The Paper Shuffle: Stackers, Sorters, and Stuffers

Fridays are good days for getting your desk organized at the office so it will be in order for the next week’s paper shuffle.  In preparation for Friday, I went to Office Depot and bought some tools with which to organize my desk.  I bought two stacking trays, a descending file folder holder, a phone tray, and a three-tiered organizer.  I am determined to get my desk organized once and for all!

I have observed, while working in an office environment for more than 20 years, that there are basically three types of paper shufflers.  Each type has its own unique way of handling paperwork, and it’s virtually impossible to break them of their habits.  Below is a discussion of the three main types of paper shufflers, but it should be noted that some people are a combination of one or more of the stereotypes described here.  Which type are you?

The Paper Stacker

The Paper Stacker is overwhelmed with the amount of paperwork that seems to accumulate on her desk (for purposes of this discussion, I am going to refer to all of these paper shufflers as “she” and “her” – with no slight intended to the males reading this blog).  A Stacker observes that she no sooner gets one stack of papers filed away before another stack mysteriously appears on her desk.  It’s like the stacks of papers reproduce overnight!

The Paper Stacker is likely to open whatever mail she receives through “snail mail” and put it in a stack to sort later.  She is also likely to open her e-mails and print off copies of the most important ones to serve as reminders of things “to do.”  That’s how the first two stacks are formed.  She puts each stack of papers in a separate file folder to keep them “organized,” and writes a description on the file folder tab to remind her what’s in each folder.

The Stacker typically is a multi-tasker.  She has several projects going on at the same time, and finds it difficult to quickly bring any of them to completion.  A file folder is made for each project when it arrives.  She’ll work on that project to get it started, but then turn her attention to another project that is more pressing.  She’ll work on that third project until she runs into a roadblock, then sets it aside to focus her attention on yet another project.

With a Paper Stacker, folders are put away in a file cabinet only upon completion of the project.  In the meantime, the folders are neatly stacked on her desk.  There’s one stack for the most pressing projects, another one for long-term assignments, and yet another for the administrative paperwork that comes with each office position.  Oh, and there’s likely to be a folder called “Miscellaneous,” for all the stuff that she really doesn’t know what to do with, but doesn’t want to throw away.

You see, Stackers tend to be pack-rats, and to many office observers, they appear to be totally disorganized.  However, The Stacker is, in fact, very organized in her own way.  If someone were to pop into her office unexpectedly, looking for information on a particular project, it’s likely that she’ll know exactly which stack that project is in and can obtain the requested information on a moment’s notice.  But, nonetheless, she drives her antithesis, The Paper Sorter, literally crazy!

The Paper Sorter

The Paper Sorter is the ultimate organizer, and she is likely to be labeled as an “OCD” case by her Stacker friends.  She has one neat little file holder on her desk, along with one tray or inbox.  Both of them are labeled with their contents, and everything is in order.

The Sorter cannot stand disarray of any sort.  She likes to keep her desktop cleared off, and at the end of the day she even removes her file holder and inbox and puts them inside her desk or file cabinet.  She is likely to dust off her desk on a daily basis, and frequently wipes off her computer monitor, “power washes” her keyboard with anti-dust spray and disinfects her phone -- as she cannot stand dirt, dust or germs!



The Neat Desk -- with Everything in its Place.
Does Anyone Really Work Here?



And if by chance someone were to lay a folder or other extraneous object on her desk, she would have to whisk it away immediately and put it in its proper place, as she gets claustrophobic when she has anything surrounding her other than the project of the moment.  Oh, and by the way, unlike her Stacker friends, she likes to work on one project at a time and get it done before moving on to her next assignment, and may get upset if someone interrupts her while she is deeply ensconced in her work.

The Sorter will sort through her mail as soon as it arrives, and immediately toss out anything she doesn’t want to keep.  For the mail that she does keep, she files it neatly away into the proper folder, which she subsequently moves into the file cabinet.

As for printing documents off the computer, the Sorter sees that as a waste of time.  She methodically sorts and moves documents around on her computer desktop to the appropriate folder, likes to read documents on the computer screen, and often scans important papers so she can throw away as much paper as possible and minimize mess.  For those papers she does keep, however, they are neatly filed away immediately into her file cabinet, which is organized not only by labels, but coordinated by colors for each file category.  The Sorter is extremely proud of her organizational skills and is disgusted by what she views as the messy offices of her Stacker friends.

The Paper Stuffer

The desk of the Paper Stuffer often appears as neat as that of the Paper Sorter.  While there may be a few folders or objects on her desk during the day, she has been known to clear off her desk before leaving for the day, to give her boss the appearance of being productive and organized.

However, the Stuffer is a Stacker in disguise, only much less organized.  She will stack up papers without putting them in a file folder, and then stuff all the paper stacks into her desk or credenza before going home.  When the stacks become too big to fit into the desk, she is likely to just grab some of them and throw them away without considering what important papers might be hidden within.  Or, she might forget where she stuffed a particular stack – was it her desk, file cabinet, credenza or storage unit?  “Oh well, it’ll turn up sooner or later,” she thinks to herself.

The Stuffer is likely the least responsible and least productive of the three types of Paper Shufflers, which oftentimes is a symptom of a poor work ethic.  I remember my boss clearing out the desk of a Stuffer who had just been terminated due to poor attendance and poor performance.  My boss found an assortment of unopened envelopes containing checks written to the company that had never been recorded nor deposited months after they were postmarked!

The Stacker, the Sorter, or the Stuffer?

So, which type of Paper Shuffler am I?  Can you guess?  That’s right, I’m a chronic Stacker . . . but I just bought some shiny new desk organizers that will help me get organized once and for all!  Don’t place any bets on it, however; as they say, “Old habits die hard,” and it will be hard to refrain from stacking for any significant length of time.  Wish me luck!

On Veterans, the Military and the Warrior Writers

If someone had told me just a few months ago that I would be attending a Veterans Recognition Breakfast, I would have thought he or she was crazy.  First of all, I am not a veteran and, in fact, until my son joined the military I actually had an aversion to all things military.  This aversion goes back to the era in which I grew up.  I was at the tail-end of the Vietnam War era – an era known for its anti-war sentiments and its popular saying that you should “Make Love, Not War.”  I have to admit that I still am a bit of a pacifist and I don’t like war – I think it should be avoided at all cost unless it is in direct defense of our country.  However, now that my son is in the military, I realize that although I may not support what some higher-ups in the U.S. Government have sent our military overseas to do, we must stand by our men and women who are fulfilling their orders as part of the oath they took to defend our country.

When I recently had the opportunity to become a part of a project called Warrior Writers Fort Wayne, I decided to take the plunge because it sounded like a worthy endeavor.  I checked out the national Web site to see what the Warrior Writers were all about, and I found it to be an outlet where individuals in the military could express themselves and comment freely on their military experience and its effect on them and their families -- good and bad.  These are young men and women who are dedicating their lives to service in the military, just like my son.  I became hooked.

My project partners, Air Force veteran Becky Roady (leader of the project) and classmate A.J. Rivera, have been collaborating with me on ways we can get military people and veterans involved in the Warrior Writers.  Becky attended a movie night on the campus of our college, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), to become connected with IPFW students who are in the military and hopefully get them engaged.

We are looking for a place to conduct writing workshops for our project, and I decided to check out the Red Cross, which is known for its assistance to veterans and those in the military.  So, I called up the Red Cross and talked to one of the people in charge of their military and veterans programs.  It just happened that they were having a Veterans Recognition Breakfast that same weekend, and she invited me (and another one of my project partners) to attend.  It turned out that I went alone to the breakfast, and I didn’t know what to expect.

As I arrived at the Red Cross breakfast check-in table, they asked me what branch of military service I was affiliated with – they had distinct name tags for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, etc. – and I had to tell them I was not a veteran, just a guest.  “I do have a son in the military, though,” I said, trying to justify my attendance at the veterans’ breakfast, “and I’m involved in a project for veterans.”

I went in and took a seat at a nearly-empty table, not knowing anyone in the room.  As I looked around, I saw one table in the middle occupied by a group of gray-haired people, both men and women.  Some were in uniforms, but most of them were in civilian clothing.  “Must be World War II vets,” I thought to myself.  At the other end of my table were a few guys who looked to be in my age bracket, maybe a bit older, and I heard them talking about Viet Nam, so it was easy to figure out from what era they were.  Then, there were just a couple of really young people in the room, and I speculated that perhaps they were still active military personnel – maybe even a part of the conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The breakfast started with the Pledge of Allegiance and a flag-folding ceremony.  It was during this ceremony that I learned most of the gray-haired people in the room were actually Korean War-era veterans.  I started doing the math and realized that probably a lot of the World War II veterans were no longer among us.

The Korean War veterans wore white gloves while handling the U.S. flag and explained that the red stripe of the flag was for life, the white stripe for eternal life, and there were 13 stripes to signify the 13 founding colonies of the union.  The blue stars represent the 50 states of the union, and they even pointed out which star represented our home state of Indiana – the 20^th star, signifying that it was the 20^th state to join the union.  As the vets began carefully folding the flag, they explained the significance of each fold – I cannot remember now what each fold symbolized – but as a result of this ceremony, I came to appreciate the flag and what it represents to those who have defended it.  After the flag was completely folded up and tucked in to form a triangle shape, it was presented to the Red Cross for its display.

The Red Cross, in turn, presented an award to one of the Korean War veterans in recognition of his volunteer service to the organization.

At the end of the breakfast, I was given the opportunity to stand up and briefly tell about our Warrior Writers project and to encourage the veterans to participate.  As a result, four veterans expressed an interest in submitting their writings to the project.  One of them was a 98-year-old woman named Virginia who said she had some good poems she had written about her military service during World War II.  I was honored by her presence and excited about her interest in being a Warrior Writer.

I look forward to reading the submissions of all of our Warrior Writers from Fort Wayne and am proud to be a part of the project.  While I may not appreciate or approve of war unless it is in direct defense of our country, I can surely appreciate the stories and reflections of those who have served and cannot wait to share them with the world!

On the EDGE and the SBDC

Some of you may wonder what exactly I do most of the week, outside of going to school at IPFW.  One of the principle occupations of my time is the Northeast Indiana Small Business Development Center (NEISBDC), located in a little building called the IPFW Hobson Center at Hobson and Stellhorn Roads.  The NEISBDC is a nonprofit organization that is funded in part by the Small Business Administration.  It is an agency of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s SBDC network of nine regional centers located statewide whose mission is “to have a positive and measurable impact on the formation, growth, and sustainability of small businesses in Indiana and to develop a strong entrepreneurial community.”  The ISBDC mission is accomplished by offering one-on-one business counseling and a variety of resources free of charge, along with low-cost or no-cost workshops to help entrepreneurs with their business. The local center serves 10 counties in Northeast Indiana and is hosted by Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, receiving administrative support through the IPFW Division of Continuing Studies.

 As marketing coordinator for the center, I am responsible for marketing, public relations and communications for the Northeast Indiana SBDC.  Responsibilities include creating press releases, electronic newsletters, annual reports and success stories; maintaining a Facebook page; taking photographs and making videos of our clients; and special events coordination.  I also represent the center at local resource fairs and as a guest speaker when requested by area organizations.  As you can see, my position presents a lot of variety, on which I thrive!

I also work directly with NEISBDC clients on marketing strategies, plans and implementation. During the course of my interaction with small business owners, I often help them develop and design brochures, write sales letters, and do market and demographic research to assist them with writing their business plans.  I also conduct one-on-one training with clients from time to time, and am involved in award nominations for their businesses.

Various awards are available during the course of a year to recognize the success of local businesses – among them the Northeast Indiana Innovation Awards hosted by KPC Media Group here in Fort Wayne, as well as the Companies to Watch and EDGE Awards distributed by the Indiana SBDC network.  As part of our marketing and public relations strategies, the NEISBDC identifies and nominates area businesses for these awards, particularly businesses whose owners have worked with our center.

ABOUT ‘EDGE’
The most recent award nominations involving our center were for the 2011 EDGE Awards.  EDGE stands for Economic Development & Growth through Entrepreneurship, and the award recipients fall into two categories:  Emerging or Established businesses.  The recipients are all clients of the ISBDC network who have been chosen by the regional SBDC centers based on their business success.

This year, three clients of the NEISBDC were presented with 2011 EDGE Awards on February 9 at the Indiana State House in Indianapolis.  Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman was on hand to present the awards along with ISBDC State Director Jeff Heinzmann, and various state legislators showed up to congratulate the award recipients from their regions.  I had the pleasure of accompanying the Northeast Indiana EDGE Award recipients at the awards ceremony and am proud to have played a small role in helping them achieve their business success.

Blog author Mary Popovich (left) with 2011 EDGE Award recipients
Terry and Lori Berndt (center) and Marsha Wulpi (right),
all from Fort Wayne.

Marsha Wulpi, owner of JAM Impressions in Fort Wayne, won an EDGE Award in the Established Business category.  Her company specializes in direct-to-garment printing, embroidery, and promotional products, and I admire her for her determination and hard work in always looking for an opportunity to expand her clientele and grow her business while providing great customer service.  I also respect her for her extensive community involvement – she is very active as a volunteer with the Chambers of Commerce in Fort Wayne, Leo and Grabill, as well as with her church – and she and her husband Jim have raised a family of four boys to adulthood while running the business.

Terry and Lori Berndt received an EDGE Award in the Emerging Business category for their new company, The Olive Twist, which is located in Covington Plaza.  The new culinary boutique opened last fall to feature an olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting bar – quite a unique experience for Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Lori, who runs the store, is an amazing and talented lady who serves as a great role model for anyone wanting to start his or her own business.  She worked hard at completing all of the necessary “homework” to get her business up and running.  The result is a beautiful store that has become quite popular with all the local foodies.  I love to see the glow on Lori’s face when she talks about The Olive Twist – she is truly living the American dream!

I congratulate Marsha, Terry and Lori, on their business success, and look forward to continuing our relationship through the Northeast Indiana Small Business Development Center.   

A Family of Overachievers?

The Heck sisters around 20 years ago.

I come from a farm family of five girls who obviously grew up to be women.  I remember as a young girl, when a relative realized that two of my older sisters were valedictorians of their classes, she remarked to a friend, “Oh, they’re just a family of overachievers!”  The way she said it, I thought overachievers must be a bad thing and that there was a stigma attached to being an overachiever.

So, with that memory in mind, I decided for this blog post to explore a bit just what an overachiever is, and to evaluate if my family is in fact one of overachievers.  I decided to look up what other people and resources have said on the subject and to react to their statements as they relate to my family.

“Overachiever:  A student who attained higher standards than the IQ indicated.”  –Definitions.net

I am not sure how to respond to this definition, other than to say it probably does not apply to my family.  Although two of my sisters were valedictorians, I believe they achieved that distinction because of their innate intelligence coupled with their own hard work; to this day they are extremely intelligent and could not have achieved their valedictorian status if their IQs were much lower.  I remember following several years behind my older “smart” sisters in school, and when their old teachers found out I was a Heck (my maiden name), they automatically assumed I was of the same intelligence level as my sisters.  Needless to say, I seldom knew how to answer the difficult questions that were thrown my way in high school, and I am sure I disappointed many of the teachers’ expectations.  For a long time, I thought that because I was not of the same intelligence level as my older sisters (I was mainly a “B” student then), I was not smart.  It was not until my early college days that this myth was dispelled, when I had to take an IQ test for a psychology class and scored above average.  “Wow, I’m not dumb after all!” I thought to myself, and this information gave me the confidence to try harder in college until I was able to learn better and achieve A-grades of my own.

“I became an overachiever to get approval from the world.”  --Madonna

I can relate to this quote from Madonna, only I think the reason many of my sisters became overachievers was not necessarily to get approval from the world, but rather to get the approval of my Dad.  My father set very high standards for all of us sisters.  He expected us to do our best and criticized us if we were any less than best.  My older sisters were given a dollar for every “A” they got on their high school report card, but Dad discontinued this reward system for me and my younger sister because he had to pay out too much money to my two older sisters and didn’t feel like he could afford to reward us in the same way (although neither of us would have cost him as much money for good grades as my older sisters did).  My father always told us to go to college and get an education, and to never rely on a man to take care of us.  Well, I guess that lesson must have made an impression, as we all grew up to be educated, independent women who were not only capable of supporting ourselves, but often had to -- because of being divorced.

“Overachievers don’t think reasonably, sensibly, or rationally.”  -- John Eliot, PhD

I am not sure what the basis was for this comment from Dr. Eliot, but I assume it came from observing family members or acquaintances.  Overall, especially in our professional lives and in our mature adult years, my sisters and I have made decisions that were reasonable, sensible and rational.  However, our personal lives (with the exception of my younger sister) were often a different story.  Four out of five of us could have been the subject of the book, Smart Women, Foolish Choices at some point in our lives.  Possibly as a result of our strained relationship with our perfectionist father whom we were always trying to please, several of us made poor decisions when it came to men.   We often chose men who were unavailable to us in one way or another, men who were overly critical and unappreciative of who we were and what we had to offer, and sometimes men who took advantage of us financially.  The divorce rate in our family is four out of five sisters, with a few of the sisters having been in multiple relationships and marriages over the years.  Another area in which we have struggled is financially (with the one exception named above).   Four out of five of us have had at least one low point financially in our adult lives where were so poor, we were at poverty level.  Although a couple of us experienced poverty as a result of circumstances beyond our control, unfortunately a couple of us became poor because we did not manage money reasonably, sensibly, or rationally.  I am hoping as we settle into our 50s and 60s all of the Heck sisters will figure it all out and become better money managers, or some of us are going to really struggle financially in our retirement years.

“I don’t dwell on whether I am an overachiever.  After my career is over I will sit down and evaluate what I have done.  Until then, all I can do is go out every day and do the best I can.” – Dat Nguyen

I saved this quote for last because I think it represents the stage in life where most of the Heck sisters are currently.  My older sisters are winding down their careers – one as an attorney and college professor; and two as systems analysts, one for a major corporation and one for a major university, respectively.  All of us – including my younger sister, who is a registered nurse and hospital administrator, and even me, who has worked in business marketing and communications most of my life and made the least amount of money – have worked very hard in our careers.  I can honestly say that we have all been overachievers when it comes to our professions, working longer and harder than most of our colleagues, and often achieving more; but we tend not to dwell on it much, as that is how we were raised.  Although the careers of my older sisters are winding down (with one retired and two preparing for retirement), my younger sister and I are still working full time with no retirement in sight.  Until then . . . in fact, until the day I write the last chapter in my book of life, I plan to continue to live by the philosophy that, “all I can do is go out every day and do the best I can;” I can’t see doing it any other way.  And whether that makes me an overachiever is for someone else to decide long after I’m gone.