Another Round of Resolutions

Last January, the focus of Walk & Talk was the Top 9 Game Ops Resolutions for ’09 (New Year’s Resolutions).  Before moving forward into 2010, take a moment to look back at the list and see if you were able to make significant progress in any of these areas…

1. Organize your online files
2. Organize your physical files
3. Write job descriptions
4. Clean out storage
5. Inventory props
6. Music inventory review
7. Build script templates in advance of the season
8. Create three new elements
9. Create a deadline calendar

As I look over this list, it’s become quite obvious that I didn’t complete all of the items…but I finished a few of them and made a significant dent in a few others.  That’s kind of how New Year’s Resolutions go, you don’t really expect to see all of them to fruition, but the most important rise to the top over the course of the year and become priorities.  The rest may have been wishful thinking to be pushed out to next year.

So it’s time to look ahead to 2010 and reprioritize with another round of resolutions.  Chances are, you’ve grown a lot in your career over the past year and look at things in a different light than you did 365 days ago…that’s a good thing.  When I go back and read past editions of Walk & Talk, sometimes I disagree with what I wrote at the time, sometimes I would tweak my statements a bit and sometimes I still stand by the exact words I wrote.  Regardless, we are constantly evolving as human beings, both personally and professionally, which is why it’s good to make a new set of resolutions each year.

This year, I continue with the theme of resolutions…but instead of sharing ideas on the game ops front for all of you to achieve, I’m going to share some personal goals that will hopefully spawn some brainstorming for each of you to define your career resolutions for 2010.

1. Stay Organized – Now that I’ve spent 2009 organizing my online and physical files, it’s time to stay organized.  There are many ways to go about this, from pen and paper lists to a variety of online tools.  I’m a Mac (not a PC), so my favorite method is OmniFocus, which is a task organizing software.  I can sync my desktop, laptop and iPhone to automatically update the information I input…whether at home or on the go.  Everyone is destined to have their favorite method, so pick one and stick with it.

2. Effective PR – With Pat Walker Productions entering its third year and growing by the minute, I want to focus on installing effective methods of public relations.  When I first entered the sports world, this was simple…write a press release and fax it to your media distribution list.  Nowadays, there are a variety of effective media platforms.  There is still the need for the standard press release, but it should be shared via an email distribution list, Twitter, Facebook, the company website, etc.

3. Enjoy time off – This is easier said than done, especially if you’re running a business or operating a sports team.  I find myself unable to relax at times when on vacation because my mind is constantly shifting back to work projects and the to do lists that go with them.  Maybe by staying organized, I’ll be able to relax my brain a bit.

4. Be on time (and early when possible) – I have this habit of running behind by a few minutes, especially for meetings and doctor’s appointments.  I think this is in large part due to the fact that in the field of live entertainment, you are operating on a minute-by-minute schedule that is always in motion.  Because of this, I hate waiting…and that’s what happens when you’re early.  But instead of looking at is as waiting, I need to shift my outlook on those few minutes as a moment to catch up on emails…or even a moment to breathe and relax.

5. Walk the dog more – When I’m not on the road, I work out of a home office and my trusty assistant happens to be a hundred pound Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.  Though we’ve had this setup for over two years, she still doesn’t understand that my work time is not simultaneously her playtime.  So I’m going to try and do a better job of adding a daily walk to the schedule so she stays happy and I get some much-needed fresh air.  And exactly on cue, she just sat down next to me with the leash in her mouth…it’s time to sign off and head out for a stroll around the neighborhood.

Happy New Year and may 2010 be a successful and enjoyable year.

Pat Walker

Patrick Walker is the President of Pat Walker Productions, a Seattle-based event production group. Pat shares over a decade of expertise in Game Entertainment and Operations in a monthly column called Walk & Talk and blog posts on Gameops.com.

[patwalkerproductions.com] [LinkedIn - Pat Walker] [Follow Pat Walker on Twitter]

Related Links:

A Game Ops Dream
What's In A Name? - April 2008
The Online Experience
Talkin’ Baseball
Tweet This
Pro Sleeve