Tag Archives: Career Coaching
December 26, 2018 Be Merry and BRIGHT!
As this year draws to a close and a new year is beginning to poke over the horizon, my sincerest wish for you is to step into your true self this year and become what you’ve always wanted to be.
Whether that means a transitioning to a new career or company, shifting your mentality/outlook, or finally deciding to pursue one of your dreams, I hope you will be bold and courageous this year.
Remember, you don’t have to do it on your own. Rely on trusted friends, close family members, or outside coaching to help guide and fortify you as you take your first steps into a brave new year.
If you’d like, I would be happy to help you get started. Attend one of my 2019 Insights Deeper Discovery workshops, read my book on leadership, or work with me one-on-one as a coach.
I’m here for you in any capacity that you need me.
Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season.
Tags: Better Business, better you, career coach Minneapolis, Career Coaching, make your new years plan, Margaret Smith licensed Insights practitioner, new year strategies, new years resolution
- Leave a comment
- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Goals
August 8, 2014 3 Ways To Sell Your Great Idea To The Boss
Here’s a scenario: You bolt awake at night, with the solution to a problem clear as day in your mind. Familiar with this type of experience? If so, congratulations, you’ve had an epiphany.
Now, you must show your coworkers–and more importantly, your boss–what makes your idea so great. Here is where many people stumble. It’s great to have ideas. It’s even better to believe in yourself and be convinced that your idea will really work. But the hard part is pitching it to those who have the power to either make your idea a reality, or push it off into the reject pile.
So, how do you sell an idea to your boss?
1. Know Your Boss
What are your boss’s priorities? What are they passionate about in the business? What are their hot button issues? By knowing your boss, you’ll know how to pitch the idea in a way that makes the maximum impact on them.
2. Know Your Business
How does your business run? Do you know the in’s and out’s of how things get done? Familiarizing yourself with the entire business–not just your part in it–will make your proposal much more appealing.
3. Timing Is Key
Do you approach your boss while their busy with five other projects, or do you wait for the opportunity to have their undivided attention? Of course, different bosses work differently, so you know better than I do when the optimum time to approach them is. Don’t mention your idea until you’ve found that perfect time to do so, because you want the idea to have the biggest impression possible.
For tips on drafting a proposal and presenting it, you’ll have to stay tuned for next week’s post!
Tags: Career Coaching, Effective Communication, Healthy Workplace, Improving Leadership
- 1 comment
- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Communication
June 13, 2014 Susan Cain: Introverts Are A Powerful, Underappreciated Group
In this TED talk, author Susan Cain makes the case for appreciating and accommodating introverts.
Her talk is insightful, and I highly recommend you watch it, but it runs almost twenty minutes, so I’ll highlight big points:
-Before all else, Cain stresses we need to be clear on what introversion is. Introversion is not the same as shyness, which is the fear of judgment from others. Extroverts, says Cain, crave social interaction, whereas introverts feel at their most capable when they are in quieter environments. The key to maximizing our talents, she says, “is for us all to put ourselves in the zone of stimulation that is right for us.”
-Workplaces nowadays are built with extroverts in mind: open offices, collaborative meetings, group projects, etc. Introverts’ work and success frequently suffer as a result.
-When it comes to leadership, introverts tend to be passed over for leadership positions. However, Cain points out that many of the greatest minds had big introverted streaks in them: Charles Darwin took long walks in the woods and turned down dinner invitations; Dr. Seuss came up with his stories alone in a bell tower of his house; Steve Wozniak, inventor of the first Apple computer, credits his expertise to devoting long hours alone studying computers.
Cain’s big point: We need a better balance between these two personality types in order to maximize creativity, productivity and cooperation in business and society.
What do you think? Where do you fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum? How does your work environment help or hinder your success? Do you think introverts are passed up for leadership roles because they don’t fit the common view of what a leader should be?
Tags: Career Coaching, Delegation, Effective Communication, Healthy Workplace, How to Boost Self-Esteem, Improving Leadership, Personal Branding, UXL
- Leave a comment
- Posted under Better Business
UXL Blog 