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    • Achieve - Focus on the Results
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    • Career Management - Annual Review
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    • Career Management - Discomfort Is Good
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    • Career Management - Mentorship Explained
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    • Career Management - Promotions. Move out to move up
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    • Career Management - Understand Yourself
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    • Finances - Retirement Saving (2)
    • Hindsight - Balance the Short- with Long -term
    • Hindsight - Embrace Learning & Your Manager
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    • Hindsight - Millennial Reflections
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    • Hindsight - Take a Career Mulligan
    • Hindsight - Take Advice Sparingly
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    • Speed Bumps - Layoffs. The After Life
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- Wise Words -
​Get up.
Get on your feet

by chris eberle
 


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Get up. Get on your feet.
That’s a line from the Gunnery Sergeant in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. I’d be surprised if anyone who has worked with me would describe me as a drill sergeant, but that soundbyte stuck in my head while I was thinking about this piece so, there’s your title.
 
Thanks, open office.
Much has been written about the pros and cons of the open office. That’s not the point of this piece. The point of this piece is to get you on your feet. To walk. To get some air and some time away from your screens. And for me, it all started with the open office. In 2010 I made the jump from AOL to Meebo. From big company to startup. From hierarchical office culture to an open office. And also from managing a team of 100+ to managing a team of 3, but that’s a topic for another time.
 
At AOL I had a nice big office with a meeting table. I could take my calls on speaker (yup. that guy) and most 1:1s and smaller meetings could all happen in there. But I haven’t had an office since, and 6+ years later I still can’t take calls from my desk. I just never got used to it. I always feel like people are listening to my calls (they are) and that I might be a loud talker (I am) so I pretty much always take calls from a conference room or outside, on foot. And conference rooms are always at a premium at growing companies, so I have been on foot a lot.
 
Enter the walking call.
At Meebo I made a rule for myself – if I was the only person dialing into a call from my location, and I didn’t need to be looking at anything for the call, I’d take it on foot. It got me out for some fresh air, and didn’t tie up a conference room. I mixed it up with a few different routes around downtown Mountain View, and sometimes I just paced around the parking lot. But it got me walking, breathing, moving. It also kept me engaged. The temptation to fire off a few emails or respond to pings during the call was reduced to nill. I was focused and productive. I was also keenly aware when I had not contributed much to a call, which helped me prioritize.
 
The walk & talk.
I hadn’t done many walking 1:1s before Meebo, but they were a fave there. Again, the conference room scarcity was a forcing function, but with a great result. I reported to the President of the company who was a big fan of the walk & talk, and he got me hooked. You get that same focus without the distractions of your screens, and they are particularly good for conversations where you step back from the day to day. To talk about how the work gets done, or careers, or relationships. And sometimes they are great for those difficult conversations that we all know we need to have, and that none of us are great about consistently having. I believe you can get further, faster, with the walk & talk. No pun intended.
 
Battling the blah.
Sometimes I get a little afternoon funk. Not every day, but when it hits it hits hard, and it hits around 2pm. Particularly if I’ve had a bunch of crazy days (or weeks) in a row. So I try to set calls for around that time – calls I can take on foot. And calls I look forward to. The air does me good and before I know it I’ve worked through the funk. Yay for change of scenery. Funk be gone! 
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Winter Walking.  
​
Ok. I work in the San Francisco Bay Area. The weather really is as nice as they say, so I know its easy for me to get outside. But even on the road, even when its cold or hot or there’s strange wet stuff falling from the sky, I still make it a point to get outside. In the past year I’ve been fortunate to go for “walk & talks” in Austin, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Singapore, London, New York, Sao Paulo, and Taipei, to name a few. Bonus: when you’ve got limited time in another city, it’s a great way to get a little taste of a city. And speaking of visiting other cities, if you’re visiting another city, make the time to meet with people 1:1. People you manage, your cross functional partners, your POC at a partner company. And yes, get outside if you can. In addition to the goodness mentioned above, you’ll get to know people better, show them you care, and you’ll get a change of scenery.
 
Oh and it’s good for your health.
According to The American Heart Association, just 30 minutes of walking per day may:
  • Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
  • Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels
  • Improve blood lipid profile
  • Enhance mental well being
  • Reduce your risk of osteoporosis
  • Reduce your risk of breast cancer
  • Reduce your risk of colon cancer
  • Reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes
 
So in conclusion:
If you can take a call on foot, take it on foot.
Embrace the walk & talk.
Make the most of your time in other cities.
So, get outside. Get in some steps. Get some air. Get away from screens. And get people talking.


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Chris Eberle leads Global Customer Experience Programs for Facebook.  He sometimes blogs about the intersections of life & leadership at SVginger.com.

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In the first 5 years or so of your career?  Want actionable career advice?  
​Buy Early Stage Professional: starting off right, the no nonsense professional skills book designed so that you can succeed in the workplace!  


More Wise Words...

Achieve: Focus on Results
​
Achieve: Leading from the Start
Achieve: Small is BIG
Achieve: Take Action
Career Management: Annual Review. A "How To"
Career Management: Annual Review. As Career Plan
Career Management: Choosing a Mentor
Career Management: Careers Happen
Career Management: Career Journey
Career Management: Mentorship Explained
​
Career Management: Post Graduate Degrees
Career Management: Promotion Frustration 
Career Management: Moving up by moving out
Career Management: Selecting Your Company
Career Management: Understand Yourself
Finances: Retirement Saving (1)
Finances: Retirement Saving (2)
Hindsight: Balance the short- with the long-term
​Hindsight: Embrace learning and your manager
Hindsight: Focus at Work
Hindsight: Millennial Reflections
Hindsight: Regrets: Time, Money & Pride
​Hindsight: Take Advice Sparingly
Hindsight: Take a Career Mulligan
​
Hindsight: Transition from College
Hindsight: Winning Nicely
Hindsight: Work hard, network, be honest. Have fun too!
Managing Up: Manage Up to Move Up
Managing Up: Manager As Partner
Managing Up: New Manager
Managing Up: Questions for your manager
Managing Up: Secret Skills for Managing Up
​
People & Teamwork: Be A Giver
​
People & Teamwork: LinkedIn As Networking
People & Teamwork: Networking Hacks
People & Teamwork: Networking as a Relationship
People & Teamwork: Networking Simplified
People & Teamwork: Teamwork As Leadership
Speedbumps: Chutes & Ladders
​
Speedbumps: Laid Off? Take A Breath
Speedbumps: Layoffs. The Afterlife
Speedbumps: Owning Mistakes
Work Life: Work Culture. America vs. UK
Work Life: Ask Why
Work Life: Be Yourself. Be Genuine
​
Work Life: Browned Out?
Work Life: Business Travel Guide
Work Life: Calendar Management
Work Life: Difficult Situations
Work Life: Focus on Fiyah!
​Work Life: Ghosting
​
Work Life: Help the Early Stage Professionals
Work Life: International Remote Working
Work Life: Pre-Vacation Checklist
Work Life: Smartphones & The Office
​Work Life: Start-Up Glamor
Work Life: Stress Management
Work Life: Take a Walk
​
Work Life: They Quit
Work Life: Unlimited Vacation
Work Life: Welcome the Newbies
Work Life: "Work" from Home

Crushing It @ Home

What Time Should I Start? 
What If I am Running Late? 
Taking Vacation
Sick Days 
Working Outside Office Hours
​
How to prepare for One/Ones
Making Meetings on Time 
Business Presentations 
Social Media, Personal Email and Hanging Out on the Web
Give it Six to Nine Months to Feel @Home
Be Your-professional-self
Staying Positive

Job Search Must Do's

Resume
The Application Letter 
​
The Free Conundrum: Should You Take an Unpaid Internship?
Informational Interviews 
Taking a Shortcut: Using Your Network 
Dealing with a Low GPA
​Responding to Recruiters
The Job Interview
Interview Questions
Questions You Should Ask
Simulations 
Interviews with Other Applicants
Dealing with References
Negotiating Your Salary
How to Resign (if you already have a job)
​
The First Week
You Don't Get the Job: Getting Feedback
​Keeping Motivated Through the Search

USA Today Columns by Fergus Mellon

How to get started on LinkedIn: Do this, not that
Warning: Avoid smartphone shame at work.  Keep them out of sight
To succeed, be a Giver in the workplace, not a Taker
4 ghoulish personality pitfalls to steer clear of at the office
​
How to coach today's not so entitled Millennials as they join the rat race

Crushing IT

Money

Library

WISE WORDS

Bureaucracy

Copyright © 2016 - 2020
  • Home
  • Getting a job
    • Must Do's - Resume
    • Must Do's - Application Letter
    • Must Do's - Internships
    • Groundwork - Informational Interviews
    • Groundwork - Your Network
    • Groundwork - GPA Issues
    • Groundwork - Recruiters
    • Dealing with Rejection - Feedback
    • Dealing with Rejection - Keeping Motivated
    • Closing the Deal - The Interview
    • Closing the Deal - Interview Q's
    • Closing the Deal - Your Questions
    • Closing the Deal - Simulations
    • Closing the Deal - Group Interviews
    • Closing the Deal - References
    • Signing On - Salary Negotiation
    • Signing On - How to Resign
    • Signing On - First Week
  • Crushing It
    • The Hours - What Time Should I Start
    • The Hours - What If I Am Running Late?
    • The Hours - Taking Vacation
    • The Hours - Sick Days
    • The Hours - Working Outside Office Hours
    • Professional Skills - One/Ones
    • Professional Skills- Making Meetings on Time
    • Professional Skills - Business Presentations
    • Professional Skills - Social Media, Personal Email
    • A Level Head - Feeling @ Home
    • A Level Head - Be YourProfessionalSelf
    • A Level Head- Staying Positive
  • Wise Words
    • Achieve - Focus on the Results
    • Achieve - Leading from the Start
    • Achieve - Showcase Your Work
    • Achieve - Small is BIG
    • Achieve - Take Action
    • Achieve - Your New Job. A Plan
    • Career Management - Annual Review
    • Career Management - Annual Review Feedback Meeting
    • Career Management - Annual Review: How to Guide
    • Career Management - Career Contentment
    • Career Management - Careers Happen
    • Career Management - Career Journey
    • Career Management - Choosing a Mentor
    • Career Management - Discomfort Is Good
    • Career Management - Freelancing and Employment Gaps
    • Career Management - Mentorship Explained
    • Career Management - Post Graduate Degrees
    • Career Management - Promotion Frustration
    • Career Management - Promotions. Move out to move up
    • Career Management - Selecting Your Company
    • Career Management - Understand Yourself
    • Finances - Preparing for a Downturn
    • Finances - Retirement Saving (1)
    • Finances - Retirement Saving (2)
    • Hindsight - Balance the Short- with Long -term
    • Hindsight - Embrace Learning & Your Manager
    • Hindsight - Focus at Work
    • Hindsight - Millennial Reflections
    • Hindsight - Regrets: Time, Money & Pride
    • Hindsight - Take a Career Mulligan
    • Hindsight - Take Advice Sparingly
    • Hindsight - Transition from College
    • Hindsight - Winning Nicely
    • Hindsight - Work Hard. Be Honest. Have Fun
    • Managing Up - Manager as Partner
    • Managing Up - Manage Up to Move Up
    • Managing Up - Mastering Your Manager
    • Managing Up - New Manager
    • Managing Up - Questions For Your Manager
    • Managing Up - Secret Skills of Managing Up
    • Managing Up - Yes Power
    • People & Teamwork - Be a Giver
    • People & Teamwork - LinkedIn as Networking
    • People & Teamwork - Networking Hacks
    • People & Teamwork - Networking as Relationship
    • People & Teamwork - Networking Simplified
    • People & Teamwork - Reputations Travel
    • People & Teamwork - Teamwork as Leadership
    • Sliding Doors - Decision Paths
    • Sliding Doors - Success Requires Luck
    • Speed Bumps - Chutes & Ladders
    • Speed Bumps - Layoffs & Survivors Guilt
    • Speed Bumps - Laid Off? Take a Breath
    • Speed Bumps - Layoffs. The After Life
    • Speed Bumps - Owning Mistakes
    • Work Life - American Work Culture
    • Work Life - Ask Why
    • Work Life - Be Yourself. Be Genuine
    • Work Life - Browned Out?
    • Work Life - Business Travel Guide
    • Work Life - Calendar Management
    • Work Life - Change is Certain
    • Work Life - Difficult Situations
    • Worklife - Focus on Fiyah
    • Work Life - Ghosting
    • Work Life - Help the Early Stage Professionals
    • Work Life- International Remote Working
    • Work Life - In the Zoom
    • Work Life - Mom Skills
    • Work Life - Office As A Stage
    • Work Life - Office Ghouls
    • Work Life - Pre Vacation Checklist
    • Work Life - Returning to Work
    • Work Life - Smartphones & The Office
    • Work Life - Speak Up
    • Work Life - Stage Fright
    • Work Life - Startup Glamour
    • Work Life - Stress Management
    • Work Life - Take A Walk
    • Work Life - Tasks We Hate
    • Work Life - They Quit
    • Work Life - Unlimited Vacation
    • Worklife - Vacation Overview
    • Work Life - Welcome the Newbies
    • Work Life - "Work" From Home
  • Money
    • Money - The Basics
    • Money - Saving for Retirement
    • Money - Retirement Saving
  • Library
    • Book Reviews
    • Webinar Hub
    • USA Today Columns
    • Buy Early Stage Professional
    • Bureaucracy
  • Help Center
    • Annual Reviews
    • Career Speed Bumps
    • Managing Up
    • Promotions & Career Planning
    • Stress Management