Tag Archives: Career Coaching
February 19, 2013 Leading Through Positive Perception
This past week I attended a seminar given by Melissa DeLay, a communication and business coach, who spoke on the art of persuasive communication. I’ve touched on this topic myself in a past post, but I found her talk especially relevant to my interest in effective leadership.
DeLay stressed the importance of perception, specifically addressing how positive perception allows leaders to be better suited to close deals, increase loyalty and communicate with confidence, even in the most difficult situations.
We often feel pressured to say “yes” or “no”–to commit one way or another, she says, and this ultimately has an adverse effect on our productivity and personal happiness in the long run. Instead of hastily agreeing to a project, DeLay suggests we internalize what she calls “magical phrases,” which help accomplish the following:
1. They Buy Time. You’re not forced to decide on the spot when confronted with a proposal. These phrases give you a chance to weigh your options without committing prematurely.
2. They Defuse The Situation. In “sticky” situations that may fall anywhere between personal disagreements or declining on a proposal, magical phrases enable you to neutralize the situation.
3. They Make You Look Good. You aren’t committing to something and then going back on it later. You are in control.
So what are these “magical phrases” Ms. DeLay is talking about?
At their core, these phrases all contain three characteristics: They are authentic, considerate, and objective.
As a way to turn someone down, for instance, she offers this phrase: “I don’t see a match between what you’re focused on and what I’m focused on. I’m going to have to decline your offer.” Saying this shows that you understand and have thought the offer over, thereby demonstrating consideration. It shows that you’ve tried to be as objective as possible, in that you are attempting to distinguish between your focus and the focus of the individual making the offer. And, because it clearly states up front good reasoning for the decline, the statement expresses authenticity. In other words, even though you aren’t being rude, you aren’t sugar coating it either.
Other “magical phrases” DeLay shared during her talk:
“Let me give that some thought. I don’t want to make a hasty decision.”
“I’m deeply concerned about this because…”
“I don’t care to speculate; what I can say is…”
Each of these examples fulfills the core characteristics of the magical phrase: they are each authentic, considerate, and objective.
What struck me is the fact that in positions of leadership, we are often forced to juggle the roles of being mentor, manager, friend, employer, “bad guy,” and the list goes on. It is easy to feel trapped between these roles, not sure which one should be worn at what time. But DeLay’s “magical phrases” embody the basis of strong leadership, in that they are consistent, honest and transparent.
Tags: Career Coach Advice, Career Coaching, Confident Interviewing, Delegation, How to Boost Self-Esteem, Improving Relationships, Lifelong Learning
March 21, 2012 Solving the Challenge of Older Unemployed Workers
By Margaret Smith, UXL:
SPEAKER | CAREER COACH | CERTIFIED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER
Today I read a fascinating article published by the Urban Institute titled “Can Unemployed Workers Find Work?” that really changed the way I think about the challenge older unemployed workers face in today’s job market.
Let’s face it–we all know about our own experiences, but how did job loss affect Americans in a larger sense? Read on for the real story about how the “Great Recession” has affected the American workforce.
Who Really Lost Jobs
As we all witnessed, and in many cases firsthand, people rapidly lost jobs as the recession swelled. According to the Urban Institute, the male workforce was hit slightly harder than the female workforce, with monthly male unemployment rates averaging “10.3 percent in 2009 and 10.5 percent in 2010, the highest since reliable records began in 1948.” These percentages compare with women’s job prospects, “which were only slightly better… whose unemployment rate averaged 8.1 percent in 2009 and 8.6 percent in 2010.”
You know what else I learned? This unemployment stuck around—and it’s not just you. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a shocking 31% of unemployed adults had been without work for more than a year in the second quarter of 2010.
The Good News for Older Workers
Contrary to my expectations, if you’re an older worker, you’re actually less likely to be fired. Workers employed in wage and salary jobs in the second half of 2008 age 50 to 61 were “34% less likely than those age 25 to 34 to lose their jobs within 16 months.” And, what’s more, unemployment rates are consistently lower for older workers.
Unemployment among Older Workers Hard to Defeat
So there’s less of a chance that an older worker will be laid off, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t, and didn’t happen. Now what? Unfortunately, if you’re an older worker who’s been laid off, studies show it will take substantially longer to find employment. “Workers age 50 to 61 who lost their jobs between mid-2008 and the end of 2009 were a third less likely than those age 25 to 34 to find work within 12 months, and those age 62 or older were only half as likely.”
That means that although less older workers were laid off, it was 33-50% more difficult to get back on your feet again. No matter what your age, however, getting back to work was no piece of cake. Workers age 25 to 34 were faced with a 36% likelihood of finding a job within a year, compared to 24% likelihood for workers age 50 to 61, and 18% likelihood at age 62 and older.
Not only are older workers toughing it out to reenter the job market, they’re also settling for a lower wage.
(source: www.urban.org)
So how do older workers combat these daunting statistics? I advocate the active pursuit of training, taking advantage of employment services, and reaching out in new and open-minded ways. Let’s face it, being stuck in the job hunt—especially for a longer period of time—can really be a drain on your motivation and positive energy. If you think that your progress toward your next career could benefit from a guiding, professional career coach, contact me today to learn how I can help you find direction and energy once again.
Source: “Can Unemployed Older Workers Find Work?” by Richard W Johnson and Janice S. Park, Urban Institute
Tags: Career Coaching, Job Hunt Advice, Stuck at the Crossroads
December 5, 2011 The Decline of Fulltime and the Rise of the “Joblet”
By Margaret Smith, UXL
SPEAKER | CAREER COACH | CERTIFIED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER
According to an article titled “The Joblet Recovery” in INC. Magazine, “48 percent of Americans believe that since the financial crisis, we have become more capable of starting our own businesses.” The fact that people, post-economic slump, have gotten creative in their effort to make a living is undeniable. I, sitting here at my home office, am a living, breathing example of it. Every week I come into contact with dozens of professionals that have struck off on their own and now work as entrepreneurs, E-lancers, freelancers, and contract laborers instead of their former 9-5 employment.
In response to the market’s elimination of jobs and hesitation to reinstate new full-time positions, people all over the country are finding themselves in a situation where they’re required to wear many hats and learn to market themselves and their skills. Instead of focusing on the set list of skills they used at their previous post, individuals have begun to pursue handfuls of “joblets” that utilize a plethora of skills.
A huge part of an individual’s success as a freelancer, contract worker, or entrepreneur has to do with their ability to land a job or client. Individuals are no longer able to focus solely on their skills as they search for work. Instead, they are required to develop their ability to market themselves.
Learning to market yourself is not an easy task—not everyone has had professional sales experience, nor have they necessarily spent a lot of time on personal branding. Because of this, I have decided to share 3 important don’ts of selling that were recently published in INC. Magazine that may help the burgeoning group of self-employers to up their game:
Three things you never want to do—if you want to close (from INC. Magazine)
Do Not Dump Your Marbles on the Table:
When you enter a preliminary meeting it’s easy to be intimidated and your natural inclination may be to “get it all out,” as John Deal explains. Instead, Deal urges you “introduce yourself, and listen and figure out why they think they’re there and why you’re there.” Never recreate what’s on a brochure or become an “infomercial guy”. Get people talking to create partnerships.
Do Not Work So Hard Closing that You Close the Door:
Even if the deal does not go through, it is essential that you work to keep these potential customers or clients as advocates of your business. Deal explains that he maintains this relationship by sending Christmas cards and inviting people to receive his newsletter. “You’re making them part of your team instead of being a customer,” he says.
Do Not Be Afraid to Recommend Someone Else’s Business or Product:
Recognize when you may not fit the needs of a potential client and refrain from trying to reshape their needs to a service you offer. If you make a practice of referring them to others, you make friends in the industry. As Deal reminds us, your competitor might eventually do the same for you. If you put the best interest of your customer first, you’ll make money.”
Do you have questions about developing your brand, career, or business? Would your career benefit from informed advice about finding more customers and building a network that gives back? Contact UXL Today to transform the future of your business or career through guided professional coaching.
Tags: Career Coaching, Don'ts of Selling, Inc Magazine, Joblet, Margaret Smith, UXL
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