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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Category Archives: Changing Your Life

June 10, 2020 Is it Possible to Network from Home?

woman on laptop in bed

When you’re stuck at home all day, with only your cat or a couple other people to keep you company, professional networking may sound like a strange term from a long-ago place!

Not so. Networking is just as (if not more) important than ever. If you’ve recently been furloughed or lost your job, it’s important. If you’re looking to transition to another career, it’s important. If you’re hoping to gain a promotion or move into a leadership position at your organization, it’s important.

What’s more, if you decide to put effort into networking now (when so many people are caught up in the COVID-19 pandemic and not focusing on their careers), you’ll gain an edge over your peers.

How can you approach virtual networking?

Cathy Paper, founder of RockPaperStar, is a professional coach and marketer. She suggests starting your networking with people you already know (those who are well-connected or influential) and expanding it from there. Ask for introductions, so you’re networking won’t be “cold,” but “warm.”

Cathy also suggests going into your networking with a plan. Think about how many people you would like to connect with each week, and aim for that. Also, consider your approach. Will you be emailing? Calling? Sending a LinkedIn message? Keep in mind that not everyone will respond, and plan accordingly.

When you send a message, it is useful to bring up what YOU offer, and not just what you want. Show that you’re useful and willing to help. Otherwise, your invitation to connect will appear to be self-serving. By approaching networking with a mentality of service, you will show that you’re just as interested in helping as being helped. Networking should never be a one-way street.

You may also want to show your creative side when networking. How can you help others remember you? How can you stand out? You don’t want to be tacky, but you do want to be unique. Come up with a catchy phrase that captures what you do, or direct your potential connect to a resource that might be useful for them.

Follow-up and stay connected! New connections aren’t useful if you let them slip through the cracks. Stay connected by sending out regular emails or adding them to your newsletter list (with their permission). You could also post articles on your blog and share them through social media, to A) stay top-of-mind and B) demonstrate that you have valuable information to share.

Virtual networking doesn’t have to be intimidating. Make a list of potential connections, ask for an introduction (if you have a connection), and send a thoughtful email or message that conveys who you are and what you do. And don’t forget to follow-up. In many ways, virtual networking is easier than face-to-face networking because you can sit behind your screen and think about what you’d like to say before you say it.

The real key: Just do it! Put yourself out there, take a risk, and start making connections today.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
NOW LIVE: CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

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June 3, 2020 16 Anxiety-Reducing Activities

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During this unprecedented time, it’s normal to feel anxious. With people losing their jobs, confined to their homes, and living in fear of an invisible foe, there are ample reasons to feel scared or depressed. You’re human, after all.

But you don’t have to let those feelings control you. I suggest giving yourself a healthy distraction or two—something to temporary alleviate the tension in your shoulders and the panicked thoughts swirling through your mind. Some distractions, of course, are harmful, but they certainly don’t have to be.

As Amy Cuddy says, don’t “fake it ‘til you make it,” fake it ‘til you feel it. If you practice stress-relieving techniques with some regularity, eventually you will genuinely feel less stressed.

Here are 16 ideas for you to try:

1. Pick up gardening

Taking care of something will help take the focus off yourself. Plus, gardening requires regular time and attention in a quiet setting—a perfect hobby for anyone looking for more serenity.

2. Journal

Buy a fancy notebook that you’ll enjoy opening, and start writing! Don’t edit as you go, just write and see what comes out. If you want to try journaling about the things you are grateful for, you could do that, but if you simply want to release your thoughts, that’s fine too. Do whatever fits YOU!

3. Meditate

If you’ve never practiced meditation before, you might start with a user-friendly app, like Headspace.

4. Pick up your instrument!

If you’re feeling really ambitious (or bored!), you might pick up a new instrument, but if you simply want a bit of a distraction and a healthy release, try dusting off your old instrument and start to play. Did you take piano lessons as a kid? Or learn the guitar at one point? You might have fun tinkering around with these instruments once more (and it’s certainly a good distraction).

5. Walk or hike

Whether in your neighborhood or on a trail, walking is good for the body and soul. Just be careful to avoid over-crowded locales.

6. Crack open an adult coloring book

This was all the rage five years ago, but who on earth had time to sit down and color back then?? Now is the time to open an adult coloring book, sharpen your color pencils, and relax as the colors flow.

7. Tour a museum…virtually!

Many museums, including the Louvre, the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, and the Van Gogh Museum are offering free virtual tours right now. Google Arts & Culture also offers several interactive displays and art info. Instead of sitting down for yet another TV marathon, try viewing some paintings or a sparkling collection of gemstones instead.

8. Watch Some Good News

John Krasinski (famous for playing Jim Halpert in the Office) now has a YouTube channel called Some Good News. In his videos, he highlights the week’s joyful news, interviews celebrities, and goes out of his way to make the day of everyday people (i.e., in one episode he hosted a virtual prom). Find his videos HERE.

9. Paint rocks

You don’t have to be terribly talented to paint rocks with all kinds of cheerful colors and place them around the neighborhood. Paint ladybugs, flowers, or just brightly colored polka dots, and place your painted rocks on neighbor’s front steps or along the sidewalk.

10. Pull out your cookbooks

If you’re like me, you probably have dozens of recipes you marked in a cookbook (or on Pinterest) that you never actually got around to making. Now’s the time! Try something new and be daring—who cares if you mess up?

A few other quick ideas:

11. Do some exercises or yoga on a mat

12. Buy some sidewalk chalk, color your sidewalk, then leave it at your front steps for others to enjoy

13. Organize your junk drawers

14. Sing! Sing on your walks, sing in the shower, just sing.

15. Listen to an audio book

16. Try your hand at quilting, sewing, or knitting

You CAN get through this. Occupy your time with a few healthy activities, and discover what a difference it can make in your life. You’ve got this.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
NOW 50% off: MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

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May 6, 2020 3 Unlikely Benefits of Mentoring

Two women having coffee

Mentoring might seem like a one-sided deal on the surface. You put your heart and soul into training a new hire, you meet with them and provide resources, you answer questions. It all seems very time-consuming and, perhaps, a little annoying, BUT what if I told you mentoring is not a one-sided deal? What if I told you both parties—you and your mentee—benefit from your relationship?

Note: Ultimately, mentoring is about building up confidence and skills in another person. It’s not a selfish act. As a mentor, you’ll put in a few extra hours and some extra effort. A good mentor truly cares about nurturing and guiding their mentee.

However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few benefits for you! If you’re on the fence about mentoring, these 3 unlikely benefits might push you toward doing it:

1. It’s a chance to set a precedence

If you think the office is in need of some changes, you can set a new precedence with your mentee. If you think there’s too much gossip, a poor work ethic standard, or too many people handing in their assignments after they’re due, NOW is the time to start changing that. Helping instill good habits in your mentee not only helps them in the long run, but improves the office overall.

2. It can reveal knowledge gaps

One of the best ways to prove you know your stuff is to explain what you do to others. If you find you can’t answer all your mentees’ questions or cannot fully explain a certain aspect of your job, that might mean you need to brush up on that particular area.

By the way, if your mentee stumps you with a question, don’t fudge an answer. That’s doing both of you a disservice. Instead, use this as an opportunity to deepen your knowledge and learn something new.

3. It builds your reputation

If you volunteer to be a mentor, you’re demonstrating that you’re willing to go the extra mile to help the company. You also position yourself as a leader—someone who knows their stuff well enough to tutor others. Building this kind of reputation is not only good for your standing in the office, but also makes you more promotion-worthy.

Aside from the benefits I listed, mentoring can be a rewarding endeavor in itself. Helping someone learn and grow within your company is the kind of valuable work that can’t be assigned a price. Mentoring might give you a few personal benefits, but ultimately, it’s about building the competencies and instilling confidence in a new co-worker.

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