Category Archives: Kits Tips Archive

Build Strategic Alliances Now!

No doubt about it. Building and nurturing a solid network of professional colleagues, friends and associates takes significant time, fresh energy and fine-tuned skills.

In Never Eat Alone, author Keith Ferrazzi takes a very unique and refreshing approach – it is one based on “generosity”. He teaches us how to “build a lifelong community of colleagues, contacts, friends and mentors” and maintains that in the long run this is real job security. Here’s how to begin building your community:

• Identify 3 areas that you wish you could do more in with the services/work you provide
• Ask around….”Who does do this kind of work?”
• Invite them for coffee and see if there is a positive synergy between you. If so, ask “How can we help each other be more successful?”
• Stay curious, open and willing to try something new

Self-Coaching. Make It Happen for Yourself!

My guess is that you have already been “self-coaching” yourself this holiday season. You probably have been thinking about what changes you want to see for yourself in the New Year, what goals you want to accomplish during the year and what you would like others to do to help with these goals.

But now you may be stuck and asking yourself, “How do I move forward?” Here are five powerful coaching questions to ask yourself that will move you through the coaching process/phases of awareness, action & accountability.

1. What do I really want my life to look like this year?

2. How committed am I to making this happen?

3. What am I allowing to get in the way of making this happen?

4. What is one step I can take this week to move closer to this goal?

5. How am I going to hold myself accountable?

Create Positive Energy in Your Life, Starting Today

You have a choice each and every morning. Along with deciding between eggs & bacon or cereal for breakfast, you are deciding how you are going to meet the challenges of the day – with dread and a grey cloud over your head or with a spring to your step and a bit of curiosity?

Low energy and a pessimistic attitude can become a habit that sneaks up on you. I would challenge all of us in the new year to consciously shift our thinking, being and doing to a more positive proactive energy. Here’s how . . .

Take a blank piece of paper and draw a T chart. On the left side create a column for your Energy Boosters and on the right side create a column for your Energy Drainers. Now watch yourself for several days and list what you observe and feel. What gives you energy? What drains your energy? And, are you willing to do something about it?

• Energy Boosters – List people, activities, things that give you energy.
• Energy Drainers – List people, activities, things that sap your energy, pull you down.
• Take Control – List what you are willing to do to create the life you want in 2010.

You may hate it – it may give you the nerves for weeks ahead – but giving presentations in some form will no doubt be part of your future work requirements.

Being comfortable with public speaking is a must in today’s changing world of work. Either way – as a professional working for someone else or in business for yourself – you will be asked over and over to give various kinds of presentations. So even if you are a bit nervous you will find that the more you ask questions about your audience and let that guide your preparations the more comfortable you will feel. You know then that you are providing them with what they want.

Here’s an excellent way to start . . . know what’s important to your audience As soon as they sit down they are asking themselves “What’s In It For Me?”. Experienced presenters call this the WIIFM radio station – the attendees are listening to that radio station to see if your presentation is going to be helpful to them in meeting their own goals. Be clear why what you are saying is important to them and once that question is answered the rest is easy.

Here are five check points work for any size group (teams, committees, departments, conferences, workshops) and for any reason for the presentation.

• Who is your audience? (know the numbers, ages, positions etc.)
• What does your audience want to take away? (i.e. “What’s In It For Me?”)
• Where is the presentation? (all logistics, location, timing, technology etc.)
• Why does your audience care about this topic? (what do they already know about it)
• How are you going to “give it so they get it”?

As I promised last month, I’m sharing with you seven strategies and action steps that you could take today (yes, now!) to protect your job whether you work for someone else, are growing your current business, or want to tap into your entrepreneurial spirit by starting your own business.

Last month, I spoke about the first three:

• Be Visible Every Day
• Be Available to Others, and
• Be Easy to Work With