I hope getting back to work, using your skills and collaborating with others feels good.
Help is available in case you are thinking pf making professional or personal changes though. Just look at the video to get started.
Then, check out the link to the SMART Goal planner on the Welcome page to record the details of how you will make change happen in the weeks ahead.
Feel free to to Like, Share and Comment too.
Step 4 in the Covid-19 recovery process means fewer restrictions.
Step 4 doesn’t mean everything is back to business as usual, workwise.
In fact, it could take a while for ‘usual’ to emerge.
Blended Working: Pros and Cons
How does a blended approach of 50:50 working from home and an office sound?
The Pros are obvious:
The Cons are less obvious:
What We Choose Affects Our Happiness
Our choices will affect our happiness.
A well-thought through choice will help build job satisfaction.
A casual one could cause damage.
So, it is worth taking time to figure out what we want from the work we do.
That reflection will help us form new work goals which help us deliver better results.
Why not have your say. What will you do differently, when you go back to work?
2021 is roughly four months away. The next eight months have to be a happier than the last eight, don’t they?
I mean, how many happiness points out of 10 would you give 2020 so far?
7 out of 10? 6? 5?
Here’s a tip if your 2020 happiness score is 4 out of 10, or less.
Make the most of the people around you. After all:
Family.
Friends.
Neighbours.
Co-workers.
Are all good people to ask for support. It is legitimate to lean on others from time to time, just like they lean on you.
In my experience taking a deep breath and asking for help is the first step back towards happiness. Whoever you talk to will be able to help you reconnect with the qualities that make you smile, feel pride, enjoy your day.
Here’s a quote from Mahatma Gandhi which I like:
Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.
Hopefully 2021 will be full of those moments.
Meanwhile, who do you turn to when you need to get back into harmony? Leave a comment, or Tweet @RogerD_Said
Would you like to get your smile back? picture credit Pexels.com
Autumn is the season for making changes, starting new projects and pursuing new goals. Students, startups and job seekers know that can be hard work.
I know how overwhelming change can seem with so many moving parts to think about. So, I’m going to suggest 3 steps to overcome the overwhelm problem and get your smile back:
Accept Your Feelings
If your new project feels nightmare-ish work out how to break down your big goal into more manageable chunks. When we aren’t struggling life feels better. Start completing those smaller steps and you will feel more in control of your situation.
Build Your Network
Take time to connect to people who you can help and who can help you. Reduce the number of people in your world who drain your energy and frustrate your focus.
Celebrate Your Progress
I know it is obvious, but sometimes we don’t notice we are improving and downplay positive feedback. We should be hungry to receive constructive feedback and able to feel good about the significant improvements we start to make once we get going.
What’s Your Next Move?
Obviously, these are tasters of bigger themes and it isn’t easy to put these 3 steps into practice. It is worth it though. Give it a go and feel free to comment on how things work out. Like and Share too so others can benefit too.
Have a great month.
Where Will Your Next Goal Take You? Picture Credit Pexels.Com
The seasons are about to change and Spring is in the air. This is the time of year where plenty of us are thinking about what we want to happen next in our life and how satisfied we are with the status quo.
How Are Things With You?
Take a minute and be honest with yourself. How have you felt over the last year?
Congratulations if the last 12 months were ideal and gave you every chance to shine. You now have the choice of staying the same and still enjoying life without too much effort.
If the last 12 months were a struggle and you feel frustrated, unhappy or stuck in a rut you owe it to yourself to set a goal that will change your life. Here’s the key question to answer to get you started.
Where Will You Focus Your Attention?
It is very easy to get caught up in the business of being busy. If you have a job, lead a team, run a business, have a family and enjoy your social life your calendar is already full.
Do yourself a favour. Stop. Take a piece of paper and a pen then write down the key words that matter to you. This could look like a list, or it might be spread across the page. Either way you will have information from which you can pick the one area on which you can focus attention (the area you know in your heart / gut needs some work). That’s the one on which to build your next goal.
What Is Your Next Move?
The resources in the blog posts right here will give pointers to get going on your goal and change your situation for the better. Alternatively, if you are in London on 7 April you can book yourself a place at my next goal-setting workshop and get support to create the kind of powerful goal which will help you move forward over the coming months. Follow the link for more information and tickets (feel free to comment, like and share so others can also get the benefit of the opportunity). https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/create-great-goals-tickets-41940471078
See You on 7 April – All the best
Roger
An Interview Can Bring You Closer To Your Goal – Picture Credit Pexels Dot Com
It’s that time of year. The time when you start thinking about your next goal.
Maybe your heart is set on getting a new job, or starting a college course. Assuming your initial application has been successful and you have been chosen for interview the tricky part is ahead. 30 minutes marketing yourself to someone else.
So, your interview clothes are pressed.
Your shoes are clean.
You’ve practised smiling and shaking hands at the same time.
What’s your next step toward your goal?
How Do You Market Yourself?
Just recently I helped some interviewees practice their self-marketing skills. The candidates turned up looking like they wanted to impress (professionally dressed, heads up, smiling).
They were prepared, as they knew how the interview helped them toward their ultimate goal.
Each candidate brought a different set of skills and experiences to their interview too. They told their stories well. The ability to respond thoughtfully to three basic questions really let some interviewees shine
Preparing Your Answers
Here are the questions. What answers would you give? Feel free to Leave A Reply, Like and Share
First, What Attracted You To Apply For This Job / Course?
This open question allows you to start showing the interviewer why they should consider you an ideal fit for their opportunity.
You can use examples which show the strengths you have which make you perfectly suited to be a good performer if you join the organisation quite quickly and a great one in the longer term.
When you are presenting your examples use the STAR method to explain your Situation the Task you tackled, the Action you took and the great Results you produced. Extra credit if you describe the obstacles you overcame and the lessons you learned.
2. What Qualities Do You Bring To The Team?
More often than not you will be involved with other people in a business-as-usual or project team. How have you worked with others to solve problems? What skills do you bring to a team? If you have led a team, how have you motivated others? Use the STAR process to tell your story.
3. What Is The First Thing You Do When Your Plans Don’t Work Out?
Here’s your chance to shine. Everyone knows that plans don’t always work out. If you have a good example of how you handled a problem which came up out of the blue, use it. It is important to spotlight what you did in the situation though, even if others were involved. The interviewer will want to know about the difference you made to the end result.
Your Preparation, Evidence And Answers Matter
If you have thoughtful answers to these questions (and you tell your story well) you will stand out in the interviewers mind. If she or he has seen five or six candidates you want to be the first person they think about when they imagine selecting a new team member. Good preparation and presentation will help you stand out.
What Is Your Next Move?
So, good luck if you are a starting out, or moving on in your career. Use the comment section to say how you prepare for interviews where you are marketing yourself to strangers. You can be sure others will appreciate what you have to say.
Finally, thanks for reading. Feel free to Like and Share these ideas if you found them helpful.
Skills Matter – Wherever They Come From (Image From Alvimann From Morguefile.com)
Dementia Awareness Week just ended* and it has put the spotlight on the role played by thousands of part and full time carers out there.
In particular I’ve talked to several people involved with caring for Dementia patients. Those conversations reminded me of the many valuable skills you get from caring for others. Skills which offer a lot to employers seeking fresh talent..
Professional Skills Gained Through Volunteering
Ever focused exclusively on the goal of helping others and lost track of your own priorities? Not to worry, there is an answer to the question:
OK I have done a lot of caring – how do I run those talents into worthwhile job skills?
The skills you use to look after others look good on a resume or CV, especially if you can relate them to the types of employment that interest you.
The trick is to explain the situation in which the skill was used, what task you were responsible for and the action you carried out. What results did you achieve illustrating the skills you want to highlight?
There is a long list of skills from which you can choose, including the following:
Action Planning
You need to be aware** of what you want to achieve before you can become a good planner. Once you are focused on your main task you will be ready to help to bring about the right results, at the right time.
However you go about your planning (maybe you use a wall chart, a smart phone app, or a diary) you still know what results you expect to create at each stage.
You also know which legal, medical or financial rules you have to follow at each stage to get what you want.
What does a successful final outcome look like?
Managing Collaborations
It is exhausting to try to achieve results on your own.
How do you communicate with others so you build new relationships and bring allies into your world?
What do you offer to bring their skills on board?
Problem Solving
Even the best plans can get derailed by unforeseen problems.
Obviously you will have tried to manage the basic risks involved in your project. What does your Plan B look like, should things go wrong?
How will Plan B bring the overall project back into line?
How do you record what you have achieved to ensure you learn how to get better results next time?
Your Next Steps
Thanks for reading about 3 of the key skills which caring can add to your CV. I would love to hear from you. What skills have you gained through volunteering? How have you used those skills in your professional life?
Use the Comment section to share your story, or Tweet me @RogerD_Said. If this post was useful please share it with a friend who would benefit from reading it.
Finally…
*Here is a useful link about Dementia – https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
** Here is a 30 minute video I recorded recently, worth a look if you would like to learn more about self- awareness. http://bit.ly/Self-Awareness-Superstar-Part-1-Of-3
What Giant Leap Will You Make By Acting On Your Goal? Image From Pexels.Com
For a while, when I was little, I wanted to be an astronaut.
With hindsight that idea said a lot about escapism (home life wasn’t always ideal to be honest). From what I can remember though I thought being a spaceman would be a pretty cool job. I mean how difficult could it be to live in a spaceship, with nothing holding you down, doing science stuff indoors and outside that helped people?
Turns out the science stuff and helping people isn’t that easy, as people have baggage and getting a good result has an impact on a lot of other people.
Teamwork
I definitely didn’t realise how much people rely on each other to make plans turn into reality. a long list of other people made it possible for the astronaut to do their thing.
For instance I didn’t know how crowded an astronaut’s life is: it took more than Tim Peake and the other 2 people in the Soyuz capsule to get the latest crew onto the International Space Station.
When the computers plotting the capsule’s approach to the ISS got the final stage wrong it was US astronaut Tim Kopra who passed manual docking control to Russian Commander Yuri Malenchenko, while ground controllers at Russia’s Mission Control Centre monitored developments and the ISS crew held their breath.
It took 3 attempts. Working together the team of astronauts got the job done (collaboration helps during spacewalks too). No lone heroics, just great teamwork. Overcoming difficulties usually depends on one person being open enough to say ‘I can’t do this on my own’ and to ask another person for help.
Mission Control We Have A Problem
So here is the thing, people can hold on to their difficulty for quite a while before looking for someone with whom to connect (ask any coach about building trusting relationships which offer others support ). Imagine holding on to a burden for months, years, or decades even. What kind of toll would that take?
Now imagine being able to flow freely, without that burdensome weight getting in the way. How much more could you accomplish for others? How much easier would your own life be?
The skilful coach understands others’ obvious and subtle needs (they might say they need clarity about their next step during an overwhelming period at work to start with. They might also be open to receiving support at a deeper level, so they can reduce the stress in their personal relationship)
Are you ready to get the support you deserve?
One Small Step
In a month, as part of my mission for the new year, I will support some people to take a small step toward a freer flowing 2016. My workshop in London on 23 January will help those ready to take one small step to turn their career, life, or wellbeing resolutions into reality*.
Use the Comment section to share your big goal for the new year (or get in touch via Twitter @RogerD_Said ). Also keep an eye out for updates, as I will share a few of the strategies I am going to use, ahead of time.
Meanwhile, wherever on Earth (or above it) you happen to spend the day have a very Happy Christmas.
One Giant Leap
*Hit the link below if you would like to know more about the 23 January event in London. Book a seat and join others helping to turn their goals into reality
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/turn-your-resolution-into-reality-now-tickets-20034420491
What Will Motivate You Tomorrow? – Picture From Unsplash.com From Mayur Gala
The biopic documenting the life of Apple Founder Steve Jobs will be on screens soon. There are plenty of lessons to take from his innovative approach to life. I like the ones which flow from the memorable commencement speech he gave at Stanford University 10 years ago. That speech included these lines:
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
I think there are a couple of key ideas in this section of the speech
There is an extra bit of pathos in those words, since Steve Jobs knew his time was limited. He was living with cancer as he spoke (he died in October 2011).
Which 4 Letter Word Is More Important For You?
Is it Need? (meaning your wisdom and inner voice tell you something is necessary)?
Is it Love? (your overwhelming interest and pleasure in something)?
Will Need Or Love Drive You Forward Next Year?
Sometimes we can get so busy with life we lose sight of our driving force.
As far as I can tell Steve Jobs was driven by his love of a challenge and a desire to innovate. What’s true for you?
The people I have coached enjoy reconnecting with their motivation to be happier in themselves as well as more productive team players. Handy attributes to have, especially during tough economic times, when they focus is producing more, quicker and with less resources.
So, which principle – need or love – will help you with your goals next year? Use the Reply space to share your thinking with this community.
Extra Help On Offer
Would you appreciate some extra help working out which of your priorities to pay attention to? Then there is a free download available via this link (just fill in your name and email details then hit the blue button on the left hand side of the page)
https://experienceyourlife.coachesconsole.com/
Ready To Take Assertive Action? (Picture credit jzlomek at morguefile.com)
The quietly confident smile on Nick’s face said it all.
Nick was a middle-management colleague of mine. He led a team at work and he was a good sportsman too. He knew a lot about getting the best out of others.
When I saw Nick smiling I guessed the ‘quick word’ he had held with our senior manager had gone well.
Why was that quick word necessary?
That morning our senior manager (Sue) had chosen to brutally criticise Nick during a staff meeting. Nick’s team had been around the table.
Nick’s face had registered shock. The rest of us were embarrassed. It was one of those I’m-glad-that-wasn’t-aimed-at-me moments.
After the meeting broke up Nick sat quietly, writing a few words in his diary and looking in the direction of our boss’s door.
Once he had fixed his goal in mind he’d walked up to the door, knocked and gone in.
What Did Nick Do To Be Assertive?
When I had the chance I asked Nick the obvious question. Making the decision to act was one thing, what had he said to Sue about the meeting? His answer?
I let her know how I felt after what she said this morning ….I told her I never spoke to my team like that and I don’t accept it either …there’s better ways to work together…she said she saw my point of view.
Nick influenced a positive change in Sue’s behaviour towards him, judging by his upbeat mood.
Assertion Means Talking About Your Feelings When You Negotiate
Nick’s real-life example shows the value of bringing emotion into assertive situations.
Use the range of evidence at your fingertips, including your feelings. Involve the other party in a conversation.
Your theme is how to make your relationship more productive. Give them an incentive to change their behaviour so it benefits others.
If they join in with that conversation and then change their approach that’s a great outcome. You have both benefitted from your honesty.
If the other person refuses to engage with the conversation you have learned something.
That knowledge means you can choose your future options wisely. Those options might include downplaying or even ending the relationship.
Want To Continue This Conversation?
Thank you for reading this post. Feel free to Comment below and share the post with others who can get something from it.
I am sharing more information that will make your day easier in my June newsletter. If you would like to get on to the mailing list for further information first head over to
www.experienceenterprisesltd.co.uk
Then fill in your email address in the field on the right hand side of the page and finally press the red Send button.
I’m looking forward to sharing more ideas with you in the weeks to come.
Experience Your Life 