I wrote this blog originally in 2009 at the beginning of my budding blogging career.  Yesterday I think I had a plate crash…million pieces…but here I am today, trying to balance my year fighting the good fight.

It was the 1970’s when we used carbon paper and telephone booths to call home when I had my first experience creating an office system. While at a party on my campus I negotiated a job as the bookkeeper of the campus bookstore. I knew absolutely nothing about bookstores and their unique business environment yet I was able to take all of the receipts, invoices and notes that littered the back office and create an office system which was used for years. About 10 years later I did the same at a yachting supply store (I got this job when I was out to dinner). I can think of at least three more situations where I went in and organized office systems. Turns out, that’s what I do because that’s what I am good at!

As told in my cigar box chronicles (www.athleticbudgetcoach.com/cigarbox/cigarbox.htm), I started out in Athletic Business with all of the information that could fit in a cigar box. Yet, now I have a great working system which I share with colleagues.

I love the environment of college athletics. It’s a three ring circus and spinning plate arena all at the same time. Remember the Ed Sullivan Show (it’s not just a theater where David Letterman tapes his show!)? There was a guy who used to spin plates. The plates were placed on thin poles which he would spin to suspend them. As the spinning slowed he would need to rush over to the plate and spin it again. Meanwhile he had other plates spinning in and out of control. His goal was to spin as many plates as possible without any of them crashing to the ground. I loved the triumphant look he would have when the plates were safely returned to his arms.

The three rings are the three sport seasons and much like the Olympic rings, they overlap adding to the volume of work. I’m constantly spinning plates…nothing happens in a vacuum.

I would love to hear how you handle your spinning plates and not just in Athletic Business. There are plenty of other environments which are equally daunting and fast paced. Please share your experiences with me!

Until next time!

Jude Russo Caserta

AthleticBudgetCoach.com/blog

Twitter: JudeCaserta Linkedin: Jude Russo Caserta

E-mail: judi_caserta@athleticbudgetcoach.com

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