John Bailey: Communications/Leadership/Inclusion TED Speaker

04/03/2022

How to lose money during your annual review

Sometimes, my duties include being a Database Administrator or DBA. Basically, a DBA makes sure that the software containing lots of valuable information stays safe and is always available to the client as fast as possible

Like a fire fighter, the DBA spends a lot of time in preparation for when a problem does happen. It is at that point, every level of management as well as the client begin yelling “, Where’s my data!!” Things only settle down again once the system is back to normal.

Also like a fire fighter, management only thinks about DBAs when there is a problem. If the DBA is doing her job, you (as a manager) will not be thinking about them very often.

The question is “, like a DBA, is your manager aware of your contributions if there isn’t a crisis?” Most employees like to ‘lay low’ out of sight of management. For them, out of sight means your life is just a bit simpler.

One of the best ways to get the money you are worth and get recognized for your contributions is to get noticed by management in the right way. You should make sure to document not only how you added value to the project. But, how by your actions, you avoided problems that could cost the company.

Out- of-sight anonymity hurts your career by limiting your growth prospects within the company while also limiting how you are compensated for the value bring.

So, the lesson is, as part of your normal tasks, keep track of all the ways you have added value and make management aware of it.

04/02/2022

The hardest part about learning new skills is forgetting the old.

When I really began to lose my vision, activities that used to be easy became hard.

For example, writing notes with a pencil and paper became something I did reluctantly. That was because I had to work extra hard to write the letters well enough that I could read them later. In addition, when I did read my own notes, it took a lot of effort to see what I had written. I knew of other ways of taking notes that did not require any eyesight.
The reason I kept doing the old ways was because it was how I had done them before and that was enough.

The breakthrough came when I unlearned that notetaking required vision. It sounds simple. But many of the attitudes that hold us back can be that simple.

Unburdening ourselves from what no longer serves us is the first step in adapting to change. Take a close look at what thoughts or attitudes are holding you back and forget them to make room for what works.

04/01/2022

What Format of Resume Will Work Best for You?
I just got a new job. So, for the moment, I am an expert!

It all depends on your work history and how you want to present yourself:
I just had a friend ask me to review her resume. Seems that the company she was wanting to get hired by had a requirement that the resume be in a specific format. The resume format was to b chronological and not functional-- as my friend had written hers.

When to use a chronological resume format:
This is the format most people think of when they think ‘resume’. The chronological resume lists the jobs you have had over the years listed most recent first. For example, being a vice president at Facebook would be first while your after-school job as a paperboy would come last.

The only weakness of this format is that any gaps where you were not working would become very apparent.

When to use a functional resume format:
A functional resume is formatted to highlight your skills rather than your work history. For example, let’s say that one of the skills you wish to document is leadership. On the resume, the skill of leadership would be followed by a list of the employers where you had gained that skill along with the dates you worked for those companies. This format is great for highlighting your skills while also making it more difficult to see any work gaps.

So, that is the difference. If your employer would be impressed with where you worked, use the chronological resume. On-the-other-hand, if skills will get you a paycheck, a functional resume would be the way to go.

What ever the format, make sure all spellings are correct along with the formatting being consistent.

04/01/2022

Hi, Just an update. I got a new job. Got the bad news two weeks ago that my current job was no longer funded and I had to find a new one. I hate jjob hunting. However, I have learned some lessons over the years that makes finding a new job easier.

Once you have a basic resume with all your skills laid out well along with your job history, don’t forget to add some non-work related info at the end. I had handed my resume to my HR rep in order to make my resume more hireable. Well, I was surprised to learn that she suggested that I put in things I have done outside of work to show that I have good communications skills as well as demonstrating leadership.

I updated my resume with those changes. A day or so later, I handed in my updated version to someone who could hire me. And, we must have spent half the time talking about things I did outside of work. She was looking for a well rounded candidate and with my additional info at the bottom of the resume, her opinion of me was high enough that she hired me.

So, the answer to doing better at interviews is to be sure to include info to show you are a well rounded person with lots of skills outside of work.

05/06/2020

Here are 15 things I shared with the National Association of Blind Students you can do during the virus to enrich your life!

John works in the Information Technology industry where his office is in his home. His clients include the FBI, Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Center for Missing Children. In 2016, John presented a TEDX speech about using innovation to solve challenges. John also enjoys being a competitive ballroo...

04/20/2020

The outbreak of COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and I think the term "disruptive" seriously understates how the virus and the lockdown is affecting us. Check out my blog post, "Opportunities You Should Be Taking Advantage of Now", for some ideas to help you get through this trying and uncertain times.

I realized that something was wrong when I spent over 30 minutes on Amazon Prime hunched in my chair before the tv looking through nearly a hundred movie descriptions trying to find the one that would make me happy. Or, at least, distract me for a while. It was then that I realized that if …

03/30/2020

Check out my blog post "When "Don't " Won't Work" and why it's important right now to change your language if you want to effectively change a behavior.

I’m sure you noticed that when someone says don’t do something, you immediately feel like you must do it. This is normal. However, if you want to effectively change a behavior you must change your language. During this virus outbreak, there is no shortage of information about how to protect your...

03/24/2020

Incase you missed it... here's my interview on Business Talk Radio with Chris Roberts from February 24th.

https://buff.ly/33KCGN9

http://JohnBaileySpeaker.com /* test goes here */ Be sure to view my TEDX video called "Reading in the Dark" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtDvfs4Jgj4

02/25/2020

Learn all about my first meeting with The Tall Club of Greater Washington, D.C., a non-profit social organization. It is primarily, but not exclusively, a social club for men and women of above average height.

All the Bowl America lanes were busy when I entered the building. I could hear the bowling balls hit the lanes as they were being thrown. Less often, I would hear strikes along with the accompanying cheers. I was here to meet some of the members of the DC Tall Club. I was interested in …

02/24/2020

Don’t forget to tune in for my LIVE interview today on Business Talk Radio @ 9:40am EST! Link below!

02/21/2020

I have exciting news to share with you all. I'm being interviewed LIVE on Business Talk Radio on Monday, February 24th @ 9:40am EST. Tune in to learn more about me and my inspirational story. Link below!

02/19/2020

"What makes my job so rewarding is having people like Mr. John Bailey who is legally blind and still finds a way to come in and take my classes and always improving his skills in boxing and kickboxing. What an honor and inspiration. No excuses." - trainer_younes

02/13/2020

Would You go to a Blind Doctor? Find out how the blind responded to this question and others.

“Would you go to a blind doctor?” was the first of many challenging questions asked by Trisha Kurkarni at the February leadership seminar co-hosted by the National Association of Blind Students in Falls Church, Virginia. Trisha, one of the leaders in the organization, asked several challenging q...

02/04/2020

How the blind advocate for ourselves in Richmond during the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia’s annual event called the ‘Richmond Seminar.’ https://buff.ly/36J9whd

Some of us were nervous. Several had canceled at the last minute because of safety concerns. In any case, we were here in Richmond, Virginia to do a very important job for the blind of Virginia and we were not going to be deterred. Annually, the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia hosts an....

02/03/2020

On January 23rd I had the opportunity to listen to Blind Paralympian McClain Hermes speak at the Greater Alexandria Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind meeting and it was inspirational. https://buff.ly/38Nuygf

At the January 23, 2020 meeting of the Greater Alexandria Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, gold metal and record-holding Paralympic swimmer McClain Hermes talked about her challenges and her successes at becoming a world-class athlete — who happens to be blind. McClain Hermes stood...

01/10/2020

Crossing a busy intersection can be difficult for anyone, but have you wondered how the blind can cross streets safely?

Like most adaptive techniques used by the vision-impaired, the solutions to seemingly complex challenges can be solved with some thought and a bit of courage. When I first learned to cross a street completely sightless, it challenged me in ways I hadn’t imagined. My first day at blind class My sit...

01/09/2020

Have you wondered how blind people find and use a building's escalator?

Being able to travel independently is one of the more important skills a blind person can master. It gives them the ability to shop, visit friends, and go to work. On their way to doing all these things, a blind person will eventually encounter an escalator. How does someone find and use one if they...

01/08/2020

having can be easy, even for blind men. Have you wondered how blind men shave?

Requiring vision to shave, like in most of life’s activities, is overrated. How men shave their faces is no exception. There are several kinds of blades men use to shave their faces. This article will not explain how a vision-impaired person can use a straight-edged razor. In my opinion, a straigh...