My Leadership Solutions

lead·er·ship: not only for those with a fancy title. High doses can lead to success. Side effects include courage and confidence

Define Your Purpose

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I had the pleasure of attending the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) 2012 Conference held in Denver, Colorado this past year.  It was a great conference, but one seminar in particular my attention.

In his seminar, The Achievement Addiction, Dr. Jim Loehr, performance psychologist and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, talked about why there are many people who have a long list of impressive accomplishments yet fail to feel fulfilled.

He used the example of a world-famous tennis star, who was also one of his clients.   From the outside looking in, it looked as if this star had all the fixings of the perfect life.  However, people who knew him noticed that he had become angry, unhappy, and difficult to work with, which is why he needed help.  He had started to actually hate tennis, the sport that had propelled him to be the ultimate sports star who was raking in millions of dollars per year.  The problem was that he hadn’t defined his purpose and was instead putting his energy toward a path different from what he really wanted.

After defining his purpose he decided that he wanted to repurpose tennis to help kids be happier and healthier and started charter schools.  The anger and unhappiness lifted once he started to work toward his purpose.

These days, people are succeeding, setting records, and producing great results.  Now more than ever, stress, depression, and anxiety threaten to take over our lives.  It’s as if achieving has become a goal in itself, which we keep chasing, without ever fully reaching the goal.

By no means are these researchers advocating sitting on our butts and having no ambitions.  They propose that we first define our purpose.  Then we can go after the successes we seek.  Take a truly honest look at yourself and your accomplishments.  Do you know your purpose?  Are your accomplishments aligned with your purpose?  If not, here are some steps that may help you.

  1. Brainstorm talents and skills that you have.  Ask yourself “What do I enjoy doing?  What am I good at doing?  What will people pay me to do?”  Once you have an answer that fits into all 3 questions, pursue it.
  2. Define your mission in life and write it down.  What do you want people to remember you for?
  3. Define your values that you will adhere to while you work toward your mission.
  4. Create short-term and long-term goals that tie to your mission.
  5. Put together a plan and place it where you can see it.
  6. Tell someone about your plan and have that person help hold you accountable.
  7. Take action.

Never Underestimate the Power of the Company Break Room

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Almost every company has one.  It offers a brief, yet much-needed reprieve from the cubicle – a chance to fill up your coffee mug, eat your lunch, chat with colleagues, or escape after a tough conversation with your manager.  It’s the break room.

Most employees don’t take time to express gratitude for the break room, but they would sure notice it if it disappeared.  But it is more than just a place to hang out during a break.  What happens in the break room can possibly (key word ‘possibly’) help make or break your career.

How to break your career in the break room (In other words, these are things not to do in the break room)

1)      Be overheard talking negatively about your manager, someone else’s manager, or the company.  After all, you’re on company time and the break room isn’t exactly private.  You never know who may be listening to your conversation.

2)      Discuss your office-inappropriate weekend escapades.

3)      Argue loudly on the phone with your spouse, lover, mother, or basically anyone.  You don’t need other employees to hear the personal details of your life and see your ugly side.

4)      Cut in line to heat your food in the microwave.

5)      Steal someone’s food from the refrigerator.  No one likes a lunch stealer.  Plus people may assume that a person who steals lunch also could steal company supplies or data.  Just pack your own lunch.

6)      Take the last of the coffee and “forget” to refill the coffee maker.

7)      Make a mess and don’t clean up after yourself.

8)      Spend so much time in the break room that your manager is constantly looking for you or you’re not getting the job done.

9)      Interrupt someone who is eating, reading, relaxing or chatting with someone.

The good news is that the break room is also brimming with opportunities that can help your career.  I started a conversation with a Director who I had never worked with in the break room.  He later told me about and urged me to apply for a job opportunity that had opened up in his department

How to help your career in the break room

1)      Hear about potential new job openings before they’re posted online.  Keep your ears open.

2)      Strengthen relationships with colleagues you already know.  It’s a chance to talk about subjects other than work.

3)      Hear about who’s leaving a job that you’ve been interested in.

4)      Help others. If someone complains to you that they’re struggling with a project that you have the experience and time to help with, offer your help.  Otherwise, just offering a listening ear helps too.

5)      Discuss your current projects and interests.

6)      Meet people.  People can help your career, but they have to know about you first.  Especially in larger companies, the break room is a place where you can meet people you wouldn’t normally come into contact with.  Learn about them and their jobs.  If they’re from a department that you’re interested in transferring to, ask if you can set up a time to talk to them.

7)      Relax. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, a short break can help you recharge.

8)      Let someone who is in a hurry cut in front of you to use the microwave.   Doing a good deed for someone will make you feel happier, which will hopefully translate into a better work day.

The seemingly innocuous break room is actually a hidden haven of opportunities or a chance to sabotage your career.  Use at your own risk and tread wisely.

Stop Procrastinating and Start Accomplishing

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As a new year begins, many of us are thinking of the goals that we want to accomplish this year because we didn’t get to them last year.  Procrastination, the habit of delaying or avoiding tasks, is one of the most significant obstacles that holds people back from accomplishing their professional and personal goals.  Everyone has experienced it at some point in their lives and most people experience it on a daily basis.  However, getting into the habit of procrastinating can be detrimental to your career.  It can also take a toll on your health.

Studies have shown that people who procrastinate regularly on priority tasks have weaker immune systems, are more susceptible to flus and colds, and are also more likely to have problems sleeping.  In the workplace, a procrastinator’s habits will have a negative impact on teamwork and productivity.  Procrastination can cause our relationships to suffer as well.  If people are counting on us to get things done and we continue to put it off, they may end up thinking we are unreliable.

Putting off job searching or career development activities can also have negative consequences.  I have coached many people who lost their jobs due to the economic problems.  Many of them have said that they had sensed beforehand that they should have been working on their resume or job searching, but kept putting it off until it was too late.

The good news is that there are plenty of helpful tips to help us overcome procrastination and reach our goals.

  1. Identify what tasks you keep putting off.  There is probably a common thread.  You may notice that it’s more common when it comes to administrative tasks at work or job searching or eating healthy meals.
  2. You may be putting it off because it’s an overwhelming task or goal.  Break it up into smaller pieces to make it more manageable.
  3. Figure out if it’s possible to delegate it to someone else (this is only possible with certain tasks).
  4. Ask someone you to trust to hold you accountable for finishing the task(s).
  5. Brainstorm ways, to make it more enjoyable.  For example, listen to your favorite music while doing those annoying household chores or while exercising.
  6. In order to avoid thinking about it all day, schedule a certain time during the day that you will do the task and stick to it.  Give yourself a small reward for finishing the task.
  7. Keep a journal of how you were able to beat procrastination and refer to that journal for help on future goals.
  8. The mind frame that we have to do something perfectly can also hold us back. Realize that you are not expected to complete the task perfectly.  Then, break it up into smaller pieces and figure out a way to reward yourself with each step you take toward your goal.

Make 2012 the year that you procrastinate less and accomplish more.

Giving a Great Presentation at a Job Interview

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In order to gauge if you are the best person for the job, interviewers may ask you to give a presentation during the interview.  Asking top candidates to give presentations as part of the job interview process is common for positions in training and sales, but may also be called upon for other positions.

Typically the first and second interviews are designed to determine if you have the right skills for the position and if you would be a good fit for the company culture.  After this initial assessment, they’ll most likely ask you to put on a presentation in order to get an idea of your presentation skills.

Even people who have presented in front of hundreds of people get jittery about giving a presentation in front of a few interviewers.  Others are so confident that they can get the job that they put minimal time and effort into preparing for this interview.  It’s normal to experience these feelings, but don’t let them get in your way. Yes, you’ve made it far but chances are that they’re still interviewing other people, so it’s important to not let your confidence or lack of confidence get to you.

For the presentation, remember to:

  1. Have an attention-grabber at the beginning.  Keep in mind that it’s important that you impress them in the  beginning.
  2. Discuss the objectives of the training and what they will learn how to do.  Also let them know how the information will benefit them.
  3. If you’re using presentation slides such as PowerPoint, don’t overcrowd your slides with text.  Include a few bullet points and images, but you should not be reading off of your      slides.
  4. Don’t tell jokes.  If you use humor, keep it appropriate.
  5. Incorporate video and images into your presentation. People are visual learners and they will be more likely to remember  what you talk about if you include associated images.
  6. Be prepared.  The more prepared you are, the more confident and less nervous you’ll feel.
  7. Typically there won’t be enough time for you to conduct participant activities.  However, you should still ask questions  or find quick ways to encourage participation.
  8. Include a handout to supplement your training.  Remember to make sure that it looks professional and include the company logo if you have access to it.