I feel that ridding any company of bureaucracy is everybody’s job. Over the years, I’ve urged all of my co-workers and employees to “fight it, kick it.”  That’s why “disdaining bureaucracy” became such an important part of my first organization’s shared values (the list of behaviors that were expected of all SFS /Alloy Software employees).

When a young intern asked me what he should do when he encounters bureaucracy in a large corporation, with a smile, I advised him to “get a hand grenade…and blow it up” (figuratively, of course).  Again, I feel that it is everyone’s job to at least try to rid any organization of wasteful bureaucracy.

But isn’t that easier said than done?  Yes, even organizations that do a good job of eliminating this cancerous element can’t kill it permanently.  That’s why I’ve referred to bureaucracy as “the Dracula of institutional behavior,” because it had a way of rising from the dead every few years and sucking the life out of what ever is left.

Anything that you can do to simplify, remove complexity and formality, and make the organization more responsive and agile, will reduce bureaucracy:

Drop unnecessary work: Most organizations have far too manyrules, approvals, and forms. Work with colleagues to figure out whichof these old ways of doing things can be either eliminated orimproved.

Work with colleagues to streamline decision making: If it takes an organization a week to make a decision, the process needs to be simplified. If no one can remember why your organization does something a certain way, chances are that it is more complicated than it needs to be.

Make your workplace more informal: Send handwritten notes instead of memos (I love handwritten notes, and it is “Geoff,” not“Mr. Snyder”), keep meetings conversational (rather than formal and rigid), and encourage dialogue up and down and the entire organization.

Destroy Bureaucracy! is a post from: Geoff Snyder's Leadership and Team Collaboration Blog - Freedom to Think and Dream Big

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The other day a friend of mine, SEO Dave Rohrer, posted a video that caught my attention (as most of them do). Most of us that work online all day seem to stumble across some of the coolest content, content that is usually passed along to co-workers and shared with our family and friends.  This particular video is of an up and coming drummer named Cory Bordson.  After watching the video of Cory playing, I became more interested in finding out if he had more material for me to review.  Because of my music industry (management, booking, public relations, and recording) background, I decided to dig a little bit further and see what else I could find out about Cory Bordson.

I was able to get in touch with Cory via Facebook and he, like all good musicians, was very friendly and open to a few questions I had.  I told him that I was thinking about blogging about him.  I asked Cory if he could tell me a brief history of his passion for playing the drums and what his current project and goals were.

He responded with a very nice summery of how he started percussion in the 6th grade just like every kid who had to take a music class.  Once he did, he found out right from the start that he loved the drums, and luckily for him all his other friends started playing different instruments.   One of the started by picking up the guitar, another grabbed a bass and they started their first band in 7th grade.  The practiced in his parents garage, so that of course helped him stay with it.  All through high school he was in band.  Everything from his freshman band, to the symphonic band, the wind ensemble and orchestra.  He was a drum major in the marching band but expressed that his overall favorite was the jazz band.  He just loves anything to do with drums and music!

To this day, he never took a real lesson.  In his early years, all he would do was watch and study drummers at local shows and review drummers playing on video websites like YouTube.  He expressed that one of his biggest influences early in life was Travis Barker, but his favorite drummer would have to be Tommy Lee (my favorite) and the legendary Buddy Rich.  Throughout the years he’s played in several bands from styles reaching from punk, to ska, to pop punk, to alternative. Currently, he is in a band that really feels is going to be going places.  The band’s name is Lake Avenue and the all of the members will be moving to Minneapolis this March to pursue their dreams and further develop as a band. He made it very clear that he couldn’t be happier with everyone who is in the band.

His remixes started out just for fun so he could watch and learn from his mistakes.  Just as he did when he started (and still does today) but more recently he has realized that he make them to earn a living.  He has already played a show by himself doing his remixes and the crowd loves it!   He said that it’s something very different and so fun for him.  So he is really glad that he showed himself that he can even make it on my own if he needed to.

Most importantly, he made sure to tell me that his family has always been supportive of his music and everything he does.  He expressed that he couldn’t have been given a better family than the one he has right now.  He also went on to tell me that his friends and their families have been very supportive too.  When he started high school,  the guitar player he played with always had an open room or separate garage they could play in.  They were blessed that the guitarists parents were cool an just loved listening to them play. They would play 5 times a week.  Recently, the band now has an open recording studio to practice and play in.

Lastly, Cory made sure to sum it all up… “practice really pulls when you really get down and work hard and really put your heart and soul into it. I am recently realizing I am a musician if I like it or not, it’s what I’m here for, so do what you love.”

Here is one of Cory’s most recent remixes.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when I first saw it!  Please be sure to check out Cory Bordson’s YouTube page and comment on this article to let him know how you feel about his God given talent.  Thanks all.

Drums make everything better. is a post from: Geoff Snyder's Leadership and Team Collaboration Blog - Freedom to Think and Dream Big

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It’s about a graph/report that was done by the U.S. government.  I believe it was the Department Of Labor.  I know of many people in the business that show “The 45 Year Plan” to their prospects.

Today I’m going to explain it to you.  This information will blow you away!

Check this out…here’s what the report shows.  This is about your future and mine. 

Most people, about 95% of men and women in this country, work about 45 years of their lives.  Usually, this takes place between the ages of 20-65….give or take.  Most people start working after high school/college, up to the time they retire.

They spend 45 years of their lives at various jobs, or they’re self employed.  Think about that.

These people (the 95%ers) are your families… your relatives…your neighbors…and your co-workers.  I knew I HAD to change and I did!  Do you want to spend so much time working? 

40 hours per week x 50 weeks per year= 2000 hrs./year
(52 weeks in a year…I’m taking out 2 weeks for vacation)
2000 hours x 45 years= 90,000 hours

This means most of us can expect to spend roughly 90,000 hours of our lives working…can you believe that?  Most people just trade time for money…and the cost of living keeps going up 6-10% each year!

And that’s not all.  When these people retire (the 95%ers), they can expect to live on one-half to one-third of their income.  Is that depressing or what?  Don’t be one of them!  I used to be a 95%er, now I’m a 5%er.  Hopefully you’re on the same path.

If you’re not already involved, get involved in Network Marketing.  There is a 2-5 year plan to help someone become job-optional…you won’t have to ‘work’ anymore!  A 2-5 year plan to make more money than you ever have.  A 2-5 year plan to create a REAL residual income!

Remember this equation…”Money + Time= FREEDOM”!

The 45 Year Plan is a post from: Geoff Snyder's Leadership and Team Collaboration Blog - Freedom to Think and Dream Big

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