Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and welcome to a very special double issue of BIC Magazine.
As I write this missive, there are still six weeks in 2015, and it is our busiest time of the year. If we were to coast to the finish, strong gains would certainly be negated.
I confess I have been feeling stressed of late, feeling like I have to fit too much into my work day. Like the environment that many of you work in, the day-to-day business seems unrelenting at times. In times of busyness-induced stress, I am comforted by some wisdom I’d like to pass onto you: God won’t give you more than a day’s work to accomplish in a day. In this truth, we should diligently accomplish what we can each day and go to bed satisfied with the effort.
When I think about it, much stress has no real meaning since it is self inflicted. We put more stuff on our plate than we can eat. I know when I repent of this mindset and come back to the reality of the situation, I immediately start to feel better and begin to count blessings instead.
Our business units, BIC Magazine, BIC Recruiting and IVS Investment Banking, are all doing well. The publication consistently gets rave reviews, and its print version will have its best year ever in 2015. Just as exciting, our digital version is now widely read, with our website having more than 20,000 unique visitors a month. The Web traffic has remained on an amazing growth curve throughout the year. These things don’t happen by accident.
We should aim high. But I am confident it is not at what we aim that is of primary importance; it is the question of who is chosen and empowered to get there.
Take a look at the names in our masthead on the right. I wish I had the space to recognize all of the individual accomplishments of each person in building our current success. There are many, and space will not allow me to expound in this column. Suffice it to say the veterans of our team have provided leadership to both develop more depth and to train newcomers as we have grown our team.
Often visitors, readers and marketing partners tell me we not only have a great product and service but also the people at BIC really care about helping and are professional in their approaches and skill sets. As our team has been training new employees this year, I literally have been stopped by each to express the camaraderie and sense of collaboration at our office is unique. That makes my heart swell, and I am immediately filled with gratitude for all of our people who work in such a way to engender this culture.
These issues of how we are going to achieve goals and what we have to do are what most managers focus upon. It isn’t usually difficult to know what needs to get done. Moving the focus from how to having the right who tends to get the job done better. Fortunately we have the best staff we have ever had at BIC, and the teamwork we have goes a tremendous way toward making the work smoother and more enjoyable.
With a strong, enthusiastic and well-trained staff in place, it is not a surprise we have enjoyed some record successes. One of the leaps forward made in 2015 has been with our executive headhunting division, BIC Recruiting. BIC Recruiting helps businesses with the “who” and helps individuals find the work environment that will lead to their successes. We have grown the business 20 percent year over year, placing primarily executive-level sales and management professionals. We plan to expand BIC Recruiting in 2016 into the placement of maintenance and safety and procurement professionals.
Of course, at the end of 2014, we set expectations high and had specific goals and plans for the who and the how, the staffing and the operations/sales and marketing. As I have said before, a goal without a plan is just a dream. Much of next year’s success in reaching goals will begin with the “who” and with planning today.
If you are interested in planning the “who” and “how” to help your success in the new year, please contact our offices and we will be happy to assist you.
In this issue, we include insight from Port of Houston Authority Executive Director Roger Guenther, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP Cedar Bayou Facility Plant Manager Mitch Krutilek, CRUDE Coalition Executive Director Jay Hauck, Foundation for Energy Education President Timothy Smith, BRACE Industrial Group Founding Partner Pete Vrettakos, Dimensional Services Inc. Managing Director William O. Bonner and Houston Area Safety Council Occupational Health Services Chief Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Hysler.
We also include topics to help you on the job, from fostering a positive attitude in the workplace and bridging the workforce gap to effects of the new ozone rule and advanced work packaging and workface planning.
Above all, I challenge you, dear reader, to consider the “who” from a larger perspective. Remember no success at work will mitigate failures in your personal relationships, be it with your relationship with God, your family or friends. A proper relationship with these “who’s” will bring you real success, happiness and joy.
May God give you the desires of your heart, and may all of your plans succeed. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and peace be with you.