The textbook I use in AMAOB is hot off the press.  Yet, there is little if anything of significance in the chapters of this latest edition that addresses how technology programs and devices change workplace behaviors.  When I looked up “Technology” in the Index, the definition was “The way in which an organization transfers its inputs into outputs” and mentions three pages where the topic can be found in the text.  The purpose of AMAOB’s written assignment is to help my students understand and manage the uses and/or abuses of technology by employees.

On July 26, 2010, Fortune Magazine published an article on “Ten Smartest People in Tech.”  What goes into being the smartest people in technology?  Fortune states that it’s, “An alchemy of intellect, ambition, and that uncanny ability to peer around corners.”

Not used in AMAOB

When looking through the list of the smartest people in tech, I started thinking about a guideline I have in my classroom.  That is, I do not allow the use of laptops and request that all technical devices such as cell phones are turned off—or on vibrate—and placed out sight.  It has taken a few class sessions to get full compliance.

Mine is a classroom based on experiential learning.  I want my 30 ambitious students each evening to have their full attention on listening to me and their classmates, contributing their thoughts and experiences, and being respectful of the sanctity of the classroom.  The classroom is where seeds are planted, ideas are generated, knowledge transferred, and invitations to “peer around corners” delivered.  It’s an opportunity to learn and grow from one another.  It is also a chance to be intellectually challenged.

If I had one thing to say to the smartest people in technology, it’s this:  “Technology is important.  I couldn’t communicate the way I am doing now without the use of technology.  Yet, there are limits when people need to take center stage and interact with one another.  A classroom on the topic of management is a time to unplug students from technology and allow them to relate to what they will be doing in their careers:  developing interpersonal skills and understanding workplace behaviors.

Okay, it’s now time to answer the question: Who are the smartest people in technology according to Fortune Magazine?  Here’s the list:

Smartest CEO:  Steve Jobs, CEO, Apple
Smartest Analyst:  Mary Meeker, Analyst, Morgan Stanley
Smartest Founder:  Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Facebook
Smartest Engineer:  Christophe Biscigila, Co-Founder, Cloudera
Smartest Designer:  Jonathan Ive, Senior VP of Industrial Design, Apple
Smartest Investor:  Jim Breyer, Accel Partners
Smartest Hybrid:  James Cameron, Director, Avatar
Smartest Scientist:  Robert Morris, VP, Services Research, IBM Research
Smartest Academic:  Danah Boyd, Social Media Researcher, Microsoft Research
Smartest Executive:  Todd Bradley, EVP, HP Personal Systems Group

And I am going to be the smartest person in class this evening.  Why?  I’m going to use technology to transfer knowledge contained in a PowerPoint presentation to my class while interacting each one of my students, all of whom will be giving me their total attention since they are not using technology.

It wasn’t my initial choice to buy an iPad.  It just happened in the course of working to be a leader while traveling.  I needed a lightweight solution for managing e-mails, writing blog posts, and editing articles.  The wonderful Dell Inspiron 600m laptop I’ve had since 2003 still works fine; the problem is that it’s heavy.  The newer models in the same line and a comparable price range are even heavier.  A netbook was a possibility but the screen is a little too small for my eyes.  When I was at a management conference, I saw a professor write on his tablet, a laptop computer with a screen that could translate his words into type.  However intriguing and time saving it was, my colleague warned me that the tablet was heavy.

So, one day I walked into the Apple store near me on the Upper West Side.  Warning: do not, I mean really DO NOT ENTER AN APPLE STORE unless you want to buy something that you really didn’t think you wanted.

My reason for entering the Apple store was to look at a Mac.  Relatives and friends had suggested I buy a Mac since I could I could find a model with a large screen that was probably in the weight range I needed.  Exploring the Mac interface, however, I quickly realized that I’m a PC person.  I’ve used Outlook/Exchange since 1996 and knew that I would not be happy with the Apple version called Entourage.  Plus, buying into a whole new way of using applications seemed like overkill for my needs.

“I want to look at an iPad.”  I give Dave, an Apple Specialist, credit.  Dave did not suggest that I look at an iPad.  I was lured to that area because I had walked by the store numerous times looking at the blown-up images of iPad screens posted on the walls (they were also posted throughout the city) and was curious about what the actual screens looked like.

That’s when it happened.  True love began to emerge.

Leigh's iPad

I was cautious, yet engaged, especially when Dave showed me how to enlarge the type on the screen with a few strokes of my fingers.  He wanted to show me movies and other sites that just didn’t interest me.  I was interested in a solution to easily manage my eight e-mail addresses, my need to search the web, and the opportunity to edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents.  Check, check, check!  The iPad fulfilled all that—and more.  Of course, I could read an e-book (Winnie the Pooh comes with the iPad), and download a zillion songs and applications from iTunes and the App Store.  That was icing on the compact cake that weighed in at 1.5 pounds.

I had to wait a week for my iPad since there were millions of other people who were also falling in love with the iPad.  When I brought my iPad home, I knew I had found the solution I needed.  Using the built-in keypad is a little awkward and there is no printer connection.  Nothing’s perfect.  It is what it is:  a lovely lightweight tablet that fulfills my traveling needs.

The purpose of “Supercharge Your Career in Today’s Tough Market” is to create a platform that brings together CUNY students and alumni as well as well as the general public who are stalled, uncertain about, or in need of the skills involved in finding then applying and interviewing for a job in their chosen career.

Class size is limited in order to create a highly interactive environment.  There were 13 students in the first summer program who bonded very quickly since they had one thing in common:  how to present their best selves to potential employers.  Each person was supportive of the other, offering suggestions, words of inspiration, and leads to job opportunities.

Selected from participants after five weeks of meetings include:

I feel very self-confident and ready to apply what I learned.

You helped me see how I can position my skills to advance my career.

I’m going to go on informational interviews so that I can practice my interview story.

The profile of this group included a former Wall Streeter who has been out of work for almost two years, a woman who had worked for a company for over 20 years until the firm succumbed to the recession, an administrator with many years experience who was ready to find a job that held more meaning for her, a graduate student going for her M.B.A. who wanted a job, another M.B.A. student who wanted to apply for an internship, and a junior in college who wanted to get a head start on his career search.

Everyone participated, bringing in resumes for me to review, drafting and practicing elevator speeches for the networking meetings and professional association events they were going to attend, and role-playing interviews that included the tough questions.

It was a pleasure teaching this class and leading individuals to their common goal:  a way to contribute and earn rewards for their intelligence, skills, and natural talents.

I wish them my former students all the best in their searches.  If you are interested in finding out more about supercharging your career, please contact Linda Moore at 646-312-3620 or Linda.Moore@baruch.cuny.edu.

Spring 2010---A Management Approach to Organizational Behavior

When I look at the picture, I see my spring 2010 class of “A Management Approach to Organizational Behavior”—a class that whether they liked it or not, moved out of their comfort zones to meet and excel at challenging course expectations.

When I look at the picture, I see a microcosm of Baruch College, the nation’s most ethnically diverse campus of over 15,500 students who speak 110 languages and come from 160 countries.

When I look at the picture, I see decision makers who will climb the corporate—or small business—ladders to achieve the success that they so much want to attain.

When I look at the picture, I see the future, a future that includes other students in classes like mine who will take what they have learned in college and use it to be effective and efficient managers and leaders.

When I look at this picture on my computer or now posted on my blog, I smile.  These “students” are part of today’s workforce.  While working to be a leader, they are making a difference in people’s lives as a manager, an intern, a small business owner, an executive at their parents’ company, a receptionist at a medical office, a technology lab assistant.  They are working to be managers and leaders, and in that process using directly or indirectly the knowledge that they gained in my class.

When I look at this picture, I see these and other individuals who in coming years will be making decisions about the future of America.  I like to think that the curriculum of the class that they took with me will help them make those decisions.  That required essays to examine their organizational behavior; identify and understand the bully or the procrastinator or the older worker in the workplace; acquire a realistic perspective on women in leadership from guest speakers and conference panelists; and compare a founding father with a technology pioneer helped to put innovation and risk-taking into a meaningful and historical context.

Part of my students’ final written assignment was to write about workplace 2020—what they will be doing, how they will be working, where they will be doing that work, etc.  Their essays included finding work-life balance and needing to be continuous learners.  One student, the only one in a class where everyone included technology as part of their future, mentioned that soft skills—interactions with others—will also be needed.

Relationships are part of the future.  My relationship with my students was a rewarding one, one where I could see the future develop during each and every class.  I salute my class of spring 2010 and wish them great achievement.

However, looking at the date of my last blog helped me realize how busy I’ve been; the last time I posted anything was Thursday, June 3^rd—over five weeks ago.  Where did June and the first half of July go?  It was a busy few weeks but I didn’t know that it was so busy that I wouldn’t have or take the time to write a blog.  I love to write blogs.  How and where did I invest my time doing other things?

One major investment I made was to begin a written project, specially a book—a term paper on steroids.  After positioning the book, I created the outline and drafted the preface and introduction.  Built around the experiences and results of teaching at CUNY, I will be the editor for contributions from my current and former students who are working to be leaders.  My return is not financial as much as how the book evolved to become a platform to share the insights and knowledge gained from my experiential approach to student learning.

Hendersons in the Merced River under El Capitan in Yosemite National Park

Another investment of time was spent at the Henderson Family Reunion in Tuolumne County, California.  My niece Dr. Tomi Sue Henderson hosted the event and prepared amazingly delicious food for our big family dinner in her backyard—as well as our picnic in Yosemite National Park.  It was great to get together with relatives, some of whom I hadn’t seen for a few years.  One of my nephews and his wife brought their four children who range in age from two- to eight-years-old.  We had a lot of fun together taking a train ride with an engine that used to pull passenger cars through the Gold Country in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Strolling for 1.5 miles through the Calaveras Big Trees, the Hendersons saw two groves of giant sequoia redwood trees, some of which are 2,000 to 3,000 years old, 250 to 300 feet high, and 25 to 30 feet across.

What else did I do?  Coach executives, meet with colleagues, manage administrative matters that include dealing with computer challenges that take days to resolve and taking more days to learn how to use my new iPad, and, at the same time, continue my professional development!  My “other career” is going to be as a Pilates instructor and, to formalize my seven years of taking over 1,000 classes, I participated in a 2.5 day Beginners Mat Certification Program last weekend (my results will be in the mail in a few weeks).

There’s been more.  Another five-session program of “Supercharge Your Career” at Zicklin just finished; it was a fabulous class because of the extraordinarily supportive, focused, and engaged participants.  Last week, I started teaching “A Management Approach to Organizational Behavior” during Zicklin’s second summer session—a class that meets three nights a week!  The second summer session of “Supercharge Your Career” is set to start this Tuesday evening and end on August 17—adding a fourth night to my teaching.

Last year’s 5-session program on “Supercharge Your Job Search” sponsored by the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College was so well received that I was invited to present the workshop again this year.

This intensive program is for the general public in the greater New York City area as well as for students and alumni of Baruch College—or any CUNY school.  Specifically, it is targeted to those who are looking to promote their talent by mastering the skills needed for finding that new job, being noticed for advancement where they work, or transitioning to a new career.  Review of resumes, practice managing awkward interview questions, and new strategies to be noticed are included in the series.

 Those job seekers who  attended previously found great value in the program:

• Great!  After a role-playing exercise, I got instant feedback from the class and instructor on my interviewing skills.
• The class gave me the tools that I needed to start my job search.
• Sharing and doing exercises pushed me to realize the importance of networking and maintaining relationships.

 The series of five-sessions will allow each participant to identify their goals, learn effective job search skills through role-plays and interactive exercises, and gain greater confidence to demonstrate a strong workplace presence.  PLUS:  everyone will take the Strong Interest Inventory to identify possible career paths and other assessments to improve self-awareness. 

Along with being an Adjunct Instructor at Zicklin, I’m a trained executive coach who specializes in developing leaders and helping professionals identify and achieve their goals.  I’ve worked with many executives to position themselves for advancement and to develop resumes that help them make a career transition.

 There is a charge of $120 for this program which includes the Strong Interest Inventory and interpretation of other assessments.  Class size is strictly limited.

The program will start on Wednesday, June 16, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and continue each Wednesday evening at the same time through July 14.

Registration closes on Wednesday, June 9^th.

The workshop will be held in the Newman Vertical Campus, Room 9-215, of Baruch College at 24th & Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.

For further assistance and registration contact Linda Moore at (646) 312-3620 or Linda.Moore@baruch.cuny.edu.

It’s a great opportunity.  Hope you can attend!

If you are scheduled for a stay interview and want to be clear on what you need to remain at the company, try using the “Mojo” process that Marshall Goldsmith describes in his book, Mojo: How to Get it, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It.

If you’re thinking that mojo is a folk belief in the supernatural powers of a voodoo charm, you’re right.  It’s used in other contexts to describe alignment of one’s energy so good things can happen.  Ever hear a recording of American blues musician Muddy Waters singing “Got My Mojo Working”?  Listen and you’ll understand mojo.

Goldsmith, one of the top ranking executive coaches in the world, has brought Mojo into the business world: “Mojo is that positive spirit toward what we are doing now that starts from the inside and radiates to the outside.”

Below are his four vital ingredients that combined will bring you clarity and great Mojo.

1. IDENTITY
“Who do you think you are?”  The key to answering the question is to be honest and truthful about how you perceive yourself.  This is not about what others think of you; it is about your self-assessment.  Don’t back away from owning and sharing your self-appraisal.

2. ACHIEVEMENT
“What have you done lately….that have meaning and impact?”  A good question, isn’t it?  With many of my coaching clients, I suggest they write a monthly report and e-mail it to their supervisor regularly.  Although the supervisor may never acknowledge or mention it, you will be aware of your accomplishments—and ready for your annual performance review.

Goldsmith looks at achievements from two perspectives:  “What we bring to the tasks?” and “What the task gives to us?”  Think about your answers and dig deep to find your truths about the give and take of what you do.  “Until we can honestly put a value on what we’ve accomplished lately, we may not be able to create or regain our Mojo,” are words the coach uses with a CEO or her reports.

3. REPUTATION
“Your reputation is a scorecard kept by others,” Goldsmith writes in yet one more best-selling business book (to see more go to http://marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com).  What he says is true, especially in a world where online networking, communication, and evaluation websites (such as www.RateMyProfessors.com) offers ways to influence an individual’s reputation.  Questions you can ask yourself about your reputation include, “Who do other people think you are?  What do other people think you’ve done lately?”  (Visit www.ReputationDefender.com if you want help to monitor and manage your reputation.)

4. ACCEPTANCE
“What can you change and what is beyond your control?”  Another good question, isn’t it?  I’ve written about acceptance before as too many of my clients perseverate about what they can’t change and don’t invest their valuable time in what they can change.  “When Mojo fades, the initial cause is often failure to accept what is—and get on with life.”

Feeling any Mojo from answering the above questions?  Are you feeling a positive spirit toward what you are doing that starts inside and is radiating out so that others can experience your best self?

 Want to know your Mojo score?  Go to www.mojothebook.com to download a guide to Mojo and the Mojo scorecard.  Using these tools can improve your self-awareness.  The process can also help you set priorities and gain clarity when you are called in for a stay interview—or decide that it is really your exit interview.

After a brief overview of his program, Kandel introduced William D. Cohan, author of House of Cards:  A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street and a contributing writer for Fortune magazine; and Gregory Zukerman,  The Wall Street Journal reporter who writes the paper’s column “Heard on the Street” and author of The Greatest Trade Ever:  The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History.

Offering the background to the headlines, Kandel’s guests shared stories of the executives who individually and collectively ignored the indicators of a financial crisis.  According to his publisher Random House, Cohan’s book on Bear Stearns is “A blistering narrative account of the negligence and greed that pushed all of Wall Street into chaos and the country into a financial crisis.”  Zuckerman described in some detail how the risk-taking Paulson sought out and then earned billions by betting on the housing collapse others—including mortgage, real estate, and investing experts—had missed.  Since Paulson had created a market for his product by using Goldman Sachs as a salesman, the two brilliant business writers weighed in on the government investigation of Goldman.

Wikipedia’s definition of a firestorm “is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system.  It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires, forest fires, and wildfires….Firestorms can also be deliberate effects of targeted explosives.”  A conflagration is defined as “an uncontrolled burning that threatens human life, health, property or ecology.  A conflagration can be accidentally or intentionally created (arson).”  Kandel’s choice of the word firestorm for his event seems very appropriate.

The reason I attended the program was to further my education on the culture of Wall Street, and especially, to hear Cohan speak.  His previous book, The Last Tycoons: the Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co., spins “A tale of restrained ambition, billion-dollar fortunes, Byzantine power struggles, and hidden scandal.”  Cohan’s employment as a vice president at one of the world’s preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms coincided with mine.  However, he was involved in the business transactions while I was on the sidelines watching the action from my position as a temporary secretary.  In my over five years at the firm, I worked with a majority of partners, numerous vice presidents, and many other bankers.

When Zuckerman mentioned that Paulson’s analyst in creating his deals was Paolo Pellegrini, my ears perked up since he, too, was a former Lazard banker.  However, unlike Cohan who moved from Lazard to be a managing director of telecom mergers and acquisitions at JPMorgan Chase, Pellegrini according to Zuckerman in an article (“Profiting from the Crash,” WSJ, 10/31/09) had “a career of disappointments” and that “Paulson & Co. likely was his last stop on Wall Street.”  The disappointed analyst earned an estimated $45 million in his first year at his “last stop.”

What I took away from hearing the stories and learning more about Wall Street’s demeanor and greed was nothing new.  It was the same old story:  the behavior on Wall Street won’t change.

Specifically, words that I recorded in my notebook in the darkened auditorium include these thoughts from Cohan on proposed government regulation of Wall Street: “Wall Street buys the sort of regulation they want” … “Their actions are just smart enough not to go over the edge” … “We haven’t changed how Wall Street behaves not even in a small way” … “Goldman people don’t feel comfortable voicing dissent.” … “Nobody is blowing the whistle.”

Cohan made a very interesting statement: “There is no memory on Wall St.”  The younger people on Wall Street make decisions not knowing the history of the previous crisis—like the Internet IPOs in the late 90’s or the housing downturn in the early 90’s—and don’t take time to reflect on the consequences of their behaviors.  Instead, it seems clear, Wall Street moves from one crisis to another, like an addict who seems incapable of staying away from drink, drugs, or other substances to get a high, all the while knowing but not accepting that a big downer follows.  Rather, the user, when he needs it, seeks out another source to get high.

Zuckerman stated that, “We need the best and the brightest to be in financial services.”  To me, that seemed to affirm that what was going on within Wall Street firms was okay.  And that the results, although possibly catastrophic for the majority of America and a good part of the globe, are what matters.  It matters to those who profit from the results.  Do bankers stop to think about those who are negatively impacted by the results?

Last year, I wrote a special report entitled, “Temping with Tycoons:  Lessons from My Leadership Reinvention” —an account of what I learned at Lazard about the firm’s culture, group behavior, and individual actions. Documenting what I observed and reading about the firm, I used Lazard as the business school I could afford.  And it was during those years experiencing the hubris of bankers, the carelessness of analysts, and their overall ignorance of the real world that inspired me to teach future leaders about the human side of business.  “Temping with Tycoons” is required reading at the beginning of “A Management Approach to Organizational Behavior,” a course I teach to undergraduates at the Zicklin School of Business within Baruch College, the nation’s most ethnically diverse campus.  Primarily working class and first generation, the students are able to learn about some behaviors on Wall Street. They are also often aghast and angry at what they read.

One of my students put it very simply, “Why is there such a divide?”

I don’t know exactly.  Future posts will include notes from “M.B.A. Under Siege:  Reimagining Management Education,” an all-day conference held at Fordham University where business school educators from as far away as Kazakhstan in Eurasia listened to presentations from highly regarded business school professors and participated in discussions.  Especially of interest was the role that management—or lack of it—played in the collapse of the global economy.  Watch this space for more information on the culture and management of Wall Street.

Perry Hoffman; Marsha Linehan, Prof. of Psychology, Washington; Dale Terilli; at NEA-BPD's "Meet and Greet the Experts"

Perry and I met in 2006 when we both had suites on the same floor in an office building.  Also on the same floor was the office of The Connections Place (TCP), an innovative job preparedness program for those with BPD, which was co-founded by Beth Elliott, Ph.D., and Dale Terilli.  When asked if I would volunteer for TCP, I agreed to conduct mock interviews with their clients, hire those ready to get a job for project work, and give short presentations on workplace issues.  Perry invited me to attend a “Family Connections” training session so that I could better understand the dimensions of BPD behaviors and the impact it has on loved ones.

A serious mental illness diagnosed more often than schizophrenia or bipolar (manic-depressive illness) combined, BPD is prevalent in an estimated 10 million Americans.  According to NEA-BPD, symptoms of BPD include impulsivity, rage, bodily self-harm, recurrent suicidal behavior, unstable relationships, and frequent career changes.  Often diagnosed in young adults, BPD is also diagnosed in adolescents.

A special NEA-BPD Conference, “Genetics to Treatment:  Leaders Speak about Research Findings and Implications” was held at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond in early March.  Curious about the role genetics play in the disorder—I see both clients and students who fit that diagnosis plus that was my diagnosis thirty years ago—I attended the conference coordinated by Patricia Woodward, M.A.T., Secretary/Treasurer of the NEA-BPD Board.   Audio and video recordings of the “Genetics to Treatment” conference are available at the NEA-BPD website.

“The degree to which Borderline Personality Disorder is caused by inborn factors called the ‘level of inheritability’ is estimated to be 68%,” states Dr. John Gunderson in a booklet entitled, “A BPD Brief:  An Introduction to Borderline Personality Disorder—Diagnosis, Origins, Course, and Treatment.”  BPD itself is not inherited, he and the other excellent presenters stressed.  It is the biogenetic dispositions that are passed along he emphasized during his presentation on the “Development of BPD” which included the genetics of BPD.  An elder in the field of BPD, Dr. Gunderson is both a Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, and Director, Center for Treatment and Research on BPD, Mclean Hospital, Belmont, MA.

The first presenter of the day thankfully was Dr. Kenneth S. Kendler, Rachel Brown Banks Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at the Virginia Commonwealth University; Professor of Human Genetics; Director, Psychiatric Genetics Research Program; Director, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics.  I was very glad that my mind was sharp early in the day and that I was sitting in the third row; I could focus my total attention on the details of the research he shared and actually understand the information he conveyed.

Instead of the details, however, following are some of the conclusions of Dr. Kendler’s presentation:  “All major psychiatric and drug use disorders are heritable, although the degree of genetic influence differs substantially across disorders.  For many disorders, gene action on psychiatric disorders is not static but rather is developmentally dynamic.  For many disorders, genetic and environmental risk factors do not just ‘add’ together.  Rather, genes influence:  sensitivity to the pathogenic effect of environment stressors; probability of exposure to high risk environments.  Discovering risk genes for psychiatric disorders is not purely academic as they provide the best chance we have for understanding the biological substrate of these disorders and identifying potentially new drug targets.”

John G. Gunderson, MD; Robert O. Friedel, MD; Kenneth S. Kendler, MD

How does all this information apply to managers in the workplace and what they need to know about employees’ behaviors?

 One way to answer that question was part of the presentation by Dr. Robert O. Friedel, Distinguished Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Professor Emeritus, University of Alabama at Birmingham, who spoke about “The Treatment of BPD with Medications:  A Neurobiological Approach.”  Dr. Fiedel is the author of Borderline Personality Disorder Demystified:  An Essential Guide for Understanding and Living with BPD.  He wrote the book for two reasons:  to fill the need for more factual information on the disorder and, since he knew how his sister had suffered with BPD, to try to help those with BPD.

One of the first slides he put on the screen was a picture of his sister Denise, a poignant look at a woman whose life was interrupted by a range of behaviors that evoked much pain and sorrow for her and her loved ones.  Thanks to innovative therapeutic approaches and the research by the presenters and their colleagues around the world, there is a greater understanding of how to manage the appropriate medications creating a more positive  prognosis for recovery from BPD.

Attending the “Genetics to Treatment” conference was challenging and extremely informative.   It has given me greater confidence in having conversations with students who I think would find a visit to the college’s counseling center helpful.  Using the appropriate language for a referral as an instructor is important.  It is also important if you are a manager and need to suggest that an employee would benefit from speaking with someone and that they can, for instance, contact the Employee Assistance Program coordinator at your company for help.  I never mention exactly why I think someone should see a counselor; that would be a diagnosis and I am not qualified to do that.  What I mention is that talking with someone might be helpful to get through a stressful period or to deal with an issue now rather than later in life.

Often individuals, managers, or loved ones think that if a person tries hard enough, they can control their moods or behaviors at work or home.  In truth, that’s not always the case, as I know from personal experience.  People need treatment for disorders like BPD, treatment with a mental health professional who may or may not prescribe medications.  However, as is becoming clearer and clearer in the field of personality disorders and other mental illnesses, genetics are lighting the path to the development of effective medications, a breakthrough for an even brighter outlook for those with BPD.

Last August, my niece and I went to see “Julie & Julia”—a delightful movie about the life of Julia Child who, in 1948 and in her mid-thirties, discovered her career as a French chef and educator then evolved into a major cookbook author and television personality and making public appearances until her death in 1992.  The character “Julie Powell” was portrayed in the movie as a young writer whose job was to answer phones for those needing help after 9/11.  She felt frustrated at work and started a blog about Julia Child.  She also decided that she was going to cook 524 recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking co-authored by Julia Child in 365 days.

This spring, this same  niece lent me her copy of My Life in France, an autobiography of Julia Child written with Alex Prud’homme.  I started reading it at a pace of about 10 pages a day.  However, when I was about 100 pages into the book last weekend, I thought, “Why am I reading this?  I don’t really like French food!  I grew up on the basics, I cook the basics and I eat out to savor complicated dishes.”  Not one to give up on a book, however, I began to think about why I should continue reading and that brought me to remembering the first time I heard about Julia Child.

When I was a junior at the University of California at Berkeley, I had a part-time job as a work-study student in the Art & Music (A&M) Department at the Main Branch of the Berkeley Public Library.  As a Librarian’s Assistant, I helped patrons locate books, albums (!), and prints of major artists.  And I was also to report the behavior of a regular visitor—one of the many “characters” who at times put mirrors on the top of their shoes and stood very close to a female patron who was wearing a skirt.

Bruce Munly was the Librarian for A&M and manager of one full-time and many part-time employees.  Other part-time people included four middle-aged (and slightly older) women married to college professors and another Berkeley undergraduate student (he later became my husband).

“What did you think of Julia?” was Mr. Munly’s ritual greeting when one of the women arrived in the department.  They then would proceed to talk about the delicacy that Julia had prepared on the latest episode of “The French Chef” on our local public broadcasting station.  It was “all about Julia” for the first ten to fifteen minutes of a woman’s shift—and would often be revisited, many times when another gourmand arrived to talk about what Julia had prepared.

An effective manager who made the most of this diverse group, Mr. Munly organized a staff dinner once or twice a year.  This potluck supper was held at his or one of the women’s homes, often one in the Berkeley Hills with a spectacular view looking out beyond the Golden Gate Bridge.  When it came time to volunteer to bring food to the dinner, Mr. Munly and the women would decide which dish they would bring—usually a “Julia” dish.  The college students and the full-time employee would bring wine, bread, and possibly dessert—first asking the “elders” for specific instructions on what to buy.

Memories of one—if not the best—workplace experience of early career came flooding back to me last weekend as I turned each page of My Life in France.  Ignoring the world outside, I gave myself the afternoon to follow Julia’s journey through her writing career which she embraced enthusiastically and spent the evening learning how she had found her way to television.  Reading her book was like eating a good meal; I finished it feeling satisfied and satiated with good memories.

Looking back at his management style, I see how Mr. Munly maximized the talent he had in his small department.  He created a congenial atmosphere—based in part on Julia’s recipes—where he engaged and motivated his team to be productive through food, a love of the arts, and a great spirit.

At the close of each episode of “The French Chef”—and at the very end of her book—Julia wishes everyone a bon appétite!

As I asked at the beginning of this post, what is your recipe to be an effective manager?  No matter your “cuisine,” or your particular management style, I wish you time to think about how you manage.  Specifically, what is the thread of the conversations you have with your staff members and how do you connect with them on a regular basis?

While you are creating and enhancing your own recipe of effective management, I wish you bon appétite!