lead financial analyst for Club Holdings, where he focused on real estate finance and general business law.  He joined St. Charles Capital in 2010 as an associate. He earned a B.S. in finance and accounting from Villanova University and a JD from the University of San Diego School of Law. 

The firm also promoted Adam Fiedor to principal and Ryan Nicks to vice president within the financial services group.

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CapitalValue Advisors Represents CL Swanson in Sale to Compass Group USA, Inc.

CapitalValue Advisors announced the acquisition of the vending and dining assets of CL Swanson Corp of Madison, Wis. by Compass Group USA through its Canteen Vending Services division. CapitalValue Advisors served as the exclusive financial advisor to CL Swanson.

“CL Swanson has a long and rich history as a market leader in providing vending and dining services throughout the Midwest and Mid-South,” said David Tolson, CapitalValue Advisors managing director. “With 9,000 vending machines and dining operations in 10 states, CL Swanson was one of the largest remaining independent vending companies in the United States. We are excited for this business transition and continued success of the company as a part of Canteen Vending and Compass Group.”

The acquisition does not include CL Swanson’s corrections business, which will continue to be run by the Swanson family’s third generation Canteen Vending Services is the largest vending operating company in the United States with a branch and franchise network of over 200 locations across 48 states.

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Beyond the suggestion box:

Creativity in the workplace

By Dan Cummings, Vice President, EFL Associates

Survival of the fittest: It applies not only to Darwin’s On the Origin of Species but to the world of commerce as well. Organizations that cease to evolve typically cease to exist. Creativity, that uniquely human resource, and innovation, the process of putting creative thought into practice, have never been more prized, yet remain only vaguely understood.

How important is creative thought in the workplace? ln a recent survey of 1,500 CEOs conducted by IBM, creativity was identified as the single most needed leadership competency for the future. Given that perspective, why then does this whole notion of how to foster and cultivate the creative tendencies of workers remain shrouded in so much mystery and misconception? Fortunately, others have pondered this same question. A number of leading research institutions devote considerable resources to discovering the DNA of the creative process in the workplace. Drawing from one such study conducted by the Harvard Business School, let's debunk a few of the prevailing myths.

1. Some have it; some don't. Creative thought knows no departmental boundaries. Be it the gurus in marketing or the introverts in accounting, all are capable of creative thought, given the right encouragement and environment.

2. Show me the money! Think money is a great motivator to foster creative thought? Think again. When focused on compensation, people tend to get risk averse and the willingness to take a degree of risk is a necessary ingredient in the creative process. Far more important are the levels of support, value, and recognition associated with creative ideas.

3. Under the gun. The prevailing notion that creativity flourishes under the influence of fear and deadline pressure is simply not true. Creativity requires an incubation period; ideas have to evolve. Time pressure and fear stifle creativity because people can't deeply engage with the issue.

4. Us versus them. Contrary to popular belief, internal competition is not conducive to the creative process. Communication and collaboration are keys. The most creative teams are those where the opportunity to openly share and hash out ideas is encouraged.

So, what is the role of today's manager in fostering the creative process? First, it is vital to recognize that it's not really a question of managing the process, but more managing for the process. Creative thought flourishes in organizations that are deeply committed to open thought and calculated risk taking. Conversely, the creative process withers in those organizations that burden the workplace with bureaucracy and a "play it safe" mentality.

The bottom line? Organizations really do have a choice when it comes to "natural selection". They can choose to evolve, adapt, and thrive or remain rooted in yesterday's ways and run the risk of becoming yet another endangered species.

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Kevin Lombardo appointed interim CEO

Kevin Lombardo has been appointed as interim CEO by the Hopi Tribe Economic Development Corporation (HTEDC) in Flagstaff, AZ.  Lombardo is the CEO of Summit Group Partners, a Littleton, Colorado-based management consulting firm.

In this role as interim CEO, Lombardo will lead the implementation of strategic initiatives for the HTEDC based upon an assessment of the corporation's six businesses in the hospitality and property management industries, which was completed in early 2012.  He brings 30 years of leadership experience and expertise to this role having served in the positions of CEO, President and Executive Vice President for businesses with revenues from $20 to over $300 million.  Lombardo and the team at Summit Group Partners will ontinue to provide strategic planning, acquisition advisory services and operational support for additional clients in the health care, hospitality and manufacturing industries during his tenure as interim CEO for HTEDC. 
 

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Gettin’ good people to play together

Compete or collaborate—make a conscious choice

Collaboration is on my mind. I was recently in a room with a group of business owners, all wanting to build growing relationships with similar sized clients. It made me wonder what they were each thinking. Did they want to connect with these potential competitors? Or did they feel like running away in fear that someone might steal an idea from them or outshine them in some way?

With these questions still top of mind, I spent the end of March at Rockies spring training watching the team come together. As Casey Stengel once put it, “Gettin’ good players is easy. Gettin’ ‘em to play together is the hard part.” All those egos competing and yet, somehow, they learn to cooperate and win together. What’s true for baseball can be true for business: the most cohesive teams usually win. Small business owners can get in the game too. They just need to learn that collaborating with others is sometimes the best way to serve clients and grow their business.

Competition often means winners and losers. It ignores the fact that the fundamental purpose of being in business is to meet customers’ needs. Collaboration can put small businesses in a better position to serve customers, and eliminate the continuous work of trying to differentiate your business from competitors’. Collaboration is choosing to operate in a world of trust and support. It may not always be the solution, but it’s another great tool in the box that should be considered every time you feel that urge to compete.

Imagine what you can do

Collaborative models are everywhere, between nonprofits and businesses, education and business, hardware and software developers … but Wikipedia may be the best example of what collaborating can accomplish. We all heard the doubters question whether anyone could ever trust Wikipedia, the collaborative effort of total strangers. That was before it became a worldwide resource with millions of pages—and usually the first result in a Web search, and even more reliable than the encyclopedias of the past. “Imagine what people in your industry, or your profession could do,” Wikipedia founder Larry Sanger suggested in a recent keynote. Well, let’s imagine.

Teams typically see greater knowledge sharing, boosts in productivity and efficiency, higher quality, and more innovation as the result of collaboration. By combining their skills, insights and experience, small businesses can generate the same kinds of benefits for both their clients and themselves—and in ways you might not have thought of:

• Market to two (or more) customer lists instead of one, and to new or different geographic areas or demographics.
• Develop and offer complementary products or services to meet more customer needs.
• Create synergies that enable you to reduce costs, increase capabilities and adapt better to change.
• Leverage experience and knowledge to create better solutions.
• Protect customer relationships with continuous and stable service when you’re sick or on vacation.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be cautious. Collaboration offers tremendous rewards, but it isn’t a free lunch. You have to choose the right partners and establish a foundation for working together. Collaborate with people who:

• Share your values and are trustworthy
• Share your business philosophies
• Contribute equal or similar amounts of effort and resources
• Establish and maintain effective communication with you
• Share your vision and commitment

It’s probably true that competition encourages you to improve yourself, and that collaboration helps you achieve more than you could do on your own. What motivates you in choosing how you work? Make a conscious choice based on the best way to meet your customers’ needs and your business goals.

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