I have often heard my clients saying, “I just want to make a difference,” or “I want my next career to make a contribution.”  This morning I found myself pondering these expressions, which have become a kind of catch phrase for “doing something worthwhile.”  Here are some other elaborations they offer and I see their answers vary, but have a theme:

- doing something that I really love
- doing something that better utilizes my skills and talents
- doing something that makes me feel good about how I spend my time

I don’t often hear the contribution component leading the discussion, because most of us have our attention on what will make ourselves feel we did our right work here on this planet.

When my husband has heard me say that beyond coaching I want to contribute more, he’s suggested I use my spare time to volunteer at a career center or he’ll tell me to forget my additional pursuits being career related at all and go volunteer part-time with any charity.  I’ve had to face the truth and decide if I’m willing to authentically contribute of myself.  It isn’t about showing up more in my career or adding to my portfolio, sharing my expertise, doing something to make additional revenue, feel successful, or even to be noticed or appreciated.  Contribution is the gift of giving. Read the rest of this entry »

This past Monday was Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday and events throughout Los Angeles and nationwide celebrated this civil rights leader and his contributions.  I was pleased to see President Obama joining with others to help correct the words added to the King memorial on the National Mall in Washington.

Mr. King wanted his words to be clear to the public then, as it needs to be now, that all of us must be a drum major for justice.  And all of us can help and serve others.  (It’s currently quoted as if he was speaking about who he was and what he did).

President Obama painted King’s accurate quote on a school yard wall along with the phrase, “The time is always right to do what is right.”

How important these messages come at any time, but especially at the start of this new year.

I am following up the long Christmas and New Year’s holidays with a visit from my niece who will be with us for a week.  It was at first challenging to think of how I’d find time to spend with her, since I’ve returned to working, but I said yes to her visit anyway.  I’m pleased to experience how this has s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d the holidays, which can normally zoom by too quickly.  Beth even gave me time to work, such as taking my dog, Tula, and joining in a doggie play date with the neighborhood kids.

In what ways can you get the pleasurable holidays to s-t-r-e-t-c-h?

If your family doesn’t live near you for you to visit this holiday, or friends are all away seeing their family, you still want to experience the spirit of the holiday season – and that means connection with others.  Here’s 6 ideas how:

1. Start with any friends who live locally and see if they’ve got any time to get together even in-between their other plans.  Even if they’ve only got a half hour, call them and swing by with some eggnog for a chat and to view their decorations.  You’ll be glad you did.

2. Decorate your own abode with others.  You don’t have to use expensive items, in fact making the old-fashioned paper chains, hanging strung popcorn, or old cut-out Christmas cards, looks nice and can be fun to make.  Invite some grammar school kids on your block who want to do this with you.  Set a time, put in the supplies, introduce yourself to their parents and have fun being playful with your own decoration creation party. Read the rest of this entry »

I know, we don’t think taking a few pencils at work is a crime.  In fact, we may find any number of smaller acts of taking what doesn’t belong to us as justifiable.  It’s not.  It’s theft, and it causes an estimated 50 billion a year loss to U.S. companies.  Dan Cosgrove of Mercantile Systems that provides such research data to a variety of industries, says they notice a five-fold increase in employee stealing at holiday time.

For further clarity on what is considered “theft” and, if you’re an employer, how you can screen employees to better safeguard your company, is discussed in this article by Dianne Shaddock.

This blog is written to all the other employees who witness such behavior and aren’t sure what to do about it.  I’ve had a few clients who have been concerned about such behaviors and asked me how they should address this.  Their reactions range from getting caught in the middle of a firestorm they don’t want to be part of, feeling they’re not perfect and don’t want to come off as holier than though, to worry about losing a friendship over something “so insignificant.”

If this happens to you and you don’t say anything, you’re taking part in the crime too.  So here’s a few ways you can handle this:

1.  Be sure you saw what you saw.  You would not want to cause a problem for someone who is innocent.  (See the movie Doubt, with actress, Meryl Streep, and you’ll experience what it’s like to be falsely accused).  Sure, none of us are perfect, but that doesn’t excuse allowing unethical and illegal actions because we don’t want to be called on our own behaviors.
2.  You can’t allow your own frustrations about company politics or work inequalities to taint your exposing the truth or give you justification for not taking positive action.  Treat a matter of theft or wrongdoing that you witness as unacceptable and be courageous to deal with it.  And true friendships are also about helping each other to make wise, safe and ethical choices. Read the rest of this entry »