Archive for the 'Coaching' Category

If someone asked you today to solve a complex mathematical equation or to fly a small plane, you’d laugh—unless, of course, you have skills and experience in these areas. Why, then, when you lose your job for the first time (often after many years of working), do most people assume that they naturally should know…    Continue reading

When looking for a new job, we all know that making a positive first impression is essential.  However, few of us realize the key to making that first impression successful is our personal image. Within the first two to 30 seconds that it takes to create that first impression, you may not have even said…    Continue reading

Graphic designer Milton Glaser started this ball rolling for me. Even if you’ve never heard of him, you probably know his most famous creation: I LOVE NEW YORK. His book Art is Work is mainly a collection of his design work, but he opens it with a curious and powerful insight. He says everything we…    Continue reading

These days, a lot of news stories about the economy and job market are filled with doom and gloom. But there are people who do well in their careers and launch successful businesses in a down economy. In fact, GE, Hewlett-Packard and Burger King all started in a down economy. General Electric Co. was established…    Continue reading

In a job interview, you may field questions about your situational behavior and decision making. That’s based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. Behavioral questions (often not even framed as a question) typically start out: “Tell me about a time…” or “Describe a situation…” Example questions are: “Tell…    Continue reading

Let’s talk about getting fired. So the boss calls you in to her office. Things haven’t been going well lately at the company. Sales are down. So is new hiring. You take a seat and your boss says, “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but we need to let you go.” What do…    Continue reading

One-half of US employees are dissatisfied with their jobs, up from two-fifths 10 years ago. Are you one of them? If you are seriously dissatisfied, it’s going to affect your attitude. And that may show up in your performance. It could also put you at risk of losing out to others who are more satisfied…    Continue reading

Whether you’re working at home, overseas, or all over the world at once, the surefire way to become a success is to first be a great worker. No matter if you’re self-employed, CEO of a multi-national corporation, assistant manager, or a laborer, when you pre-pave your work experience you’re putting your focus on the “now”…    Continue reading

Not all executives are leaders.  Not all managers are executives.  Not all career people are professional. Top company management usually comes from the ranks of those who sell the core business product-service, not from those on the firing line who deliver it.   That’s why in media, programming and news people rarely become management.  Since advertising…    Continue reading

“If you see a fork in the road, take it,” and “You can observe a lot by watching” are some of the many one-line quips of baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra.  Yogi’s comments are both fun and a blinding flash of the obvious that often draw us back to simple truths.  My favorite is…    Continue reading

In the book Executive Stamina: How to Optimize Time, Energy and Productivity to Achieve Peak Performance, authors Marty and Joshua Seldman make the case that by “optimizing your effectiveness,” you can enjoy a “long, balanced and successful career.” The book might also be called Get Your Act Together, Dude! Marty, the father, is an executive…    Continue reading

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the term work/life balance?  Perhaps it’s the time you leave the office? Or maybe it’s the total number of hours you have worked in a week? Or is the time your colleagues leave the office compared to you? Have you ever asked yourself whether…    Continue reading

Carol S. Dweck, author of Mindset, the New Psychology of Success, contends that your success or failure in life, career and relationships is attributable to a fixed or growth mindset. The fixed mindset believes that your personal qualities – intelligence, personality and character – are set in stone. The growth mindset believes that your qualities…    Continue reading

We look for star quality in politicians and actors, but rarely do we find it among corporate leaders. And, no, we’re not just talking about good looks. The quality known as charisma is an intangible, but valuable career asset, too. Does it translate well from one culture to another? “The notion of charisma is extremely…    Continue reading

Ask anyone who has sourced or managed a globally distributed project. Collaborating with a customer, supplier, or co-worker located in another country typically brings more than you bargained for – a multicultural learning experience. You can muddle through on your own or get help. Specialized trainers can heighten your cultural awareness and teach you about…    Continue reading

Those eager to have an international work experience often consider themselves open-minded spirits ready to embrace different ways of living and working. But when the initial high of being in a new country wears off and reality sets in, new expatriates very often go into culture shock. Big time. “Most expats,” says culture trainer and…    Continue reading

You give your word that you will accept a job, but then you change your mind. As they say in basketball, “no harm, no foul,” right? Just 24 hours after Billy Donovan, famed coach of the two-time national champion University of Florida men’s basketball team, held a press conference to announce that he had signed…    Continue reading