Hunting that next job is hard work. It can take a toll on you. One of the keys a lot of people (probably most) overlook is helping decision-makers become more comfortable with you as a candidate. Submitting resumes online may be a necessary evil (for unemployment, etc), but it's a numbers game. Show the world you are knowledgable, personable and a become known quantity. In this brief video I run through seven tips and four tools to help you thrive and better position yourself in the minds of decision-makers.

Friction can tell you a lot about people, things, projects, and more. How do you people react when faced with friction and resistance when doing a task? Or dealing with a person? How can that be used to determine what you should do?

Soft people shun friction. And do little things. Those who make sound decisions to embrace friction and risk? They produce outcomes that create real changes and benefits.

To seize opportunities, sometimes you have to break things. Like your plans. Even your communication plans! Be open to trashing your plans when opportunity presents itself. Be agile and you might create something akin to "Moving Pictures". What could this mean? The answer is in the video.

Commentary notes

Questions to ask yourself before deleting a relationship

* In general do you respect the other party?

* You can dislike someone but still respect their abilities, performance, and achievements. You can even like someone with whom you have disagreements.

* Is this a party you should keep open the option of working with in the future?

* What could the downside be of closing the door to future collaborations?

* Perhaps your position on the issue may not be as “right” in part or in totality?

* Maybe you can learn something through a disagreement?

Things to do to keep a relationship with someone after a disagreement

* Don’t say or do anything you can’t take back.

* Demonstrate your interest in that person.

* Keep an open channel. Send a periodic email. Have coffee once a quarter with the person. Pass along articles

* Be patient.

* Be friendly.

* Be genuine. Don’t try too hard.

* Treat people with dignity and respect

* This is how we often treat strangers. Why should we treat people we know in a less civil manner?

Communication happens all around us. Throughout the day and night. Across the country and around the globe. For something we do on a constant basis, it is often something people don’t know what it is. And why we do it. Even more critical - there is often a significant gap in how well many people believe they communicates and the reality of their actual competency and mastery in these skills.

Without this foundational knowledge, a person is held back from reaching their full potential. In communication itself and what it can yield for us professionally and personally.

Communication has one definition. No matter how many different “versions” people try to state as fact. Why we communicate? It comes down to three motivations.

This video is a follow-up to on the United CEO safety letter breakdown video requested by Jennifer Frye, one the community leaders for LinkedIn's Career Success Premium Community. This video is specifically on four parts of crisis leadership and how they can apply for three phases in career development - looking for a job, doing a job, and after a job. Feel free to take screen shorts of a couple of lists in the video and use them for a reference.

This video features a communication analysis of the safety letter released by United CEO Scott Kirby on March 18, 2024. What it did well. What it fell short on. How it could be better. And how it measures up when it comes to crisis communication and leadership.

Do you have product or service (or an idea for one) that doesn't fit in to traditional scenarios or opportunities? Maybe there are situations in which you are unsure how to share how these items can work in new ways? Maybe that something is you?

When this happens, it's pretty common for people to retreat to security and comfort where there is a lower likeliehood of rejection and failure. While this decision might shield egos and feelings from judgments and derision by others, it also fosters mediocrity.

Let’s start by rolling out this hand grenade into the conversation. Work is not adult day care. Or it shouldn’t be. Doing whatever you want, whenever you want is rarely a good idea in any scenario. Including work.

Over the past decade or so, there has been a “movement” that has degraded the workplace. It’s “bring your whole self to work”. If it sounds suspiciously similar to “bring your kid to work day”, there is a reason. The items in both statements (self and kid) are too often immature.

When people go to work, they are there to do one thing. Work. Be polite, courteous, and civil to each other as human beings.