Career Tools

This cast makes the case for the most important thing you do at the beginning of your professional life: get good grades in College/University.

This cast describes your initial communications with a friend or associate whose career is at risk, for whatever reason.

We read in the Wall Street Journal this week about a bank failure in the US due to the mortgage/debt crisis the markets are facing. As it turns out, we have several Manager Tools members there, one of whom is a good friend of ours. Mark sent a quick email to this executive.

When Mark mentioned to another member that he had done so, the member said, “I didn’t want to intrude, so I didn’t say anything.” As Mark asked around some more, he discovered that others felt similarly.

“Didn’t want him to be embarrassed that I knew.”

“Didn’t know what to say.”

“Didn’t think I could help.”

Well, they won’t be embarrassed, here’s what to say, and you CAN help.

And, this cast has a nice surprise ending.

This cast describes steps to take when you realize early in a job that you don’t like it.

One of the things that has changed as individuals have had to take over their own career management is more mistakes made by younger professionals. Years ago, larger organizations had a more complete HR approach, and managed their employees’ careers. No longer. Now, younger associates don’t have an HR advisor to turn to, or if they do the advisor is unlikely to have solid recommendations for them (or worse, they tell several people of the problem). More experienced managers and executives are often caught off-guard by the mistakes of their junior team members.

So, what to do? Well, first, we recommend you shut up about it.

This cast describes a simple verbal tool for addressing tension, conflict or other ineffective emotions in the workplace.

Mark has finally gotten around to writing this cast down! Every time Mark teaches this technique to an executive or manager, he turns to Mike and says, “we gotta make this a cast.” And then he doesn’t. When you see this work the first time, you’ll be surprised. In almost any situation, you’ll see a noticeable lessening of the tension. You’ll probably also feel better at moving forward PAST the frustration or difficulties that are being discussed. When you use this with your directs, it often helps begin the process of solution finding.

And to our good friend Rich Ruh, who told Mark this past week at our San Antonio conference that after reading Peter Drucker he was more comfortable around Mark because he realized all these great ideas weren’t Mark’s alone . . . Mark didn’t make this one up either. ;‐)

In this cast, we cover part 2 of our conversation with John Lucht, premier executive recruiter and author of “Rites of Passage”.

Note: John’s website can be found here: RiteSite.com

In today’s cast, we conclude our conversation on Myspace and social networks. As always, if you’re new to Manager Tools and haven’t listened to the first part, you may wish to go back and listen to that first.