Blog
Kari's email began like so many others: she was discouraged and frustrated. She had been "a rising star" for many of her almost 20 years with the organization, but new leaders and a different culture dimmed that image. So what did she want from a coach? Kari wanted to know how to navigate the politics...
Bill is always at the Panera before me; he gets there early, has a coffee and is ready to begin as soon as I arrive. He has his list of items for discussion and we move through it with practiced familiarity.
Bill and I have been coaching together for over a year. At this point, we meet about once a month so Bill can review his work and career activities and accomplishments and realign with his career direction for 2010. When we started, he was frustrated with his employer and uncertain if he was cut out for management: everything about managing seemed lots more challenging than just...
Getting your sea legs on any boat entails practice, patience and belief—that you will eventually be able to move with the boat and not get tossed overboard. While ‘sea legs’ refers to being on a moving vessel in the water, it transfers to getting used to any new situation.
Sea legs are not tough to get when you’re riding on a boat down a lazy river that’s being piloted by an experienced captain. Both the river and the...
Thanks to today's Guest Blogger, Ray Taylor, whose take on transition is fresh and timely. Look for his suggestions to go after new opportunities while you're in transition or just because...you'll see the value!
In earlier times being out of work was referred to as being layed off, downsized, unemployed or even the dreaded, fired. Since there are so many of us who have lost jobs, we seek more palatable terms that allow us to explain our...
Human beings really get in ruts. We love to do things that are comfortable, even when it's to our disadvantage. Case in point: employment.
News is telling us that the economy is improving, although employment is called a lagging indicator meaning any uptick in employment will come along later, way later. In other words, hiring isn't going to pick up any time soon. That means many people will continue to be out of work, for a lot longer than they ever expected. So their job searches will continue for a lot longer, too....
For the second time in as many weeks, I've read that organizations have jobs going begging because they can't find "qualified" people to fill them. Most recent: "Difficulties in Finding Qualified Workers" by Peter Cappelli of The Wharton School who notes two reasons for the mismatch:
Mismatch reason #1: tons of choice in this "buyer’s market.
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As I read two articles in Sunday's paper with bleak news for job seekers, I found myself thinking once again about how fortunate I am to be in charge of my own career direction. I made the leap to self-employment a bit ahead of the curve (1997), and even with all its challenges, I never worry about someone else running my business. Or making decisions for me. Or going in to work on a Monday morning to be met with a pink slip. Or living in fear that one might be there next week. ...
How cool would it be if every time we worked we felt a sense of accomplishment, deep satisfaction and excitement about that work? Several intrinsic motivators--three in particular--can make it so. Autonomy: we use our talents, skills, abilities in pure self-direction, supported and coached to be our best. Mastery: we work knowing that we are perfecting what we do. And Purpose: our work, whatever it is, connects us to the reason we're here--we contribute to something larger than ourselves.
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Maybe you remember reading--in one of your Introduction to Organizations texts--about Frederick Taylor and his focus on productivity. And even if you don't, you may recognize his management theories as alive and well in your workplace today!
Taylor's life work was productivity studies, his beginnings at Bethlehem Steel. Among his first jobs was designing a more efficient shovel....
"Those who have been required to memorize the world as it is will never create the world as it might be."
This quote by Judith Groch resonates strongly with me because the classrooms of my youth required memorization and lots of it:...
