Microsoft Layoffs and What it Means

Okay, I'm not going to go into anything that isn't already public knowledge here. But, there have been enough requests for information that I had to address the topic.

I work for Microsoft.

Microsoft did a round of formal layoffs for the first time in the company's history on Thursday.

I was not laid off.

1400 jobs were eliminated. 840 of those jobs were in the greater Puget Sound area. Let's put this in context. 96,000 employees worldwide.....40,000 in Seattle/Redmond....1400 is about 1.5% of the workforce.

All of the employees let go are eligible for rehire, and may be able to find something else inside Microsoft. In fact, I know that our team is picking up a handful of people.

I commend the upper management for an incredible job of cutting expenses BEFORE cutting people....closing down building projects....cutting travel.....and so on.

So, there you go. I'm safe. My job is safe. Please pray for those who did lose their jobs.

Waneta Shawhan (1910-2009)

Waneta Shawhan was the epitome of a prayer warrior. From the first time I met her at our church in 1993, until her entrance into a hospice in 2008, she was everything you would expect from one who puts ALL of her trust in God.

She used to tell me, "I can't do much anymore. I can't work with my hands. I can't travel very far. But, I can pray." And, she would. Oh how she would. Her knowledge of the Bible, and her insights into God were unimaginable in their depth. She knew how to examine her own experience and say, "This is what God has done."

One of the last things she "did with her hands" was a quilt for my daughter Arwen's birth. The "Waneta Quilt" is and always has been very special. If it is possible for an inanimate object to exude love...pure.....it's that quilt. Hand stitched, hand cut, hand sewn. And done for one specific person who isn't even a relative.

My good friend, Len, the lead singer of a local rock-band, used to come in to the church and he'd sit on one side of Waneta, while his wife Gina would sit on the other side. Len is tall, but he would just tower over the slight, frail lady next to him. Waneta loved everyone, but always glowed when Len and Gina would sit there.

Part of me grieves. That's always the case. I'm selfish that way.

But a major part of me rejoices!!!! Her pain is gone. Her mind is clear. In this continnuum that is eternal life, she has passed a milestone that is NOT THE END, and has rejoined those who have gone before. LET THE CELEBRATION BEGIN!!!!!

I'm crying while I write this. I don't know if it's grief, or joy, or both.

Oh, who am I kidding.....It's both.

Visibility, Influence and Execution

I was just having a conversation with a friend of mine about my personal goals for 2009. I want everyone who reads my blog to understand a few things about me. I'm involved in a bunch of things...work...family....more work.....hobbies.....religion.....more family....and so on. As I looked at what I want to do that will drive the next stage in my "public" life, I came up with three areas that are top in my mind.

• Visibility
• Influence
• Execution

My business partners are already familiar with these things. The Microsoft in me is a firm believer in SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented, Time-bound).

Visibility:

I have four blog posts that I've written but not posted yet. They are sitting on my cell-phone, ready to be moved to my blog. Anyway, as a part of my visibility goals, I intend to publish more on my blog; Short posts, questions, writings, thoughts, as well as comment on more blogs from friends. I started commenting more and not lurking last year, but this year I intend to become a regular voice. I will also be doing more cross-posting, getting people from my blog to read other blogs as well. (I did that in December with the notice about Home-PDX from Pam's blog.)

I'm also upping my visibility on Facebook....connecting to friends.

I'm also upping my visibility at work. I'm a strategist, and it is important that my strategies be engulfed by the executives or my work will go nowhere.

Influence:

I often worry that I don't have any original thoughts. I read too much. I read things that people have written and often find myself saying, "That's exactly what I've thought for years, but I'm just not eloquent enough to pull that off." Well, apparently, I've been told that I DO have original thoughts. So, I intend to take my thoughts to the next level. I've had 4 people, close friends, say that they've been praying that I'll write more. Maybe I can help others drive original thoughts.

At work, if my strategies are accepted and honed, my influence will grow.

Execution:

Hard work pays off in the long run, but procrastination pays off IMMEDIATELY!!!

I have been a part of this "conversation" online for nearly 2 years, now. However, I have not let people in on the things I am doing to move the conversation out of the online world and into my daily activities. Talking about life and living life are two different things.

These are not resolutions. These are just my standard thinking. It's important to realize that I ALWAYS think things like this. This just happens to be coming at the beginning of the year.