I just watched a Harvard Business Review interview with Vineet Nayar, CEO of HCL Technologies, Ltd on Putting Employees first.

I’m an employee in the corporate world so I liked the video.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Harvard Business Review article Managing Oneself by Peter F. Drucker. I strongly suggest reading it. Its well worth the price. In it, Peter talks about the importance of finding your strengths as well as weaknesses. It sounds pretty obvious but funny how very few people actually know those things about themselves.

Peter F. Drucker passed away in 2005 after 60 years of consulting career.

I like this quote from him:

“It takes far more energy and work to improve from incompetence to mediocrity than it takes to improve from first-rate performance to excellence.

And yet most people-especially most teachers and most organizations concentrate on making in-competent performers into mediocre ones. Energy, resources, and time should go instead to making a competent person into a star performer.”

The article suggests finding the answer to a series of questions about yourself to find those strengths and weaknesses. Following are some of them. For the most part they build on each other. Take some time and answer each one. You won’t regret it.

When answering questions below keep in mind that just because you are good at a task or roll doesn’t mean it matches your personality. You can develop skills for a role or task that doesn’t match your personality by simply practicing it enough times.

Are you a reader or listener?

This is harder to answer that it seems. Many people don’t know which one they are or think they are opposite of what their personality really is. This can be because they might have been reading or listening most of their life/career and never really spent time on the other to know their true strengths.

Following are some good reads and resources that can help you figure out which one you are:

• Reader or Listener
• Reader or Listener – Oral? Composition ($30.0 article)

How do you learn?

Here are few questionnaires that might help you find the answer to this question:

• Learning Style Inventory (+)
• How do I? learn best
• Learning Style Quiz (+)
• Learning Style Self Assessment

Do you work well with people or are you a loner? If with people, in what relationship?

Most people probably work well with people. The main question is the relationship that you work best under. Manager to employee? Employee to employer? Subordinate or commander?

Do you produce results as a decision maker or as an adviser?

What are your values?

This is not a question of ethics but rather just values. There are not wrong or right values but ones that we want to see ourselves as.   This is an important question to answer so put some thought into it. The Living Your Values article is a good read to help you put together your list of values in order.? even though I don’t particularly agree with the author’s final thoughts.

Where do you belong?

For example do you belong in a large organization? a small one? Knowing the answers to the above questions of what are my strengths? How do I perform? and. What are my values? will help you find the answer to this question much easier.

What should you contribute?

Instead of trying to explain this question I’ll use a quote from the article:

“… the question in most cases should be. Where and how can I achieve results that will make a difference within the next year and a half? The answer must balance several things. First, the results should be hard to achieve-they should require “stretching,” to use the current buzzword. … Second, the results should be meaningful. They should make a difference. Finally, results should be visible and, if at all possible, measurable”

What is your Responsibility in your relationships?

Your answer to this question enables you to talk to your boss / employees and tell them:

“This is how I work. These are my values. This is the contribution I plan to concentrate on and the results I should be expected to deliver.”

You can answer the questions above by trying to analyze yourself, ask your friends, or seek help from professional executive coaches. I actually used all of them.

How Can These Questions Help You?

Write down the answer to the above questions on a piece of paper. Once you see all the answers together you find interesting facts about yourself that you had no idea about. This can help better manage your tasks and plan your future.

Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce

By becoming a member of Indianapolis chamber of commerce you will be able to go to their networking events and connect with local officials among other benefits. The events cost ranges from $10 to $500.

Check out the upcoming events here. You can register to become a member here also.

Indiana Small Business Development Center

As the name implies this center helps small business owners improve their business, network, and learn about all the benefits Indiana offers to small businesses.

They offer seminars, tools, business blogs, and a small business magazine. They are even on twitter.

Indiana Entrepreneurs TV

A business video magazine. Website

Venture Club of Indiana

$350 for individual membership Website

Indiana Entrepreneurs

Hosting Indiana Entrepreneurship Week Website

I will post more about each one of them once I become a member.

Seth Godin is one of the best marketers in the world. I’ve read many of his books and regularly read his blog. Right now Seth is offering an alternative MBA program. Basically he is offering 11 people to wok with him for free for one week.You can read all the details on Seth Godin’s blog.

I think it is a great opportunity. I would have loved to apply and possibly join him for the week, however he has put the following requirement (among few others): He is “limiting the program to people at non-profits doing important work (or for-profits that leave a significantly positive impact on their communities”.

I definitely don’t work at a non-profit and do not significantly impact my community at this time.

If you can afford living one week in NY City by yourself and can take the time off from work, you should absolutely apply for the opportunity.

I often find myself reading about business schools and their MBA programs, going to visit campuses, and talking to business school professors. Here are some of the good resources where I’ve found:

MBA Program (Universities) Rankings

• Entrepreneur Magazine (One of my favorites)
• The Princeton Review (Free)
• Financial Times Ranking
• US News (Free & Paid)
• Business Week (Great source)

MBA Admission & Info Blogs to Follow

• Business Week Getting Admitted
• Journals from current MBA students at various MBA programs

Other MBA Resources

• Useful videos to watch