Diva tips to ramp up your professional poise!
Career Coach • Author • Speaker
The Professional Female Shift
October 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Women globally represent 70% of the buying decisions around the world, according to Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo. There is a dramatic shift happening among women in the world which is impacting what happens everywhere from large corporate organizations to local non-profits. Since the recession, we see the importance of humanity being incorporated into advertizing, business, and the executive role.
Nooyi believes that leaders must balance their IQ with their EQ – or emotional intelligence to be effective. The EQ factor empowers women with an advantage to relate directly to their colleagues and customers because they can “…bring their whole selves to work,” according to Nooyi. This combination of empathy, active listening, strength, resilience, and ambition will serve women leaders well.
Sadly, only 12 women hold CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies at this time but the tide is turning and women stand poised to assume more leadership roles. Nooyi believes that women leaders have an advantage over their male counterparts because they can add humanity to a position and nurture without losing effectiveness.
At a recent conference, Nooyi shared her 5 C’s of Effective Leadership which we can all learn from.
Competency – stand out from the pack and be a lifelong learner. Remain ahead and stay abreast in your field.
Courage and Confidence – speak out. Establish your knowledge base and be confident as a leader.
Communication – over-invest in written and oral communication. Leaders constantly need to motivate their troops.
Consistency – remaining steady, reliable, and determined allows for credibility and a baseline to measure your success and failures.
Compass – integrity is critical in leadership.
The 5 G’s of Effective Communication
June 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Kathleen Oliver, COO of Oliver Winery shared her 5 G’s of Effective Communication. These quick and easy tips will empower you to communicate more wisely with your colleagues in and out of your organization. May the communication force be with you!
Would You Be Happier With More Time or Money?
June 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
In the spirit of sharing great resources, my friend Chris sent me an amazing article by Alice LaPlante from the Journal of Consumer Psychology about the value of time and money. Professors Jennifer Aaker and Melanie Rudd of the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Cassie Mogilner of the University of Pennsylvania discuss how time is often our most precious resource so we must spend it wisely.
I have seen people make career choices based on how much money they will be making but Aaker reminds us that few actually consider how they will be using their time “…whether they can control their time, who they will spend their time with, and what activities they will spend their time on.” Since we spend most of our waking hours at work – our time is something we should consider very seriously in our career decision making.
“Money itself (e.g., thinking about money) is misaligned with happiness-inducing behaviors, whereas thinking about time (e.g., how you are spending time, where you are spending your time) tends to foster these types of happiness-inducing behaviors. How you choose to spend your time significantly influences your happiness.” according to Aaker.
This goes beyond negotiating for flex time and work-from-home options – it’s about the relationship between the resource of time and happiness. While the majority of research to date has focused on how money can or cannot make individuals happy, the newer research about time and happiness is finally starting to get some attention.
Mogilner shared that people with meaningful social connections are happier than those without them. Spending time with individuals you like increases your happiness while time spent with those you dislike, or spending time alone, results in a drop in happiness levels. The three women, with input from additional researchers extracted 5 time-spending happiness principles:
Spend time with the right people. The greatest happiness is achieved when you interact with people you like. You have control over this in your personal life as well as your career life so consider this when making a career move, or re-frame collegial relationships at your existing job to make them more palatable.
Spend time on the right activities. Seek out activities that energize you and make you happy. You may still have to clean your closet or pay the bills but focus on the activities that bring you joy so you can relish that time with positive energy.
Enjoy experiences without spending time actually doing them. Research shows that daydreaming is a happiness inducing activity. When pondering your dream vacation or a special event, your brain sends out happy vibes that give you pleasure. Anticipation can be a very pleasurable act so dream-on!
Expand your time. We still only have 24 hours in each day so focusing on the here and now can increase happiness levels. Taking a deep breath can also have the same effect. Focusing on the future can induce anxiety in some who feel as if they are running out of time which wastes the precious moments of the present. So, take a deep breath and enjoy the moment you are in.
Be aware that happiness changes over time. We experience time differently as we age. Many younger people equate happiness with excitement while older individuals often equate happiness with peacefulness. So, go with the flow as your life changes over time and notice the shifts in your happiness and what you need to find meaning.
Bottom line – the researchers confirmed that spending time with the people you love and doing things you enjoy is the best road to happiness.
Why Everyone Needs a Business Card!
June 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A business or personal card is your ticket to effective follow-up when networking. Learn why everybody should take advantage of this essential career tool.
Debbie Waitkus, Golf For Cause, LLC
June 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Always an athlete, Debbie Waitkus played on the soccer team at the University of Arizona and after graduate school she went on to establish a thriving corporate career as president of a 37 year old, $130 million private mortgage banking firm. She always attributed golf as one of her keys to success since she would take her clients on golf outings to establish and steward professional relationships and business deals. When the CEO of her firm implemented a new strategy that didn’t follow suit with her professional values, Debbie knew it was time for a change and what better way to plan her reinvention than to leverage the game of golf in a new business.
The Power of Networking with CDH
June 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Learn to demystify networking and use it to your best advantage in your job search or career management. Check out my new video and consider subscribing to my YouTube Channel for regular new video posts. http://www.youtube.com/user/cdowdhig?feature=mhee#p/u
Are Your Nurturing Your Network?
May 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Networking is a skill and it can be hard to keep up with the extended book of contacts you worked so diligently to develop. The follow-up step is the key to maintaining strong professional relationships since the one-and-done effort leaves people feeling ill-used and less than willing to share their time and expertise with you again.
Kevin Eikenberry wrote a great piece for Superperformance.com illustrating how to nurture your network to keep your connections current and make sure they are feeling your professional love.
Commit – make the decision to retain the relationships that matter and nurture your network.
Call Them – instead of sending an email, pick up the phone and call someone. No need to have an agenda or a reason. Just call to say hello and that you are thinking of them. It’s refreshing to call just to touch base instead of always having a request.
Send a Card – the written note is a dying art so you can distinguish yourself with this technique. A brief note of thanks, encouragement, or just to say hello can be a huge opportunity to nurture a relationship.
Learn About Their Interests – know what people are interested in and send them things related to it like, articles, programs, etc. You don’t have to share the same interests to be on the lookout for something they may find useful. It doesn’t have to be professional – finding information about your colleague’s antique model train collection is a great way to touch base and show that you care.
Learn About Their Goals – when you know what other people are working to achieve you are in a better position to assist. Ask them what they need, then listen and look for ways to help.
Offer to Help and then Help – Be a connector, share ideas and information and offer to help when you can. Be sure to follow-up and keep your promises because the connector relationship can be very powerful.
Follow-up – be consistent about following up on all commitments you make. Period.
Don’t Worry About You – keep your focus on helping, aiding, and assisting the other person. The seeds you plant by assisting another will grow into great things for you.
Do it Now – start now and commit to nurturing your network on a regular basis. If your contact list is large then do this incrementally and systematically so the task is enjoyable and feasible. But the sooner the better so get to it!
All Eyes are on You
May 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I find it fascinating how many people don’t utilize the power of strong eye contact when communicating in-person these days. We have indeed become a technology driven work force but well used eye contact is still imperative and separates us from the electronic gadgets by putting a human touch on our communication that will never become obsolete.
When interviewing for a job or meeting someone for the first time in a networking scenario, using appropriate eye contact can make or break your first impression. Jack Junier writes for Helium online and shared some great food for thought about why eye contact can help you make a fantastic first impression as a well-rounded and socially adept candidate.
Confidence – looking down in a conversation is a classic sign of submission and indicates a lack of confidence about the subject matter at hand. If you spend your time looking at the table during your interview, your recruiter will wonder how you will react in front of clients or when asked to be accountable for a project.
Competence – watch out for the side-to-side tennis match syndrome as well as the downward eye focus as this may indicate that you are not trustworthy. Body language speaks volumes and bouncing your gaze around the room will indicate that you are flighty and unable to focus.
Focus and Drive – if you have ever experienced a conversation with someone whose gaze was fixed on some point off in the distance you know the awkward feeling of not being taken seriously in a discussion. This lack of visual focus is a major red flag and indicates that you might not have the clarity to concentrate enough to get the job done.
Aggression – while eye contact is important you don’t want to stalk your interviewer or invade their personal space. Staring can create mistrust and indicate that you are interested in dominating the conversation.
Conversation and Tone – the best interview or networking scenario is one that is conversational in tone and natural enough to feel like a conversation with family or friends. Make eye contact initially, always when someone begins speaking, and again when you give your answer. If you look away, do so sparingly and turn your head slightly to the side keeping a serious and thoughtful expression so you send the signal that you are still engaged in the conversation.
Natural eye contact takes practice so be observant of others who do it well and practice in a mirror to see what your facial expressions depict. If possible, have a mock interview recorded to really see what message your eye contact and body language is conveying.
Make a Positive Impression as the Newbie at Work
April 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
When you start a new job it’s important to establish a positive first impression with colleagues. The adjustment period will vary depending on the person and the organization but the attitude you exude at the start will set your tone in the office culture for a very long time. Here are some great tips from Dawn Rosenberg McKay from About.com Guide to give you food for thought as you start a new career opportunity.
1. Ask questions. Since you are new it’s better to do something right the first time around than have to do it over.
2. Smile and be friendly – get to know your colleagues and their interests.
3. Use your lunch hour to gather with new colleagues on occasion, even if it is tempting to connect with your former co-workers and stay in your comfort zone.
4. Figure out who really has authority to give you work so you can avoid crafty co-workers trying to delegate to you inappropriately.
5. Pay attention to the grapevine but don’t add to it. You don’t want to establish a reputation as a gossip.
6. Don’t complain about your boss, your job, or your colleagues – period.
7. Arrive early and enthusiastically and don’t rush out the door at quitting time during your transition period.
8. Volunteer for projects that help you get noticed but don’t neglect any assigned work.
9. Keep a positive attitude and an open mind. Your career world has changed and it will take some getting used to.
10. Don’t offer ways to fix and improve office policies and work practices that aren’t broken. Take the time to absorb the culture and get the lay of the land before you start making suggestions.
