A few past clients commented they were unfairly treated during job performance reviews or received criticism they felt was unwarranted, from their clients.  Maybe those comments seemed to come out of left field, when things were thought to be going well, or my clients have said criticism was delivered too harshly and not enough was offered about what they were doing right.

Get ahead of this happening, beat employers or clients in this feedback by requesting they review you more often and help them do it constructively.  Here’s an approach I’ve encouraged my professional and entrepreneurial clients to take:

Managers, Employees and Staff
Be sure to have clear benchmarks set for your work.  If it’s not clear, ask that these be reviewed with you.  At these different benchmark stages within the project or work requirements, interview any working partners and talk with your boss or supervisor for their periodic feedback rather than wait for semi-annual reviews. (more…)

It’s easy to get fired up with career ideas and be disappointed when work or clients don’t come quickly or easily and you feel like you’re stagnating.  Accept where you are and do your best to let go of worry about where you’re not yet.  Steadily move ahead by putting one step in front of the other, even if you’re taking small steps towards your intended outcome.  Since you never know where openings will come from or who will give you leads, it’s being diligent in your in-between actions that count.

Here’s 5 such actions that have helped me:

1. Talk to others about your plans, not your disappointments, to keep your own internal fire stoked.
2. Keep current on your industries trends and determine what other resources you may need.
3. Expand your contacts and schedule meetings with business peers to talk over possible liaisons or ask for referrals.
4. Build on former successes through re-contacting and nurturing former business clients.
5. Continue your marketing efforts and hone in and become expert on what works best, minimizing other marketing avenues if finances and time require this.

Stay optimistic that your in-between steps will bring you your desired results – they will!  And if you have difficulty staying steady on your path, consider hiring a professional coach who can help you see your path and escort you down it.

Clients seeking permanent jobs at this time are concerned that employers won’t take them seriously and are only interested in placing them for more immediate needs.  In retail, that may be true.  This is the year’s busiest season and more temporary help is needed.  The National Retail Federation says up to 500,000 folks may be added.  But even those companies accepting temporary helpers may consider keeping you on permanently.

Don’t forget these tried and true basics to get you visible and ositioned well for any prospective long-term job:

1.  Don’t forget your basic 3 P’s: punctual, pleasant and productive.  But be wary of coming off too eager.  It could make you look uncomfortable and a little desperate.  You’ll stick out, but not in the way you’d like to appear.

2.  You want to act professional, yet not overstep your role.  Previous expertise may give you great ideas to offer, but work up to suggesting any and always ask if they want to try your ideas before making any changes.  (While not looking for permanent work, my husband and I volunteer annually at our church this time of year to see that foster children get Christmas gifts.  I found myself overly eager to suggest new and improved processes and quickly learned I was more needed in a selfless service mode, rather than a leadership role). (more…)

Every once in a while, you’ll attract a strange individual who is not a fit with you or the work you do.  Whether you’re in an office and it’s necessary to interact with them temporarily, or they are calling you about your business, you’ll have to use smooth communication skills to address what feels like their creepy style. (more…)

Are you an excessive worrier?  Do you second-guess decisions and worry over potential outcomes?  Most often this is learned behavior from interpretations you made during interactions with one or both of our parents when you were a kid.  You don’t have to live with this fearfulness about bad things happening.  It is something you can change.

Most of my clients have some level of anxiety over their current situation, whether it’s about their personal or business relationships, career uncertainty or finances, etc.  (Rarely do upsetting situations present long term, or they would be better served through therapy).  They find a solution first and then fine-tune it with me during coaching or they gain that clarity and take new actions during our coaching time.

Again, the origin of their habit of deep seated or ongoing concern is at home with their parents as a child.  So it’ll pop up with another challenge or problem they face unless they permanently change the way they view life.

A quick and sure method to remove this fear and create an opening for choices without conditions is with the Positive Thinking Way program. Originated through the Lefkoe Institute, training through them has led me to do my work in this area with clients worldwide.

A starter method of self-coaching you can use with yourself ongoingly whenever you feel worried or upset, is to ask yourself these two questions: (more…)