Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom

Confidence Takes Men Further

Most bestselling nonfiction authors are men.  The most successful online personalities are men.  The people who have made it the biggest in the motivational speaking field?  Yup, men again.

This is not to say that there aren’t lots of accomplished women in these areas.  There are.  But there are more men.  I’ve been thinking about why this is the case, and my preliminary conclusion is that it has to do with natural confidence and the perception others have of you as a result of that confidence.  

When I do a talk, I always poll my audience to see what they think so that I can improve my speech for the next group.  There aren’t a lot of top male speakers who do this.  They know they’re awesome, and if you don’t like them, they assume that you’re in the minority. 

Women spend a lot of time being modest.  Sometimes we actually feel that way, and sometimes we think that’s how we’re supposed to act so that other people will like us.  At times, though, I believe it has the reverse effect.  Other people don’t view us as talented or as worthy because we don’t appear to view ourselves that way. 

I’m going to work on being proud of my accomplishments and feeling that I deserve to be in esteemed company.  .  Ladies, what are you going to do, and men, how can you help us master your secrets to success?

Protect Yourself from a Downsizing Profession

Many people don’t realize that industry downsizing will affect their jobs until it’s too late.  The answer?  Even if your position seems secure, be vigilant and proactive.

One key question to ask yourself is if there have been major layoffs or consolidations in companies similar to yours.

Even if you’re in a comparatively desirable area like IT, if you are working in a field that’s in trouble (e.g. manufacturing, retail), you may not be able to rely on cushy severance packages or the ability to quickly land a job with a competitor. Before you become a layoff victim, reorganize your finances so that your liabilities are as low as possible and set up an emergency fund.  Update your résumé and line up your references so they’re ready to go when you need them.

This may be the time to move to an industry in which jobs are more plentiful. Healthcare and private education continue to see employment gains, and if you can use your current skills in an area that received funding from the economic-stimulus plan, all the better.

Many professionals are daunted by the prospect of a mid-career industry switch, but as long as you have the core skills and enough basic knowledge to hold your own in an interview, you can feel confident.

Peruse publications related to your new field and learning the target industry’s recent history and developments. You will likely find more opportunities in smaller companies or nonprofits, since roles in these organizations tend to be less specialized.

Networking is obviously key here. If you can, use your old network to help launch a new career. Otherwise, reach out to professional associations and people in the kinds of jobs you’d like to do to begin to build a new network.

If you aren’t up for a total career makeover, you might also think about developing an adjacent career or another expertise that will help you stay afloat in your current industry.

This post was originally published on Intuit’s Quickbase blog.

 

How to Work Around Office Problems

Whenever you find yourself blocked by overwhelming workloads, broken processes, misaligned groups or just plain negativity and resistance, there’s always something you can do to get moving again.  Here are some powerful but simple tips from Russell Bishop’s new book Workarounds That Work that can help you find your way forward and get back on the road to producing the results you need.

Avoid the perfectionist trap:  If you happen to be out sailing and the mast breaks, you will quickly see the need for a “workaround,” something sailors might call a “jury-rig.”  In order to get going again, you would have to come up with a temporary mast, something that can get you moving again even if it’s not as good as the original.

Own the outcome: Most people think of accountability as a form of blame or fault:  “who’s accountable for this mess?”  Instead, think of accountability as your willingness to “own the outcome.”  You may not find perfect answers, but you will be directionally correct. If you allow yourself to revert to complaining or blaming, you will drain off a considerable amount of your power to make choices and to influence others.

Control what you can: Overcoming your own mindset of being stuck may be the most important workaround of all.  Whenever you encounter a roadblock of any kind, remember to always look to yourself first for assistance. Ask what is within your own power to control:  what can you do that will make a difference requiring no one’s permission other than your own?

Frame the problem: If all you can see are the roadblocks, you might as well leave the car in the garage!  If you frame the problem as some big, hairy, impossible thing, you aren’t going to be very likely to jump on it, or even if you do, you probably won’t come up with many solutions.   Instead, turn the problem into a jigsaw puzzle – get the picture in your mind, own the outcome, and start fitting the pieces together.

Should You Start a Business?

Whether you are thinking about starting a new business or overwhelmed and overworked by an existing business, there is a lot to consider.  Business strategist and deal maker Carol Roth talks about some of the key things you should know, from her new book, The Entrepreneur Equation.

Could You vs. Should You?:  Can you start a business?  Absolutely!  Should you?  Well, that’s a whole different story.  Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you should and that it’s the best opportunity to succeed.  Business success follows when you are the right person with the right mindset pursuing the right type of opportunity at the right time for you.  The same goes when expanding your current business.  You always want to look at if the rewards greatly outweigh the risks for you and your business.  That’s a whole lot of factors to evaluate, so make sure that you do your homework by starting with the “Should You” question.

The Value of a Business Idea:  In today’s crowded marketplace, your business idea is worth almost as much as the piece of paper you write it down on.  Successful business is all about execution, not an idea.  There are many brilliant business ideas that have failed to be executed upon, some really stupid business ideas that were executed flawlessly (for example, the Snuggie), and many ideas that were executed differently by different people.  In fact, the UFC was on the brink of bankruptcy and is now valued at over $1 billion under its current ownership.  So, how could the same company be worthless and worth a billion if the idea had real value?  That shows you how important execution vs. the idea.

Is Your Business “ABLE”?  For you to succeed, focus on whether or not your business is:

Remarkable- does what you offer stand out in a crowded marketplace?

Viable- if the market opportunity isn’t big enough for you to earn a substantial profit, you may want to re-think the business.

Scalable- can it be grown exponentially for every resource (money, people or otherwise) you put toward it?

Suitable- does the business make sense for you?  Does it achieve your goals and do the rewards of it greatly outweigh the risks you are taking on- both in terms of money and quality of life?

If you are overwhelmed and overworked by your current job, you may need to make it more “ABLE”.  Be willing to take a step backwards and re-evaluate your business model and strategy so that you can take a huge leap forward with your business.

Elders Don't Always Know Best

Usually I tell young professionals to respect their elders, because I don’t see enough of that behavior these days.  

The danger of this advice, however, is that young professionals sometimes take it too far. They seek out older professors, experts and mentors in their field and listen blindly regardless of whether or not the information is valid or the source is truly qualified to give it. As a result, they can be steered down a path that is detrimental to their career progress.

Just because someone has been in a field for a long time does not mean she is necessarily good at what she does and/or that her experiences will be 100 percent relevant to your own.  People stay in and even succeed in careers for a variety of reasons; and frankly, true skill may not be a factor. Also, the judgment of some older individuals is so clouded by their own experiences that they can’t help insisting that you follow their actions and trajectory to the letter.

Case in point

I recently overheard a 55-year-old Fortune 500 female executive advising a 22-year-old college graduate to engage in hardball strategies to break through the glass ceiling at her consulting firm. These strategies didn’t suit the grad’s personality and might be perceived as over-aggressive and unnecessary in today’s corporate culture of greater gender equality.

It’s a good idea to talk to older professionals; and yes, you can learn a tremendous amount from them.  But instead of acting on information right away, please take the time to filter it and deem it appropriate for your situation. 

Are You Taking Your Job for Granted?

It’s February.  Corporate America has been a stressful place to navigate over the last two years.  You have watched colleagues get laid off and you may have been left to do the work of two or three people.  You are tired.  You are burned out.  I bet you’re taking your job for granted just a little bit right now.

Try to resist the urge.   No matter how boring, repetitive, slave-driving, or irritating you perceive your job to be, things could always be worse.  You could be visiting the unemployment line for the thirteenth month in a row and be facing eviction from your apartment.  You could be too sick to work.  You could live in a country where putting food on the table requires hard physical labor.  Instead, you get to ride the train to a heated office, keep yourself busy for a bunch of hours, and go home to a life of playing on your iPad and watching American Idol.

I hear that you want your career to be personally meaningful, but remember that meaning is in the eye of the beholder.  If you don’t believe me, walk down the hall and talk to HR for a moment.  I bet they have a stack of resumes up to the ceiling belonging to people applying for the very position you currently consider to be beneath you.

Taking your job for granted is bad for your mental health, and it will also make you enemies.  Managers and colleagues do not appreciate someone who acts like she doesn’t care and/or is always complaining.  If this is you, please take a step back and think about why you took this job in the first place, and how you can re-invigorate your interest in it. 

For example, is there a new assignment you can take on that will help you master a critical skill?   Is there training available that will help you hone your long-term career potential?  Is there a younger employee in your office who would be overjoyed to have you as his mentor?  Since your satisfaction depends not so much on the job itself as your attitude toward the job, take action this year in a productive direction. 

How to be a Nice Boss without Being a Pushover

As a manager, this issue is near and dear to my heart.  Fortunately, television writer Patricia Forrester sent me some great tips from her new book, Nice Girls on Top that I thought I would share with you:

• Pick Your Team Carefully – Always try to find the best person for the job. This doesn’t just mean basic skills, but personality traits that indicate the individual won’t take advantage of kind and generous conditions. Always check with previous employers about each job candidate and ask about his or her integrity.

• Trust Your Team – Whether you chose your team or not, you should relax and just trust everything will be fine. If you are a boss who constantly worries about his or her employees taking advantage, then you are sending out the vibe that you don’t trust them. Your employees can sense such a vibe and can feel demoralized by it. This will lead to resentment and will get in the way of productivity. You should always trust your employees and give each person the benefit of the doubt until something happens to disappoint. Trusting your people will not only create a healthy work environment, but will make it easier for people to do their best work.

• Treat Everyone Equally – Part of being the “nice” boss is treating everyone equally and not playing favorites. The way to do this is to have structured rules or guidelines. For example, if someone meets certain requirements, he or she can be granted time off. This fair play is effective and productive. No one will feel slighted. On the other hand, if you play favorites, feelings of resentment may set in with employees who are not getting the special treatment. Such feelings of resentment may lead to certain staff becoming careless and wanting to take advantage of their work situation.

• Be a Great Role Model – Always lead by example. If you don’t take advantage, then chances are your staff won’t either. Rather, being a great role model that goes the extra mile for your staff will make them go the extra mile for you.

• Stand Up for Yourself – Nice bosses are not weak people. If you do think one of your employees is taking advantage of your kindness, stand up for yourself. Talk to the person in question in private and express your concerns. Let them know how you are feeling and allow them to change the situation with your guidance.

PwC Hosts Personal Brand Week for Career-Minded Students

In order to help students secure a job after graduation, PwC will host “Personal Brand Week 2.0” – a program that shares the importance of and tools needed to differentiate oneself from the competition.

Paula Loop, US and Global Talent Leader for PwC says, “Creating a unique personal brand helps job candidates differentiate themselves.  Personal Brand Week is a unique program that enables people to identify, create and communicate the unique traits that make them valuable to potential employers.  Personal branding is absolutely invaluable in today's highly competitive environment."

 The 2nd Annual Five Day Virtual Career Event Will Include:

• Monday, February 7th: "Building Your Network" – three simple steps to building a strong and authentic network
• Tuesday, February 8th: "You are What You Write" – the art of effective writing skills;      
• Wednesday, February 9th: "Your Online Image Makeover" – promoting your online brand;    
• Thursday, February 10th:  "View from the Other Side: Getting the Job" – what recruiters look for in prospective hires;
• Friday, February 11th: "Pulling it All Together - Elevator Pitch and Body Language” – how to successfully express and articulate your personal brand.       

On the last day of PBW 2.0, undergraduates can enter the “Best Elevator Pitch Contest” for the opportunity to win $5,000. The 30-second video contest asks participants to highlight what makes them valuable and unique to potential employers. The contest ends March 25.