Accelerate Your Search™ Now

What will you do with your extra day?

Will you Elevate Your Extraordinary™?  Would you like to do so?

If so, here is a simple action you can take:  look at your vision for the year.

Do this first in your mind’s eye.  Close your eyes and see the year unfold as you want it to be.  Now, read the vision or plan you created for 2016.

Next, jot down three actions you need to take on or before Feb 29th to shift your results so they align with your vision for the year.

Now, open your calendar and set a 30-minute appointment for a progress check-in with yourself in 60 days. In your calendar, note the three actions you committed to achieving.

If you didn’t create a vision for the year, no problem.  Pause and write down the vision you saw when you closed your eyes. Making the shift to align your current activities with the steps necessary to achieve more satisfying and fulfilling work is not hard.

Here are three things that help:

1.  A commitment to shift.  Be willing to shift and believe you can make a change.

2.  Willingness to take action.  Moving to the next level is not bestowed on individuals just because they show up and hang out. It requires action to see your gifts and use them to the best possible end.

3.  Tapping into support.  We live, work and have impact via our connected world.  Support is two-fold.  We all need support and we all need to give support.  Your gifts provide you with an excellent way to offer and give support to others.  Find (and give) support to discuss, brainstorm and get feedback.

If your goal is the next level and you are ready to Elevate Your Extraordinary,™ February 29th — your extra day — is yours to use how you wish.  What will you do?

Hope you have an amazing and insightful day and step into clarity and action for a more meaningful and satisfying year.

Share your thoughts and what you will do with your extra day below.

“Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.” ~Rumi

A year of infinite possibilities has ended.  This year begins.

What are you seeking for yourself, your career, and your team?

You may be seeking more connection, more fun, or more impact.  Or you may be seeking a simple end to your transition period.

If you felt the ups-and-downs of the past year and bounced from overwhelm to focus, the quote from Rumi may make your skin crawl.  The last thing you want for this year, in your career quest, is confusion.

Do you want growth to the next level in your career and industry?

If so, pause and look at the clever actions and tactics you have been working at furiously.  Now, decide if you want an impact that varies from the past.  If so, are you willing to do something different?

A transition or transformation will not happen in a day — but it can begin today!

The wisdom and knowledge gained from your experience coupled with your distinguishing talents are ready to carry you forward. There is a generous spirit in this time.  To leverage these things seek out a conversation that sparks curiosity.

Yes, stepping forward alone works.  Forward progress will happen.  But, conversations with others can be game changers.  Learning and growing with support offers an entirely different experience.  If you are tired of trying to sort out everything on your own, making just small incremental steps, seek out a new exchange.

If this year calls you to examine your work, purpose, and impact in a new and different way, consider joining me for a Career Chat and share some time with others exploring how they will change their game this year.

For the next few weeks I am setting up Career Chats. They are short 30-minute conversations hosted on Wednesdays and Saturdays intended to inspire you, prompt questions, and/or create anticipation.  Sign up up to get the schedule and find more information.

If you are ready to pause from your action perch and explore what is next for your career, I’ll look forward to chatting with you.  If you are wondering what we will talk about, sign up and bring your questions, wisdom and knowledge and prepare to listen and share with others.

If you would rather have one-on-one support, go here.

Do the work you love, live your purpose, and have impact.  You are amazing!

Life is fun and satisfying when you align awesome.

Contact me to discuss how the power of questions and coaching can transform your life, your results, and your impact in the world.

The end of the year brings a long list of “to do’s.”  Is updating your LinkedIn profile on your list?  If not, it probably should be.

If you have identified with my recent comments on “drift,” an update to your LinkedIn profile can counteract professional drift.

If you are experiencing the drift in your career or on your team, this is a great time of year to release the autopilot and counteract drift.  What would happen if your entire team invested two hours between now and the end of the year focused on updating their professional presence on LinkedIn?

What would be the impact? Would it change market conditions or improve sales?  No, it is not likely to have that type of significance.  However, this can provide the rare, yet needed, occasion for your team to pause and focus on the talent and glorious skills that surround them every day.

This works just as well if you are in transition.  Pause and ask yourself, “What value do I offer to the world?  I am missing sharing something important?”

Whether leading a team or in transition, year-end is the perfect time to do just this.

LinkedIn is a great tool, yet so few leverage it.  When was the last time you really thought about your profile or assessed how you use LinkedIn?  When was the last time you updated your profile?

On a daily basis, thousands of people have the opportunity to stop by, visit your LinkedIn profile and take action.  The potential for making business connections and building relationships is big.

Does your profile inspire “Aww’s” and “Wows” or a quick click away?

Does a reader pause and say, “Oh, it’s beautiful. I didn’t know that!”

The truth is no two people will see or read your profile the same way.  Yet, you can influence what people know about you. You can impact how they interpret your skills and talents via your LinkedIn profile.

You can share the value you, or your team, or your organization has in the marketplace — a value that be may visible or hidden without action on your part.

Have you ever wondered:

• What does the market think of my LinkedIn profile?
• What significant message do my peers or company leaders get from reading my LinkedIn profile?
• How are others influenced when they review my LinkedIn profile?
• What signals or messages are received from my LinkedIn profile?
• Is my message clear?
• How do I come across?  Interesting or scary?
• Does my profile say I am uninterested in my career?
• Am I seen as someone ready for the next level?

If you are seeking significance and fulfillment, don’t over look some of the simple steps that will help you reach your goals. Set aside two hours or so between now and the end of the year and update your LinkedIn profile.

If you want help with your profile, let’s talk.

If you are interested in FURTHER understanding how to review your LinkedIn Profile and quickly assess if your profile needs an update, my Presentation may serve you.

The Year-End LinkedIn Profile Update is now available!! You can REGISTER for it HERE!!!!

This focused review helps you take an objective look your profile and the areas you may need to update.  It helps you understand what may be missing that is impacting who calls you (or doesn’t!) and what opportunities are ultimately shared with you.

Think about it.  Do you have connections that are dropping away or not responding to you?  Or maybe you are just not sure how to most effectively build connections and relationships with the “right” people on LinkedIn.

If it’s time for you to review your LinkedIn profile and begin changing the experiences others have with you online, let’s talk.

Are you ready to align awesome?  Doing the work you love, living your purpose, and making an impact is fun and amazing!

If you liked this post, share it with your friends.  And, don’t forget to share your thoughts below too, I’d love to hear from you!

Is November the new January?  Maybe.

I attended a recent event where a theme emerged:  “November is the new January.  Start now, why wait.”

While I smiled and listened my discomfort became palpable.  I started to shift in my seat and even my handwriting changed to reflect this unconfortableness.  Having used this year to shift habits of doing just for the sake of doing, I was feeling my personal resistance to rushing time.  I no longer wish to fill my days with action for the sake of action.

I was reminded of the retail mantra, “Action now, beats action later.”  This mantra and the ensuing habits had their costs, but I also realized the mantra did improve results and had served me well for years.

After further thought, I realized I had set several intentions for 2016 that I could take action on right now.  Not to rush time (the source of my discomfort), but to simply engage in action now.  There is no reason to wait for a date on the calendar.  Now is the best time to begin.

I have no idea if November is the new January, but I now know it is the best time for me to take action on my intentions.

How do you use a calendar?

The insight I gained from the October conversation was that I was allowing a calendar to co-create a start date and put me in a holding pattern for action I wanted to take.  This was a BIG insight for me.

Does the calendar put you in a holding pattern?

Do the cycles of the calendar provide a guide or a crutch?

Do you have a calling or action you could start now?  Why are you waiting?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on action and “November as the new January.”  Share your thoughts below.

Doing the work you love, living your purpose and having impact is fun and amazing!

Ready to align awesome?

Contact me to discuss how the power of questions and coaching can transform your life, your results, and your impact in the world.

Have you been asking yourself, “Is it time for a move to the next level?”  Maybe you’ve been wondering what you want to do next or asking yourself, “What do I want to do when I retire?”

If you are restless odds are that you are asking yourself these or similar questions.  And, they are all great questions.

Whether you’re restless or simply seeking a better understanding of your next move, making the shift may be easier than you think.

Here’s a quick tip to help you with the process:  write your question at the top of a blank page of paper, then set aside 10 minutes everyday for the next several days to brainstorm all your possible ideas and write them down.

Don’t evaluate the ideas — just jot them down.  At the end of the week, review all the ideas.  Move the top 3-5 ideas to their own blank page and continue to explore your ideas.

For starters, ask yourself:

• What would it take to do this?
• What would be the impact of this?
• Why do I want to do this?

When you are ready to seriously explore your ideas, discuss them with someone you trust.  Then, formulate a plan and take action to create the transition or transformation you desire.

Have a comment or thought?  Post it below.

Do you have a question about moving to the next level?  Sign up for our next Q & A call to the right.  Join the session in November to ask your question.

Are you willing and able to change direction?

Have you given culture much thought?  Seventy-five percent of the executives I work with rank culture more important than pay.

Is the culture of an organization important to you?  Are you struggling to discover a company’s culture?

If you are looking for a promotion, new position or considering a career transformation and fit is important to you, may I suggest you give some thought to culture. Start by think about the culture of your current or last company.

I believe there are two critical things to understand about an organization’s culture:  (1) all organizations have a desired culture and (2) an actual culture.

Often there is a big difference between the desired culture and the actual culture.  This may be because the organization is growing and changing.  Culture does not usually change fast.  Organizations in transition may also have teams or key leaders wearing grey or rose-colored glasses.

Here are proven steps to researching and discovering company culture:

1. Begin by recording your view of the company culture.  Note why you have this view, then note the evidence that supports your view.

2. Look for and read about what the organization states about its culture.  Note your sources, then note the behaviors and actions that indicate there is evidence of the stated culture.

3. Connect with and ask a representative sample of people within the organization about the culture.  Note what your sample tells you.  Realize that cultures have sub-groups or sub-cultures.  Be sure to gather data from a diverse group of people or you may only discover part of the culture.

4.  Connect with and ask vendors and customers about the culture of the organization.  Realize that cultures have layers and may look and feel different from various angles or points of view.  Again note what you are told.

5.  List what you discovered about the culture.  Verify your data.  Determine what you have learned about the culture.  Note how you fit (or don’t) into the culture you discovered.

Don’t forget company cultures evolve and change at a pace different than many other elements of business.  Be careful if you are only talking to people who ‘once upon a time’ worked or did business with the organization.  As you review your notes, think about the key factors that influence a company’s culture:  growth rate, age of the company, industry norms, competitiveness, company strategy and supporting tactics.

Also, culture is influenced by the leadership and management style of those you work for and the job itself.   The culture of an IT department may differ from the culture of an accounting department.

In five simple steps you have collected the data to discover and analyze the culture of a company you are interested in joining. When your transformation includes finding a specific culture or if culture in general is important to you, this data is helpful.

Will you invest the time and resources to discover some of the key components of the company’s actual culture?  If you need help removing your culture blinders, assessing where you fit, or seeing the blind spots that tripped you up in the past, let’s talk.

Have an amazing week!