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A couple of months ago I attended the opening of UWA’s new Business School. One of events held that day was a presentation/interview with Trevor Eastwood, the former CEO of Wesfarmers (which is a massive conglomerate corporation that owns companies like Bunnings and Coles to name a couple). It was interesting to hear from a CEO level some of the management practices that had been used to run such a massive company.

Tips from Trevor:

• Get someone better than you to do your job.
• Translate goals so that they are meaningful to every decision making level in the organisation.
• Use the Argenti System – it is a great delivery tool.
• Don’t track performance annually, you need to do it continually/monthly. You have to know if/when different areas of the business are doing good or falling off the perch.
• Honesty and integrity in business is essential.
• When making acquisitions the discounted cash flow method was used to assess the purchase price. You need to know how you are going to add value because if you don’t change anything it discounts your value (since you paid a premium to acquire the business).

Keeping the above in mind, Wesfarmers recently purchased the Coles supermarket stores. Woolworths, as the stock market will tell, has been outperforming Coles for a while now. In fact, I’ve been watching their share price throughout the whole Global Financial Crisis phase. It has been consistently hovering around the mid-$20 mark. In comparison, Wesfarmers stock has gone up in value by about $10 since Feb 2009. A big part of this has been them finally managing to turn Coles around, minimise their debt and move forward with its growth strategy.

The video below shows current Wesfarmers CEO Michael Chaney briefly describes how Argenti was used successfully over 25 years at Wesfarmers.

Download the PDF publications onthe Argenti System from Harvard:

SWOT Analysis I: Looking Outside for Threats and Opportunities

SWOT Analysis II: Looking Inside for Strengths and Weaknesses

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I got poached by an old boss a few weeks ago. He rang me up and offered me a job which seemed almost perfect. The location, the work, the career development (in other fields), a massive project, working with a team I’ve largely worked with before. I even went for an interview with a director of the company they were working for. All went well and the job was basically mine if I wanted it.

It all hinged on their offer to me. I’ve made a name for myself with the place I was working and had accumulated a decent amount towards my Long Service Leave. Given our pay hadn’t been reviewed for a while due to the “GFC”, I also expected a bit of an incentive to “jump ship”.

What they offered me was almost an insult, but it made my decision easier. They couldn’t even match what I had gotten before doing a similar job on site, let alone an incentive to move.

This time, the grass was greener where I was.

At this stage I’m not prepared to work my butt off to establish myself with a different company for a pay cut, even if it is a job that would look awesome on the CV… am I wrong?

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People get assigned management positions through a number of different ways, including:

• They do their current non-management tasks/role very well
• They “walk the walk” & “talk the talk” (ie dress in suits and can interweave buzz words in conversation)
• They have been with the company or in their field for a long period of time

Notice that none of the above is a reliable indicator of how a person will perform as a manager (even if they look the part).

A lot of companies still use this “sink or swim” method of Management Training. I’ve also noticed that management training is often given to people who have been managers for a couple of years and less often to potential managers.

Some people get pushed into management and end up asking for their old job back. Management is not for everyone and you’ll be doing your company and your manager a favour by telling them you don’t want to be a manager up front (especially if you have decided this already or if you just don’t have the passion).

Other people want to get into management and get overlooked because they may not have certain leadership skills that area required in such a position. Then again, there are people who get into management and think they are doing a good job even when it is clear to everyone that they are not… this is why we have performance reviews…

Read The First-Time Manager by Loren Belker & Gary Topchik <- everyone should own this book

Follow me @marcofratelli on twitter & hubpages.

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Drove out to site this morning, as I will be doing every morning for the next month to despatch concrete units… Ah bugger it, this blog is going to be in point form tonight. CBF.

• Arrived.
• Got a call saying the crane driver slept in.
• Trucks started arriving and had to wait until another crane arrived (~1 hour).
• Yard became a truck carpark.
• Crane came.
• Loaded some units.
• Truck drivers had to return to depot to pick up other trailers.
• Sat there with 2 riggers and a crane, waiting for about 2 hours.
• Other trailers came.
• Loaded more units.
• I sent crane and riggers home.
• Another trailer arrives. WTF? But I just sent the crane off…
• Misunderstanding of arrangements for the day (this time my fault)
• Drive back to work for a performance meeting (ok).
• Feel crap for the rest of the day.
• CBF tweeting, can barely BF blogging.
• Going to watch an episode of MacGyver or maybe an episode of Coupling now.

I don’t mind people stuffing up sometimes, everyone does it and I’m usually very lenient unless we’re waiting around for hours on end while paying for labour and/or machinery. Despite the events of today, I don’t have any dramas with either company. But what’s worse is when you stuff up yourself. I hate stuffing someone else around because I don’t like to be stuffed around. I rang up that company and apologised, but still felt like shit for the rest of the day.

Tomorrow is a new day.

More work screw ups (these ones not mine).

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I finally did it.

After walking by them with the intention of buying for about a week or prob more, I mustered up enough courage to approach one of the vendors selling The Big Issue and bought one. It was a goal of mine to do something good ‘directly’ for someone who needs it (rather than just have a bit of money leave my account each month). I just didn’t realise how directly – the guys selling the magazine get to keep half the cover price of $5. They are people who have experienced or currently experience homelessness or long term unemployment.

I don’t know why I was chicken shit before. Like a friend suggested, maybe it was because of some of the vendors’ appearances and habits (eg smoking). But it felt good when I did it. The guy was a younger guy who seemed to process information a little bit slowly but he was very polite. I gave him all my coins, which were a bit more than $5 but I’m sure he’d appreciate them more than I would. The only thing I felt bad about was walking a way a little bit too quickly (I just didn’t know he hadn’t finished speaking …to wish me a great weekend. Aww)

I’m a Salvos Partner which means a tiny amount of cash gets taken out of my account monthly, but it keeps me “sheltered” from it all. Perhaps for the best, because there’s only so much you can do. Even if you win Lotto…

C Restaurant (Perth, Australia) has a lunch time promotion for August 09 where you basically pay whatever you think the meal is worth. There are 2 things here I struggle with. 1) My last experience there was pretty bad and it was way too expensive given the poor service. 2) I’d feel bad paying less than it’s worth because although they’re not a charity, promotions like this do allow families doing it tough to have a meal out at a restaurant. So for someone like me who is fortunate enough to have a job and can afford it occassionally, I’d feel like I was being greedy and taking away that opportunity from some people who might not be as fortunate. Another warped way of  thinking…

My Hub: Helping People: Simple Ways To Make A Difference

By selling the magazine vendors experience a boost in their self-esteem, are given an opportunity to make friends in a positive environment and are given the confidence to start making positive changes to their lives such as improved housing, addressing drug and alcohol abuse, seeking help for mental illness or reconnecting with family. – The Big Issue

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Not funny, people!

Engineer Joke #1

To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Engineer Joke #2

Q: How can you tell an extroverted engineer?
A: When he talks to you, he looks at your shoes instead of his own.

Engineer Joke #3

Three engineering students were gathered together discussing the possible designers of the human body.

One said, “It was a mechanical engineer. Just look at all the joints.”

Another said, “No, it was an electrical engineer. The nervous system has many thousands of electrical connections.”

The last said, “Actually it was a civil engineer. Who else would run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area?”

Engineer Joke #4

Two engineering students were walking across campus when one said, “Where did
you get such a great bike?” The second engineer replied,

“Well, I was walking along yesterday minding my own business when a beautiful
woman rode up on this bike. She threw the bike to the ground, took off all her
clothes and said, “Take what you want.”

“The second engineer nodded approvingly, “Good choice; the clothes
probably wouldn’t have fit.”

Engineer Joke #5

The Top 10 Things Engineering School didn’t teach
10. There are at least 10 types of capacitors.
9. Theory tells you how a circuit works, not why it does not work.
8. Not everything works according to the specs in the data book.
7. Anything practical you learn will be obsolete before you use it, except the complex math, which you will never use.
6. Never try to fix the hardware with software.
5. Engineering is like having an 8 a.m. class and a late afternoon lab every day for the rest of your life.
4. Overtime pay? What overtime pay?
3. Managers, not engineers, rule the world.
2. If you like junk food, caffeine and all-nighters, go into software.
1. Dilbert is a documentary.

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I work in an open plan office environment. Not too far away is a biggish man I don’t work with. He regularly makes phone calls on speakerphone. No, correction – he ALWAYS uses speakerphone.

He called his wife today (or she called him) about something. It was a private conversation, yet the entire floor could practically hear it. Here’s how I documented the event via email with someone sitting nearby who I shall name “Babe”:

Babe:
Why the feck would you have a private conversation on speaker???

Me:
EVERY time he uses the phone I ask myself the same question.
Never heard such long pauses either…
I was waiting to hear some of those phrases annoyed women use.

Babe:
I’d like to use a couple of phrases on him.
It’s so rude in an open plan office. It makes you sound like a pompous prat.

Me:

I “overheard” it’s his last day today anyway.
I got a muffin yesterday, so I’ll let it slide.

[regurgitating the conversation we heard on the phone]

Wife: “When are you coming home?”

Biggish man: *pause for 10 minutes, then ignore the question while wife asks another*

Wife: “Do you know the difference between…” [something about types of drills]

Biggish man: *pause for what seemed like 2 hours*

Wife: “It’s ok to say no”…

She must talk to the wall most of the time.

Babe:

Hehe!

Thank God. Glad we won’t have to hear his life story on speaker next week.

And I bet she has no idea that we all hear everything she says. What if she said something really personal or inappropriate on day??

Me:

Something really personal or inappropriate like:

“What are you wearing?”
“Is that Jimmy sitting next to you now? He stinks”
“You really should shower daily to get rid of that rash”

“I played bingo today”

Babe:

All of the above

SpeakerPhone Ryan

Click here to view the embedded video.

At least get yourself a Grandstream GXV-3000 Video Phone as a courtesy. That way, the person on the other end can see you’re on freakin’ speakerphone!

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I got this forward today about the words women use in (potential) arguments and what they really mean. For any engineers in relationships, even if this is made up, it’s always wise to be aware of potential problems/hazards. It’s called a Risk Assessment in the Safety Department.

“Lads – this information may one day save your life. Memorise it.
Ladies – I thought it was a fairly accurate assessment.

NINE WORDS WOMEN USE

(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission.. Don’t Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about
nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That’s Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That’s okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you’re welcome. (I want to add in a clause here – This is true, unless she says ‘Thanks a lot’ – that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at
all. DO NOT say ‘you’re welcome’ .. that will bring on a ‘whatever’).

(8) Whatever: Is a woman’s way of saying F– YOU!

(9) Don’t worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking ‘What’s wrong?’ For the woman’s response refer to # 3.

* Send this to the men you know, to warn them about arguments they can avoid (if they remember the terminology).

* Send this to all the women you know to give them a good laugh, cause they know it’s true!!!”

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I managed to score a site visit this week which meant, thankfully, I wouldn’t have to go into the office. I had to “supervise” the despatch of some concrete precast units out of our old yard. There’s been no one there for a couple of months while we wait for news that we can transport some more “grey gold” out.

It was a logistical nightmare! Nah not really, but I had to arrange for a crane, two riggers and two different transport companies to arrive that morning so we can load and despatch the units. I arranged it to happen on Monday and looked forward to wearing my long sleeve high viz PPE and site gear (for a change).

We had our yard set up on some spare land in a quarry, so there were other operations happening nearby. I was there for about a year before I moved into the office a couple of months ago, so it was nice to be able to get back there every now and then and catch up with the supervisors from other companies that own the place who I’d befriended while working there.

But wouldn’t you just know it. It hails on Monday. It rains heavily on Monday. It is VERY windy on Monday. And I’m working outside all morning. To top it off, one of the transport companies stuffed up and thought they were supposed to come out on Tuesday (and tried to make it out like it was my fault). It wasn’t my fault, but I didn’t really care for 2 reasons.

1. It was very windy so we probably wouldn’t have lifted the 40+ tonne units anyways, and
2. It meant I could be out of office again for a second day.

So you could say I was a winner AND a loser those two days.

You’re a winner when you get to go out of the office on site for a day (or two)… and a loser when that day is one of the few days it HAILED and rained and gusted and roared (simultaneously) this winter.

You’re a winner when you finish early on site and go chat to the chick on the weighbridge for an hour to avoid going back to the office… and a loser when she tells you she used to think you were gay (but that it doesn’t matter if you are or not)

*slaps palm on head*

WTF?! And she couldn’t even tell me WHY she used to think I was gay. Probably cause I wasn’t much interested in cars and boats and booze and cigarettes. But seriously… WTF?!!

Dilbert 2.0 - 20 Years of Dilbert

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