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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Category Archives: Changing Your Life

September 2, 2015 Back to Business

Summer is winding to a close. Kids are heading back to school; vacation time is over. For many businesses, this is the time to buckle down and start ramping up for a strong fourth quarter. But sometimes it’s just plain difficult to switch back into work mode. What can you do when your head says, “You should work now,” but your heart is still enjoying lazy afternoons in the sun? Not toe mention, if you have children you have to completely revamp your evenings (from relaxed family dinners to homework/sports/after-schools activities time). How can you effectively deal with the dramatic shift? Here is a list of four suggestions to get Back to Business:

Set goals and make a plan to achieve them.

I’m all about goal-setting. Goals give you a concrete objective to work toward, rather than just “showing up” and expecting you’ll do something in the office today. When you set a goal, make sure you also set a deadline. Then, outline the steps you’ll need to take in order to achieve the goal on time. When you step into the office every day, ask yourself, “What do I need to do today to reach my goals?”

Visualize yourself working.

Seriously! This is a technique athletes use all the time: They close their eyes and picture themselves running down the field, breaking open, taking that game-winning shot. Visualization is a proven tool that helps bolster concentration and motivation. You can use the same technique! Just find a quiet space and spend five to ten minutes thinking about your day and what you’re going to do to make it successful.

Make a list.

Similar to goal-setting, a daily list will give you a set of tangible objectives that you can accomplish. Write down even the small stuff—it feels good to cross them off!

Use your summertime joy as fuel.

Even though you might be disappointed that summer is winding down, you can still hang onto the summer sunshine! Your summer BBQs, vacations, and walks in the sun hopefully helped you feel rejuvenated and relaxed. Use that extra bit of rejuvenation as fuel in the coming months. One thing you can do: Post a picture on your desk of a favorite summer memory and glance at it whenever you need to “find your calm.”

Don’t be sad that summer is over; celebrate the fact that it happened! And, if working is ramping up, don’t forget to appreciate the fact that you have a job and that you are a much-needed piece of the company puzzle.

Good luck this fall and please, reach out to me if you’re struggling to find your feet at work.

-Margaret

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, LICENSED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM

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August 26, 2015 The Road Trip (Stretching Outside Your Box)

I am very fortunate to have a family beach house in Delaware and try to spend some time there each summer.  This year I was able to navigate three weeks at the beach, which has never happened before.  That was my stretch…both managing before I left to have everything in order and then slowing down while I was there to really appreciate the ocean, the smells, the sounds, the food, and sand in my shoes.
This year my husband found it necessary to fly back to Minnesota early and I was facing the long drive back alone. While in a conversation with a college friend, we both expressed disappointment that we were not going to see each other this summer. I mentioned the long drive back and then, it struck me! Her company on this trip would be awesome and a great way to catch up.  I posed the question, “Want to go on a road trip?”  Her response, “I’ve never been on a road trip but it sounds like a great adventure. I’m in!”
The trip went faster than it ever had, 1,100 miles of talking, laughing, sharing, questioning and comparing.  It was great.  She had never been to Minnesota, (good thing this trip was in August!) so it was fun to show her the place I call home. She stayed one additional day and then flew home.  I received a text from her when she landed in Baltimore: “That was fun, where are we going next?!”

The moral of the story: It’s healthy and beneficial to stretch outside your comfort zone, whether that means talking to a stranger on the sidewalk, applying for your dream job, or writing a book. Look for opportunities to learn, grow, and reach for those stars. You’ll be happy you did.

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August 12, 2015 Having Clarity

In my mind, having clarity comes in two parts. You have to give clarity and ask for clarity. If you are in charge of a project or leading a team, don’t assume that everyone already knows your expectations. Make those expectations clear and leave room for others to ask questions. Put yourself in others’ shoes and anticipate questions that might come your way.

On the flip side, if you’re on the receiving end of a project or initiative, don’t be afraid to ask clarifying questions. It is much better to make sure your idea of the project’s end state aligns with the actual anticipated end state then to muddle your way through it and hope you’re doing what’s expected of you. One good way to make sure you completely understand your assignment is to repeat back what you think you heard. Something like: “Okay, Bill. It sounds like you’re saying we need to come up with a better social media marketing strategy for product X, and we have two weeks to get you a proposal. Is that correct?”

Having Clarity is one of the chapters in my book, The Ten Minute Leadership Challenge, and I go into much more detail in those pages about how to give and ask for clarity.

I’ve also made a short video about Having Clarity based off the principles outlined in my book. Enjoy!

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