O Rly Owl Meets O Rly Raptor

A few years ago my brother introduced me to the O Rly Owl. Some may say the elementary humor in it is not funny. It just so happens however that I am supremely childish and love the O Rly Owl. Just the other day my brother and I stumbled across a freeze frame on television that immediately caught my attention. The stature and expression of the creature in the freeze frame was comically similar to the O Rly Owl, yet I dare say, it was better!

Ladies and gentlemen I would like to introduce you to the O Rly Raptor.


Take notice of the serious bling laced around his neck. You may have also noticed the Viking helmet on top of his head.

Here's what I love about this picture. O Rly Raptor could be saying "Flaaavvaaaa Flaaaaaaav!" or "Yeeeaaaaahhhh Booooyyyeeeee!" He could also be confrontational e.g., "Wud chu say bout my mama!?" or "King Kong ain't got $#@! on me!" in the likeness of Denzel Washington in Training Day. The adaptations of this picture are endless and undoubtedly priceless.

I encourage all those that see this picture to (1) realize that this is ground zero of a world-wide movement (2) spread the word about O Rly Raptor and most importantly (3) get out PhotoShop and start creating alternative renditions of this and let the world see it!

All the best!
Andrew Johns
Inventor and Creator, O Rly Raptor

Where Business and Chemistry Cross Paths

From my limited experience in the business world I've encountered two very basic types of business leaders. The first type is the "nuts and bolts" leader. Cut and dry, these leaders operate according to the bottom line and make decisions based on sound processes and procedures rooted in facts and figures. They are data conscious and staunchly support what the numbers tell them. If R.O.I. could personify itself, they would be the quintessential walking-talking bar graph. The second type of business leader is the soft skills extraordinaire. If you have an elbow, they'll rub it. They can talk the talk. When it comes to building relationships they can walk the walk. Have a worker with a case of "The Monday's"? Send a soft skill leader to save the day. If your employee handbook on morale could personify itself, the soft skill leader would be it. Occasionally you find the hybrid of both, but those are statistical outliers and deserve their own blog so for the time being I want to focus on the "nuts and bolts" vs. the "soft skills".

So which is "better"? Simple question. Difficult answer. Our "nuts and bolts" folks can tell you when a business model will win or lose. Certainly important! You don't want to accept a risk or investment when the numbers tell you it’s not worth it. They tell you how much you can afford. How much you can buy. How much you can sell. They will decide whether or not everyone gets year-end bonuses, which, if not in favor of the employees might leave them chanting "nuts and bolts, nuts and bolts.... WE.....GOT.....SCREWWWED!" Now for the "softies", they won't let the data tell them whether or not a business model will win or lose. On the contrary, they will tell the data whether or not the business model will win or lose. They will convince the numbers into righting themselves and lead the company to victory. If employees don't receive the year-end bonus they were hoping for the "softie" will take their constituents to a nearby pub to laugh away their frustration. So again I ask, which one is "better"? We can go on and on about this topic but I won't do that because it's like arguing about politics or religion. In the end no one really wins the discussion and people usually walk away angry at the opposition. But I will choose one pivotal topic and explain my stance on how, I believe, the soft skill leaders are indispensible and take a slight advantage in the management technique discussion, and how their leadership is essential to a prosperous business.

Human Capital Management. What is that? It's the notion that people are an organizations greatest asset and that significant investments should be made to cultivate the full potential of each employee. On-going training should be conducted, employees should be sent to off-site seminars and conferences, subsidies for continued education, work-life balance, etc. There are dozens of techniques employed by companies and HR staffs to facilitate employee development. The notion is that a better employee contributes to a better company. This is no different than the old saying that "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link". However I think that most Human Capital Management techniques, although effective, are not complete. I agree completely that companies should spare no expense when contributing to an employees development and ensuring their happiness. But I also believe that most companies do not invest in the relationships between their constituents.

Many managers choose to keep "professional distance" with employees. Befriend them, but not too much. Get to know your employee, but don't be to close. Like them.... but don't like them. Huh!?!? On the surface it makes sense because business is business. We are taught that we go to work to work, not to make friends and win a popularity contest. To a certain extent this is effective. I think we can all think of a case in which employees got tooooooo close and something not HR friendly resulted. But what happens when there are not close bonds yet there are many talented individuals?

Let's consider a hypothetical. Imagine a prosperous company. Company ABC, Inc. has experienced year-over-year growth for the last 4 years and grown in size and profits by 120% over that same time-frame. Suddenly ABC, Inc. has more cubicles to fill and more parking spots to allocate. As the next fiscal year nears ABC, Inc. encounters a loss in profits and over the next several months the losses escalate. ABC, Inc. now has to make cuts to stay afloat. Benefits are cut in half, company lunches disappear, pay cuts are asked of the employees, and year-end bonuses are a distant memory. The employees, after spending several years or months there going through training, off-site seminars, subsidized education and the like are now highly talented and resume heavy but no longer inspired by the Human Capital perks they once experienced. The company is floundering and the employees are no longer incentivized. So what do the employees do? They protect themselves in the form of resignations, procrastination and plummeting performance, and search for a new job. Because after all they were hired as an individual, trained as an individual, incentivized as an individual, and kept at a distance by the staff and the leaders who want to maintain that "business is business." But business is not business.

BUSINESS IS RELATIONSHIPS

Human Capital Management MUST cultivate the relationships between employees just as much as it promotes individual growth. Chemistry 101 states that the stronger a bond between molecules, the greater the force to break those bonds. Business is no different. Strong bonds must be nurtured to fashion an unbreakable relationship between the smaller elements of a whole. Sustainability is the end-game of every business. If setbacks occur and cutbacks must be made, then they can be endured by the company if the employees see the value in enduring them. Take away the perks if necessary but make sure employees find accountability in the bonds that they have forged with their bosses, colleagues and associates.

ENTER SOFT SKILL LEADERS.

In the end the "nut and bolt" leader, no matter how hard they try, cannot quantify the value of a relationship. One can run financial forecasts all day but never find such a measure. They can run the numbers and tell us that we are in the red and where losses may be recouped, but the numbers can't convince workers to mobilize and respond when times get tough. Sustainability is at stake for every company. So I say bring in a "softie" when times get tough. Both types of leaders are needed for a company to succeed, but only the soft skill leader can forge the relationships that must endure when it appears that the company may not because when the perks are gone the relationships are the only value added proposition for employees to consider. So, build strong bonds.

I knew I got a C+ in thermodynamic chemistry for a reason :)

I miss the pain!

I went for a run last night and after a few miles I began feeling a sharp pain shooting down the lower right side of my back down through my right thigh. It was a familiar pain. It was something I had acquired during the best week of my life. On November 25th, 2007 I participated in (and completed might I add :-P) the 24th Edition Firenze Marathon based in Florence, Italy. What a trip....

I was overwhelmed with the depth of culture and the social substance the second I arrived. Everyone was dressed in fine Italian leather from head to toe. It didn't matter if they were walking their dog or going to work..... EVERYONE was presentable at all times. I rarely, if ever, noticed anyone overweight. Not that I have a bias towards anyone who is overweight, but the frequency with which you see it in the United States makes it the status quo. But not in Italy. The people were healthy, friendly, vibrant, cultured, classy and aware of it. I loved it! I deeply admired the civility with which they carried themselves. I looked down at my UCLA sweater, beat up running shoes and blue jeans and thought, no wonder that guy I walked by on the bus bench glared at me as if he wanted to murmur, "Stoooopeed Amerriiicuun!" (that's my version of an Italian accent). By the way, he was the only unfriendly person I came across so don't let that taint the aforementioned description of the Italian people and their culture.

Anyhow, back to the pain. After touring around Florence on foot for 5 hours the day before the marathon (not a good idea), I fortunately completed the race and returned to my hotel to collapse from exhaustion. After gorging on food that night and hydrating with fluids that are meant to intoxicate and not replenish (again, not a good idea) I felt that awful, searing pain in my lower back and leg. It was obviously the result of overuse. Running 26.2 miles is not good for the joints to say the least. According to my doctor and chiropractor the repetitive pounding induced a pinching motion in my lower spine wherein the sciatic nerve was compressed and released with each step. So although I was able to finish the race, it certainly didn't feel good and I had to cross the finish line galloping like an injured horse who had taken running lessons from the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Almost a month and a half later I still feel the remnants of that sharp pain. I felt it again when I finished my run last night. But it won't stop me from running because I don't associate the pain with discomfort or an ailing will to continue. I associate it with the wonderful food I ate after the marathon. It reminds me of the cheerful, old women on the streets edging me on yelling "Bravi, braviii!"I think about the overwhelming sense of awe as I walked into the Vatican in Rome the day after my race. So many incredible memories. But I have more than the pictures, nicknack's from street vendors, and a pocketed hotel key card to help me remember the week I spent in Italy. Whenever I want I can strap on my running shoes and hit the pavement to reignite the pain in my back and leg. It's the ultimate nostalgic token. Strangely I miss the pain. I miss it because it reminds me of the life changing week I spent in Italy. It reminds me of the money I raised to help cure HIV/AIDS as a donating participant in the race. It reminds me of the passion I developed for running and of my love for discovering my own personal limits. At this point I realize that I ran the marathon not to complete it, not to show anyone that I could do it, but to hurt. To feel pain and anguish. To appreciate the health I have and the opportunities I was given despite the pain. No pain no gain, right!? Had I not experienced the utter disolution at mile 22 when my legs cramped, or the throbbing ache in my right foot as my arch became inflamed, or the burning sensation as my toe nails fell off I wouldn't have appreciated the race. I wouldn't have appeciated the trip not nearly as much as I now do. It was for the pain, and because of the pain, that I gained so much.

I can't wait to get home from work to go on another run....

Anything, at all times....

To introduce my blog I thought it would first make sense to explain a bit about myself by shedding light on the meaning behind my blog title. What does "Anything, at all times" mean?

It is the only statement I know that is not only nebulous and ambiguous, but also self-explanatory and obvious at the same time. The statement means, and I firmly believe, that anything is possible at all times. For example, growing up in a small farming community severely lacking resources and exposure to advanced education and high profile careers, I told myself I would earn my way into a top university and see what I could make of myself. A few years later I was able to say that I am a UCLA graduate and emerging business professional in the opportunistic city of Los Angeles. 6 months ago I told myself I would like to run a marathon. On November 25th, 2007 I completed all 26.2 miles in wonderful Florence, Italy. The 24th edition of this international marathon not only served as my first setting for international travel, but also my first charitable donation in which I raised money and awareness for a local HIV/AIDS non-profit. I wore a shirt that stated "Cure HIV/AIDS" on my chest and uttered the words to myself "anything, at all times" as I hobbled across the finish line. It wasn't pretty and I couldn't use stairs for nearly a week, but I finished! And sure enough a few months from now I'll likely make another statement, although seemingly ridiculous and unobtainable at the time, but follow through with it and once again smile as I utter the words "anything, at all times...."

Now this is not to say that failure isn't also possible. Just like the successes mentioned above I have encountered plenty of setbacks as well. I told myself going into my first position as a young business professional that I would be CEO! In fact, that's how I got the job. For a moment I must digress and tell you a story.

I read about the CEO of my company and admired his professional accomplishments as an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. I thought..... "that's going to be me someday!" So shortly after contacting him and introducing myself, he and I were having a conversation over lunch about why I chose him, what I wanted to do, and where I was going. Apparently I had written a convincing enough email to him that he wanted to known these things, and know them by meeting me face to face. The first words he ever said to me in person were "So, what do you want?" But it wasn't stated as a simple question. Just imagine this. You are a 22 year old recent college graduate. You are sitting in an office that reminds you of the set from the last episode of "The Apprentice" with Donald Trump. You are expecting that at any moment Omorosa is going to pop out of a closet and explain how inferior you are to her. Staring at you from an adjacent office couch is an accomplished business man. He received his PhD in his twenties, propelled onto the business scene in his thirties, and by the time he was in his fifties he had successfully started and sold 5 large business. Considering all of this I now ask you to revise how you interpreted the question "So, what do you want?" It was a demand. He wanted to know!!!! So I told him my answer. I said, "I want your job!" You might call that gusto, bravado, nerves of steel, whatever.... I call it a dear in headlights reaction. But I said it firmly and confidently and with my eyes I let him know I was serious. So he hired me. No, not as CEO in training. But he did create a position for me and gave me an opportunity. At his point you may be wondering where this story is going so I'll wrap it up for you.

After being with the company for 15 months I had been promoted twice and was now in a managerial position. I was moving horizontally and vertically and I was happy with that. Each move was a step closer to Andrew Johns, CEO! Yet the industry was stricken by failure with sweeping federal regulatory changes that turned profits into losses and the company quickly fell on it's back. And where am I now? I'm 25 years old, sitting in a coffee shop on a Sunday afternoon just steps from the building I work in, writing a blog about success and failure. I'm 3 weeks away from my formal resignation from the company and 3 weeks and 1 day away from moving out of Los Angeles and moving to the San Francisco Bay area to pursue new opportunities. Do I have a job lined up yet? No. Do I have a place to live? Kinda, sorta... if you consider my brothers couch a place to live. But it feels right and I'm confident in my decision. Because again, I consider anything possible at all times. 15 months ago I found it possible that I may be CEO of the company I came to work for. Obviously at this point that will not happen. But my eggs of optimism do not lie in one theoretical basket, because I also believe that at anytime I can find my future successes in other places and new environments.

It's amazing what has transpired in my life in the past few years. When I look back at everything I've done it makes me feel good. I am incredibly content. You know that feeling you get when you wake up on a Sunday morning after a great night of rest? You are warm in your sheets, a cup of coffee is brewing, and you know that you get to relax and live an aesthetic life even if its for just one day. Complete peace. Warmth. Happiness. Prosperity. That's how I feel right now typing away as each minute brings me closer to a big move in my life. But I'm not worried because anything is possible, and at all times....

I hope you feel as if you now know more about me. After writing this I feel as if I know more of myself. But the story and statements above serve to explain the title of my blog and the purpose of my life all in one. I plan on posting regularly and I hope my readers find my writing inspiring and entertaining. You can expect more posts with a similar flavor because I don't plan on stopping my pursuit of anything, at all times...