Eels AI Logo Today, I’m proud to introduce Eels AI, an agent that has been programmed and fine-tuned to be an extension of my voice.  It’s a tool designed to guide work or career conversations to produce a tangible resource that you alone control and choose how to use. Early on, the idea was to solve the intake problem. The first meeting between two strangers discussing serious matters can be tough. Within a short timeframe there are introductions, problem reviewing, trust building, competency proving, and hopefully mutual understanding. In summary, the kickoff 1:1 felt wildly inefficient. However, as it was coming to life, its mission evolved from just a company value-add to something that could make a major impact on client/coach, team member/leader communication. I consider this a glimpse into the future of coaching and organizational 1:1’s. A step toward calls, meetings, and knocks on the door coming with more substance. Today, most sessions are ad-libbed.  Or worse, there’s no time for them.  As AI utilization in the coaching space increases, rather than dismissing it, we’ve brought together the best of both worlds. This is not meant to replace a coach or human.  In fact, we hope it brings people closer together through more exposure and better understanding.  Our tool utilizes someone’s own input and thoughts to steer a conversation, provide a perspective, and get to root cause   faster .  The tangible product produced through a simple ‘summary’ prompt can be used alone or as we would advise, with a trusted mentor, coach, or leader.   If you’ve experienced coaching before, think about how those sessions usually go.  Now, imagine a scenario where your coach comes prepared to the call with a summary highlighting the top talking points, key themes, and proposed next steps of whatever is on your mind so you can get right to it. The tool is openly available on   www.eelsdevelopment.com .  Go give it a try.  It will tell you exactly what it is and what it does.  Whether a real or mock situation, generate a summary so you can see how it works and maybe even for some self-reflection.  If you choose to, have a copy automatically sent to me so we can discuss it together or depending on the situation, pull in Nino from our coaching network. I welcome all feedback of your experience through either DM or at   jose@eelsdevelopment.com .

My own growth and development have been impacted in many ways throughout the years. Each of us learns differently, but without a doubt the greatest impacts in my journey have come from observation and one-on-one's. This is pretty standard feedback, but the environment you're in and who's around you have a significant impact and influence on the habits and tendencies you pick up. I absolutely loved attending meetings and being part of calls with high-level positions so I could listen and observe to how they communicated, thought about the business, and carried themselves. If I saw something I liked, I worked to emulate it and integrate it into my style. On the other hand, if I saw something I didn't agree with, it was just as important and served as a lesson learned to what not to do or what not to be. I frequently say everything is an experience and this is exactly what I mean. Some may simply view it as another meeting - I always viewed it as class is in session. From those experiences, the opportunity was maximized if I was able to schedule a one-on-one with a leader who I admired. Those moments were precious and served as an opportunity to at times get the undivided attention of an expert in their field. Sometimes it was to ask questions and get feedback. Others it was simply to listen. These moments shaped me as a professional and leader, and served as fuel for launching Eels. I've learned not everyone has an opportunity to observe and listen to what good looks like and Eels and our network of partner coaches is here to be that sounding board and example to help you on your journey. Enjoy below - my experience with one of my best and worst one-on-ones I've had on the journey! Founder Jose Samayoa speaks about the best one-on-one he's ever had 0:00 Let's talk about the best one-on-one I've ever had. 0:03 And actually, I think you may be a bit surprised because this one-on-one was probably no more than 5 to 10 minutes. 0:09 I was able to get time with a vice president at the highest echelons of the organization. 0:14 I'm talking about billions under his belt. 0:17 But within those 5-10 minutes, he was able to share with me behind closed doors what conversations were being had and how it is the business was thinking about an opportunity that did wonders for me, that gave me the experience and a peek behind the curtain that this is how the business approaches problems. 0:35 This is how I should be thinking of problems throughout my journey as I am a leader and I am leading business units. 0:42 This is what we do here at Eels. 0:44 We are real world experience for real world professionals trying to bring those same glimpse glimpses, those same experiences to you during our one on ones to give you our lens on what's going on and what may work for you. Founder Jose Samayoa talks about the worst one-on-one he's ever had. 0:01 Who you get advice from matters. 0:03 Let's talk about one of the worst one-on-ones I've ever had. 0:06 I was ready for a role change, and I identified a business unit I was interested in. 0:10 I reached out to its business director, introduced myself and got some time on his calendar. 0:15 The day came, we jumped on the call, Teams, cameras on, and it was terrible. 0:21 The entire time he worked, he was on his screens, not the one I was on, doing some work and his hand never left the mouse. 0:30 I did my best to get his attention, introduce myself, talk a little bit what I could do, but got nothing. 0:36 So managers, if someone ever takes the courage to reach out to you, put some time on your calendar, is interested in your business unit and working for you, please give them the time. 0:48 Show them the attention and the respect that they deserve to be able to give them some guidance and give them some feedback as to what it is it may take to join your team.

This week on our social platforms, we launched videos providing tips around mid-year reviews. We promote organizations having formal review periods and believe they serve many purposes including alignment of goals, expectations, and performance. Additionally, if done correctly, they greatly impact engagement, moral, and team member development. Below are five areas we covered from the employer/employee lens along with corporate and small business perspectives. Enjoy! Founder Jose Samayoa talks mid-year reviews. 00:00 It is June, and that means that mid-years are right around the corner. 00:03 An absolutely critical time for both employees and employers. 00:08 On the employer side, it's an opportunity to sit down with your team member, review expectations, and give feedback on performance. 00:16 For the employee, this is your time to get selfish. 00:20 One-on-one with your leader, ask those questions about your performance, are you meeting goals, and anything else that you believe is going to help you and your career track. Founder Jose Samayoa talks about mid-year reviews from the Leader lens. 00:00 If I'm a team leader and I'm preparing for the mid-year, I'm going to get a couple things ready. 00:06 So first and foremost, hopefully throughout the year, you have been keeping a log. 00:14 The log should maintain the good, the bad, and everything in between to help you in these moments when you're either doing the write-up or about to have the conversation. 00:24 Now, easier said than done, and do as I say, not as I do because the year would always start with my log, and then it would fizzle throughout, and it would just make this process that much harder where I had to start thinking through and recollecting like, oh, what happened here, calendar dates, old emails. 00:39 But maintaining that log throughout the year is very helpful in these situations. 00:43 The other tidbit tip that I would give is make sure that you schedule this meeting. 00:49 This isn't a tap on the shoulder. 00:51 This isn't a, hey, you're walking by, hey, let's get together later for your mid-year. 00:55 Make sure that you schedule it well in advance. 00:58 to A, show mutual respect, but then B, to give your team member the opportunity to prepare themselves for that conversation. 01:06 Give them that heads up, give them the respect of scheduling in advance so they know it's approaching and that they can prepare for it themselves. 01:13 And then lastly, what I would just say is be prepared to have a good conversation. 01:19 I think there's sometimes a misconception that the mid-year is just all bad, pointing out the bad, pointing out whether you need improvement, pointing out just potentially negativity. 01:31 No, what I would say is that this is a wholistic approach. 01:33 This is a, here is how the year has been going, these are the expectations, these are the goals, this is what we've talked about, and here's where we're at. 01:43 And it's an opportunity to share all the good, to share all the ways that this team member has helped the organization and the business unit, and just an opportunity to also help the bond between manager and team member and hopefully everyone leaves that room feeling good after a strong and honest conversation between the two of you. Founder Jose Samayoa describes what a mid-year, or any review, should not be. 00:00 If you are the leader of this team, let's talk about what the mid-year is not. 00:06 And this is probably one of the biggest booby traps that I see, one of the biggest misconceptions of these reviews. 00:12 The mid-year is not the time to go in and blindside a team member and tell them everything that they've been doing wrong. 00:21 It's not the time to say, hey, three months ago on this project, this is what I saw, and then two months ago I heard this, and then last month this is what we're what we're seeing. 00:31 That feedback should be given periodically throughout the year during your scheduled one-on-ones. 00:36 Quite frankly, when you walk into a mid-year, there should be no surprises. 00:41 You should understand or have an understanding of where that team member sits, and so should the team member if the conversations that should have been happening throughout the year have been happening. 00:50 But I'll say again, the mid-year is not the time to walk in and tell a team member everything that they've been doing wrong and where they need to have improvement. Founder Jose Samayoa talks about keeping composure during mid-year reviews. 00:00 Let's talk composure. 00:03 I will tell you that a conversation such as this mid-year, year-end, quite frankly, is difficult on both sides. 00:11 It is not easy on both sides. 00:12 It's not easy receiving feedback, and at times it is not easy giving feedback. 00:18 But I cannot stress enough that no matter what position it is that you hold, you have got to maintain your composure. 00:25 Regardless of the feedback that you're giving, it may be very difficult,tough feedback or the feedback that you are receiving. 00:34 You have got to maintain your composure and do your best to listen. 00:38 Now, you may be a part of these conversations and you may not like what it is that you're hearing, and now suddenly fight or flight kicks in. 00:46 Your heart begins to pump. 00:48 Your mind begins to race. 00:51 And what can happen in that situation is that you begin listening to respond rather than listening to listen. 00:59 So I can't stress enough, if you are the receiver of the feedback, even if you are not loving what it is that you're hearing, maintain your composure, do your best to listen and to understand, ask any follow-up questions that are necessary to truly put yourself in the shoes of this person giving you the feedback and why they may think that, whatever it is that they're telling you. 01:24 And then if you are on the giving side, you're the one giving that feedback, you make sure that you confidently give that feedback if there is follow-up, if there are points that are being given where someone may be countering, same thing. 01:38 Maintain that composure, control that fight or flight, listen to listen, not to respond. 01:45 And both of you do your best to have a cordial conversation where you both do not forget that you are on the same team with equal goals. [We'd like to add an additional insight that we should have included: if the room heats up beyond what it should or if you need a moment to gather yourself, it is 100% OK to pause, acknowledge what's happening, and schedule to finish at another time.] Founder Jose Samayoa compares how corporate and small business may handle mid-year reviews. 00:00 I think a lot of the feedback that I've given around mid-years has really been with big corporate in mind. 00:06 big corporate, lots of layers of personnel and resources. 00:10 So as I talk about sharing goals, giving goals, sharing business plans, having things scheduled, on the big corporate side, that is very natural. 00:22 But what I have seen throughout my journey is that sometimes when you get away from big formal corporate, that's not always the case. 00:30 there's one example that comes to mind where I have seen on the small business side that mid-years are not really a thing. 00:37 And then I've also seen it where any sort of review is sort of sporadically scheduled, not necessarily a mid-year, year-end sort of thing. 00:48 It could be based on hire date, it could be an anniversary, something along those lines. 00:53 My recommendation to any business owner, any team leader out there that may be listening to this is strongly consider getting into a mid-year and year-end cycle. 01:07 Strongly consider setting the stage to have those conversations with your team, to be able to share team goals, to be able to share business performance. 01:20 You have to be living under a rock right now, not to see everything that's going on, depending on your industry, tariffs, war, all these crazy things going on with employers. 01:31 I think that there's a lot of team members right now that would appreciate getting some insights, a glimpse into the business, a glimpse into how things are going. 01:41 And in those conversations, really, they serve twofold. 01:44 And I can't stress this enough. 01:46 First and foremost, I think when it comes to you being that leader and needing things out of your team, especially if you're that small business, the team may not be that big. 01:57 You need team members to carry equal weight. 02:00 You need team members to meet certain expectations in order for the business to be successful. 02:04 So that is the time to be able to share those goals and give that feedback. 02:08 But then for #2, it greatly helps the relationship between employer, employee, team leader, and team member. 02:18 When a team member is able to listen to your feedback, know that you have their back, know that you're talking to them from a place of, hey, I'm sharing this with you because I want you to improve, because I want the best out of you, because I want you to hit your full potential. 02:33 It does wonders for the relationship. 02:36 And I think right now, for, again, for anybody who may not be in that cycle, even if you are having the reviews and they could be sporadic or anniversary, whatever it may be, six months of the year is about to be down. 02:49 Having a conversation with your team members about how the business is doing, how the team is doing, and how they are performing, I think can do wonders.

This week we introduced The Network - a growing bench of aligned coaches who bring deep, targeted expertise when the role, challenge, or client calls for it. Our first partner coach is Nino Granatiero. He joins our coaching network as a leadership coach for CEOs and business owners ready to scale, evolve, or stabilize their companies. With decades of real-world leadership at the highest levels, Nino brings:  - Former CEO with 35+ years of global experience  - Expertise in business transformation & integration  - Deep operational and strategic insight  - Trusted advisor to leadership teams and boards  - A unique lens from both Fortune 500 and PE-backed organizations With our newfound love of video, we introduce The Network, Nino, and our history together. Watch the videos, then click here to explore his full background! #whosyoursoundingboard Founder and principal Jose Samayoa introducing The Network and its first partner coach, Nino Granatiero. The Network is a game changer for what it is that we're trying to accomplish. 00:11 I think in order to answer that question, we have to rewind a little bit and establish why it is that we created this firm. 00:20 So I am a believer that right now professionals at all levels, and you know, in a previous video, I spoke to executive coaching and why I'm not the biggest fan of the term. 00:33 I think sometimes executive coaching can default to the most senior levels of the organization. 00:40 But I think professionals at all levels right now need more support. 00:45 I think that days are busy. 00:47 I think that the demands of the business have never been greater. 00:52 And having an outlet, a sounding board, especially somebody from an outside voice and outside perspective. 01:00 I think can be very powerful right now. So, everything that we're doing at Eels right now is based on Real world. So real-world support for real-world professionals Everything that we do, everything that I do, is based off of my experiences: military, corporate, small business. My experiences drive the feedback, the advice, the guidance that I give to anyone that I'm working with. But the fact of the matter is that there will be times when I don't have an answer, and it may be because I just don't have that experience. 01:36 So that's where The Network comes in, where we are forming strategic relationships with professionals that we know, professionals that we trust, professionals who have the experiences to give the caliber of feedback that Eels would give. 01:55 And I'm incredibly excited that when it comes to The Network, the first partner coach that we've established a relationship with is a former colleague of mine from a decade-plus ago in Nino Granatiero. 02:12 With Nino, you are getting over 35 years of business experience. 02:17 You're getting someone who has held senior roles in private equity, with publicly traded companies, Fortune 100 manufacturing. 02:27 He's been with Distribution. 02:30 He is somebody who really is the epitome of what we're doing here when it comes to experiences and providing guidance. 02:41 P&L leadership from $20 million to I think about a billion and a half. 02:48 When we think about the business units that he's led and worked with, Distribution, OEM, Direct-to-end-user, Online Sales, the list goes on and on. 02:57 He is somebody that if you are a chief executive, if you're in the C-suite, if you're an entrepreneur, if you're a business owner, and you reflect on what it is that we're asking here, who is your sounding board? 03:11 Who are you going to when potentially, you maybe want to run an idea off somebody. 03:18 You want to maybe get some advice. 03:21 You maybe just want to discuss a problem, right? 03:25 Who are you doing that today in confidence, with privacy, in an environment where, frankly, you know it's going nowhere, where there's no judgment, with somebody who has walked in those shoes and doesn't just listen, but also can give really sound feedback and advice as to what may or may not work based on the things that he's done and where he's been in his career. 03:56 I am incredibly excited to align with Nino. 03:59 I think that anybody who works with him is going to get just a plethora of feedback, of advice, and really anything in between that comes with having those kinds of roles. 04:12 And I'm thrilled to have him on board. 04:14 So Nino's entire background and achievements can be found on the Eels platform. 04:20 And if you're interested in working with him, please don't hesitate to reach out. Founder and Principal Jose Samayoa sharing how he knows NIno and the impact he had on his professional journey, Nino and I go back over 10 years. 00:08 We were both with the same organization. 00:12 He was a senior level vice president, and I was a guppy. 00:17 I was in an account management role, really, just getting my career started. 00:22 But I'll be honest, I think about my memories with Nino and when we crossed paths, and we recently reconnected when we talked about getting together. 00:33 And he really doesn't even realize the impact that our interactions had on me. 00:42 And I think what's amazing, life's work is-- I think about those interactions, and it's what it is I'm trying to accomplish with this firm. 00:51 And here's what I mean by that. 00:54 Nino and I would typically run into each other at the airport. 00:59 TF Green Airport, one of the best in the country. 01:01 You are in and out. 01:02 Five minutes tops, right? 01:05 We'd be traveling to the organization was based in Illinois. 01:09 We would usually be on the same flights there. 01:13 And just being around him, witnessing and just observing his executive presence as we were together. 01:23 I've got one vivid memory. 01:25 And I won't get too detailed into this, because I think that we can actually-- we can have our own content and those interactions, because again, they were that impactful on me. 01:33 But I remember we were both traveling together to an annual show that our organization had in Florida. 01:40 And he gave me a peek of his calendar. 01:44 He had his pad out, and he gave me a peek of his calendar. 01:47 And I believe the conference was maybe five days long, and he was triple booked for five days. 01:54 Literally, every time block was triple booked. 01:57 And for me, that was such a big moment because I had no idea that that was the lifestyle of a senior vice president at the show. 02:07 I don't know what I thought, but being that booked, I never would have imagined. 02:10 But what it did for me is it helped me understand, okay, at that level, this is how I need to communicate. 02:18 Because quite honestly, before you showed me that calendar, I thought, hey, I'm going down to the show with Nino. 02:24 Maybe I can get a few minutes. 02:26 Maybe I can get some development time. 02:27 Maybe I can get some of his ear. 02:28 No, I couldn't. 02:29 He didn't have time. 02:30 And it's not that he didn't want to connect with me or he didn't want to talk to me. 02:33 It was just, no, he had a full schedule. 02:35 So when I think about those minutes and the minutes I had with him and the access that he gave me and how much I learned in that short time period, I think about Eels. 02:46 I think about me, I think about The Network, the experiences, the things that we've done. 02:51 And as we align with customers, clients, not that they don't have their own experiences, but certainly we are able to bring a certain flavor, a certain set of lenses and experiences that we are confident will contribute to that person's own journey with whatever it is that they're working on. 03:10 And my hope is that whether it's through visual, written content or when we're on the line together that we are sharing information and that we're having dialogue that is impactful. 03:22 The way Nino was impactful to me in that in one way, shape or form, any interaction that you have with us, you leave knowing just a little bit more and that we've made a little bit of an impact in your own journey and in your own professional life. 03:38 So Nino's entire background and achievements can be found on the Eels platform. 03:45 And if you're interested in working with them, please don't hesitate to reach out.

The resources organizations have to support their human capital can vary greatly. Some have it all in-house while others primarily outsource. There could also be a mix of the two. Or, in some instances, there's none and ownership decides to do it all themselves. For the ones doing it solo, no judgment. I greatly respect entrepreneurs and business owners, and if they've created something, they have the right to decide how it operates. Further, depending where in the lifecycle the business is, the resources may not be there to align with internal or third-party support. That aside, going at it alone is tough, stressful, and I will always advise to get some sort of help in this space for the health of the business, the team, and yourself. However, be aware that even with the additional support, it doesn't always get much easier. This piece will focus on the ones with the resources: Human Resources (HR), Lawyers, and beyond. Organizations working with HR and Legal are not immune to people problems. Think about it this way: the business has been growing. Revenue is up. Head count is up. Square footage has increased. You finally get to a point where you hire in-house HR, and you've had your attorney who's counseled you along the way. Yet people challenges persist. I wouldn't blame HR or the lawyer one bit. To me, HR and the lawyers exist to protect the organization. For example, HR is an invaluable resource who ensures management practices and company policies are in alignment with labor laws. Further, there are significant details within these areas, and they execute on the updates and changes to ensure you're in compliance. Additionally, they support with corrective action, hiring, employee inquiries, benefits, payroll, and many other business-critical functions that there's not enough room to list. On the other hand, lawyers work to ensure you don't get sued. They provide counsel and options when dealing with challenges and they advise to minimize legal risk. Let's discuss what they aren't doing. They're not leading teams, building culture, motivating, inspiring, setting standards, giving feedback, having the one-on-ones, or driving accountability. If goals aren't being met, there are attendance issues, bad attitudes, a lack of drive, or a culture with no purpose, HR or the lawyers won't fix this. This rests solely on L1 and L2 leadership, and if they haven't been given training or have the experience, they won't fix it either. That's where we come in. The roles of HR, Lawyers and us greatly vary. Leaders at all levels are constantly being pulled in a hundred directions. What ends up getting prioritized are revenue generating and customer-facing activities. Before you know it, the day is over and a few things have happened: a problem was fixed but not the root cause, the inbox filled up, the one-on-ones with the team were cancelled or rescheduled, and you weren't able to connect with one of your team members to give advice on a situation and provide development. If this is you, no judgment here. Days are busy, there's never enough time, and you wear many hats. However, is this sustainable? And how does some help sound? Our Executive Coaching , First Time Manager , and Tough Conversations coaching plans are built to address many of the challenges mentioned above for all leadership levels. We have dialogue around what's going on, get on a scheduled cadence to provide ongoing support, and leverage real-world experiences to help. If you're leadership, how does having someone in your corner who has relevant experiences, can answer questions, and you can bounce ideas off of in privacy with complete confidence that it goes nowhere sound? Or If you're leading the organization, how does having a resource who is aligned directly to a team member to help develop critical leadership skills sound? What could improved performance do for you and the business? It's already May. We're here when needed.

I recently downloaded Galliup's State of the Global Workplace 2025 Report. It is 141 pages of insights covering the global workplace and how it aligns with employee engagement and performance. The content is fascinating to read and highlights the impact a committed and engaged workforce can have on an organization. Alternatively, it shows the effect of lacking in these areas and how it can shape a team and company. One section in particular has stood out to me so far: managers haven't received training. For the ones who have, I'd bet the ongoing teaching and coaching has also been limited. Why the bold claim? Because I've been there and done that. There are a few themes you may pick up on with my posts related to topics such as these. Such as, there's never enough time, there's not enough resources, I'm not judging, or I'm not blaming you. Funny enough, I recently presented Eels' capabilities to an organization and one of my final slides had a photo of John Taffer from Bar Rescue and the Pillsbury Doughboy. I included a caption that said 'I'm not him or him' with arrows pointing to each. That's because I don't consider it my role to tell you everything you're doing wrong. Additionally, I don't play Monday morning quarterback and hindsight is always 20/20, right? What I'm getting at is I don't play those roles because even I have been in positions of authority where my team members didn't get the training they needed to succeed. And as much as I intended to mold the pupils into what I envisioned - there wasn't enough time or resources to make it happen. I've seen much in my professional journey related to this topic. On the Small and Medium-Sized business (SMB) side, I've seen the best employee, measured by how they do the work, get promoted to team leader with no job description or follow up training. Additionally, I've seen someone promoted to manager but given no authority, in turn handcuffing them and killing their morale. Last, I've seen managers allowing a lot of bad behaviors, simply because they didn't know how to properly address them. On the bigger company side, I've seen team members get sent to a day or two, even weeklong training and come back with no follow up or ongoing teaching and coaching to really strengthen that leadership muscle. This is primarily due to time and the work getting prioritized during 1:1's above all else. I'll give you one more. In my efforts to grow Eels I've cold called on an organization that was listed as one of the 30 worst places to work. Frankly, I was surprised they were still in business but was able to find a location close to our Farmington offices. I spoke to the manager, and she verbatim listed what I have shared above when it came to professional development - it's not happening. The reason? there's no time and when she finally does get her manager's ear it's to talk about the work because there's too much going on. If you're in this position I'm going to give you the same advice I gave her: right now, you're here, placing my hand by my stomach. If you continue on this path the way you are, not learning new skills and evolving as a leader, next year you'll be right here, placing my other hand right next to it. It was a big aha moment for her, and I was proud to have witnessed it. Let's circle all the way back around. If you're a business owner, leader, or anyone who impacts team members and some of this feedback hit close to home, you should consider our Executive Coaching, First Time Manager or Tough Conversations coaching plans so we can review the areas where you're seeking improvement. Personalized, one-on-one, biweekly, one-hour calls are a small investment to impact the engagement, morale, and well-being of your team members. Let's shift some of this responsibility off your plate, give you some time back or at least remove the task from the never-ending list. Additionally, depending on your level or industry, our coaching network is coming soon to provide an even deeper level of support (more to come). If you're in a position where you're not getting the professional development, coaching and training you want and need, reach out. Don't find yourself in the same position for even a day longer.

Within our introduction post I emphasized the importance of having a sounding board. If you had a chance to read Greg's post about who you should consider for one , he lists mentors, coaches, and advisors. What doesn't he list? AI. The use cases for AI are evolving by the day. However, allow me to draw a line in the sand with our position: Eels will never recommend AI for companionship, relationships, friendship, a sounding board or anything that goes beyond using a tool to accomplish a task. AI is incredible. I willfully ignored it while working on my MBA at UConn because I didn't want the temptation. Since, I've absolutely used it and am actively experimenting with ways it can enhance our website and improve user experience. However, I picked up on a pattern I found interesting while working with it. My first introduction to AI being used the way Mark Zuckerberg is explaining here was when someone told me they used ChatGPT to practice for a tough conversation with their boss. The practice? An hours long car ride while they travelled for work. They described it as "awesome" and concluded with, "who else do you have to talk to about work?" (a human sounding board). Back to the pattern. I noticed while working with it that if I countered a response or asked a question challenging an answer, they would respond with "that's a great point" or "that's exactly how you should be thinking about this" and would update its response to match my position. That's a problem. The last thing a person needs when discussing real life problems is an echo chamber that simply adjusts to your position. Now, are there prompts that could have improved the responses? Yes, probably. Could you kick off a conversation ensuring the machine is 100% truthful and brutally honest with how it responds? I'm sure. However, typing that last sentence alone felt absolutely ridiculous and not how humans should be living their lives. You're free to interact with a machine all you want. But it will never substitute for tone, nuance, or what happens in the room when you put what you've practiced to the test and the heart begins to race while fight or flight kicks in. If you need someone to talk to, find a human. P.S. I'm right on average with the number of friends. But 15? Who has time or energy for 15?!

My name is Jose, and I am founder and principle of Eels Professional Development. My goal with this platform is to have a place beyond social media where I can share ideas, insights, opinions, and thoughts around topics relevant to the areas we cover and support clients with. So why the name Sounding Board? One of motivators for launching Eels is that I believe professionals don't have enough people to talk to about their daily challenges. There may be spouses, significant others, friends, and family, but sometimes it's nice to talk to someone who gets it because they've done it or have been through it. I'm an advocate for everyone having a sounding board and having someone in their lives with relevant experience that they can comfortably release to. And just in case, what is a sounding board? In the business environment, a sounding board refers to a person who listens to your ideas, plans, or concerns and provides feedback, perspective, or validation. They serve as a trusted resource to help refine thinking, test strategies, or gain clarity. Simply put, it's a person you can talk to without fear of reprisal about what you have going on. Moreover, I thought this LinkedIn piece by Greg Gunther does a phenomenal job describing the benefits of a sounding board and who you should consider if you don't have one today: Why is it important to have a sounding board in business? | LinkedIn With this Sounding Board, I'll speak my mind into the ether with the hope that it positively contributes to someone out there navigating their own professional journey. Onward we go.

Let's talk RTO mandates. Much can be written about this topic from the leader and employee perspective. Today, we'll focus on the team member who's been asked to return. First, a little bit about my experiences with virtual, hybrid, and in-office work. Late 2019, just before COVID struck, I transitioned to a fully virtual project management role. Regardless of the virus, there would be little to no travel and my days were spent behind screens and on back-to-backs all day. It was an amazing role, and I learned a ton about deal formation and drastically improved my financial acumen. However, like many of us during this timeframe, I realized I'd go hours without leaving the home office and days or even weeks without leaving my house. Additionally, during this time I had my third child, and I'd frequently find myself knee deep in contracts and proposals while navigating knocks at the door from his two sisters and a sometimes-crying baby in the background. After two years of this, I needed a change. During this time, I belonged to an amazing organization who valued growth, development, and cross functional experiences. An opportunity presented itself to transition to our Branch Network and assume General Manager of our two sites in Hartford and Springfield. For me, it was a no brainer. This move would be my first people leader role with the organization, provide more cross functional experience, and get me out of the house. Even with Covid still roaring and a mask/distance policy for those on site, I was all in. I don't recall the transition being challenging, but it was certainly different. Getting ready in the mornings for virtual work versus in-office is night and day. Also, the commute wasn't too bad since most offices were still fully remote. What stood out the most? The team. I loved my team. I loved the bond we built during those years and how hard we worked for our customers, the organization, and each other. We didn't always agree with everything that was going on, but we looked beyond the memos and company updates and focused on our purpose and who it was we were working for. Let's fast forward to current state RTO and what I would ask a team member who's been called back to consider. There's lots being written about the chaos of RTO. I personally enjoyed this recent piece from Gleb Tsipursky, describing the brain drain RTO is causing large organizations (Opportunity! More on that later). I've also personally heard stories from friends who have been asked to return (are there enough desks yet?) Regardless of noise and potential disorganization, never lose site that there are people like you and me who are making the decisions and having to implement them. People you can build relationships with, learn from, and develop under. Through the noise, I ask you to consider the opportunity at hand. Since RTO mandates have gone into effect, I've read about protests, letters being signed , low engagement, and team members leaving organizations. This creates a ripe environment for you to stand out. Regardless of what you're seeing and hearing, give it a try with an open mind. Seek the good, keep a positive attitude, be the example you want to see and set the tone. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. If you belong to an organization that you value and want to be with, that you support and want to grow with, this is the time to be intentional about your development and presence. I've learned throughout my journey that pendulums swing and when they do, it's fast. Position yourself now for when that door opens and before you know it, you may be the one influencing decisions and how programs are implemented. On the other hand, if you truly give it a try and it's not for you, the decision to go is yours. Begin searching for alternatives or if you're ready, launch your own Michael Scott Paper Company (we can help with that too).

Before we get into it, I wanted to take a moment to talk Memorial Day Weekend. Regardless of being a veteran, Memorial Day has always had a special place in my heart.  The thought of sacrificing it all when called upon is a thing of giants amongst regular people. It truly makes what we deal with on a day-to-day feel so….small. Let’s be drastic and compare the front lines of – you pick the battle – to RTO, AI, organizational changes, or any work-related challenges.  There is none.  To me it helps put things in perspective and serves as a reminder of what’s truly important.  I am incredibly thankful for all the souls who have sacrificed for me to be here today.  May they rest in peace and may their loved ones find comfort and healing in the legacy of their courage, bravery, and honor. Now let’s lighten it up a bit. It’s hard to type this, but are we at a point where I have to ask if we know what The Wonder Years are? Growing up, it was a favorite of mine.  I also think the way Kevin Arnold narrated impacted how the voice in my head operates, but that’s for a different post. For those who aren’t familiar, The Wonder Years takes place in the late 60’s and follows a suburban family of five along with three neighborhood best friends: Kevin, Paul, and Winnie.  I believe the show kicks off with its protagonist, Kevin Arnold, in the sixth or seventh grade. The stories and challenges revolve around that era, middle school, and everything in between. The Wonder Years came up in my household due to my oldest’ struggles with violin and third grade math.  In the show, there’s an episode where Kevin Arnold isn’t practicing the piano the way he should be, and he ultimately backs out of a recital due to the fear of someone being better.  Also, there’s another where he’s struggling with middle school math and it takes a colossal failure for him to finally ask his teacher and dad for help.  They are two incredible episodes that I hope impacted the way my oldest is thinking of these problems (probably not). Anyway, the kids loved the episodes, and we’ve watched a lot more ever since, being careful what we pick because the middle school problems can be very, middle school. After a few episodes I realized something.  The neighborhood.  The friends.  The simplicity of life.  My kids are currently growing up the exact same way.  We moved to a new town last year and have been incredibly lucky to live in a wonderful neighborhood surrounded by children.  Now that it’s nice out, the kids run in packs from house to house, playing games, having fun, and being kids. How does Career tie into this?  As I reflected with pride, I realized I’m not here without my first corporate role and all the subsequent positions that followed. I recently spoke about career coaching with someone in the industry and he said he doesn’t do it anymore.  For various reasons, the resumes, cover letters, and job search support were not where he wanted to invest his time anymore.  I should take the opportunity to add that this is not where Eels focuses with Career either.  I mean, we can review these documents, but it is not our expertise.  The most we’d do in this area is the interview preparation to give pointers on the tactics and strategy for the interview itself.  Additionally, I do have my own opinions on the job search dos and don’ts but again – not primarily where we focus. So what do we do?  We help to get you to your own Wonder Years.  Or at least get a step closer to it. I have been incredibly lucky in life and have excelled at each of my professionals stops.  In the Navy I was promoted and ranked #1 against my peers on multiple occasions.  During my corporate tenure I held five cross-functional positions within ten years.  There’s been patterns of success, and each stop has made an impact on the home, family, and quality of life. That’s the goal.  Maybe not today, tomorrow, or even six months from now.  But to begin a process of preparing you so when that door does open, you’re in the best position possible to walk through it.  Because if you begin when the door itself forms, you’re too late. We start as early as we can and review what the development plan looks like. Who you have networked with. If you have shared your goals and aspirations with leadership. The list goes on and on. Let's review the org chart, your experiences, and figure it out. The workplace and even world challenges today can feel insurmountable.  Look past them.  Impact what you can control and think long-term.  We’re amid a lot of change – as we were in 2015, 2005, and 1995 - and there is plenty of opportunity for those who wish to take it.