Ice Cream Flavors of Work

It’s been a long day—started at 7:00 a.m. and finished at 5:30 p.m. My day? Helping human resources at a Fortune 500 company with notifications for the downsizing of production and salaried workers. So, how was your day?

Some of us have had a day like this. Maybe you were notified once upon a time or recently notified—downsized, excessed, terminated or fired. No matter what it is called, there is a loss. The company lost you along with your skills, education, leadership, ideas, dedication, etc. You lost your career path along with your salary, insurance, 401k, co-workers, and a place to go 40 hours a week or more.

Life is filled with beginnings and endings and that encompasses our career. I always celebrated the beginning of  new employment. It was a time of excitement, electricity, new challenges, new people and new possibilities. And then, there are employment endings.

Endings come at different times and in different ways. Some endings are by choice and some are imposed. Endings are like the flavors of ice cream. Some are smooth and predictable like your retirement day; maybe the flavor is Vanilla or Chocolate. Sooner or later, we will generally have one of these basic flavors.

Sometimes the flavor is Rocky Road. Remember a time when you had an off day at work, missed a deadline, had conflict with a co-worker, or a poor performance report. The taste of Rocky Road offers those big learning moments with its chocolate ice cream mixed with marshmallow and nuts. Soft and hard…Rocky Road is full of contrasts and gives us something to chew on.

The flavor of the day during the recession would have to be Elephant Tracks. The flavor of chocolate ice cream with a swirl of chocolate and peanut butter cups was a gooey mess and we struggled to eat our way of it. The elephant like the recession had a heavy impact on our lives, careers and businesses.

I have had the privilege of meeting wonderful, talented people who are making the most of the recession, working hard to have a rebound or new direction. I am amazed to see people who are coping, networking and supporting one another to find innovative ways to keep moving forward.  It’s so true, tough times call for a tough attitude! I have seen people volunteering, updating their education, thinking outside the box and using creative self-marketing to move through uncertain times.

We are amazing human beings. We continue to look forward and not backward. We fight the role of victim and self-pity. I wish you well as you persevere in your job search or recreate your career path. What’s your ice cream flavor?

Life is like MahJongg

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I have read all of Amy Tan’s books starting with the Joy Luck Club, Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, and more. Each book carries the reader to the Far East and often, the author mentions people playing the game of Mahjongg, an ancient Chinese game of skill, strategy, and calculation with a certain amount of luck. I usually paused and thought, what’s that?

Recently, a friend invited me to learn how to play MahJongg. I didn’t know anyone who played Mahjongg, no matter how you spell it (Mah-jongg or Mah-jong). I thought the game was no longer played in China, let alone in America!

Reaction & Reflection on Learning Something New

I wondered, do I have time to learn the how to play the game? I felt insecure, out of my comfort zone. I wondered, would I catch or would I need remedial MahJongg for the slow learner. I decided to take a risk and show up for the first learning session. I got hooked and committed to show up and practice weekly for two hours. After five sessions, as Professor Higgins would say, “By jove, I think she’s got it!” And the added bonus, I made a new friends and had a few laughs. Just like playing cards, there’s an amount of memory, concentration and strategy involved. I think I stimulated a few brain cells.

Steps to Learning

Most of us would like to say we are life-long learners. That’s good. Yet, when we are asked to step up to the plate to learn or try something new, we often find an excuse like:

• I’m too busy, no time
• I’m too old
• I’m not coordinated
• It’s too expensive
• I'd feel guilty

When is the last time you learned something new?

As a life coach, I tell people I coach clients to get in the Game of LIFE and not merely be spectators. I think it is easy to get sidelined in our lives and become spectators rather than participate when we get stressed, get overwhelmed, get older, get complacent in life or work. We think being on the bench will be easier and safe. Yet, I think, most of us want to get reinvolved, but don’t want to fail.

What has been calling to you?  Do you feel like you want to try something new, but something is holding you back?  Maybe it's a new exercise, a new hair style, a new job. Take some time to sit down, check in with yourself and write it down.

What am I curious about? What have you been thinking about, but put it on the back burner. Remember the movie, The Bucket List? We don’t have to wait until we are running out of time. Maybe it’s reading a book, joining the church choir, learning to knit, taking an online class, visiting a yoga class, meeting a friend for coffee or trying out snowshoes. Raise the antenna on your life for better reception. Maybe it’s about fun/recreation, career, health/exercise, home, relationships with family/friends, or spirituality/personal growth.

What gets in the way? Usually it is time, money or fear. These familiar items seem to multiply and feed on each other. Yet, we find ourselves stymied by them time and again. Like a broken record, these items replay in our lives. How can we become bigger than the obstacles? How can we shrink the items and regain control rather than let the items control us?

Gains vs. Losses

What do you have to gain? A lot. This is about what you value, what you find important, what you find meaning in? If you are resisting and saying “no,” you continue to live your life small by sitting on the bench. The excuses become the default in your life.

Who losses? You. It can become habitual to play life small by letting the obstacles hold you back. Are you happy in this place? Are you fulfilled? Are you tired of the broken record of excuses? Are you ready to regain control?

I challenge you to try something new, push the envelope for yourself, and move forward. I’d love to hear from you. Tell me what you are saying “yes” to. Good luck!

Big Picture vs Detail Oriented

Are you a Big Picture person or Detail Oriented person? Some of us have a natural instinct to be one or another, we have a preference. We need both kinds of people in the world. Both skills are beneficial.  Neither one is better than the other.  Both skills are needed on the job, needed in life. We often feel more comfortable with one versus the other, but being able to develop both and call it forward when you need it is a worthwhile exercise. Can you move between the two?

Like me, you might find one easier than the other, but wait…there's hope! Yes, we usually have a preference, but with awareness and intention to improve on a skill, you can increase you ability to think big picture or detail orientation.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Form the big picture in your mind and let your life be guided toward it. It often helps to write or sketch what you see or sense. People who are big picture thinkers focus on the future. They can visualize the end product in their mind. They might orchestrate or employ the people they need to connect the dots and fill in the detail to accomplish the goal.

2. Need more big picture thinking? Let the big picture be the lighthouse that sends out the beacon of light to guide and direct your boat to shore.  Look around, look at the horizon.

3. Now for the detail. Adjusting the sail and moving the rudder will bring your boat to safe harbor. The tacking and making small adjustments help you to move forward and accomplish your goal. Keep your eye on the beacon of light and not just the waves lapping at your boat.

4. You need a destination or plan to move forward, otherwise your boat can move in circles. People with a preference for detail need to know what the plan or goal is or need to create the plan before getting into action. Once the plan is laid out, they are generally able to move it along. Forward the action, deepen the learning!

Be Like Gumby in Your Job Search!

It's still a rather tight, fickle job market out there, no question about that. It looks like there are job openings, but many remained unfilled and reposted. Finding the right fit to fill a job opening is a bit of luck, timing, persistence and having the right stuff. Tough times call for a tough, flexible attitude. There isn’t time for self-pity or feeling like a victim.

Remember Gumby, that pliable green guy made of clay? Just the thought of Gumby makes me smile. I encourage you to find the emotional support you need to keep you from spiraling down. These are trying times, but remember, this is not All About YOU, it's been about the economy, the global economy. Take charge of yourself! You can’t change the economy, but you can change your attitude and take control of you. You can work on bending, swaying and learning to be adaptable.

Here are some ideas to consider:

Self-Preservation - Walk, read, go to the library, go to the park, go to the Workforce Centers, go fishing, plant a garden (seeds are cheap), go to church, call a friend, go to a work support group...just go. Refuse to get stuck, become rigid, breakable and fragile. That sense of desperation will not fuel your ongoing job search. When you get to an interview, you will have a better "state of mind."

Volunteer - It is often a true that we get more than we give. Now you might have the gift of time of your hands. Look around. Where could you use some of your talents to assist others? Maybe it’s a week working on a Habitat for Humanity building project, serving a meal for the homeless, tutoring a student or helping an elderly neighbor. Volunteering can help us stay connected and there might be some unexpected networking that results.

Work Smart, Not Just Hard - Make sure you are working your job search in the most efficient way. I encourage all of you to "think outside the box." Write an IMPACT Letter not merely a flat, traditional Cover Letter. Add interest, appeal and a “hook” to your letter. Be genuine and enrolling. Informal

Networking - In the meantime, you might connect with a temporary employment agency, become a coffee barista or work retail. When you are around customers, there is a chance to talk with people you don’t know and expand your circle of contacts. These kinds of jobs expand your casual networking and can lead to an informational/referral meeting to expand your work and training options.

Your Sense of Humor - Laughter can lower your blood pressure and kick in natural endorphins. You need several laughs a day and most of us don’t get that. We all need to lighten up to help cope with stress.

Retrain or Diversify - Be realistic. Are your skills “cutting edge?” Are you in a saturated field? Has your job been outsourced? Is it time to get reinvested? Online classes or an additional certification might unlock some doors to opportunity. Learn how you can transfer your skills or expand your skills with an informational meeting with another professional or schedule a visit with a college advisor or career center.

Be Gumby-like! Stay flexible and don't get bent out of shape!

Pomp & Circumstance

I’m packing my suitcase to attend my daughter’s college graduation. It seems like yesterday when she was deciding which college to attend and now, four years have flown by. During her college life, she would call with snippets of happenings about her classes, long hours at the library, writing a big paper, summer job prospects, preparing for study abroad, and the like. I’ll miss those conversations. Now, it’s time to step out into the “real world,” but first a little POMP!

After Commencement, there are parties, dinners, photographs, yearbooks, gifts and well wishes. It’s a right of passage, a send-off. Our sons and daughters are moving on and stepping into adulthood, and some of us as adults are graduating as well.

Graduation always does it to me. Graduation is about endings and beginnings, doors closing and opening. Soon I will hear the tunes of the familiar march, Pomp and Circumstance, which is virtually synonymous with graduation exercises in North America. Pomp and Circumstance brings images of graduates processing in flowing gowns with mortarboards with tassels swaying.

After the POMP comes the CIRCUMSTANCE, which can look differently as the graduates move forward with their life plans. For most, it’s employment, employment search, military or more school. It will be a time of new places, new independence, new people, new assignments, new opportunities and new challenges.

Life is a series of becoming, arriving and ending. We spend years preparing for the destination and often arrive at the destination only to repeat the process or find ourselves dissatisfied with the destination. It is said that life is about “the journey.” These words ring true as we know that a diploma or degree marks the beginning of lifelong learning. Many will take their life experiences and benefits to reenter the workplace or return for more training. People change jobs and careers several times or more in life. Change is more of the rule rather than the exception. Some people in their 40’s and 50’s with established careers are finding themselves back in the beginning stages again. In some cases, they find themselves competing with the new graduates except they have 25 years of experience, a full resume, well-honed skills, a proven work record and often, a family and mortgage. In today’s job market, nothing is certain.

Yes, grads, enjoy the POMP as CIRCUMSTANCES will weave in and out of your career. As the Boy Scout motto says, “be prepared” and may I add, continue to prepare, avoid complacency. Change is the future.

Go Green With Your Career Search

In April 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin launched Earth Day. It evolved after seven years of observation, discussion and planning to bring the environment into the "limelight." Today, I'm buying bottled water and see our air, ground water, soil, oceans and glaciers under siege. As we hear more about Going Green to save the planet, what can we do to Green our Career? Just like the environment, we cannot take anything for granted in today's workplace. Keeping our career path intentional and updated is necessary for career survival and redesign.

In honor of Earth Day, April 22nd, here are some ways to green your career:

Sustainability: It's can be tough to stay motivated in a career search, but to persevere and stay with it are necessary. Be the glacier and resist having a "meltdown!" Looking for work is work. So, eat healthy, go for a walk, get fresh air, join a work support group, hire a coach, etc. It's about survival, and you can do it. Remember, Darwin's Survival of the Fittest? The village blacksmith will not return and neither will hand milking or the keypunch operator. You have to move on, retool and renew. That means an investment in you.

Recycle - Reuse - Renew: When did you update your resume? Did you ever attend a professional development workshop or use a career tool that identified your strengths, interests or leadership style? I have talked with so many clients who discounted this kind of experience and shoved the results in the back of the file cabinet. In good times, we tend to think, that's nice, so what! Dig out the results and reread them. The results could be insightful.

Even if the resume or a performance evaluation is 5-10 years old, it can be a springboard. Dig it out, dust it off and remember who you were. It can provide direction as you ask, who am I today? Reflect, regroup, react. Just like paper or plastic, we can be "reused." Besides, it's spring and it might be time to spring clean your files and get reorganized.

Preserve: How can you preserve your identity and integrity? Some traits are timeless! It is important to "know thyself." Some workers think, it's over, I'm outdated, too old, too inexperienced, washed up. Hold on! A solid work ethic, good work record, willing to learn and retrain still mean something in today's workplace. We are not "throw-aways" waiting for the landfill. You are a valued entity in today's workplace, so market yourself, get grounded and persevere.

Save Energy: Like the new energy-saving light bulbs, they cost more, but save money and energy in the long run. How about you? Can you save an employer money and energy in the long run? Are you a good investment? Can you glow brightly and provide long-lasting productivity? Think about the value you bring to the workplace.

Increase Efficiency: In your work search, work smarter and be efficient. Focus your job search, schedule your calls and keep accurate records of your applications, follow-ups and responses. To stay efficient, you need a plan and a schedule for your workweek. A "hit or miss" philosophy or "when I feel like it" attitude will not serve you.

Keeping your career path green means you are aware, enlightened and alive. Spring is a season of renewal. The workplace is dynamic and your career path and credentials need to be dynamic too.


Quote for the Month - Celebration of Spring
and then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. - Anais Nin


In Conclusion

Spring is here! Is your career and your life ready to green out and bud with new growth, new vitality and a fresh outlook? Coaching can help you clean away the old snow and clear the pathways. Give it a try with a complimentary session! Come on, take a risk, try someting different for different results.

I look forward to your questions, feedback and suggestions about this ezine for work/life balance and fulfillment. Whether you are a college student, growing your career, maintaining your livelihood, or eyeing retirement, we all experience ups and downs in the various stages of life.

I coach and write with your agenda in mind, where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow.

Thank you for taking time to balance our planet. It all starts with YOU!

If you are new to coaching and wonder if coaching could be helpful, contact me for a complimentary coaching session.

Brett Favre - Career Lessons from #4

Brett Favre’s resume profile might read: 17 year career in the NFL with 16 years as the Green Bay Packer’s quarterback. Broke most quarterback records in passing yards, touchdown passes, and wins along with all-time franchise records. Holds the all-time consecutive start record with 253 games and a Super Bowl win in 1996.

Well, # 4, you sure look like # 1 in my playbook! And now that he announces his retirement, what lessons can we learn from #4 to help us catapult our career path to #1? What was behind the man, the athlete, beyond the numbers who accomplished this career legacy?

Work Ethic - What we saw on game day was just a small portion of his week. In fact, his football career at Southern Mississippi was almost cut short when he had a near-fatal car accident. Inquiry: What motivates you in the workplace?

Preparation - Whether he was in the weight room, reviewing game footage, analyzing plays, practicing, or doing mental and emotional preparation, there are many aspects of preparing for game day. Inquiry: Prepare for your work success. Success usually doesn't just magically appear.

Team Player - Brett has been called the ultimate team player, # 1 in team. He led by humility and was devoted more to the “we” than “me.” Inquiry: The old days of looking out for ME, #1 are self-centered and are about control. Remember, there is no "I" in TEAM. Move beyond your ego!

Leadership - What is it to lead by example? He started 275 consecutive games (including playoffs) from 1992-2008, which certainly earns a gold star for attendance! Inquiry: How can you become a Leader in Your Life? Take time to explore your leadership potential and skills.

Passion - For the love of game. Brett was lucky, he found his calling in life, yet millions of Americans are dissatisfied and feel stuck in their jobs. Inquiry: We spend a lot of time at work, so why not find something that your enjoy... something that gives you a sense of accomplishment, something that challenges you, something that gives a sense of pride, etc. Find it...life is too short to work in a deadend, lose-lose job. The longer you wait, the harder it is to make a change.

Strategy - Play to win. Work to win. Inquiry: Winning at work. Make it work for you.

Perseverance - He had setbacks…coaching and player turnovers, injuries, his addiction to pain medication, his father’s unexpected death, his wife Deanna’s breast cancer, even damage to his home in Mississippi from Hurricane Katrina. Inquiry: Life is not a "bowl of cherries," you will find pits. Take care of your health...mind, body and soul. What will serve you? Is it prayer, mediation, yoga, running, walking your dog, a massage, journaling...find it, use it. Don't forget to ask for help to cope with the pain and disappointments in your life.

Thank you #4! I look forward to seeing “what’s next,” but in the meantime, enjoy the time to pause and reflect on an outstanding career.

Barbara Wulf MS, GCDF, CPCC
Beckon Call