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July/August 2009

Career Enhancement

A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEWSLETTER FROM DR. RITA CAREY Take a Second Look: See what’s new at www.rcmassociates.com.

Everyday Leadership: An Inside Job

Dr. Rita Carey Dr. Rita Carey, director of RCM Associates, is a Professional Development Coach with 15 years experience in Career Management. She has helped hundreds of individuals match their strengths, skills and abilities to their professional career choices. In her coaching practice, Rita assists clients with identifying those factors that influence career success and satisfaction. Her practice includes clients who want to improve career opportunities within their current organization by enhancing leadership skills, and clients who are considering a career change. Rita is a certified professional coach and has been described as warm, wise, smart and creative.

Services Offered Leadership Coaching: Assess behavioral strengths & challenges; identify & remove barriers to achieving business & career goals. Career Coaching: Assess skills & abilities; identify opportunities & develop a transition plan. Questions? Contact Rita for an “absolutely no obligation” conversation. Phone: 888-260-3173 [email protected] www.rcmassociates.com

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avid sparked a fruitful conversation about waste when he gently asked the cafeteria manager at his workplace whether food might be served without unnecessary containers or wrapping, unless requested. Susan worked a whole year to bring a group of high school students from New Zealand to the United States to train other students in an effective form of peer mediation. Nobody is likely to write a book about David or Susan. But these everyday leaders are creating just as much impact in their workplace, family and community as the captains of industry and politics. Indeed, the challenges and opportunities of today’s marketplace—of today’s world!—require that we all step forward and lead every day, become our own captains and find more of our own personal best to give to the world.

Leadership as a Way of Life Too often, we believe that leadership is the domain of those with recognized authority and the title to go with it: CEOs, association presidents, conductors, mayors. However, when we dare to stand up for our beliefs or to follow through on our big dreams and ideas, when we act as though what we say and do in the world matters—matters greatly—we are leading. In other words, leadership is a way of life, an expression of our fullest and best nature, our unique gifts. And it starts on the inside. “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” writes

John C. Maxwell in The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. “If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the leader you want to be on the outside.”

Qualities of Leadership Because leadership is inextricably connected to who we are deep down, every leader has a different style. But the inner qualities that make for effective leadership remain constant among all types of leaders: Positive attitude. Leaders know they can alter their lives by altering their minds. Self-discipline, security and confidence blossom in the presence of a positive attitude. A drive for learning. Learn from others, from opportunities, from mistakes. Those who stop learning, stop growing. Unwavering commitment. True commitment requires and inspires courage, passion, focus, initiative, responsibility. Communication. Sharing knowledge is essential; even more important is listening. As Woodrow Wilson said, “The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people.” Interest in others. The best leaders thrive on helping others achieve their personal best; they are motivated by a desire for the highest good for all rather than personal glory. Imagine a world full of everyday leaders….

Ways to Handle Adversity We’ve all experienced difficult times, often through events outside our control. Here are 10 suggestions for dealing with those hard times. 1. Take responsibility. Assume an “I can do something” attitude rather than pointing fingers. You can control your own response to the situation. 2. Limit the focus. Don’t let the problem become all encompassing. When you compartmentalize the difficulty, you can focus on a workable solution. 3. Be optimistic. A positive stance, despite hard times, will result in positive actions. 4. Think creatively. Approach the problem from new and different directions. Trust your creativity.

5. Have courage. Don’t let fear get in the way of doing what you need to do. 6. Take action. Handling day-to-day details can keep you from getting bogged down. Determine what can be done, and do it. 7. Take the long-range view. Take solace from having survived past challenges. You will this time, too. 8. Maintain a sense of humor. Even in the darkest times, laughter can help ease the pain. 9. Get support. No need to do it alone. Ask for help. 10. Don’t quit. Persistence may be the greatest of human qualities that help us overcome adversity.

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July/August 2009

Self-Quiz

Are You a Perfectionist?

Perfectionism is a long, maddening drive down a never-ending road for flawlessness that can cause feelings of anxiety, fear and self-doubt. It can cripple work performance, stifle creativity, drain self-esteem and mess up relationships at work and home. Complete this quiz to discover your perfectionist beliefs and tendencies. True False

1. I never do anything halfway; it’s all or nothing for me. 2. I believe there’s a certain way to do things and they should always be done that way. 3. I hate to make mistakes. I get angry or defensive when I make them. 4. I often procrastinate on starting projects. I seldom meet deadlines. Or if I do, I kill myself meeting them. 5. I feel humiliated when things aren’t perfect. 6. I don’t like to admit not knowing how to do something or to being a beginner. 7. If I can’t do something well, I won’t do it. 8. People say I expect too much of myself. Or of them.

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9. In my family of origin, you could never completely measure up to expectations. 10. I’m hard on myself when I lose, even if it’s only a friendly game or contest. 11. I often withdraw from others and group activities. 12. Work is serious business; fun or pleasure doesn’t really have a place there. 13. Even when I accomplish something, I feel let down or empty. I know it could have been better. 14. I criticize myself and/or others excessively. 15. If I can’t be in control, I won’t participate. 16. No matter how much I have done, there’s always more I could do. 17. I don’t often delegate. When I do, I always double-check to make sure the job was done right. It never is. 18. I believe it is possible to do something perfectly and if I keep at it, I can. 19. Forgetting and forgiving others—or myself—is not something I do easily or well. If you’d like to explore how perfectionism is holding you back from who you really are, please don’t hesitate to call.

Recommended Reading New! LinkedIn for Job Seekers by Jason Alba. Receiving rave reviews from my clients and workshop guests!

The Leadership Challenge, 4th Edition, by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner Talent Is Overrated, by Geoff Colvin

This DVD guide by Jason Alba is packed with tons of information and tutorials and will help you accelerate your job search.

Transnational Leadership Development: Preparing the Next Generation for the Borderless Business World, by Beth Fisher-Yoshida, Ph.D and Kathy D. Geller, Ph.D

Everything you need to know about using LinkedIn for your job search is contained in over 15 sessions! For more information, go to www.rcmassociates.com/products.php

Green to Gold, by Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston

Stand Out! Branding Strategies for Business Professionals, by Simon Vetter

“Jingshen is the Mandarin word for spirit and vivacity. It is an important word for those who would lead, because above all things, spirit and vivacity set effective organizations apart from those that will decline and die.” —James L. Hayes

Used with permission © 2009 Claire Communications

The Contrarian Effect: Why It Pays (Big) to Take Typical Sales Advice and Do the Opposite, by Michael Port and Elizabeth Marshall

July/August 2009

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Avoiding Burnout

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hen we’re worried about our jobs or financial losses, when we’re grateful to even have work, considering the possibility of burnout can feel beside the point, like one of the luxuries we just can’t afford any longer. However, we deny burnout at our peril, because whether we recognize it or not, it impacts us in myriad ways. One of the first physical symptoms of burnout is fatigue. Intellectually, there may be a loss of creativity and sharpness in problem-solving; cynicism may replace enthusiasm. Emotionally, the loss of dreams and expectations can result in feelings of helplessness and depression. In the social realm, isolation overtakes feelings of involvement, and spiritually, people experiencing burnout may feel a lack of meaning or purposelessness to their life. How can you avoid burnout? First, recognize the warning signs: • a feeling of lack of control about how to do your job or what goes on in the workplace • feelings of frustration and never being caught up • emotional outbursts • withdrawal and isolation • dread of going to work • frequent sickness or health problems • increased use of alcohol, drugs or food consumption —Edna St. Vincent Millay • a desire to quit (or run away) but a fear of doing so Taking a few days off or a vacation to Tahiti won’t contain the burnout. Neither will simply leaving one job for another. Burnout has more to do with attitudes, work styles and behavior than it does the specific job situation. In other words, burnout may be primarily an act of self-immolation.

“My candle burns at both ends. It will not last the night.”

How to Avoid Burnout Self-management Set goals and objectives, review them with others and make sure they’re attainable and clear.

Stress management Know your own responses to stress and develop a plan to manage it. Exercise, take breaks, eat healthfully, leave work at work, make time for play and rest. Discover what works best for you and your body and practice good self-care habits.

Support systems Family, friends, co-workers, professional organizations—all of these can help in times of stress.

Skill building Look for challenges and opportunities to learn new skills and participate in activities that use your natural skills, talents and abilities. Rather than becoming stagnant, you’ll be able to grow.

Lifestyle Seek a balanced and well-structured lifestyle. Avoid boredom. Determine what’s important to you and create a lifestyle that embraces and supports you.

Think positively Replace negativity with optimistic thinking. Helpless thinking is a major contributor to burnout.

Be creative Look for a different approach to the same problems or to unpleasant situations. Break free from your everyday routine. Let your workspace express your individuality.

Humor and playfulness Humor reduces stress, promotes physical healing, is essential for mental health and can add years to your life. No wonder they say humor is the best antidote. Enjoy yourself.

The following questions are designed to broaden perspectives, to open vistas, to widen the lens. There is no one right way to approach them. You can journal about them, talk to friends, create art, ponder them while driving, talk to your dog, dance them—whatever helps you explore “outside the box.” 1. How and where and who do you lead now? 2. What is the relationship between passion, action and leadership? 3. What would you like to change or how else would you like to contribute? What is your first step? 4. How does a leader handle adversity? 5. When is action the right step in adverse situations? Inaction? 6. When are your actions serving excellence, and when are they serving perfectionism? 7. What would you free up in your life if you let go of perfectionism? How would your body feel and move? 8. What is being burned out keeping you from? What does it serve? 9. Which of your values are you dishonoring when you are in a state of burnout? 10. How could you add value to the evaluations you write? How could you receive more value from the ones you are given?

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July/August 2009

Putting the “Value” Back in Performance Evaluations

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e have disposable contact lens and disposable cameras. Lest we add disposable employee appraisals to the list, we might want to consider ways to put more “value” into performance evaluations. That way, they become more a roadmap for development than a short-cut that leads nowhere. Performance appraisals for all employees are often completed annually within a short timeframe, which doesn’t usually lend itself to careful, honest, well-thought-out evaluations. The standardized forms may end up looking like cookie cutter documents with similar wording, strengths and weaknesses. Other challenges with the typical employee review system are: • Doing all the appraisals at once can create a tendency to compare and rank employees, which can put employees on the defensive and fosters an atmosphere of competitiveness rather than excellence. • Salary increases, bonuses, promotion opportunities are directly connected with the appraisal. Ideally, these matters are kept separate from performance appraisals. • Evaluations are often used to document performance issues that should have been addressed during the year. Contrast that approach to evaluations of value, which contain elements of both review and discovery. In these, managers work

with their team members to set short-term and long-term objectives that benefit both company and employee. Education and training goals, as well as opportunities to work with a coach, also are examined. Understanding employees’ professional goals enables managers to lead and guide them in more targeted and meaningful ways. When managers focus on developing the employees they supervise, they give the gift of recognition and support, a gift that returns in the form of enhanced performance for the company. Here are a few recommendations for producing evaluations of value: • Find a time and place to write without interruption. Hold an image of the person in mind. • Acknowledge the worker for contributions to the company. • Align the employee’s goals with the needs of the organization. • Ensure that the employee has the necessary tools and support to achieve the objectives. • Include education and training opportunities, as well as new assignments, to further the employee’s career goals.

“The secret of a leader lies in the tests he has faced over the whole course of his life and the habit of action he develops in meeting those tests.” —Gail Sheehy

Rita Carey, Ed.D., CPCC

RCM Associates Professional Development Coaching P.O. Box 175 Victor, NY 14564 888-260-3173 [email protected] www.rcmassociates.com To love what you do and feel that it matters, how could anything be more fun? —Katherine Graham