reaction to "HR lessons from Steve Jobs."

"HR lessons from Steve Jobs" excerpt from What Would Steve Jobs Do?: How the Steve Jobs Way Can Inspire Anyone to Think Differently and Win by Peter Sander (McGraw Hill)] 

When I first started reading this article, I was hesitant to follow Steve Jobs lesson/employee finding procedure, but I read on and realized that I did in fact agree with his methods. I've been finding for the last 7 years that the people that are of the most benefit are the ones that are unbeknownst moments of interaction. I can't tell you the number of times that I have been sitting places and observing some of the same people walking by on a regular interval to only meet them months to years later and become friends or coworkers. Whenever that happens, it actually is super fascinating to me. Then I often ponder if it was all with reason that I saw them so many times before yet not know them.

"recruit a team of diverse, well-traveled, and highly skilled pirates, and they’ll follow you anywhere."

The line above is pretty solid but also true. The number of officer teams/groups of individuals that I have had around me over the years, whether I had a "higher title" or not is larger than I can count on my hands. Most of the teams were full of individuals that did not have their lives together; there often was at least one drama focused person, if not two individuals that were always sparing.

What often worked well with these teams, were the varied minds that came together to solve problems. It wasn't necessarily a walk in the park, but our jobs/tasks always got done. There were always at least a few individuals who rose to more lead roles, but we all had our spot. 85% of the officers that I have had over the years have been dedicated to the various organization causes and that truly is why we succeeded. A great group of individuals means nothing if they aren't invested and don't feel passionate at all about the end goal.

You can never replace true dedication and those are individuals that I have never broken ties with; they are the individuals that will come in handy one day—keep them close, but not a choke hold. :)

annaleavebehinds.

I've been trying to think of a versatile series of materials that will focus on the aspect of storytelling + sharing without heavily focusing on the media in which is being used to express. I do have an affinity for printed materials, specifically books + magazines. It is because of that love that I think that it would be best if I utilized a format of materials that I love. 

On the flip side of that, I have the little letter pressed card in here for the tactile nature of it. Although I personally do not currently have experience in that area, I love letter pressed items for the sensation of touch. I'm really in love with texture in all medias, especially extremes hence my wide range in music from the fluid, strong and soft pop music such as Katy Perry, Maxwell + Frankie Valli to powerhouse vocals such as Gloria Gaynor + Aretha Franklin to the hard industrial sound of KMFDM, Raymond Watts + Nine Inch Nails to very gritty and hard edged rappers such as Stevie Stone + Kendrick Lamar to composers such as Frederic Chopin + Igor Stravinsky to many other singers, bands, composers and forms of sound/music. I want my written + visual voice to be the focus with small times of surprise like when you are opening a gift and don't know yet if this item is something that you hinted at that you wanted or something completely unknown.

all examples were found off Behance.

book option 01 | Michael Pharaoh.

book option 02 | Alex Fergusson.

magazine option 01 | Jiani Lu

mailer option | Mash Creative.

minibook option | Ana Pedro Henriques, Diogo Azevedo + Joana Francisca Freitas.

poster potential | Thomas Wong.

lil print pressed card | Walter Hansen

tear open a moment. | Jorge Fernández Puebla

I really enjoyed the moment of feeling like the piece was just for you; no one else has seen this but you. There is a lot of magic in that moment of believing that something was made just for you and your eyes only. This reminds me of one of my birthdays when my brother taped these two attached sheets of paper to my bedroom door, causing me to open it carefully as the paper was thin and I didn't know what was within. The front was a note in his handwriting, "for your eyes only." And man was I happy that I did not tear that paper too rough because there was a Nine Inch Nails concert ticket within.

the future ponder.

I’ve been doing more focused thinking for the last couple weeks about my future and where I see it going. To be totally honest here, I’ve no one interest or love that is high above the rest. I enjoy versatility and the ability to move around. Community college was great because each Associate Degree that I received was a two-year commitment. The four years that I was at community college, other than the two degrees, I was most involved in Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges at both the school (chapter) and the state (regional) level. I was also involved in Program Board, a group of work-study students that were in charge of most free events on campus in the form creating some new events, then promoting and working them. I miss presenting educational sessions as well as running conferences. I also miss being in charge of + running our biannual induction ceremonies, including actually inducting the new members.

At that same time in community college, I worked at a public library in the children’s department. I shelved books, helped with seasonal reading programs, as well as helped with physical planning and moving of the book + audiovisual collections within the department. I also volunteered in the technology department at that library to help process books and other materials. By processing I mean from the physical point of adding plastic book jackets over the book covers, writing/printing/applying the spine labels to the books, changing the materials’ status in our online card catalogue and really anything else that was needed done.

The rest of my time was spent attending concerts and performances, watching as many films as I could, reading as many books as possible, writing, taking photos, expressing myself via art and stopping by various departments in the library + at my school to chat with people. I once thought myself something close to a Renaissance man; the skills in multiple areas based on interests, passions and life lessons. I was highly imaginative + not focused on where these interests, skills or connections would take me in life; I focused on the here and now, having learned multiple times not to plan for the future that may never come.

I’ve always had the: pleasure of thinking all the time, need to help others + build connections to those above me, need to give every task my all, need to prove myself, want to make my motina + brolis proud, intense fascination with psychology + the mind/memories in general, as well as the personality to be what people needed, especially in the form of listener + problem solver.

Moving out to the MO changed a lot of that for me. There were not organizations that I had been involved with in the past nor any new ones that I wanted to join. I was in a new environment that I had no knowledge with and I had a totally different mindset than many of the people that I first met at school here. My focus was my education, as the loans had begun as soon as I moved out here, I knew that I had to push hard through all that I didn’t know or understand; it HAD to work or I go back as a failure in the eyes of many individuals. It has been a hard last three years for me, but I have learned things about design, life and myself that I didn’t know before.

Since I’ve been out here, my interests in travel, music, movies, stories and connecting with others has hit an all time high. Digital and interactive design in the form of altered reality or futuristic technologies is still immensely fascinating for me; I grew up and am still a fan of Sci-Fi movies + TV shows. Although most of my personal growth happened while in community college, I have grown more as an individual since I’ve been out here. I’ve also missed some moments of my community college life that I don’t fully know if it is out of the lack of the activity or interactions that used to be part of a daily routine or if it is an actual missing part of me. There are multiple subject areas that I still want to learn and question if that should be put above a career at this point. I also still don’t think that I have fully found who I am yet and have been pushing around the idea of going off the grid and experiencing the world. My logical side likes to come in and debate the next step of my life, but I have been wondering if now is the time to step away from logics + give into the unknown.