Let's Talk Calibration

Performance

Not the technical kind (sorry I got you excited, my manufacturing friends!!) but the kind where you're working on yourself and the bigger picture of your business instead of focusing on the day-to-day tactical side of your work and your business.

I’m a business owner. I’m self-employed. I’ve had some amazing clients and projects – some of which are ongoing, and some of which were project-based. I’ve also had clients leave – including one that I had previously accepted a re-negotiated contract with that was in their favor as a show of my commitment to their success. Outside of my independent consulting work, I manage a region for The Institute for Management Studies as a contractor. That role is 100% commission-based – there is no “floor” or base salary.

I am also your normal adult. I have a mortgage. I have recurring bills. I have people and animals that depend on me. Things happen – I get sick, the fur kids have an emergency, parents or friends need help, the HVAC system breaks, you get the picture.

I operate with a lot of risk.

By the virtue of hard work, an amazing network and a lot of faith and trust I made it this far.

It’s felt like a whirlwind. Only in the past month have I had the headspace to reflect and consider.

To calibrate.

I’m sharing the questions I’m asking myself in case A) they’re helpful to you and B) you have other ones that you think should be added to the list!

What does success look like for me?
What types of clients and projects make me excited?
What aspects of my current scope of work running this business drive me insane or always fall to the bottom of my to-do list?
What do my family and friends hear me complain about the most? The longest?
What do I want a “typical” month to look like for me? A year?
What do I feel guilty about not doing enough of?
What am I most surprised about when I look at my life from the outside?

I’m excited to consider these questions and continue refining and building my dream, which I’m currently stating as: “Connecting people with the skills and opportunities they need for success while also being present and joyful with those that matter most to me.”

If you feel so moved, I would love to hear your input on the questions – and also what your dream is!

All my best,

Stacey

Most Recent

It's Time For Us To Do Better

Posted By Stacey Schroeder
October 31, 2022 Category: General

It’s time for us to do better at connecting people with opportunities. Let me share some recent examples with you to get that amazing brain of yours going! Friday, October 7 was #ManufacturingDay, but it was also the Ribbon Cutting for the new Alliance For Working Together (AWT) Foundation’s Transformation Center in Mentor, OH. I've known the great folks at AWT for years, through my roles at Swagelok, NTMA and the Precision Metalforming Association as well as my personal volunteer work for the Junior Robobots competition and many #manufacturing / #workforcedevelopment-related interest groups. It made my DAY to see the amazing and beautiful space filled with brand-new manual and CNC machines, quality and inspection equipment, classrooms, and all sorts of technology and ways to engage with students of all ages and backgrounds. Every library, community center, K-12 school, community, vo-tech and higher education institution needs to know about this venue – AND be actively making connections. Every community NEEDS to find folks that are PASSIONATE about in-demand industries like manufacturing, healthcare and IT – and fund their big ideas like this! On Thursday, October 27, I started the morning with Team NEO at their Aligning Opportunities Launch. I LOVED the panel discussions and the ENERGY and IDEAS! Can we encourage kids to add a "minor" in a credenti

Leaders: Take Heed.

Posted By Stacey Schroeder
August 24, 2022 Category: Working From Home

The past few months I’ve been trying something different. Each month, I always send a newsletter with an article, some microlearning videos, inspirational quotes and selected upcoming programs to everyone on my The Institute for Management Studies distribution list. That’s not new. What IS new: I started to explicitly offer myself as a resource to each of these amazing people, whether it's talking through their own leadership development, identifying a great thought leader for a customized program for their team, or sharing best practices gained from other IMS members. I included a link to schedule a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with me. I was absolutely FLOORED by the positive response! As a bit of an introvert, I haven’t really minded working from home for the past few years, but the chance to connect with, and learn from, amazing local professionals and leaders is literally THE BEST part of my work. I wanted to share some of the big themes from these conversations, because I think they really highlight what EVERY LEADER should be aware of and more importantly, actively working to address with each of their team members: 1. People do NOT feel that they have all the internal support they need to be successful in their roles. 2. People are HUNGRY for opportunities to grow their skills through REAL-LIFE examples and practice, alongside peers from diff

Let's be a force for good this year

Posted By Stacey Schroeder
January 31, 2022 Category: General

Have you read Josh Bersin’s HR Predictions for 2022 report? "This year’s report touches on 15 predictions encompassing all areas of HR against the backdrop of an historically tight labor market, empowered workforces, and continued pandemic uncertainties." Fill out the short information form here: https://joshbersin.com/hr-predictions-for-2022/ and download your copy. I promise it's worth it, no matter what your official job title or function is. My key takeaways are: The labor shortage isn’t going away. Continue to get creative around hiring requirements – does a role really need a specific degree? Are there ways to assess incoming skills and/or partner with a 3rd party to provide ‘on-ramps’ for basic training instead of rejecting a candidate? No matter what your current product or service offering is, it’s going to become more service-focused over time. That means that more of your organization needs timely, actionable training around customer service skills. To help with that, you may also want to consider reviewing / updating the metrics you use around service encounters. The technology that’s prevalent in many of our personal lives is more and more expected in the workplace. Cue the “metaverse,” VR, AR, immersive training experiences, etc. But, it’s not just technology for technology’s sake – it’s critical to start with an organizational assessment, d

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