“The fundamental difference in those who are able to cope with change is their level of resilience. Resilience is the ability to absorb high levels of change while displaying minimal dysfunctional behavior.”
Daryl Connor – Internationally recognized leader in the field of change management
How quickly do you rebound from change? How resilient are you? In this month’s “Self Healing” newsletter from Dr. Andrew Weil, he offers several characteristics of highly resilient people and actions to take for developing them yourself.
Cultivate elasticity. “Become a human slinky”, he says, by first developing a strong inner self that is flexible enough to bounce back from adversity, yet firmly rooted. Practice mindfulness by centering yourself with meditation, nature walks, running, relaxation techniques, etc. Also keep lists of strengths and compliments (I have a “Kudos” binder) and set moderately challenging goals to improve self confidence and self esteem, two very important pieces of a strong inner self.
Use your smarts. It’s not your IQ but how you use it. More relaxation techniques are handy here to help prevent stress and handle emotions so that you can focus on a specific task. Practice memory and concentration techniques to help keep the mind flexible and active.
Flex your positive side. When having fun, you are reducing stress levels and expanding your cognitive skills. Positive emotions, like happiness and satisfaction, not only slow down the heart rate and lower stress hormones, they allow for creative, innovative solutions to come through. Balance your optimism and pessimism and look for the humor in all situations.
Use your imagination. Look for new solutions or opportunities by using your imagination, which nurtures creativity. Take time to reflect on a situation and work with your thoughts to come up with potential outcomes.
Build strong social ties. Those who are best at coping with adversity also have strong relationships and know when to reach out for help. They’re eager to help others and are generous with their time. Build relationships and connections by asking for suggestions and help in attaining your goals.
Ask questions. Become a good problem solver. Step back from the issue at hand and make a list of questions to ask yourself, i.e. What is happening? How serious is this? How much time do I have? Must I do anything?
Avoid a victim mentality. Take responsibility for your role, embrace the situation and act on finding a solution. “The problem isn’t what others do, it’s your reaction to what they do.”
Wonderful tools to implement next time you find yourself facing change in the workplace or at home. For more information on resiliency, see The Resiliency Advantage by Al Siebert, PhD. and The Woman’s Book of Resilience by Beth Miller, PhD. Test your own resiliency level at www.resiliencycenter.com
Put one of these to the test this week and better prepare yourself for impending change. Remember, “the only constant in life is change”.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Career Management Tip - Never Stop Learning!
It’s Graduation time for many people, mainly the younger ones, which prompted some thoughts about those of us who’ve already passed this milestone and then some. Bottom line - it’s never too late to learn something new, and in order to stay current with the fast pace of our times, you must commit to lifelong learning.
They say that what once took 50 years to evolve, now only takes 5 years. And, that human knowledge has doubled in the last 10 years!
Jump in and keep yourself current. Take a work-related course – many employers have tuition reimbursement benefits – or ask for cross-training within the company to increase your value. There are many effective training programs available either from outside vendors or from an organization’s own training department. Attend conferences and seminars, which put you in the midst of opportunities to learn from new people. Enroll in a certificate program and acquire a new set of skills or expertise. Sign up for a community college class for fun or to increase your skills, or simply commit to reading one new non-fiction book every month.
You can learn just about anything you want or need to know. Not sure you have time to fit in any of the ideas above? If you commute 30 minutes each way to work, over 5 years, that’s 1250 hours in your car, which equates to the time it takes to get a college education! What better way to spend that time than with audio books. Think of the possibilities – learn a new language, refresh your management skills, pick up sales and marketing tips, learn ways to better manage your finances. How about giving up one hour of television per day? That gives you 365 more hours each year to learn something new and work toward your goals.
We may have graduated from school long ago, but now we have the gift of experience and a context in which to fit and apply new information. As others are graduating this Spring, commit yourself to learning something new. Expand your mind and let new ideas and skills develop. Then throw your own graduation party!
Please post your comments! Visit www.LousbergUnlimited.com for information on career transition and employee development services.
They say that what once took 50 years to evolve, now only takes 5 years. And, that human knowledge has doubled in the last 10 years!
Jump in and keep yourself current. Take a work-related course – many employers have tuition reimbursement benefits – or ask for cross-training within the company to increase your value. There are many effective training programs available either from outside vendors or from an organization’s own training department. Attend conferences and seminars, which put you in the midst of opportunities to learn from new people. Enroll in a certificate program and acquire a new set of skills or expertise. Sign up for a community college class for fun or to increase your skills, or simply commit to reading one new non-fiction book every month.
You can learn just about anything you want or need to know. Not sure you have time to fit in any of the ideas above? If you commute 30 minutes each way to work, over 5 years, that’s 1250 hours in your car, which equates to the time it takes to get a college education! What better way to spend that time than with audio books. Think of the possibilities – learn a new language, refresh your management skills, pick up sales and marketing tips, learn ways to better manage your finances. How about giving up one hour of television per day? That gives you 365 more hours each year to learn something new and work toward your goals.
We may have graduated from school long ago, but now we have the gift of experience and a context in which to fit and apply new information. As others are graduating this Spring, commit yourself to learning something new. Expand your mind and let new ideas and skills develop. Then throw your own graduation party!
Please post your comments! Visit www.LousbergUnlimited.com for information on career transition and employee development services.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Keeping up with Change
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”
--Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."
--Western Union internal memo, 1876.
"A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make." --Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies
"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible." --Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.
"Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau." --Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." --Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
"Everything that can be invented has been invented." --Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
Proof that change happens with or without our consent or well-intended predictions! Doing something differently, taking a risk - like on a telephone or personal computer, even a chewy cookie - is a must for progress, especially in today’s work world. Consider these statistics:
Fifty years ago, it took a lifetime for technology to make a job irrelevant – now it takes just 4 to 5 years.
Experts estimate that 80% of all products and services we are currently using will be obsolete in five years.
Fifty percent of all the jobs we’ll have in the next 6 years haven’t even been created yet.
This month, I’m helping facilitate a Change Management program at a company where major change is taking place. The old management has handed over the reins to the new and people at all levels are feeling (and worrying) about the outcome, and rightly so. However, you know the old adage that “the only constant in life is change”. What’s the alternative? In today’s world, it’s clearly “be left behind”.
How do you handle change? No doubt, it can be scary and uncomfortable, but you have dealt with it before. Think back to all the major milestones in your life. How’d you cope, adjust, and come out for the better on the other side? You’ve already got the experience to help you deal with what comes your way next.
More to come on this topic, including tips and tools for dealing with the inevitability of change in the workplace!
Please post your comments and ideas about dealing with workplace change.
--Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."
--Western Union internal memo, 1876.
"A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make." --Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies
"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible." --Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.
"Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau." --Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." --Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
"Everything that can be invented has been invented." --Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
Proof that change happens with or without our consent or well-intended predictions! Doing something differently, taking a risk - like on a telephone or personal computer, even a chewy cookie - is a must for progress, especially in today’s work world. Consider these statistics:
Fifty years ago, it took a lifetime for technology to make a job irrelevant – now it takes just 4 to 5 years.
Experts estimate that 80% of all products and services we are currently using will be obsolete in five years.
Fifty percent of all the jobs we’ll have in the next 6 years haven’t even been created yet.
This month, I’m helping facilitate a Change Management program at a company where major change is taking place. The old management has handed over the reins to the new and people at all levels are feeling (and worrying) about the outcome, and rightly so. However, you know the old adage that “the only constant in life is change”. What’s the alternative? In today’s world, it’s clearly “be left behind”.
How do you handle change? No doubt, it can be scary and uncomfortable, but you have dealt with it before. Think back to all the major milestones in your life. How’d you cope, adjust, and come out for the better on the other side? You’ve already got the experience to help you deal with what comes your way next.
More to come on this topic, including tips and tools for dealing with the inevitability of change in the workplace!
Please post your comments and ideas about dealing with workplace change.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Update Your Resume - Today!
When did your resume last see the light of day? Even if you are firmly entrenched in your career, own your own business, or will be retiring soon, there are still many good reasons to keep your resume current:
An internal opportunity arises within your company and your resume needs to be submitted asap.
Your performance review is pending with the possibility of a pay increase and you’ll need to provide background info on achievements, length of service, etc.
A new manager takes over your department and wants to get to know the new staff.
You’re asked to speak to a group of business people where they’ll be interested in your experience and credentials leading to potential business opportunities.
A new client is ready to build a long-lasting relationship with you and wants to know more about your professional background.
Volunteer coordinators want to see your experience so they can place you in the right spot to best benefit the organization.
A part-time, contract opportunity comes up that aligns perfectly with your free time and experience.
Be sure to include timely workplace related words – those reflecting your “soft-skill” expertise – “teamwork”, “detail oriented”, and “self-motivated” are good examples. (Some University of Massachusetts economists recently surveyed employers, finding that 86% made hiring decisions based on the soft-skill experience of candidates) That list of your accomplishments you’ve been tracking will come in handy – simply format the latest ones to fit and add to your resume.
If you’re really looking to overhaul your resume, here’s something new to consider:
With the popularity of MySpace and YouTube where “vlogs” (video blogs) are all the rage, video resumes are coming to the surface. Your “resume” is sent via email or even on cd showing you in action describing why you’re the best for the position. While it is definitely unique and sets a candidate apart from the rest, it requires that you be at the top of your game in all aspects – dress, gestures, expression, confidence, voice, etc., not just with words on paper, to get the interview. Then there are audio resumes, where you offer a link to a sound bite of your voice relaying something pertinent to the job. Again, you must convey through your voice what you want an employer to glean, not just by reading words on a paper resume.
Interestingly, there are concerns being expressed already by companies and career guidance professionals about the need for candidates to produce such elaborate, costly products, and more importantly, how these new resumes open that ugly door to discrimination at this early point in the hiring process - resume review.
A resume has one purpose – to get the interview - and the opportunity to move along to the next step in a selection process. A solid, professional, well-written resume or bio will always serve you well. So, dust it off and keep it current!
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