During this gloomy time of year, when we all get tired of cloudy days and colder weather, it’s good to take stock of your life and your achievements. But, if you’re like me, it comes at an emotional cost. You remember the decisions that were “off,” the opportunities you missed, and mistakes you have made.In […]
I used to belong to a church whose pastor had the same sermon at the first of each year: “You CAN Begin Again”. I never tired of hearing the message. It’s the ultimate motivation: Everything is renewed again and again. Any mistakes and shortcomings you have had can be overcome. You are in a constant […]
I remember an Austin employer who was concerned about the optics of a 300-person layoff. This was back in the day when our go-go economy gave everyone a sense of ease. The company announced layoffs 6 months out, 3 months out, 1 month out and 1 week out. They set up a Career Center with […]
The past few months I’ve been dealing with some pretty serious health issues – all while trying to serve my clients, build my business, volunteer, and be a super-wife, super-mom and super-grandma. You do all that, too. I know. The doctor who literally SAVED my life pronounced me “sensitive” to four main ingredients of everyday […]
If you dread networking events as much as getting a root canal, you’re going about it the wrong way. The real purpose of a networking event is to make new acquaintances, NOT pump other professionals for information that serves you. When meeting people, the first step is to establish rapport, and that always means finding […]
I’ve had the privilege of working with several executive clients who make the BIG BUCKS – the kind of money you read about in Forbes or Fortune Magazine. After years at that level, a shift in mindset happens and the person thinks: “Is this all there is? Why I am busting my butt for this […]
Imagine you are driving from Austin, Texas to Santa Fe, New Mexico. You start out at night, and you have your GPS set. You don’t know the entire route. In fact, you can see just 300 feet ahead of you because of your car headlamps. Yet, you are willing to keep driving forward, not really […]
A job loss—even if voluntary – will often throw even the most clear-headed adult into a tizzy. Suddenly, the ego is confused about who it is. That happened to a client I’ll call Lunch Lady. Lunch Lady built a marketing program for a huge school system’s nutrition program in another state. She did it from […]
John Mackay, an envelope company owner from Minnesota, made himself famous by writing Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty, a book about networking BEFORE you are out of a job, desperate for someone to help you. Hey, what a concept. Today, I’m offering career coaching BEFORE you are out of work, desperate for someone to […]
Really? Does that even sound nice? Your mother might tell you that’s something nice people don’t say at the dinner table. It’s also something you shouldn’t say when asking for a networking meeting. Four other things you shouldn’t do: Don’t assume you know anything about the person. Don’t focus the conversation on you and your […]