WUGO | Greg Macek

Opinion

This is where you’ll find most of my posts on WUGO. These opinions are my own. Because I wrote them.

  • Longevity and Loyalty

    This month marked my 12 year anniversary with the same company I started working for when I graduated college. In fact, they actually found me through my school’s career center. I’m living proof that the system can help! I’ll be the first to say that it’s quite the feat in a time where it’s not uncommon to have 3-6 different jobs by this time after graduating. While there are also benefits to being in new environments and learning to adapt to different scenarios and people, the longevity with my surroundings meshes very well with my personality. Confidence rises along with the strength of my knowledge and most importantly with the people who have been there just as long. Recollecting stories and projects from years past and reflecting on how events have shifted and changed us creates a large sense of meaning and purpose.

    It’s the change within with the consistency that I think I enjoy the most. Too often I think people prefer the quicker option of moving on to something new and different and define that action as the only way to create significant change in their lives. While that certainly works, there is an immense challenge and ultimate satisfaction in sticking it out. Seeing a person’s perspective or ideas change over time as you interact, and vice versa, is amazing to watch. Seeing work processes change for the better (e.g. efficiency, profit, new services) is fun. I love having that conversation of “remember when we only did X and now we can do Y and Z because we pushed ourselves?” Newcomers into an organization or group of friends won’t fully understand until they’ve been around a while and experience similar things.

    June also brought with it the wedding of one of my closest friends. I was honored to be called upon for best man duties. As many know, one specific responsibility is to write and give the best man speech at the wedding reception. I didn’t bring any tears with what I said, but in preparing for it, I reminisced about a friendship that has spanned over two decades of my life. There’s something incredibly special about that type of longevity with anything in life.

    The challenge to be loyal to just about anything these days is difficult. (It wouldn’t be a challenge otherwise, right?) But with the right people, friends, jobs, etc., the effort required to maintain that connection and work through the tough times can yield a joy and contentment that is difficult to find jumping from one thing to another.

  • Nonstop Entertainment

    Something became apparent to me a while ago I was watching too much HGTV. (I’m now working to limit that channel viewing. It sucks up too much time.) I had the best intentions of trying to pick up some design cues and ideas for my own home as I had work done, like bathrooms, flooring, painting, etc. A couple phrases, usually uttered by “normal people” searching for a home or having theirs remodeled, constantly caught my attention and got me thinking recently:

    • “I want/love the open concept!”
    • “This will be great for entertaining” or “I really need a space to be able to entertain”

    What was it about this ideal that is so appealing and apparently universal to all American families that we all must have these huge open concept main floors and spaces to entertain all our friends and family? Why did this become such an important facet of our personal lives? When did homes become a stage instead of a place to be with family and friends?

    Practically speaking, I get the tangible benefits of big open spaces for parties and get togethers. Nobody should feel crowded, navigating a room isn’t hard because there’s lots of room, 50 people can all watch the game on the big screen TV at once without feeling cramped and everyone feels like they’re together. Though my favorite reason, from shows anyway, is that whoever is in the kitchen can “entertain” while they prepare things and continue to interact with their guests. Or that the backyard is “perfect for entertaining.” I never realized this element was lacking in all our lives before. The question that really keeps gnawing at me now though is:

    Why do we need to be entertaining all the time?

    The word choice I believe is key and signals this shift in our culture which has been evolving for quite some time. It’s no longer enough to have people over and enjoy their company and conversation. We are being told we are to put on a show; we are a host and must ensure our guests have maximum enjoyment during their stay. Our personalities and parties must be fun and exciting. It simply isn’t enough to just… be.

    I am not a natural entertainer. I can be a good host and usually remember to ask friends who come over if they want something to drink. Usually. As an introvert, my desire is to spend quality time with people in whatever setting that may be. I think what is lacking in these types of home designs are cozy nooks and rooms that facilitate and create a sense of closeness, both figuratively and literally. The furniture may be situated closer together or a couch may just be smaller because the room isn’t humongous. While I like and enjoy larger homes, I also love finding those small spaces or nooks within that larger space to hide away and be on my own or with one or two other people for a more intimate conversation. This desire also ties in with what I like about being last at the party. It also doesn’t provide  that stage where I’m always visible and therefore (visually) accessible. Cozy surroundings create atmospheres that better facilitate conversation that goes beyond the weather and sports.

    What does this mean for home design or our incessant need for everything and everyone to entertain? I don’t know. It’s something I need to ponder a bit more to understand how any fundamental shift in either would alter my life and the circles I’m in. This topic demands more time for processing and questions about our status quo and about what should change.

  • Introversion

    It’s no secret that I am an introvert. Before the first time I took a Myers-Briggs personality profile test back in my senior year of high school, it was quite obvious (to me) that I wasn’t that guy who craved all the attention of the party or always needed to be around others to be content. I find I usually can more fully and more clearly express myself in written word. I have an inner circle of friends that are close to me and I would rather spend lots of time with them than short bursts of time with strangers or acquaintances at a party small talking about the weather.

    While I’ve had an intellectual fascination about personality profiles to better understand myself and others for quite some time, this interest has been piqued again recently by a TED talk I ran across almost 2 months ago. Susan Cain gives a fantastic talk on Introverts and why they are so important to our world. It inspired me to go out and buy her book, “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking“. I’ve been reading it only since last weekend and I have been challenged to rethink so much of the world around me and reevaluate the social structures I’m a part of and question if they are ideal. The book (so far) has me processing how I as an introvert tap into my leadership skills and style, particularly as I constantly evaluate how to best manage an IT department full of unique people, skills, and personalities. It also ties in well with my intent to focus on leadership this year.

    Expect more response to this topic and various subtopics as I continue throughout the book and process my thoughts on the matter. I encourage anyone reading this to take some time to watch and listen to Susan’s TED talk, embedded below. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

  • I Complain, but Only Socially

    There may be some irony in writing about my issues with people who complain online, much like those people who are online for the days leading up to Lent broadcasting their giving up of Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/something online. My hope is to share my reflections on all the complaining I read online.

    What is your purpose in sharing with everyone that you can’t stand your boss or how tired you are because you stayed out too late last night? Attention? Advice? (Hint: Probably the former in almost all situations.)The ability to share has become so easy and readily available that we often fail to filter our thoughts properly – or at all. It’s one thing to vent to a couple friends over a drink at a bar. It’s more private. It’s conversational. Your friends can corroborate with you in real time. You can banter back and forth. But most of all, your friends can speak (or smack) sense into you if you sound like an idiot.

    When you examine someone’s stream of consciousness on Facebook or Twitter, for example, take note of overall themes of content. Is the content focused on a certain topic? Or is it completely random? But perhaps most interestingly, what vibe does it give off? I have a few friends on Facebook and some I follow on Twitter who seem to find it difficult to find positive things to say. I often wonder why they choose to share the things they do on such a consistent basis. After a while, it gets really old and nobody wants to hear it anymore.

    I also wonder if those who do complain about themselves or everything else in the world really think it’s so terrible that all that’s left to try and feel better is vent about everything online. By the way, this also works well in the “I can’t sleep so I’m here on Facebook” or “should be doing something else more important than Facebook, but am on Facebook” situations. Pro-tip: Facebook friends will not help you sleep or get back on task. Ever.

    Though perhaps I take the biggest issue with those who complain merely to complain. Don’t mistake me for someone who think you should bottle up everything that bothers you. The problem comes in when venting or complaining is happening strictly for the sake of itself. Have a problem with your workout schedule or lack thereof? Start going to the gym, running outside, or otherwise get off your butt. Spending too much time on social networks? Spend less time on them! Got a beef with something the government is doing? Sure we can talk about it, but if you want to try and be part of the solution, contact your representative and make your voice heard. Besides, I’m pretty sure those pictures you share on Facebook that have some slam or inspirational quote about how government should be something it currently isn’t has little to no effect on the actual government.

    My main point is this: if you’re going to point out flaws in something, at least put the energy into finding or being part of the solution. Otherwise, I’m not really sure what your point is in making a big fuss over it. It’s a waste of energy and time that could be better spent doing something else.

     

     

     

  • Planning Isn’t So Bad Once You Get Used To It

    It’s always interesting to me how a theme can find its way into every part of my life all at the same time. Right now, that theme is planning. As a natural INFP, planning isn’t something that comes naturally to me. In a lot of ways, I prefer to go with the flow of the situation and see where life takes me. Yet at the same time, I’ve been thrust into roles in my life that require it of me. I also find age and “adulthood” forces me to think a few steps ahead and figure out what I need to do before it happens.

    One area this is showing itself more than ever is in my job. Now, as an IT Director, planning has always been part of my job and working on timelines and considering what if scenarios isn’t anything new. Though in the last few months I’ve learned I need to do better with it, especially when it comes to teaching it to those I supervise. While it’s become more natural to me over the years from my work experience, that doesn’t mean it always does for others. So often a good plan makes the job so much better. I can recall thinking early on after college that having all these meetings and talking about stuff vs. just doing whatever needed to be done was a waste of time. Only after years of real life experience do I now see that spending some time up front can really save you a lot of grief later.

    The other came to me as I met with a personal trainer last week to discuss what I should be doing to prepare for events like the Shamrock Shuffle in late March. What he continued to drill into my head the whole hour we met was that once you determined your goal, whether it’s running a 5K or 50 mile ultra marathon is that you have to lay out a plan for yourself and stick to it. You can’t expect yourself to be ready for an ultra marathon without putting in some serious prep work. As he talked (and I ran on the treadmill), this is seemed so obvious. Yet why hadn’t I put the pieces together before?

    Goals, whether successful completion of a project at work or running a race, requires forethought, planning, and hard work. I daresay one of my 2012 themes will be planning. I’ll be doing more of it at work. I’m already planning an 8K (the aforementioned Shamrock Shuffle). Perhaps the most fun thing so far this year? Planning my best friend’s bachelor party! See, this planning thing isn’t so bad all the time.

  • Taking Time to Create Something Good: Now Support It

    In my first blog post on this topic, I gave some background on my own views of creating things and shared that we should slow down a bit more to make sure we do it right the first time. So now that we’ve created something good, what do we do with it?

    “Which product are you talking about? Oh, we stopped making that version yesterday.”

    The consumer electronics industry is the biggest offender of creating products, some that are quite amazing in their own right, only to let them drift into the background sometimes only a few months later. Cell phones are replaced with new models that only have incremental improvements. TV’s are released in a dizzying array of options that are only slightly different from each other, again with specs that barely improve upon the previous edition. Computers, especially laptops, have so many build configuration options you don’t know how to tell one apart from the other.

    What’s the problem with this? Support. I empathize with the people needing to know and react to questions. “Which model of laptop do you have? The 3000NX -3 or 3100DX-3? Oh, do you have the TV model with a 45″ screen and 4 HDMI inputs or the 46″ version with 3 HDMI inputs but WiFi built in? Oh, what is your phone OS? 2.2, 2.3, or 2.3.3?” I can only imagine what the hardware supply chain must look like for these manufacturers. Trying to figure how many of each type of part to keep on hand must be an incredibly time consuming job for someone.

    Then there’s the side of figuring out how long to keep people on a team to support a product. I’ll pick on smartphones and Samsung in particular, though others are certainly guilty as well. Samsung is notorious for releasing many, many iterations of devices with the slightest of variations and most ridiculous of names to differentiate them in the market. (Seriously, the “Fascinate” or “Mesmerize”? My phone doesn’t need to do either of these for me. And don’t get me started on car model names.) Then 8 months later they release the new version of the phone and completely fail to say or do much of anything when it comes to software upgrades and support for the original device. Wouldn’t it be more affordable for you to keep supporting existing hardware with new software updates instead of continuously manufacturing new stuff, along with new software that’s just different enough from the original? I will say Apple has done well here with limited product lines and mostly longer support on the software side.

    It’s like consumer electronics companies have commitment issues.

    OK, I get it. Technology moves too fast for our own good. What’s the point of all this?

    I’m glad you asked. I see the lack of support of products by companies as 1) their way of getting us to keep buying new stuff and upgrade often and 2) symptomatic of our culture’s inability to sit still and be content with what we have. We’re jumpy and move from one shiny thing to another before the first shiny thing even had a chance to go dull. Once that initial luster is gone, we grow bored and want to move on. This mentality burns us out in all aspects of our lives. Once we find that phone “outdated” even though it does everything you need it to, we start to look around. That friendship that once so easily brought laughs and enjoyment now seems to require more effort simply because life has changed where you are? We start wondering if that person is worth expending energy on. That group you’re in, doesn’t bring that “new shiny” joy it did when you first joined or started it? You wonder if “it’s for you” anymore.

    I gravitate towards people and organizations that have proven or are committing to standing behind who they are or what they create. If I buy this TV, I want to know that company will be there if I need support for it. If I buy a phone, I want to know I’ll get software updates for that 2 year contract US carriers push us to sign. I want to know that if I invest myself into a friendship, they are willing to do the same in return. My friends know that if I’m investing my time and life into theirs, I’m in it for the long haul. I am choosy about my closer friends because I know it takes effort and I don’t take friendships lightly.

    OK, I’ll ask again: what’s the point?

    When you create something, 1) make it good and 2) be ready to support it for a while. Anything worth making should be worth putting your name and reputation behind it. I want to commit to this more regularly in what I do. Who’s with me?

  • Taking Time to Create Something Good: Go Slow

    (Can someone find the level to check this? Eh, it’s good enough.)

    As someone who found his calling early on in childhood coming up with new structures and objects out of Legos or Lincoln Logs to build thriving cities in games like Sim City 2000. 3000, and 4, I still find myself enjoying that creative process as an adult but in different outlets. Sadly, the days of playing with Legos is in the past. Though if the opportunity of time and space to build was available, I’d jump at the chance without a second thought and the spend the day coming up with something amazing.

    I continue to create, but at a slower pace and with greater focus and an intentional purpose behind it. I am very aware that my time, energy, and attention are all limited resources. Even the time I spend writing here on the blog is less frequent but purposeful when posted. It’s important to me to be picky in what I invest in, so that I give my best.

    Living in the programming/tech world, part of my job is to create and support things and help my team do the same. Websites, networks, phone systems, databases, whatever is deemed necessary or requested by a paying client. The goal is to plan projects out carefully and build properly the first time around so that whatever we make will last and stands up to scrutiny and a good beating from end users. If you don’t invest some time and effort in up front, that type of project doesn’t hold up too well in the long run and you end up looking bad in the process for not making a better product in the first place.

    Recent events combined with shifts in culture surrounding the idea of creating things has consumed my thoughts for some time. I will expand on this in future posts, but the theme remains the same: slow down. In many ways, this theme has been permeating my life starting some months ago leading up to my sabbatical trip then planting deep roots while I traveled. It’s clear there’s something to this I need to dig into. Who wants to grab a shovel and join me to see what we find?

     

  • The Need to Rely on Others

    Steady….. steady….. can we take the picture now?!

    Something I thought about as I prepared to leave for Europe and while I was out roaming the streets of cities was that I was not able to take the trip based only on my own efforts. There were many people who helped me go without worrying about my normal responsibilities. I think of my roommates who watched the house, kept it clean, and cut the grass; of my mom who kept in touch with me and checked my mail to let me know about bills I (still) needed to pay; of my coworkers who had to really step it up in my absence and sit in more meetings than they imagined (I’ve heard there may be a greater appreciation for my role now); of people at church who covered for my role there as well.

    Without so many hands supporting me back home, going away for a month may have never happened or have been as refreshing to my soul. Which brings me to a larger topic. Whether or not I want to admit it, I need to rely on others to live my life. No matter how independent I think I am or want to be, I will never be able to do everything by myself. This important fact became very obvious to me while away. I admit that I need others for all sorts of things including life advice, help moving heavy furniture, determining what color shade something is, or simply someone to hang out with and talk to once in a while.

    As I mentioned in a previous post about depth of relationship, not having the ability to communicate with those around me illuminated how being connected to my fellow man (or not due to language barriers) can make you feel isolated. Even for this introverted writer, my independence and time separated from people I know has its useful limits. How I find the right mix of staying connected and forging stronger relationships while not overwhelming my introverted self is something I’m working on. Let’s hope I can stay on the balance beam most of the time.