M.A.P. Knows

Time Waits for No One

Michelle A. Patterson — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Look up the word “time” in a dictionary and there are several meanings to its usage as a noun, adjective or verb. As I come upon a “time” in my life and I think back to a year ago, I can ask the question, “where has all the time gone?” A girlfriend of mine and her boyfriend just celebrated their one year anniversary as to when they first met. I am sure they are saying “time sure does fly when you are having fun!” Of course, there are so many idioms and phrases for “time”, but I digressed. I feel I am always running out of time. There are some days where “there is not enough time in a day;” then days where “I can’t find enough time;” and of course days where “I have too much time.” Can I have a love/hate relationship with time? Coud it be that I am not managing “time” well enough and that’s why I am always running out of it? Some days, “time” has a life of its own and I ask myself “where has all the time gone?” But “time”does not discriminate; it is an equal opportunity offender and it continues to move whether I like it or not. Can I slow down “time”? Short answer, no; I just need to work with “time” and make sure I am maximizing it effectively. Because at the end of the day, I really know don’t know how much “time” I have left.

blog post: Do you work here?

Michelle A. Patterson — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:00:00 +0000

A female customer asked me as I was straightening up the hosiery/tights section in a major department store. There were two associates standing by the cash register caught up in a discussion about last evenings reality TV show finale regarding a part of the state I reside in. I paused and said, “no, but I should be.” I was looking for tights in a specific color and size. Granted, I have more time on my hands than many shoppers, so I began picking up items off of the floor and placing them back into their respective place. But, if I was rushing through on my lunch hour or had limited time, entering a section that was disorganized, items on the floor and associates standing around talking, I would have left the store vowing never to return. The customer saw that I was the only one who looked like I was doing “work” hence the question, “do you work here?” She needed help and wanted to know which brand I would recommend. Now, again, I have just told her that I didn’t work there but I didn’t want to come off indignant and she really was sincere in her request. I went ahead and assisted her, highly recommending my preferred brand that I wear. She said she would try them out since she was clueless about tights. She thanked me and proceeded to the cashier. I stood there thinking that I just did someone else’s job. How nice it must be to come to work, stand around and talk, do minimum customer service and still collect a paycheck. I became frustrated because there are people out there, like myself, that continue to hit the pavement looking for employment and there are some people gainfully employed showing up just to fog a mirror. If I sound a little bitter, I am. Right now, a job is something you are paid to do. Do it! If you don’t like your job, you have an option; exercise it and find work that you do like. There is someone out there who would gladly show up and appreciate having somewhere to work and get paid to do so. As I continued to look through the selection of hosiery, I couldn’t find my size in the color I needed. However, I did leave the store knowing that I helped someone discover a new brand of hosiery. You can call it paying if forward; I call it another satisfied customer.

I said Yes

Michelle A. Patterson — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:27:00 +0000

I have surrendered! That is my declaration today. I have decided to let go and let God guide me through my transformation. I have been struggling and fighting with this decision for the past 20 months. When I decided to surrender it all, it became an eye opening experience. My shoulders started to relax; my heart pace slowed down and I got a full night’s sleep. I was able to get up the next morning and run my appropriate training miles without feeling sluggish, apprehensive or resentful.

I know for sure that my struggle was not in vain but a lesson I needed to learn. As I embark on this new “destination”, I will be able to chart my progress and see the growth within.

I am reborn, reinvented and reignited with energy, focus, and determination.

Onward and Upward!

No looking back, pressing forward for all the things God has in store for me!

Walking through the fire

Michelle A. Patterson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:00:00 +0000

I could not predict this and neither could the clairvoyant reader I recently paid $100 to take a look into my future and give me a timeline as to when I will be employed full-time. The clairvoyant reader did confirm what I already knew; that I was going through a “transformation”. Uh, do not think I needed to have paid $100 for that piece of information.

As I contemplate a career change, I find myself asking the question, “how did I end up here?” Being in this position sucks! For a type A personality whose driven to succeed, it is a major blow to my inflated ego. This is not a coincidence but a true testament that I am where I am suppose to be in my life whether I like it or not. I constantly remind myself, I am not alone in my quest to find full-time employment however, I am alone to discover my “purpose” and the lessons that I am to takeaway from this.

Walking through the fire has been an extraordinary journey for me. I have days where I dodge the fire, days where I distinguish the fire and days where the fire leaves me in ashes. On those days, I take the defeat, then I metamorphosis into another form of myself, pick myself up and keep on moving on.

I have several friends who continue to tell me, that I will get through this. The person that I become once I do get through the fire, is the person I am looking forward to meeting.

Talent

Michelle A. Patterson — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:36:13 +0000

Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work–Stephen King.

Does an MBA make you a better CEO? – The Conversation – Harvard Business Review

Michelle A. Patterson — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:00:16 +0000

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/01/does_an_mba_make_you_a_better.html

The question I would like to ask is does it make you a better candidate when searching for a job? Sure, they use age as a factor; however, as the world evolves and you age, one would think you become more knowledgeable. Am I missing something here? As many of my colleagues contemplate how important our graduate school pedigree is in a tight job market, some have had to re-enter colleges for “re-training” if you will on skills that the current job market requires you to have. The onus becomes on the graduate schools to prepare students for the ever changing marketplace. I would love to hear what recent MBA graduates have to say.

3 Questions Leaders Should Ask Themselves

Michelle A. Patterson — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 23:40:46 +0000

I recently came across an article regarding that being self-aware is a prerequisite for good leadership, writes John Baldoni, since only by acknowledging your limitations can you hope to inspire confidence or loyalty. To that end, he argues, a leader should ask himself what’s missing from his skill set, what other tasks he should add to his agenda, and — above all — whether he is genuinely able to take criticism from his workers. http://sbne.ws/r/3x0V

5 Steps to Turning a Service Into a Product – So You Can Sell Your Business : Innovation :: American Express OPEN Forum

Michelle A. Patterson — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:21:02 +0000

5 Steps to Turning a Service Into a Product – So You Can Sell Your Business : Innovation :: American Express OPEN Forum

212 Degrees

Michelle A. Patterson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:22:05 +0000

At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive. Check out this video of inspiration:

Talking about SmartBlog On Social Media » A conversation with Olivier Blanchard

Michelle A. Patterson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:36:09 +0000

SmartBlog On Social Media » A conversation with Olivier Blanchard

This is a really good article for all marketers to start the conversation internally regarding accountability and measurability of social media.