Amazon buys your company

Amazon buys your companyAmazon buys your companyAmazon bought Whole Foods on Friday, which means that pretty much any company could be next? Will it be yours?How has a money-losing online bookseller become a global powerhouse in every nook of our lives? And how has technology escaped from being something that sat (politely, quietly) on our desktop to something that pervades every part of our lives and cuts through industry after industry with an amazing, chaotic whirlwind of change?What is true today is that we dont have a separate tech sector or tech industry anymore. Technology cant be closed off in a box and left to the technology team. And technology is no longer just a part of the org chart.Its the whole org chart.And while that might be a bit obvious when youre thinking about companies, and competition, and consumer choices, have you thought about what this means for you, your career and your family?And have you thought about what changes youll need to make in your life and you r career as a result?Because the hallmark of technology industries is that stuff is always changing.And that means your job will always be changing.At some point in the past, the advice of your parents or grandparents went like thisGet an education, get credentials or get a professional degree, pay your dues, and youll earn a good living.And thats just notlage true anymore.Its certainly not been true in technology for a long time todays popular software, device, or system ended up in the back of the closet with all of the other gadgets of yesteryear. And that meant that the programmers and designers and engineers that built the gadgets had to always be keeping up learning new skills, experimenting with new technologies, trying out new things.And what youll need to realize is that the saatkorn is true of your career.Its no longer going to be enough to get a college degree, pass a professional test and slowly make your way up the ladder over years and years.Companies need employees wh o are able to help them win despite the chaos. Employees who can thrive, and compete, and grow when the industry, and competitors, and even customers are changing in a turbulent, unpredictable way.Even technology winners turn over pretty quickly these days. It was less than a decade ago that Blackberry, Yahoo, Nokia, and Monster.com were the toast of the town. Today they are much smaller competitors in their industries than they used to be.For you and your career this means that yesterdays wins do very little to ensure tomorrows future.Whats required of you is not that you learned something valuable once upon a time, but that you are constantly learning the new things learning new skills, understanding the new dynamics, and thriving in a new competitive environment.Its not a light burden, and you should be aware of that. It will take time and hours and attention.It means setting aside the time to pick up new software skills. It means going to the new technology demos at your industr y trade shows. It means paying a little more attention to the tech trends articles that get passed around on social media and your company mailing lists. It means once in a while, being the person that finds the tech trends article and passes it around on the company mailing list.It means a lot of effort on your part - theres no use pretending that all of this will come for free.But in an economy where a tech company can buy your local grocer, there is no industry, no company, and no career that can succeed without embracing change.Remember that the next time you go to the bookstore to buy a tomato.Im rooting for you

Use Data to Improve Employees Outcomes

Use Data to Improve Employees OutcomesUse Data to Improve Employees OutcomesUse Data to Improve Employees Outcomes Segal, Aaron Goldstein, Jay Goldman and Rahaf Harfoush, authors of The Decoded Company (Portfolio Penguin, 2014)Knowing which kinds of dataare the most important to collect and measure and having the technical ability to collect and measure it are critical issues for what we like to call Decoded Companies.Ultimately, being a Decoded Company is about experimenting to find the right mix of data, that is the information that establishes a direct relationship between an individuals decisions and their impact on the business.Measuring the Impact of DataDatas impact can be measured in several different ways. The most obvious is financial. From either the revenue or cost-savings perspectives, data allows you to see the full chain of actions that link a persons activities to the dollars coming into or going out of the company. Data can also help an organization measure the imp act of an individual on morale, productivity, or happinessWhile there are two types of data self-reported and new age the best organizationsrely on ambient data.Self-Reported vs Ambient DataSelf-reported data requires a users manual input in order to measure it. Filling out time sheets, surveys, performance evaluations and expense reports are all examples of this type of data.Ambient data is information about a behavior that is automatically collected without the user having to actively enter each data point. Swiping into work with an active RFID badge, sending e-mails, making calls, and even adding events to an electronic calendar are all examples of ambient data.The problem with self-reported data is that it is rife with biases. Too much of the information being tracked has been filtered through the interpretations of the people who input it. They might have distorted it deliberately, much as an employee might fill in a time sheet to reflect what they think their babo wants to se e rather than how they really spent their time.Or it might happen subconsciously. A self-evaluation can skew more positively or negatively depending on a persons beliefs about their own behaviors, strengths, and aptitudes.While there are times and places when self-reported data can be valuable, in general, decoded organizations should focus their attention on tracking and analyzing ambient data. There are several advantages to using ambient instead of self-reported data streams.No behavioral shifts needed Ambient data enables companies to track behavior without having to depend upon behavioral changes to do it.Ambient data collection is hassle-free, both for leaders who want to implement these policies and for staff who are looking to avoid the extra effort required to adhere to new regulations or processes.Neutral Perspective Ambient data provides a level of neutral and objective transparency that isnt influenced by personal bias or varying standards. What one person considers an e xceptional performance might be rated only satisfactory by another.Ambient data strips all of that away and looks at the core of whats been measured.The Impact of DataUltimately, being a Decoded Company is about experimenting to find the right mix of data, of the information that establishes a direct relationship between an individuals decisions and their impact on the business. Impact can be measured in several different ways.The most obvious is financial. From either the revenue or cost-savings perspectives, data allows you to see the full chain of actions that link a persons activities to the dollars coming into or going out of the company.Data can also help an organization measure the impact of an individual on morale, productivity, or happiness.The right type of data has to be accurate. The more thoroughly the chain of action is tracked, the better and more reliable the data will be. If there are too many gaps, then you will be forced to supplement the data with assumptions and blind guesses that can lead to mistakes in decision-making.This is well worth remembering You can fill gaps in ambient data with self-reported data as long as it comes from a large enough sample population.Excerpted and adapted from The Decoded Company Know Your Talent Better Than You Know Your Customers by arrangement with Portfolio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, a Penguin Random House Company. Copyright 2014 by Leerom Segal, Aaron Goldstein, Jay Goldman, and Rahaf Harfoush.

Jobs Involved With Sports - More Than Fun and Games

Jobs Involved With Sports - More Than Fun and GamesJobs Involved With Sports - More Than Fun and GamesSome athletically gifted people are destined for a lucrative career in sports, but there also are plenty of sports jobs that do bedrngnis take place on the court or field. If you just called up Rivals.com to discover you are projected to be drafted in the first round of the National Basketball Association draft, congratulations on what promises to be a lucrative sports career. But even if an athletic talent shortage will prevent you from playing professional sports, there are plenty of career opportunities for individuals who wish to work around the athletic contests that they enjoy. Playing a sport well, or playing a sport at all, is not required. For most sports careers, the biggest requirement is passion. Consider the comments of Dick Vitale, who has spent a life in college basketball, first coaching the sport he loved and then reaching fame in providing television analysis on ESP N. I cant run, cant jump, cant shoot, Vitale, a 2008 inductee into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame, told the Kansas City Star. But Im in nine halls of fame because of enthusiasm, spirit, and energy. Thats a trademark I learned at my home. Sports Business Overview One of the largest industries in the United States, sports business is estimated to be $213-billion annual industry by SportsBusiness JJournal.According to the magazine, that figure is twice the size of the United States auto industry and seven times the size of the movie industry. SportsBusiness Journal lists the biggest business areas as Advertising, $27.43-billionSpectator spending, 26.17-billionSporting goods, $25.62-billionOperating expenses, $22.98-billion Also included in the breakdown is money generated through pari-mutuel and legal sports gambling, media coverage, sponsorships, medical, travel, professional services, media rights, licensed goods, facility construction, and endorsements. Athlete Opportunities There are few spots for professional athletes, but there are many opportunities working with both amateur and professional athletes. Just a few of these careers include coaching, officiating, training, weight training, sports agent, and athletic coach/medical positions. Media Opportunities There are many broadcast and print media opportunities in sports coverage. Sports information directors compile statistics and media guides. Sports writers provide information and analysis for fans. Cameramen and photographers also capture the event. Television announcers provide immediate information. Sports media also offers behind-the-scenes positions like producers, directors, print and broadcast editors, and statisticians. Team/League Opportunities Teams and leagues offer many of the positions found at any other business general managers, lawyers, accountants, travel coordinators, security, video coordinators, and other positions. Some jobs are more specific to sports, like scouts, ticket managers, stadium facility managers, and field superintendents. Besides ticket-buying fans, sports revenues are fueled by advertising and sponsorships. These ventures provide even more job opportunities from both the team side and the advertiser side. Sports Equipment Opportunities Other off-field opportunities involve sporting goods and apparel. Teams and players need shoes, uniforms, and gear. This provides jobs in everything from making the equipment to marketing and selling it. Social Media In the last decade, a growth area in sports has been social media, in support of other media and as stand-alone entities creating new content. It can be an especially inviting area for young digital natives who can leverage their social media experience and advance relatively quickly. This article was updated by Rich Campbell