Tag Archives: Relationships

Holiday Coaching Specials

Tired of the same old holiday gifts this season? Try this delicious change. Give a special friend or family member an opportunity to work with an experienced professional career & life coach over the next three months.

Coaching is results-oriented, fast-moving and incredibly powerful. Know that you are helping someone that you really care about create the life they truly want in 2012. What a great way to jump-start the New Year – there is no better gift than that!

This is the best part . . . for the month of December all my coaching price options are reduced by 20% for the first person on your gift list. For the second person on your list it’s a 50% discount. 

Several of these coaching options are for three months, so your savings is significant. And that first or second person could be you as well!

Here’s how you do it . . .

  1. Go on my website www.CareerConnectionsSN.com and click on the tab “Coaching”, then from the dropdown menu, click on “Individual Coaching Options”. Or click here: Individual Coaching by Kit.
  2. Review the descriptions and select one of the options you would like to gift.
  3. Shoot me an email [email protected] or call (775) 324-5151. I will take it from there!

Happiest of Holidays and into the New Year, too!

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A Tip for Connecting During the Holidays

As we all roll into this holiday season, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed with the addition of multiple holiday events, shopping, errands and bills on top of our everyday work and family routines.  And it’s the expectations that we have of ourselves (especially women) that seem to be strongest at this time – all in the name of “tradition”.

But in the last couple of years, I’ve shifted some of these expectations of myself to something I truly enjoy – connecting with others.  I do this all through the year but it becomes a top priority to reconnect with business colleagues for the couple of weeks leading up to Christmas Day.  It doesn’t cost anything.  It’s a lot more fun than shopping and paying bills.  And it’s good business.

Set your intention to reach out to your favorite clients, customers or companies in the next couple of weeks. It can be for coffee, lunch or a simple chat on the phone.  Yes, it can be through email or social media but nothing is better than your voice. 

If you think you might be bothering someone, you may be pleasantly surprised that as it gets closer to Christmas Day there is often some down time in people’s work schedules – fewer meetings are scheduled, workloads ease off a bit and people can take time to catch their breath and talk to you. 

A Quick Phone Call is Perfect

I’ve learned a lot about staying in contact from Ray LaFleur, a biking & running friend from our old days living in San Diego.  Ray is a master at staying in contact with friends and colleagues. He calls every couple of months to just say “hi” and ask how work and the family are doing.  It’s not more than a 5 minute call but it reconnects our families regularly.

So this holiday season I’ll do as Ray does . . . I will pick up the phone each day and call three people to just say hi and wish them Happy Holidays.  I encourage you to do the same.  Keep it simple and genuine.  You’re not asking for anything.  You are just reconnecting.  People like to know that others are thinking of them.  It’s a human need – to feel recognized and valued.  I like it too – you can always give me a call as well!

 

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Overcome “Recession Fatigue”

Here’s the best strategy I’ve found to push through that “Recession Fatigue”. It is simply shifting your energy to those areas that you do have some control over and concentrating on being successful in those areas over the next few months.

Here’s a way to do that . . .

First. Take a piece of paper and draw out the five Olympic Circles. You will remember that there are five intersecting circles – three on the top and two on the bottom. Next, take a moment to think of the five areas of your current life that you value spending your time and energy on. Often these are areas that in the past you regretted not having the time to spend doing.

Areas such as: your own health (exercise, eating well etc.); learning by taking a class; picking up a new hobby or volunteer commitment; having more time with your children; mini-vacations with old friends or maybe more quality involvement with your elderly parents.

Pick what’s important to you in this chapter of your life. Now, label each circle with one of those areas.

Second. Identify priority short-term benchmarks in each of these areas. Be concrete – is there a weight goal? A sports fitness goal? A passion you want to nurture? Do you want to be more available to your parents, your own kids or your friends? Keep the short-term benchmarks easy to remember and to track.

Third. Now identify when you will know that you have hit those benchmarks – when you’ve made your first short-term goal on exercising; learning; volunteering or extra time with your own kids and parents. What will success look like? And don’t forget to celebrate when you’ve reached those successes each and every time!

It’s great (and critical) to feel productive, appreciated and successful in these additional areas of your life. So even if this recession is beating you up on the job more than you expected, you can take control of other areas, and enjoy a wonderful boost of self-confidence from these other equally important areas of your life.

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Accelerating Out of the Great Recession

Accelerating Out of the Great Recession: How to Win in a Slow-Growth Economy, 2010, by David Rhodes and Daniel Stelter, The Boston Consulting Group

This is an excellent book for all of us that want to understand what has happened in our global economy and what we, as small business owners, can do to ensure that our businesses grow in the new year.

It’s not a quick read but rather one that requires your full attention. I enjoyed the historical perspective, particularly learning why certain companies thrived in the Great Depression. The authors go on to provide a clear assessment of what our new economic realities are and what this means for business overall.

There is a great section on “Leadership During a Crisis” with six very practical, concrete actions leaders, managers, business owners etc. should take each day during this turbulent time to ensure that the company and the employees are thriving in our new work world.

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Polish Up Your First Impression!

Are you getting a bit sloppy?  Are you taking your professional image more for granted these days?  It’s easy to do when you have been in business or at the same job for a number of years.  But it is a mistake.  First impressions make a difference each and every time.  And it’s not just how we dress but how we shake hands; introduce others, our eye contact and how we listen and engage others in conversation.  Our body language sends a powerful message to others and signals them as to whether they can trust us, like us and ultimately if they should do business with us.

Watch Others at a Networking Event

Try this . . . at your next networking event stand back and just watch the folks in the room.  Watch for those that others seem to gravitate toward.  There is an energy, an enthusiasm and a synergy in the conversation.  What is that individual doing that is obviously appealing to others?  What can you learn from them?  My guess is that folks would say they feel comfortable and acknowledged – in other words – they feel connected and “safe” to just be themselves.

Wow, now that is a gift!  To be able to create that sense of positive feeling with others (and with strangers too)  is pretty impressive.  Is it hard to do?  No, not really if you are willing to honestly assess your weak spots and then actively take action to smooth out the rough edges if you’ve gotten a bit sloppy over the years.

Making That First Impression Count

During my 6 1/2 years of living in Norway (my husband was assigned to NATO), we attended many international dinner parties and social events.  I learned that I could find something in common with just about anyone even if they didn’t speak English well and I didn’t speak Norwegian, German etc.  It was a challenge at first but became a well-practiced skill and actually quite fun.  Here’s three of my favorite “lessons learned” on how to make a great first impression.

  • Practice how to meet someone gracefully – shaking hands, eye contact, remembering names.
  • Practice engaging a stranger in simple conversation – listen, ask questions, be interested.
  • Practice connecting with others by finding interests in common – “bridge topics” – pets, travel etc.

This is professional development that you can do on your own.  It’s all those basic manners that our mothers were always teaching us and that hopefully we’re passing on to our own kids.  Enjoy!

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