Know What You Want To Get Ahead (Step Three)

Newsletter 12/19/07

Know What You Want To Get Ahead (Step Three)

You've probably heard the famous Albert Einstein quote "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." This adage is particularly applicable to the world of work.

Many people get stuck in jobs just because it's "what they've always done." Or, they get tagged with "dog" assignments simply because they involve skills set they've demonstrated in the past. Furthermore, too many clients get trapped in a career rut by settling for what happens to be offered to them.

The clients who hire me want to change these negative patterns. They want to proactively manage their career instead of taking what's given.

When I ask my clients: "What do you want to do?" I'm usually met with deafening silence. Many, if not most, people really just don't know what career will make them happy.
It certainly can feel overwhelming to answer the "What do you want to do with your life?" question. My 12-part program-"Discover Your Authentic Career Fit"-breaks the process down into simply organized and manageable action steps. One of the key steps in this process is getting clear on what you don't want.

Know What You Don't Want

To make sure you don't end up in yet another job that is the wrong fit, you must define what you don't want at work.

This week, let's cover the people with whom you work.

Ask yourself these three simple questions:

What don't I enjoy about the people at my current workplace?
What didn't I like about the people at past places of employment?
In what way(s) would I like the people to be different at my next place of work?

For example, am I looking for a group of people who are:

Friendlier?
More professional and dedicated?
More family-oriented?

Schedule time in your calendar to answer these questions in the next seven days. That way, you'll be sure to get it done and not let it linger on that never-ending to do list. Next week, we'll focus on the next phase of defining what you don't want in your next job: Your individual work style.

I wish you much continued success as you move towards defining and working in your authentic career fit!

~Maret~

Know what you want to get ahead (Step 1)

Newsletter 12/5/07

You've probably heard the famous Albert Einstein quote "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

This adage is particularly applicable to the world of work.
Many women get stuck in jobs just because it's "what they've always done." Or, they get tagged with "dog" assignments simply because they involve skills set they've demonstrated in the past. Furthermore, too many women get trapped in a career rut by settling for what happens to be offered to them.

The women who hire me want to change these negative patterns. They want to proactively manage their career instead of taking what's given.
When I ask my clients: "What do you want to do?" I'm usually met with deafening silence. Many, if not most, women really just don't know what career will make them happy.


Know What You Don't Want

To make sure you don't end up in yet another job that is the wrong fit, you must define what you don't want at work.

This week, let's cover roles and responsibilities. Ask yourself these three simple questions:

· What roles and responsibilities do I not enjoy in my current position?

· What tasks and duties did I dislike in past jobs?

· What roles do I not want to get stuck with again?

Schedule time in your calendar to answer these questions in the next seven days. That way, you'll be sure to get it done and not let it linger on that never-ending to do list. Next week, we'll focus on the next phase of defining what you don't want at work: The Culture.
I wish you much continued success as you move towards defining and working in your authentic career fit!

~Maret~

Career Values (Part 5)

Newsletter 11/28/07

Identify Your Strengths and Talents

Know Your Strengths and Talents

If you haven't done so already, take a moment to complete the exercise I laid out in last week's Newsletter.

Once you have completed this exercise, review your notes and identify the top skills that have emerged. Make a list of all the professional competencies you have identified. Even if they seem unimpressive to you - write them down anyway. This is all vital information to discovering what you are naturally good at.

After you've completed your list, organize it into categories. You'll find that certain skills go together and can be combined under similar headings. Arrange your skills list into these groupings and then distill them into your top five professional competencies. Narrowing it down to your top five is very important because this will tell you the type of work you enjoy the most.
Schedule time in your calendar to complete this exercise in the next seven days. If you haven't finished the previous three exercises I've outlined this month, take the time to do them this week as well.

Working in your career "sweet spot" is about having a profession in which you can truly be yourself. Life is way too short to work in a job that is not a good fit for who you are. As you know, when you're miserable in your career, it darkens your entire world.
However, when you have a position that fits with your life values, work values, passions and skills - you have the makings of a phenomenal career! I wish you much continued professional success as you move towards discovering and working in your career "sweet spot!"

~Maret~

Career Values: Part 4

Newsletter 11/21/07

Identify Your Strengths and Talents

This week, I am guiding you through the process of defining your career "sweet spot."
Working in your "sweet spot" means your job is in alignment with your values, skills and passions.

The final step is to identify your top professional skills. A big part of working in your "sweet spot" is doing what you are good at. This allows you to be in a job that comes naturally to you, rather than a position in which you have to try way too hard to make things work. (Been there, done that!)

Instead of feeling like heaving a huge boulder up a mountain, working in your "sweet spot" feels like rolling a rock down a mountain with momentum - joy in what you do and the rewards it brings you - easing you along. On a typical workday, if you feel like a square peg being pounded into a round hole, you owe it to yourself to explore other career options either within or outside your current profession.

The following written exercise will help you identify your top skills:

Review all of the jobs you have held, including your current position. Go all the way back to your first job - maybe it was in high school. Take out a separate sheet of paper for each position and write your title at the top of the page. Then, brainstorm what you liked about each job.

Ask yourself questions such as:

- What did I enjoy about this position?

- What assignments did I like working on?

- What elements of this position gave me the most satisfaction?

- What tasks were easy for me to accomplish?

- What types of projects elicited the most compliments from managers and clients?

There are no right or wrong answers in this exercise. Let your brainstorm flow and do not censor yourself. This document is for your eyes only, so there is no risk of judgment. I recommend you work on this a few days in a row for about 15 minutes each day. Give yourself enough time for all ideas and observations to surface.

Schedule time in your calendar to complete this exercise in the next seven days. Next week, I will guide you through the process of analyzing your results.

~Maret~

Career Values (Part 3)

Newsletter 11/14/07

Identify Your Professional Passions

This week, I am guiding you through the process of defining your career "sweet spot." Career Values Part 3
Working in your "sweet spot" means your job is in alignment with your values, skills and passions.

The third step is to identify your passions. Your passions are the concepts, topics and issues that really get you pumped up. They are the things in life that most interest you and always grab your attention.

For example:

- Do you love everything about fashion or the entertainment industry?

- Are you crazy about movies and want to write your own screenplay?

- Do you get joy out of conceptualizing and designing new software?

- Are you passionate about environmental conservation?

- Do you get energized advocating on behalf of children?

The following exercise will help clarify your passions:

Think about your favorite magazine. This is the publication you look forward to reading each month. It inspires you and sparks creative ideas you can't wait to put into action.

Now, put yourself on the cover of your favorite magazine! That's right, your smiling face will be smack dab on the cover. This month, the featured topic is you!

Let your creativity flow. Do not put any restrictions on this imaginative exercise. For example, say O Magazine is your favorite publication. It's true that Oprah is the only person ever featured on the cover. However, for the purposes of this exercise, you are on the cover this month. Or if your favorite magazine is PC World, which typically doesn't put people on the cover, that's okay. Let your imagination take over and forget the rules.

Envision you are being interviewed by the magazine's top features reporter. The topic is: "The greatest achievement of your career." This is the achievement you feel completely excited about. It gives you goose bumps just to think about it. The goose bump factor is very important here! That's when you know you're on to something big!

Visualize yourself throughout the interview. What questions are asked? How do you respond? Here are some sample questions to get you started:

- Tell us about the greatest achievement of your career.

- How does it feel to have achieved this accomplishment?

- Once you determined your goal, how did you create your success plan?

- What obstacles did you face along the way?

- How did you overcome these challenges?

- What advice would you give to other women who want to pursue a similar career path?

- What's next for you?

A key step in successfully reaching a goal is to visualize yourself achieving it. You want to create a vivid mental picture of success and allow yourself to experience the positive feelings - pride, happiness, satisfaction, etc. - that go along with your accomplishment. The more you can "see" your success in your mind's eye, the more likely you will be to make it a reality.

After your visualization is complete, examine your experience. Here are some questions to ask:

- What did you discover about yourself?

- What success strategies were revealed?

- What tactics for overcoming obstacles were uncovered?

- What surprised you?

Schedule time in your calendar to complete this exercise in the next seven days. Next week, I will guide you through the process of identifying your strengths and talents - the final step toward discovering your career "sweet spot."

~Maret

Career Values (Part 2)

Newsletter 11/7/07

Identify Your On-the-Job Values

This week, I am guiding you through the process of defining your career "sweet spot."
Working in your "sweet spot" means your job is in alignment with your values, skills and passions.

The next step is to identify your work values. It is extremely important to identify what you value in work. We all want a job that fits with who we are and allows us to truly be ourselves. When we have a position like this, we are happier, more fulfilled and have a greater chance of success.

This brief exercise will help you identify and clarify your personal set of work values:

Research shows the following to be the main values people have in work. As you review the list, identify your top three.

Work Values

Social Affiliation

This means you need a social atmosphere in which you have lots of interaction with others, be it co-workers, colleagues at other organizations, or the public.

Autonomy

This is a desire for self-determination. For example, control over how you carry out your assignments and how you schedule your time.

Mission

A desire to make a difference and "do good" for your community and the world as a whole.

Money

This can mean a desire for stability and security, or it may mean a desire for status, keeping up with your peers, etc.

Recognition

A position that allows your efforts to be acknowledged by others on a regular basis.

Power

This is a desire for large-scale influence over others and formal power. For example, you want to be the Director, President or CEO.

Creativity

You highly value having a creative outlet to express yourself.

Intellectual Stimulation

You thrive in an intellectually stimulating environment, however you define such an environment.

Balance

You value free time to spend with your friends, family, hobbies, etc.

Fun

This speaks for itself. Fun is defined by you, whatever fun at work means for you.

Review this list carefully and identify your top three work values. Next, rank them in order of importance and write yourself a paragraph on each value and why it is important to you.

Having a clear idea of your most deeply held values is a key step in defining your ideal career fit. Such awareness will greatly increase your chances of working in a truly fulfilling position that meets your unique set of parameters.

Schedule time in your calendar to complete this exercise in the next seven days. Next week, I will guide you through the process of identifying your passions - another key element to discovering your career "sweet spot."

~Maret~

Career Values: Part 1

Identify Your Life Values

One of my favorite quotes is by Confucius: "Find work that you love and you'll never work another day in your life." This is about doing what you are good at rather than expending energy shoring up your weaknesses. I call this working in your "sweet spot."

If you're a golfer, you may be familiar with the concept of the "sweet spot." In golf, the "sweet spot" is the very center of the golf club head. When the ball is hit from this place, you get the most power, distance and control in your swing.

Isn't that what you want in your career as well? When you work in your "sweet spot," you are well positioned with the power and control to take your career as far as you wish. When you're in this zone, it doesn't feel like work. Your job feels like the right fit for you, and success - both internal and external rewards - comes easily.

Everyone can have the job of their dreams if they're willing to take the time to discover their greatest aptitudes and what truly makes them happy. It's all about identifying the highest and best use of your gifts and talents as well as your greatest interests and passions.

This month, I will guide you through a four-part process of discovering your career "sweet spot." We will start by exploring your life values. I suggest you use a folder or notebook that appeals to you. This will serve as your designated career book.

Life Values

Identifying what's most important to you - your life values - is the first step in designing a fulfilling life and career. Once you know what's most important to you, you can design your career around those things. That way, your career will fit into your life, rather than forcing your life to somehow fit into your career.

Values are unique to each individual. And, of course, there are no right or wrong value choices. For example, the following could be the top values for three different women.

Person One

Family
Security
Community Service

Person Two

Independence
Adventure
Fun

Person Three

Professional Success
Monetary Success
Status

As you can see, each woman has a different set of core values. Again, there is no judgment; each woman's individual choices are respected.

Now, let's get you on the road to discovering your core values. The following exercise will start the process:

Brainstorm and write down the things that are most important to you in life. Remember, there is no right or wrong. Take as much time as you need to create your list. Many women find it helpful to work on their list for a few minutes a day. Ideas often surface over the course of a few days. Once you have completed your initial brainstorm, identify your top three or four values. Narrowing down your list allows you to get very clear about what is most essential to you in life.

Idea Sparkers

The following exercises will help you kick-start your life values brainstorm:

Exercise One
What are the highlights of your days? Identify the things that you enjoy most throughout a typical day. They could be certain types of interactions you have, contributions you make, activities you engage in, etc.

Exercise Two
Imagine you are independently wealthy - you never have to work again in your life. You are financially set. How do you choose to spend your days? What do you do with your time?

Exercise Three
Imagine yourself at 100 years old and surrounded by your descendants and/or descendants of your friends. You are in a warm and relaxed atmosphere (such as around a fireplace). What would you say to them is important in life?

Schedule time in your calendar to complete this exercise in the next seven days. Next week, I will guide you through the process of identifying your work values - another key element to discovering your career "sweet spot."

The Rewards of Self Promotion

Newsletter 10/24/07

My definition of self-promotion for professional people is: Discussing your gifts and talents in a tactful way, when the time is right.

The rewards of promoting yourself in this manner are manifold. The people I work with have reaped considerable rewards from developing and honing this skill. These rewards include:

• Salary increases
• Better work assignments
• More respect from managers and colleagues
• Cash bonuses

For example, one of my clients is a marketing consultant at a public relations firm. She felt as though her bosses did not fully recognize her achievements and contributions to the company. Through our coaching, she realized she does not speak up enough in meetings and this was why her colleagues were unaware of all the great work she was doing.

Therefore, we created a strategy that allowed her to comfortably talk about herself in group settings. As a result, at the annual company retreat, she took the opportunity to sing her own praises and discuss a new account she had recently landed. This led to her receiving a sizeable cash bonus as well as a great new work assignment! Not too shabby.

Take the time to identify opportunities when you can discuss your gifts and talents in a tactful way with your colleagues. Create your personalized self-promotion strategy and reap the professional rewards awaiting you!

~Maret~

Simple Self Promotion (Part 2)

Why people don't promote themselves

To help you effectively develop this skill, it is important to take a look at why so many women avoid it altogether.

As an Executive Coach, I have coached hundreds of professionals to achieve their goals. I have worked with people in all regions of the country and from a wide variety of professional backgrounds. I have observed that one of the most common roadblocks to success for people is self-promotion. Most people are reluctant to engage in self-promotion and their careers suffer for it.

Why do people shy away from talking about their achievements? Here is what people say about why they avoid self-promotion:

- "It's not polite to brag."
- "Promoting myself is distasteful."
- "People won't like me if I talk about myself all the time."

I believe we are way too hard on ourselves when we downplay our achievements. Allow yourself the luxury of being proud of all you've accomplished. Share your accomplishments with others in a tactful way, when the timing is right. Modesty of course is good. However, modesty to an extreme is detrimental.

The real reasons people avoid self-promotion stem from fear. Theses fears include:

- Fear of not being liked
- Fear of rejection
- Fear of failure
- Fear of not being perceived as the "good"

Keep your fears in check and commit to promoting yourself on a regular basis. Your long-term career success and fulfillment depend on it!

~Maret~

Simple Self Promotion

Simple Self Promotion

Does the concept of self-promotion turn you off? If so, you are like a lot of professional women. And your career may be suffering for it.

Many people are uncomfortable with the thought of singing their own praises in the workplace. As a result, people often miss out on valuable professional opportunities and advancement.

This month is devoted to helping you build the essential career success skill of effective self-promotion. Because, the truth of the matter is, if you don't promote yourself, who will?

Tooting your own horn doesn't have to be uncomfortable or guilt-producing. You can find a style that is natural for you and gets the point across that you are fantastic and achieving fabulous results!

My definition of self-promotion for professional people is:

Discussing your gifts and talents in a tactful way, when the time is right.

Your first step in building this skill is to use everyday opportunities to mention recent on-the-job successes. You can casually bring them up in situations such as:

• Informal conversations with co-workers in the hallway
• Your weekly staff meeting
• One-on-one meetings with your manager

Your managers and co-workers may or may not be aware of your recent wins and successes. There is nothing wrong with a subtle reminder delivered in a tactful way. Find language and timing that is comfortable for you and give your boss and colleagues the opportunity to "catch you doing something right."

Don't assume that your co-workers are aware of the great work you are doing. Claim your right to be recognized and rewarded for your accomplishments - because you are worth it!

~Maret~

Know Your Strengths - Part Four

Know Your Strengths - Part Four

A solid understanding of your top strengths and talents is essential to creating your own career success. Knowing what you're good at allows you to steer your career in the most satisfying and fulfilling direction.

When I embark on a coaching program with a new client, I like to start out by getting a sense of her greatest strengths and talents. When I ask clients to share their top skills, I'm usually met with stunned silence. Most people cannot say what they're good at! For many people, this is due to a combination of not wanting to brag and simply not knowing (or not owning) their gifts and talents.

Everyone has areas in which they excel. Too often, people overlook or devalue their greatest strengths. Since certain skills come to them so naturally, they assume everyone possesses these same gifts. Even though a certain assignment may feel effortless to you, others may struggle to complete the same task with ease.

To continue with the process of identifying your top professional strengths, ask yourself the following powerful question:

Throughout my career, which of my projects have elicited the highest praise from my managers and clients?

Identifying when and where you receive the highest praise for your efforts will give you a lot of important clues about your top career strengths.

Until next week, here's to your continued success!

~Maret~

Know Your Strengths - Part Three

A solid understanding of your top strengths and talents is essential to creating your own career success. Knowing what you're good at allows you to steer your career in the most satisfying and fulfilling direction.

When I embark on a coaching program with a new client, I like to start out by getting a sense of her greatest strengths and talents. When I ask clients to share their top skills, I'm usually met with stunned silence. Most people cannot say what they're good at! For many people, this is due to a combination of not wanting to brag and simply not knowing (or not owning) their gifts and talents.

Everyone has areas in which they excel. Too often, women overlook or devalue their greatest strengths. Since certain skills come to them so naturally, they assume everyone possesses these same gifts. Even though a certain assignment may feel effortless to you, others may struggle to complete the same task with ease.

To continue with the process of identifying your top professional strengths, ask yourself the following powerful question:

Throughout my career, when have I experienced the most satisfaction?

Identifying what gives you the greatest sense of accomplishment will give you a lot of important clues about your top career strengths.

Until next week, here’s to your continued success!

~Maret~

Know Your Strengths – Part Two

A solid understanding of your top strengths and talents is essential to creating your own career success. Knowing what you’re good at allows you to steer your career in the most satisfying and fulfilling direction.

When I embark on a coaching program with a new client, I like to start out by getting a sense of her greatest strengths and talents. When I ask clients to share their top skills, I’m usually met with stunned silence. Most women cannot say what they’re good at! For many women, this is due to a combination of not wanting to brag and simply not knowing (or not owning) their gifts and talents.

Everyone has areas in which they excel. Too often, women overlook or devalue their greatest strengths. Since certain skills come to them so naturally, they assume everyone possesses these same gifts. Even though a certain assignment may feel effortless to you, others may struggle to complete the same task with ease.

To continue with the process of identifying your top professional strengths, ask yourself the following powerful question:

Throughout my career, what assignments have been easy for me to accomplish?

Identifying what comes naturally to you will give you a lot of important clues about your greatest career strengths.

Know Your Strengths – Part One

A solid understanding of your top strengths and talents is essential to creating your own career success. Knowing what you’re good at allows you to steer your career in the most satisfying and fulfilling direction.

When I embark on a coaching program with a new client, I like to start out by getting a sense of her greatest strengths and talents. When I ask clients to share their top skills, I’m usually met with stunned silence. Most women cannot say what they’re good at! For many women, this is due to a combination of not wanting to brag and simply not knowing (or not owning) their gifts and talents.

Everyone has areas in which they excel. Too often, women overlook or devalue their greatest strengths. Since certain skills come to them so naturally, they assume everyone possesses these same gifts. Even though a certain assignment may feel effortless to you, others may struggle to complete the same task with ease.

To launch your process of identifying your top professional strengths, ask yourself the following powerful question:

Throughout my career, when have I experienced the most joy on the job?

Think about the times you’ve felt most engaged and alive at work. This will give you a lot of important clues about your greatest career strengths.

~ Maret ~

Should I stay or should I go? (Part 5 - END)

To recap what we've accomplished this month:

• Step 1 - Listed gripes / frustrations
• Step 2 - Listed what we like about our job
• Step 3 - Expanded on our gripes: what is it that bugs us?
• Step 4 - Expanded on our 'likes': what it is that we appreciate?
• Step 5 - Dig deeper on gripes - what is at the core?
• Step 6 - Fixes - what can we do to eliminate/reduce these core concerns?
• Step 7 - Write out and start to implement an action plan to improve our quality of life at work
• Step 8 - now that you've done a lot of venting, digging, appreciating what is good, how are you feeling about your work? What have you discovered?

It's common to realize that there's really a lot more 'good' than 'bad' and that the job fit is be better than we thought. Often it's 'what's between our ears' that is giving us the biggest problem. This is terrific news! Why? Because we have full control over, and can change how we perceive, respond and engage at work. This is not to say that it's easy to change our habits and self-talk, nevertheless, it can be done.

So what are the next steps?

1. Decide - do you want to stay, do you want to look for a new job, or do a little more reflection? (You can weigh each area on the 'likes' and 'gripes' and rate its importance to see how the two sides compare.)

2. As a result of this work, what do you want to take action on? Do you need support on moving forward on your action plan? (Of course working with a coach can be helpful here!)

Remember we tend to get what we focus on. Are you focusing on what you want more of?

~Gwyneth Anne~

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Part 4

So far we’ve clearly identified areas that are bothering us at work.

We’ve also identified what it is about these areas that is bothering us, included digging a little deeper and looking for the ‘theme’ or core concern.

Which ‘theme’ or core concern came up the most frequently?
Which two core concerns, if addressed, or greatly reduce your angst?

Step 6 - let’s identify what we can do to ‘fix’ these concerns.

For example, if you’re concerned that you don’t have the knowledge/skills for your position and it has you feeling less than confident, what are some ways you can this knowledge and these skills? Perhaps sign up for seminars, go back to school at a junior college or to get an MBA. Who do you know who is proficient in this area? Would you like to ask him/her to be your mentor? Would a coach help you gain the confidence you need and help you stretch your comfort zone?

For ‘boundaries’ and ‘standards’ concerns, is there someone specific with whom you need to have a serious discussion? Perhaps your boss isn’t aware of the time and your need to pick up your child. Or is there an earlier time that you could drop by his/her office and initiate the ‘catch up’
conversation?

This week, step 7, write out an action plan you could implement to greatly improve your quality of life at work.

Which two actions will you take this week?

Specifically how and when will you take action?

~Gwyneth Anne~

Should I stay or should I go? (Part 3)

So how did your observations go last week? What interesting observations did you make regarding ‘what you like’?

Did you have more, about the same or fewer items of frustration on your list than you had anticipated?

This week is Step 5 in the process and we’ll fill in column C. Take a look at column B. What themes did you find in column B? When you look below the surface, what was really the issue?

It’s common to find a few themes. One is insecurity. I see this frequently when people change jobs and/or get promoted up in an organization. We are still trying to figure out who’s responsible for what, how people tend to react, who the important players are, etc.

We also often discover that we need to increase our knowledge base and skills. For one client it was gaining broader knowledge as her responsibility wasn’t just a slice of marketing, but now marketing at large. Another client needed to learn supervisory skills.

The good news is these are things we can learn!

Other themes can be around what coaching calls ‘boundaries’ and ‘standards’. Do you feel that people are taking advantage of your time (such as the example of the boss who wants to ‘catch up’ at 5pm when you’re trying to leave to pick up your daughter)? Or you feel that the quality of work going out to a customer is sub-par because of the lack of planning or cost-cutting measures?

This week, look below the surface and identify the common themes that are causing you distress.

~Gwyneth~

Should I stay or should I go? (Part 2)

Step 3

Let’s expand a bit on each item you don’t like (column B). What is it that gripes you? What is causing the frustration? For example, as one of my client’s recently complained “I hate it that my boss always comes in at noon. The day is half over!” OK, now why is it that this bothers you? Do you want support in the morning, and s/he is unavailable?

Do you have to take on more work because s/he’s not there to respond to urgent requests in a different time zone? Are you annoyed, because when you’re trying to go home, your boss is just getting rolling and wants to ‘bend your ear’ about what’s going on at 5pm instead of 10am?

You may be thinking “Wait a minute. I thought a coach would have me think about everything positive, not focus on the negative!” Until we put down on paper our frustrations, it’s some times hard to see and move beyond them.

Step 4

Simultaneously on the ‘What I like’ sheet of paper do this same exercise.

What is it about the flexible hours that you really like? That this gives you time to be with your son in the evening? That you can take time off to attend important events and make up the hours at another time during the week?

This week, objectively track in column A what causes you tension and column B look inside and describe why it is bothering you, as well as what you like and why you like it.

~ Gwyneth Anne~

Should I stay or should I go? (Part 1)

Are you feeling frustrated in you career? Want to hand in your letter of resignation?
WAIT!

I often find when working with clients that things aren’t usually as bad as they think.

This month, let’s step back and take an objective look.

Take out a piece of paper (or do so ‘virtually’ on the computer), create three columns and write out these exercises this month. I really want you to write this all down, as the exercise of doing so often helps us to be more objectively wrap our arms around the situation. You may even be surprised at the results you discover!

Step 1 – list out all of your gripes/frustrations/annoyances (in column A).

Perhaps that your boss comes in late, the coffee is lousy, the cubicle environment is noisy, the politics, …

You may be thinking “Wait a minute. I thought a coach would have me think about everything positive, not focus on the negative!” Until we put down on paper our frustrations, it’s some times hard to see and move beyond them.

Step 2 – on a separate piece of paper list out everything you enjoy about your job/career.

Perhaps the short commute, flexible hours, vacation time that’s better than at most companies, an understanding boss, that you know how the organization and the politics work, that you’ve already proven yourself and have a well established and stellar reputation, …

This week, jot down on each respective sheet of paper what you enjoy and what you dislike.

~Gwyneth~

Maximize your Time - Planning

This week I’d like to review one more idea of how to plan out your day.
This approach comes from Eric Lofholm, Sales Master and Trainer.

First, every morning, spend 14 minutes (or 1% of 24 hours) to plan out your day *on paper*.

Eric suggests using questions you ask yourself as you plan to ensure that you get the best results.

First use Pre-Planning questions: Here I like to identify my values and long term goals.

*

Second, ask Planning Questions For example:

- What’s key to accomplish today?

- What will give me the biggest result(s)/return for my time?

Be sure to include all areas of your life.

*

Third, after you’ve planned out your day, ask Post-Planning questions.

For example apply the Pareto principle:

- What is the 20% that will give you the 80% return?

- What are the top 2 things to accomplish today?

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Fourth, when specifically will you do them?

Wouldn’t you agree with Eric’s quote ‘if something doesn’t get scheduled, it doesn’t get done’?

So let’s go ahead and schedule them on your calendar. For maximum results you may want to use some of the tips covered in one of the last bloggs.

Gwynneth Anne

Maximize Your Time - Concentration

Do you have a project that requires intense concentration and creativity?

Do you find yourself having trouble thinking and accomplishing your most important projects?

You’re not alone!

Did you know that when we’ve been interrupted, it takes 15-25 minutes to remember where you left off and return to a deep level of concentration.

Apparently we’re interrupted approximately every 10 minutes. So how are we ever to reach that maximum level of thinking?!

Tip #1: Don’t allow yourself to be distracted. If your job and life allow, forward your phone to voicemail, turn off your cell phone then check messages on your own terms. Turn off your email and IM for an hour or two. Put a note on your office door or cubicle entry to please not disturb until a specified time.

Tip #2: Create a project plan. Break the project down, on paper, into smaller chunks. This can be a simple outline of the steps and sub-steps.

Having this outline often makes the project feel much more manageable instead of overwhelming. Track your progress on the outline by using a highlighter to illuminate tasks completed (and this gives you an easy visual of your progress!). When it’s time to work on or report on the project, you can look at this ‘project plan’ and easily identify where you are and what’s next, instead spending time trying to remember these details. This can also help prevent things ‘falling through the cracks’.

Gwyneth Anne

Maximize Your Time - Theories

So often I hear people in all walks of life struggling to accomplish everything they want to achieve. This month we’ll be focusing on time management.

Do you read magazine and newspaper articles on time management and wonder which theory is best?

Let’s take a look at a few easy to use methods.

Method 1: When working from a ‘to-do’ list, start with the task you enjoy least and work towards the one you enjoy the most. If you have a tendency to put off tasks you don’t enjoy, this may be a good approach for you. By doing what you like the least, you will have built in ‘reward’ system, as the next item will be better than the previous, and you’ll have more enjoyable tasks to look forward to.

Method 2: Start with the easy tasks first. Find yourself overwhelmed by your list? Feel like you aren’t making progress? If you choose to complete the ‘quick and easy’ tasks first, you will increase your sense of accomplishment and build momentum as you move towards the more complex or time consuming ones.

Method 3: Identify which tasks you prefer doing at a certain time. For example, when do you feel most inspired to exercise? First thing in the morning? Lunch time? On the way home from work to unwind and shift gears from work to family? When do you have the least amount of energy? This is a good time for plowing through mundane tasks which don’t require much effort. When do you have the most energy? Perhaps this is the optimum time for diving into your complex projects.

Action:

This week pick a day to try each theory. Which do you feel most drawn to? Make a note on your calendar for Friday to identify which theory was most effective for you, and how you will implement it to increase your results.

~ Gwyneth Anne~

Maximize Your Time - Efficiency

Do you find yourself wondering where the morning (or day) went and realizing that you didn’t accomplish your most important task?

Here are some tips for maximizing your focus, efficiency and results at work:

Tip 1: Break your day in to chunks of time. Many clients discover chunking their time makes a big difference in their ability to accomplish the important tasks. We can easily get pulled into checking emails, answering the phone, etc. only to realize that an hour or more has past.

Try allowing 50 minutes per hour for solid, intense concentration on a project, then 10 minutes to check for urgent emails and voicemail. Every
3-4 hours, allot 30 minutes for returning calls and emails which require more attention.

Tip 2: Set time limits. To quote Wikipedia: “Parkinson’s Law states that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” Limited to 15 minutes? You’ll focus intently to complete the task. Have an hour?

You’ll tend take a more leisurely pace to complete this same task.

Tip 3: Develop a list of things you can achieve in 5, 15, 30, and 60 minutes. Have 5 minutes before needing to run off to a meeting? Look at your list to see what you can do. Perhaps catch up on filing. Fifteen minutes? Make that call or respond to a few emails.

Thirty minutes?

Check in with an employee. How is s/he coming along with the project you delegated? If you have an hour, this is perfect for diving into a project.

Action: Experiment with these ideas. What are 2 changes you’ll implement to be more efficient?

Please share your results! (Send your results to: nyman@consultant.com)

~ Gwyneth Anne~

Removing Obstacles – Labels

All of us have labels of sorts. Sometimes we label ourselves, other times we acquire them along life’s journey. Some we hold proudly, others not so proudly. Some are playful, others painful. Labels carry with them limitations, recognized or not. Labels restrict your ability to think expansively and be creative. Can you identify with any of the following labels?

• Control Freak
• Neat Freak
• Obsessive
• Lazy
• Worry-Wart
• Perfectionist
• Fatty (Moose, Heifer, Big Girl)
• Stupid
• Forgetful
• Trouble-Maker
• Stress-Ball
• Workaholic
• Sweet-heart
• Comedian (Sarcastic)
• Argumentative
• Nerd
• Procrastinator
• Thoughtful
• Care Taker (Nurturer)

Do you identify with any? Any others? Once you recognize your labels, it will be important to identify the pain and limiting beliefs around each. Many times, labels serve you because they provide an excuse for not stepping into the life you’re capable of living. Holding labels like “sweetheart” can prevent you from holding boundaries or saying no when necessary. In essence, labels give you permission to not be your best self, authentic or most courageous self.

By now you’re beginning to see how labels function as obstacles. Labels may fill a need for a time, but in the end labels are stumbling blocks and prohibit forward movement. What are doing or not doing as a result of hiding behind labels? For example, “I can’t relax with my family because I’m a stress bomb,” or “I’m just a jock, not smart enough to get a graduate degree”. Your labels give you permission to cower from life, and deny your potential.

The truth is, you are far more powerful than you can possibly imaginable. Let go of labels, life and excellence is waiting for you on the other side. Go claim it.

Shawn

Communication Style Assessment

Now that fall is in full swing, it’s time for you to go back to school! Well, not really, but I do have some tests for you to take. Before you panic, let me assure you, these tests are both easy and fun. And the best news: there are no wrong answers!

I am referring to career assessments. These assessments can help you:

• Identify your greatest strengths and talents
• Understand your personal communication style, and
• Clarify your career interests

Having a solid understanding of your skills, work style and professional interests allows you to steer your career in the most fulfilling direction. This month, I will share four recommended assessments to assist you on this journey. Each assessment is available online, and several are free of charge.

The first assessment I recommend is “The Platinum Rule.” This communication style assessment can be taken online at: http://www.platinumrule.com

The Platinum Rule helps you understand your communication style, and the styles of others around you, so you can effectively communicate and build rapport with anyone.

I also recommend the book: The Platinum Rule: Discover the Four Basic Business Personalities and How They Can Lead You to Success. It provides instructions on how to identify and adapt to each communication style.

If you’d like assistance applying your Platinum Rule results to your everyday work life and real-time communication challenges - shoot me an email and we can schedule a time to chat. Next week, I’ll feature a free online personality assessment.

Maret McCoy