Cindy Donovan

Some Tuesday ramblings about positivity! We live in a very negative world. There’s bad stuff happening all the time.  I work in the service industry, meaning unfortunately people only ever call us when something is broken. They are frustrated, and they are likely focused on the negative impact that is having on them. This leads to negativity in our own lives as well. A frustrated client can frustrate us. Maybe they’re down cause they did something we think is stupid. Maybe their old IT didn’t keep things up to our standards. Maybe someone didn’t help us the way we needed them to. It can be very easy to find the negatives and focus on them, or even share them. When we share a negative, or "vent", we’re really just spreading the negativity. Often, when it’s shared, it’s shared to get other people “on your side” or to try to laugh at someone else. But does sharing and spreading that help anything? Does it change the situation or better our lives? Not really. In fact it can bring others down, and invites more people to join the negative space. What we really need to do is flip our brains and focus on the positives. Let’s look at the examples above and flip them around: A client did something silly and now their down: Let’s look at the situation as a teachable moment. Maybe the client wants to learn what they did wrong, so they don’t repeat it. An other IT company did something that we would never do: This one presents us with a very easy way to wow a client, especially during onboarding. We can show them the right way to do things, and we can do that without ever mentioning the other IT company. We can say “I’ve fixed this up to our standards, I think it will work much better for you.” If someone hasn’t helped you, or hasn’t given you the guidance you need, you can just talk to them. “Hey, I appreciate the help you’ve given so far, but I’m still a bit stuck, can you help me some more?” or “Hey, I know you’re really busy, but I need help on this, can we set a time for you to sit with me?” Rephrasing and re-purposing our minds with positive intent helps us to spread that positivity. It’s not easy, but there are some action items that can help. Any time something has you frustrated or feeling negative take a pause. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing for a few seconds. Force yourself to find the positive outcome. The more you practice this, the more it will come naturally instead of needing to be forced. Make a point each day to do two things: First write down something you did that had a positive impact on someone else’s life. Second write down something someone else did that had a positive impact on your life. Keep a log of these and look back on them from time to time. You’ll see a pattern of positivity, and it can help to drive away the negatives. In the end, our lives are only as positive as we let them be. To quote Willie Nelson, “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” 

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"More vendors" doesn’t equate to "more protection." In fact, it leaves you more vulnerable to risk because it’s easy to overlook duplicate efforts, security gaps and growth opportunities. Bundling your GRC services into one platform is the most effective method for trimming the fat. It connects all your business groups to leave you with a better understanding of how your organization is functioning as a whole. Ready to reap the benefits of consolidation? Check out our recent guide to learn how to get the process started. #GRC #VendorConsolidation #RiskManagement

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We spend a significant amount of time on #DisasterRecoveryPlanning and Testing. After spending the past two months in our East Coast Cloud to make sure everything is ready for a disaster, we failed back to the West Coast yesterday. We significantly beat our #RecoveryTimeObjective (#RTO) and #RecoveryPointObjective (#RPO). It took many #TableTopExercises, #LiveDrills and #Failover tests and plan re-writes to get to this point, but it's worth the effort as it gets easier to respond and recover. We still found some minor updates that can keep it running smoothly in the future. #DRPlan #DRTest #BusinessContinuity #DRPlanConfidence #KeepTesting

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I walk my dog each night and generally listen to audiobooks or podcasts as we stroll. I just finished listening to this author’s audiobook, Supercommunicators, and found it very insightful. Each of us can communicate better and this book provides practical advice to do so. This article is a quick summary of some of the key findings and suggestions in the book. It’s worth reading or listening to, especially when walking the dog.

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Step into the future of staffing with the Fuze 24/7 App – your gateway to seamless temporary workforce solutions. Say goodbye to traditional hiring hurdles and hello to instant access to top-tier talent, right at your fingertips. Fuze HR Solutions proudly presents an intuitive platform designed to revolutionize how you find temporary workers. With the Fuze 24/7 App, staffing needs are met around the clock, ensuring productivity never misses a beat. Embrace efficiency, embrace flexibility – Fuze HR Solutions, empowering your workforce, anytime, anywhere.

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What is this and what does it do? 🤔 . If you know, you know. This is a hard one. 😱 . Bonus points if you spot what I did for this install. 🙌🏼 #TheWhiteGloveMacGyver #infrastructure #technology #informationtechnology

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Our #msdynbc #Bullhorn connector reduces implementation timeline, cost, and risk. It also dramatically simplifies deployment effort and gets you on the modern #microsoft tech stack for staffing and recruiting firms. Love it each time someone goes live!! Does your ERP partner know #staffing? GraVoc does. Stop by and say hi to our team at Engage! We can demonstrate and talk you thru the process and how simple it is to onboard and get going!

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You need a single source of truth for GRC efforts? You've got it: SafeBase streamlines shared GRC efforts, so your team has more time to focus on strategic projects (like growing your GRC program). Check out how we're building the Trust Center Platform for GRC teams: https://hubs.ly/Q02C1k-x0

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Yesterday was one of the most difficult days of my career. Like many others recently, my company went through a layoff. I have experienced this many times over the years and have even been part of the decision-making process. This was the very first time that I had to deliver the news myself to people who were losing their jobs. Without a doubt, this was the most difficult, distasteful professional task that I have ever been asked to perform. For our unsung heroes in HR, who regularly plan for and take on such tasks, my deepest appreciation. While it is easy, and expected, to villainize the company’s leaders, that is not why I am writing today. In the cold corporate calculus of cost cutting, eliminating staff has become an expected, normal tool. As a leader who manages a labor budget, it is difficult sometimes to keep in mind that each entry in the spreadsheet is a person. We tell ourselves that it’s not personal, that it is just a business decision. We sacrifice them on the altar of profitability, so that the remainder of the staff can stay employed. For those who have lost their jobs, this is intensely personal. For many of us, me included, our jobs are a large part of our personal identity. Suddenly losing that part of us can be wrenching and demoralizing. This goes far beyond the financial impact. Hopefully, people have a financial cushion, or the severance package offered by the company is enough to see them through to finding another role. I know, however, that this is not always the case. For those who remain, it is in many ways equivalent to going through a divorce or a death. People that we liked and spent a large amount of time with are suddenly gone. No longer there to joke with or share the load which now feels much heavier than before. There is an expectation that employees will “remain professional” and that work will carry on as before without an impact on quality or productivity. We must remember that employees are first and foremost people. People need time to process emotions, and not everyone processes them in the same way or at the same pace. As leaders, these times test us. Can we provide the strength and guidance for our teams while remaining compassionate? Can we be the sounding board that our people need, even when we are experiencing and processing all the same emotions that they are? Can we steady the ship in these rough waters?

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I recently re-read this article and thought I would share with my network as there are valuable nuggets of information as it relates to servant leadership. Now, I know that not all leaders subscribe to this style of leadership and there are leadership roles that are not necessarily aligned with this style. But, if this style naturally fits with your personality, then please read this article by Dan Cable and leave a comment with your thoughts. "To put it bluntly, servant-leaders have the humility, courage, and insight to admit that they can benefit from the expertise of others who have less power than them. They actively seek the ideas and unique contributions of the employees that they serve. This is how servant leaders create a culture of learning, and an atmosphere that encourages followers to become the very best they can."

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What an awesome day for our desktop support team here at Sweetwater! We were recognized for our incredible performance in Q1. We’ve dramatically cut our first response time down by 75% since January! We shifted our focus towards stronger customer service and adjusted our processes. We refined our reporting, improved our dashboards, and changed our mindset about how we handle incoming tickets, we wanted to provide not just quicker, but also more meaningful responses to our customers. Hard work pays off. #CustomerService #Teamwork #ContinuousImprovement

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Having the luxury of seeing many organizations go through the transformation process, readiness and focus on change management are components that are talked to about, but often not executed well. I'm excited to be joining a panel discussion with Joseph Calzone IV hosted by Amy Yackowski on June 27th @ 11am to talk through our experiences and give some advice to those organizations who are embarking on a transformation journey. Click on the link in the comments to register!

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Scope creep sneaking up on your IT projects? Learn how to tame the beast and keep your projects on track with our game-changing strategies! https://hubs.li/Q02xtmkn0

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Have you thought about using contract talent? Message me to learn more about how contract talent can help you meet your team's goals in 2024. Read more: https://lnkd.in/etzrgF_4 #RobertHalf

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So excited for this. Michelle Hood, PMP is going to run this session and speak to Project vs Product. You do not want to miss this session. #womenintech #womenintechnwa #womeninproduct #communityofpractice

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With the responsibility of maintaining 36,000+ bridges in your coverage area, you won't find much success with outdated legacy systems and technology. When the Federal Highway Administration announced changes to their reporting standards, this transportation agency turned to #TeamCAI to modernize their bridge management system. Go #BehindThePossible by seeing the results below, and read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eHt2CKHz [VD: Sliding text throughout its duration, highlighting quote State agency systems receive much needed updates under new regulations. The background is a still image of a bridge with a ocean view backdrop, with a silver sedan blurred passing through the photo. The next slides state: From outdated to outstanding, A state agency‘s journey to modernizing their bridge management system. 36,000+ bridges, Number of bridges the agency is responsible for in terms of inventory, oversight, and data management. 19,000+ inspections per year. 3 years ahead of schedule, With close collaboration and timely deployment, the CAI team was able to complete their upgrades 3 years prior to the federally mandated deadline. Video ends with Find out how CAI helped modernized to federal compliance standards.]

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