Limiting beliefs are firmly held convictions that hold us back in some way. I like to all this Stinking Thinking because it really is. By holding on to those thoughts you are allowing yourself to be less than you are truly capable of. It limits your ability to live your best life. Stinking Thinking can do more than just damage your belief in yourself. It can completely kill your self-esteem and get in the way of you being able to make positive and much-needed life changes. There are 5 very common ways that Stinking Thinking can show up in your life. Do you ever have any of these thoughts?
I Don’t Deserve Good Things
When you tell yourself that you don’t deserve good things, good things won’t happen to you. What are the chances of you getting an ice cream sundae if you have told yourself over and over that you don’t deserve it? Pretty slim. You may be, without realizing it, turning down awesome opportunities that are presented to you or self-sabotaging current ones. People who are confident that they deserve good things, get good things. They go get the ice cream for themselves!
Things Will Never Get Better
Everyone experiences challenges in life. No one has a perfect life. Often, when things go wrong, people feel sad, anxious, upset, or even depressed. If you continue to tell yourself that things can’t get better, you aren’t holding space for the better things to come into your life. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Most people who have faced adversity come out the other end as far stronger people. Besides, you don’t have a time machine. You don’t know what the future has in store for you.
I’m Too Unattractive
There may have been things that have happened to you that make you begin to question your appearance. While appearance does play an essential role in delivering an excellent first impression, things like executive presence, charm and charm and overall attractiveness are about so much more than just looks. Confidence, in and of itself, is attractive. Trust me.
There’s No Point Trying, I Will Fail
Having a mindset of failure stops you from being successful. End of story. If you are afraid of failure the harder, it will be for you to try doing wonderful things. Instead, come from a mindset of understanding that people fail, every single day, and people succeed after failure every single day. Focus on learning to understand the “why” behind the failure and use that knowledge to get better and better each time. There are tons of inventions that people use every day that are “failures”. You may try and fail yourself into a million dollar product.
I Will Never Find Happiness
Well, Eeyore, you won’t find anything if you keep telling yourself that you can’t find it. There will always be negative things that happen to you, negative people who want to be around you, negative emotions that may surface. Happiness is a learned skill. Start with thinking of all of the small things that are in your life that you are grateful for. Then let it grow from there.
In any business, it is crucial to find something about your brand that makes it stand out. What differentiates you from the competition? Why should clients choose your business as opposed to the dozens of other options out there? What is your competitive advantage? A personal brand helps shape your company’s identity and is one of the main things that people will associate with your product. If you currently work for an organization, determining your personal brand can be the difference between getting promoted or getting passed over.
What Makes a Personal Brand?
Is creating a personal brand about finding a strong niche in a particular market, or is it about having a snappy logo? Is it about creating an image that people can understand and relate to? Is it about executive presence? The answer is all of the above and then some.
Say you’re at the grocery store, feeling a little hungry and looking at candy bars. Snickers has established their bars as being high in protein and a good snack to eat to curb hunger for an hour or two. “Gonna be awhile? Grab a Snickers,” their commercials say. Knowing that you can eat one and stave off hunger for a while, you may be more keen to buy Snickers so that you can shop without a grumbling stomach. For me, it’s Slim Jim’s. There are other brands, but that is the one that is “for me”.
This is an example of brand. It has attraction and personality to it beyond just the product itself. You need to learn how to develop that for your own products and services–that personality that your customers will latch onto. It is what makes customers say that your product is “for them”.
When you’re at work, what do people say about you before you enter the room? What do they say after? You want to make sure that you leave a positive, lasting impression. Your personal brand should enter the room well before you arrive.
Personal Style
Developing a personal style that connects with others is very important, especially when marketing a person. For example, (and I’m probably dating myself with this example) Jennifer Lopez has created a personal brand. She is a multitalented and creative artist who still manages to be “Jenny from the block,” just a regular girl. Whether she is singing, acting or selling her perfume line, she has created an identity that resonates with people and makes them more likely to buy her products.
Target Audience
In order to develop a successful personal brand, it is vital to understand your target audience. You have to know not only what you are offering, but also who may be interested in your services. Knowing who to market to is a good way to zero in on potential clients and focus your efforts. What about this product is useful to people? Who is going to enjoy it? What will they use it for? These are all critical questions to ask. For those in corporate America, you need to think about your audience. Is it your leader? Your peers? Your direct reports? The truth of the matter is that they are all your audience.
Internet Presence
In today’s world, internet presence is also crucial. Facebook and Instagram posts give customers a sense of what your brand wants to bring to the world and increases dialogue about your product. Reviews are also important for defining a brand; word of mouth can be a defining factor in product development. For example, websites like Yelp allow customers to review business establishments. Many people will search for a business on Google, and if it is listed on Yelp, they read the reviews. Positive reviews make them more likely to use your services. The same goes for individuals looking to enhance their careers. LinkedIn is the go-to place for people checking out applicants. Do you have positive recommendations and a winning profile?
How to Build Your Brand
Building a brand is a three-step process. The first step is deciding what the brand is. What makes your product unique? Why do you like it? Why do you think people should buy it? The second step involves getting feedback on your brand; get second opinions from marketing experts and customers who will tell you if they are getting the impression you are hoping they get. This is helpful because sometimes we are not the best judges of how our work is coming across to others. Lastly, learn how to promote your brand effectively and market it so that you will get the desired response.
If you are working, do a 360 evaluation. Get feedback from all of your “audience” so that you have a starting point as to what your brand is. Then work towards building the personal brand that you want.
Ultimately, building a personal brand is a very individual process. However, virtually everyone needs to decide what separates them for their competitors. Experiment with different ideas: new products, advertising, and logos. Over time, you will start to get a clearer sense of where your business fits into the world and where to go with it. Keep working and learning and, most of all, enjoy the journey.
Building your personal brand? Get success coaching from some of the best experts in the industry. Sears Coaching will help you accomplish your goals and stay on track. Contact us today to get started.
You’ve read the resumes, and they’re stellar. So do you really need to read the cover letters? While some may insist that cover letters are unnecessary, these documents can give you deeper insight into each individual candidate. Here are some things to look for in the cover letter that can help the best applicant really shine:
Is it Specialized?
One of the first indicators of an outstanding candidate may be a specialized cover letter. All too often, candidates create one generic resume and cover letter package that they use to apply to all jobs, regardless of the position or industry. Your business deserves more than a generic template. So, look for cover letters that have been tailored or individualized to fit your specific industry or job description.
While resumes may be impartial and difficult to differentiate from prefabricated templates, cover letters should not read like an automated message. Instead, they should be distinct and individual, offering the hiring manager insight into the candidate and their interest in the company. The best cover letters are the ones that go beyond stating individual interests and speak to the company culture or mission, as this indicates a candidate who has done their homework and who is interested in the company as a whole, rather than just the position.
Does it Demonstrate Good Communication Skills?
Cover letters are also a great opportunity to gauge the written communication skills of a potential candidate. Being able to write effectively is essential in nearly all work environments, and the cover letter should demonstrate a candidate’s command of these skills. Does the candidate use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling? Are his or her sentences easily understood and clearly stated? Is the letter formatted properly? If a candidate hasn’t mastered these basic skills, they won’t be able to write up reports, create memos, or write emails to clients to a standard befitting a modern business. Additionally, some managers may be sticklers for length, arguing that cover letters should be no more than a page, but no less than two paragraphs. Others assert that the ideal cover letter should fill about 75% of a page. However, cover letter length shouldn’t be your first concern. As long as the letter is well-written, personal and makes a statement about the candidate that is clear and engaging, the cover letter may be as short or as long as the candidate likes.
Does it Make the Candidate Stand Out?
Ideally, a cover letter should act as a first interview before any phone or face-to-face interviews take place. While resumes may illustrate a candidate’s skills, education and prior work history, these documents are often brief and barebones, seeking to offer up only the most important information as quickly as possible. Resumes, by necessity, are very impersonal, so the cover letter should be the more the personal side of an applicant’s submission, offering hiring managers insight into the candidate and filling in the gaps in the resume.
More than skills and education, the best cover letters showcase a candidate’s personal and professional growth throughout the course of their career, highlight talent and interests outside the job description and help to gauge how well that applicant may fit into the existing company culture.
With the economy and job wages improving, it is more important now than ever that business leaders make the intentional effort to implement programs designed to attract and retain employees. As a business leader, it is your responsibility to make your employees feel wanted and valued. Here are four ideas on how you can show appreciation for your employees.
Good Benefits
With competitive salaries soaring across all industries, a good benefits package can tip the balance in your favor when it comes to recruiting potential employees. Prospective employees need to know that they and their family will be taken care of with a wide variety of benefits, including medical, dental, and life insurance. A solid 401(k) plan is also a necessity when trying to recruit and retain the best possible employees for your organization.
Recognition
Savvy business leaders understand the importance of an employee recognition program. Setting a high standard of care in ensuring that your employees get their due recognition will encourage further productivity, benefitting your bottom line and paying off big dividends down the road. Offering tangible rewards for the recognition will only further motivate employees and provide an incentive for their continued hard work.
Party On
Office parties and catered meals can go a long way in improving company morale by engaging employees and encouraging personal interaction. In addition to annual holiday parties and company summer picnics, consider adding a series of surprise events during the work week. For example, a costume contest on Halloween or a spread of sweet treats on Valentine’s Day. It is often the little things that make the biggest difference when trying to show employees how much they are valued for their hard work.
Swag Giveaways
Let your employees show their pride in your company by generating company-specific swag. Take the time to research the latest trends in swag so that you are providing your employees with both practical and inventive giveaways. You can incorporate the giveaways into the employee recognition program, offer them as door prizes at company parties, or simply give them out on a routine basis to deserving employees.
Effective business leaders are those who take the time to show appreciation for all of their employees regardless of their status in the company. By doing so you will improve employee morale as well as increase productivity, benefiting everyone in the organization.
The uncertainty surrounding starting your own business can be daunting. With so many things to do before you even open shop, the feeling of there always being more work to be done can make your startup seem like an overwhelming venture. These are a few suggestions that can help you feel more secure before you welcome your first customers.
Understand the Basics of Search Engine Optimization
While search engine optimization, also known as SEO, can be quite complex, it can also be hugely beneficial for your online presence. Goins Writer explains, “having the right keyword strategy can lead to a broader audience and an increase in potential customers.” These tips can help you optimize your website effectively for search engines:
Make sure that your content consists of 1 to 3 percent keywords. This will ensure that your site ranks well with search engines without taking the risk of getting it pulled from search results.
Remember to ensure that you have plenty of long-tail keywords. This means that the keywords you choose are a string of four or more words. The reason that you need to include long-tail keywords in your keyword list is that they are more likely to be searched by people than shorter keywords and have less competition.
Make sure that your entire list of keywords is fairly long. It’s important to have a mixture of long-tail keywords and keywords that are a single word.
A franchise business will act as a safety net of sorts for your company. That is because if one branch isn’t doing well, the others will be able to make up the slack. Franchise Gator claims that food franchises “make up about 32% of all franchise establishments in the U.S. and employs over 5 million people”. Furthermore, owning a branch of a franchise rather than going into business completely on your own has advantages due to pre-existing franchises being recognized more by the general public. This is the difference between opening up a brand new spa all on your own and opening up a Hand and Stone spa.
Do Competitor Research
One of the best ways to do this research is with surveys, and businesses all over the world swear by this strategy. Another great way to do research on the popularity of your products in a specific region is to look at your competitors. Find out how successful they are with certain products that you’re considering offering and what they could improve upon. By researching what others are accomplishing as well as what they’re failing at, you can have an edge up on the competition in your market.
Be Prepared for the Ways That Your Work Life Will Change
While many people become self-employed because of the independence and freedom that it gives them, this freedom creates additional responsibilities. One of the best ways to prepare yourself for the new and exciting challenges that come along with being a new entrepreneur is to seek career coaching. Coaching can help prepare you for the world of self-employment and prevent many of the pitfalls that may accompany it, like burning out.
These are a few ways that you can make your goals more secure, but they aren’t the only things to keep in mind when starting your own business. Continually learning about successful business techniques and strategies can give you valuable confidence when starting up your business.
Most people who know me well know that I love keeping things short, sweet and to the point. Efficiency is a key ingredient to success for entrepreneurs and business owners. All time and money that can be saved while still adequately completing vital business functions have a direct benefit on the bottom line of the company.
Modern technology has done a fantastic job of providing business owners with methods to improve the efficiency of their business operations. There are three major ways technology can help a business to save time and money.
Calculate Your Time Expenses
Business owners who calculate earnings based on a per-project basis or on the hours required to complete a job know that the old saying “’time is money” has a lot of truth in it. The time that employees spend tied up in one project takes manpower away from other endeavors that could create income. Put simply, the more time employees spend engaged in a single project, the more it costs the company to complete that project while it is also not reaping income from other ventures.
An upgrade your project management software to increase the speed of company processes so that you can save money for the company.
Remote Capabilities
Companies can now utilize technology to save on the cost of office space. In some cases, this expense can be eliminated altogether because today’s technology makes it possible for employees to work from remote locations.
When employees are not required to perform their job duties by physically being in a central location, business owners do not have to commit as many resources to secure and maintain that location. In addition, today’s digitally powered business world allows business owners to employ talented individuals for specific projects but not to employ those people full-time at the company. This individual can then be classified as a virtual assistant, a digital receptionist, or a variety of other job titles. According to these digital management specialists, “save staff time, improve security, and ensure a smooth experience for visitors in your office with a digital receptionist. Digital receptionist software provides a secure, web-based interface that simplifies the check-in process for visitors.”
Less Paper Used
There are many issues that require documentation. In the past, this meant printing these documents and storing them in file cabinets or tucked into the workspaces of company employees.
Many businesses continue to use too much paper despite the existence of email and cloud technology that make it unnecessary to accumulate paper documents. The cost of producing and keeping these paper documents can end up costing a business more than the owners and management may think. These tech and business experts explain, “With the advent of photo-scanning apps, business travelers can easily back up expense reports without needing to save a pile of papers to bring back to the office. Electronic files can also be shared with coworkers over a network or via email. Shifting to paperless documentation also makes the transportation of data more efficient, without the need for cumbersome fax machines or document couriers.”
Modern technology affords business owners the opportunity to streamline business processes in ways that save both time and money. A business owner who wishes to improve the efficiency of his or her business operations should learn and implement applicable tech solutions.
These three benefits that technology can provide businesses should be all the motivation needed for business owners to investigate tech solutions.
If you’re looking for help in you business or need some additional guidance, check out how we can help! We know you won’t be disappointed by our coaching services!
There’s much talk about whether leaders are born or made, if you can build leadership skills or if they are just innate in some people. No matter what side of the argument you’re on, I think that most people would agree that there are some skills, traits, and characteristics that most great leaders share.
Personable
Most good leaders tend to be, outwardly, at any rate, someone who most people would describe as a “People Person”. This characteristic helps good leaders flex their communication style so that they can quickly put people at ease and gain their trust. This isn’t an introvert vs extrovert thing, I firmly believe that this can be a learned characteristic. It may take some people more energy and effort to win over a room full of people, but I think that most people can learn this skill.
Self-Awareness
Awesome leaders are well aware, for the most part, of their strengths and weaknesses. They come from a place of authenticity. They don’t shy away from feedback, they see it as an opportunity for growth and development. They surround themselves with people who have the strengths that they lack and are not afraid to admit when they aren’t the smartest person in the room. My vote is that self-awareness can be learned, but it isn’t always easy. I also think that self-awareness can be UN-learned so it is important that leaders stay in touch with who they are and don’t lose their sense of self as they morph, change, grow and move up the career ladder. I feel that having-self awareness is one of the most important leadership skills.
Results Focused
Really great leaders as the person that someone can hand a complex problem to and walk away from knowing that they will get things done. For my people who watched Scandal, think of Olivia Pope. It’s handled! Whether it is by themselves or through delegation, great leaders are focused on results and getting things done. Is this something that people are born with? I think that this trait can be learned. A lot of people like the feeling that you get when things are done, especially when they are done well. A procrastinator can develop the characteristic of being results focused by zeroing in on that feeling and knocking things off of a list one at a time. Before you know it, striving for results will seem like something you’ve always done.
Happiness
Who would you have rather have as a leader, Winnie the Pooh or Eeyore? Most people are going to go for the bear so that they can be around someone (something?) that is joyful and happy. It may seem corny, but smiles are infectious and moods do rub off on people. It is a lot better to have a good mood rub off on someone than a bad one. This one is a no-brainer for me. I don’t think that anyone is born in a bad mood. Also, how you respond to things is completely in your control. People who have learned to truly see the world as an awesome place full of joy and wonder tend to make better leaders. So, it’s up to you, honeypots or rain clouds, you choose.
As a Leadership Development Coach, I think that each of these leadership skills can be taught. But I’d love to hear from you. What’s your verdict, are great leaders born or can they be made? Let me know your thoughts!
As a leader in your industry, you may often be asked to provide mentorship opportunities for newcomers to your field. Although many professions can benefit from a well-designed mentorship program, here are three specific career paths that emphasize mentorship and experience-based training:
Healthcare
Senior medical professionals are in a unique position to be able to share their clinical research and expertise with rising colleagues. The demands and rigors of a career in healthcare provide a natural fit for a medical mentorship.
In today’s hyper-connected world, where it is easy to find guidance in a variety of professions online, there is still no substitute for a traditional physician mentor-mentee relationship. New employees can stand to gain a lot of knowledge and hands-on training by shadowing an experienced medical professional.
Real Estate
The real estate industry relies heavily on networking. As a leader in the real estate industry, you can do your part to mentor new associates and work to connect them with others in the field. According to Rules of Renovation, providing mentorship along the way can prevent new people from feeling directionless or inexperienced. This mentorship is essential for training. Inviting less experienced employees to your open houses is another ideal way to demonstrate to them how to cultivate their trade.
Many realtor leaders have found that hosting free training events or networking opportunities is an effective way to reach out to new professionals in the field. Not only do you give back to your industry by being proactive about sharing your knowledge, but you also might gain an enthusiastic new employee as a result. Also, better-trained agents bring credibility to the industry as a whole.
Trade Careers
Trade professionals such as plumbers, electricians, and maintenance technicians can benefit tremendously from having an experienced mentor to guide them. A shadowing program is an effective way to teach less experienced technicians the ins and outs of the trade. Because these careers are so hands-on, the best way to get experience is to work under the tutelage of more experienced technicians. A rookie trade professional will make fewer mistakes if they are given the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the field.
By putting yourself out there as a mentor and sharing your knowledge with others, you can give back to your community and continue to be authentic in all of your career pursuits. Effective mentorship leads to continued excellence and superior quality in whatever field you work in.
Getting your employees the training they need should be one of your top priorities. Our assistance can transform your coaching efforts. Sign up for one of Sears Coaching’s premier coaching programs and accelerate your performance today!
A key part of the job search is knowing how and when to accept a job offer. You submitted your refreshed resume, you filled out the application, you aced the interview and now you’re waiting on that elusive offer! You get a call and it’s a number you know. It’s from your would-be employer, and suddenly, you’re unsure of what to do. If you’ve received a recent job offer, here’s a look at how to proceed.
What Does It Mean?
After interviewing, an offer letter informs you that you are being offered the job. Offers are often now done verbally before you receive anything in writing so don’t worry if you receive a call with the offer information before you get an email or letter in the mail. The offer often includes information about the salary, benefits and other pertinent information.
Now What?
You can either accept, decline, or negotiate the terms of your job offer. This is a fairly simple process—if you like with what is being offered, sign the letter (or reply to the email). Sending it back serves as an official acceptance of the job, congratulations! If you are not okay with the terms being offered, then you have to choose whether you want to ask for what you want or decline the offer. In situations like these, it can be a little difficult to know what you’re willing to settle for and what you think should fight for based on your worth and experience.
Be sure to seriously calculate what you think you should be receiving, and also take into account how long it would take you to get to your goal if you end up accepting a pay cut in the beginning. Ideally, these things should be figured out before the interview process, but now is as good a time as any if you haven’t taken the time just yet. The decision is up to you, your family, and your sanity. Don’t rush, before you sign decide exactly what you want.
What if the Position Changes After I Accept?
Unfortunately, some companies, many times unknowingly, offer things they cannot afford or can’t grant. Most times this isn’t due to bad intent on the part of the organization. In fast-moving companies, things change weekly if not daily. So, what do you do if your offer letter isn’t honored after you’ve already quit your previous job?
In most cases, an offer letter is not an actual contract—but you may still feel that you have been misled. It is a sticky situation. So before you accept the job offer and quit your job, research the company to try to make sure everything is on the up-and-up. Whether or not you have a family depending on you, you owe it to yourself to make sure you’ve done the proper research to make sure they’re a company you would be happy to work for and that they treat their employees well. However, it can be a leap of faith either way.
As you continue the job search and interview process, you’re sure to receive an offer letter sometime soon. Fortunately, you now know more about the process, and this information will help you navigate moving up in the job market. If you’re still in the job search process and you’re struggling, check out our resources and tools. We can help you to mitigate your stress, understand your worth, and set good goals for yourself.
I had a good chat with someone recently about feedback that they’d received about their management style. They were ready to brush it off because it came from someone who was a bit of a troublemaker and on their way out of the door. Hopefully, I convinced them not to.
Feedback is always a gift. You may not like the gift, it may be stinky socks, but it is a gift nonetheless and should be treated as such. People who give feedback that stings may want to hurt you, but it is truly up to you to grow from it rather than let it diminish you.
What should you do when you get stinky socks feedback? Well, the first thing is to stop thinking of it as stinky socks. There is a golden nugget of goodness in every piece of feedback that you get. Recognize if you are becoming defensive or thinking negatively and slow things down.
Take a look at what was said from the perspective of the person who said it. If they said that you seem disengaged lately, think about if there is some truth in that. Remember, they view you from a completely different perspective than you view yourself. Then, rather than think about why they may have said that, think about what the impact that behavior may have had on them.
Some of the biggest leadership transformations that I’ve seen have been when leaders involve those who have given them feedback on their leadership journey. Reach out, ask for help pinpointing when you’ve said or done something that doesn’t sit right with someone on your team. You may unconsciously be pissing people off left and right. That’s not something you can fix on your own.
Last, ask for feedback. Get to know people on your team in a way that lets them know that you are always open to receiving the gift of feedback. Demand the same of leaders that work for you and check in with their teams. Think about when you had a crappy boss. Wouldn’t it have been great if your crappy boss’s boss checked in with you and asked for feedback to help your boss be less crappy?
Being in HR for so long I have said over and over, an organization can’t fix a problem that it doesn’t know that it has. Communication is more than just a two-way street. Leaders have to be willing to listen to feedback and people have to be willing to give it, but the onus is on Leaders to go search for that feedback. Conduct skip level meetings, 360 evaluations, engagement surveys, whatever it takes because without the gift of feedback, you don’t grow. And when you stop growing, you stop thriving.
