India Journal: Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Because of our routines we forget that life is an ongoing adventure. ~Maya Angelou

In the first installment of India Journal, Where No One Knows Your Name, I mentioned the roles we play in life.  By roles, I refer to more than the traditional – daughter, mother, father, executive, significant other.  In each of our roles, there is a thread – a pattern of behavior we have honed over years.  These behaviors may be comfortable, but often have little bearing on the person we are presently, rather they are a legacy from other stages of our lives.

When I decided to take my sabbatical to India I was confronting my legacy roles.  While my life looked great from the outside, I felt less than fulfilled. Without a clear new direction, I continue on my same path.

Then one day as I arrived in LA for a meeting my Blackberry went into overdrive, screaming urgent messages.  I hung up a frantic call and was furiously scanning incoming messages when my driver, calm as can be, turned around and said, “Miss, I don’t mean to overstep, but whatever is going on really isn’t worth it.”

In a different phase in my life, being called upon in time of crisis might have made me feel important (even if frustrated), but in this  moment it was clear my driver was right.  On the ride to the hotel, I found my resolve.  Something had to change.  The time had come.  I was ready.

After the meeting, (more…)

Your Personal Revolution Take Action Plan

Back in December in the post Time to Plan Your Resolution Revolution I warned you this day would come.  I know you skipped over my admonishment and went straight to the Three Step Resolution Revolution Plan.  You were sure that this year would be different.  Yet here it is, early February and Resolution Remorse has replaced your Revolutionary Zeal.

This week, to help you move a little further down the road, I am going to give you some tips on staging an effective REVOLUTION!  Again, I’ll ask you to start with the Three Step Resolution Revolution Plan in the Time to Plan Your Resolution Revolution post.

In the first step I walked you through Taking Inventory of 2008 and in the second step I asked you to Balance the Budget by considering what you want to cultivate in your life throughout 2009.  This time, as you move onto the third step Stage a Revolution creating your plan of action, I am going to ask you to dig a little deeper.

In step two you are left with a list of things you would like to cultivate in ‘09. This time, as you move into step three – creating a Take Action Plan – make sure your plan has the following four level of depth: (more…)

Making Your Blessings Count

I hope by now, you have started your Resolution Revolution Plan.  After you review your inventory list and begin to create your action plan, you will probably feel energized and motivated.  In the coming weeks we will work on planning techniques to keep you on track, but for today I would like to leave you with a new exercise to keep you moving in the right direction. (more…)

Time to Plan Your Resolution Revolution

Thanksgiving ushers in a flurry of holiday activity.   Afters we clean up the feast, watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and perhaps a football game, our thoughts will start to shift to December’s festivities.

With all of the hustle and bustle, holiday music on the radio and twinkling lights, you may move on to another annual tradition – making New Year’s Resolutions – dropping unwanted pounds, making more time for your family, getting a promotion at work, going back to school, reconnecting with a loved one, etc.  You will probably select a resolution or two and push the thoughts to the back of your mind as you make plans to ring in the New Year.  As the Eve draws near, your 2009 goals may pop up in your mind from time to time and you’ll promise to start on those resolutions – on January 1.

We’ve all been there before, the whole routine – culminated by broken resolutions by February!  This year, I suggest a new approach to your New Year conundrum.

This year set a date for your Resolution Revolution.  I know, I can hear your protests already – who has time??  Somehow, I know you can find an hour  amidst the shopping, planning and partying!  It could be early one morning before the day gets rolling, an evening after you tuck the kids into bed, or over afternoon cappuccino – but it has to be scheduled on your calendar.  And if you cannot find a date, then plan your Revolution for January 1st as you recover from the festivities of the previous night!

To stage your Revolution you need nothing more than your calendar from 2008 and one for 2009, a notebook, a pen, a quiet place and the Resolution Revolution Plan! (more…)

Stress Busters, Just Walk this Way

A few weeks back we celebrated the summer solstice. For many, the day came and went without much notice. Others may taken the time to admire the beauty of the solstice moon hanging full and bright in the sky. Some held parties and events.

I recently learned a more traditional way to celebrate the official start of summer – a labyrinth walk.

A labyrinth is not a maze designed to block you, rather a circular path that leads you into the center and back out again. Labyrinths are an ancient tradition used for spiritual growth, centering and discernment. Labyrinth walks are sometimes called a walking meditation. There is no right way to walk a labyrinth…each person will meander, following their own path. (more…)

Try on a New Trait

During last week’s Compass Point Career Shaping Networking event I introduced the idea of trying on a new trait. The idea is that if there is a trait you admire in a public figure, colleague, friend, family member, or even of a younger you – you can try it on for size and see how it fits.

For example, you have a friend who is bold and fearless; your Aunt Sally commanded attention as soon as she walked in a room; you admire the poise and intelligence of a tv personality or you simply long for the joy of your younger days! Select a person with a trait you admire and would love to possess, and during the next week, take some time to take it out for a test drive. At first, you will have to consciously look for opportunities in your daily life and you may even have to act a bit…but after awhile you should (if it is a good fit) that you are actually growing into it!

This weekend I had the chance to try it out myself while visiting with friends by the water. We were trying to keep cool, sitting out on her pier and sharing stories and sipping refreshing drinks When that proved futile, one at a time, my friends plunged into the water. I, dressed in a cute new summer skirt, was wholly unprepared for this maneuver. In addition, I am not much of a swimmer. While I grew up on the water and love being at the beach, a near drowning experience as a child (which we won’t go into here to protect the guilty), remains ever present.

Oddly, however, something happened moments after my friends hit the water. I thought of someone I greatly admire, who lives life to the fullest…and without another second hesitation, I joyfully jumped in fully dressed! I was proud of myself for letting go and embracing a new trait! And if you were on the east coast this weekend, you know it was a really good time to decide to go jump in a lake!

This week pick a person and try on a new trait, you may be surprised at how well it fits!

Consciously Crafting Your Career

When you are young, your ideas of about what you wanted to be were based on an image – perhaps from a book or television. Maybe going to see the Nutcracker planted the seed of being a ballerina or a watching The Lone Ranger led to visions of being a cowboy. Perhaps The Cosby’s inspired ideas of becoming a doctor like Cliff or a lawyer like Claire. While these ideas weren’t necessarily based on personal strengths, you weren’t yet making career decisions. You could enjoy such flights of fancy, as they had little impact.

Growing older, you began to receive input from a greater number of sources including family, community, peers, teachers and counselors. Your career began to unfold based on the images of success designed based on these external, familial and societal factors. As the years progress, you may have found yourself getting restless, feeling less challenged, perhaps even bored. Maybe you attained success and were shocked to find it didn’t feel or look like what you had imagined, or you began to wonder, “what’s next?”

Management guru, Peter Drucker offered the idea that it is up to the individual to be the CEO of his or her career. Drucker suggested that,

It’s up to you to carve out your place, to know when to change course, and to keep yourself engaged and productive during a work life that may span some 50 years. To do those things well, you’ll need to cultivate a deep understanding of yourself—not only what your strengths and weaknesses are but also how you learn, how you work with others, what your values are, and where you can make the greatest contribution. Because only when you operate from strengths can you achieve true excellence.

Taking the time to engage in this exploration will help you to be prepared for opportunities, and to consciously shape a career that reflects your personal definition of success.

You can start by determining: (more…)

Lessons from Fidel Castro – Part II: The Resignation Conversation

Now that you have planned your resignation, it’s time to move into action. You are ready to schedule an appointment with the appropriate person to officially start the negotiation. Review your research and your plan. Think through and outline your points. Remember this is a serious professional conversation. Keep your emotions under control and come prepared follow these simple steps. (more…)

Lessons from Fidel Castro: How to Plan Your Resignation

Reading about Fidel Castro’s resignation, I thought it might be a good time to discuss how to resign from your current position. While you may not be ending your tenure as the longest ruling communist dictator, a well thought out plan will serve you well.

Before you march into HR with your letter of resignation, consider what you need to leave successfully and construct a negotiation plan.

There is more on the table that you haven’t yet examined, including transition pay, outplacement services, health insurance benefits, references, company car purchases, fitness membership conversions, phone and computer transfer and a vast array of intangible benefits.

Before approaching management about leaving, think about your role, the direction the company is heading and design an exit strategy. Compile a list of separation benefits that should be on the table based on company policy, your tenure, position, and in return for easing potential problems. The following list may help you prepare your strategy. (more…)

Making the Connection

Who are the most powerful people in your network of colleagues, peers, friends, family and acquaintances? Are you thinking of high level executives in prestigious companies, elected officials, prominent philanthropists, notable artists?

While these individuals are indeed powerful, they may not be the most powerful in your network. To identify your power players, other factors need to be considered.

Brian Uzzi, a professor at Kellogg School of Management and Shannon Dunlap, formerly of Kellogg’s Center for Executive Women (currently teaching at NYU) explored the power of networks in a Harvard Business Review article How to Build Your Network (December 2005). They identified three major advantages of networks. These factors are useful in identifying the most powerful people within your personal and professional network. (more…)