Author Archives: Kit Prendergast

Planning Starts With a Vision

Many of us feel fragmented and pulled in too many directions during a career transition. Why? Because the core question, “What do I want at this time in my life?” hasn’t been answered. And until that question gets answered, it is easy to feel that you’re wandering in circles unable to plan past tomorrow.

Planning starts with knowing where you want to go – your vision. ÿAnd remember: your career is just one part of your whole life. So start with your ideal vision for both your professional and personal life for 2011. Be specific.

These questions will help . . .

• Who do you want to be each day?
• What do you want to be doing each day?
• Where do you want to be working?
• When do you want to work?
• Why do you want to work? (the most critical question)
• & How do you want to work?

Are you getting a picture in your mind? Yes, it’s an “ideal” vision but that’s where you need to start. If you start with a “less than ideal” vision, that’s all you will get. So challenge yourself and shoot for the moon – you will definitely wind up in the stars!

What is “professional presence”? It’s everything about how you present yourself from day one through the duration of every business relationship you have – formal and informal. It starts with the social etiquette that your mother taught you and continues to knowing how to present yourself in multiple diverse workplace environments. It’s not easy and we make mistakes but it’s critical to advancing in our personal and professional lives.

Professional presence is like a Norwegian glacier. There are the elements that we see on the surface – how we dress, shake hands, make conversation etc., and then there is so much more underneath the surface.

Beyond the surface presentation are those soft skills of how we inspire trust, establish our credibility, express our confidence and how we connect, communicate and collaborate with others. That’s “professional presence” and that’s the cutting edge if you want to stay at the top of your game.

5 Questions to Evaluate and Improve Your Professional Presence

1. How do I enter a room? Like a bull in a china shop or with quiet confidence?
2. How do others perceive me? In person? In my electronic communication?
3. What is my reputation at work? Am I easy to work with or am I “high maintenance”?
4. Do I know and practice basic business etiquette?
5. Am I skilled at handling sticky situations wisely and with grace?

Know your audience. Know the generational context of the person you are talking with.

How do they see the world around them; what really matters to them and how can you effectively connect with them. That is the secret to working and communicating effectively across the generations.

Here are some ideas if you are the manager/leader to maximize the gifts that each generation brings to our workplaces these days.

• Traditionalists (1918-1945). Use their life wisdom especially in times of change
• Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964). Give them new challenges to stretch & grow
• Generation X (1965 – 1980). Keep things moving & provide autonomy
• Generation Y (1981 – 1995). Have them take the lead with technology
• Linksters (born after 1995). Tap into their expertise with social networking