Monday, July 28, 2008

Let Gas Prices Inspire You

Much of my life is spent in the car. I work from home two days a week but the majority of my work week is zooming around town meeting with clients.

The rising price of gas has inspired me in several ways.

It has spurred me into reviewing how I drive. The result is that now I plan my travel more carefully to include all my errands and meetings in one area on the same day.

It has also shaken me to take a better look at my own wastefulness in all other resource areas. The result is that I am trying to decrease my use of natural resources to only those I need when I need them.

Thirdly, it has fostered me in revisiting my price points for my business. The result is that some prices that include travel have gone up. While pricing for telephone coaching and office visits have gone done (a great benefit to cost conscious clients).

How have gas prices affected your business and your life overall?

I hope that rather than just be mad about the state of things you can look inward to what you can do to manage through these times. The results of such an examination may just enlighten you. I believe it has me.

Friday, July 25, 2008

So, You’re Getting Divorced… now what?

One in two marriages fails. It’s common. It’s no pleasant. And, it’s not your fault.

I say it’s not your fault (although you soon-to-be-ex-spouse might say it is) because there are so many variables in a marriage. There are outside influences as well. These variables and influences are often overwhelming- and over time- people realize that the “matching factors” that were once in place are no longer.

So, your marriage in ending. I’m not here to save that. I leave that to the therapists- and to you and your spouse. What I am here to do is to move you forward into a new beginning. It’s really a rebirth of you- your life as a single person. It’s hard and you should have help. Your friends will help. Your family too. But, I’d encourage you to hire a coach- an independent, outsider, focused solely on you to help you build the life you want, step by step.

As a coach, I help people weekly (daily if necessary) map out what they need to be doing (sometimes doing it with them) and what/how they need to be thinking to get them to their bright tomorrow. And, trust me, tomorrow is bright.

You are not a failure. Your marriage failed. I’m sure you made mistakes- but we all do- in all facets of our lives. That doesn’t make us a failure.

Get ready for your next adventure.

Monday, July 21, 2008

"Smoking Makes You Ugly."

I was a smoker for 13 years. Occasionally, I'd take some heat for smoking. Someone, a "reformed non-smoker", would say something to me to highlight their success of quitting and my lack of doing so. I always hated that- but I did take it to heart.

I tried to quit several times. I went cold turkey. I tried the patches, the gum, you name it... Each time I failed.

In college, I had an English Professor who would always see me smoking before and after her class. She'd come up to me and say, "smoking makes you ugly." She said it jovially but she meant it. Every class day I'd hear this over and over. It meant something to me. It was serving as motivation for the day I was finally ready to quit. That day came for me on February 5, 1998.

Its because of her that I'm writing this blog. Even if I make you a little mad, I hope you'll take to heart what I have to say about smoking and the damage it does to you- and your business or career success.

Smoking does in fact make you ugly. What are the benefits? The detriments include the physical damage it does to you on both the inside and outside; the money you waste each day; the odor; the alienation of coworkers and others; and the lack of self-control (perceived by others).

There has never been more of an anti-smoking society than now. Smokers talk about it all the time. They are being discriminated against for their choice to smoke. They are being pushed out on the streets- no longer able to smoke in their offices and buildings. They aren't even able to smoke on some streets in some cities. Hospital workers and others have to be so many feet off property to smoke. The list of limitations to them increases every year. These limitations spiral into other negative actions and reactions. Here's one: how many times do you hear a non-smoker talk about how many breaks the smoker takes- and how long those breaks are if s/he has to go off grounds? Its only going to get worse.

With many attributes people associate negative feelings. Smoking is one of those attributes. If you smoke everyone knows it. You may think they don't, but they do. It smells. You can attempt to mask it but cigarettes have a very strong smell to them that permeates your clothing, skin and hair. I was recently disgusted, twice, when I was getting a service at a high-end salon and could smell cigarettes on my providers hands. I was paying a fair bit of money for a beauty service only to be inundated with the smell of nicotine. Gross. I have never gone back to that provider. The other situation was when I went into the bathroom at one salon and could tell that someone (a staff member) had been in there, either smoking or was a chronic smoker who just carried the smell with her where ever she went.
We, as a society, are aggressively becoming smoke free- and rather than fight the laws I'd encourage you to quit. It really is that simple. Quit. It will be the best thing you can do for yourself, your family and friends, your business or career and your environment.

My caution to you if you are a smoker who is pitching or providing a service to a non-smoker: Know that your smoking may be a turn-off to them. So much so, that you lose the business. Especially, if they are a "reformed non-smoker" - more than 45 million according to The American Lung Association.

As a coach, I help people quit smoking- but this blog isn't written to promote that. In fact, its not one of my favorite things to do. It gets ugly. I advocate a "tough love" approach to quitting. Smoking disgusts me- perhaps because I was weak to it for so many years. I have become one of those "reformed non-smokers". And, I like it. I can truly breathe better as a result of my decision.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Are You Being Downsized? Now is the time to revisit your life.

More and more often I am meeting people who are announcing their companies have downsized and that they are no longer employed. These individuals span all ages and levels of experience. They are facing a challenging time ahead.

But I argue, they are also facing a wonderful opportunity to rediscover what their passions are. They likely have some time and a little money to hold them over while they revisit the options that are available. They likely are limiting those options by only what they know how to do- specifically, what their old job was.

I encourage them (and you, if this article is about you) to take some time to explore what they REALLY want to do with the next decade of their life. What are their hobbies- can any one of those be made into a vehicle to make money. We’ve always heard people say, “love what you do and do what you love”. They are right. But, sometimes it’s hard to find a way to make that happen. Not impossible, but hard.

It takes a person to step out of their comfort zone a little. Imagine the possibilities (even outside of those that make perfect sense based on your old career). Stretch your imagination even further. Read about people and professions far away from your own. Dare to dream about work that fuels rather than exhausts you.

I chose to leave a lucrative career in Washington DC more than a year ago. I was an established researcher who could easily move around between firms chasing the projects or income I wanted. However, for me, the bigger picture was being lost. I wasn’t delighted with my life in DC. I felt as though everything outside of my career was on hold. I opted to move back to Pittsburgh (a place, one of many, that I had lived a few years prior) and start my own business. I fully prepared myself for the challenges ahead- even though I couldn’t identify them, yet. But, reclaiming me, my life, was so incredible that little else seemed to matter.

My journey over the last year has allowed me to grow more in 12 months than I had in the 5 years prior. What’s that worth to you? To me, it’s priceless.

If you or someone you know is being downsized, encourage them not to jump into the next “same” job they had- unless they LOVED it. Challenge them to take this time to do something bold, brazen, wild- explore them- who they are and want to be-, develop a new plan that includes their passions- and go for it!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Do you Welcome or do you Alienate?

I often talk about some one's "inviting factor" which includes the ways we attract, invite, welcome and include other people.

Today I want to direct your attention to how "welcoming" you or your company is at inviting new hires and ensuring they have a pleasant and productive early experience with you.

How do you attract top talent? (Some companies do a great job at attracting you and post-hire forget to include the welcome wagon.) What do you do for new hires to orient them to you, your company, their teams, the city, etc...? What process do you have in place to ensure they have all that they need to get started on the right foot? Who's in charge of that process? Do you survey them (after hire and at exit) on the orientation and welcome process? You should.

I can tell you from personal experience that less than 10% of companies I've worked for/with and interacted with do a good-to-great job at welcoming new employees. They all think they do- but they don't. Some of the top companies in the world fail to help employees navigate a new city, assign a consultant (not a unmarried employee who is expected to "show them around") to ensure they find everything they need (new house, social activities, etc...), and in general help them to acclimate for the first 90 days.

I encourage you to consider the impression you make on a new hire when you fail to welcome him/her in the best fashion possible. Be the best. Hire the best. And, treat them well. They, in turn, will likely do the same for you.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Are You Interview Ready?

I was listening to National Public Radio (NPR) the other day and they were discussing the number of interviewees who show up dressed inappropriately. It is in fact a huge problem. It prompted me to share some of the things I work with job seeking clients on.

Here are a few essentials:

Why are you targeting your prospective company/position/industry? Nail this down. Win them over with your story on why you want THEM.
Know your strengths and what you’d bring to the table that THEY want. Do your homework by talking to people in the firm. Understand what their model employee looks like (including what skills they have).
Dress for the position. Yes, I know. Your brilliance is not in your dress but in your head. But, at the end of the day you should LOOK like you deserve six figures- or I’d wonder why I’m paying you that.
When it comes time, negotiate your salary and benefits. Ladies, read this again. Negotiate your salary and benefits. Do not accept the first offer. Know your value, industry standards, and their usual pay structure.
Google yourself. They will have done so.

Here are some items that will kill you in an interview:
Talking poorly about your previous or current boss
Being ill prepared (not knowing about their company, people, industry)
Not taking the interview seriously (do you have a pen, notepad or laptop, and are you making them the center of your attention)
Expecting them to ignore your attire or look- or not care
Being too chatty
Dropping your manners
Making immediate friends and telling a non-professional story about yourself
Being too cocky

These things are just the beginning. The basics if you will. If this job is the one you want. Hire a coach. It doesn’t have to be me- just have a right hand in landing this one. Don’t lose it over a few bucks or a poor move that wasn’t planned or executed well.

Good luck. Now, get out there.