Saying No to Others is Saying YES to Yourself

Saying No to Others is Saying YES to Yourself Another gem from my favorite success coach, Jack Canfield! Jacks words have dramatically transformed my business and my life. My wish is that they do the same for you. ++++++++ Saying No to Others is Saying YES to Yourself by Jack Canfield There are only two words that will always lead you to success.   Those words are yes and no.   Undoubtedly, you’ve mastered saying yes.   So start practicing saying no.   Your goals depend on it! If you are constantly saying yes to other people, then you are constantly saying no to yourself and your goals.     Ask yourself if what is being requested of you is in line with your goals, will it benefit you in some way and bring you closer to your success, or will you simply be spending your time on someone else’s good opportunity? How much time do you waste with projects and activities that you really don’t want to do simply because you are uncomfortable saying no? Success depends on getting good at saying no without feeling guilty.   You cannot get ahead with your own goals if you are always saying yes to someone else’s projects and agendas. What a simple concept this is, yet you’d be surprised how frequently even the world’s top entrepreneurs, professionals, educators and civic leaders get caught up in projects, situations and opportunities that are merely good, while the great is left out in the coldâ€"waiting for them to make room in their lives.   In fact, concentrating on merely the “good” often prevents the “great” from showing up, simply because there’s no time left in our schedules to take advantage of any additional opportunity. Is this your situationâ€"constantly chasing after mediocre prospects or pursuing misguided schemes for success, when you could be holding at bay opportunities for astounding achievement? If saying “No” is so important, then why is it so hard to say? Why do we find it so hard to say no to everybody’s requests? As children, many of us learned that “no” was an unacceptable answer. Responding with “no” was cause for discipline. Later, in our careers, “no” may have been the reason for a poor evaluation or failing to move up the corporate ladder. Yet, highly successful people say “no” all the timeâ€"to projects, to crazy deadlines, to questionable priorities and to other people’s crises. In fact, they view the decision to say “no” equally acceptable as the decision to say “yes.” Others say no, but will offer to refer you to someone else for help.   Still others claim their calendar, family obligations, deadlines and even finances as reasons why they must decline requests.   At the office, achievers find other solutions to their co-workers’ repeated emergencies, rather than becoming a victim of someone else’s lack of organization and poor time management. “It’s not against you, it’s for me…” One response that I have found helpful in saying “no” to crisis appeals or time-robbing requests from people is… It’s not against you; it’s for me. When the chairman calls with yet another fund-raising event that needs your dedication, you can say, “You know, my saying no to you is not against you, or what you are trying to do. It’s a very worthy cause, but recently I realized I’ve been over committing myself. So even though I support what you’re doing, the fact is I’ve made a commitment to spend more time with my family. It’s not against you; it’s for us.” Few people can get angry at you for making and standing by a higher commitment. In fact, they’ll respect you for your clarity and your strength. So, how can you determine what’s truly great, so you can say no to what’s merely good? Start by listing your opportunitiesâ€"one side of the page for good and the other side for great. Seeing options in writing will help crystallize your thinking and determine what questions to ask, what information to gather, what your plan of attack might be, and so on.   It will help you decide if an opportunity truly fits with our overall life purpose and passion, or if it’s just life taking you down a side road. Talk to advisors about this potential new pursuit. People who have traveled the road before you have vast experience to share and hard-headed questions to ask about any new life opportunity you might be contemplating.   They can talk to you about expected challenges and help you evaluate the “Hassle Factor”â€"that is, how much time, money, effort, stress and commitment will be required. Test the waters. Rather than take a leap of faith that the new opportunity will proceed as you expect, conduct a small test, spending a limited amount of time and money.   If it’s a new career you’re interested in, first seek part-time work or independent consulting contracts in that field. If it’s a major move or volunteer project you’re excited about, see if you can travel for a few months to your dream locale or find ways to immerse yourself in the volunteer work for several weeks. And finally, look where you spend your time. Determine if those activities truly serve your goals or if saying “no” would free up your schedule for more focused pursuits. Be brave in saying no to good opportunities, stay focused on your higher goals and let people know that you are committed to those goals.   People will respect your clarity and drive. Remember, just as you are in control of your feelings and attitudes, other people are in control of theirs, so if they do get upset with you for saying no…well that is a choice they make for themselves. © 2010 The Canfield Training Group All Rights Reserved +++++++++++++++ Jack Canfield, Americas #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul © and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If youre ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

What Are Good Skills to Put on a Resume?

What Are Good Skills to Put on a Resume?In order to make a career change, what are good skills to put on a resume? How can you be sure that the employer will be impressed with your resume and continue to call you in the future? Are there any skills you can put on a resume that will get you more calls to interview?Knowing what are good skills to put on a resume is of paramount importance. There are many situations in which you can put the skills to put on a resume because you don't really have the choice, but there are also many other situations where skills may not be very useful and also can prevent you from getting any interviews.Some skills that can be used for a resume but are not very useful for the job may include the following:An additional education: You can take classes in various fields, but these classes are not your strongest suit. It may be more relevant to you to have a degree in an unrelated field. Having an undergraduate degree does not necessarily mean that you will be a better employee or an easy target for employer. Although, it is true that an additional educational opportunity will be a very good starting point, it is also true that having an additional education may be an extra task, may mean you will have to spend more time and may not allow you to apply what you have learned to the job.Sufficient knowledge in the field: If you are looking for a job, most likely you will be required to have at least a general knowledge of the field you are applying to. You must have at least a basic knowledge of the market statistics, the latest trends in the market, business legislation and the like. This knowledge may be useful if you find a job in a similar field but it is of course something that can be overlooked if you have too much knowledge.To fit in with the job: if you have too much knowledge about the job you may be able to fit in, but if you have no idea what the employer wants you should refrain from putting anything on your resume. Therefore you should not put your knowledge about the company in the resume, but if you have to you can put your general knowledge and good career options. You should also make sure that you only list as many skills as you can guarantee can get you interviews, not fill in any gaps.Lacking extra knowledge and the knowledge is something you can get around with: if you don't have an extra knowledge about the company, you can still fill in those skills with your practical experience. You can seek job interview by volunteering for the company or applying for the job. Try to remember that the company would also like to know about your skills and abilities and when you focus on those aspects of your resume can still get you the job and if you fill in the skill gaps with your skills.

The One Thing to Do for Resume Phrase

The One Thing to Do for Resume Phrase The Ugly Secret of Resume Phrase There's always the risk that if you put competitive running on your resume that the individual reading your resume is a marathoner and provides you with an interview because of this. How you're sending a resume needs to be obvious the immediate someone opens the file. After the interviewer is talking be sure you are listening, and make an effort not to interrupt them, odds are they have a spiel they want to get through they have done many occasions and you saying Oh yeah, that's like when I did' is annoying. Our resume builder is the quickest approach to create a resume that can help you get your fantasy job. You need to make sure your mostrecent skillsgo on top. Produce a better approach to describe how you're a trustworthy and consistent performer instead. For example, a hiring manager for a construction company might be more interested in how much you are able to lift, how reliable you're, and whether it is possible for you to learn new skills quickly. As you're at it, you can want to learn more about OCR program. Just upload your resume in their system then paste the full job description to begin the comparison. The very first step to including your technology-related skills is to earn a very simple list. The Most Popular Resume Phrase Everyone attempts to achieve effects. You also ought to make sure to use important keywords and phrases. Attempting to make your resume stand out can look to be an impossible job. Having said this, there are things you must learn before you post your resume online. You wish to select descriptors which are in between good and best. A CV is basically a fancy word for a lengthened professional resume. Now you have to find out the resume keywords and phrases utilized for your intended position. You're certain to get several great suggestions. The perfect length of the resume will be dependent on your experience. You've got an objecti ve statement. You'll likely soon discover there are key terms and phrases that you've overlooked previously. Irrespective of your field of work, there is most likely a list of killer action words out there which you would like to utilize in your resume. Whether your resume is already online or still in paper form, it's likely to wind up in a database sooner or later and you should make certain it comes up in the most suitable searches. You should develop a resume template you are feeling comfortable with, and then be minor tweaks if needed. Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Resume Phrase Hiring managers want to scan your resume and discover the information that they need in record time so that they are able to move on to the next resume. If it comes tojob hunting, resumes are crucial. Resumes may be used for a number of reasons, but most often they're utilized to secure new employment. They may be organized in different ways. What Everybody Dislikes About Resume Phrase an d Why Unless you're asking for a self-employed role, employers already expect that you're prepared to modify your schedule to satisfy your duties on the job. Otherwise, employers aren't going to know whether you're able to effectively work by yourself. You have to tailor each resume for each position which you are applying for. 1 advantage for employers to internet resumes is the considerable cost saving in comparison to traditional hiring methods.

Why Empathy is the Key to Success for First-time Managers - Your Career Intel

Why Empathy is the Key to Success for First-time Managers - Your Career IntelWould you let an employee take the day off to go to the movies? Recently, a team member asked to do just that, and my answer welches an unequivocal yes.A decade ago, asking for a personal day much less time off for the movies could be considered a bold request. Face time equaled productivity. But as work and life become increasingly integrated, managers are adapting their leadership styles to reflect this new paradigm. Empathy is front-and-center.Empathy is defined as our ability to understand and share the feelings of aleidher person, and its a critical component to emotional intelligence. Empathy is a top management performance driver researchers have found that managers who show higher levels of empathy toward their team are also ranked as better performers by their bosses. For first-time managers, practicing empathy is an essential building block for long-term management success.How to Become a More Em pathetic ManagerHeres how to cultivate a mora empathetic management mindsetMy team works incredibly hard in an entrepreneurial sales environment and theres a high risk for burnout. The pressure to hit numbers and associated mental strain can be intense. My job is to lead through example while ensuring my team has the resources they need to succeed and stay motivated. My approach dont assume I know what every team member needs. Listen first. And I mean really listen. People are more productive and engaged when they feel genuinely heard and understood.I tell my team they dont need to earn my trust they already have it. Why do I extend everyone 100% trust from day one? Honesty is key to a productive and positive work environment. When employees are distracted by personal issues, their mind isnt in the office its with the child who is home sick or the spouse they havent seen in a month due to conflicting work schedules. When employees can honestly address personal needs, theyre more fo cused and engaged at work.The more time you spend managing, the easier it is to forget what its like on the other side. Empathy keeps you in touch with the human struggle your team members may be facing, giving you valuable insight into your teams emotional state of mind. I make it a habit to ask myself, How would I feel in a similar situation? What would I hope my manager would do? What would I not want my manager to do? Remember what it was like for you when you needed extra time to run an errand, schedule that doctors appointment, or take a mental health day.So why did I let my employee take a day off for the movies? It came down to my simple belief that we must look out for our people first, and when we do so, business success will follow. In this case, conflicting work schedules meant my employee and her spouse had not had a day off at the same time in months. My employee knew she needed to care for her relationship and asked for the personal day to do one of her favorite tradi tions with her spouse a movie date. I appreciated her honesty and I knew taking the day off wouldnt detract from her work. I sensed the opposite taking time to connect with her spouse would help her be more focused and successful in the office.Learning how to be an effective manager is tricky, especially when youre new and still figuring out your management style and how to coach your team. A commitment to practicing empathy will carry you through the bumpy transition period and serve you well throughout your career. I know it does for me every day.What role does empathy play in your daily approach to management?

What To Do When You Become Your Friends Boss

What To Do When You Become Your Friends Boss When youre stepping into aledershiprole for the first time, theres certainly a lot to think about. Youve probably wondered ifpeople will consider you experienced enough. Or maybe youve thought about how the shift in responsibility will affect your relationships at home.Butmany new managers have a worry thats seldom addressed, even though its widespread how to navigatecommunication with peers and friends.What should you do when people who have always been your equals are now reporting to you?This transition can be awkward and anxiety-provoking to say the least, yet typical advice for new managers tends to gloss over how to manage the feelings associated with this change.Here are some practical tips to help you successfully ease the stress, lead with confidence and keep your relationships intact even as they evolve and change.1. Address the awkwardness directly.If you have employees who used to be your peers,the worst thingyou can do is ass ume the elephant in the room will disappear. Its far more likely the uncomfortable situation will only fester and get worse.While you may assume youre the only one who feels awkward, the truth is your friends are probably feeling uneasy, too. Because theyre your subordinates, though, its even more likely theyll be hesitant to broach the touchy subject. Theyll look to you, their new leader, to make the first move andaddress the issue head on.When you talk with your employees, clearly state the obvious. You could say something along the lines of, Since Ive become your supervisor, our relationship has changed, and I know things can feel a little awkward at times. However you motto it, dont put this conversation off.Also recognize its okay if you dont have all the answers. Feel free to say something like, Have you felt a shift, too? From your perspective, whats changed? Then be honest that youre not entirely clear onhow your friendship will play outwith this new dynamic. Its important t o be truthful. Its okay to be vulnerable.2. Put some extra thought into tasks you assign your friends.In so many of lifes situations, friends help each other outand of course its considered a good thing They also cut each other slack when needed and step up to make each others lives easier during the tough times. These hallmarks of friendship are normally so welcome in our lives, but these dynamics simply dont belong in your working relationships.Maybe youll give your friend extra work because you assume hell want to help you out during a busy season in the office. Or youll want to do a friend a favor and assign her less-involved tasks. Neither of these scenarios is professional behavior for a manager, even if youre falling into these habits without realizing it.To guard against these patterns from creeping into your management style,ask yourself some ofthese key questionswhen youre assigning responsibilitiesAm I relying on my friend to understand how stressed I am right now? Am I h oping shell bail me out?Do I expect more from my friend because I know him personally?If I didnt have a personal history with this person would I be handling this differently?These questions and their honest answers can guide you back to the right path. As difficult as it can be sometimes, you should be treating all of your supervisees as uniformly as possible. No matter how well-intended, there shouldnt be anyunderlying personal motivesfor assigning a project to any of your employees.3.Get comfortable with emotions.As counter-intuitive as it sounds, anytime youre leading withintegrity and dedicationto your organization, others might respond with strong (sometimes negative) emotions. Colleagues, especially former peers, may become angry, resentful or passive-aggressive in response to decisions youve made. You may find strong emotions cropping up within yourself, as well.You should always respond to others with compassion and support, but with the proper boundaries in place, youll le arn that other peoples reactions actually arent yours to worry about. This might be a radical new way of thinking for you, but it will serve you well.Accept that maybe youll always be perceived as favoring a certain employee. Perhaps some of your coworkers think you should go a little easier on them because they were so recently your peers. If you lead with integrity, however, you can rest assured that youre leading in the way thats best for your organization.4. Reach out to your new peer group.It can be easy to forget youve just gained abrand-newpeer group Why not embrace them? Invite one of them for lunch or coffee. Seek out mentors and ask them to share wisdom about the inner workings of your new department. This new leadership role is likely challenging for you in many ways. Looking to more experienced colleagues for pointers can only help.For now, all new managers are unaccustomed to leadership roles and feel the pressure of changing workplace dynamics. Its completely normal to feel uneasy. But there are graceful and professional ways to navigate these transitions that will serve you well in every stage of your career.--Melody Wildingis a coach and licensed social worker who helpsambitiousexecutives and entrepenerusmaster the psychology of success. Her clients include managers at top companies like Google and HP, media personalities, and startup founders. She also teaches Human Behavior at Hunter College in NYC. Learn more about working with Melody and grab a free course on Overcoming Imposter Syndrome atmelodywilding.com.

4 Times Employee Communications Can Make or Break Your Business

4 Times Employee Communications Can Make or Break Your Business According to anHBR study,the second biggest influence on a companys success is effective employee communications.Wecan see this fact in action in mainstream media Elon Musks tweet about taking Tesla private was followed by a leaked memo to staff that explained his statements and what they meant for the Tesla workforce. Earlier this year, Google employees protested the companys decision to work with the Pentagon, a project that many felt had leid been accurately communicated beforehand.Inmy work with companies across industries, Ive identified four landmark events in which strategic communication is especially crucial a high-profile hire, a product launch, a merger or acquisition, and recovering from layoffs. When dealing with these situations, companies need to go beyond mass emails and trickle-down communications.Heres how they can do just that1. A High-Profile HireAfter a client of mine has made an executive hire, theyll often ask me something like this We just made an offer to a CMO candidate. Any tips on sending out that email once the ink is dry?My responseRethink that approach.Employees want to know more than what they could find out on their own with a brief glance at LinkedIn. A storytelling strategy can help a business bringits new executive to life, connecting employees to their new leader on a deeper level.Some key questions to ask when creating a storytelling strategy for a high-profile hire includeWhat unique trait or experience caused us to hire this person?What do our employees value about our culture, and how will this person cultivate that aspect of the culture?What are the three things this person stands for and expects from others?Most importantly, what makes this person their most comfortable and authentic self when in the spotlight?Consider using multimedia channels to tell a new executives story. A succinct, well-done video can make employees f eel like they know their new leader before even meeting them. A live chat session on the company intranet demonstrates that this new executive is approachable. Partner with the PR team to create a buzz in the media and share the resulting articles with employees. A coordinated unveiling creates a human connection thatbreaks the icebefore any big, down-to-business appearances.2. A Product LaunchEmployees are more likely to feel engaged at work if they understand and believe in the goals toward which they work. All too often, internal communication around a new product or service is handled as if it were outward-facing marketing or sales, which makes it easy foremployees to tune it out.To get an audience engaged, consider creative and interactive ways to putemployees in the customers shoes and humanize the problem the company or productaims to solve.For example, lets say a biopharmaceutical company is launching a new medication.The company couldhold an exploratorium where employees le arn about the typical patients journey from diagnosis to treatment by traveling through a museum-like gallery.The same tactics used for a live event can be replicated in a virtual environment through audio, video, and interactive activities. departeure by creating a daily or weekly series to pulse out different parts of the story, ending with an interview with an actual patient that speaks to employees.3. A Merger or AcquisitionCulture can eat a merger or acquisition for breakfast. When Daimler and Chrysler merged in the 1990s, a lack of cultural alignment around things like business formalities, pay, and goals caused employee satisfaction plummeted. Layoffs followed,and ultimately a sale was carried out all within about 10 years.When two companies merge, its an exercise in creating a new culture that amalgamates the old cultures of the two companies. When an acquisition happens, one company usually sets the tone for the other organization. Regardless of the scenario, the question becomes How can internal communications help to unify the company and minimize disruption?A communication plan for something as complex as a merger or acquisition should always starts with a unifying human element, like the companys core values.A campaign on company values in action solidifies an important set of expectations around culture and behavior. Beyond traditional tools like handbooks, consider bringing those values to a series of podcasts or videoswhere employees talk about how they put values into practice.Use internal social channels to empower employees to share their own thoughts and build on each others perspectives. Weve seen great engagement when we implement campaigns that give employees a platform.4. Recovering From LayoffsPost layoff, companies are usually grappling with one of two issuesCompany leaders are overcommunicating because they want to be transparent, which often leaves employeesoverwhelmed with information.Company leaders are undercommunicating because they are sensitive to the situation and dont want to create more disruption, which leaves employees with unanswered questions.Start from the employees point of view What do they think leadership isnt sharing? What do they think will happen next? When planning, always assess the current emotional intelligence of the business as a baseline.This isa basic concept, but more often than not, companies skip this important step during times of change.Some companies try to find that balance between over- and undercommunicating. In either case, culture-driven messages and activities must remain part of the plan. For example, we worked with a company that wanted to keep its culture in balance while going through a transition. Based on the climate at the organization, a series of engagement activities were put into action across several weeks, including a managers on-the-move program for impromptu conversations with employees, fireside chats and reverse town halls, and even an outdoor celebrat ion for National Hot Dog Day. These purposefully placed moments of engagement some with key messaging, some just to listen, and some just to have fun kept the culture in a positive space and ready for transition.While strategic communication is important to employee engagement and therefore to productivity, turnover, and the bottom line in these four specificevents, it is also critical to have a communications plan in placeat all times. If you want to keep employees engaged on a daily basis, your internal communication needs just as much attention, planning, and execution as outward-facing forms of communication.Chris Viscount is head of the internal communications department atBlueprintNYC.

3 Job Search Myths Busted

3 Job Search Myths Busted3 Job Search Myths BustedJob seekers frequently go into the process with assumptions about how to present themselves and what employers want to hear. All too often, preconceived notions need to be challenged in order for a job search to be successful. Here are three things you should clearly understand and act upon to make yourself an attractive candidate1. Yourrsumisnt your professional autobiography. Often, job seekers try to include everything they have ever done on arsum. After all, you never know what will attract someones attention, thereasoning goes. Think differently Consider yourrsuma marketing document that presents your fruchtwein attractive features to the people who are most in need of the value you can provide. Think of your job hunt as aprocess in which you are selling your skills, experience and capacity to potential employers. Dont tell them everything you can think of about yourself and make them figure out if and how you might be a fit for their needs. Clear away the clutter of information, and keep your overall message focused. The old adage of less is more turns out to be a more fruitful way of presenting yourself. Figure out what key things you have accomplished that relate to the job you want to do, and focus on them. Tailor yourrsumto each position you seek. When you include too much information, you make it harder for the reader to understand the most salient portions of your background, which are more than likely to have occurred in the last decade and relate to current technologies and ways in which work is currently done.For example, if you are mid-career or an older job seeker, chances are what you did in 1987 is probably irrelevant to a hiring manager in 2014. It is totally reasonable to not include positions that ended more than 12 to 15 years ago. Instead, simply include a line at the bottom of your Professional Experience section that states Details about prior experience are available upon request . You shouldnt necessarily list everything you did or do at recent positions, either. Instead, yourrsumshould highlight the areas in your background that most closely reflect the Requirements and Experiencesections of the job posts to which youre responding.2. Your LinkedIn profile shouldnt just be an online version of yourrsum. When you simply cut and paste yourrsuminto your online profile, you demonstrate a lack of knowledge about how social mediaworks. You also forfeit an opportunity to take advantage of LinkedIns features. You should make every effort to complete all the sections of your online profile and include rich information, such as PowerPoint presentations, portfolios of your work, skills, languages and more. And while you should never put your picture into yourrsum, you should always put a clear, professional-looking headshot of yourself in your LinkedIn profile. In your Summary section, drop stilted language that refers to yourself in the third person. Instead, take pains to be social and use the first person I have experience in the areas of A, B and C.3. Your bewerbungsgesprch isnt just about answering questions. Of course, you need to be prepared to answer everything from the standard strengths and weakness and salary questions to more thoughtful behavior-based questions that begin, tell me about a time when But you should turn the interview from a grilling into a conversation by asking questions along the way. For example, after you finish answering a question, you can ask Is this the information you are looking for? Thats a way to make sure you are on topic and have hit the target. At the end of your answer to a behavioral question, you might turn the question around and pose it to your interviewer. Heres howSuppose you are asked, tell me about a time when you disagreed strongly with your boss. As you finish your answer, instead of pausing to wait for another question, instead ask In your companys culture, how are these kinds of situ ations best handled?This way, you can come back and modify your answer or reaffirm how your own style mirrors the company and thereby put that question to rest. When you take the time to step back and think about the process, you can understand how to best relate your experience and value to potential employers. Your communications will come across with greater self-assurance and clarity. And you will stand out in a refreshing way from your competition. Happy huntingArnie Fertig, MPA, is passionate about helping hisJobhuntercoachclients advance their careers by transforming frantic Ill apply to anything searches into focused hunts for great fit opportunities. He brings to each client the extensive knowledge he gained when working in HR staffing and managing his boutique recruiting firm.