Executive And Life Coaching

NEW YEAR, NEW LOCATION

2011-01-01T18:24:00.000-08:00

Hello readers of Executive and Life Coaching! As you know, I took a short break from blogging. I found that I really miss the writing. So, here we are, back to writing and reading. During the hiatus, I discovered how to read the statistics for the blog. This was very instructive as I got so few comments. It turns out, the most read items are about communication, success, conflict resolution and

HOW TO NOT GET RUN OVER

2010-10-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”Will Rodgers A common image of a leader is that of a person standing in front of a group of people giving instructions. Think of Colin Powell standing at the front of the troops or giving a press release. The man commands attention. He is a real leader, not just “on the organizational chart” type of leader. He is not

5 EASY STEPS TO MANAGING CHANGE

2010-10-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

“Map out your future, but do it in pencil.” – Jon Bon Jovi What kind of advice is that? What I want to emphasize is the importance of staying flexible. Change happens. It is really the only constant in your life. Each person has a unique reaction to change. Some people embrace change, some to the point of seeking it out. For those who accept change reluctantly, if at all, that is a radical

3 WAYS TO WIN AT A CAREER FAIR

2010-09-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

The economy must be improving, because I’ve noticed some announcements for career fairs. Yeah! How do you succeed at a career fair? Let’s start with: what is a career fair? It is a place where many employers come together to look for prospective employees. The companies that attend have a need for people to come and work for them. They usually send the recruiter from the human resources

HERE’S THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO KNOW:

2010-09-20T00:09:00.000-07:00

That’s a pretty strong statement, isn’t it? So, what is the only thing you need to know? We get what we expect. A person with a poor attitude becomes a magnet for unpleasant experiences. Those bad experiences reinforce the poor attitude. Think about the last time you had a “bad day.” It all started with … what? Maybe it was breakfast on your pants. You had to change clothes, which made you late

FIVE WAYS TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE

2010-09-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

Did you know most people waste six weeks out of every year's worth of labor looking for things? Add that to the chat sessions at the water-cooler and the extra ten minutes you take at lunch, and you're looking at a significant amount of time lost annually. I’m not going to even touch your lunch “hour,” I’m here to reduce your stress at work by giving you back those lost six weeks. STRESS You

THREE WAYS TO MANAGE CHANGE

2010-09-05T22:51:00.000-07:00

“Change is constant; nothing remains the same.” – Heraclitus (c. 535 BCE – 475 BCE)We Are Not In Kansas Anymore As the current working generations, we have not been here before. The economy is not recovering in a way we can see in our daily lives. If we lost our jobs, we are probably still unemployed. “We” have not recovered. If we are employed, current changes in our organizations might cause

THE THREE KEYS TO SUCCESS

2010-08-29T21:26:00.000-07:00

How are you doing? How is your job search going? How are you feeling about your chances for getting a job soon? I ask these questions because I care about you and I know what you are going through. I vividly remember my long period of unemployment and how bone-crushingly depressed I could get. There were days when I thought there was a conspiracy to keep me unemployed. Then there were those days

5 MORE SECRETS OF LUCKY JOB SEEKERS

2010-08-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Last week, I posted Five Secrets of Lucky Job Seekers. This week I give you Five More Secrets. Taken together, this gives ten ways to improve your chances of improving your luck in the job hunt. If you use all ten, you will get a job sooner, rather than later. The short version of my story is that I know what you are going through as I once had a three-year stint of unemployment. As you now

5 SECRETS OF LUCKY JOB SEEKERS

2010-08-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

Recently, in my local newspaper, there was a front-page Business section article on people who are long-term unemployed. The definition of long-term unemployed is six months or longer. The statistics for the long-term unemployed are the highest they have been in 62 years (not just in sheer numbers, but also in percentage of the workforce that is unemployed). During the last “recession” in 1983,

HOW’S YOUR MOJO?

2010-08-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite rock bands, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, recently released a new album. MOJO. Back in June, I saw them in Oakland (5 June – the start of their tour). Ironically, Tom lost his mojo with the crowd when he launched into the new MOJO music set. This isn’t a concert review. I bring this up, because I have lost my mojo recently. As I listened to the Mojo album, it reminded me of

BE SMART AND IT’S A WRAPP

2010-08-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

I was cleaning out the garage and came upon some old notes about setting goals. Now that I am done with all that cleaning fun (yeah, right), I thought I’d share my notes with you. The notes are pre-1989. Yes, they are vintage! But, I think this different angle on setting goals may resonant with you. Both methods use an acronym to keep the process memorable. SMART Goals First, what are we

REPROGRAMMING YOURSELF

2010-07-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

Your brain and mind are the most powerful instruments you will ever encounter. The statement that we only use 10% is wrong. The brain is actually always working. It works hard enough to power a ten-watt light bulb, 24/7. The statement that we (the human race – we) under utilize our brain is mostly true. I have read scientific articles about Buddhist monks who meditate in 39 degree (F) rooms.

CHANGE IN 7 EASY STEPS

2010-07-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

So you want to make a change. How’s it working for you so far? Hmmm. Yes, change can be hard. It can be scary. It can be uncomfortable. It can also be rewarding. Change can be joyful. Change can be the best thing ever to happen to you. “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them” – Albert Einstein You are here. You want to be over there. You can’t

5 STEPS TO AN ABUNDANT LIFE

2010-07-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

What do you believe? Your thoughts make up your world, your life, your reality. The thought manifests as the word; The word manifests as the deed; The deed develops into habit; And habit hardens into character; So watch the thought and its ways with care, And let it spring from love Born out of concern for all beings… As the shadow follows the body, As we think, so we become. Buddha, Dhammapada

HOW TO GET GOING AGAIN

2010-07-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

I am at a crossroads. I thought I knew what I was doing. As it turns out, maybe not. So here I sit, not knowing which road to take. Have you been here before? Are you here now, at your own crossroads? What do you do when you are unable to move forward? I am sure you have been stuck at some point. It is such a common dilemma. You can feel trapped. You may also feel unmotivated, which can be a

TEN JOB INTERVIEW TIPS

2010-06-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

Here are ten tips to increase your chances of landing the job! 1. Go after small organizations with twenty or fewer employees, since they create two-thirds of all new jobs. Small is better for increasing your odds of actually getting the job. Small employers usually don’t have a dedicated recruiter, so you will most likely be interviewed by the person or people you will be working with on the

Who Are You?

2010-06-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

Values are who we are. Not who we would like to be, not who we think we should be, but who we are in our lives, right now. Another way to put it is that values represent our unique and individual essence, our ultimate and most fulfilling form of expressing and relating to others. Our values serve as a compass, pointing out what it means to be true to oneself. When we honor our values on a regular

How To ACE Networking

2010-06-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

Networking is easy. Okay, okay, I hear your disbelief. Networking CAN be easy. It is all in how you look at it. Like most things in life, Attitude is Everything. How can networking be made easy? First, consider your approach. Networking is all about what you can do for someone else. Yes, you read that right. It is not what others can do for you. It is all about what you can do for someone else.

Using Crowd-Sourcing For Your Job Hunt

2010-06-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

Let’s begin with a definition. That way, I know that you know, and we all know. From Wikipedia: “Crowdsourcing is a distributed problem-solving and production model. Problems are broadcast to an unknown group of solvers in the form of an open call for solutions. Users—also known as the crowd—typically form into online communities, and the crowd submits solutions. The crowd also sorts through the

HOW TO FIND YOUR “DREAM JOB”

2010-05-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

Last week I wrote about what hiring managers know. I wrote that to personalize all those faceless, and many times nameless, people you are trying to reach. If you understand whom you are trying to reach, you can tailor your approach so that you actually do reach them. Today, I am trying to connect you to a job you will actually enjoy. You don’t go to heaven any more directly by working a job

TOP 6 THINGS HIRING MANAGERS KNOW

2010-05-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a manager this week. She was on an interview panel for one of the rare openings at her work. She knew one of the applicants because he is an internal candidate and knew he could do the job. However, she had to put him down as a “maybe” on the interview list. Why? Because he wrote himself up to be a manager, not the line person this job requires. Let me repeat that last

3 KEY BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

2010-05-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

or Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? Conflict. What does that word mean to you? What is the perception of conflict? A negative experience, something “bad.” And, something to be avoided. Right? What are the realities of conflict? The reality is that conflict is a common, everyday occurrence. It is something with which we are all familiar. No surprise, but not all conflicts can be resolved.

SPRING CLEANING LIFE’S CLUTTER

2010-05-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

I was reading a great article in my newspaper about cleaning up one’s digital clutter. I thought a better title would have been, “Spring Cleaning Digital Clutter.” That led me to realizing a good topic for today would be, “Spring Cleaning Life’s Clutter.” What is Life Clutter? It is anything that clutters up your life. Your clutter may be different from my clutter, which may be different

SAY WHAT YOU MEAN

2010-05-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

There seems to be a new way of talking to each other that includes using exaggerated words that immediately takes you to an extreme position. I have even noticed this in the everyday pleasantries at the stores. No longer am I told to ‘have a good day’. Now I’m told to ‘have a great day’. Is great better than good? Do I need to have a great day everyday? Of course having a ‘great day’ is at

15 SECRETS ABOUT SUCCESS AT WORK

2010-04-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

Why is “Craig” so successful? Why did “Minh” just get that promotion? How did your former colleague land the job you interviewed for last week? After all, your technical skills are superior. Why them? Why not you? Soft vs. Hard In most cases, soft skills will beat out hard skills every time. What are soft skills? Soft skills are all the skills that help you to be a good person. Soft skills

3 KEYS TO PERSISTENCE

2010-04-18T15:24:00.000-07:00

What do you want to happen? Do you have a plan? Are you sticking to the plan? Is your discouragement keeping you from sticking to the plan? Whatever is in your plans, from getting a new job to obtaining a healthier weight to cleaning the bathroom, persistence is the key to getting the work done and accomplishing your goals. There is an old saying, “plan the work and work the plan.” It

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

2010-04-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

Today I am revisiting a blog entry from December 27, 2009. That article was all about setting (or not) New Year’s resolutions. Here is part of what I said. “I am going to focus on all the things that I am good at now and improve them. I spent a lot of time trying to improve my weaknesses in 2009. I think now, that I just wasted my time.” One of the things I didn’t confess to in that article

WHAT IS THE REAL MESSAGE IS YOUR VOICEMAIL GIVING?

2010-04-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

What does your voicemail message tell others? Is it boring? Is it casual? Is it too creative? What message are you really giving to people who call? Six Guidelines First, be concerned about safety. Don’t tell too much. I have a friend who lives in a gated community. Uber safe, right? He left a message saying, “Gone to Hawaii. I’ll call you back on the 15th when I return.” Yep – you

5 TIPS FOR EMAIL NETIQUETTE

2010-03-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

What do you think about email? Is it a valuable tool in your toolbox? Or, is it the bane of your existence? Do you hate its pervasiveness and invasiveness? Do you like to send it, but hate to receive it? How you feel about email has a lot to do with your age. From personal experience and informal polls, to annotated research, 30 seems to be a point on the line that distinguishes one side from

THE TRUTH ABOUT BLOGGING

2010-03-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

A Celebration Today marks a full year of dedicated weekly entries to my blog. When I made the commitment to weekly postings, I wasn’t positive I could do it. I wasn’t sure I was up to the challenge. I knew it was the right thing to do – so I just took the leap of faith to do it. It became a growing and learning experience for me. I must admit to being quite proud of myself for sticking it out

HOW WILL YOU DO THE INTERVIEW?

2010-03-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

Prospects in the job search are starting to look up. In a tight budget world, people (people = hiring companies / the job seeker) are no longer spending money for trips to interview. That means if you are relocating or interviewed by headquarters, you may be interviewing remotely. Whether your relocation is because you are a recent graduate (or about to be) or finding little job resources

ARE YOU DEMONSTRATING LEADERSHIP?

2010-03-07T12:59:00.000-08:00

“Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity. You’ll avoid the tough decisions, you’ll avoid confronting the people who need to be confronted and you’ll avoid offering differential rewards based on differential performance, because some people might get upset. Ironically, by procrastinating on the difficult choices, by trying not to get anyone mad and by treating everyone equally “

WHAT AILS YOUR JOB SEARCH?

2010-02-28T14:57:00.000-08:00

Is your job search working for you? When was your last interview? Are blaming the economy or others for your lack of opportunities and interviews? If your last interview was more than a month ago, you job hunt is sick. Perhaps terminally ill. How do you resuscitate it? In 2009, internal transfers and promotions filled 51% of jobs. Layoffs are traumatic for managers and the person getting the

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

2010-02-21T17:45:00.000-08:00

What is your job title? Does it define you? Would your position be as valuable or more valuable with a different title? In this economic climate, asking for a raise could be touchy. Companies are thinking about survival and are very budget conscious. Asking for a new title without the raise, might have a positive impact on your career and your working morale. This is not the time to be

ARE YOU IN LOVE?

2010-02-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

Are you in love with your job? “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This was true when the wise man Confucius said it hundreds of years ago and it is still true today, in the New Year of the Tiger. When you are doing something you love to do, the time just flies. When you have a big problem, it is just a fun puzzle to figure out. If the challenge is big enough

HAS IT BEEN A LONG TIME?

2010-02-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Has it been a long time since you were paid for the work you do? More than six months? Over a year? Sadly, this is possible. Job search is very competitive right now. By some estimates, there are up to 10 people for every job opening. That makes it a numbers game. The more you get out there and apply, the sooner you’ll get a job. How do you keep positive so you can do that? How do get yourself

WHAT IS YOUR CARPE DIEM?

2010-01-31T13:51:00.000-08:00

I have been a little overwhelmed with work, duties, and obligations lately. I was trying to prioritize what to take action on, trying a little self-motivation. So, I just randomly said “carpe diem” to myself, hoping for some action to get out of planning mode and into action mode. ‡ After all, the phrase seems to work for so many others. . Carpe diem! This is popularly translated as Seize

ARE YOU PRODUCTIVE ENOUGH?

2010-01-24T16:04:00.000-08:00

If you are working, you are probably doing the work that previously occupied several people. The sad reality for many employees, just because the company downsized, doesn’t mean the work went away. Your success on the job or in the job hunt is not determined by the size of your To Do List, but by your accomplishments. Let me ask you some questions. Are you working smarter, not harder? Are

DOES ANOTHER DOOR OPEN?

2010-01-17T14:07:00.000-08:00

You know the saying, “One door closes and another one opens.” Have you found that to be true? One door closed, you lost your job. What is your opening door? If you are only focused on a new job as your next open door, you may be overlooking all the open doors in front of you. You might also be a candidate for burnout. Remember all those things that you wanted to do when you were

WHAT DOES YOUR BODY LANGUAGE SAY?

2010-01-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

How you move, sit and stand all conveys something about you. Do you know what your body is saying to others? Here are some pointers for you. POSTURE Put your shoulders back, suck your stomach in. Bad posture gives off an air of timidity or sloth. A person sitting in a chair, slouching, does not project confidence and determination. It’s like your body saying, “Whatever.” Find a more upright way

IS YOUR RÉSUMÉ SHARP?

2010-01-03T13:07:00.000-08:00

No matter what your current status is: happy in your current job, seeking a new career or unemployed and eagerly looking for a job, it is a good time to update your résumé. We are in a new year and things expire or become out of date. “What things?” you ask. Well, experiences, accomplishments, certificates, memberships and so forth all have a shelf life. SHELF LIFE New experiences and

NEW YEAR, NEW POSSIBILITIES

2009-12-27T14:44:00.000-08:00

What are your new possibilities for the New Year? Today I want you to take a step back from your life and look at the bigger picture. Look at all the events that have brought you to where you are today. I’m sure you’ve had some crooked paths, some back-tracking, some do-over’s and a few straight and narrow paths. Thinking about just 2009, have you advanced your cause? Are you closer to your

DID 2009 GO AS YOU HAD PLANNED?

2009-12-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

2009 is almost over. Did it go as you had planned? I know mine didn’t. The economic picture just hasn’t improved as predicted (or hoped for). Self-reliance is still the best way to plan. You know you can depend upon yourself. Finding a new job probably took longer than you had planned. Companies are being more selective than ever. Employers are adding more interviews into their processes. I

Can You Do the Job?

2009-12-13T10:24:00.000-08:00

Last week we talked about being ready for the interview. The employer is looking for two things, can you do the job and will you fit in with the team. Last week we talked about “fitting in” and what that looks like. This week we move on to some sample questions. The following is adapted from a CareerBuilder article. 1. Tell us about yourself.

ARE YOU READY TO INTERVIEW?

2009-12-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

Here it comes – the dreaded job interview. No matter your résumé and talents, if you mess up the interview you won’t get that job. In today’s tough economy you need every possible edge. It can be a simple equation: You want to be liked — not hated. Think of it as … not personal. I can hear you now. “What do you mean, ‘not personal’?” An interview feels intensely personal. They ask difficult

Stress Relief is Just a Laugh Away

2009-11-29T16:22:00.000-08:00

CareerBuilder (CB) did a survey of human resource managers on quirky requests by employees. Here is my top 10 from the CB list. Allow clothes changing in cubiclesTanning bed in the break roomBeer in the vending machineRequest to have jail covered under Family Medical Leave ActInstituting Bikini FridaysTime off to pursue side business as a clownReplace desk with a futon so employee could lie

Is Your Age Your Best Job Hunt Asset?

2009-11-22T19:03:00.000-08:00

While hunting for a job is never easy, if you are a seasoned worker, you have assets younger folks don’t. First and foremost, you have experience. When talking to a prospective employer, be sure to emphasize how, “I can do that! Here are all the things I can do based on my years of experience.” Talk about the problems you’ve solved, challenges you’ve overcome and innovative solutions you came up

Are You Stressed?

2009-11-15T13:19:00.000-08:00