Sunday, August 23, 2015

"Change your attitude, change your office"

Jul. 1 "Change your attitude, change your office": I cut out this article by Gabrielle Bernstein in Metro on Jun. 9, 2014:

Working with others can be a lot of fun, but it can also be your chief source of stress. The fact is, most of us were never taught the art of healthy collaboration, so navigating working relationships can be tricky. In any collaboration, you’re dealing with different personalities and energy. When your energy doesn’t flow with someone else’s, getting even simple things done can be a massive struggle.

Throughout my career as an entrepreneur, I’ve worked with many different vendors, agents, assistants and clients. Sometimes the relationships seem to flow naturally, but in other instances it’s been tedious and trying. It’s important to me to have a more efficient and peaceful work life, so over time I’ve developed and committed to some key best practices.
If you struggle to get along with your co-workers, clients or other colleagues, follow these three guidelines. They’re guaranteed to change the energy, increase your productivity and keep the peace.
 

1. It’s not about you

 
Everyone comes to work with his or her own baggage. People show up to the office with neuroses dating back to childhood; fighting their own fear-based stories and limiting beliefs. No matter how much personal growth work someone has done, they’re still clearing old beliefs and behaviors. Therefore, it’s essential to not take other people’s personalities to heart. Their issues truly are not about you. When you can accept that everyone is fighting their own tough battles, you can show up to the office with more compassion.
 

2. Focus on what you can give rather than what you can get

 
When you enter into any kind of work relationship (whether with a boss, a client, a co-worker or someone you’re negotiating with), showing up with a service mentality has a powerful influence on your behavior and the outcome of a situation. This simple change in mindset has a huge effect. Most of us are used to walking into a business situation with a “What can I get?” attitude. Instead, ask yourself, “What can I give?” Bringing forth an energy of service helps other people want to serve you back. Focus on how you can create a space where everyone wins.

3. Your attitude is everything

 
By now you know the difference between what happens when you show up to work with a “baditude” and when you show up in good spirits. The moment you arrive in the office, you set the tone for the rest of the day. Your positive attitude is everything when it comes to healthy work relationships. To start your day off right, commit to approaching things with a positive intention. Before you walk through the door to your office, silently bless everyone you work with. Envision them smiling and happy. Send each one a positive thought. Your energy and intentions speak much louder than your words. Bring your good vibes to the office and expect miracles!


"Gain speed in the modern rat race": I cut out this article by Riana Topan in the Metro on Nov. 12, 2014.  On Talent Egg, it's called "Staying competitive in the Job Market."  Here's the whole article:

One mistake that many young professionals make is thinking that once you’ve entered the job market, that’s it – you’re employable for life.

In reality, you have to work at staying marketable so that you will always be valuable to current and potential employers.
Here are six ways that you can stay competitive in the “real (read: working) world.”

In addition to making you more desirable as an employee, these steps should also give you the satisfaction of knowing that you’re doing everything you can to set yourself up for success in your career.
 

1. Professional development

 
This term might have sounded vague and slightly ominous when you were in school, but there’s a reason it gets tossed around so much. It’s incredibly important to continuously learn about your profession and what makes someone good at it.

There are always new technologies, strategies and work methods emerging in any given field. Professional development – in the form of workshops, courses, training programs or online webinars, for examples – will help you to stay on top of best practices and give you a chance to learn from the pros.
 

2. Networking

 
Building up a professional network is great, whether you’re thinking about future job prospects, wanting to learn from those who have gone before you or if you just enjoy meeting new people.

If there aren’t any networking events in your area that you can attend, try reaching out to people who have worked at your company for a while to see if you can buy them lunch or a coffee and ask them about their careers. Or, contact people who are around your age or who are working in similar positions at other companies to see if they’re interested in getting together to chat about any work-related challenges you’re all facing.

Together, you could brainstorm some great potential solutions.
 

3. Volunteering

 
Volunteering is beneficial at any stage of your life or career. Signing up to volunteer at an organization you’re interested in is an excellent way to give back to your community, learn new skills and meet some amazing people.

You may discover an interest you didn’t know you had or learn that you don’t actually like a particular line of work as much as you thought you might.

And of course, volunteer positions look great on a CV.
 

4. Take initiative

Practice saying “yes”.
 
The more you are open to trying new things and taking on roles or responsibilities that are outside of your usual duties, the more opportunities you are giving yourself to learn, grow and shine.

If your boss wants someone to take over a new project or portfolio, don’t wait until it’s assigned to you.
Instead, offer to take the lead on it (as long as it won’t make your workload unmanageable). This will show your employer that you’re a go-getter and it could end up being a really positive experience.
 

5. Research

 
Unless your job actually involves research, this is probably something you thought you could avoid upon leaving school. This isn’t like the painstaking research you did before writing an essay – it’s about staying up-to-date with what’s going on in your industry.

In today’s market, there is fierce competition for every job and industries change much more rapidly than they did in the past. Try subscribing to a blog that relates to your field, reading relevant journals or magazines or signing up to get email alerts every time something newsworthy happens in your industry.

Whatever you need to do, make an effort to be aware of current trends and new developments that could impact your work.
 

6. Find a mentor

 
Finding a mentor doesn’t have to require a huge commitment or be a formal and demanding relationship.

It’s mainly about having someone you can talk to – whether it’s a boss, colleague or friend – who has more experience than you and who is willing to share their tricks of the trade.

Everyone needs a bit of guidance sometimes and thankfully there are many people out there who are willing to pass on what they’ve learned to those who are just starting out.

Use these strategies to show the world that you’re serious about your career and that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to rise above and beyond.

You’ll open up all kinds of doors for yourself and your resume will look great to boot!


My opinion: In a way, I hope I am being a mentor to the people who read my weekly emails/ blog posts about these job articles.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)