4 Types of Resolutions that Fail (and How to Save Yours) Featuring: Holiday Video

Four Resolution Types that Fail (and How to Save Yours)
  

It’s a tradition each January.  We share with our friends and family our New Year’s resolutions to improve ourselves. But as tradition goes, by February we’re chuckling about our naïve January selves. If you’re guilty of falling off the wagon already this year, you and your business are not alone. Studies and surveys  show 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail within weeks after January 1st. So how can we do better, and how can we transfer these methods to your business goals?

Here are four types of resolutions we’ve observed fail for our clients; and how to keep both you and your business motivated all year.

The Unrealistic Resolution
Creating unrealistic resolutions, such as “become a Fortune 500 company” as a start-up business, is not realistic (for now) Don’t get us wrong – do dream big. But big dreams do not chart an attainable course within a year. Our targets need to be gradual, sustainable, and supported by good habits. Thinking smaller may not feel inspiring in the short term, but it will lead to inspiring results.

The Vague Resolution
Sometimes, New Year’s resolutions fail simply because they’re too broad: “save more money,” “get organized,” and “be a better communicator” are examples of professional goals that lack any real specificity. This can be problematic for three reasons:

1. They’re not actionable. It’s difficult to know what exactly you need to do to achieve your goal.

2. They’re difficult to measure. It’s difficult to create mental milestones of success, as there’s no defined end goal.

3. They lack accountability. If a goal is too vague, it seems more like an aspiration rather than a practical, real-world target. With no target to aim for, you aren’t accountable for hitting anything.

The vague resolution is like playing darts and ignoring the bullseye of the target. Without aiming toward the bullseye, you’re just throwing darts at the wall.

The Goal-Obsessed Resolution
 “Goal-obsessed resolutions” fail when the focus heavily relies on the result, you cheat the process. A resolution to lose 15 pounds can be realized in 12 days by controversial measures, but what is sure to happen a week later? The lost weight is quickly found again. Similarly, declaring a new management system implemented by 4th quarter without regard to valuing the incremental process of small changes will produce frustrated employees and likely a breakdown of processes. By focusing on the pursuit rather than achieving the goal itself develops a healthy set of habits to aid in succeeding.  If you need help forming the goals in improving your systems contact Ablesoft to learn about our assessments.

The Resolution out of Leftfield
Often brand-new goals have great intentions, but without established habits and attainability, the scope may be misaligned to your business and what is possible based upon past accomplishments. For instance, setting a personal goal to complete a triathlon this year can generate short-term excitement, but if it’s your first time in the gym, you might want to re-consider your goal. Forming goals in line with your company’s strategy and past-accomplished goals, you are more likely to succeed. Our Marketing team meets quarterly to review our long and short-term business goals. In forming our quarterly goals, we evaluate the previous quarter performance and form the next quarter targets based on our results. In doing so, we are building on what has already been established and encourages forward momentum.

Form Attainable Resolutions with Ablesoft
We may not be able to help you complete that triathlon, but we can help you form manageable resolutions for your information systems. Take our short quiz (here) as a first step in your journey to a more valuable system for your business.

The Gift of Mentorship: 6 Tips to Get you Started

The Juniors and Programmer, Eric Bruns definitely "not" posing for the sake of this article.

It’s that time of year we’re most likely focused on giving. The leadership team at Ablesoft suggested in lieu of a holiday bonus, the gift of satisfaction would be given to employees in the establishing a mentorship program. This idea was met with swift mutiny from the rest of the staff, but once the dust settled (and bruises were iced), conversation about the benefits gained from a mentorship-relationship between senior staff members and less experienced co-workers influenced this guide.  

Six tips for mentors to cultivatie a workspace for mentees to thrive: 

1. Be a teacher, not just a resource 

Ultimately, your goal as mentor is to equip your counterpart with skills that guide them toward self-sufficiency. Junior developers can grow their personal set of skills by continuously exposing themselves to real projects and discovering problem-solving methods. By purposefully diving deeper than surface responses from their mentor, it won’t be long before the mentee is able to work independently.  

2. Nurture opportunities for shared growth 

The faster a mentee can feel they are contributing to the team the better. It’s always exciting when a junior developer submits “billable work” to clients for the first time, but their contributions to the team can be delivered sooner.  For example, if a new customer requires the use of a technology that the junior developer is more familiar with than the rest of the team, you may give them an opportunity to teach the more senior employees on its features and value. A promising developer who can contribute to the team early will build confidence and momentum faster. 

3. Remember your first day 

Your mindset when mentoring can be positively influenced by putting yourself in their shoes and remembering your first weeks (or years) on the job. I asked the current junior staff members at Ablesoft what has been most impactful during their training and the adjectives ‘patience’, ‘time’, and ‘grace’ seemed to be the common sentiment. They were thankful for experienced co-workers taking the time to patiently guide them through new environments and offer solutions to mistakes that hindered progress. They felt safe to learn at their own pace. Make it a habit to regularly reflect on your own experience when you were fresh – what impacted you most positively? Do more of it. What impacted you negatively? Do better.  

4. View mentoring as an investment

Titles aside, if your team is expanding, junior employees are probably among the new hires. Whether you are obligated to take on a mentee or not, your team will benefit from the time you spend effectively mentoring juniors. 

The team will eventually benefit as the juniors grow more independent and are able to handle jobs without as much direct supervision. But to do this effectively, they require the time of a mentor who can provide them with the necessary training and direction. 

5. Communicate often with humility  

Your mentee may feel the pressure of ‘imposter syndrome’ and you might feel pressured to know all the answers. Setting your mentee at ease by being honest about your knowledge gaps will encourage them to ask questions. Eric Bruns, Programmer, notes that it is important for mentees to not be afraid to ask questions. “Asking questions can be difficult for some people who want to try and figure everything out on their own, but ultimately if the answered could be learned quicker, that is helpful for both parties. 

6) Mentor where it is valued 

At times the conversation between a mentor and mentee may extend beyond work into practical life skills. As a mentor, sharing past mistakes or habits that have brought yourself much value can be life changing to an employee who is starting off. For one of the team members, a question around Ablesoft’s IRA matching program evolved into meetings around personal finance and budgeting.

Neglecting to invest in mentees is similar to neglecting investing in the systems your business relies on. Both are missed opportunities, at best. At worst, ignoring the needs hurt you long term.  Consider our application assessment to know how best to invest in your system. 

Bonus Gift: 

Next month, our developers wish to offer another gift to better your business software in 2023. Visit our website (here) where we’re just putting on the final bows and wrapping paper. 

All hands on deck to mentor the next generation!

Yeah!

Getting Festive (Despite the Hassle)

As I type this at my desk, a naked Douglas fir eagerly awaits its decorations. What should be an iconic token of the Christmas spirit, instead more closely resembles an environmental statement. Truthfully, we can view its bare branches as a symbol of neglecting simple tasks.

Between hosting friends and family, shopping for gifts, and decorating our own homes; the neglected office becomes a place where Christmas spirit lies barren. An office vacant of holiday cheer indicates the values of gratitude, giving, and coming together are reserved only for our personal lives. But are they not central to a well-run organization?

Per usual, delegating holiday tasks wasn’t met with enthusiasm across the leadership team of Eric, Dad, and myself. However, these inconveniences were viewed as necessary in transforming the office into a more welcoming and playful work environment. After frequent reminders, trips to the store, and solicitation of family members, we were on track to spread some holiday cheer at Ablesoft.  

Follow me to join our festive journey below:

First stage: unboxing while pretending to be excited. (ft. Sister Caitlin)

Second stage: arguments on décor location and distractions by non-contributors. (Ft. Sally, Noel and Eric)

Third stage: making progress amidst the chaos.

Fourth stage: things are starting to come together for the great reveal….

Fifth stage: the final product.

Sixth stage: denial of prior ill-feelings toward decorating and admiration from afar.

Like most dreaded tasks, the actual process was less painful and dare I say, even fun. The results were worth the effort to boost office morale and lift the spirits of our downtown pedestrians.

Now excuse me, I have a tree to decorate.

—Ben

Douglas. The bare fir.

Not Grateful for Your Systems? Get Ready to Assess the Mess

Two weeks away from sitting around the table with family for Thanksgiving, we thought brushing up on what we are thankful for would be a worthwhile move. So like all good Marketing teams, we forced this idea upon the staff of Ablesoft and demanded they come up with some things they were thankful for both professionally and personally. Here were some of their highlights: 

Eric, the Project Manager of ASI, said that he’s “thankful for a team of developers that regardless of experience and tenure help each other out and are such a great group to work with.” On a personal note, he’s also thankful “for a healthy and happy boy who is growing up way too fast.” 

Our Account Executive, Michelle, chimed in as well. She’s grateful for ASI’s lunch meetings at the sandwich shop and for taking the time to just chat outside the office. She also values family outings.  

Noel, our President, gives thanks for his wife Sally, that she’s happy and fulfilled in her retirement. And that teaming up with his two sons at Ablesoft has been a satisfying and rewarding venture. 

Alan, our Senior Programmer Analyst, says he’s grateful to ASI for the supportive family atmosphere. We couldn’t agree more. In terms of his personal life, he expresses thanks for his healthy family. Sounds like he’s right on track for some great personal values.  

Carson, our Developer Intern, says of his personal gratitude moment: “One event that I’m thankful for in 2022 is traveling and visiting California because I have never been there and always wanted to go. It was nice to leave Illinois for a little and just have a nice chill week.” 

We’re sure California was a breeze in the weather compared to Illinois temps. We’re glad to have him on the team. Speaking of, Carson says that he loves the learning opportunities available to him at ASI. Like our other team members, he’s a big fan of the working atmosphere and culture.  

Our Programmer Analyst, Andrew, keeps it simple. He’s grateful for GPS computers as well as the Visual Studio IDE at ASI. For those who don’t know, Visual Studio is a computer program that’s used to develop websites, web apps, services, and mobile apps. No wonder he’s a Programmer! 

Edgar, the youngest Programmer Analyst, is thankful he isn’t required to be a slave to clocking in and out full time in the office. Saving gas money with hybrid work is definitely a perk. Outside of work, he is thankful for his Kindle reader and the knowledge he’s gained from reading. He even ranks his Kindle one of the “top 5 purchases in life so far, next to my bidet.”   

Ben, our Vice President, is blessed to receive a new gift in his life–a baby! He says he’s “thankful for having a baby on the way and nearly completing the never-ending renovations of our home.” When it comes to business, he feels gratitude for ASI’s projects that keep him interested and engaged, the commitment of the employees, and of course, the new air fryer in the kitchen. We get it. It rocks to have fried potatoes in minutes without using any oil. 

Our Creative analyst Lisa shares that she’s thankful for all mundane moments with her growing boys. When it comes to working, she appreciates the growth and flexibility of ASI’s innovative marketing approaches. 

_____________________________________________________________

We shared a lot about the people and situations that brought us joy and value. As software developers, however, we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize the solutions we developed for our customers. If your systems are bringing more frustration than gratitude, please continue reading.    

Shop Floor Apps 

We want to take the time to thank Ablesoft Core for allowing businesses to grow and scale. We’ve seen our clients grow to new heights thanks to the power of customizing shop floor apps to help your specific processes and goals. We’re committed to quality, productivity, and continuous improvement. That’s something to say thanks for.  

Fixed Cost Assessments 

Our fixed cost assessments provide value to organizations who feel their systems are a mess. We work to understand your business methods and offer cost-saving solutions to modernize your systems. 

Some Extra Gratitude 

Overall, we’re so grateful to assist companies in their process to become fully modernized while retaining their core focus and strengths.  Visit our website to see how we are about to give back in 2023. Are you ready to assess your mess?  

5 Skills Developers Have that You Need

When it comes to developers, we all know having the right technical skills is a must. However, the non-technical skills are just as important. In this What’s News post, we'll discuss five of the most crucial non-technical skills that developers exercise that every employee should work on.

1. “Communication, Communication, Communication”
Communication is to software development, as location is to purchasing a home. It is critical. When they are not meeting internally daily to review project status, the developers are connecting with clients bi-weekly for project updates.

2. No Egos
Every developer will run into problems in every project. In fact, our developers are encouraged to raise challenges they are currently facing so problems can be solved as a team. Accepting failure as a learning opportunity and effectively searching for solutions separates the good developers from the great ones.

3. Learn to Love Targets
Our developers juggle both customer deadlines and internal targets formed during weekly team meetings. These deadlines are important not only to maintain customer satisfaction, but for team accountability.

4. Thirst for Knowledge
Developer success depends on the ability to embrace learning while life is in constant motion. As Microsoft pushes out new technology, Ablesoft assigns a team member to present the updates to the rest of the developers to stay relevant with the rest of the industry.

5. Keep it Simple
Finally, do not "over engineer". Meaning: the most complex solution is not always the best. Additionally, if something works do not spend time recreating it. Our developers took this motto to heart in building the ASI Core. It serves as the technical bedrock we use across our applications to avoid starting from scratch for each project.

Our group of developers are unique in that they exhibit all these skills in addition to being technically skilled. If your business software systems are not running at peak performance, visit our website (https://www.ablesoftsolutions.com/tech) to see how we can simplify your organization’s processes with a custom app using the efficiency of the ASI core.

X Tech Full Presentation: Featuring Doug Coin

10 Ideas to Stay Productive

10 Ideas to Stay Productive

Of all the qualified authorities to write about productivity, I’m certainly the least of these. I struggle with organization and prioritizing tasks, and with the distractions of technology, I’m your classic procrastinator.

Before I forced myself to sit and write this, I had a sudden urge to clean the toilet and put away some laundry. To avoid this, I recruited the advice of my co-workers who offered their top 10 productivity tips.

1. Written To-Dos: The most common theme across the office. The written to-do list is a precious commodity for some and a daunting task for others. Company-wide, we prioritize and track all our tasks under the term “achievements.” The result? Our entire organization completes projects on time and welcomes new projects without dropping the ball on current work.

2. Google Keep: While not everyone has access to ASI’s internal system for managing tasks, Google Keep is available to provide similar benefits:

• Multiple lists for different purposes (shopping, to-do’s, etc.)

• Shareable lists. Add items to your partner’s shopping list. Another user can access the list and check off items.

• Saves completed items checked off.

• Lists are easily accessible and shared in real-time from any device.

3. Categorization: Each morning (or the night before bed), break down your daily “achievements” by category and what needs to occur “before lunch” and “after lunch.” You may have tasks related to the categories: “kids”, “household”, “management”, “programming”, and “meetings”, for instance. Splitting the categories and related activities into AM and PM, help make your day feel more manageable and organized.

4. Keyboard shortcuts: Do less and increase productivity more. Using keyboard shortcuts instead of the mouse enables you to work faster, more efficiently, and with increased precision. (CTRL+A, select all, is my personal favorite).

5. Music to Focus: Aside from the sounds of furious typing, under-the-breath cursing, and Doug the dog pacing, the office is largely silent. I always assumed the developers needed silence to concentrate, but apparently, they listen to their favorite playlists. Some of my favorite instrumental sounds include Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and “EDM bangers”, obviously.

6. Chocolate Works: Keeping our senses engaged boosts focus. Taste is no different. Next time you are tempted to check how low your bitcoin investment is headed, try popping a piece of dark chocolate in your mouth. A study from Northern Arizona University showed eating a piece of dark chocolate activates your brain in a way that increases your level of attention.

7. Take a hike: Are you still reading this? Go on, get out of here! Take a walk, breath in some fresh air (see? we can even use our sense of smell to get motivated), and come back ready to focus on the last few tips for productivity. The brothers in our office, Ben and Eric, treat themselves most days to a quick walk around the block together. Whether they’re discussing paint swatches or toddler tantrums, they return ready to get back to work.

8. Clean Workspace: How is your desk looking right now? Any handwritten notes from ASI that can be hung up? How is the lighting? Your chair? A naturally lit, clean, comfortable workspace is a huge step toward increasing productivity.

9. Sign Off: Ben (VP of ASI) recently found himself getting sidetracked by a routine of checking headline news online and social media updates. I think we are all guilty of stepping into the time vortex egged on by online distractions. To combat this habit, he since has wholly signed out of social media and online news sites. Now, he subscribes to only paper sources and allocates time to reading a physical newspaper.

10. Journaling is Power: Last month Ben and I experimented with journaling each day before starting work. A concept pulled from the book Writing to Learn by William Zinsser, Ben and I committed ten minutes to jot down anything that came to mind related to the workday. We agreed the exercise of writing was aiding us to not only become better writers but a key driver for organizing thoughts and even problem-solving.

In Closing

Phew, I did it. Several snacks and walks later, I can check off this assignment. Jokes aside, we are a staff of employees and individuals dedicated to increasing your productivity with software tailored to your business process.

Journey from Amoeba to Multicelluar

Improve Your Business through Personal Development

If you’re an avid reader of our new monthly ‘What’s News’, as we assume you are, consider this month’s read as Part II where our employees reflect on unexpected growth and opportunity around them.

Six years ago, during a tech podcast I frequently listen to, the host, Paul Thurrott, touted the language learning app Duolingo. Intrigued by the challenge of learning Spanish, I downloaded the software. This seemingly insignificant action would initiate a lifelong journey absorbing a new language and culture. I soon outgrew the boundaries of learning from a computer and initiated a friendship with an international language partner who had a mutual interest in learning English. While we continue to meet regularly, I knew I was ready to be immersed in regular face-to-face conversation. Meanwhile, it was 2020 and as life has a funny way of opening doors, ASI hired its first “Amoeba” employee, Edgar Zarco.The Amoeba program is an entry-level educational curriculum we coined at ASI. The program strives to build programming professionals out of the programming equivalent of single-celled creatures. Edgar’s drive and aptitude gained him a full-time programming job at ASI as result of graduating the program. In addition to appreciating his programming abilities, I was thrilled to learn Edgar’s family is from Mexico and speaks fluent Spanish.

Edgar agreed to turn the tables and become the teacher, and I the single-celled creature. Each week we walked away from programming to discuss a variety of planned topics – in Spanish, of course. After a few weeks, we covered our interests in viajar (travel), mascotas (pets), and pasatiempos (hobbies). Recently, we traded favorite foods – sweet bread he offered, and chocolate cookies baked by yours truly.

As a tech company, ASI understands the world is in a constant state of change. Accordingly, I encourage our employees to invest in themselves with ongoing education. My challenge to readers this month is to pursue growth, career or otherwise, and make it a lifelong journey. Mentorships turn into friendships and friendships can turn into opportunity. I imagine Edgar would agree – our unexpected collaboration effectively reimagines the amoeba program and the way we communicate among our team and customers. Externally, we offer mentorship and education in the form of assessments. For a fixed cost, our developers partner with leadership in your organization to uncover ways to increase efficiency and productivity.