This is a good article - quote from http://www.365daysofcoaching.com/daily_action.htm.
If you have worked for anytime at all, you have had the opportunity to work with a difficult boss. I have had the pleasure of working with many over my lifetime and have learned a few interesting ways to handle a difficult boss.
First, change your perspective. As long as you see your boss through your "jerk" filter, your boss will be a jerk. Let that go and see your boss as just your boss. Period. Don't make judgments or put labels on the boss. Realize that your boss just is. Shifting your perspective will help you to begin to shift the energy around how you think and respond to your boss.
Learn to manage your boss. Yes, that is right. One of the most important things one can do is manage the manager. Learn what you boss wants and doesn't want, likes and doesn't like, and how to do the kind of job your boss is looking for. I once worked for a boss who wanted a daily report on everything I did. I thought it was ridiculous, but it made my boss happy and kept him off my back. Remember that you do work for the boss and the boss is paying you, so as long as what the boss is asking for is legal, then it is your job no matter how stupid it may seem to you.
Understand that your boss is not going to change. I have worked with clients that think that if they just do their job better, faster, or more elegantly, the boss will see how valuable they are and change their evil ways. Ha, in your dreams! The boss is not going to change. If change is going to happen, it is going to be up to you. You will have to change the way you interact with your boss. Once you begin to act differently, the boss may respond differently, or not, but it will be up to you to make the change and you will be in control of your own actions and responses.
Know that it does not matter if you like your boss. You do not have to be best friends with the boss. You do, however, have to have a professional relationship. That means that you do not complain or gossip about your boss and you get your job done. I have worked with bosses that I could not stand, but they never knew it. I was polite, respectful, and did my job. It was not always easy, but it made a difficult situation tolerable.
Understand that you have a few choices here. You can stay and live with it or you can leave. You can either adapt to the situation or leave the situation. If you feel like the boss has done something illegal, you can always see a lawyer and find out what your rights are. You might also talk to someone in your Human Resource Department or the Equal Employment Opportunity person in your company. The thing to remember is that you are never powerless. Even if all you can do is control your own actions and attitudes, remember you are in control.
Document everything. Documentation will support you if you ever have to file a complaint. Keep detailed records about the interactions with your boss, the work you are doing, and anything else that may seem important. I once had a boss try to downgrade my appraisal for no other reason than his appraisal had been downgraded and he didn't want me to have a better rating than he. Because I had everything documented, I was able to fight the downgrade and won. Documenting what you do just makes good sense. It will also help you at the end of the year when you are trying to remember everything you did. Don't expect your boss to remember; even a great boss won't. They have way too much to do. It is up to you to keep detailed records of how you are contributing to the organization.
Everyone is someone's difficult person. You may very well have a personality conflict with your boss. Ask yourself honestly how you are contributing to the relationship with your boss. It does take two to dance. Ask yourself how you are making things worse. This can be hard to look at, but can also give you some insight into your own behavior and how you can remove yourself from the drama. Sometimes, with or without realizing it, we are making the situation worse. Step back and see how you might be doing that and stop. This isn't a matter of giving up or letting the other person win. It is a matter of maintaining your sanity.
Find someone outside of your work environment to talk with. Do not talk with other people at work about what a jerk the boss is. It will get back to her or him. Find someone who can give you an unbiased opinion and help you create a strategy to manage the boss. This will help you to defuse some of your frustration and support you in creating healthy ways to handle the situation.
And remember, you have the power! Don't let anyone take it from you. Control your actions and attitudes. As long as you are in control, you are better able to manage the situation and make the best choices.
Quote from --
Coach Rachelle Disbennett-Lee, PhD provides daily motivation, information and inspiration to thousands of busy self development enthusiast who want to stay focused and on track to their goals through her award winning e-zine 365 Days of Coaching. For a free report, "The Power of Daily Action - How to create more Wealth, Health and Happiness by Tapping Into the Power of Daily Action" go to http://www.365daysofcoaching.com/daily_action.htm.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Layoff survival: Ways to keep your skills sharp
A good article - quote from Yahoo news.
By EILEEN AJ CONNELLY,AP Personal Finance Writer AP -
Thursday, March 12NEW YORK - Losing a job can mean losing more than just a paycheck. Without some planning, an extended layoff can cause job skills to fade and make someone less attractive to potential employers.
ADVERTISEMENT
And it's not just the unemployed 8.1 percent of the workforce that has to worry about a personal brain drain. Add in those working part time or who have given up looking for a job, and the Labor Department says 14.8 percent of the U.S. work force is "underutilized."
Whether they can speak a foreign language or analyze financial spreadsheets as easily as sports statistics, those people need to find ways to keep their skills up.
"Maintaining your skills and advancing your skills is critical to advancing if you're employed, and getting a new job if you're unemployed," said Dean Tracy, a recruiter and career coach in San Ramon, Calif.
But how do you stay on top of your field when you've been downsized? Tracy and other career counseling experts identified three potential avenues: continuing education, professional organizations and volunteering.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Even for those who are not out of work, learning new skills or brushing up old ones is always beneficial. Several experts said classes that offer certifications are particularly helpful.
"What it tells the employer is, you're not sitting around wondering what to do next, you're taking the initiative," said Tracy. Those who can't attend a class should look for online training.
Technology and business models have evolved so rapidly that anyone who got their education 10 or more years ago is no longer current in the market, said Don Straits, president of the Auburn, Calif.-based executive search firm Corporate Warriors: "That MBA from Stanford that you got in 1978 or 1980? That and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee."
Underscoring that idea, Straits said it is vital for today's workers to take advantage of Web-based technologies. "I won't say they need to be Twittering," he said, referring to the fast-growing service through which users to send out short messages. "But they do need to be connected or involved in Web 2.0. It's not just a matter of surfing the Web any more."
Social networking, he said, is a good place to get acquainted with the expanding possibilities online. It's an area that is easily self-taught, and one that can have numerous applications once you're back in the workplace. As a bonus, establishing a network of contacts can also help during a job hunt. Pointing to a 24-year-old staffer at his company who has 4,000 "friends" on MySpace and 300 connections on LinkedIn, Straits said, "He will never have a problem connecting to a position."
Teaching: Experts in using resources like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn may be able to help others by teaching a class or leading a workshop for a professional organization. Another possibility is to seek an adjunct faculty position at a local college.
"Having a faculty appointment is never a bad thing," said Roy Cohen, a master coach for The Five O'Clock Club, a New York-based career coaching network. An added plus: "You have access to other faculty members you can network with."
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Beyond the potential for teaching fellow members, professional organizations typically offer access to broader workshops and seminars. But Straits said it's important not only to join, but to be active in professional groups. "One of the best jobs in any association is the membership chairman," he said, "because you are going to get to know every single company or individual in that organization."
Professional organizations also often need help with tasks like maintaining their Web sites or organizing their finances, providing more opportunities to put languishing skills to use.
VOLUNTEERING
Donating your time can also add some interest to a resume and demonstrate a commitment to community that may impress a potential employer.
Tracy says it's a mistake to rule out listing a volunteer position on your resume: "Just because you got paid or didn't get paid does not diminish the importance of that being a job that enables you to enhance your skills."
If you're searching for a suitable spot, look for organizations that connect volunteers with nonprofits needing expert help. The Taproot Foundation is one national group that provides pro bono help with things like strategic planning, annual report preparation and marketing.
Taproot recruitment manager Melanie Damm said the group has seen a huge influx of volunteers in the past six months. Though at times Taproot had been limited by the number of pro bono consultants it could recruit, now there is a bit of a problem finding projects for all the volunteers in some cities. But, she said, "we still have shortages for very specific sorts of skill sets" like Web site development and graphic design.
Being open to working as an unpaid intern at a for-profit company, or volunteering to help on a specific project, may get you in the door. Cohen, of The Five O'Clock Club, has a client who approached a company offering to be an apprentice that was accepted. "They were very taken with his strategy," he said.
It's a tactic that worked for Shawn Graham, the director of MBA career services at the University of Pittsburgh and author of the book, "Courting Your Career." In 1997, he was downsized by the retail company he worked for and decided to try the career counseling field. He approached three colleges seeking to volunteer in their career offices, and one took him up on the offer. A few months later, he was given a paid spot there, and has since moved up in the field by working at two other universities.
Graham said, "Sometimes just calling up and offering to help on a project can be the toehold to get into the organization."
By EILEEN AJ CONNELLY,AP Personal Finance Writer AP -
Thursday, March 12NEW YORK - Losing a job can mean losing more than just a paycheck. Without some planning, an extended layoff can cause job skills to fade and make someone less attractive to potential employers.
ADVERTISEMENT
And it's not just the unemployed 8.1 percent of the workforce that has to worry about a personal brain drain. Add in those working part time or who have given up looking for a job, and the Labor Department says 14.8 percent of the U.S. work force is "underutilized."
Whether they can speak a foreign language or analyze financial spreadsheets as easily as sports statistics, those people need to find ways to keep their skills up.
"Maintaining your skills and advancing your skills is critical to advancing if you're employed, and getting a new job if you're unemployed," said Dean Tracy, a recruiter and career coach in San Ramon, Calif.
But how do you stay on top of your field when you've been downsized? Tracy and other career counseling experts identified three potential avenues: continuing education, professional organizations and volunteering.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Even for those who are not out of work, learning new skills or brushing up old ones is always beneficial. Several experts said classes that offer certifications are particularly helpful.
"What it tells the employer is, you're not sitting around wondering what to do next, you're taking the initiative," said Tracy. Those who can't attend a class should look for online training.
Technology and business models have evolved so rapidly that anyone who got their education 10 or more years ago is no longer current in the market, said Don Straits, president of the Auburn, Calif.-based executive search firm Corporate Warriors: "That MBA from Stanford that you got in 1978 or 1980? That and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee."
Underscoring that idea, Straits said it is vital for today's workers to take advantage of Web-based technologies. "I won't say they need to be Twittering," he said, referring to the fast-growing service through which users to send out short messages. "But they do need to be connected or involved in Web 2.0. It's not just a matter of surfing the Web any more."
Social networking, he said, is a good place to get acquainted with the expanding possibilities online. It's an area that is easily self-taught, and one that can have numerous applications once you're back in the workplace. As a bonus, establishing a network of contacts can also help during a job hunt. Pointing to a 24-year-old staffer at his company who has 4,000 "friends" on MySpace and 300 connections on LinkedIn, Straits said, "He will never have a problem connecting to a position."
Teaching: Experts in using resources like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn may be able to help others by teaching a class or leading a workshop for a professional organization. Another possibility is to seek an adjunct faculty position at a local college.
"Having a faculty appointment is never a bad thing," said Roy Cohen, a master coach for The Five O'Clock Club, a New York-based career coaching network. An added plus: "You have access to other faculty members you can network with."
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Beyond the potential for teaching fellow members, professional organizations typically offer access to broader workshops and seminars. But Straits said it's important not only to join, but to be active in professional groups. "One of the best jobs in any association is the membership chairman," he said, "because you are going to get to know every single company or individual in that organization."
Professional organizations also often need help with tasks like maintaining their Web sites or organizing their finances, providing more opportunities to put languishing skills to use.
VOLUNTEERING
Donating your time can also add some interest to a resume and demonstrate a commitment to community that may impress a potential employer.
Tracy says it's a mistake to rule out listing a volunteer position on your resume: "Just because you got paid or didn't get paid does not diminish the importance of that being a job that enables you to enhance your skills."
If you're searching for a suitable spot, look for organizations that connect volunteers with nonprofits needing expert help. The Taproot Foundation is one national group that provides pro bono help with things like strategic planning, annual report preparation and marketing.
Taproot recruitment manager Melanie Damm said the group has seen a huge influx of volunteers in the past six months. Though at times Taproot had been limited by the number of pro bono consultants it could recruit, now there is a bit of a problem finding projects for all the volunteers in some cities. But, she said, "we still have shortages for very specific sorts of skill sets" like Web site development and graphic design.
Being open to working as an unpaid intern at a for-profit company, or volunteering to help on a specific project, may get you in the door. Cohen, of The Five O'Clock Club, has a client who approached a company offering to be an apprentice that was accepted. "They were very taken with his strategy," he said.
It's a tactic that worked for Shawn Graham, the director of MBA career services at the University of Pittsburgh and author of the book, "Courting Your Career." In 1997, he was downsized by the retail company he worked for and decided to try the career counseling field. He approached three colleges seeking to volunteer in their career offices, and one took him up on the offer. A few months later, he was given a paid spot there, and has since moved up in the field by working at two other universities.
Graham said, "Sometimes just calling up and offering to help on a project can be the toehold to get into the organization."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Balance Sheet of Life..
Our Birth is our Opening Balance
Our Death is our Closing Balance
Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities
Our Creative Ideas are our Assets
Heart is our Current Asset
Soul is our Fixed Asset
Brain is our Fixed Deposit
Thinking is our Current Account
Achievements are our Capital
Character & Morals, our Stock-in-trade
Friends are our General Reserves
Values & Behavior are our Goodwill
Patience is our Interest Earned
Love is our Dividend
Children are our Bonus Issues
Education is Brands / Patents
Knowledge is our Investment
Experience is our Premium Account
The Aim is to Tally the Balance Sheet Accurately.
The Goal is to get the Best Presented Accounts Award.
Our Death is our Closing Balance
Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities
Our Creative Ideas are our Assets
Heart is our Current Asset
Soul is our Fixed Asset
Brain is our Fixed Deposit
Thinking is our Current Account
Achievements are our Capital
Character & Morals, our Stock-in-trade
Friends are our General Reserves
Values & Behavior are our Goodwill
Patience is our Interest Earned
Love is our Dividend
Children are our Bonus Issues
Education is Brands / Patents
Knowledge is our Investment
Experience is our Premium Account
The Aim is to Tally the Balance Sheet Accurately.
The Goal is to get the Best Presented Accounts Award.
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