Career Success Partners

Executive Coach Tip: Employ The Copycat Principle

Is there a problem you're trying to solve, a challenge you're trying to overcome, a goal you're striving to achieve, or an opportunity you're trying to take advantage of?  Sure there is, and for most of us, it's all of those things.

Stop for a minute, a bring of those things to mind -- the problem, the challenge, the goal or the opportunity -- and take these FOUR STEPS:

1. Clearly define your DESIRED OUTCOME.  What EXACTLY is the problem, the challenge, the goal or the opporunity?
2. Locate a Role Model. WHO do know who has successfullly dealt with this issue? If no one comes to mind, HOW can you identify someone who has successfully dealt with the issue?  Who can you ask that might know someone?  Look around at work colleagues, leadership team members, members of clubs or organization you're involved in -- ask and observe. Find "that somebody" (or two ... or three) who has successfully dealt with this issue.
3. Meet with the Role Model(s). Dig in, ask questions and understand WHAT IT IS that they do or have done to successfully solve a similar problem, overcome a similar challenge, achieve a similar goal, or take advantage of a similar opportunity.  Take notes and distill it down to a SIMPLE set of actions -- 'cause usually that's all it is.
4. Employ the Copycat Principle. Know DO THOSE SAME things. Refine or fine-tune the actions as necessary but replicate, duplicate, and COPY SUCCESS.

Why "recreate the wheel?" Focus on the solution .... the problem has already been solved, the challenge has already been overcome, the goal has been achieved and the opportunity has been realized before.  Find out what the successful DOERS have already done .... and DO IT!

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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: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach Tip: Ask Questions, Listen, Repeat

Whether you're networking for new business, at a party meeting new people, talking to a friend or work colleague, or just hanging out with others .... there's one practice that ALWAYS endears you to others and demonstrates you care, compassion and interest in others.

Ask great questions .... then listen fully to the answer.

The voice that people most like to hear is their OWN voice.  The best way to encourage others to talk and fulfill their desire to hear their own voice is to ASK GREAT QUESTIONS.  Asking questions allows you to learn more about other people -- strangers, colleagues and friends -- and demonstrates YOUR interest in the relationship and the other person.

Believe it or not .... people will think you're a "great conversationalist" and "a very interesting person to talk to" when you ask great questions and allow them to do most of the talking.  You'll almost always experience a reciprocation as well .... a shift at some point in time in the conversation where the other person will begin doing the same .... asking you great questions. 

Begin with YOU .... be the role model in demonstrating care for and interest in the other person .... ask great questions.  Listen carefully and fully and ask more questions.  Allow the reciprocation shift to happen .... gratefully receive their gift of asking YOU great questions too.  You'll find that much more meaningful conversations will emerge and your relationships will deepen, strengthen and develop more fully.

The formula is simple .... Ask questions, listen and repeat.  Try it today in your very next conversation.  Let it become your standard approach to conversation. Role model it for others.

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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: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Executive Coach Tip: Expand and Nurture Your Internal Network

As you move UPWARD in your organization, it will become more and more important that you understand, appreciate and take into consideration the goals, challenges and activities of other departments and other functional areas in your organization.  In the end, they're ALL connected to each other; they all share common goals from a big picture standpoint; and .... they are all interdepent -- dependent upon one another.

So .... what does this mean to YOU as an emerging leader?  .... As someone who has a vested interest in expanding your scope of influence? As someone who will ultimately be called upon to take on bigger and bigger roles and responsibilities? As someone who will hopefully be looked upon as a key member of your organization's senior leadership team?

It means that developing and nurturing your internal network is a MUST DO.  It means YOU must take an ACTIVE role in developing that network .... holding yourself accountable to building relationships; making it your personal responsibility to spend time with other team leaders.

Assertively seek out and get to know leaders and key members of other departments:

• Join them for lunch
• Invite them to lunch
• Meet them for an early cup of coffee
• Get to know them outside of your work environment
• Get involved in special projects that cut across multiple teams and get to know all of the team members
• Be alert for opportunities to spend time with them

Try this ....

• Write down the names of all the team leaders, department leaders, etc. in your organization -- look down, around and upward in the organization
• Score yourself on the quality of your relationship with each of those individuals
• Identify the ones you need to get to know over the next 30, 60, 90 days
• Develop a list of ideas for things you can do to get to know those individuals
• Do something THIS WEEK to take action on a couple of those ideas
• Do something next week ... and the following week
• Make it a weekly habit
• Re-score your relationships once a quarter and adjust your efforts accordingly

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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: [email protected], 239-285-5575

13 Habits That May Be Sabotaging Your Career

Everyone has bad habits. Smoking, driving too fast, overeating, giving in to stress; no matter what the habit is, we all know that we need to break them, if only we could find the motivation. How’s this for motivation? Some of your bad habits may actually be sabotaging your career. Whether it’s office gossip or playing around on Facebook, it’s time to kick these bad habits to the curb. Read on, and discover which bad work habits may be getting in the way of your next promotion.

1. GOSSIP:

   

   If you answer “How was your day?” questions with gossip or complaints about your co-workers or clients, it’s a bad sign. Gossip isn’t productive for work, and it can really make you look like a negative person.

2. BLAMING OTHERS:

   

   Before you point out why someone else is making your life so difficult, take the time to consider what you might have done better. Chances are, it’s not all their fault, or any at all. Remember that you can’t control what others do, only how you deal with those actions. Step up to the plate and be more proactive and responsible for your own work life.

3. BLOWING OFF DEADLINES:

   

   It’s tempting to turn things in “just a little late,” but doing so is career sabotage. Your boss and colleagues learn that they can’t count on you, and it’s frustrating for others that are waiting on you. Show that you respect their time by meeting deadlines regularly and communicating clearly and early on the rare occasions when you can’t.

4. PROCRASTINATION:

   

   This one goes hand in hand with blowing off deadlines. Push things to the side too often, and of course, you’ll be late. But not only that, you’ll look bad. No one is impressed by your big show of getting it all done at the last minute. They’d be much more impressed if you carefully planned your time and productivity to get things done on time or even early.

5. NEVER LETTING GO OF WORK:

   

   You might assume that working 24/7 will help you get ahead, but so often, the opposite is true. It’s important to unchain from work, taking regular breaks to become more productive. You’ll be able to come back with a fresh outlook and do a better job.

6. ZONING OUT ONLINE:

   

   Sure, just about everyone has Facebook, but that doesn’t mean you have to connect at work. Kill the bad habit of checking your favorite sites before settling in for work. You’re wasting precious time, and if your coworkers see what you’re doing, you’re putting off a bad impression. Avoid getting sidetracked; just focus on work during work time.

7. POOR COMMUNICATION:

   

   Your coworkers like to be informed, not left in the dark. You don’t need to inundate them with email updates, but be sure that if they’re waiting on you for something, they know what the status is. Forget to do this, and you’ll come off as disorganized and undependable.

8. POOR HEALTH AND HYGIENE:

   

   A sloppy appearance can really affect you at work. Dressing poorly or not keeping up with your hygiene sends a message that you don’t take your job seriously. Take a look around and see what your coworkers are wearing. Maintain a level of dress that matches or exceed what everyone else is doing so that you can put off a professional appearance.

9. KEEPING A LOW PROFILE:

   

   Whether you’re shy or busy, or just can’t be bothered, keeping a low profile is just not a good idea. Being an unknown in your organization gets you nowhere, where making connections and allowing your work to be recognized can open you up to opportunities. Get out from behind your desk, interacting with others, volunteering for new projects, and spending more time being visible at work.

10. NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY:

    

    No one likes a prima donna at work. Workers who refuse to step out of their job description or keep iron-clad hours even in the busiest of seasons don’t win any favor. Sure, it’s important to keep yourself from being overwhelmed, but you’ve got to be a team player, too. Be careful not to let anyone hear you say, “That’s not in my job description.” Instead, be willing to pitch in when needed.

11. POOR EMAIL ETIQUETTE:

    

    Email is so prevalent these days, most people send messages without a second thought. But if you’re not proofreading, you’re really doing yourself a disservice. Stick to professional email etiquette, take your time to make sure your message is correct (and being sent to the right recipients), and project a professional email image.

12. LATENESS:

    

    Punctuality is key to professionalism. No one likes a late worker, and if you’re late to meetings, it’s really rude. Being late projects a message that you think your time is more valuable than others’ (it’s not). Lateness makes you look like an unreliable, inconsiderate person. Plan ahead, and do your best to be punctual on a regular basis. If you know you’re not going to make it on time, be sure to let others know, and apologize when you get there.

13. RESISTING CHANGE:

    

    Work for a company long enough, and things are bound to change. Sure, you may be set in your ways, but if you resist progress at work, you just might get left behind. Whining about new processes, technology, and developments makes you sound like a curmudgeon. Be a team player and get on board with progress at work.

     

    Source: www.OnlineCollege.org. See original article HERE.

Executive Coach Tip of the Day: Check Your Eyewear

Check your eyewear .... I can't remember who I heard this phrase from the first time, but I definitely remember it, and I think about it from time to time.

So, what does it mean? We all view things through a set of filters -- through our personal view of the world -- our personal eyewear that shades and colors our thinking, our opinions, and how we judge or interpret things.

The thing to remember, however, is that things change, circumstances change, the outer world is in constant motion. Our view may become stale, may become outdated, and may no longer serve us. We therefore need to step back from time to time and check our eyewear. Maybe we need to change our view, our story, and the way that we see things. Otherwise, we're not able to make the best decisions that truly serve us.

When's the last time you checked your eyewear?

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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: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach Tip of the Day: Let Go of Being Right

Maybe you DO know the answer .... Maybe, just maybe you DO know the best way to do it .... Maybe you've solved the problem at hand before and KNOW the best solution .... BUT maybe, just maybe you don't. Could there be a better answer, a better way to do it, a better solution? Maybe, possibly, perhaps?

Try this today .... LET GO of any need you have to "BE RIGHT." Give someone else room to figure out the answer, the best way, the solution. Help them find THEIR answer .... Ask questions, probe and LISTEN. Broaden your perspective, allow yourself to remain open to other alternatives .... Maybe a new answer, a new way, a new solution will emerge.

Give others a chance .... Allow others to openly express their perspectives, their opinions, their beliefs. Maybe they're not what you hold "true," but maybe, just maybe they do have merit.

Make a new choice today .... Choose being kind and being open over being right.

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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: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Executive Coach's Tip: Tag Your Requests with a Due Date and Time

Leaders, managers .... how often have you asked a team member to do something and found that it didn't get done when you expected?

Try this today .... Tag ALL of your requests with a due date and time, particularly those that are time senstive and impact a due date or deadline that you have ownership date.  Ask them:

• When can it be done -- date and time?
• Is there anything else I have given you that you'll need to re-priortize to get this new request done at that date and time?
• What will be the obstacles to getting it done by that date and time?
• How will you overcome those obstacles?
• Are you fully committed to your indicated date and time?
• If not, what date and time would you be fully committed to?

Make a habit of tagging your request from others with a due date and time and observe the difference it makes.

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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: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com

Today's 2-MINUTE CHALLENGE: How to Make Delegation Easy

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:  [email protected]

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

 

Today's 2-MINUTE CHALLENGE: Do What You Say You'll Do

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:  [email protected]

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

 

Executive Coach's Tip: Be the Early Bird

Great leaders are great role models.  People watch EVERYTHING you do .... they hear everything you say.  Be the one to SET THE STANDARD for others to follow.

It may seem like a small thing, but running late, even by just a couple of minutes sets a standard that others observe and follow.  Being punctual shows respect for others .... it shows you care, it tells "them" they're important.

Try this beginning today .... Arrive a few minutes early for EVERY meeting on your calendar, perhaps even 10 minutes early, and:

• Use that time to engage in dialogue with your colleagues and team mates
• Review the agenda
• Give your material a final review
• Make notes of important questions to ask

Be a role model .... set the standard for others. Show others YOU care and you respect their time.

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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: [email protected], 239-285-5575

Photo Credit: www.BigStockPhoto.com