VP Article - January/February 2011

At my department’s annual New Year kick off meeting, a manager of mine challenges all of us to do one thing better each year. Although I have heard this same spiel from him for the past three years, each year it sticks with me. As the leader of our department, he tells the 65 or so of us that if each of us does one thing better each year, then every year as a department, we will do 65 things better. If the “one thing” was up to him, I’m sure it would have something to do with the efficiency of our daily work, the performance of our products, or the time to market of our upcoming projects, but as he motivates us, he leaves it pretty open ended ☺

As we begin 2011, I encourage each of you to do as my manager encourages me and “Do 1 thing better in 2011!” As a section of almost 200 members, we have the ability to do 200 things better this year! Similar to my manager, I do have a bias of what the one thing is….something to do with SWE! Maybe you would like to improve your communication or leadership skills, or maybe you would like to contribute more to the Outreach committee, or maybe you have been saying you were going to attend a networking lunch or happy hour but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Be sure to check out the SWE-MN calendar and find what it is that interests you and think about something you can do better in the New Year!

Of course, I would like to encourage you to do at least one thing better in your daily, professional, and family life, but don’t forget your SWE life when you are making your new year’s resolutions!

~Lesley