Smart Lemming had a great post a few weeks back about Career Reinvention.  In it, Lori introduced us to Pamela Mitchell, CLC, the CEO and Chief Vision Officer for The Reinvention Institute™. Pamela offers us us 10 Principles to help guide us as we shape our future.  

Here are my favorites (with commentary):

Understand that in order to be truly happy, your career must serve your life.

You work to live you don’t live to work.  Find a job that will support the kind of life you want.  Think about it:  You spend 1/3 of your day at work.  That’s too much time to be unhappy.

Get used to living outside your comfort zone.

Take a chance and apply for that dream job.  If you get rejected, apply for another.  If you need new skills, go back to school.  It doesn’t matter if you’re 40…or 50.  You can still learn. 

The key to making a change is to take some action.  Get started and let the momentum take over.   

Be wiling to pursue new contacts.

There are literally hundreds of opportunities out there waiting for you.  You just need to make some new friends and spend some time with them on a regular basis.  Most people don’t like networking because they view it as “forced” or “contrived”. 

Do yourself a favor.  Go to a networking event hosted by the local chamber of commerce.  Go just to learn about other businesses in the area.  If you feel brave, offer to help one of those businesses with a problem or challenge in your area of expertise.  You’ll be amazed at how quickly you make new friends – and realize some new opportunities.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Asking smart questions is a good way to establish rapport with a potential client.  It is also a good way to uncover objections.  The questions you ask will make an impression on your potential client.

Below are some good questions you can use to accomplish all three purposes.

Click Here to Read the Entire Post

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Making mistakes comes along with being a business owner.  They key is to minimize the exposure your business faces when you make mistakes.  Exposure means the negative financial implications associated with mistakes.

Too often business owners – smart people – fall into a trap that hurts their ability to succeed.  This trap is primarily one of arrogance or over-confidence.  What happens is that these people get “full of themselves”.  This over-confidence comes in three forms.  I have outlined them below. 

Click Here to Read the Entire Article

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Why isn’t this statement true in every company?

Wall Street rewards growth. Companies that consistently show increases in revenue are more valuable than companies that do not. This is one of the driving principles of business. The greater the growth of the company, the more valuable the firm becomes. Everyone knows, understands, and accepts this fact.

Companies are not shy about publicizing their growth rates; in fact, it is required that publicly traded companies do so on a regular basis. When a company perceives that its stock price is too low, they launch massive communications campaigns that are designed to highlight the value the company brings to its customers. These campaigns talk about the competitive advantage the company possesses. They tout the remarkable qualities that set that company apart from its competition. As an individual dedicated to continuous improvement, you must communicate your growth to your customers and potential customers.

Companies set goals. They devise strategic plans that outline the future of the organization. The best firms constantly think about the future. They make decisions within the context of where the company wants to go, and understand the implications of each decision. Successful companies conduct significant research before they enter into a business relationship – or even have discussions with other firms. These companies are sales powerhouses. They believe in what they have to offer and they build persuasive cases to convince others that their offering is compelling. You should be following these same processes in your career.

In fact, all of the operating principles of successful companies also apply to personal growth. As you grow through the acquisition of skills and knowledge (usually measured by education and experience), your value increases. You should be able to follow all of the principles of successful companies and increase your value, just as a company increases its value. You should manage your career the way a company manages its position in the market.

In many companies, there is no equity between employee compensation and value creation. It is just not practical for firms to pay individual employees in that fashion. Instead, companies look at job classifications and benchmark against the compensation provided by other organizations for that job classification. This is the system that most organizations feel provides the fairest compensation to individuals for their services.

Now comes the true question: Why must those individuals who provide outstanding value be subject to the same (or similar) compensation standards as everyone else? In short, they shouldn’t.

Individuals who provide outstanding value can challenge the system and win. Their commitment to continuous improvement – their Career Intensity –helps them catapult themselves beyond the proscribed systems that the corporate world has set for them.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      1 Comment

Today is marathon day in NYC.  37,000 people are racing through the five Boroughs of New York City as I type this. 

Your career is a marathon. 

In the beginning you go out fast.  You want to show everyone all the hard work and training you’ve put in leading up to the race. 

As you hit the halfway point, you’re unsure if you’ll make it to the finish.  Your legs get rubbery and you think about giving up.

Then something magical happens.  At about mile 16 you find yourself reinvigorated.  You feel like a new person.  You know that all the experience and training you accumulated along the way has given you the confidence to finish the race. 

The question that everyone asks is “How can I make sure I get that feeling at mile 16?”.  The answer – It is entirely about attitude. 

If you have worked smart and accumulated the skills and knowledge along the way, and you are passionate about your chosen vocation,you will have the confidence you need to get you through. 

Where are you in the career marathon?  Have you reached the halfway point?

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Tell me if this excerpt from an article by Rhonda Abrams sounds familiar:

Fall is a perfect time to take stock of your direction, set goals, and milestones for the coming year. That’s the time when we have traditionally developed an annual plan in my company.
But this year, during the summer, we conducted a thorough marketing plan session, so we put off the business plan process. Whoops!

Without a plan, I feel overwhelmed all the time. We have a number of decisions to make, and the lack of a clear strategic plan for the coming year is starting to make a noticeable difference. We’re experimenting with some new projects, have a real need to hire additional help, and are launching a number of new marketing initiatives.

With all this activity, I don’t know where to spend my time or money first. Every day, I consider a different option.

That’s why a plan is so important. One of the great things about planning is that it is a decision-making process. You set aside a time to discuss and evaluate exactly which projects and initiatives are priorities and which are not. It’s liberating.

Here’s a secret: business planning substantially frees you from the feeling of being constantly overwhelmed.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Quitting a job is one of the toughest decisions you can possibly make.  Many people stay in a job for far too long.  You should think about quitting if:

You disagree with the overall strategic vision of your company.  Everyone in the organization should feel good about the future of the company.  If you feel that the company is on the wrong track – that the firm is headed in the wrong direction – you need to seriously evaluate your future with that company.  You have to go into work feeling that you are part of something good.  If you don’t believe in the mission or the strategy of the company, it is incredibly difficult to do your best work.

You feel like you can’t make a difference.  You must feel that your work is important.  If you can’t make a difference in the life (work-life) of at least one person, either inside your company or outside (a customer) then you should consider getting out. Don’t just pick up a pay check. Feel good about it.

You feel undervalued.  If you know other people are getting paid a lot more than you, and you can’t stand it, get out.  If money is important to you, you need to feel that you are fairly compensated.  If you feel that the compensation is unfair, that feeling will hang over you during your entire time in that job.  Go someplace where they pay you what you’re worth.

Nobody talks to you about your performance.  If you don’t get any feedback on your work you can’t improve.  If you don’t improve, you will never be able to get promoted.  If you are working in a company where performance is never discussed, you need to move on. 

Your spouse or significant other hates your job, boss, company, etc.  Life is too short to fight with your significant other about work.  You work to live you don’t live to work.  If your wife hates the fact that your job takes up too much time, you need to quit.  It is easier to find a new job than it is to find a new wife.

At the end of the day, it’s all up to you.  You are responsible for your future. 

Take a good hard look at your attitude toward your company.  If it is not what it should be, it might be time to move on.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

A friend of mine is about to relocate to another city that she believes will offer better job prospects in her field. For the past couple of months, she has been sending out inquiries to companies that appeal to her, including her résumé and letters of intent. She has already started to hear back from some of them. A midsize company recently contacted her and let her know about a networking event that’s coming up. It just so happens that she’ll be there during that time, searching for a new apartment, and she will be able to attend. Before she has even officially relocated, she is starting to make contacts.

In addition to this, she has stated her intentions to friends and business partners, and through contacts of theirs, she has arranged several lunch dates to talk about the market and job opportunities. She is determined and confident in her decision to relocate, and the way is being paved for success. Her enthusiasm is apparent, and people are willing and ready to help her navigate a successful course.

When you make the right decisions for yourself and take proactive steps to attract opportunities to you, magic starts to happen. Passion, drive, and a positive attitude do wonders for your future and your career.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Who are the people in your life who are the most supportive, positive, and proactive? Which of your friends and business partners project good energy to you and help you work toward your goals? These are the people in whom you would be wise to invest more of your time and energy. Resist the habit of pouring energy into those people who always seem to drain your resources, and redirect your focus to those with whom you have a mutually beneficial relationship.

A strong support system of like-minded individuals with similar goals goes a long way in helping you progress. Plus, it’s more fun to spend time with people who radiate good energy.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Yesterday, I referred to the cycle of the seasons and posed a question about your processes of renewal. Today, I offer ten ideas for renewing yourself professionally and bringing to life the Cycle of Continuous Improvement:

Shed the old. Start with the physical. What objects in your office and home are not adding any value to your life? Some suggest getting rid of anything that’s not beautiful or useful. Another rule of thumb is that if you haven’t touched it in a year, it goes. If certain people in your life have become draining of your energy and good will, consider cutting back your contact with them. Ask yourself if the rewards of the relationship are worth the investment of your time. This is also a great time to leave behind fears that have held you back and reconsider your tolerance for risk and willingness to consider new opportunities.

Let go. If you’ve been holding onto any grudges toward business partners or friends, take some time to think about why and assess whether it would benefit you to let go of those. If someone in your life is not a healthy presence, you most likely know it. But if petty disagreements have kept you out of touch, maybe it’s time to bury the hatchet.

Rest. After the buzz and energy of summer, fall is the perfect time to come in from the cold, relax, and renew your energy stores. One day of good rest can completely rejuvenate someone’s who burned out and exhausted. Getting good rest when you need it is a simple but very important way to take care of yourself and give your body and mind a chance to heal and grow.

Update contacts. This is a great time to go through your address book or contact list and add new contacts and update the old. It’s also the perfect time to get together for coffee or lunch with someone you haven’t seen in a while. You never know what kinds of opportunities may open up from these catch-up dates.

Break a habit, and form a new one. Breaking bad habits is never easy, but it only takes 21 days to break or form a habit, they say. If you’ve been meaning to quit smoking, cut back on fast food, exercise more, or spend an hour a day on your overarching goals, start now and maintain your effort till the middle of October. It’s only three weeks. You can always go back to the old way if you find the new is not working for you. Chances are, you’ll be glad you tried it, though.

Focus. Once you’ve weeded out the unnecessary in your life, pinpoint the most essential elements. Choose your most important objectives, and arrange your life in a way that supports them. Remember, the fewer overarching objectives you have, the more attention you can devote to each one.

Exercise. Getting your blood flowing, breathing fresh air, and waking your body up with exercise is usually extremely energizing. At this time of year, with the crisp air and leaves, many outdoor activities are at their most enjoyable—walking, jogging, tennis, basketball, soccer, rollerblading. It only takes an hour or so, and getting physical activity can oftentimes renew you like nothing else can.

Educate yourself. Fall is back-to-school time for the kids, and it can be for you, too. Take a continuing education class, an informal class in a subject relevant to your field, or private instruction in an area you want to know more about. Keep striving to learn and add new value in your work.

Try something new. One of the best things about a new challenge, whether it’s in your professional life or personal, is that you show yourself you can do it. Facing the new removes the fear of the unknown and gives you confidence to try more new things in the future. When you do new physical exercises, you challenge muscle groups you might not be accustomed to working. Similarly, any new venture will challenge you in ways you might not expect, mentally, socially, or professionally.

Reinvent yourself. Who you are and how you move through your career at any given time is defined by you. If you want to be viewed as an innovative person who comes up with great new ideas, but you haven’t been seen this way in the past, create and demonstrate value of innovation. Tune in to your passion, and draw from that to renew your purpose.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

I had a big decision to make yesterday, and I sat down with pen and paper and brainstormed a detailed pros and cons list for each possible outcome. It always surprises me how clearly this exercise reveals the basic facts of a situation. The best option became clear in a very short time. Since it is a big decision, I’m giving myself the weekend to think it over. Then I will make my final decision and devise a plan of attack. I strongly advocate taking time to yourself with only your thoughts and a blank page before you. Putting it all down in black and white can make it so simple.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

If you aspire to greatness, the process of strategic thinking must become second nature to you. How do you learn to think strategically, analyze your options, and make quick and smart decisions? This process is actually quite similar to the process of learning a foreign language. Here are a few suggestions for developing your ability to think on your feet and arrive at clear and sound conclusions:

Know your vocabulary. The basic elements of language are words—nouns, verbs, and adjectives—which the speaker arranges and orients in logical ways to form sentences and communicate thoughts and ideas. The elements of decision making are benefits, drawbacks, and objectives. You arrange these factors and weigh them against each other to arrive at the most advantageous solution. Naturally, the more words you know, the more you can say in a foreign language. Likewise, the better understanding you have of your own goals, the clearer awareness you can have of both sides of an issue. When you know very specifically what you want, it’s much easier to figure out what you can do without and what you must have. In this analogy, knowing your vocabulary ultimately means knowing yourself. What are your basic components, and what is your core objective?

Get a grip on grammar. Grammar is the system of rules that governs the structure of a sentence. A strong sense of the way words are ordered to convey meaning is obviously helpful in expressing yourself through language. In a similar way, understanding how an outcome will fit into the framework of your life helps you decide whether or not to pursue it. Pay close attention to the patterns in your life. What happens when you take risks? What are the recurring themes and consequences of certain kinds of decisions? Successful people have great intuition, and that comes in part from being aware of what kinds of actions they take that result in big strides forward. When learning a foreign language, you gradually tune in to patterns and structures that come up again and again. When learning to become a strategic thinker, you get into a groove of sensing what will result from certain actions. Your personal grammar is the system of behaviors that move you along through life.

Look at the big picture. Anyone who is developing his skills in a foreign language quickly learns that perfection is simply unattainable, that the most important thing he can do is just keep talking and communicating as clearly as he can at the time. Native speakers of the language in question will appreciate the effort and do their best to accommodate someone who’s learning. Similarly, as you are developing your strategic thinking skills, keep in mind that you’re not always going to make the absolute best decisions, but that what is far more important than this is your commitment to improvement. Pull back and look at the success of your decision-making over time, and you will see a gradual progression. Eventually, making wise decisions will come easily and naturally.

Focus on fluency. Conversation is about give and take, keeping the loop open. Smart decision making is also a continuous process that evolves and improves over time. You ask a question, and the other person answers and reciprocates with a question of her own. You are faced with an important decision, you evaluate, choose, and act, and you assess the outcome of the situation, using the experience to refine your ability to choose wisely in the future. You don’t need to make the perfect decision—you only need to keep making active choices and striving for excellence.

Practice. The more often you converse with others, the more feedback and information you get about the language. Over time, your speaking skills get better, until eventually you are communicating easily without thinking about how to put the right words together. The more often you practice thinking your options through, arriving at choices, and acting on them boldly, the better you get at making quick decisions and the less you have to dwell on what to do. Eventually, you are able to make very important decisions in a short period of time.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      1 Comment

Leaders and superachievers make active decisions. Rather than letting life just happen to them, they seek the lives they want and do the necessary work to shape the future. They are not passive in their selection of careers, positions, clients, service providers, friends, or romantic partners. They use research, support networks, experience, and intuition to gather information and make smart choices. If you think you could stand some improvement on making active decisions, here are a couple of ideas to help get you started:

Say yes or no, not maybe so. When faced with a decision, after taking the appropriate amount of time to think about your choice, make a firm decision and stick to it. The actual decision is oftentimes less important than the decision-making process and the tenacity with which you pursue a solution, implement it, and see it through. We all make bad decisions from time to time, sure, but I cannot overstate the importance of making bold choices, taking determined action to realize those choices, and accepting responsibility for the outcome. You’re not going to make much progress or earn much respect if you take a passive, waffling stance. Weigh the pros and cons, and be extremely clear about your decisions. Use strong language, such as “I have decided to work on this project”, rather than soft and vague verbiage, such as “I think I might like to work on this.” Don’t feel guilty about saying no, if that is your best option. Be firm, clear, and resolute. Saying no is far preferable to saying yes to something you can’t do, flaking out, and being perceived as unreliable or dishonest.

Choose, rather than being chosen. Everything you do in life (assuming you are free and able) is a choice, and opportunities are infinite. Let’s say you’re attending job interviews for the next few days. Once the hiring managers have asked their questions of you, ask specific questions of your own about the company. An interview goes both ways. You need to make sure they are suitable for you. If you can’t find a good job in your field where you live, you can relocate. If you lack the training to get a great job, you can take classes or get a degree. If trepidation holds you back from moving up in your company, you can hire a coach or join an appropriate support group to overcome your fears. In any undertaking, professional or personal, you have many options. It is your duty to yourself to make smart, active choices in your career.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      1 Comment

Wherever you want to be, and whatever you want to do, act as if you have already achieved your goal. Adopt an attitude of success and you attract success.

Here’s why:

You cultivate self-confidence. A positive attitude does more for your levels of success than any other factor. No amount of training, resources, or opportunity can compensate for a bad attitude, and with an optimistic outlook, there’s not much you can’t do. Believing in yourself motivates you to venture into new territory and open up possibilities for yourself. It infuses your work with energy and momentum that amplifies your accomplishments and leaves you with a sense of fulfillment and purpose at the end of the day. In most cases, the only real edge a successful person has over anyone else is her unflagging confidence in herself.

You radiate confidence. A person who takes action fueled by self-confidence projects good energy out into the world. People are naturally drawn to this kind of energy. They want to get involved with these proactive, successful people, which leads to more connections, opportunities, and success for you. If your business associates can envision you in a role of leadership, based on your behavior and attitude, they are more likely to facilitate your growth into that role. Your boss will call on you for challenging projects and assignments when the time comes. Clients who are impressed by your ability to get the job done will recommend you to their colleagues when tough assignments arise.

Here’s how:

Visualize. Studies across the spectrum of human experience show that visualizing success leads to more of it. When the mind prepares for an undertaking, the body more readily follows. Let your mind explore the possibilities before you even get started on the actual work. In addition to being a great form of motivation for yourself, this is also a good way to consider a range of possibilities before investing the time and energy in making them happen.

Volunteer. When something needs to get done, at the office or in your own business, step up and do it. Not only do you demonstrate your ability to do the job, you also show your willingness to do more than is required of you. Behaving as if you are capable of completing the work, even if it’s a stretch for you, fuels you forward to success. You might have to ask for some support along the way, but that’s fine. Reaching out to people with more experience for help is an excellent way to establish new connections and network.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

One of my clients, Sarah, recently announced her intention to close her successful and lucrative business at the end of the year and go back to school for a graduate degree in studio art. Though she has done very well with her business, which she started a few years ago, she has decided to follow her true passion, hone her skills, and try to make it as a professional painter. It took a lot of guts to change to a path less traveled, and I applaud her for seeking out the life she really wants.

Now, Sarah is a bit fearful of her prospects for the future. The good news is that her business experience is completely transferable to future work. However Sarah decides to shape her painting career, I am highly confident that she will be successful. She knows how to create value, market her product, and leverage her abilities for the greatest gain.

Don’t be afraid of a radical change, if you feel the payoff will be worth the investment to you. People who build individual equity and continuously develop their talents attract success, whatever they do and wherever they go.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      1 Comment

Are you prepared for an emergency? Not just for bad weather, a minor financial crisis, or a dead car battery, but also for career emergencies. Is your data backed up? What will you do if you get the “blue screen of death” and your computer refuses to cooperate for a week? Do you have a fallback plan in case the phone line goes out? Glitches happen, and it’s unrealistic to expect perfection at all times. However, the more prepared you are for emergencies, the happier you keep your clients and the better your track record of success is.

A friend of mine, Allen, recently went through some minor office emergencies of this kind, and though he wasn’t fully prepared, he managed to get through it OK with the help of some good friends and business partners who really came through for him. The hidden blessing was that the emergencies forced him to work on a plan to have in place in case it happened again. He also learned that all the work he’s done recently to build a support system was well worth the investment.

Preparing for emergencies is about as much fun as getting our teeth cleaned, but just as important in preventing much bigger trouble down the line. Naturally, we can’t prepare for every possibility, but we can cover most of our bases and minimize the risk of lost business and complications. Here are the areas where you should focus your efforts:

People. Not only does having friends and business contacts provide ongoing career, networking, and socializing opportunities, it gives you a little extra padding against the injuries and accidents of life. When I have faced trying situations, I have often been surprised at who has come out of the woodwork to provide exactly the help I needed. All the kindly acts you perform come back to you tenfold. Be reliable and helpful to friends and acquaintances in need, and your efforts will be returned in the form of assistance when you most need it.

Information. In addition to backing up your files and storing them offsite, make sure you have all your contacts and critical information stored in several places, in several formats—electronic and paper, and in your car, home, office, and at a friend’s place. Yes, it takes a bit of time to back up your information, but you will be infinitely thankful that you took the time for it when your whole business or well being is resting on those facts. Make it a habit. Put it on your calendar to duplicate and store critical information at the end of every month. Make a commitment and put in on your schedule now. Once you get into the habit, it won’t be a big deal.

Equipment. When your home Internet connection goes out, what will you do? What about when you try to send a last-minute fax at 2:00 in the morning and it’s not working? You can face your waiting client with a lame sob story and without a solution to her problem, or, if you’ve got your ducks in a row, you can deliver the goods in spite of setbacks. If you can’t afford to invest in backup equipment, work out a deal with a friend or business associate—or, better yet, a group of them—that you will be there for each other in case of equipment failure. Rock-solid reliability is a dying art. Distinguish yourself and cement your reputation for quality and dependability by having a solid set of fallback options in place in case of trouble.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

A topic that comes up fairly often with my clients is concern, doubt, and worry over decisions they have made. In some cases, they agonize not only over the decisions that lie ahead of them, but also over the consequences of the decisions that lie behind them. Successful people are not immune to worry and doubt. However, they know how to minimize worry and shift their focus to achievements and strides forward, rather than waste energy and time on “what if” thoughts. These four qualities will help you learn to make bold decisions and feel confident in what follows:

Preparation: Some decisions are tough, and it’s natural to take them seriously and worry about the outcome. The best place to invest your most directed thinking is in the advance stages, while you’re formulating a plan and coming up with the best way to proceed. If you invest a good amount of energy in doing your research, evaluating all the possibilities, and coming from a position of knowledge and strength, you’ll feel much better about your choice, and you can save yourself the frustration of second guessing and doubting your decisions.

Just as those who prepare in advance for stressful situations (such as important meetings and presentations) lay the foundation for successful performance and delivery, those who think decisions through enjoy the freedom from future worry and doubt about those choices. Additionally, the more practice you get at preparing for the future, the better you become at doing it automatically.

Decision Making: Once you have decided upon the best course of action, make your decision boldly and follow through. It may turn out that the choice you made was not the best one. However, you’re not doing yourself any favors in kicking yourself about it later. Leaders certainly do not always make perfect decisions, but they act with courage, prepare themselves for worst-case scenarios, and learn to make new and smarter decisions. We are all works in progress. Gain whatever wisdom you can from the a less-than-ideal situation, and move ahead with energy and lightness.

Confidence: A confident person doesn’t apologize—to others or himself—for living life the way it makes most sense to him. Because he believes in his goals, his purpose, and his lifestyle, he stands behind it and doesn’t spend too much time questioning himself. Tangling your mind up in self doubt is a way of blaming, discouraging, and distracting yourself from your purpose, of reducing who you are to the level of minutiae. You’re bigger and better than that, and you have more important things to do with your time than lose sleep over the past.

Persistence: Persistent people make as many mistakes as the rest of us, but they don’t dwell on them, advertise them, or let them discourage them for long. The true secret to success is not talent, connections, or money—the secret is simple determination, effort, and ongoing hard work. The secret is rolling with the punches life throws at you and forging ahead consistently. When you realize that great opportunities lie perpetually in your path, you learn to stop sweating the small stumbles along the way.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      3 Comments

This week I spoke with Lynn, who recently entered the job market with an associate’s degree. Lynn is a great example of a fledgling member of the workforce who can develop her Intrepreneurial sensibilities to get ahead in her career.

What is your current job title? Executive Assistant.

What do you do? I am the Executive Assistant to a VP. I gather information and put it into an easily digestible form. I also communicate with our consultants and make sure they have all the tools and information they need. Right now, I’m planning our annual conference and making the arrangements for that.

What are you most satisfied with in your current job? My company writes and implements curriculum for schools, and we teach children to read. My co-workers are easy to get along with. There is a very team-oriented atmosphere, which I enjoy.

It sounds as though Lynn’s work environment is conducive to open discussion, new ideas, and growth. That gives Lynn great opportunities to make an impact and advance her career.

What are your career goals for the next few years? I want to be a manager, and not an assistant in the department. My company is growing, and I believe in ten years there will be maybe five of me. I’d like to be in charge of them.

I love how Lynn is thinking ahead and envisioning growth and opportunity for herself and her company. This path is wide open for her, and if she is diligent about her work, she can definitely grow into a management role.

What are your career strengths? I’m very organized. I juggle a lot of different schedules and projects, so I have to stay on top of the details. I’m also pretty self confident, most of the time. I have ideas for improvement, and I’m not afraid to express them. At my suggestion, we have streamlined several processes that used to be big headaches for everyone. I love to see things getting better.

That’s an excellent formula for success. She’s starting out in a support role, assisting an executive and planning events that impact everyone in the company. She’s making contacts, projecting her personal image and brand, and developing new ways to improve business. I have a feeling she won’t be an assistant for long.

What are your weaknesses? I don’t take criticism well, even if it’s wrapped in praise. Sometimes I worry that I will hit a ceiling without a bachelor’s degree.

Lynn is young, and just getting started, so further education is always a possibility for her. She may be able to get what she needs from experience, but the opportunity for training is always there. We talked about constructive criticism as a tool for growth. Customer perception, positive or negative, informs you of what you can do to generate greater value and enjoy increased opportunity in the future.

In your work, what unique value do you offer? I handle stress well, and this is a very high stress department. I keep a level head and it helps others to remain calm.

Do you use relationships to help you in your career? If so, how? Definitely. I am very friendly with my boss. We take time to chat at least once a day. She respects and appreciates me. I’ve talked about potential for advancement, and she seems to be very supportive of my long-term goals.

Excellent work, Lynn! She’s using relationships to move her career forward. She’s got the appreciation and support of an important figure in the company, and she’s setting herself up for future success. Her aims are clear, and she has already begun to brand herself as personable, professional, and ambitious. She knows where she stands and how she is perceived, and she is poised to use those advantages to make great things happen for herself.

How are you perceived by your coworkers and supervisor? Friendly, upbeat, and organized.

Lynn is a very outgoing person who has the power to motivate people and put them in a good mood. With her positive attitude and strong work ethic, I can see her going far in whatever area she chooses.

What is the single most important thing you can do to maximize your career success? Be prepared, remain focused, and commit to doing a great job every day.

That’s pretty much the Career Intensity philosophy in a nutshell!

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Tech consultant Lena L. West, featured in the August issue of Entrepreneur, says, “I’m a huge believer in personal responsibility. I believe whatever situation you find yourself in—positive or challenging—you have, in some way, contributed to being there.” I couldn’t agree more.

The success of superachievers is often written off as “good luck” or “being in the right place at the right time”, and misfortunes are explained by “bad luck” or “bad timing”. Sure, we all have our ups and downs. But just as a solid company’s stock price gradually increases over time (and vice versa), so does a solid individual demonstrate a pattern of overall improvement.

Take responsibility for your actions and accomplishments and you liberate and give yourself free reign to run wild with success. Own up to the fact that you are in charge of your destiny and realize that no one can stand in your way. Give yourself the power to shape your life.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

I  was at a conference a while back and I had the opportunity to interview one of my colleagues about a major business turnaround he had just completed. This gentleman had turned a business that was losing money into one of the most profitable divisions in his company.  He said something during the interview that resonated with me.  When I asked where he began to make changes, he said:

“I started with the little things.  I began holding people accountable for coming to work on time and completing progress reports up to company standard.  I asked people to set goals for themselves and I reviewed their weekly sales call sheets.  I didn’t nit-pick but I made sure that the fundamentals were sound and that people knew I was paying attention.”

When I heard this quote I thought back to my own turnaround experience.  When I was in the hotel industry and I was faced with a troubled property I would always clean up the “back of the house” first.  I would scrub and paint all the areas that the guests wouldn’t see.  I would upgrade the meals in the employee cafeteria and I would re-stripe the employee parking lot. 

After making these changes, I would hold a Town Hall Meeting with the entire hotel staff.  I would explain that we were going to improve every detail of our hotel guests’ experience and we were going to start from the inside out.  That’s why I made all the changes to the back of the house first. 

This is a variation of the Broken Window Theory.  The theory was first detailed in an article titled Broken Windows by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, which appeared in the March 1982 edition of The Atlantic Monthly. The title comes from the following example:

“Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it’s unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside.

Or consider a sidewalk. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of trash from take-out restaurants there or breaking into cars.”

In other words– the little things matter a great deal.

What are the Broken Windows in your business or your career?  Do you forget to return customers’ calls promptly?  Do you follow-up on all potential opportunities?  Perhaps you should look at your discipline and focus in your current role before seeking another job or starting a new business. 

If you’ve got some broken windows, fix them first - then renovate the rest of the house.

.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

I recently discussed difficult customers and how they can be assets for you. While making a sincere effort to turn negative attitudes around and make the most of relationships is always worth your while, when you find that you are investing much more time and energy in a relationship than it is worth, you can and should end it or let it fade out.

Mark, an IT company owner I know, told me he recently received the annual review from one of his biggest clients. Though John’s company is a leader in his area, the review was unfavorable. This came after a round of disputes in which this company resisted paying invoices, for a wide range of petty grievances. Mark is an earnest and dedicated individual, and he believes most of the complaints are unfounded. He has gone to great lengths to satisfy and exceed the expectations of this client, but it seems that nothing can make them happy. Most of Mark’s clients are long-standing, loyal, and more than satisfied with his company’s services. Though this is a big client for Mark, he has decided to stop wasting time catering to their unending demands and complaints. He plans to redirect that energy in a positive and constructive way into improving his business and taking care of his best clients.

You can’t win every battle. While it is certainly noble to try, it is also wise to know when you have reached a stalemate and when you should turn your energy elsewhere.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      3 Comments

Last week, I talked about generating alternatives as a way of managing your emotions in the decision-making process. I’d like to delve into this topic further, and give you some concrete suggestions on how to widen your options in the following three areas:

People. The more people you know, the more opportunities you have to network, get advice and help, and develop social skills. You need the trust and respect of people—your boss, colleagues, and customers—to advance in your career. You can’t do it alone. Open up avenues for yourself in numerous departments in your company. Acquaint yourselves with individuals from a wide range of fields. You never know when you’re going to need someone with a certain kind of expertise in your corner. Don’t limit yourself to just a few career advocates. Get on everyone’s good side, and brand yourself in their minds.

Skills. A Workplace Warrior learns exactly what he needs to know for his job, nothing more. An Intrepreneur goes far beyond that, by building personal equity in the form of interpersonal, presentation, persuasion, personal marketing, and negotiation skills. Not only will having all these capabilities make you more valuable to your current employer, they will also make you more valuable to any other employer or customer you might encounter in the future. Don’t let anyone else tell you what to be. Be the best you can be by your own measures.

Imagination. A tool of infinite power that you will use throughout your career, in myriad ways, is your imagination. You start off by exploring in your mind all the opportunities available to you, then move into strategizing for the one most appealing to you. Once you have gotten started in your career, your imagination opens up ideas about how to advance, innovate, and improve business. Never let anyone hold you back from imagining your wildest dreams and the best ways of attaining them. Keep your mind active and curious, and you will never feel stuck or uninspired by your career.

When you’re not bound to just one outcome, you circumvent, or at least mitigate, the feelings of desperation, entrapment, and powerlessness that you might otherwise face. You open the world up for yourself and cultivate freedom, happiness, and great success.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      1 Comment

The most sound strategic thinkers make decisions based upon a harmonious blend of emotional and intellectual drives. Their passions incite them to act, and their minds guide them in navigating and making solid choices. Neither force overwhelms the other. They exist in peaceful synergy.

These Career Intense individuals are subject to the same emotional pressures that affect any of us facing significant change. What sets them apart is their ability to manage their emotions and make excellent decisions in times of intense pressure and challenge. How do they do it? Here is a series of steps you can take to manage your emotions and make wise decisions:

Disassociate. In making weighty decisions, you must be able to view the situation objectively, to pull yourself outside of the problem and see the facts of the matter for what they are. Surgeons, firefighters, and police officers are able to make quick, smart decisions under enormous pressure because they have mastered the ability to separate themselves from the emotion of the moment. Take a cool, calm, objective look at the situation. Pretend your best friend has come to you for advice on the matter. What would you suggest she do?

Define specific outcomes. Identify what your plan will accomplish. What is your ideal outcome? Is that outcome realistic or possible? Your emotions may suggest a certain course of action is most desirable, but that path may not make sense realistically.

Acknowledge your instincts. Tune in to your gut feeling about the issue. Going purely on instinct, list possible solutions. Seeing them all written down will help clarify the feasibility of each option.

Research the problem. Try to get to the heart of the matter and pinpoint what you want and how can you most efficiently get it. If you want a promotion at your current company, the most direct path to that goal involves doing excellent work, demonstrating your value, and asking for a promotion. If you want to increase your customer base, research the most effective ways of bringing in new customers.

Recognize patterns. What are the patterns that contribute to the problem? What are you doing that is keeping you from getting that promotion or pulling in more clients?

Generate alternatives. Imagine that you have recently interviewed for three different jobs and you now have three different job offers. You are going to feel much more in command of your decision making, much more capable of making a solid choice that is best for you, than if you have only one job offer. If you hate your current job and are desperate to find a new one, you’re probably going to jump on any opportunity that comes your way, driven by the negative emotions about your current job. Give yourself choices. Formulate a Plan B and a Plan C. When you’re backed into a corner, you’re much more likely to react emotionally than if you have a range of possibilities.

Assess risk. Now that you have a list of options before you, you need to take a good look at each one and decide how risky it is and how likely it is to result in negative consequences. Which one will most likely result in the optimum outcome?

Select a solution. Finally, you can make an informed decision about the best way to proceed.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      1 Comment

To move ahead in your career successfully, you need to spring from a place of strength. Here are a few ways to fortify your personal foundation:

1. Know yourself. Get a good grip on what you want. What are your passions, and what goals spring from those? Instead of concentrating on what anyone else in your life wants from you, focus down on what you want for yourself. Do you work better on your own or with a team? Do you like to work under pressure, or do you prefer to pace yourself. Figure out what makes you tick, and arrange your life so you can live the way that works best for you.

2. Commit. Successful people set goals and pursue them tirelessly. Those who accomplish big things throw themselves into their work, fueling themselves with their dreams and obsessions. Don’t waste time wondering what you’ll be missing out on if you do something. Use that energy to do it well.

3. Ask for help. Leaders and superachievers admit that they don’t know everything and they need professional and personal support. Asking for help from others is not a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of strength, balance, and confidence.

4. Keep an open mind. In planning for your future, consider various possibilities. While having specific targets is a great strategy that will help you focus and accomplish your goals more efficiently, be prepared to take alternate routes to your destination.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

I am a big fan of research—of your field, your competition, your market, or anything else in which you wish to educate yourself. Through conducting research, in addition to obtaining critical information, you can also gain:

• Critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Clarity in your goals and interests
• Exposure to new methods and fields you may not have considered

Research is another form of preparation, one that so few people do, or do thoroughly. Knowing your field well is a huge advantage. Not only does it provide all the benefits listed above, it can earn you a lot of clout with customers and supervisors who see that you have invested the time and energy into being well-rounded and well-informed.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Successful people prepare as much as possible for the future—for the coming interaction, meeting, day, month, year, and decade. Preparing in advance increases confidence, and helps even less experienced people operate from a position of strength. People who are prepared for anything carry less stress and worry and feel more secure. They know they are equipped to make good decisions, and they can relax in the knowledge that even in the worst case scenario, they always have something to fall back on.

You can prepare for your next interaction or meeting by:

• Knowing in advance what your objective is
• Doing research and formulating a framework for acceptable and unacceptable topics of discussion and themes
• Evaluating all possible outcomes and options for the next step and deciding what you will do in each situation

You can prepare for each day by:

• Getting good rest and taking care of your health so you have good energy
• Writing down several action items that will lead you to your goal
• Organizing your tasks into levels of priority

You can prepare for the coming week by:

• Writing down your main objective for the week
• Tackling major tasks first, and building momentum for the rest of your work
• Making a commitment to do something each day to move toward your goal

You can prepare for the rest of your life by:

• Discovering and embracing your passion
• Defining major, overarching goals
• Working persistently toward those goals
• Making a habit of out preparing for whatever the future may bring

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      2 Comments

Successful people are outcome-driven thinkers. They enter into every interaction with a specific goal in mind. Outcome-driven thinking is about being in the moment and steering your life in the direction you want it to go at every turn. Here are a few ideas for getting yourself in the moment and staying there:

1. Don’t waste time. If a meeting, phone call, or errand does not contribute to your goals, don’t do it. Learn to say no and defend your time. Keep yourself engaged in what matters most to you, and don’t get distracted by things that don’t add value to your career.

2. Prioritize important activities. We all have many different things we’d like to do, but some are more critical than others. A great way to stay on top of the most important tasks is to make a list of overarching goals, indicating short-term action items under each of those. If you’re stuck, come back to this list. Start at the top and work your way down.

3. Make smart decisions. Always go for quality over quantity. Play out each scenario and determine which is more advantageous to you. After you’ve practiced this for a while, it will become second nature.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Though it comes naturally to some to spend more time and get in tune with driven and career-oriented friends and business partners as they themselves move toward greater success, this is not obvious to everyone. We talked recently about naysayers. Think of the people in your life who are on the other end of the spectrum—the cheerleaders and champions of you. Who thinks highly of you, encourages you, and says great things about you to other people? These are the kinds of people you want near you on your journey to success.

Maximizing our time with this kind of person is not always the easiest or most obvious thing to do. We are often inclined to fall back on the people we know the best, or have known the longest. I encourage you, though, to make an effort to spend more time with your personal coaches and champions. Tell them what you appreciate about them—this will bring it out even more. We all love to be acknowledged for the good things we do. Just as the way you spend your days determines your quality of life, so does the company you keep.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Many people never realize their full potential because they never overcome the influence of a disheartening naysayer. These critics can be anyone—a parent, spouse, friend, or colleague. While these cynics usually believe they are only looking out for your best interests, that is rarely the case. Their attitudes spring from a wide range of sources, but the central issue is that these people usually don’t believe in themselves and are intimidated by the success of others.

If you are being judged or put down by a naysayer, try this approach to overcome his negative influence and take positive steps for yourself: Tell him you appreciate his concern, but you believe in yourself completely and are confident you can succeed. Don’t validate his opinion by saying, “You’re probably right.” Validate your stance by affirming it. You don’t have to explain how you’re going to make it happen. Someone who is so negative toward you doesn’t really deserve to be let in on your aspirations. Remember, this is your life, and you are your own best advocate.

A few years ago, a woman I know, Sarah, decided to start her own catering business. She had some savings, and she decided to quit her full-time office job, work part-time to maintain a basic income level, and work on her business in her free time. During the start-up phase, her boyfriend was a bit skeptical. Sarah never felt that she had his support or encouragement, but she persisted with her dream anyway. As she began to find clients, increase her income, and invest more in her business, her boyfriend became increasingly critical of the ways in which she was doing business, advertising, and finding new clients. He told her that running her own business and not having a “real job” was a ridiculous idea that would never work.

Naturally, Sarah was disappointed in her boyfriend’s behavior, but she didn’t let that stop her. She continued working hard at her business, until eventually she was able to quit the part-time job and run her business full time. She was earning more money than she ever had, doing work that she loved, meeting new people, and making great connections. Her boyfriend become increasingly hostile and bitter, and the relationship did not last. Looking back, Sarah says that she thinks he was threatened by her success. He had followed the path of least resistance in his career, and though he made a good living and was well-respected in his field, he was not happy in that line of work. It’s a shame that he couldn’t celebrate Sarah’s success with her. She is a lovely person with a lot of ambition and talent.

Some of us are lucky enough to have the unconditional support of our loved ones. If you are not, however, don’t let it stop you. Don’t let someone else’s problems stand in the way of your success. They have nothing to do with you, and you can’t solve them. All you can do is make a great life for yourself, share your happiness with others, and inspire them to achieve their own greatness.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

The weekend is the perfect time to reflect on your present situation and dream about where you’d like to go. Sometimes we feel stuck, and certain that the best we can do is make the most of what we’ve got. This is very rarely true, however. Nothing stands in the way of ultimate success for you. You have the capability to resolve any problems that stand in your way and transform your life into exactly what you want it to be. This process starts with small steps, which become giant leaps that propel you into greatness.

Think about all the possibilities before you. Realizing how boundless we really are is invigorating. We often spend so much time enumerating our obstacles and reasons for staying where we are that we leave no time for doing the work required to improve our lives. Don’t waste time thinking about why you can’t do something. Focus your energy on working toward your goals every day and bringing them to life.

Successful people see opportunities where others see obstacles. They are constantly aware that their own attitudes and actions impact their lives more significantly than any external forces ever could. We all know people who appear at first glance to be well off, but who are not happy or fulfilled, and people who don’t have much but have a great attitude about life and seem to attract good things to themselves as if by magic. The circumstances surrounding you are changeable. You possess the power to make the most of what you have and shape circumstances to suit you. You have everything you need to build a great life and career.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI     Comments

Career Builder says that eight percent of hiring managers value preparedness, above all other qualities, in job applicants. They recommend that you “come in prepared to discuss how your qualifications can specifically contribute to the success of the company. Actually put yourself in that role and explain how you would perform your work and ways to improve it.”

Preparation intensifies your success from the ground up. Knowing which direction you want to go and what you want gives you an edge. Instead of spending time sifting through a range of options, you are equipped to push aside immediately the ones that don’t appeal to you and hone in on the ones that do. In preparing for each interaction, you increase the likelihood of getting what you want, as you come to the table with your target in mind, ready to negotiate from a position of strength.

When you are well prepared and you know what you want to say before you give a presentation, your impact is much greater. Preparing for success by imagining yourself in the position to which you aspire infuses your life with energy and continuous motivation.

Nineteen percent of hiring managers say they are looking for someone who is passionate about their work. Naturally, the more enthusiastic you are about the position, the more invested you are in your success and the more likely you are to succeed. Don’t waste anyone’s time in a career for which you have no passion. Make the most of your energy by pursuing what you love.

Filed under: Personal Strategic Planning
TrackBack URI      1 Comment