Career Success Partners

Today's 2-MINUTE CHALLENGE: Time to Clear Your Head and Clear Your Mind

Today's Quick 2-Minute Podcast Tip:

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Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: Andy@CareerSuccessCommunity.com

www.CareerSuccessCommunity.com - The Premier Interactive Career Development Community

A Gift to Others: "No Need to Respond"

Many email messages sent do NOT require a response. Recipients, however, almost always feel compelled to respond, even if only with a few words.

Try using this: "No need to respond" or "NNTR" -- Use it in a subject line. Or use it at the end of an email message .

Let your email recipient know that you DON'T EXPECT a response. Saves them time and ultimately saves you time.

Give the gift of NNTR as often as you can. Help stem the flow of unnecessary email exchange.

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Andy Robinson
CRG Leadership Institute LLC
239-285-5575
Andy@CRGLeaders.com

www.AndyRobinsonCoach.com

www.AndyOnLinkedIn.com

What Are Your "Push My Button" Habits?

Some people know exactly which "button" to push to get us to react to something. Many times those individuals have more of an awareness of us than we do of ourselves -- they know exactly how we tend to react to those button pushes. Those reactions are HABITS -- behavior patterns that are almost automatic or ingrained in our nature.

One of my "push my button" habits has been how I tend to react when I hear a car horn blow next to me when I'm out on a solo bike ride. Past habit: Anger, maybe even some choice words for the driver. New habit: Tell myself the driver is simply giving me a warning (for my own safety), letting me know that he/she is pulling up beside me ... near me. Wave and say thank you. Result: I feel better, I maintain my composure, and I act consistent with my value system.

What are YOUR "push my button" habits? How do you deal with and react to confrontation ... or disagreement with your opinion on something ... or being told what to do ... or "constructive" criticism ... or a car blowing its horn at you in traffic? Develop an awareness of those habits. Seek out others' perspectives on those habits.

Are you satisfied with those habits? Do they reflect how you want to be seen? Do they run counter to the "brand" you want to convey of yourself?

Which one of those habits do you need to focus on "fixing" this week? What will you begin doing DIFFERENTLY next time? Tell others.

Habits can be changed -- new ones (good ones) can be adopted and bad ones can be dropped or replaced.

Andy Robinson,
Executive Coach
Andy@CRGLeaders.com
239-285-5575

When Quitting Is a GOOD Thing

"Employ the power of positive quitting.

Most of us view quitting as something negative, but it’s not. ‘Winners never quit,’ we’re told, when, in reality, winners quit all the time: Choosing to stop doing things that aren’t creating the results they desire.

When you quit all the things that aren’t working for you, when you quit tolerating all the negative things that hold you back, you’ll create a positive ‘charge’ in your life as well as create the space in your life for more positive experiences." -- Jim Allen

Andy Robinson,
Executive Coach
Andy@CRGLeaders.com
239-285-5575

Have a Mentor? If Not, Try This....

A mentor can have a transformational impact on your career and on your life, but we have to actively seek out and "engage" our mentors. We have to take ownership of initiating and sustaining an effective mentoring relationship.

TRY THIS TODAY: Take 10-15 minutes to stop and think about 5 people who might be ideal mentors - experts in your field, a former college professor, a former boss or colleague, or someone you met in one of your social networks. Write those names down and keep them somewhere handy and visible.

NEXT STEP: Reach out to one of those individuals over the next week to discuss a mentoring relationship. Think of at least ONE CHALLENGE or one problem you're facing that a mentor might contribute significant value to helping you with. Engage your mentor in a discussion on that topic. Go into the conversation fully prepared and ready to have a meaningful dialogue.

Follow up with your mentor regarding results and outcome. Thank them for their input.

Make this a habit going forward. Mentors can help you work MAGIC.

ONE MORE THING: Who can YOU serve as a mentor for? What's the NEXT STEP with that potential relationship?

Andy Robinson,
Executive Coach
Andy@CRGLeaders.com
239-285-5575

Piggyback a New Habit to Make It Stick

Got a NEW HABIT you're trying to make stick, but just not having any sustainable success with it? Then try this strategy .... Pick an EXISTING HABIT you have -- perhaps one you consider a daily ritual that you very rarely, if ever, skip. Use that existing habit as a TRIGGER to piggyback the NEW habit on. Develop a new routine of following the old habit with the new habit. The chances of the new habit "sticking" will then significantly increase.

A quick example .... I keep a daily journal in which I record things in my work life and personal life for which I am grateful -- people, opportunities, experiences and things. A number of years back, I wanted to develop a habit of sending "Thank You" notes to people. Piggybacking the NEW HABIT of writing thank you notes off of my old habit of journalizing gratitude was a very natural extension .... and it STUCK .... and continues to this day.

What old habit could you piggyback a new habit off of? Pick a powerful new habit and use the old habit as your trigger. You'll be amazed at the results.

Andy Robinson,
Executive Coach
Andy@CRGLeaders.com
239-285-5575

Today's 2-MINUTE CHALLENGE : Quit Tolerating Things That Drain You

Today's Quick 2-Minute Podcast Tip:

---

Andy Robinson, Executive Career Coach
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: Andy@CRGLeaders.com, 239-285-5575

What Big Goal are You Sitting on?

We're approaching the mid-year point .... July is right around the corner. Where are you with the goals you set for yourself this year? Your work goals? Your personal goals? Your family goals?

Is there a BIG GOAL you set for yourself at the outset of the year that hasn't received the attention you intended? What's holding you back? What difference COULD it make in your work life or personal life if you accomplished that big goal this year?

Write the goal down. Write down the benefits of achieving the goal. Reflect on those benefits for a few moments. Visualize yourself achieving the goal. Visualize the outcomes associated with achieving the goal. Write down your feelings associated with those outcomes.

Now .... what is the VERY NEXT THING you can do to get traction on that goal? Be specific as to what that action is. Write it down. Mark some time on your calendar to undertake that action -- schedule the block of time.

What is a near-term milestone you can for yourself related to the goal? Write it down. How will you reward yourself for achieving that milestone? Does the very next step noted above clearly move you in the direction of achieving that milestone?

Repeat the above process once each week -- maybe on a Friday afternoon or Monday morning. You'll surprise yourself at the results you'll achieve.

Andy Robinson,
Executive Coach
Andy@CRGLeaders.com
239-285-5575

Become a Master of Follow-Through

Follow-through on your commitments to others. Always avoid making commitments that you're not likely to keep.

Write down commitments in a place where they're likely to be reviewed and acted upon by the date you committed to. Ensure you have a reliable "system" to capture follow up activities and promises you make to others.

Embrace a personal mantra of under-promising and over-delivering. Your reputation, credibility and level of trust are fashioned based upon how well you follow-through to others.

Be a ROLE MODEL for follow-through; make follow-through one of the key features of your personal brand.

What commitments did you make in the last 24 hours that need to be captured into your to do system?

Andy Robinson,
Executive Coach
Andy@CRGLeaders.com
239-285-5575

Big Decision? Ask Your Advisory Board

Who do you go to for advice and input on BIG decisions? Who do you use as a sounding board?

Big decisions often get deferred or are simply put off indefinitely. Too much may be riding on the line. Risks may be high. Other people will likely be impacted -- some for the good; some for the bad.

Many of my coaching clients have a "go to" group of people in their inner circle who serve as valuable contributors when a BIG decision Is on the line. Those clients almost always get quicker resolution on making big decisions, and, as a result, tend to achieve bigger and better things in their professional and personal lives.

Who is YOUR go to group -- those who you might consider an informal Advisory Board? Have you taken the time to give strategic consideration to selecting such a group? Who might you include as part of that informal board of advisors?

Map out a plan today to identify YOUR "Advisory Board." Write their names down. Begin including them in the decision-making process the next time you face a really big decision. Note how much more effective your decision-making process is. Note how much more confident you become in the decisions you make.

What big decision are you putting off NOW that might benefit from the input of your self-appointed Advisory Board?