Ben Benner’s Blog

I have a maintenance in just under 3 hours.

I had one last Friday morning at 0200 as well.

I opted to handle these maintenances rather than make my staff deal with it. To note, Jeremy is on vacation this week and would be my regular choice for handling this maintenance.

However, since I am going to be on vacation soon I figured handling a little bit of early morning “fun” is the least I can do for the fact that they are going to have to handle my duties while I am out.

I have a new guy starting tomorrow, he is going to be in the office at 0900. So that means I will need to get to bed in a more reasonable timeframe than last week.

Anyway, I best get to bed, especially given that I was up late last night finishing up a script for Gina’s customer.

Night

A few years back an exec who was advising me on how to become an exec and leader myself told me that I should look to TV and movies for examples of leadership.

When I first heard this, I was a little shocked, but after a few minutes I thought of a few examples of leadership that I have seen in TV and movies. The immediate ones I thought about was the scene in Boiler Room where Ben Affleck’s character was telling everyone who was starting what was expected of them and what they could expect in very blunt terms.

Not necessarily what you would want on a regular basis, but the one scene has made me think about trying to be more blunt with the guys I manage. The next example I thought about was mentoring that Dennis Quad showed Topher Grace in the movie In Good Company.

The whole movie In Good Company, I think is a good example of how a leader should try to not only lead the team but protect them and assist when he can. It also showed a good example of the how expectations can vary by managers from different generations, albeit in a very stereotypical way.

But the one that I think back to time and time again, is Major Winters from the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers. I have long had an affinity for WWII movies and shows. But Major Winters was a real person, and while I am sure HBO took liberties with some of the dramatic portrayal of the material, I really do believe that the people from that era deserve the designation The Greatest Generation.

You get to watch Major Winters (who started out as a Lieutenant in the mini-series) win respect of the men he led in Easy company. There is a point in the mini-series where they are in Bastogne and (I believe he was a Captain at the time) Major Winters wants so badly to go back out and lead the men out of harms way as their commanding officer was not doing what he was supposed to. That feeling that he needs to jump back into the fray, that he still cared about the safety of the men in that company, is impressive. I mean he had been promoted to Battalion Command by that point and was expected to organize the strategy for the attacks, not lead them.

The other thing that I recognize and that is talked about here and there is that Easy company would not have been as tightly nit (or physically ready) for the perils that they went through if not for Captain Sobel. Sobel galvanized Easy company, unfortunately he became the common foe. And if the mini-series accurately portrays Sobel, then the fact that he was removed as the commanding officer of Easy company was for the good.

But in the contrast you get to see what a bad leader is, Sobel who does force Easy company to become physicall fit, but does not think he needs the men’s respect. “You salute the rank, not the man.” is one of the lines you hear later on in the series after Winters is promoted above Sobel.

The other line I remember is “If you were in my platoon, I would tell you that you are a rifleman first and a radio man second.” This concept is one that I try to keep in my head, that within whatever department you are in or leading, the members (including the manager) should be able to perform the basic operations of the department. This can be hard to achieve, but it is something that I think is worth shooting for.

I would not be where I am Today if not for the fact that I am capable of doing a little bit of everything. Specialization is good, is NEEDED in many careers, but without a strong understanding of the basics, then you may find yourself “Over Qualified” or find that you have to rely on someone else to be able to perform your job duties (which can upset your timetables).

Another reason for bringing up the “rifleman” quote is because, in my current career role I don’t do a lot of programming anymore. To note I never had the designation of a programmer or developer, but I dabbled. But the fact that I dabbled I truly believe makes me a better manager. Same goes for managing the Sales Engineer (currently only one guy, so hard to say Sales Engineer Dept).  Having significant experience doing sales engineering I believe makes me a better manager of that process.

I have the Band of Brothers DVDs playing while I straighten up my office.

Gina (The Best Wife Ever) was kind enough to get me the DVDs a couple of years ago for X-mas, as I would usually watch it when it was on HBO or A&E.

Oh, last thing about Currahee, I would like to go there someday and run it, 3 miles up and 3 miles down. Mostly for nostalgia of watching the mini-series so much that I could run the same route that Easy Company did over 60 years ago. I have no idea how I would go about arranging that, but it is something that I would like to do in say the next 2 or 3 years.

I better get back to filing away stuff on my desk.

Laterz

I have written a couple of posts here that described how I think music can reflect or change your mood.

Music as a stimulant?

Life and Lyrics

As I am eating lunch here (at my desk, I have a 1:00 and by the time I realized it was lunch time it was already 12:10), I turned on my nano and started listening to the Silversun Pickups.

I really, really like the whole album, but there are a few tracks that really envigorage me, not just toe tapping, but there is something about the melody and the way the beat’s rythem builds and build and blends with the lyrics. I am no musician, but I do enjoy music.

There are a couple of other artists that can improve my mod instantly, ie Billy Joel, Ben Folds, Cranberries, Silversun Pickups. There are others that can get the blood pumping, ie NiN, Smash Mouth, Small Arms Dealers. And when I need to unwind, the Counting Crows, the Editors or the Eels come in handy.

Anyway, it is almost 1:00, so I best get some stuff printed out for this meeting.

Back to the grind.

Laterz

And grateful it is Friday.

I have a number of home projects that need to get squared away this weekend to ensure a relaxing vacation, so this weekend will be action packed.

The trip back from Dallas was fun. Jeremy and I had a chance to catch-up with a buddy who lives in Dallas. It was good conversation and pretty decent food (we went to Bone Daddy’s).

On the way back we listened to the music on Jeremy’s iPod  (we listened to some of mine on the way up). Oddly enough most of the music we listened to I also have.

We finished off the trip listening to different tracks off of Billy Joel’s greatest hits albums. I always enjoy a good singalong with the Piano Man.

Back to grind.

Laterz.

Jeremy and I are packing up and heading to Dallas tonight. (like probably right after I am done with this post)

We will be up there for meetings all day tomorrow, then driving back that night.

Not sure if posted an update about his car, if he hasn’t then I will scoop him here.

They believe it is a sensor in his transmission, so between the part, labor and changing the transmission fluid he will be out about another $300 bucks.

The mechanics believe that is all the work that is needed to fix his car.

Well I best shut it down and get the laptop in the bag so we can motor.

Laterz

Patty post this pic on his blog.

I don’t remember exactly what that structure at the power plant was (maybe some sort of cooling tower) but the fact that it was damaged in a storm is amazing.

Ok, now I am going to bed.

Laterz

While listening to the radio during my morning routine, Alice In Chains’ song “Rooster” came on. I came to the realization that I have heard that song almost everyday on the radio since my days in high school. That is obviously a bit of a generalization.

However, whether it is in the morning, during the day or at night, I swear I have heard the Rooster song at least once a day.

Bear in mind, I listen to “Alternative Rock” stations about 100% of the time. Back in Lansing it was 92.1 The EDGE. Here in Austin, it is 101X. (92.1 is no longer on the air)

My reason for bringing up my choice in music is that, by listening to an Alterantive Rock station I increase my chances of hearing the Rooster song significantly. But as I reached this seemingly mundane epiphany about hearing this song from 1992 almost everyday, I realized that my choice in music might soon become a form of ‘Classic Rock’.

The DJs on 101x have stayed relatively young, swapping out every few years. One of the ladies that did the morning show when I first moved down now has a show later in the day. And some of the DJs from that time period appear to have moved into management.

Another realization that I have had lately is that more and more of the new music that is dubbed “Alternative Rock” is just noise to me. It all sounds the same. Funny thing is there were a few bands that hit the airwaves about 6 months back that all seemed to want to be Pearl Jam, I mean their lead singers were trying hard to sound like Eddie Vedder.

Back in high school the rock of the ’80s was just becoming phased out into the ‘Flash Back’ hours (lunch breaks or drive-time nostalgia music hours). I still tune into the Flash Back lunch hour on 101x, the majority of the music there is from the ’80s, some of is now music from the ’90s.

Yet, still the Rooster makes its way into prime air time. I guess I am curious about what when will the “Classic Rock” be the music of the ’80s and ’90s. I mean, if Classic Rock today is the music of the ’60s and ’70s, will they tack the ’80s and ’90s music onto that genre or will they create a new genre, say “Classic Alternative Rock”.

I guess one thing that I am starting to realize is that I am getting old(er).

This year I will 30, the next big milestone for me. I think most people find 30 to be a defining point, the point at which they are no longer young and not quite old.

I have always said that I feel older than I am, I usually throw out 70. Oddly enough, these days I would probably say that I feel 60.

So by the time I am 40 I will feel like 50, so in theory when I am 45, I will say 45.

Anyway, it is time to snuff the rooster.

Night

Gina and I had lunch @ Mandola’s yesterday, it is this great Italian deli that opened up a couple of years back.

They make fresh rustic bread, their own mozzarella cheese, they have a great selection of Italian cookies and they also have gelato. They have a few aisles of specialty Italian goods (sauces, pastas, cans/jars of preserved fishes).

They also have a restaurant part there as well, where you order sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, salads and some other yummy stuff.

We split a sausage and mushroom pizza and each had  their “Mista’ salads.

The staff member that brought us our food recognized the NetworkIP logo on Gina’s shirt. Now, I have had people think they knew NetworkIP, but really had a different company in mind. And the fact that Keith kept only saying “Network”, this led Gina and I to initially think he just had the name confused.

But then he mentioned Longview.

So, indeed Keith Nelson knew NetworkIP. He proceeded to mention some folks that work at Centris (formerly known as “Network Operator Services”). He had gone to culinary school in Austin and said that three years ago had met Amy (presumably a manager at Mandola’s, didn’t have a chance to ask) and he has been working at Mandola’s ever since.

He stated that he worked at “Network” while he was in high school doing odd jobs here and there and that he tried to be an operator at one point, but he just got bored. He at first mentioned that his family helped found Network, but I could not remember hearing about anyone with the last name of Nelson.

Turns out he is the nephew of one of the executives at Network Operator Services.

Keith was very surprised to hear that there was an Austin office, which actually isn’t that surprising as the Austin office isn’t listed anywhere, I guess it is a secret. (oops, spilled the beans.)

Anyway, he asked that Gina pass along a message to one of the executives that she works closely with.

It was an interesting chance meeting and from now on I will keep an eye out for Keith whenever at Mandola’s.

Back to the grind.

Laterz

FireFox had an astounding 8.7M downloads in 24 hours.

I am sure that the Guiness Book of World Records folks will award them the record for most downloads in a 24 hour period.

Having been using the Beta releases of FireFox 3, I am pretty familiar with the latest updates to the browser, and I need to point out that FireFox 3 is a HUGE improvement over FireFox 2 (not that FireFox 2 was a bad browser).

Laterz

It looks like someone over at NetCraft had a similar thought about the timing of the posts on Mozilla’s blog in relation to the kick-off of the FireFox 3 download.

My original post.

Back to the grind.

Laterz