Wishing you lots of loving moments this month, including self-care! Create a "Staycation" and let your imagination run wild.
I have spent lots of time at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, making Cards and teaching SoulCollage,® and we bought beautiful new sconces for a number of rooms which are so up lifting. In the winter, it is so important to bring some "light" and creative energy into your life. Paint a room a different color, take a creative class in something you have always wanted to try, buy some spring clothes or bulbs for your garden, or invent a new product or angle for your business.
Write us and let us know what you are up to!
Creatively yours,
Gail
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Are You Getting Passed Over for Promotions or Special Projects?
I have been inundated with clients whose companies have snubbed them for promotions/special projects and have either promoted some one younger with less experience and expertise and/or brought in someone from the outside. These clients have worked endless hours, are exceptionally competent, and are leaders in their fields. Ouch--these pass overs smart! I am sure that many of you have experienced this phenomenon as well.
I know I once got taken off a special HR project in my last job (35 years ago) by a brand new executive director for no reason, and she refused to discuss it with me. I left the agency shortly after that, which I had been planning to do anyway, so it didn't make sense to lobby for myself.
But, I later discovered that one of my old male colleagues and "friend" fed this new director some false story that I was in cahoots with the Union, which was absurd. He was ticked off that the previous director had chosen me over him for the HR project in the first place, even though I was certified in HR and he wasn't. A few years later I ran into this "friend" at the chowder bar at Legal Seafood and let him have it, which felt great.
I share that story simply as a reminder that these situations often involve "secrets" and complex interpersonal dynamics. But here are 5 tips to keep in mind, for starters, if you want to get picked or negotiate on your behalf.
1) Be sure that you are tuned into to the goals and priorities in your organization and it's long term strategic plan. What skill sets are most in demand? What is their competitive edge? How do they need to grow right now? What are customers/clients responding to? If no one is sharing this info, visit the website Investor Relations section, etc. and ask key players in the company. You need to know the plan cold and make sure it syncs with your values, perceptions, and personal and professional goals.
2) If you got negative feedback on a recent review, clean it up pronto or begin looking around at other opportunities. If your behavior is offensive in any way to the team, even if you are right, your goose may be "cooked."
3) Stop assuming that just working hard and excelling will get you any kind of advancement--you must leverage other factors, including paying attention to the politics in your division. If your department is totally dysfunctional, consider talking with folks in other departments, carefully, as may there are better opportunities elsewhere in the company or a subsidiary.
4) Pay attention to when and where key decisions get made as well as when prime assignments get doled out. I had a client who was an expert, but after two sessions, it became clear to me that all the "hot stuff" was happening in NYC and that she had to spend time in that office with the "guys" to be part of the team, which was tough because she had young children here in Boston. So she had to negotiate with her husband and make some changes, or begin looking at starting her own business.
5) Keep yourself active in your industry/professional organization. Go to conferences, talk with thought-leaders, start a blog, give some speeches, and network continually, not just when you might be job-hunting. Look at possibilities at companies that compete with yours.
If you are still stuck or bewildered, you need some immediate solid advice, so email me at gmcmeekin@comcast.net for a strategy consult. Do not try to do this alone!
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Do You Know What Your Definition of Personal Heart-Felt Success Is Now?
I just videotaped an hour-long class for Entheos, Academy of Optimal Living, plus wrote a blog, which teaches you 10 tips for shifting your definition of success. Too many people walk around feeling "unsuccessful" because they are using someone else's guidelines to define their lives. The word success- simply means "positive outcome" and fulfillment is about feeling content, even though we are still in process! By clicking here, you can listen to my short video on success, sign up to access my class, and many other wonderful online classes by signing up here! Enjoy!
https://www.entheos.com/academy/classes/how-to-shift-your-definition-of-success?c=3567