Take this scenario:

The Winner

Ever met the person who seems to have it all under control – the real “winner”? When you get to know them, really know them, you often find a great deal of doubt underneath. They are not sure of themselves – any more than I am! I remember having the CTO of a major US company speaking at one of our IEM seminars. He said “everyday when I look in the mirror I think ‘today is the day I will be found out.’” He, the well known expert, knew at any day he would be shown to be the fool.

Who is in Your Mirror?

When you look in the mirror, do you see what the CTO saw? Do you think “I will be found to be a fraud”? Or do you think it is no use because:

• no one will want to hear what I have to say,
• I cannot do that.
• I do not have the skills.
• I am not ready yet.

Where does Doubt Come From?

I was wondering this morning where doubt comes from? Why do we doubt? I mean I do not doubt when I am driving down the road that I am not going to be able to drive. I do not doubt when I go into a meeting I have done 100 times before. I do not doubt many things I have done before.

But what I do doubt is doing something new. Or I often doubt putting myself out there – like submitting a blog post!

How to Counter Doubt

So what do we do with doubt? Here is what seems to work for me – at least today…

- Remember others have done it – and they are no better than me!

- Remember that even in failure we learn a great deal – and we can find new paths. Think about all of Edison’s failures.

- Remember that I do not want to be ordinary!

But more important – take action. Even against the grain, even when I must force myself – just plow on. Nothing kills doubt for me like action!

"Just Keep Swimming!"

What works for you? How do you conquer doubt?

Dr. Dale Callahan is the IEM Program Director for the Information Engineering and Management Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a contributing writer for the IEM Blog. His thoughts here represent the types of topics covered in the Entrepreneurial courses he teaches the clients of the IEM Program at UAB.

Thanks to DaleCallahan.com for this article.

First, Decide What YOU Want.

Get out a sheet of paper, write down all of the things you like. That’s right: Just start scribbling. Don’t even write in straight lines if you don’t want to, just get ideas down on paper.

If you get up everyday and you love what you do for a living, you can’t wait to get to work, and you are so excited about what your day holds for you, then AMEN. That is the way work should be.

But if you’re not there, if you aren’t really sure why you even go to work, then you need to spend some time here.

Second, Do a Reverse Interview

The reverse interview is one of the most powerful methods I have found to find a new job. It is also a very powerful tool for uncovering new business opportunities. Read here for a detailed outline of how to perform a Reverse Interview, but the nuts and bolts are this:

• Decide where you want to be in a few years.
• Find people who are where you want to be – from step 1.Who is already doing what you want to be doing.
• When you meet with them, remember you are interviewing them, and not them interviewing you.
• DO NOT TAKE A RESUME. DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOURSELF AT ALL except to explain why you are there.
• Listen, ask questions, and finish on time. In the end ask them who else they would suggest you talk to. Follow up with a thank you note or email.

You have moved from the person who is looking for anything to the person who is intentionally looking for the right thing. Before you take a job, do this a number of times. I suggest at least ten times. When you get a job, keep doing this to learn new things. Never hate work again!

Third, Learn How to Network, then DO it.

The methods I was taught in college about how to get a job often had limited success. After many years of “playing the game” in job searches and having many jobs I have made some other observations.

• There are more opportunities than you can chase.
• People with a network have more opportunities. Let me state that again People with a network have more opportunities.

• People hire people – not resumes.

• Resumes are an after thought for many companies. My last few “jobs” did not really require a resume. In fact, more than once it came up that the resume was needed from me AFTER the decision was made to hire me. One company told me to forward my resume to HR since they needed on file – weeks after I was hired.

• Networking is a skill most people do NOT have. Perhaps this is why my professors never taught me how to do it – they did not know either.

So, here are your marching orders:

1 ) Decide what you want, 2) use your contacts from the Reverse Interview, and 3) Take Action!

Dr. Dale Callahan is the IEM Program Director for the Information Engineering and Management Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a contributing writer for the IEM Blog. His thoughts here represent the types of topics covered in the Entrepreneurial courses he teaches the clients of the IEM Program at UAB.

Thanks to DaleCallahan.com for this article.

What if I have no dreams?  What if I have no aspirations?   What’s left?

I would say one of two states of mind will fill the void: resignation or desperation.  You clearly are not happy with the state of your professional life.  The question then is what are you going to do about it?

If your answer is “nothing,” then your state of mind is one of resignation.  You’ve resigned yourself to the notion that this is it – this is the hand you’ve been dealt – so live with it. If that’s the case, then I wish you the very best.  There are often good reasons for taking this course of action… or inaction.

But maybe the status quo is simply unacceptable to you.  Maybe you feel so boxed in, so undervalued, so overlooked, that you would be willing to do anything to open up new avenues of opportunity.  That’s a state of mind more like desperation and the emotional power of it may drive you to take some risks, looking for ways to change the game.

If you feel a bit desperate, and you’re ready to do something about it, then you need a strategy and an action plan.  It’s time to look afresh at the problem, call some new plays, establish some new connections, and give yourself a chance to think through the issues outside of the environment where you feel professionally stymied.

Now, I will tell you that UAB’s IEM Program is very much designed for people who are looking for “something else.”  I don’t believe there is another program like it anywhere.  In fact, we really think of it as something more like an experience than just a program.  I’m serious.  So, I’m plugging the program here because it’s worth looking into.

But if it’s not what you’re looking for (perhaps you’re simply not interested in a graduate program), that’s okay, too.  My advice would be to engage in the same basic activities that IEMers do: think about what you love to do, come up with creative ideas that allow you to align your personal interests with your professional skills, build a network of like-minded people, get outside your environment periodically so you can think more clearly, broaden your  skills, develop the leadership potential within yourself, and seek advice and mentoring from people who want to see you succeed.

I think you’ll be surprised by the results.  It will have been worth the effort.

Don Appleby has served since 2004 as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he teaches in the Information Engineering and Management Program. He has over three decades of professional experience in the information technology industry. Prof. Appleby is retired from IBM.Thanks to ProfAppleby.com for this article.

Have you ever been told you were wrong? I was — just the other day. I did a re-post of Jonathan Fields blog post called The 4 Delusions of Entrepreneurs.

A friend of mine who is an Internet marketeer very gently blasted me – privately. I was going to add his comments to the post as “comments”  — but I have to think he is so dead on that I just want to make them a new post.

Here are the comments from Patrick Cash.

“Wow. Glad I didn’t read that before I quit my j.o.b. In a way, he makes it sound so gloom and doom.
This little ‘work where I want, when I want’ life o’mine really ain’t that bad at all

I have to disagree with some of what he says. A brick and mortar business can be location independent if you work on your business and not in your business. – read Michael Gerber’s ‘The E-myth‘.

The CEO of Applegate Farms (they are an organic meat producer) only works in the office 1 day a week and has done it this way since the he started the business.

Freedom is the main thing everyone wants. They think they want money, etc but what you really want is the freedom the money gives you.”

I myself argued a bit with Jonathan on his post – pointing out that even working people with a JOB might experience some of the benefits of freedom – with some work. But hearing Patrick’s take on it really hit home – we might be delusional – but fact is that you can reach it.

The point is that I think Jonathan was making was that it is not often what we expect it to be – sometimes it is better.

Just in case you doubt – ask Patrick!

This all reminds me of the quote from the ancient Greek historian Thucydides

“The secret of happiness is freedom.

The secret of freedom is courage.”

So take courage and fight for freedom! Thanks Patrick for keeping me motivated!!!

How about the rest of you? What drives you to want to go it alone?

Freedom?

Money?

Just to know you can?

Dale Callahan is a contributing writer for the IEM Blog. Dr. Callahan is the IEM Program Director for the Information Engineering and Management Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His thoughts here represent the types of topics covered in the Entrepreneurial courses he teaches the clients of the IEM Program at UAB. Thanks to DaleCallahan.com for this article.

But I have to wonder —–

Do we really care? Really?

Here was my response/comment to the post:

Are we sure? I wonder if there is any research to show that customers really care. And do customers on the west coast care more than others?

And how are the challenges to global warming data changing this game?

On my side I find a lot of people who love the “green” stuff – but I also see people turned off by companies who think they are saving the world.

While I am not commenting so much about is global warming true or not (although as a recovering scientist I do have an opinion about the science) — I am just wondering … are we all jumping up and down thinking our customers care without knowing for sure?

For me, green used to mean you had an upset stomach – something I might relate to a rough ride while deep sea fishing. Back in the ’70’s Kermit claimed it is “not easy being green.”  How we moved from being hard to be green to it is “good to be green” and now it is “a must to be green” I really am puzzled.

But what I notice is all best intentions in the world – people end up buying value. The idea of being green presupposes customers place a high value on a company spending its money on being green.

I am bettering this is not true. What do you think?

Dale Callahan is a contributing writer for the IEM Blog. Dr. Callahan is the IEM Program Director for the Information Engineering and Management Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His thoughts here represent the types of topics covered in the Entrepreneurial courses he teaches the clients of the IEM Program at UAB. Thanks to DaleCallahan.com for this article.

Have you ever earned a dollar that was not part of your salary? I have added this question to the list of many others I ask of those who approach me wanting help to break out of cubicle insanity and become entrepreneurs. Often the answer is no.

The $2500 goal

Here is another good question.

How long will it take you to make $2500 in revenue from your new business?

When I ask this question I can tell a lot about a person. Many people just look very uncertain – almost nervous. This question is serious – a real measurement – a real goal. While $2500 to most of us is not going to be life changing – it strikes fear into many aspiring entrepreneurs.

I can see the answers and the internal argument going on within them? Here is what I read on their faces – their internal conversation.

I have no idea, $2500 is a ton of money for what I do? Yet $2500 is really nothing. If I cannot get $2500, then how can I get $25,000 – or better the $100,000 I am after. This is overwhelming! I can’t do this!

Have you ever had these thoughts? Do you now? Seriously – this is common! If you have comment on where you stand!

Grow into business

Here is the thing – if you want to become an entrepreneur and have not had any significant part time business – you are approaching becoming a fool if you plan to quit the day job and go for it. You have too much to learn – and too far to go. And one of you biggest challenges is YOU.

So start today and begin. Get some money coming in – this creates HUGE momentum. If you can make $100, you can make $1000!

If you can make $1000, you can make $2500 – just keep doing the same thing!

If you can make $2500, you can make $100,000.

Momentum is the key!

Instead of going into business – which seems like a huge leap to so many – just grow into business. Start selling something – products, services, whatever on a small scale. Grow into business!

What are you doing?

If you have done this and met a $2500 mark – leave a comment and tell us how you did it.

If you have the fears I have listed above  – comment on that also!

Dale Callahan is a contributing writer for the IEM Blog. Dr. Callahan is the IEM Program Director for the Information Engineering and Management Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His thoughts here represent the types of topics covered in the Entrepreneurial courses he teaches the clients of the IEM Program at UAB. Thanks to DaleCallahan.com for this article.

The Reverse Interview is one of the most powerful methods I have found to find a new job. The basic idea of the reverse interview is that you will contact someone who is where you want to be in a few years, ask them to talk so that you may learn what it takes to get where they have gotten. Nothing fancy.

The Six Steps
1) Decide where you want to be in a few years. This sounds simple and obvious, but I find most people lie to themselves on this one. But more on that in a later post.
2) Find people who are where you want to be – from step 1. Who is already doing what you want to be doing. Contact them and ask them for 15-30 minutes of their time. Tell them you simply are trying to learn what it takes to get to where they are today. Do not ask if they are hiring – in fact – you do not care if they are hiring.
3) When you meet with them, remember you are interviewing them, and not them interviewing you. DO NOT TAKE A RESUME. DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOURSELF AT ALL except to explain why you are there. For instance, you might say “I have been working in the telecommunications industry for the last 10 years, but I have gotten interested in doing something different, and I think I would like to be where you are in a few years. I would like to learn how you got to where you are and what you love and hate about your current work.”
4) Listen, ask questions, and finish on time.
5) In the end ask them who else they would suggest you talk to.
6) Follow up with a thank you note or email. This is very important! While it may sound cheesy, I really take note when I get them myself – and I normally would not care about such things as thank you notes. So, if it works on me, it must REALLY work. (Not that I am insensitive or anything.)  But at very least it helps keep fresh the new networking contact you have made. And just in case you have missed it so far – DO NOT SEND A RESUME.

What to expect
1) Information. You will get a wealth of information. You are asking them to talk about themselves, which everyone loves to do. In talking about them, they let their guard down. You are asking how they feel about the work. So you might discover the company is a terrible place to work. You might discover what you thought would be a neat job really is not a fit for you. You might discover a lot of things – and that is the point.
2) They will like you. Yes, I said they will like you. How do I know? You have asked them to talk about themselves. In case you have not read Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends & Influence People let me summarize – if you want people to like you, get them to talk about themselves.
3) You are likely to meet many people on that day. I have seen these interviews take 30 minutes with one person, only to get introduced to another then another. I had an undergraduate engineering student who did this with a company and spent four hours in their offices, walking away with business cards from multiple vice presidents and multiple offers.
4) You might get offered a job! Yes – I said you might get offered a job. First time I did this the company was not hiring and I made no mention of getting a job. But when I was walking out the guy told me ”Dale, we haven’t hired new people in this firm in 10 years – but would you be interested in working for us.” I was floored – not because I got offered a job, but because I HAD CREATED A JOB.

What if they offer you a job?
Do not take it! Certainly do not start jumping up and down screaming like a schoolgirl! Act like you expect it, thank them, and remind them you are searching right now and not ready to take this step. The key here is to mean it. This “searching” is exactly what you are doing. You have moved from the person who is looking for anything to the person who is intentionally looking for the right thing. Just as you might shop for the right clothes or the right shoes, your job (or company) needs to be right for you also.

Fact is: if you decide their job offer is what you want to do, they will be there later. You will have their phone number and email address. You can later contact them and tell them that you loved what you heard from them and want to go after an opportunity in that field. Ask them if they know of anything you should approach. Notice – you still do not have to ask for a job. Remember, they like you!

What next?
- Before you take a job, do this a number of times. I suggest at least ten times.
- When you get a job, keep doing this to learn new things. When you need to learn something new for the job, start with the experts.
- Never hate work again!

Dale Callahan is a contributing writer for the IEM Blog. Dr. Callahan is the IEM Program Director for the Information Engineering and Management Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His thoughts here represent the types of topics covered in the Entrepreneurial courses he teaches the clients of the IEM Program at UAB. Thanks to DaleCallahan.com for this article.