By Pamela Jett, CSP
In the course of doing some research for a current consulting/coaching client I ran across a very interesting piece of research. Apparently there is a statistically significant correlation between the side (right or left) of the head men and women choose for a hair part and their perceived leadership abilities. According to this rather wacky research, leaders who part their hair on the right were seen as less capable than leaders who part their hair on the left. Go figure.
My intent is not to send you rushing to the mirror (while I confess I took a quick peak at mine and yes, I am slightly to the right - oops!) Rather, I thought the research was an interesting case study in how minor things can often influence the perception others have of us. It is sometimes tempting to only pay attention to major issues when looking to increase our overall leadership and communication effectiveness. I have long held the belief that the average person pays attention to, and often works to improve, the major things. The professional who is willing to go beyond the major, the obvious, and the most common areas of development and look at minor things that can make a major difference is the professional who will stand out in a crowd of "average".
So, what are you doing today to move your career, your business, your professionalism forward? Are you consciously looking for ways to improve, both major and minor? Do you engage in frequent self-analysis to look at what you ought to start doing, what you ought to stop doing, and what you ought to continue doing to keep yourself valuable to your organization or customer? As you move on a path of self or career-development, I would encourage you to look at the major and the minor things you can improve to make a huge difference in your career success.
Now, if you will excuse me. I'm off to re-style my hair!
If you have any examples of small changes that you have made to your communication that have made a big difference, I would love to hear from you. Drop me a note at Pamela@JettCT.com or post a response to this blog. For more information about developing remarkable communication skills for remarkable results, visit my website at http://www.jettct.com/.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Economic Downturn and Professional Development
By Pamela Jett
At first glance, the phrases "economic downturn" and "professional development" likely don't seem very congruent. However, I see it differently. I believe it is extraordinarily important during an economic downturn for individuals and organizations to be committed to professional development. The challenge is that during an economic downturn, many organizations and individuals may believe that professional development is a luxury they just cannot afford.
Knowledge is power and the more we know the better decisions we typically make, the quicker we are able to solve problems, the more creative we can be in thinking of ways to stimulate the bottom line. I believe there are really only two ways to gain knowledge.
One way to gain knowledge is in the "school of hard knocks". By that I mean learning things through experimentation, through trial and error, by making things up as we go along (anyone currently enrolled?) While there is nothing wrong with learning from our own mistakes and experiences (in fact, some would argue, and I would agree, that there really is no such thing as failure unless we fail to learn) the "school of hard knocks" does come with a hefty tuition bill. We can make expensive mistakes, engage in career damaging decisions, and pay a hefty price in terms of our professional reputation and opportunity cost. All this is in addition to the actual "cost" (money, customer loyalty, etc...) a mistake or an error might incur. In challenging economic times, regardless of your current job status, can you really afford to learn things the hard way? I doubt it. I know that I can't.
Which is why I am a HUGE advocate of the second way to learn things - through the knowledge, experience, and advice of others. I want to proactively tap into the resources that are available to me to help me get results without having to experience a steep learning curve. I genuinely believe this approach will help me work smarter. I will gladly part with some of my hard earned resources and my time to attend a workshop, listen to a podcast, or read a book if the end result is that I am able to put into practice tools that will bring more value to my customers or organization. I can't afford to make a foolish error simply because I was neglecting my professional development and thought that attending a workshop was a luxury I couldn't afford. I look at professional development as something I can't afford to neglect at this time.
So, I've been attending workshops, meetings, conventions, listening to audios, reading books, and tapping into mentors like at no other time in my professional career. Yes, some of this costs money. Yes, it all takes my valuable time (opportunity cost.) And yes, I am confident I will see a return on my investment.
My question to you is, what are you doing today to make yourself more valuable to your employer or customer tomorrow? Are you actively acquiring new knowledge? Are you proactively seeking new information to help you solve problems and grow the bottom line? Are you focusing on fear or are you focusing on opportunity? Are you spending your valuable time and cognitive processes bemoaning the economy or are you accepting that we live in challenging times and focusing your energy and efforts on improving yourself?
If you could take every second, every minute, every hour of the last 30 days that you've spent discussing economic problems, listening to pundits repeat the bad news and point fingers and added them all up, how much time and energy would that be? How much more fruitful would that time be if spent on professional development? In challenging economic times, professional development is one luxury in which we can't afford not to indulge.
Pamela Jett is a professional speaker who teaches remarkable communication skills for remarkable results to professionals around the world. She can be found at http://www.jettct.com/ . If you are interested in booking Pamela to speak at your organization or event, call Aimee at 866.726.5388. You can also follow Pamela on Twitter or join her on Facebook.
At first glance, the phrases "economic downturn" and "professional development" likely don't seem very congruent. However, I see it differently. I believe it is extraordinarily important during an economic downturn for individuals and organizations to be committed to professional development. The challenge is that during an economic downturn, many organizations and individuals may believe that professional development is a luxury they just cannot afford.
Knowledge is power and the more we know the better decisions we typically make, the quicker we are able to solve problems, the more creative we can be in thinking of ways to stimulate the bottom line. I believe there are really only two ways to gain knowledge.
One way to gain knowledge is in the "school of hard knocks". By that I mean learning things through experimentation, through trial and error, by making things up as we go along (anyone currently enrolled?) While there is nothing wrong with learning from our own mistakes and experiences (in fact, some would argue, and I would agree, that there really is no such thing as failure unless we fail to learn) the "school of hard knocks" does come with a hefty tuition bill. We can make expensive mistakes, engage in career damaging decisions, and pay a hefty price in terms of our professional reputation and opportunity cost. All this is in addition to the actual "cost" (money, customer loyalty, etc...) a mistake or an error might incur. In challenging economic times, regardless of your current job status, can you really afford to learn things the hard way? I doubt it. I know that I can't.
Which is why I am a HUGE advocate of the second way to learn things - through the knowledge, experience, and advice of others. I want to proactively tap into the resources that are available to me to help me get results without having to experience a steep learning curve. I genuinely believe this approach will help me work smarter. I will gladly part with some of my hard earned resources and my time to attend a workshop, listen to a podcast, or read a book if the end result is that I am able to put into practice tools that will bring more value to my customers or organization. I can't afford to make a foolish error simply because I was neglecting my professional development and thought that attending a workshop was a luxury I couldn't afford. I look at professional development as something I can't afford to neglect at this time.
So, I've been attending workshops, meetings, conventions, listening to audios, reading books, and tapping into mentors like at no other time in my professional career. Yes, some of this costs money. Yes, it all takes my valuable time (opportunity cost.) And yes, I am confident I will see a return on my investment.
My question to you is, what are you doing today to make yourself more valuable to your employer or customer tomorrow? Are you actively acquiring new knowledge? Are you proactively seeking new information to help you solve problems and grow the bottom line? Are you focusing on fear or are you focusing on opportunity? Are you spending your valuable time and cognitive processes bemoaning the economy or are you accepting that we live in challenging times and focusing your energy and efforts on improving yourself?
If you could take every second, every minute, every hour of the last 30 days that you've spent discussing economic problems, listening to pundits repeat the bad news and point fingers and added them all up, how much time and energy would that be? How much more fruitful would that time be if spent on professional development? In challenging economic times, professional development is one luxury in which we can't afford not to indulge.
Pamela Jett is a professional speaker who teaches remarkable communication skills for remarkable results to professionals around the world. She can be found at http://www.jettct.com/ . If you are interested in booking Pamela to speak at your organization or event, call Aimee at 866.726.5388. You can also follow Pamela on Twitter or join her on Facebook.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Are You Suffering From B.S.O. Syndrome?
By Pamela Jett
Just in case you are wondering, I made it up. Despite that fact, you might still be suffering from B.S.O. Syndrome, otherwise known as "Bright Shiny Object" Syndrome. I know that I suffer from it on a somewhat regular basis. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you too, might find that B.S.O. Syndrome is impacting your success.
If you answered "yes" to even one of the above questions, you just might be suffering from a bit of "B.S.O. Syndrome". When we are easily distracted from those things that will lead to our success by things that are appealing or fun, our productivity can suffer. Now, of course, I am all in favor of having fun and enjoying a few bright, shiny objects from time to time. However, that comes with a price and when the price is too great, it is time to focus. Here are a few focus tips to help overcome B.S.O. Syndrome in 2009.
1. Post your goals or vision boards where you see them regularly. This serves as a visual reminder of what matters most to you.
2. Ask yourself is making this decision moving me closer to or further away from the person I want to become?
3. Ask yourself what do I want and what am I willing to give up to get it?
4. Declare yourself publicly. Let a few trusted people know what you are trying to accomplish and have them help hold you accountable.
5. Be gentle on yourself. The way we communicate to ourselves is very powerful. If you beat yourself up or are extremely hard on yourself for not accomplishing things as quickly as you would like or with the amazing results you wanted, you only serve to discourage yourself from moving forward. Essentially, you are saying to yourself that whatever success you had wasn't good enough, so why bother trying. Be kind to yourself. Cut yourself some slack. If you have a day where you lose focus, try to be better the next day. Don't beat yourself up. I am currently working with a business coach on a few issues and every session starts with a re-cap of what I've accomplished since my last session. I've learned that I am pretty hard on myself and one of the wonderful "ah-has" I've experienced is that it is OK to not always be going as hard or as fast as I would like and that any movement forward is a reason to smile. Success builds on success. Be gentle on yourself.
Pamela Jett is a communication skills expert who teaches remarkable communication skills for remarkable results to professionals worldwide. She can be reached at http://www.jettct.com/. Many of her remarkable tools are available on audio cd and can be found at the success store at http://www.jettct.com/. If you would like to bring Pamela to your organization to share her remarkable communication tools, call Aimee at 866.726.5388. And, of course, you can reach Pamela directly at Pamela@JettCT.com.
Just in case you are wondering, I made it up. Despite that fact, you might still be suffering from B.S.O. Syndrome, otherwise known as "Bright Shiny Object" Syndrome. I know that I suffer from it on a somewhat regular basis. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you too, might find that B.S.O. Syndrome is impacting your success.
Did you set goals, make resolutions, or create a vision board for 2009 only to find yourself two weeks later (and yes, it has only been two weeks) no further along than when you started?
Do you have a few "unpleasant tasks" that you keep putting off in favor of doing something else? By the way, most of the time the "something else" is something we can justify.
Do you often reach the end of the day and wonder where the time went and why you don't feel a great sense of accomplishment?
Are you easily distracted by things that are fun or enjoyable? (the bright shiny object)
Do you engage in any "compulsive" type behavior? (like constantly checking e-mail, or surfing the net with no real purpose)
If you answered "yes" to even one of the above questions, you just might be suffering from a bit of "B.S.O. Syndrome". When we are easily distracted from those things that will lead to our success by things that are appealing or fun, our productivity can suffer. Now, of course, I am all in favor of having fun and enjoying a few bright, shiny objects from time to time. However, that comes with a price and when the price is too great, it is time to focus. Here are a few focus tips to help overcome B.S.O. Syndrome in 2009.
1. Post your goals or vision boards where you see them regularly. This serves as a visual reminder of what matters most to you.
2. Ask yourself is making this decision moving me closer to or further away from the person I want to become?
3. Ask yourself what do I want and what am I willing to give up to get it?
4. Declare yourself publicly. Let a few trusted people know what you are trying to accomplish and have them help hold you accountable.
5. Be gentle on yourself. The way we communicate to ourselves is very powerful. If you beat yourself up or are extremely hard on yourself for not accomplishing things as quickly as you would like or with the amazing results you wanted, you only serve to discourage yourself from moving forward. Essentially, you are saying to yourself that whatever success you had wasn't good enough, so why bother trying. Be kind to yourself. Cut yourself some slack. If you have a day where you lose focus, try to be better the next day. Don't beat yourself up. I am currently working with a business coach on a few issues and every session starts with a re-cap of what I've accomplished since my last session. I've learned that I am pretty hard on myself and one of the wonderful "ah-has" I've experienced is that it is OK to not always be going as hard or as fast as I would like and that any movement forward is a reason to smile. Success builds on success. Be gentle on yourself.
Pamela Jett is a communication skills expert who teaches remarkable communication skills for remarkable results to professionals worldwide. She can be reached at http://www.jettct.com/. Many of her remarkable tools are available on audio cd and can be found at the success store at http://www.jettct.com/. If you would like to bring Pamela to your organization to share her remarkable communication tools, call Aimee at 866.726.5388. And, of course, you can reach Pamela directly at Pamela@JettCT.com.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
What's Your 2009 Vision?
By Pamela Jett
If you were to look at the floor of my office over the last few days you would see evidence of my New Year's ritual, creating vision boards. For the last several years I have not made any resolutions or set goals. Instead I have created two vision boards. One is for my personal life and the other is for my professional life.
Vision boards are a visual representation of the life I want to lead in the up-coming year. I just e-mailed a picture of my completed vision boards to a good friend. He promptly e-mailed me back and expressed a bit of surprise because my vision boards are not made with a lot of magazine pictures. Most people use magazine or other pictures to create some sort of collage. I believe that is a valid way of creating a vision board and I know many successful people who have that as their approach. I take a slightly diffferent approach.
I don’t really use a lot of pictures because my “vision” is not really about “things” like cars, houses, etc… (although those things are nice and worthy of visualization). My vision is more about how I want my life
to unfold during the year. For example, one of the things that I envision for 2009 is to continue to lead a life full of meaningful relationships. So, I have words and phrases on my vision board to support those relationships. Also represented are things I want to do more of like dancing, finding new venues to hear live music, and travel to some specific locations such as Spain. They are on my board because they are related to one of my priorities which is discovering joy. I also have a few commitments to health and fitness represented because that is part of living a balanced life. Every year I have a theme for the year. This year's theme is the same as last year's theme (I liked it so much that I'm not ready to make a change.) My theme for 2009 is Discover Joy, Practice Balance, Live in Abundance. So, there are large scale action items such as "say yes" on my vision board.
You can see a picture of this year's vision board here. I thought I would share it in hopes of inspiring you to create your own vision board. Make it your own, use your creativity, use pictures if that works for you, and post your board where you can see it every day. Mine is in my office. I've been using vision boards of some sort or another for about 10 years. It is a practice that helps keep me focused on what I want and, the great news is, when I look back on the past several years, much of my "vision" has come to fruition. Happy New Year!
If you were to look at the floor of my office over the last few days you would see evidence of my New Year's ritual, creating vision boards. For the last several years I have not made any resolutions or set goals. Instead I have created two vision boards. One is for my personal life and the other is for my professional life.
Vision boards are a visual representation of the life I want to lead in the up-coming year. I just e-mailed a picture of my completed vision boards to a good friend. He promptly e-mailed me back and expressed a bit of surprise because my vision boards are not made with a lot of magazine pictures. Most people use magazine or other pictures to create some sort of collage. I believe that is a valid way of creating a vision board and I know many successful people who have that as their approach. I take a slightly diffferent approach.
I don’t really use a lot of pictures because my “vision” is not really about “things” like cars, houses, etc… (although those things are nice and worthy of visualization). My vision is more about how I want my life
to unfold during the year. For example, one of the things that I envision for 2009 is to continue to lead a life full of meaningful relationships. So, I have words and phrases on my vision board to support those relationships. Also represented are things I want to do more of like dancing, finding new venues to hear live music, and travel to some specific locations such as Spain. They are on my board because they are related to one of my priorities which is discovering joy. I also have a few commitments to health and fitness represented because that is part of living a balanced life. Every year I have a theme for the year. This year's theme is the same as last year's theme (I liked it so much that I'm not ready to make a change.) My theme for 2009 is Discover Joy, Practice Balance, Live in Abundance. So, there are large scale action items such as "say yes" on my vision board.You can see a picture of this year's vision board here. I thought I would share it in hopes of inspiring you to create your own vision board. Make it your own, use your creativity, use pictures if that works for you, and post your board where you can see it every day. Mine is in my office. I've been using vision boards of some sort or another for about 10 years. It is a practice that helps keep me focused on what I want and, the great news is, when I look back on the past several years, much of my "vision" has come to fruition. Happy New Year!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A Great Holiday Stress Buster
By Pamela Jett
What a wonderful time of year this is! I am so very grateful for all of my many blessings; wonderful family, terrific friends, great clients, and tremendous opportunities. This is also a time of year when many of us feel somewhat stressed and over-committed both socially and professionally.
I recently heard a great suggestion (thanks LeAnn Thiemann!) that I would like to pass along to help ease the holiday pressure. Whenever someone asks you to do something, attend an event, participate in the potluck etc... try saying "Thank you for thinking of me. Let me think about it a bit (or check my schedule) and I will get back to you." When we use this approach we decrease the likelihood that we will say yes to something due to the pressure of the moment. And, it also deceases the likelihood that we will over-commit or double-book ourselves. By taking time to ponder the opportunity, you are more likely to stay focused on your priorities during this wonderful and hectic season. Of course, do people the courtesy of actually getting back to them in a timely manner. In some instances that might be within the hour or a day or two later, depending on the request.
Confident capable professionals and effective individuals are able to set limits and boundaries and manage their schedules. Remember, where you spend your time is a true indicator of your priorities. And, when our beliefs and our actions are not consistent with one another, that is a sure fire recipe for stress. When the way we behave (how we spend our time) is truly in alignment with our beliefs and priorities, we reduce guilt, eliminate stress, and can focus on what matters most in our lives.
If you have a boundary statement or a communication tool you use to experience less stress and more joy during the holidays, comment on this blog. Or, send an e-mail to Pamela@Jettct.com
Pamela Jett is a communication skills expert who believes that words matter. She works with organizations, associations and individuals who want to improve their communication skills for business and personal success. She can be reached toll free at 866.726.5388 or at her website http://www.jettct.com/ .
What a wonderful time of year this is! I am so very grateful for all of my many blessings; wonderful family, terrific friends, great clients, and tremendous opportunities. This is also a time of year when many of us feel somewhat stressed and over-committed both socially and professionally.
I recently heard a great suggestion (thanks LeAnn Thiemann!) that I would like to pass along to help ease the holiday pressure. Whenever someone asks you to do something, attend an event, participate in the potluck etc... try saying "Thank you for thinking of me. Let me think about it a bit (or check my schedule) and I will get back to you." When we use this approach we decrease the likelihood that we will say yes to something due to the pressure of the moment. And, it also deceases the likelihood that we will over-commit or double-book ourselves. By taking time to ponder the opportunity, you are more likely to stay focused on your priorities during this wonderful and hectic season. Of course, do people the courtesy of actually getting back to them in a timely manner. In some instances that might be within the hour or a day or two later, depending on the request.
Confident capable professionals and effective individuals are able to set limits and boundaries and manage their schedules. Remember, where you spend your time is a true indicator of your priorities. And, when our beliefs and our actions are not consistent with one another, that is a sure fire recipe for stress. When the way we behave (how we spend our time) is truly in alignment with our beliefs and priorities, we reduce guilt, eliminate stress, and can focus on what matters most in our lives.
If you have a boundary statement or a communication tool you use to experience less stress and more joy during the holidays, comment on this blog. Or, send an e-mail to Pamela@Jettct.com
Pamela Jett is a communication skills expert who believes that words matter. She works with organizations, associations and individuals who want to improve their communication skills for business and personal success. She can be reached toll free at 866.726.5388 or at her website http://www.jettct.com/ .
Saturday, October 18, 2008
It's Time to Work Smarter and Harder
By Pamela Jett
We are all familiar with the old saying "work smarter not harder" and for years I have been teaching professionals how to do just that. And then the other day I was having a conversation with a colleague that made me realize that in our current economic environment, that advice is not only trite, it is foolhardy. I believe at this time it is imperative for professionals, whether an employee, leader, or small business owner, to work both smarter and harder.What does that mean? I think it takes a combination of both smarts and tremendous effort and energy to stay so valuable to your organization (and/or your customers) that if and when downsizing or reorganizing impacts your organization; you will not be one of the first to be "voted off the island". There is no such thing as job security and when times become tough, it is up to each of us to become even more proactive about our career development. Sometimes that means we must not only think strategically (that's the "smarter" part), we must spend more effort and energy in implementation and/or take bigger steps out of our comfort zones to develop new skills, contribute in new ways, and take on new responsibilities (that's the "harder" part). Here are three powerful ideas to help you work smarter and harder.
1. Know your leader's pain (and their leader's pain) and be a pain reliever. Every leader has his or her hot buttons or pet issues. They also each are under pressure from their leader to produce results. The savvy professional pays attention to the issues that cause the most stress or strain on their leadership and work very hard to leverage their contributions to ease their leader's pain. We each have limited time in a day and while during tough economic times we might find ourselves working longer hours or taking on more projects, we also want to be cognizant of the value of each project. Are you proactively seeking ways to keep your plate full of high-leverage projects and responsibilities? Or, are you simply taking the assignments that are given to you? The savvy professional doesn't wait for their leaders "pain" to be handed to them. They look for the pain (smarter) and work (harder) at finding ways to relieve that pain.
2. Make or save your organization money and brag about it. During tough economic times, most organizations (and customers) are taking a closer look at every dollar spent. And, they are paying very close attention to revenue streams. Regardless of your position in your organization, you have the opportunity to make or save your organization money. It is time to start focusing on that part of your job even more. That might mean being more proactive when negotiating with vendors, looking for alternative ways to accomplish more with less, or spending a bit more time prospecting to fill the sales funnel. When you make or save your organization money, it is imperative to brag about it. Now is not the time to be a shrinking violet or shy about tooting your own horn. Keep a spreadsheet that logs the money you are making and/or saving. Then, send your leadership regular up-dates. Be willing to speak up in meetings and share when appropriate. If you are waiting for others to notice your efforts, it won't happen. They are far too busy managing their own career success to be focused on yours! Now is the time to speak up!
3. "Empty your pockets to feed your mind and your mind will feed your pockets". This can be challenging advice to take during tough economic times. At a time when every dollar counts, many of us might be tempted to cut back on our personal investment in our skills and abilities. Perhaps you are thinking about returning to school for an advanced degree (smart and hard), but have decided to put it off (even though your organization currently compensates you for the much of the cost). Or, you have been thinking about buying some books with money from your own pocket to help you become more proficient with a computer program and you are hesitant to spend the money. While I am not advocating senseless spending or personal fiscal irresponsibility, I urge you to consider that now is not the time to be "penny wise and dollar foolish". What if attaining an advanced degree is valued in your organization or on your career path? Having that degree might keep you employed or make you more employable in the future. Being more proficient with a computer program will allow you to be more productive and make a greater contribution to your organization. Yes, it can be hard to make the personal sacrifice and invest in yourself. However, in the knowledge economy (as opposed to a time/labor economy) in which most professionals work, your skills and abilities are really all you have to offer your current or future employer. Be wise, invest in yourself. Now more than ever, that is both smart and hard!
We are living in challenging times. Now is the time to work both smarter and harder. If you have suggestions on how to do this, I would love to hear from you. Drop me a note at Pamela@Jettct.com or comment on this blog. If you would like more ideas on how to advance your career, visit the success store at http://www.jettct.com/ to learn about Pamela's powerful 4 audio CD series Mind Your Own Business - A Career Advancement System.
Pamela Jett, CSP is a communication skills expert who believes that words matter. You can find information about her including how to bring her to your next meeting or event when you visit http://www.jettct.com/. Or, you can call Aimee at 1.866.726.5388. By Pamela Jett
We are all familiar with the old saying "work smarter not harder" and for years I have been teaching professionals how to do just that. And then the other day I was having a conversation with a colleague that made me realize that in our current economic environment, that advice is not only trite, it is foolhardy. I believe at this time it is imperative for professionals, whether an employee, leader, or small business owner, to work both smarter and harder.What does that mean? I think it takes a combination of both smarts and tremendous effort and energy to stay so valuable to your organization (and/or your customers) that if and when downsizing or reorganizing impacts your organization; you will not be one of the first to be "voted off the island". There is no such thing as job security and when times become tough, it is up to each of us to become even more proactive about our career development. Sometimes that means we must not only think strategically (that's the "smarter" part), we must spend more effort and energy in implementation and/or take bigger steps out of our comfort zones to develop new skills, contribute in new ways, and take on new responsibilities (that's the "harder" part). Here are three powerful ideas to help you work smarter and harder.
1. Know your leader's pain (and their leader's pain) and be a pain reliever. Every leader has his or her hot buttons or pet issues. They also each are under pressure from their leader to produce results. The savvy professional pays attention to the issues that cause the most stress or strain on their leadership and work very hard to leverage their contributions to ease their leader's pain. We each have limited time in a day and while during tough economic times we might find ourselves working longer hours or taking on more projects, we also want to be cognizant of the value of each project. Are you proactively seeking ways to keep your plate full of high-leverage projects and responsibilities? Or, are you simply taking the assignments that are given to you? The savvy professional doesn't wait for their leaders "pain" to be handed to them. They look for the pain (smarter) and work (harder) at finding ways to relieve that pain.
2. Make or save your organization money and brag about it. During tough economic times, most organizations (and customers) are taking a closer look at every dollar spent. And, they are paying very close attention to revenue streams. Regardless of your position in your organization, you have the opportunity to make or save your organization money. It is time to start focusing on that part of your job even more. That might mean being more proactive when negotiating with vendors, looking for alternative ways to accomplish more with less, or spending a bit more time prospecting to fill the sales funnel. When you make or save your organization money, it is imperative to brag about it. Now is not the time to be a shrinking violet or shy about tooting your own horn. Keep a spreadsheet that logs the money you are making and/or saving. Then, send your leadership regular up-dates. Be willing to speak up in meetings and share when appropriate. If you are waiting for others to notice your efforts, it won't happen. They are far too busy managing their own career success to be focused on yours! Now is the time to speak up!
3. "Empty your pockets to feed your mind and your mind will feed your pockets". This can be challenging advice to take during tough economic times. At a time when every dollar counts, many of us might be tempted to cut back on our personal investment in our skills and abilities. Perhaps you are thinking about returning to school for an advanced degree (smart and hard), but have decided to put it off (even though your organization currently compensates you for the much of the cost). Or, you have been thinking about buying some books with money from your own pocket to help you become more proficient with a computer program and you are hesitant to spend the money. While I am not advocating senseless spending or personal fiscal irresponsibility, I urge you to consider that now is not the time to be "penny wise and dollar foolish". What if attaining an advanced degree is valued in your organization or on your career path? Having that degree might keep you employed or make you more employable in the future. Being more proficient with a computer program will allow you to be more productive and make a greater contribution to your organization. Yes, it can be hard to make the personal sacrifice and invest in yourself. However, in the knowledge economy (as opposed to a time/labor economy) in which most professionals work, your skills and abilities are really all you have to offer your current or future employer. Be wise, invest in yourself. Now more than ever, that is both smart and hard!
We are living in challenging times. Now is the time to work both smarter and harder. If you have suggestions on how to do this, I would love to hear from you. Drop me a note at Pamela@Jettct.com or comment on this blog. If you would like more ideas on how to advance your career, visit the success store at http://www.jettct.com/ to learn about Pamela's powerful 4 audio CD series Mind Your Own Business - A Career Advancement System.
Pamela Jett, CSP is a communication skills expert who believes that words matter. You can find information about her including how to bring her to your next meeting or event when you visit http://www.jettct.com/. Or, you can call Aimee at 1.866.726.5388. By Pamela Jett
Friday, September 12, 2008
It Drives Me Crazy When...
By Pamela Jett
We all have pet peeves at work. Things that people say or do that drives you to distraction or truly gets on your nerves. This post is devoted to those things that we wish people would not do or say. They may be small things, but like a splinter, they can be painful.
Over the last dozen years I have been conducting communication workshops and seminars all over the world. My clients have been more than willing to share with me what gets on their nerves at work. Here are the top two:
1. When people say are you busy? This is such an irritating question because there is no right answer. We all know that when someone, our leader or a co-worker, asks this question they are really trying to ask if now is a good time to talk or if we are available for them. The challenge is, if we answer "no - I'm not busy" - theoretically, the desired response, we are admitting we are not working. However, if we say we are busy, we sound unhelpful or unwilling to work as a team player.
2. Do you have a minute? Is another irritating question. Nothing takes just a minute! This is a classic case of bait and switch! People ask for a minute and wind up engaging us in a half hour conversation.
So, my question to readers of this blog is what is your pet peeve? What makes you crazy when your leader says it? What do you wish your colleague would stop saying? Please post a comment to this blog. I would love to hear from you. You can also send me an e-mail at Pamela@JettCT.com.
Pamela Jett, CSP is a communication skills expert who believes that words matter. You can find information about her including how to bring her to your next meeting or event when you visit http://www.jettct.com/. Or, you can call Aimee at 1.866.726.5388.
We all have pet peeves at work. Things that people say or do that drives you to distraction or truly gets on your nerves. This post is devoted to those things that we wish people would not do or say. They may be small things, but like a splinter, they can be painful.
Over the last dozen years I have been conducting communication workshops and seminars all over the world. My clients have been more than willing to share with me what gets on their nerves at work. Here are the top two:
1. When people say are you busy? This is such an irritating question because there is no right answer. We all know that when someone, our leader or a co-worker, asks this question they are really trying to ask if now is a good time to talk or if we are available for them. The challenge is, if we answer "no - I'm not busy" - theoretically, the desired response, we are admitting we are not working. However, if we say we are busy, we sound unhelpful or unwilling to work as a team player.
2. Do you have a minute? Is another irritating question. Nothing takes just a minute! This is a classic case of bait and switch! People ask for a minute and wind up engaging us in a half hour conversation.
So, my question to readers of this blog is what is your pet peeve? What makes you crazy when your leader says it? What do you wish your colleague would stop saying? Please post a comment to this blog. I would love to hear from you. You can also send me an e-mail at Pamela@JettCT.com.
Pamela Jett, CSP is a communication skills expert who believes that words matter. You can find information about her including how to bring her to your next meeting or event when you visit http://www.jettct.com/. Or, you can call Aimee at 1.866.726.5388.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
