You have to make sure that you don’t fall into the trap of becoming a robot that just goes through the day on autopilot-- counting the hours and minutes until it’s time to close down the laptop. We often don’t realize that there are teachable moments throughout our days. Every day.
Read moreDon’t despair, you can learn from bad managers too
A question that often comes up in my coaching sessions is "How do you deal with a bad manager?"-- a manager who is disrespectful and who doesn’t care about your career. Unfortunately, I have experience with managers like that, but that didn’t prevent me from learning new things and growing in my career. It taught me what kind of manager I don’t want to be, and things I will never do to my team members. These are also valuable lessons!
Read moreIt is never too early to define your leadership style
I’ve realized more and more lately that a lot of people don’t really know the true definition of a leader. People know the standard definition of leadership, that it is the ability of an individual or a group of individuals to influence and guide followers or other members of an organization, but few know how to actually be a great leader. I also have not seen many leaders who have an active plan for becoming the leader they want to be.
Read moreHow to create an active plan
You and I have talked about this many times, Elsa. What is it that stops us from getting started and ultimately reaching our goals? I know that in our case, it’s fear. We fear what would happen if we reach our goal, or even worse: if we fail. I know it is also the fear of judgment from others, which is often linked to perfectionism.
Read moreI got a question from a young woman the other day, regarding a subject that many of us are struggling with as we start our careers. She was asking how she can build confidence as a woman starting her first professional job.
Read moreHow to manage up
One thing that people commonly forget, something I don’t want you to forget Elsa, is how to manage up. People who are just starting their career often see it as the manager’s role to manage both them and the team, but that is far from the truth. You and your manager are a team, and one can’t succeed without the other.
Read moreAre you coachable?
The best way to do this is to think of yourself as a lifelong learner. See every moment as an opportunity to learn something new. It can be learning a new fact, a new way to communicate, or a new way to negotiate. Always observe, listen and learn.
Read moreHow to build a strong relationship with your manager
You asked me the other day about how do you work with a manager, and how do you build a good relationship with a boss? It reminded me why I’m working on this blog for you, and it also reminded me how I felt when I started working. It is not easy to transition from college into the professional world.
Read moreKnowing how to listen will help your career
It’s funny how in school they teach us to speak, but not how to listen. Listening is more important than speaking, so you would think it would play a bigger part in the curriculum. A leader who never listens to their team, is going to eventually have a team who has given up on providing feedback and information, and then you have nothing.
Read moreThe 5 Why's method
In your career (and in your life) it is good to find ways to analyze situations and find out what the essence of a problem is. Knowing the real problem in a situation will not only help you solve the root problem, but also avoid the same problem in the future.
Read moreBuild your negotiations skills
One skillset you are going to need in both life and business is good negotiation skills. We all want to be able to stand up for ourselves, get what we deserve and fight for what we think is right, and good negotiation skills will help you achieve that.
Read moreThe Challenger Approach
A Challenger is a person who will push you to view situations from a new perspective and push for bigger thinking by asking challenging questions. A Challenger will question your approach or solutions to make you step out of your comfort zone and see things from a new perspective…
Read moreSneaky strategy
Dear Daughter,
Somebody asked me the other day how I make you, Elsa, read all my posts. I told them I tie you to a chair and….jk! I told them I have a sneaky strategy. Of course, by telling you this now it’s not really a secret strategy anymore, but that is a price I’m willing to pay if it means I can teach you the importance of having a strategy and a plan for your career and life.
Read moreClear your inner and outer spaces
Dear Daughter,
So you know how I’m always nagging about straightening up your room every night before you go to bed? I’m not doing it for my health (even though your room at times feels like a health risk…!).
Read moreStop striving for perfection
Dear Daughter,
Perfection. Striving for perfection will prevent you from being good. I struggle myself with perfection. Not because I want to be perfect (I know I’m far from it), but because I want my work to be perfect. I think I’ve created that habit in my career in project management. A project and a task has to be completed and done well before I can cross it off the list.
Read moreYour brand
Yes, I’m going to sound like a true agency person now. Your brand is everything. I’ve been preaching this since you were a little girl but it’s worth a reminder. You need to figure out what you want to be known as, and what you stand for.
Read moreYou DO have time, you just have to decide what is important to you
This is an important one. Ok, I know that I say that about every note but this one is essential for a happy life. How many people have you heard ask me how is it possible for me to work on so many things simultaneously? When am I going to slow down? Why do I work so much? They clearly don’t get it.
Read moreLife, just like any project, is not a straight line
I know that you are putting a lot of pressure on yourself right now. Dad and I have always encouraged you to study and do good in school, but we have never put the kind of pressure on you the way you put pressure on yourself. Please remember to be a little bit nicer.
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