I’ve just weathered my most miserable work-related failure to date. I won’t bore you with the details, but the basic facts are these: •I set a BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal.) •I went ALL IN. •Leaving no stone unturned, I did everything in my power to reach my BHAG. •I willed myself to persevere, despite numerous
For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need
The VP who has an “open door policy,” but a closed mind. The director who talks incessantly about his hobby. The supervisor who plays favorites. The coworker who over-shares about her personal life. What do these people have in common? Whether they know it or not, each of them has a professional persona crisis. More
In my previous post, I introduced the topic of crafting professional persona. In this 2nd of a 5-part series, I will dive a bit more deeply into the elements of professional persona. I will also suggest actions you can take to present yourself more accurately and more positively. The 4 elements of professional persona are: •Technical Competence •Social Skills
“Professional persona” (a term often used interchangeably with “personal branding”) is what brings nearly all of my clients in for coaching. Many are seeking to increase managerial or executive “presence,” while others are digging out from behaviors that have besmirched their professional reputations. Whether they are seeking to expand or to rehabilitate their personae, knowing just what “professional
“What did you DO?” I often get asked this question, admiringly, by clients who think that I have somehow worked magic in an intractably difficult workplace. As flattering as that may seem, here’s the thing: 9 times out of 10 I haven’t “done” anything. I’m not being humble. Truly, it is not that I pulled
Imagine receiving a gift. You are probably picturing yourself extending your hands, taking whatever is offered, opening it with happy anticipation, and saying a delighted thank you. Unless what you are receiving is feedback. Although this is not so true for my colleagues in Japan, in California we spend a lot of time giving, getting, or otherwise
Typically I write my blog first, and then find a photo to support the content. This time, I was looking through my archives and found this photo of the sky. I love the photo, and what immediately popped to mind was, “The sky’s the limit!” This thought would not let me go, as if there were
Unless you have been living under a very large rock, you know that our workplaces are undergoing big changes. Things we hoped would change are changing (yay!) and things we thought were givens are changing too. Despite knowing that swift and continual change has become “the new normal,” many people have not yet taken this in. Recently, a
In my previous post “Energy Over Time: Part I,” I discussed spending your energy wisely, by tackling your most important tasks at times when you have the most mental acuity. In this post, I’ll be looking at some of the less obvious–but vitally important–aspects of stewarding your energy for the long haul. As I mentioned in the previous