Baby Will Rings in the New Year

Baby Will helps us ring in the new year prior to his 7:30pm bedtime. In between chewing on a walnut and stuffed animals, he had time to ham for the camera.

Lindsay Christmas Concert Highland HS

Much Improved USU Aggies!

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5534822

The Utah State Aggies have to come away from last night's game with Oklahoma feeling pretty good about themselves and what they have accomplished in one year. The difference in Utah State's performance over the last time these two teams played is nothing short of amazing. A look at the stats shows that Utah State matched up nicely with Oklahoma on every count.

"As players, we thought we were at the top of the world, ranked seventh, all that," Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis said.  "A Utah State team comes in here and they almost beat us. So, it's a great humbling experience as a team, as defense and as players."

I believe the game came down to a critical Oklahoma 4th down conversion and a disappointing Utah State turnover/interception. That was the difference between a potential Utah State upset and the Sooner's squeaking out a victory. Either Oklahoma isn't the 7th ranked team the experts say they are or Utah State is woefully under-recognized. Perhaps its a little of both.

I think we can expect some exciting Aggie football this season!

Morgan Mind Meld

I........AM.........MORGAN. I......AM.......OLDER.

Some Summer Adventures

One small reason that I have not blogged for some time is that I didn't feel like it. Another reason is that I could not come up with a good title. I am more interested today to blog but as you can see, I still did not come up with a good title.

The grand babies have made for some great travel opportunities this year. Went to Echo Lake, Montana in early August to join Jon, Steph, and the Quinton family for Will's blessing at the Quinton family cabin. I enjoyed myself immensely. The country side was beautiful, Echo Lake was warmer than expected, and I enjoyed getting to know the Quinton family a little more. We had fun on the lake too.

A Global Warming Protest?

A friend of mine sent this picture to me some time ago. The picture was entitled, "A Global Warming Protest." At the time, the debate on global warming was at a peak and I thought it was a clever way to take a step back and chuckle at our collective fervor, regardless of what side of the debate one might take.

Determination and Resolve - Update

[UPDATE] I believe that I should have provided a little more set up for this picture. It is possible that my intent was misunderstood.

There are two pictures of Becky that come to mind when I think of her. Both are very positive and inspiring. One is a picture of her sitting on the stairs at our home in St. Charles, IL., many years ago. She was in her little pink swimsuit holding an open pink umbrella sharing her beaming smile. The look on her face was radiant. She was on top of the world. I don't know why this picture comes to mind each time I think of Becky but in a way, it seems to sum up Becky and her energy.

The other picture that comes to mind is a picture taken (shown) in the aftermath of 4-wheeling accident. I remember Becky and I joking about being tough and she struck this tough girl pose. The more I look at it, the more it has come to represent her resolve and determination. Becky is a scrapper. In spite of challenges, she continues to move forward with great purpose.

So, this picture was a way of saying that I admire Becky for these aforementioned qualities.

Bowled Over

Toward the end of our 2009 Christmas Holiday, we slipped over to a bowling alley in Mesa for 10 frames of humiliation. The goal was to break 100 or die of laughter trying. It turned out that Mom and Ben tied for the high score of somewhere around 110. The rest of us slunk out of the alley murmuring face-saving excuses. I have included media for your interest.

The first clip shows Ben's ball delivery technique. Ben told me, "I spin the ball by simply adding a rotational movement around its center of mass. By spinning the ball, I create a parabolic path which is ideal for obtaining a strike". It seems to work for other outcomes as well.



Lindsay's approach is more practical. "Dad, why fuss with all the physics. I just roll it and forget it. That's what bumpers are for."



Becky's bowling footwork comes from years of dance training. She said over and over, "Dad, it's a matter of grace and rhythm...it has to be fluid."



Mom is the pro. She didn't say it but I know she was thinking, "That bowling class I took in Junior High PE is really paying off. I'm tak'in it to these kids. "



Dad proves that once a body is in motion it tends to stay in motion. With an obvious deterioration in skills, Dad made a Yogi Berra observation, "The older we gets, the greater we was."

Getting On With Life

Funny thing has happened on the way to finding a new job. I started consulting. Whether consulting will be my future or if it will be an interim way to earn a living is unclear. I can tell you that the work continues to come in and the revenue is growing. I enjoy the work. I get to do more of what I like to do.

I have affiliated myself with another consultant. His business is two-fold: Providing management and leadership development training and providing career transition services. I am engaged in both parts of the business. One day I will be helping downsized professionals develop a job search strategy and prepare a resume, etc., and another day I will develop or deliver leadership training.

I also provide consulting services through my own company including online personal branding workshops, developmental coaching, and custom management development training.

I have a pretty good pipeline of work already in place through mid-December. Next calendar year is looking promising. I continue, however, to look for good, traditional opportunities that are in line with my area of expertise. I have learned, however, to be realistic about being hired in this economy and in my local market. A seasoned recruiter told me early in the process that I would have a tough time finding commensurate work. I am perhaps over qualified or too experienced for most opportunities. Phoenix is a very transactional market - a "B" Market. Most all my experience is working more strategically for global companies in "A" markets. That's why the consulting angle seems to be working. Companies will buy the wisdom but they don't want it on the payroll.

So, I am just getting on with my life in the most productive way possible.

Edgwewood Human Capital Consulting is Launched

The current economic downturn has impacted millions of workers in the US and created a new dynamic in the hiring environment. The types of positions now available in the AZ market are typically lower to mid-level positions to be filled with workers with 6-9 years of experience. Just enough experience to be productive without a lot of payroll. This means most of the opportunities available to me in this market bring me back to work I did 10 to 15 years ago and provide only 50% of my most recent income.

I am not above considering such positions. I have applied for many and I am at several different stages in the interview process with three organizations for such a position. The challenge in being considered is one of experience and perception of expense. Hiring organizations are wary of someone with too much experience who applies for a position significantly below prior experience levels. Dummy down the resume too much and they are wary of you for different reasons.

The hiring process takes longer today as well. For example, one position in the Oro Valley, for which I have applied, has been in play since June. Two phone interviews, individual interviews, group interviews. The feedback has been that they love me, etc. However, while the position has been approved, the decision to fill the position with a specific finalist has not been approved. Approval must be made at the executive team level. Mind you, this position is a specialist-level position. It is not a management level position. It is now August and the executive team will not meet until next week. If, they approve me as a hire, the offer will come the following week and the likelihood that I will start at the beginning of September is remote. In the past, a position at this level would be filled in two weeks! I am an HR professional. I know this stuff!

Not too long ago, I woke up to the reality that the odds are against me in seeking a traditional position in the AZ market. Positions at my level of experience do not exist at this time. I am too qualified for the others. A good friend at the premier recruiting group in AZ for HR professionals told me that AZ is not a great place for me to be with my background and experience. AZ is more a transactional town. I have a big-market, strategic background. Employers think I am too expensive or will not be loyal to them - They believe I will always looking to move up or out.

Seeking opportunities outside the state creates a new set of problems. Employers do not want to relocate an employee nor do they want to incur the expense of an employee commuting at this time in the economy. Selling a home is incredibly difficult in AZ with the high number of foreclosures. It is quite the pickle!

I decided to take matters into my own hands. That's right. I am not waiting around for a traditional opportunity to develop. I decided more than a month ago to begin consulting in earnest. If a great traditional opportunity is presented, then I may consider the opportunity. Until then, I will keep my skills up, develop new work relationships, and make some money.

My new venture is named Edgewood Human Capital Consulting. “Edgewood” is one of many translations of the name Boizelle. I have always liked the sound of it. I offer HR consulting services with a specific focus on talent management (recruiting, training, performance management, management and leadership development, succession planning, and performance coaching).

My venture is off to a good start. I am doing work for the Phoenix office of RSM McGladrey, my former employer, Leadership Choice, a local management and leadership development firm, and a pharmaceutical company in valley.

I have delivered several projects already for RSM McGladrey and several more are in process. I have developed and delivered a leadership workshop for interns. I am developing a management development curriculum for entry level through manager/director personnel. I am developing and delivering a workshop for new accounting students at Arizona State University on personal branding. I may also build off this project to provide a similar deliverable for the accounting professionals at RSM. A blog on personal branding for accountants is forthcoming. Stay tuned for more information. A book on the topic is also under consideration.

I have created a management development/leadership development framework for Leadership Choice based on a meta-analysis of current management and leadership literature. With that framework, I have also identified the core skills and mindsets that are needed to move from being a producer of work to a supervisor/manager of workers to a manager of managers, etc. To support the framework and the associated coursework, I have developed a process for assuring transfer of skills from coursework to the job through a mentoring program and developmental assignments. I will help deliver the coursework and transfer process to a healthcare industry client with my friend at Leadership Choice this fall.

I am actively marketing my services within my Arthur Andersen and RSM McGladrey networks with several phone conferences set up to market my services and spread the word. Feedback so far has been very positive.

I also recognize that I need to develop more professional contacts and business opportunities in AZ. To help accomplish this end, I have joined the board of The Valley of the Sun Chapter of ASTD (American Society of Training and Development) and serve as the Director of Marketing and Communication. I am responsible for overall marketing and communications to the chapter members and to the business community at large. I prepare a quarterly newsletter, send monthly event communications, seek new chapter members, issue press releases, seek event sponsors, etc. What better position to hold to meet new people in my field and get my name and business exposure.

I don’t know where all of my efforts will lead. To date, I am enjoying the consulting work I am doing immensely – to the point that I am not sure that I want to return to traditional work. The economy has forced me do something that I have always wanted to do. As more work comes my way and as I make more commitments to clients, I may redefine how I make a living and add value to the market.

On the Road Again

Lauren and Becky came home for a visit this last week. This gave them an opportunity to hear Ben speak at church following his return from his mission. It was delightful to have them home. We had fun in the pool, enjoyed a trip to the temple to do ancestral work and otherwise enjoyed renewing our associations.

They are on the road again returning to Utah; Becky to Cedar City and Lauren on to Salt Lake City.

Brett's Commanding Grab

Over the last few days, we hosted Brett Spackman at our home. He has been a lot of fun to have around. He is smart and inquisitive. I was really impressed with his command of current events.

It was mighty hot outside so our outdoor activities centered mostly around eating, Bahama Bucks and pool time.

Ben and I engaged Brett in one of our family favorite pool games of snatching a football in mid-air coming off the diving board. We had a great time ingesting water, scraping our feet against the bottom of the pool and once in awhile, demonstrating superior physical prowess by performing a great catch.

Here is one of Brett's better catches.

Ben Arriving At The Airport Terminal

HE'S HERE!

Ben arrived a noon today at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, AZ. We left immediately for Pete's Fish & Chips in downtown Mesa, Ben's favorite restaurant of all time. He will be released from his mission this evening at 5:30pm by President Salmon, our Stake President.

ALMOST HERE!

ALMOST HERE....

Almost here....

Stay Tuned As More Comes To Light.

Use the one downstairs...(cont.)

Lindsay fills the holes created by the screws with thin set to prepare the backerboard for tile.

Lindsay tapes a seam where two pieces of backboard join.

The job is done. Lindsay will let the thin set dry before she starts to lay tile. Another good job, Lindsay! This is a job that needs to be done in the event that we need to sell or rent the house.

Use the One Downstairs...

The upstairs bathroom is under renovation. Lindsay and I have made good progress this week. After chipping out the old tile and patching the floor, we finally started laying the backerboard.

Lindsay finds the floor joists and marks a line.

Lindsay measures dimensions for another piece of backerboard.

Measure twice, cut once, as Lindsay always says.

Lindsay notes her measurements on the wall.

Lindsay secures the backerboard with screws. She almost reminds me of Rosy the Riveter.

Dad, makes the cuts at the bottom of the door frame to accomodate the half inch difference in height.

The backerboard is in!

It is now time for taping the seams. Good job Lindsay.

Tied Up On Father's Day

I think I have not been hired due to my outdated ties. If only I had realized this months ago, I would now be well employed and making excessive income. My children have stepped in and have dressed their father for success. Take a look my Father's Day tie makeover below.




Thanks kids for sprucing up your dad. I mean, look at these pictures! Who could resist hiring me now with ties like these?