How to Have a Happier 2011!
January 14th, 2011 by Beth Kennedy
There are lots of obvious ways to be happier! These include exercising, time with friends, having a career you enjoy, taking vacations, eating chocolate 
, and thinking and being more positive! The suggestion I am going to make is to address conflict more proactively in your life whether at work or at home. In my first career as an outreach counselor, I developed a program to assist elementary students to deal with conflict. The teachers really found it made an impact not only among the students but with staff as well. I find now, working mostly with adults, conflict is still a major issue that tends to be ignored creating tension for all parties involved.
My colleague, Ed Evarts and I recently facilitated a webinar, Navigate Conflict for Success. We were happily shocked to find out that over 800 people signed up for this webinar. Conflict is one of those elephants in the room situations. It sometimes is easier for most to avoid rather than address.
A 2008 CPP Global Human Capital Report surveyed 5,000 full time employees in nine countries across the globe. The results support the need for all of us to address conflict more productively. 85% of all employees at all levels experience conflict to some degree. Employees in the United States spent 2.8 hours per week dealing with conflict. 27% of employees have witnessed conflict morph into a personal attack. 25% of employees say that the avoidance of conflict resulted in sickness or absence from work. There it is…you can see the amount of stress that conflict is causing on a daily basis.
I teach my clients a four step process to have in their tool box to address conflict. The first step is Assess. Assess the conflict. What are the facts, impact and importance of resolving? The second step is Plan. This is the step where your own self awareness is key. You need to be really clear on the natural strengths of your personality and also your blind spots. In MBTI language there is a term we call being in “the grip” when you are really stressed. Many conflicts can be prevented when we focus on how we are behaving and take responsibility for what we bring to the situation. The third step is Engage. How will you start the conversation, hear them out, look for areas of agreement and walk your talk! The final step is monitor. This is where you check in with yourself and the other person involved to check on the progress as time goes on. Conflict is not a black and white situation but you will see your skills improve once you make the conscious decision to deal with conflict situations.
It sounds strange that dealing with conflicts can actually make someone happier, but the research does support this idea. As we continue to ignore conflict, individuals end up having more health and stress related issues. Sometimes it is just taking that first step of assessing that can result in a more productive, happier day!
Beth
The Grinch has Gratitude!!
December 31st, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
This time of the year can be so stressful! It can be the most wonderful time of the year, but I find myself with more lists than I know what to do with and a feeling of overwhelm. A great strategy I learned from my Dad many years ago to get through this busy time of year is to focus on gratitude.
Living in gratitude is more than just thinking positively. When a person concentrates on being grateful, it gives them something to actually look for and pay attention to. One of the best ways to reduce stress is to make the choice to focus on what you are grateful for. Research indicates that being grateful make us better people, both professionally and personally.
Some people are really disciplined and keep a gratitude journal where they capture on a daily or weekly basis a few things they are thankful for. I tend to have gratitude thoughts every morning and then before I go to bed.
My latest gratitude thoughts have been:
My eight year old daughter asking me if Santa would mind if she only put 3 things on her Christmas list and ask him to surprise her with the rest!
Seeing my twelve year old daughter play her trombone in her first holiday jazz band concert.
My business gratitude thought was finding out that on my latest conflict webinar, my colleague Ed Evarts and I had over 850 people sign up and over 500 people attend. A special thanks to my clients and colleagues for your interest and support!
My wellness gratitude goes to my boot camp trainer who manages to motivate me at 5:30 am twice a week!
Living in gratitude is a source of inspiration for yourself and others. If you have not recently watched Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, it may be time to. Even though we all know the ending is filled with gratitude there is something so magical to see how thankful the Whovillians are even when the crotchety Grinch tries to rob them of their Christmas!
Wishing you and your family a very healthy and happy holiday season!! A special thanks to all the referrals that have kept my business moving forward!
Happy New Year!
Beth
Are You Engaged In Social Networking?
December 8th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
Another key area emphasized at the Career Director’s 2010 International Conference, I attended in San Diego was social media. It is important to leverage social media whether you are happily employed or job hunting. It is critical for professional branding and ongoing career management. LinkedIn continues to be the key social networking site that all individuals need to be paying attention to. LinkedIn has a global reach, with over 75 million members in over 200 countries with diverse industry mix.
Two of my coaching colleagues Diane Compton and Ellen Sautter presented some key points from their new book: Find a Job Through Social Networking. They shared some key steps for effective job search and career management. These include:
- Develop a complete profile: Do you have your picture on your profile? Do you have a summary that highlights your brand? Have you joined some groups and associations? These are just a few suggestions to assist you in having a complete profile.
- Grow your network – invite: Find and select former colleagues and classmates that you trust and invite them to join your network. Take the time and invite contacts one by one so you can personalize the invite message.
- Give and get recommendations: We all know the magic formula for success… passed behavior equals future success. Do not be shy in asking customers and Managers for recommendations. Having a good resume is not enough. Endorsements that show impact are a key asset to career management.
- Search for companies: Are you aware that LinkedIn has a new feature that you can follow companies and learn about recent hiring and new openings? Check out this feature under the Company heading.
- Network activity update: The update section is a great area to share networking activities that you may be attending. It shows that you are staying up to date with your industry. This will also motivate you to make some networking and professional development goals so you can post some new updates.
My clients keep asking, “How much social networking do I really need to do.” Do I have to be focused on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and have a blog? There is no right answer for this question. It always comes back to LinkedIn being the most professional business social networking site. A lot depends on your time and interests. Many people decide to keep Facebook as a more friend based networking site and others find twitter interesting but do not have the time to engage with it. Having a blog is also something that takes a regular commitment and can be a great asset if you have the motivation and interest.
As I mentioned last month, the greatest career insurance you can have is to continue to connect with others. Social networking is a great tool but it is important to make sure you are making time to actually meet face to face with people as that is so important in developing strong relationships.
Job Search Tip: Know Yourself and Network
October 25th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
It’s Not Just Who You Know – It’s Your Brand too!
September 30th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
Branding is not just for big companies anymore. All of us need to be aware of what makes us unique and the strengths we bring to the world of work. I have four strategies that I think will make you stand out and assist you to define your brand! Figuring out your brand is a process that does not happen overnight. We need to be patient as we begin the journey but the most important part is to get started.
The first strategy is to determine your unique strengths that make an impact in your career. Are you prepared to answer the often asked interview question: “What are your top strengths that you would bring to this position?” We should always be prepared for this question because it is important whether we are working or job hunting. A great way to find your unique strengths is to get feedback from colleagues, customers, your Manager and anyone that sees you in action. Many companies have 360 tools and many times I recommend that my clients create their own mini feedback survey or if comfortable ask the individual for feedback.
The second strategy is developing an online presence. Too many people wait till they are out of a job to focus on social networking. Having a connection plan is key to your success! Being able to develop relationships with others needs to be a proactive plan. Connecting face to face is most effective but we cannot underestimate the power of the internet. I often ask during training sessions, “how many people in the room are on LinkedIn?” Many professionals think LinkedIn is another version of Facebook. I am clear to my clients that LinkedIn is a professional business networking site than can have an enormous impact on your career. Make sure your profile reflects your brand. Add updates so individuals know if you are attending seminars or professional conferences. This is an important second step in your brand journey.
The third strategy Is ongoing professional development. Make sure you spend the time to stay updated on the competencies that are key to your brand. Even with our busy schedules it is so important to make sure you are taking time to sharpen your skills. There are many positive outcomes from taking a day to attend training. In addition to helping you recharge, it is important to stay up to date with the latest strategies and initiatives. It also gives you a time to connect with others and share your brand. I will be attending in October, Career Directors International Conference in San Diego. It is an opportunity, I look forward to every year to learn the latest career development trends for my clients and to continue to refine my brand. My branding journey continues…
The fourth strategy is focused awareness. It is so important to realize that what can energize one colleague can stress another. Be really clear on your behaviors that energize others but also create conflict. This key step is crucial because by having awareness of your personality style and how you problem solve can make a huge impact on your work success! By having heightened awareness you can also present your brand to others so you stand out and are better than the best! In the song “Its my Job” written by by Mac McAnally and covered by many musicians including Jimmy Buffet, he shares his brand of being better than the best as a street sweeper. If you get a chance, listen to this song…it will change how you face your day tomorrow!
Summer Planning For Fun & Success!
August 14th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
Once August hits, I hear at least once a week how fast the summer is going. This is when we need to really focus and make sure we have plans to do some of the special activities we were hoping would happen this summer. I call it my summer bucket list. In June, I write down all the activities and plans I hope to do with friends and family so I can begin to plan. Sometimes, August will come and I realize that my list may have been over ambitious. Like this year, buying a kayak… sounds great but I think will postpone to next year. It is also important to have something to look forward to for the next summer!
The other important question to ask is, “Are we feeling recharged or more exhausted this summer? I know the hot days do not help but how are we spending our work time and personal time. The summer is a good time to gauge if we may need to make some tweaks in our life. Usually in summer we have time to think about our vision and what we want our life to look like.
I just taught a full day career exploration class at a company in Cambridge, Massachusetts and after the class someone asked me how do you really get the balance you need and want in such a fast paced world. I shared that the first step is to acknowledge the challenge. We are so connected now in so many ways that it is difficult to recharge. We need to remind ourselves that we still have choices. On the weekends we need to take some sort of break from the constant intensity of e-mail and make sure we are truly connecting on a personal level with people that recharge us. For those who are interested, I recommend reading, Hamlet’s BlackBerry where the author asks the questions we all need to ask in this digitally driven time to make work life and personal life more effective.
Starting in September there will be a Seminar series “Success at Work” being taught publically and internally in companies. Click here to read more about this.
Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Celebrate Today and Recharge!
July 12th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
My husband and I just returned from a trip to celebrate our Anniversary! When we were first married, we began the tradition of trying to get away and celebrate our Anniversary every year. Some years they are very simple trips and other years we splurge a little, like this year, to see palm trees and escape it all! It is the one week a year that I actually detach from e-mail. I was very proud that I was able to turn off my Blackberry and put it in the hotel safe for an entire week.
Research has shown that relationships in which partners respond positively to each other’s successes have a high level of happiness! The psychologist at the University of California at Santa Barbara who led the study found that the ability to celebrate for one another is one of the strongest predictors of current and future relationship satisfaction. I may be on the extreme side of celebrating, thanks to my Dad, but I really think too often we go through life getting stressed out from the day to day craze and we forget to celebrate our success! I recently had a client decide to leave a job to pursue a consulting opportunity that he was offered. He shared with me the excitement of this new opportunity but also the concern of whether he made the right choice. The first question I asked him was if he celebrated this major career step. He was shocked by the idea at first, then after some thought he agreed with me and said this was one of the biggest changes he had ever made in his life! We need to celebrate the small milestones on the way to success because many times it takes longer to get the big goal completed and the process can be so overwhelming.
It is not just birthdays, anniversaries, etc. that should be celebrated. We need to celebrate the times in our life when we make important choices that will bring us closer to what we want in our career or life! Sometimes it is the simple celebrations that are the best!
So, think about the relationships in your life and if you are supportive to success? The summer is a great time to celebrate and recharge! Have you planned your summer vacation yet or a mini getaway to recharge? If you have not, please put vacation planning on your to do list for this week! Celebrate, recharge and have fun!
Announcing The Success At Work™ Seminar Series
June 23rd, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
In today’s fast-paced business environments, you are being asked to do more, with less… and do it faster.
Are you prepared with the skills and competencies to drive your success in 2010 and beyond?
The Success at Work™ professional seminar series focuses on three key competencies – communication, change, and conflict. Choose the combination of seminars that best fit your professional development needs!
Staring this September:
1. Communicate for Success
Thursday, September 30, 2010
2. Manage Change for Success
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
3. Navigate Conflict for Success
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Click here for more details!
7 Career Development Strategies You Should Be Doing Now!
June 8th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
Whether you have been in a great career position for over ten years or you are looking for a new job…..you need to make sure career development becomes a habit. I will highlight seven key strategies that I focus on with both my leadership and career coaching clients.
You can assess from a one to ten how your presently are doing on these strategies and then you will know where to focus your energy. The first strategy to focus on is social media. At a minimum, the site I would like to see you focus your energy on is Linked In. I have dozens of stories on how clients have landed great interviews and even job offers from managing their Linked In site professionally. The strategy I recommend is to either spend five minutes on Linked In a day or 30 minutes once a week. I cannot emphasize enough that you should know everyone you connect with and feel that they have integrity and a good work ethic. This will assist you to keep your Linked In operating in a very professional manner. To develop a free profile go to www.LinkedIn.com.
The second strategy I want you to focus on monthly is tracking your achievements! How often it is time for your performance review or time to update your resume and you are completely overwhelmed trying to remember your specific accomplishments! Once a month schedule 30 minutes where you record three achievements for the month. If you have three months in a row where you realize you do not have anything to record that is a clue that you need to get involved in more challenging projects.
Professional development is the third strategy. When was the last time you took a training or teleseminar to develop a competency? We get so caught up in the craziness of our job that we forget how important it is to develop ourselves. Focusing on professional development is going to keep you up to date and recharged. There are lots of free one hour teleseminars and webinars that you can get involved in without leaving your office. What will you be doing this quarter for this strategy?
Do you have a mentor or are you involved in a worthwhile professional organization? Strategy four is getting extra support from getting involved with a mentor or professional organization. The goal of having a mentor is that you have someone that is not your boss who you can trust to get career insights and feedback. Sometimes individuals are in situations where having a mentor does not work. Plan B is to join a professional organization in your career area to keep up to date with the latest trends in your field. I belong to two national coaching organizations and it has provided me with incredible resources that I share with clients on a daily basis.
Strategy five is asking for feedback. Do not wait for your annual review. You want your employer to see how motivated you are and that you are open for both positive and negative feedback. Even if you are an entrepreneur, ask for feedback from your customers. How can we improve if we do not get feedback?
Do you know your brand? Strategy six is to focus on your personal brand. What makes you different from your colleagues? If you have never done work in this area, a great resource to use is a Career Distinction by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson. .
Strategy seven is improving your resiliency. It does not matter what kind of career environment you work in. Workplaces are busier with fewer resources. You need to be able to function at 100% capacity and have the energy to do it! I often ask my coaching clients what they are doing to recharge themselves. We really need to think about our energy like a battery. How do we recharge? I want you to list three ways you recharge yourself during the week.
Your Lifetime Career Development: 7 Strategies for Success
April 15th, 2010 by Beth Kennedy
I will be offering a free one hour teleseminar on May 12th at 12:00 noon ET on “Your Lifetime Career Development: 7 Strategies for Success”. It is a free preview to an exciting new teleseminar class, that I will be teaching beginning in June called “Get the Job Now! Learn Job Search Strategies That Work!”
Beth