Tag Archives: Margaret Smith business coach
January 21, 2026 How to Play to Your Strengths
With retirement from UXL on the horizon, I have been reflecting on various lessons I’ve learned as a manager, a career coach, and a mentor. One of the lessons that came to mind recently is how we each have different strengths, interests, and attributes. This diversity of thinking and being is an incredible asset to the workplace. With the right mix of creatives, “techies,” leaders, organizers, etc., an organization can operate more smoothly and have a greater reach.
This acceptance of variety/diversity in the workplace allows people to really stretch their abilities and be their full selves—to capitalize on their strengths and interests. Furthermore, as an individual contributor, you often have the power to lean into your strengths and deflect or delegate assignments that are not a great fit.
While it may not seem “sporting” to pass a certain task or project to another, it can ultimately be the best option for all parties involved. I think about a time when I was assigned a project that was not a great fit. I waffled for a while, trying to figure out how to approach it, and then it dawned on me: My boss didn’t care who completed this project, he just wanted it done. With this in mind, I decided to approach my colleague Tom, who was much better suited to the project than I was. He was analytical, where I was more creative. He enjoyed spreadsheets and charts, while I tended to get sleepy just looking at them!
In exchange, I picked up one of the projects on Tom’s plate that was better suited to my skillset and interests. We kept our boss in the loop about the switch and, as suspected, he didn’t care which people tackled the projects, as long as they were completed satisfactorily. With our tasks ahead of us, Tom and I worked on our respective projects, kept in touch, and handed off the work when we were done. The results were great, and we were encouraged to collaborate in this way for future projects.
This story brings up several lessons, including the following:
Be honest with yourself. Recognize both your strengths and shortcomings, and have the humility to admit when you’re in over your head (or when you’re simply uninterested in or put off by a project or task).
Recognize others’ strengths. Make an effort to learn about your colleagues, and start building an understanding of their abilities and interests. Talk openly and honestly with them to get a sense of who they are as an individual, and what makes them “tick.”
Frame your ask in a positive way. Just because you’re dreading a certain assignment doesn’t mean it’s an “undesirable” task. Different people are drawn to different types of work. Some people enjoy the rhythm and logic of data entry. Some like contacting/surveying customers. Others revel in all things creative and truly shine when it comes to brainstorming ideas or coming up with imaginative designs. In other words, handing someone an unwanted assign isn’t necessarily a bad thing—it just doesn’t fit with your disposition or abilities.
Offer to reciprocate. Whether immediately or down the road, it’s important to be open to reciprocating the work. Make it clear that you will gladly take on one of your colleague’s unwanted tasks in exchange for them taking on yours.
Results are more important than the path. This is something I’ve learned over and over. It doesn’t really matter how an individual or group winds up at the “end point.” What matters are the results. If achieving those results means shifting project responsibilities, then most people will be open to that shift.
We all have varying strengths, interests, and wheelhouses. Instead of letting an undesirable project eat away at you, consider enlisting help from others or shifting project responsibilities. It doesn’t serve you, your work team, OR the business to struggle and ultimately produce subpar work. In short, play to your strengths.
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.
Tags: delegation techniques, effective delegation, how to play to your strengths, leaning on your strengths, Margaret Smith business coach, Margaret Smith LP of Insights
- Leave a comment
- Posted under Better Business, Communication, Thrive at Work
August 20, 2025 Summer Slump? Here’s How to Re-energize
Different people respond to the summer months in different ways. They might energize and invigorate you, motivating you in all areas of your life. Or…you might slip into vacation mode and have trouble concentrating on your work or mustering the energy to tackle your to-do list. If you fall into the latter category, I have some ideas to help pull you from your summer slump.
Limit Distractions
When you’d rather be riding your bike, relaxing at the beach, barbecuing outdoors, or doing anything else besides working, it’s easy to become distracted. Help pull your concentration back to your work by closing all games and social media sites on your laptop, putting your phone in airplane mode, or installing an app that limits your social media or internet browsing time. Cutting distractions will help you be more present and limit the temptation to procrastinate.
Set Timers
When you’re having trouble getting motivated, try setting a timer and working on one project for 15 or 20 minutes. No stopping, no splitting your attention between multiple projects or screens. Just one project for the designated amount of time. Then, take a break (or keep working if you’re still motivated). After your break, set another timer and keep going. It’s incredible how a definite endpoint can help a task feel much more manageable.
Use Fun to Propel You
There’s no need to deprive yourself of summertime fun. In fact, you can use it to motivate you. Tell yourself, “If I answer X number of emails, I can go get ice cream after work.” OR: “If I finish analyzing the data on this spreadsheet, I’ll reward myself with a trip to the lake this weekend.” There’s nothing wrong with a shameless self-bribe!
Take a Meaningful Break
Sometimes, it’s best to fully remove yourself from work and responsibilities for a time if you want to truly re-energize yourself. Consider planning a getaway for a week or two, and leave your work behind. Give your team plenty of warning, set an email vacation responder, and make it clear that you won’t be answering work emails or phone calls while you’re away. It’s amazing how many “emergencies” can work themselves out.
If summer has got you feeling less than motivated to go to the office or tackle work projects, I hope you will take the time to try some or all of these strategies. Even with the sunshine and aromas of barbecue beckoning, it is possible to maintain your concentration, get energized, and propel yourself forward.
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.
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.
Tags: Get energized in summer, Margaret Smith business coach, Margaret Smith life coach, overcome summertime procrastination, Summer Slump Re-energize, Summertime slump
- Leave a comment
- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Goals, Thrive at Work
February 19, 2025 Replacing Worry with Action
Worry is a normal human emotion that certainly has its place. It can help us to be more cautious, learn from mistakes, and plan. However, it can also take over our brains and our reasoning. It can paralyze us with fear, make us feel anxious, or flood us with pessimism. This type of worry isn’t productive. In fact, it’s counterproductive. But once we begin to fret about something, it can sometimes be difficult to stop.
How do we end the tailspin of worry and start moving forward productively? One way is to replace worry with action.
Why Do We Worry?
To start, it is useful to consider why we tend to worry. Worrying is all about anticipation—thinking about potential negative outcomes that might occur in the future. We worry when we sense that something bad is about to happen, or when a situation is spiraling out of control.
And sometimes we have good reason to worry. If we’ve experienced similar situations in the past, for instance, we might assume that the current situation will turn out the same. Or, all signs might point to a negative outcome. Or, we have information that indicates things will go poorly.
On the other hand, some worries come from sources that cannot necessarily be trusted. For example, if people around you are worrying about something (an office project, the housing market, the cost of eggs), that might cause you to also worry, even if their fears are unfounded. Additionally, with so much false information and clickbait flying around social media (and the internet, in general), you might find yourself worrying about things that are blown out of proportion or are downright untrue.
While someof your worries might be reasonable and rooted in facts, that doesn’t mean it pays to worry. If you get too caught up in your fears, you don’t do yourself any favors. Instead of falling down the rabbit hole, it’s better to face your worries and use them productively.
Turning Worry into Action
One of the best ways to combat worries is by converting them into actions. Start by taking the time to analyze what is causing your anxiety. Then consider whether you have any sway over the outcome.
Thinking about the root of your anxieties, ask yourself, “What steps can I take to influence the future?” For example, if you’re worried about how a client will react to a certain work project, how can you modify the project to better align with the client’s expectations? Can you give a better presentation to the client? Or redo part of the project? Could you, perhaps, express your fears to your team and ask for their advice? All of these actions are productive and can potentially have a positive impact.
Sometimes, the things that occupy our minds and cause us to worry are things that seem far beyond our control. In that case, we can acknowledge that we are not entirely in charge of the outcome, but we can do our best to move the needle in a positive direction. For example, if you are worried about the current state of politics and the government, you could put some of your energy into volunteering for political campaigns, human rights organizations, or political nonprofits. Another example: if you’re worried about children’s education in the US, you could volunteer at a school, support after-school programs, mentor a student, or donate to organizations focused on education.
Other actions you could take include talking with others about the issues you care about, blogging about them, donating time or money, or starting local or neighborhood groups. These are all great ways to focus your anxieties into action.
While you may be a small fish in a large pond, you have the power to make a difference, even in your own small sphere of influence. If you find yourself worrying about something nonstop, that may be a sign to pause, think about the root cause of your fears, and consider what small actions you could take to produce a positive outcome. Even if something feels beyond your control, your actions can still make a difference to someone (and that, alone, is huge).
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.
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.
Tags: get motivated at work, Margaret Smith business coach, Margaret Smith life coach, Replace Worry With Action, stop worrying, worry less act more
- Leave a comment
- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Thrive at Work
UXL Blog 