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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Tag Archives: Margaret Smith

November 30, 2011 How to DO LESS and Improve Your Career

By Margaret Smith
SPEAKER | CAREER COACH | CERTIFIED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER
Contrary to what you may expect, promoting the talents of others can actually help to showcase your own skills and strengthen your brand. This magical habit is called delegation, and it’s an essential tool to propelling your own career, improving results, developing your personal brand, and keeping your workload under control.

Let’s all start by taking a moment to acknowledge the often-ignored fact: There is only a limited amount you can do, no matter how hard you work. Because we are not super-humans, it’s essential that we learn to let go sometimes.

This having been said, there is a way to get it all done, and done well: delegation. Often, delegation gets overlooked as a viable tool because it is a lot of work upfront. Instead of doing the task yourself, delegation requires you to share your insights, know-how, and expectations with others.

To Delegate, or Not to Delegate: That is the Question

When faced with a new task, don’t just jump into it right away. Instead, ask yourself, “Would this task be a worthy use of my time?” If you continue to accept projects that don’t align to, or properly utilize, your skills, you’re diluting your brand. Perhaps there is someone else who has the skills to do the task better, or who would be eager to develop skills that the task would involve?

Strategically delegating tasks to others allows you to focus on the tasks that reinforce your real skills—those you want to be known for as part of your personal brand. (If you haven’t yet considered what your personal brand is, now is the time to start!)

How to Handle the “Who?”

When considering who to delegate to, take into account the following questions:

  • What are this person’s skills and knowledge?
  • Does this person currently have space in their workload?
  • What is this person’s preferred work style?

Once you have decided on the best candidate, don’t forget to document the process. When practicing delegation, it’s extremely important to keep track of your processes to save time in the future and develop best practices that promote clarity and efficiency. Just as you, say, develop practices that keep your house clean—washing dishes after meals, placing laundry in a hamper, etc—creating processes for sharing tasks at work will cut down on confusion and clutter, not to mention saving time and preventing mistakes.

Your Challenge:

Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by your workload, fight the urge to dive headfirst into your pile of tasks. Instead, assess these projects and consider whether or not some of them can be delegated to another member of your team instead.

Do you have any helpful tips about delegating effectively? Please share!

Interested in having a helping hand effecting change in your life, finding success in your job hunt or your career? Contact UXL Today!

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November 28, 2011 Are You Stuck at the Crossroads?

By Margaret Smith
SPEAKER | CAREER COACH | CERTIFIED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER
Many of my clients tell me that they are interested in making change in their lives. Some of them are dealing with a job loss that has allowed them to realize that they didn’t really like what they were doing before. Sometimes these people decide that they are ready to pursue something different when they reenter the workforce.

Many other clients, of all ages, find themselves at the crossroads and in need of tools to help them move forward. With these common challenges in mind, I’ve created a little exercise to help you think about the changes you hope to make and the steps to make these changes happen.

Moving forward starts in the “now”—understanding where you stand allows you to move forward.

Find a Quiet Place to Consider the Following:

1.   When we feel dissatisfied, it’s natural to jump to the conclusion that everything needs a major overhaul.  Instead of rewriting the entire book, begin by considering what is going well. What is working that you don’t want to change? List four components of your life (this could be your family, community, relationship, job, etc) and explain why you feel they are going well.

2.   Now consider one area you would like to change. What does that changed area look like? What is the first step for creating this change that immediately comes to mind? Imagine your first step has been accomplished. What are the next 3 things that have to happen? Now your game plan is starting to take shape, bringing your vision closer to reality.

3.   Do you worry you don’t have the time? Fill in your typical daily activities on the timeline below. Where could you reclaim an extra 30 minutes? Does that rerun on television or updating your Facebook page 4X/day really deserve your attention?


4.   Admit to yourself that none of this is easy. In fact, creating change can seem daunting, and we are tempted to abandon our efforts when faced with obstacles. Jot down some challenges you expect and a list of people you could call to help. Is there a friend who you consider an expert in developing a business plan, giving professional advice, or writing resumes? Perhaps reaching out to these people is an important step in your creation of change.

5.   Throughout our day we talk to ourselves, and this voice is not always positive. Realize that negative self-talk can stall your efforts. What do you say to yourself regularly that is especially debilitating? Try to let go of two negative messages you send yourself this week. Identify your personal saboteur, give your negative feelings names and banish them from your space. Once you have successfully banished these two, try for the next group.

Interested in having a helping hand effecting change in your life and finding success in your job hunt or your career? Contact UXL Today!

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November 23, 2011 5 Major Don’ts (and Some Major Do’s) of the Modern Job Interview

By Margaret Smith
SPEAKER | CAREER COACH | CERTIFIED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER
In one of my many back issues of Oprah Magazine I stumbled upon an article that had some tips for the job interview that I think will be very helpful for today’s job hunters.

Most of us are amateurs at making snap judgments; HR professionals do it for a living, and they’re tough! Susan Sommers explains that “a skirt suit is a good bet” and reminds readers that “navy is a softer neutral than black.”

However, corporate clones need not apply. “Be genuine—don’t dress like someone you’re not,” warns Susan Kim, Marketing Manager for a skincare company.

Another great way to boost your confidence and image is to make sure your grooming day-of is meticulous. To compliment this grooming, wear the best accessories you can afford.

5 Major Don’ts:

  1. Don’t wait until the last minute: Anxiety breeds mistakes.
  2. Don’t get a radical haircut or color job: Instead, opt for a trim or salon blow dry.
  3. Forget painful shoes: No matter how cute they are, don’t wear them if they bind, squeeze, droop, or bunch. You want to be as comfortable as possible.
  4. Avoid all black: Color has a persuasive, emotional power that should not be wasted.
  5. Don’t starve yourself beforehand: If the occasion does not include food, you may get lightheaded and really be embarrassed.

As for the men, I always tell my coachees to wear a suit and tie. You can always take the tie off, but it’s difficult to discreetly put a tie on at the last minute! Shoes should be comfortable for men as well, but keep them professional (black sneakers don’t count), and they should be polished.

Many times it’s the little things that make a big difference in those first 3 seconds when perceptions are critical. Invest the time in giving your look a little something that will set you apart in just the right, memorable way.

For more useful tips concerning the job hunt, cover letters, and your career, contact UXL today!

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