Too Many Goals? How to Get Started!

Carolyn, a woman who attended one of our seminars, had a problem — she had so many goals she didn’t know where to start.  She felt good that she had lots of interests, but also felt like a bit of a slacker because she couldn’t get started.  Carolyn didn’t know it, but her problem was not unique. Prior to working with us, many of our coaching clients had difficulty prioritizing multiple goals. We developed a strategy to address competing priorities in our book, GOAL!  and helped Carolyn think through hers. 

On her list of goals, none of them were time sensitive and none of them were dependent on accomplishing other goals.  However, there was a subset of her goals that were mutually exclusive, so she did have to make a decision among those.  The other goals were not mutually exclusive and theoretically, she could have picked any one out of a hat and just started.  She hadn’t started on anything so far because she was unsure on how to proceed.

Carolyn’s goals were: Starting a business (mutually exclusive options), finishing her degree, writing a book and volunteering her time. 

Here’s how we helped Carolyn get going:

For Goals That Are Not Dependent on Other Goals  If there’s no sequence to your goals (i.e., none depend on the completion of other goals) then look at other factors. For example, is one an event driven goal?  Those goals are tied to some specific future date, like losing weight to attend a college reunion or planning for retirement.  If that’s the case then the date is going to drive when you should start these. If it’s not an event driven goal then you need to determine which goal is more advantageous versus the other. 

Figure Out Which Goal Has the Advantage – If there are goals that have a common objective, (“I’ve identified two businesses which I can start that will both net me $100k”), figure out which one of those has an advantage over the other.  Which one will require less time and energy? Which is less risky? Which one requires less capital? Or, which one will give you more joy? Figuring out the advantages will help you decide which one to go after.

If Both Goals Are Equal? If they are both equal in every aspect and you can’t figure out which one you should do, just arbitrarily pick one and start on that one. If they’re not mutually exclusive, when you reach one goal then start on the other. It’s important to take action because people will often end up doing nothing because they can’t decide between two good goals.

A Grid for Multiple Goals -  Again, if all your goals seem equal and you can’t figure out which one to start first, you may want to make a grid.  We can hear you analytical types saying “yes!”. Vertically down the page list the various goals you have in mind. These could be things like finishing up your college degree, writing a book and volunteering your time.  Across the top of the page, list horizontally the key factors in your decision process, like: time, financial investment, enjoyment doing, satisfaction on completion, ability to involve your spouse, etc. You choose the criteria.  Now you have created a grid. Give each of these a value from 1-10, 10 being the highest value to you (the shorter the time the higher the value, the lower the cost the higher the value). When you have filled in all the spaces on the grid, add the totals across for each goal and see which goal has the highest total.  This will lead you towards the top goal(s). This puts you in a better position to choose which goal to tackle first.

What If You Can’t Identify a Goal? We always tell people to start with what they like doing. Sometimes people will say they’re not sure.  If this is the case, start with what interests you and see if that leads you to something you like. For example, if you’re trying to select a career goal, start out with what you like doing or at least are interested in and figure out what careers would satisfy that. If you can’t figure it out on your own, hire a career coach and he or she can help you identify the careers that will leverage your strengths and be most fulfilling.  If your goal is to find a fun hobby then again, start with what you’re interest in. A lot of people are interested in photography. Take a course or spend time photographing things and see where that leads.  Someone we know had an interest in photography and noticed that all of her pictures tended to be of plants.  That led to a garden hobby.
Goals can be incredibly fulfilling and amazingly frustrating if you don’t know where to begin.  Lots of goals require lots of time, so get started now.  The sooner you start the more fulfilling your life will be.  Carolyn started business “A” and is volunteering her time on the weekends.  She’s never been busier and never been happier, “Once I got started, everything fell into place.”

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
GOAL!  Your 30 Day Career Plan for Business & Career Success

Finally! A Plan to Get Your Next Job

You’re out of work and want to get back as quickly as possible and are willing to be as aggressive as need be. You’ve heard this a million times, “Make looking for a job, your full-time job”. The question is how?

You’ve got a goal, now here’s a plan to get that new job:

1. Target Companies – Every week create a list of 15 companies that you’d like to work for. Don’t factor in whether they’re hiring or not. Even companies that have had recent layoffs still hire for certain positions. Organize the list into a spreadsheet or some document so that you can make notes and keep track of what progress you’re making in each company.

2. Who to Write to - You are going to send a specific email to an individual at each targeted company. To do that, you’ll need to find out who in that company would be your potential boss. Use Google, LinkedIn or look through the company’s website to determine who you should send the email to. You can figure out their email address by finding a sample on the company’s website.

3. Research – Find out what issues the company is facing. Do this by reviewing their annual report and current press releases. Google them to find out what’s being written and use Google Alerts to keep you current with things happening in the company. Enter this information on your spreadsheet so you know at a glance what’s going on in each company.

4. What to Say - The email you send needs to be company specific. Mention the issues they are facing and how your background can help them address these issues. For example, “I’ve read recently how the company is looking to deal with rising costs of raw materials. As a Purchasing Manager, I was able to reduce costs of goods by 10% and increase profitability. Given this, I believe I could be very effective on your team”. Keep the email short — no more than 200 words. Attach your resume and also paste it (below your signature line) in the email. Don’t attach a link to your resume. You want to make it easy for someone to review it.

5. Follow-Up – Call each person a week after emailing them. That means 15 people each week. Have your spreadsheet handy so you can address specific issues if you are fortunate enough to get someone “live”. Your follow-up call or message should state why you’re interested in working at the company and how your background can add value now.

6. Network - Make it a point to connect in person with three people in your network every week. Attend networking events or form a group of your own which is a great way to learn what other people are doing in their job search. Take people who are employed out for coffee and find out what’s going on in their industry. Ask them for a referral to someone who is working in an industry or company of interest to you. Even if the company is not hiring, get a name. There is always value in meeting new people. Regarding networking sites, keep your profiles in Linkedin and Facebook fresh. Put your email address on your LinkedIn profile. That makes it easy for recruiters to contact you.

7. Informational Interviews - Have one a week. This is a great opportunity to make new contacts and learn something valuable about a company or an industry. When you set up these meetings, make it clear that you’re not asking for a job, you just want to learn more about that company or industry. Have at least three insightful questions to ask and get a referral. Send a thank you email as a follow-up. Informational interviews can turn into jobs!

8. Respond to Job Sites – Spend a couple of hours a week responding to job postings. Given the volume of people that respond to these jobs, we wouldn’t recommend spending any more time than this.
So, work your plan: every week send 15 targeted emails, make 15 following up calls, meet with 3 people in your network, have an informational interview, research 15 new companies and spend a couple of hours responding to job postings. This will take you roughly 40 hours a week with about half of that spent out of the house (do #1, #2, and #8 at Starbucks). This plan of working fulltime to get a job – will get you a job – a paying one!

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
www.whelanstone.com

You’re out of work and want to get back as quickly as possible and are willing to be as aggressive as need be. You’ve heard this a million times, “Make looking for a job, your full-time job”. The qu…

You’re out of work and want to get back as quickly as possible and are willing to be as aggressive as need be. You’ve heard this a million times, “Make looking for a job, your full-time job”. The qu…

Canned or Not, Layoffs Affect Everyone

 Whew! The good news is that you just survived the most recent round of layoffs. The bad news is that your job just got bigger. Your title hasn’t changed and there’s no raise in sight, just more work for you to do, since there are fewer employees.

Here’s our Take Five on how to keep up with your workload when more is being piled on:

 

 

 

1. Keep Things in Perspective — You may have more work to do, but at least you’re still drawing a paycheck. If that doesn’t give you comfort, it should. It’s better than the alternative, being laid off and trying to find a job in a tough economy. Another plus to taking on new responsibilities is that it’s an opportunity to increase your skill set, which can make you more valuable internally and externally.
2. Set Your Boss’s Expectations — Just like David Letterman has his “Top 10″ list, you and your boss should agree on yours. Meet with your boss and let him/her know that you are going to do your best under the circumstances. Have in mind your list of top projects and the rationale for why they are important. Get agreement from your boss on which projects can be assigned a lower priority. It’s likely that your boss is under additional pressure as well, and your approach to your new workload will be one less thing for them to worry about.
3. Be More Efficient — There’s a saying “work expands to fill the time allotted.” There’s also a saying “If you want something done, get a busy person to do it.” Land somewhere between these extremes. This is a great time to look at your job with fresh eyes. What can you do more efficiently? Are there reports that can be shortened, combined or deleted all together? Examine every component of your job — don’t take anything for granted, as there is always an opportunity to streamline processes.
4. Use Outside Resources — It’s not unusual for companies in the aftermath of a layoff, to allow the use of contract/temporary workers to pick up the slack. Even a part-time extra pair of hands can help. Only by asking will you find out if your company is willing to go this route.
5. Be a Nicer Co-Worker — Cut backs affect all departments and it’s likely that many other employees are doing more with fewer resources. Recognizing that your co-workers may be feeling the same psychological pressures that you are, make the extra effort to be even nicer to them. The nicer you are, the more they’ll do for you. After all, you can’t say “The hole is on your side of the boat.” You all succeed or fail together.

It’s all in how you look at things. More work doesn’t have to mean more stress. Just take a one-day-at-a-time approach and do your best. The old axioms in business don’t hold true anymore. Like Yogi Berra said “The future ain’t what it used to be.” Look on this as an opportunity to shine in difficult times.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
www.whelanstone.com

Co-Workers Driving You Bananas? Avoid Getting Bruised!

Whether they’re arrogant, talkative, pushy, time-sucks, whiners, or over-all annoying, if they’re your co-workers, you have to deal with them. As tempting as it would be to go “postal”, the reality is you need to have a positive relationship with them in order to be effective in your job. Sure, you could complain to your boss but that could make you look bad and potentially worsen the situation with your co-workers. How do you manage the relationship with an impossible co-worker – without alienating them? Here are the behaviors that cause the most trouble, and ideas on how to deal with them:

1. Arrogant Alvin – He’s the guy who swaggers into your office and is all too happy to point out what you need to do. To boot, he probably talks loud. Arrogant people are generally very insecure, so it’s important to be tactful. The best way to deal with Alvin when he insists on telling you how or what to do is to acknowledge his positive intention, “I know you’re trying to be helpful and I can appreciate that.” Then kill two birds with one stone. Create a bond with him so he’s likely to walk away feeling good, and tell him how you generally handle things so it’s more a statement about you than it is about him. For example, “If I find I need your help, it’s good to know that I have you as a resource. Generally, however, just like you, I prefer to do things my own way.” This leaves the door open for you, should you need his help in the future.
2. Pushy Pricilla – Pricilla is stubborn and argumentative and generally pushy. When she takes a position she won’t give an inch – even if there are other valid options to consider, she has to be right. The best way to deal with her is to find some point of agreement with what she is saying. This will immediately disarm her and she will become more open to your point of view. Pricilla is so pushy and stubborn because she feels like her idea is being resisted. For example, Pricilla insists that the marketing budget should be spent on advertising, yet you think promotion is more important. She says “Advertising works. It always has in the past and it’s a no brainer”. If you respond “No, we should do promotion” she will launch into 10 reasons why advertising is better. The most effective way to handle Pricilla is to find something you can agree on “You’re right, advertising has worked.” This does not mean you agree that the budget should be spent on advertising, you’re just finding common ground. By offering this, Pricilla will no longer feel the need to keep pounding away at her position and will be more open to hearing your ideas.
3. Willie Whiner – Complainers just want to complain. Willie doesn’t want advice or you to argue with him, he just wants a sounding board. Oh, but it’s so annoying to listen to him complain and complain. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, the faster you empathize, the quicker he’ll be finished. For example, Willie says “I work hard and nobody notices.” You can short circuit this conversation by saying “You do work hard and I can understand why you’d be upset if nobody cared”. You just gave Willie what he wants – a little understanding.
4. Talkative Tillie – Every office has someone like Tillie. By all accounts, she is a very nice person but just tends to talk too much. You see her walking down the hall and look for an open door to duck into. You feel guilty, don’t want to be rude, but have work to do and can’t spend big chunks of time listening to the minutia. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid her forever so when she pops into your cubicle, set the expectation upfront. Let her know you’re in the middle of something and only have a couple of minutes. Then signal that with body language: stand up, don’t let her sit down; look at your watch and have an intensity about you so she knows you need to get back to work. You can excuse yourself and say “sorry I have to cut this short”.
5. Nosey Nancy & Rude Richard – Let us hear from you.   What is your best advice on dealing with these types in your office?

Since no man is an island and we all have to work together, it’s important to try and understand where your co-workers are coming from. When you realize their behavior is a symptom of some other issues they’re dealing with and most likely has nothing to do with you, you’ll be better equipped to deal with them. No matter how annoying your co-workers can be, have compassion. After all, you may fit into one of these annoying categories on a bad day.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching

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