Weekend newsletter #16
The best of what I've read this week, about operations, training and education, communication, and more
Hello!
This week I was pleasantly surprised to see process documentation featured in the latest episode of one of my favorite TV shows, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Here’s my LinkedIn post about it, if you’re like to read more.
A common thread through my interests and career(s) has been making connections and combining interests. Not only networking, connecting with people, but tying ideas together and spotting commonalities and patterns. If we continue with the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel reference, I really enjoy spotting the actors the producer, Amy Sherman-Palladino, hires from her past shows. For example, this week’s episode featured Sutton Foster, who was in Bunheads and also in the Stars Hollow musical in the Gilmore Girls revival miniseries.
I was chatting with a friend this week about the downside to combining topics and ideas: not knowing what to call this new combination. Similar to (not) naming my business, or this newsletter, or describing what I am doing very well. Being a generalist, combining subjects, makes it difficult to decide on the right words that other people can use as search terms or recognize as matching their own interests or needs.
Onto the resources!
What I've been reading, watching, and listening to:
Carl Ferreira talks about helping buyers navigate change
Gaby Israel Grinberg writes about how to choose benefits for your team
Sam Jacobs lists 11 skills to build a successful executive career
Wendy Lampert compares RevOps to spinning plates
Mike Rizzo shares how marketing ops is the launchpad to the C-Suite
Wes Kao reveals a common storytelling mistake
Rachel Koblic talks about how being an executive is about people
Gray MacKenzie asks about agency certification programs
Jonathan Fianu writes about decoupling functional and strategic leadership
Neil Weitzman shares how to get started as a fractional executive, and the differences between advisors, consultants, fractional execs, and coaches/mentors.
Jonathan Tice posts about revenue leakage from a new exec joining the team
Toni Hohlbein gives advice and slides about how RevOps ≠ systems admin
Darrell Alfonso shares takeaways from a recent marketing ops town hall
Jeff Ignacio writes about things RevOps doesn’t want to hear
Laura “LG” Guerra describes how to move from individual contributor to leadership
Anastasiia Binns shares about data cleanliness
Nicole Pereira discusses energy drivers vs. energy takers
Lucy Huber talks about businesses still using a system from the ‘1800s’ — such as Costco’s cake ordering process
The Secret CFO shares more about how they spends their time at work
Articles, Reports, Guides, Newsletters
Rosalyn Santa Elena and Melissa McCready write on Women in Revenue’s new blog about What is RevOps and Why Do You Need It?
Katie Burke talks with Vox about looking at your own employee data instead of looking at what other companies are doing, related to remote or in-office work.
Chelsea Seid discusses Berkeley’s Expectations Formula
Vinita Bansal shares How To Develop Your Strategic Thinking Skills and Stay Ahead
CFO Secrets teaches Mastering the Art of Corporate Budgeting
Scott Brinker writes about three pillars of The New Automation Mindset
Vessela Ignatova writes about the 3 commitments Biz Ops leaders should make
The Economist ($) shares how to recruit with softer skills in mind
Bridge writes about How to Train Employees on Soft Skills (by the way... I hate the term ‘soft skills,’ which makes these sound less valuable than technical, tactical skills. Please use ‘human skills’ or ‘people skills’ or ‘power skills’ or another up-to-date term!)
Harvard Business Review ($) writes: To Implement Change, You Don’t Need to Convince Everyone at Once
Inc discusses how to become a better manager by people watching
BookClub’s guide tells how learning separates exceptional teams from good teams
Podcasts & Webinars
Kevin Dunn and George B. Thomas chat on Agency Unfiltered: How to Maximize HubSpot Academy for Accelerating Your Career
George B. Thomas and Liz Murphy talk on Marketing Profs: The Importance of Being Human in Your B2B Content
Operations with Sean Lane discusses The RevOps definition most people get wrong (related: this is also my book topic, with a human-centric definition 😄 )
Jen Igartua talks to Breaking the Tech Ceiling about generalists, having a ‘ship it’ midset, and more.
The HubHeroes podcast chats about HubSpot’s World Certification Week
Featured Events or Classes:
May 15-19: HubSpot Academy’s World Certification Week! For every certification you earn or re-earn, HubSpot will donate $5 to an educational nonprofit
May 18: RevOp Co-op: 3 Essential RevOps Practices to Secure Your Status as Company MVP
May 18: Babelquest: Behind the Hub: Build a HubSpot Adoption Dashboard
Featured Book:
The Power of Fun by Catherine Price. I just started reading this, since I need to have more fun. So, of course, reading research books and possibly taking courses about it is the logical first step, right? 😆
Featured Tip:
I need tips on having more fun. Please reply. Thank you.
Featured Job:
VP of Business Ops + Strategy at Mural
If you’re looking for any HubSpot experts to join your team, reply to this email and I’ll connect you and/or send the job information to friends at my previous company who were impacted by layoffs last week. Thank you!!
Self-Promotion of the Week:
New dates announced for my 2-week documentation course, for the rest of 2023:
Tuesdays and Fridays, 90 minutes, $399
June 13-23, 8AM Pacific
September 19-29, 10AM Pacific
December 5-15, 11AM Pacific
Documentation workshops:
Writing workshops: 3 hours, $99
June 6, 8AM Pacific
July 6, 9AM Pacific
August 9, 10AM Pacific
System workshops: 2.5 hours, $99
May 26, 8AM Pacific
July 18, 9AM Pacific
August 23, 10AM Pacific