Kit Prendergast, PCC
Kit brings you a wealth of expertise and experience as well as a wonderful spirit, energy, and a gift for inspiring you to create the life you truly want for yourself.Kit's Tips & Books
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Tag Archives: Relationships
People Styles at Work . . . and Beyond
People Styles at Work . . . and Beyond, 2nd Edition, 2009, by Robert Bolton & Dorothy Grover Bolton, AMACOM American Management Association, New York, New York.
I always find books on differences in personality styles fascinating and this one is no exception. The Bolton authors have developed a simple but powerful four quadrant model to help us identify our own behavioral styles both in our daily work and personal lives. There is a great chapter in how to “flex” our styles while still being true to ourselves but also engaging the best of others. And we can’t forget that this is what brings enduring value to our employers – being able to authentically connect, communicate and collaborate with others. It’s a great book for all of us!
How to Develop Self-Confidence & Influence People by Public Speaking
How to Develop Self-Confidence & Influence People by Public Speaking, Dale Carnegie, Simon & Schuster, New York, NY, 2011 Edition.
This book was originally written in 1926! It was titled Public Speaking and Influencing Men in Business and, interestingly, was actually Dale Carnegie’s first book. Of course, Carnegie later became best known for his book How to Win Friends and Influence People. But this first book (edited by his wife, Dorothy Carnegie, for today’s audience) is a gem. It contains many wonderful references to the world of business in the mid-1920’s but also excellent tips on how to master the art of public speaking. I loved the chapters on developing courage & confidence; how to improve your memory and tried & true ways to open and close your presentations. Pick it up!
Emotional Intelligence: Use It or Lose Your Career!
You may think I’m exaggerating but it’s true. The #1 reason professionals stumble in their career advancement is because of their lack of social and emotional intelligence. They may have all the knowledge, skills and even years of experience but they have earned a reputation for not being able to get along with their colleagues, direct reports or even their bosses. In short, their own self-awareness; empathy for others and ability to manage their own emotions is limited or nonexistent.
These folks (are we talking about you?) are just known for being difficult – they don’t listen, are confrontational, unpredictable and even arrogant in their beliefs. They may be in a supervisory or middle management position because they have been with the company for so long but now their career is on thin ice and they wonder why. But others know why . . .
So what exactly is “social and emotional intelligence”? Here is a excellent working defination from the Institute for Social & Emotional Intelligence (ISEI), Denver, Colorado.
- “Social and emotional intelligence is the ability to be aware of our own emotions and those of others, in the moment, and to use that information to manage ourselves and manage our relationships”.
I’ve been giving workshops on emotional intelligence (EQ) for years – it’s truly my favorite topic because it impacts every aspect of our working and personal lives. I’m delighted now to be in an intensive coach certification course (October – November) through ISEI with my Australian coaching colleagues to learn even more. I’ve already started to pull new ideas and tools into my training courses and with my individual coaching clients.
So let’s remember that 80 – 85% of our career success at the upper levels depends on our ability to connect, communicate and collaborate with others. Our own personal work experiences confirm that research. We have all known industry leaders who have those qualities – they inspire, motivate and engage their teams and employees resulting in people working harder with energy, creativity and greater flexibility. The result? Less employee turnover; higher productivity and greater profits for the company.
This is emotional intelligence competencies in action. Let’s be known as one of those leaders!
I’m On LinkedIn – Now What???
I’m on LinkedIn – Now What???, by Jason Alba, Happy About, Cupertino, CA, 2011.
Alba is well known as a LinkedIn guru and his recent book is excellent. It moves from just giving you the philosophy of LinkedIn to really helping us know which buttons to push to get which results. That’s my kind of book. And it’s an easy read with lots of practical tips.
Once you start working with LinkedIn it’s actually quite fun. I often have an individual’s profile up when I talking with them on the phone because I can see their picture; what they have done in the past, are doing now and possibly what I can do for them in the future. And when we know that 90% of HR professionals and recruiters are using LinkedIn to look us up to give us that dream job, we want to look our best. Pick it up and read it tonight!
Posted in Kit's Resources & Book Reviews
Tagged Career, Networking, Relationships, social media
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Using the MBTI to Make Life Easier
There are at least a hundred personality assessments on the market today – all with the promise that if we know ourselves better we will be happier and more successful in both our personal and professional lives. We can take Emergenetics; the DiSC; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI); Skill Scan; StrengthsFinder 2.0; Career Liftoff; Knowdell’s Motivated Skill Sort; the traditional 360° Assessment; Personal Branding surveys; Emotional Intelligence self-assessments and the list goes on and on.
But are they worth it? Can they help us learn something about ourselves that we didn’t already know? And how can we use the information to make our life a bit easier each and every day?
My answer is yes! A bit of self-knowledge wisely applied can go a long way. But first make sure to ask and answer these two questions for yourself ahead of time:
- What do I want to learn about myself?
- How will I apply that learning to my life today?
The answers to these two questions may be more difficult than you think. That is why it is important to take the assessments under the guidance of a certified administrator that can clearly delineate the differences in the assessments, what you can expect to gain and then help you clarify how the resulting knowledge can benefit your goals at this time in your life.
But what about all the on-line assessments? Yes, they have certainly gotten better in the last few years with many providing you with a robust report with more detail than maybe you even wanted. A word of caution – be careful of the freebies. You may be left with more questions, be more confused and more vulnerable for them to sell you a bigger package. Look before you leap!
I am biased though and believe that nothing takes the place of talking with a real live professional that knows and cares about your own goals. I want to know that they really know what they are talking about. Over the years I’ve obtained certification in several of the well-known assessments. I weave them into the beginning of the leadership or career transition coaching that I’m doing and people love them. Maybe it’s the mystery of figuring out “Who am I really?’ or maybe it’s just trying to figure out what makes their husbands tick?
My favorite is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It’s the best-of-the-best because once we know and really understand our own innate “preferences” life really does become much easier. And the icing on the cake, is now we know what motivates and energizes other people both in our families and in our work settings. We also become a little less critical and a lot more appreciative of the “gifts” we all bring to the table every day.
Posted in Career Tips & Strategies, Communication Tips, Emotional Intelligence, Inspirational Leadership, Navigating Change, Personal Development, Your Time & Energy
Tagged Career, happiness, inspiration, learning, optimism, Positive Psychology, Relationships, Talent Development, Visioning
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