Shades of Success, Inc.

Twelve Ways to Achieve Your Career and Business Goals in 2007 (part 3 of 3)

Part One created awareness about sources of stress and encouraged you to take note of your accomplishments in 2006. Part Two guided you through the process of self assessment with the help of those in your network.  This final section builds on results from self-evaluation exercises and turns your attention outward.  Now that you have a clearer view of who you are, you will be able to use this information to engage others in a more effective way.  Here are the final four:

1. Develop a relationship with yourself.  What do I mean by this?  Schedule time to do activities you enjoy alone.  In part One we suggested smiling often and doing something just for fun.  That was a warm up. Go beyond and reacquaint yourself with an activity that brings out the child in you. And I do not mean playing video games!  The idea is to reengage with the person that you are, rediscover what makes you laugh and make it part of your life...permanently.  Stay away from activities that numb you and disconnect you from the world (i.e. playing online solitaire or listening to your iPod).   Those activities do not engage your senses or encourage movement.  Try something that engages as many of your five senses as possible (i.e. dancing, walking, baking, knitting, yoga, painting).
2. Expand your comfort zone.  Become open to new ideas, points of view and ways of doing things.  Make this exercise as complex or basic as you are willing to tolerate.  You could start by trying a new recipe, a new restaurant or attending a lecture on a subject you know nothing about but would like to understand. The idea here is to become comfortable with exploring new avenues, perspectives and solutions.  This skill will ultimately help you make better career and business decisions.  For now let's focus on small, manageable actions.
3. Create a networking budget.  Some of the ideas we have discussed involve some kind of activity that costs money.  Whether it is buying a cup of coffee when asking for feedback or taking a yoga class, you are bound to incur in expenses that over time may become a source of stress.  A sure way to truly enjoy a new hobbie and expand your horizons--without experiencing stress or feelings of guilt-- is to allocate some dollars to networking activities.  If you are not sure how to get started, email me.  I will be happy to point you in the right direction.
4. Start reading at least one of the following: The New Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist.  This is a very effective way to expand your comfort zone and remain informed on world news.  'Knowledge is Power' applies here.  You will be in a position to make better business and career decisions by staying in touch with current event and trends.

Before running a marathon, one must prepare.  Initially one may walk for 20 minutes every day before running a few miles at a time. The same happens when looking to achieve a career or business goal:  one must prepare before leaping into the new journey.

Achieving goals requires the ability to leverage strategic relationships. But before you reach out to others in your efforts to accomplish your career and business goals in 2007, you need to know who and where you are right now. If you follow these twelve tips, you will be closer to building a solid foundation to goal-setting.

Tell me how you did. Leave a comment or email me.  What worked and what did not.  I am all eyes!

Happy 2007!

Twelve Ways to Achieve Your Career and Business Goals in 2007 (part 2 of 3)

If you have spent some time working on our first four suggestions, you are probably feeling more confident, more relaxed and more optimistic about your ability to accomplish goals in the coming year.  In part two, you will dig a bit deeper.  Use the following suggestions as a guide to help you understand and reconcile how you are viewed by those around you and how you view yourself.  The intended, final product is to have a realistic and clear picture of your talents and skills as well as identify key challenges to work on.   Ready? Let's do it!

1. Make a list of all the qualities, skills, characteristics and challenges (areas of improvement) you believe you have.  If possible, write down examples that help explain each quality and challenge.  Be honest with yourself.  If you are having trouble, go back to the list of accomplishments you created (see part 1 of 3).  Pick one accomplishment (i.e. saved $100 a week for 10 months) and ask yourself, "What quality(ies) does a person who saves money over a period of time have?" The answer:  discipline, sense of responsibility, focus.  Write those down as qualities.   
2. Ask people you trust to be unbiased to describe you.  Aim to gather feedback from at least 10 different sources. Explain the reason you are looking for feedback and ask them to list five qualities that show your strengths and five that show areas where you could improve. If possible, ask them to give examples.  It is crucial that you do not try to justify, explain or question the information you are receiving. Take it face value and move on. 
3. Once you have collected all the feedback (yours and theirs), sort it in two groups:  strengths and challenges. Are the themes emerging from your own self-assessment list similiar to those from your friends and acquaintances? Most of the time the way people perceive us and the way we perceive ourselves is different.  This exercise should help you reconcile any differences. The process could take you several weeks to complete as you may want to take a first pass, let it sit for a few days and put together a final draft.
4. Take a good look at the final combined list of accomplishments, talents and skills and ask yourself if that list reflects who you really are or want to be.  If the answer is 'yes,' then create a two-minute "elevator pitch" based on the attributes mentioned on the list.  If the is 'no,' use this list to start uncovering the potential reasons for the disconnect. Talking to a mentor, career counselor or coach could expedite the process.

Twelve Ways to Achieve Your Career and Business Goals in 2007 (part 1 of 3)

The purpose of part 1 is to help you understand how you view yourself and how to acquire and   cultivate a positive mindset to achieve goals.  Here we go:

1. Make a list of your accomplishments in 2006 (personal, career or business). Why? It will remind you that you are capable of achieving. Period. And, don't be too hard on yourself. It's OK if you did not run a marathon, made your first million dollars or received a two-digit salary increase. Accomplishment is a relative term that is entirely dependent on your individual and particular reality. Let's agree on the definition of accomplishment for the purpose of this exercise:  Any result that creates a positive change in your life.  It doesn't matter whether it is losing 10, 20 or 50 lbs or saving $25, $100 or $400 a week. You get the picture.
2. Make a list of all the sources of stress in your life (personal, family, professional, community).  Once you know where most of your stress is coming from, you --dare I say it--must make it a priority to greatly reduce the main source of stress if you want to accomplish your goals next year.  People who are stressed out do not make the best decisions. It is a proven fact, so don't undermine your efforts before getting started.
3. Do something that makes you smile. Sing or dance to one of your favorite songs (ABBA, U2, Shakira, Disco, Motown). Light up a scented candle and enjoy its aroma simply make a point to smile more.  Try it at least once a day.
4. Consider signing up for a fun activity of your choice. Whether it is baking or boxing lessons or ballet. Some of the many benefits:  meeting new people, providing an outlet to be creative and release stress (that word again), and reinforcing the notion that you are responsible for the positive changes in your life.

How are these suggestions going to help you achieve your goals in 2007?  They will help you accomplish two things:

• Take ownership of what you have --and have not--accomplished in 2006.  Consciously and unconsciously, you are the leading actor in the masterpiece that is your life.  By realizing that your actions and inactions have a direct impact on your accomplishments, you will be able to consciously choose those goals that you want to focus on and execute in 2007.
• Engage in smart decision-making.  By ridding yourself of sources of negativity, stress and lack of confidence, you will be able to brainstorm about your career and business goals with a clear mind and create a plan of action that is proactive and well thought out.

'Tis the Season to Network (part 3 of 3)

Planes, Trains, Parties and the Food Pantry

Planes, airports and other means of transportation are excellent places to ‘practice’ networking. Given the current wait time between check in and boarding, travelers have a greater opportunity to engage in small talk that could lead to more meaningful conversation. 

Another opportunity to network is the office holiday party.  Whether it is a pot luck get-together or lunch at a nice restaurant, the office holiday party gives you the chance to share a meal with your department head or build rapport with a colleague with whom you could team up in the future.

A third—and often overlooked place to network—is through volunteer work. Volunteering facilitates the getting-to-know-you process and creates an immediate bond with others who share your passion and interest in a worthy cause.

Holiday networking may appear to be an unorthodox way to connect with people and build relationships. However, if you follow the premise that networking is a lifelong skill and not a tactic to a short-term goal, you will uncover the secret that savvy networkers share:  networking does not take a holiday.

Some suggested actions:

• For first timers:  Best places to make small talk while at the airport or train station:  standing in line for coffee/food; at the newsstand; or the restrooms. However, gauge people's willingness to engage in small talk before you go all out. 
• At the office holiday party:  Fight the urge to hang out with your office buddies.  Split your time and make a point of meeting at least two people. 
• When volunteering:  Start with a short-term assignment that you are certain you can handle. Feeling confident about your ability to handle the assigned task will decrease the possibility of performance anxiety. It will also allow you to focus on learning about the organization and their members and perhaps consider a long-term commitment.

'Tis the Season to Network (part 2 of 3)

During the holidays, people are in a festive mood and more open to socializing. Savvy networkers know that holiday gatherings provide a suitable environment to identify and engage in potential relationships.  The plain fact that many professionals put their networking efforts on hold until after the holidays creates a prime opportunity to network. Simply put, there is less competition and more chances to get to know key people one on one.

If you are new to networking or a bit shy, be assured that networking is more an art than a science. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Let's backtrack. There is a right way to network:  the way that is most comfortable to you. You are in control of how many people and often you wish to engage in networking. 

For those on the fast track, networking during holiday parties makes it easier to rekindle relationships in need of a boost.  An added bonus:  the holiday season is the one time when senior management and influencers make a point to be visible.  These individuals tend to be more approachable and less guarded during this time of year. 

In the last part of this article, we will discuss three places where you can practice and enhance your networking skills.  In the meantime, some suggested follow-up actions:

• Attend two events by the end of the year and practice networking.
• If you want to test waters, go with a friend.  Or show up alone with the goal to meet people.
• Prepare a brief summary/introduction of yourself that you will be sharing with those you meet.
• Fast track group:  practice introducing/linking people with common interests to each other.