The best of years of your life are when you realize your problems are your own
Pros
If you want an opportunity to learn who you are, IDR is it. This job will, inevitably, reveal all your strengths and weaknesses as a person and force you to look at who you are, who you want to be, how you think, etc. This company will not only force them out but will force you to address them, to develop your strengths and build upon your weaknesses. Enjoyable? No way. Progressive? Absolutely. No one ever grew from staying comfortable; I mean, how tragically boring would that be. I refuse to be bored and/or boring. Our generation feeds off instant gratification, they want what they want when they want it and I am the first to say I am guilty of it. Unfortunately, there are people who come in here who only appreciate results without the efforts of hard work and when forced with challenges or tension, they bulk and blame others for their lack of maturity and/or inability to overcome their pride. This is unfortunate; because many of them have potential they are robbing themselves of through their inability to take accountability. IDR allows you to work hard towards something, to challenge yourself, and to envelop success that can be both materialized and inexplicit at the same time. Change and growth are linked together; your attitude towards change has a dramatic impact on your earning potential as well as your personal/professional growth. Change will create opportunities for breakthrough rather than breakdowns. If you want to become a professional, IDR will provide the environment....granted you have to take responsibility for own development too...hand holding ceased when you graduated from college – IDR can teach you how to walk and play with the big kids, but we will not walk for you. Rory Vaden, in Take the Stairs, says “successful people do the things non successful people don’t want to do. Not because they want to do them, but because they know that is what it takes to be successful”. Boom. I joined IDR because I didn’t want to be mediocre. I wanted to be forced out of my comfort zone. I wanted to learn from those who exuded excellence and be pushed by people who were admirable by means of the standards they hold themselves and those around them to. I wanted to be the best at anything and everything I threw myself at and, in order to be the best; you have to learn from it. I saw so many of my friends take jobs out of school that allowed them to fall below average. I graduated about a year ago, joining IDR right out of school…and those very same friends have been in 2, 3, maybe 4 jobs since we graduated, attributing their departures to “them”. I have a big picture perspective of what I want out of life. I encourage those who are starting their career to do the same, to truly think about how hard they want to push themselves and why. If you are pursuing a career in sales, you should know going in that results are measured by numbers…you either hit them or you don’t. If you don’t there are natural consequences. Somehow that concept has seemed to slip the minds of these “goal-oriented” individuals people claim to be. In sales, goals are meant to be hit, but will also be missed. What you attribute these failures and successes to and how you overcome them is the important part. I have found that those who don’t make it at IDR, do is because they attribute these to something external as opposed to looking at themselves…and when you’re surrounding by driven people who have expectations and standards, that kind of mindset just doesn’t fly. I think IDR’s constant demand for progression and innovation and its intolerance for stagnancy is a privilege not provided by most places of work – that is a pro you will find here
Cons
Some of the more "constructive" reviews have some very valid truths to them and I cannot negate the fact that IDR faces imperfections and failures. As the CEO and core of the organization, of course Eric French’s are the most magnified and the easiest to criticize. When trying to build something you believe so strongly in, sometimes your feelings can mask your core purpose - a flaw most humans are confronted with everyday. It’s one of the most frustrating dichotomies of humanity – selfishness v. selflessness. I appreciate the transparency and authenticity, and because I understand the purpose, I can also forgive the faults he may fall privy to in the pursuance of it – just as I hope someone would do for me. I find it unfortunate that Eric French is painted in a light that portrays him as abrasive. I always wanted someone to tell me when I wasn’t living up to my potential, when my actions did not align with who I said I was, when I was sabotaging my or others ability to grow/develop; if that is abrasive, then sign me up for the abrasive train! I guarantee no one that wrote some of the more negative reviews ever actually asked Eric what his purpose was. What he was so passionate about? What he wanted for this company and the people in it? What he saw in his employees? Instead, they chose to play the victim of some of the only true rawness the professional world has left. People, naturally, look to judge before understanding and if some of the past, much more short term employees simply tried to understand him/what he stood for, or get this – even just asked – perhaps it could have been different. But since they didn’t, I’ll tell it – for Eric IDR is built upon his vision to create leaders. People who are proud of who they are and who they are becoming. People who set examples of what success can look and/or feel like. It represents individuals who try to add meaningful value to all people and situations they encounter. His passion is built on developing people who make a difference in whatever they decide to pursue. Whether they continue on as a leader at IDR or take IDR with them somewhere else, he just wants them to aspire…and then execute. I absolutely understand some of the feelings that are exposed in the reviews, but I do not empathize with those who blame others for their own failure to do what it takes to be successful and, quite honestly, they are only demeaning themselves. I used to do the same thing, it’s a very hard thing NOT to do. Who wants to actually admit that their problems are ACTUALLY their own? Not me, that’s for sure…but I’m getting there. Albert Ellis, one of the most influential, American psychologists in the 50’s, said “The best years of your life are when you realize your problems are your own”. There is such liberation in this realization….and I haven’t even fully encompassed it in its full totality yet. Are there improvements? Absolutely. Does the company have flaws? Of course. Do we make mistakes? All the time. But that’s the beauty in it, you get to constantly reconstruct, make changes, drive excellence, demand progress, and make an overall impact in the livelihood of businesses...no matter what role you play. In fact, it is required. So, I encourage you to take on the challenge...and there will be plenty of people here, who have been here, who will stay here…to help you do so.
