This is my last episode of 2024. I’m a huge fan of evaluating what went right and what didn’t – and what changes you want to make for 2025.

The point I want to make, loud and clear, is that change doesn’t have to be massive. Incremental change can be highly effective – and more achievable.

I’ve used this framework on the podcast before, but it’s still great so I’m using it again. I first learned it from my first coach, Denise Hedges. She recently made reference to this 4-step change model in a recent newsletter, which reminded me that I wanted to do this exercise during my planning retreat for next quarter.

Here it goes:

STOP … START … CONTINUE … CHANGE.

What do you need to STOP doing? Maybe it’s something you can delegate. Maybe no one needs to do it anymore.

What do you need to START doing? What is a habit, practice, or activity you want to begin to do? Perhaps you want to commit to a walking program or go back to school for an advanced degree. It could be something simple like intentionally greeting everyone you see on your way into the office every morning.

What do you need to CONTINUE doing? Make sure that, in your efforts to make some changes, you don’t throw the good out. Keep engaging in the activities and behaviors that have worked for you this year.

And what do you need to CHANGE about how you’re operating? Maybe it is an activity you must do every day, every week, or every month…and you hate it. Is it possible that changing HOW you do the thing could make it less unbearable…or even enjoyable? OR is there a way you could do something more efficiently?

As Denise goes on to say, “Most people go at the change process piecemeal, addressing one or two things at a time in isolation vs. looking systematically at everything that’s susceptible to improvement.

“And that’s not where the gold is. Especially since the things that likely garner most of your attention are problems … things that need fixing … vs. opportunities and enhancements you may be overlooking.”

“Stop, start, and change are about doing things differently. It’s easy to focus on what needs to be fixed.

“Continue” is just as important. Make sure to give yourself credit and acknowledge what’s working. Recognize and appreciate what’s made you successful and valued by those you serve. Don’t concentrate solely on how you can do better.

“You’re undoubtedly doing a lot of “right” things and doing a lot of things well.”

STOP … START … CONTINUE … CHANGE. Ask yourself these four simple questions and journal your answers. Then come up with a plan to achieve each.

As I wrap up the podcast for 2024, here are mine for you:

STOP trying to make other people happy at your own expense. You can’t control other people’s thoughts or feelings, so focus on your own happiness.

START questioning your beliefs. A belief is a thought you keep thinking…and many of us choose to think thoughts that don’t serve us. Even if the belief is true: Does it benefit you to think it?

CONTINUE self-improvement. Never stop learning, growing, and evolving. The opposite of this isn’t stagnation, because if you aren’t moving forward, you’re moving backward.

CHANGE an activity or habit that no longer services you. Bored with your workouts? Take up pickleball. Change the way you go to work every day…or the first five things you do when you get there. Commit to changing your relationship with your boss or a co-worker.

You are brilliant! I know this because you are choosing to listen to my podcast instead of something that doesn’t help you grow. I wish you for the happiest of holidays and a wonderful start to 2025.

I’ll be here with you every step of the way!

Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.

If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: 

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Roger Gerard, the owner of Sloan & Gerard Consulting, a private consulting practice serving executives and boards in strategic planning, operational planning, executive coaching, and management development.

Roger talks about leadership’s important role in employee engagement – and why hiring for cultural fit is so important. Roger walks us through three types of employees a leader may encounter – the cynic, the apathetic, and the naysayer – and how to lead each.

Roger’s 5 simple promises leaders need to make and keep sound so easy, and yet so few companies actually do this well.

We also talk about what an employee can do when leadership isn’t holding up their end of the bargain, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Dr. Gerard is the author of Owning the Room: Leading with Mind, Heart and Spirit to Make Extraordinary Choices in a Demanding World and the forthcoming title, Lead With Purpose: Reignite Passion and Engagement For Professionals in Crisis. He also co-authored On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry.

To connect with Dr. Gerard please visit his website www.rogergerard.com

 and www.linkedin.com/in/rogerg.

Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.

If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: 

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

From now until 12/20/2024, I am offering all my services at 50% off. To take advantage, be sure to mention either the "Gift a Better Career" special or just indicate 50% special. Schedule your consult to get the ball rolling at:

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2 

I receive a periodic newsletter from Suzie Price of pricelessprofessional.com. Suzie and I were in a mastermind together several years ago; Suzie is a consultant for companies who want to improve their hiring efforts.

She sent out this “Quick Guide for Hiring” and I wanted to take a look at her steps from both the hiring and candidate side.

Phase 1 - Planning

Clarify Expectations – Be clear about what success looks like in the role.

Identify Key Skills & Behaviors – Know what traits drive high performance.

Collaborate – Involve your team for diverse perspectives.

Assign Roles – Give each interviewer areas to focus on for well-rounded assessments.

Takeaways for those involved in the hiring: This planning stage is often glossed over – or disjointed from those who will actually be doing the interviewing.

Start with the end in mind: What does this person need to know, do, and be for them to be successful in this role? Be sure you are taking your company’s mission, vision, and goals into consideration – otherwise, you may end up with someone who can do the job but isn’t a cultural fit for the organization.

Choosing the right people to be involved in this process is critical, as is giving each person a specific focus for the interviewing process. Who will this person interact with, both inside and outside their department?

If you are leading the process, make sure everyone involved knows what the process will be. How many candidates do you plan to interview, and what will that process look like? How and when will selection be made? Set expectations up front – and if you aren’t the leader and this isn’t being done – ask questions.

Takeaways for candidates: Your homework is to understand more than just the job description. You want to know the company’s mission, vision, and goals, the company’s history and plans for the future, who its competitors are and where this company fits in to that competition.

You also want to know who you’ll be interviewing with, so you can look them up on LinkedIn and get a sense of where they fit into the organization and how you would interact with them on the job. Knowledge is power!

Phase 2 – Interviewing

Ask the Right Questions – Behavioral-based questions to assess competencies.

Spot High Performers – Look for traits like accountability and time management.

Stay Neutral – Talk less, listen more. Let candidates reveal themselves.

Take Notes – It’s not just about what you hear. It’s about what you remember.

Dig Deeper – If answers are vague, press for specifics. Clarity is key.

Sell the Job – Highlight why your company and the role are worth their time.

Takeaways for those involved in the hiring: If your company doesn’t have a structured interview process – or if the structure in place isn’t working as well as it could – do what you can to effect a more useful process.

Ask each candidate the same set of questions – otherwise, it’s very difficult to evaluate them on equal footing. Of course, follow up questions will vary.

While often it is the candidate who navigates the interview process the best who gets the job, the more you can accommodate people’s varying preparation levels and different personalities, the more likely you will get the best-fit candidate into the role.

-Try your best to make them comfortable

-Ask probing questions when their answers are vague

-Keep in mind that introverts aren’t likely to interview as well as extraverts

Finally – come up with a “commercial” for the company that is consistently delivered to every candidate. Your HR and/or PR department should be involved in this process – and, ideally, certain information should be presented to all candidates regardless of the department or function they are interviewing for.

Takeaways for candidates: I don’t want to beat the dead horse of preparing for your interview – I’ve done that thoroughly in other episodes.

Here’s what I do want to say: Look at the body language during your interview. Are you connecting with them – giving them the information they are looking for? If you aren’t sure – ask. Offer to provide further details or go in another direction with your response.

Although it can be tricky to try to interpret anything from when are making notes – there may be some clues there, especially if their notes are seemingly very brief.

One more thing – try to connect with each interviewer. Make eye contact.

Phase 3 – Selecting

Discuss as a Team – Debrief with your team and compare insights.

Be Thorough – Don’t rush. Address any red flags.

Assess for Fit – It’s not just about skills: attitude and culture fit matter too.

Takeaways for those involved in the hiring: It’s so important in this phase to remain open to everyone’s insights – otherwise, why have multiple people involved?

As for red flags: Determine what additional information you may need and assign someone to get it. Above all, don’t ignore them.

Takeaways for candidates: At the end of your interview, thank the interviewers for their time and restate your interest in the position.

You also want to ask what the next steps in the hiring process will be – and offer to follow up at an appropriate time.

Also at the end of the interview, ask this question: “Is there any additional information I can provide to help you make the best possible hiring decision?”

You might have red flags too – don’t ignore them! If they occur to you after the interview, follow up on them as appropriate. For example, you might want to follow up on some concerns immediately; others only if you get offered the job.

Send email thank you notes to everyone involved in the hiring process. Here’s an example:

Dear Jane,

Thank you so much for the interview this afternoon. I really enjoyed meeting you and your team – and the tour of your manufacturing facility really helped me see how my role fits into [name of company’s] growth goals.

I am confident my experience with [whatever they seemed most interested in during the interview] has prepared me well for the position of inside account manager.

As I understand it, the next step in the hiring process is meeting with the VP of Sales; I look forward to the opportunity to meet with him soon.

From now until 12/20/2024, I am offering all my services at 50% off. To take advantage, be sure to mention either the "Gift a Better Career" special or just indicate 50% special. Schedule your consult to get the ball rolling at:

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you know that I do an annual list of five unusual things to be thankful for each year during Thanksgiving week. In some cases they are my personal things – and in other cases, they are more observations of the world. In either case, I always bring the five things back around to what you can learn from them.

Last year, I borrowed from what I was seeing my clients go through. This year, let’s get personal. In no particular order, here we go:

#1 – A lull in the action.

Of course, we all need time to rest and recuperate – to rejuvenate ourselves. (I’ll talk about this later.) What I found this year during a bit of a lull in my client load was the time to THINK.

I thought about the big stuff – the direction I wanted to take my business in, long-term goals, KPI’s. I also thought about the small stuff – changes I wanted to make to programs, processes.

I came away from that time feeling more focused and determined. So much so, in fact, that I started building in 2 full days each quarter to work on items on my Action Plan. (aka Get Stuff Done days).

My message for you? Make sure you are allowing time in your schedule for what Stephen Covey calls Quadrant 2 activities – Important, But Not Urgent. Planning, organizing, creating the vision for your future. Whatever that looks like in your world.

#2 – Travel by myself.

I did a pretty big thing this year – I took a full week of vacation, out of the country, by myself.

I had people who wanted to go with me…and people who were willing to go on their own terms. I said no to both.

As a single woman, I knew I needed to get over this fear of solo travel. What would people think? Would I be safe? Could I manage the literal heavy lifting by myself?

I spent six days in a beautiful resort in the Dominican Republic. I did exactly what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it. Ate when and where I wanted.

There were no other solo acts in sight. And guess what? I was perfectly okay with that.

My message for you? What’s your version of Solo Travel? Maybe it actually IS solo travel – or maybe it’s saying yes to an activity that scares you, or saying no to something or someone that no longer serves you. Maybe it’s seeking out a new position with a new company. Or starting your own business.

Calculate the risk, and if the math says to do it – jump.

#3 – Taking care of myself.

I became a card-carrying member of Medicare this year, so I embarked on a massive journey to take care of some things I had put off when I had Obamacare.

Suffice it to say, there were tears of frustration throughout. I remember thinking “how do other people who perhaps aren’t as intelligent as me, or have the mental faculties I have, navigate this? I spent hours upon hours following up with various medical specialists who had let my care slip through the cracks.

My message to you: Be your own best advocate. You can play the blame game – I admit to quite a bit of that this year – but you can also keep putting one foot in front of the other and get it done. Whatever it is for you – take care of yourself.

#4 – Doing the emotional dance.

I’m not comfortable giving much detail here, other than to say that I learned some valuable lessons this year about how to process other people’s opinions of me. How to sift through harsh feedback to determine what was valuable information for me to make changes in my life – and what was someone else’s opinion of me and truly none of my business.

My message to you: Growth is rarely comfortable. It requires dissonance and discomfort – otherwise, we wouldn’t see the need to grow.

The real skill, as I see it, is the sifting part. Not making everything someone says to you mean something in you needs to change – and also not making everything they say mean NOTHING about you.

#5 – Saying it out loud.

This one isn’t really an unusual thing to be thankful for, but I wanted to include it anyway.

Somewhere along the way this year, I started telling my clients how much I appreciated them. Not in the generic sense, but in the very specific way in which they showed up in the world, in working with me, and in terms of their willingness to grow.

I’ve told a few clients about my three client tiers: Those I’m glad to see the back of (I’m thrilled to say I’ve had very, very few of these over the years), the meaty middle of clients I’m happy to work with, and the ones who make me light up when I get to interact with them (these are the only ones I tell about my tiers).

I tell them how proud I am of their willingness to change, how brave they were to reach out to someone like me in the first place, and how intentional they have been about making the changes they wanted to make.

And guess what? They open up and tell me how important I have been to them and how much they appreciate me. That they could not have done it without me.

My message to you: Tell the people in your personal and professional life how they have impacted you. Tell them about the growth you’ve seen in them. Let them know how you feel about them. Say it out loud.

I bet you’ll hear it right back. Everybody wins.

I hope you have some type of year-end review and planning for next year coming up. An opportunity for you to review what went well and not so well in 2024 – and the changes you want to make for 2025. Then map out the specific steps you’ll take to get there, because a goal without a plan is just a wish.

Then go make 2025 full of unusual things to be thankful for!

Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.

If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: 

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

Most organizations assume people leave jobs for better pay or benefits. But the reality is that 70% of employees quit for reasons far beyond money. (Source: Gallup)

Here’s where it gets interesting.

When asked in exit interviews what would make employees STAY, this is what they found:

21% wanted more positive interaction with their manager

13% wanted organizational issues resolved

11% wanted a clear path for career advancement

8% wanted less negative interactions with their boss

Employee retention is about much more than paychecks. It’s about culture, communication, and career growth.

With this data in mind, I want to offer specific steps you can take if you are a) an employee, or b) a manager, or c) a C-suite executive dealing with retention issues.

I’ve combined the 21% who wanted more positive interaction with the 8% of people who wanted fewer negative interactions with their boss, as these are two sides of the same coin.

As an employee: Many employees see themselves as innocent bystanders in this issue, thinking they have no say in how their boss interacts with them.

While there is truth to that – you can’t control how your boss thinks or feels – you can facilitate more positive interactions by taking the following steps:

-Think positive thoughts about your boss

-Understand his or her preferences – for how to be approached, how to receive negative information, how to be kept updated

-To the best of your ability, develop a personal relationship with your boss. Learn about his/her family, interests, personal goals.

I did an episode on how to improve your working relationship with your boss in episode #169: https://www.exclusivecareercoaching.com/posts/2021-03-17-169-questions-to-ask-your-manager-to-improve-your-relationship/

As a manager: It is so important that you get to know your direct reports as people with lives outside of work, and that you show understanding and flexibility to the best of your ability when life happens. Specifically:

-Schedule regular 1:1s, and don’t make them just about work.

-Inquire regularly about things you know staff members are doing outside of work, such as building an addition on their home or planning a big vacation.

-Celebrate successes – in a way that is inclusive. No, I’m not talking about participation prizes, but rather make sure you are celebrating the variety of ways in which your team members contribute to the team’s success.

As a C-suite executive: You are the culture-setter for the organization, so be sure you are walking the talk. Your direct reports will be much more likely to develop personal relationships with their direct reports if you model the same.

This is also something you can hire for – ask questions during the interview of senior leadership about their ability to develop mutually beneficial relationships with their direct reports. Avoid, at all costs, hiring people who see their team members as automatons who have no personal lives – or who shouldn’t.

Do the same as the managers: 1:1s, inquire about your people’s personal lives, and celebrate successes.

As an employee: As a ground-level employee, you may be in the best position to bring such organizational issues to your boss’ attention.

-Be specific – don’t expect your boss to take your concerns seriously, or be able to do anything about them, if he or she doesn’t really understand the problem.

-Follow up – if nothing is done after an appropriate amount of time (which depends on how big the issue is and possibly other factors), follow up with your boss in a respectful and professional manner.

-Show gratitude – once change is made, let your boss know how grateful you are in a way that is appropriate for the amount of effort it required.

As a manager: The problems will likely be coming to you, and your willingness to hear them out and do something about them can make or break your reputation as a leader.

-Actively see input. Don’t just listen when they come to you – invite them to tell you what they would change if they could.

-Don’t get defensive. The best way to shut your employees up is to argue with them about what they see as a problem. Listen, don’t interrupt, ask questions, and keep the employee appraised of progress toward the solution.

-Reward. Whether the company supports this or you do it on your own, provide a gift card, ½ day off, or something else appropriate to the magnitude of the suggestion.

As a C-suite executive: Again – you are the culture-setter and creating a culture where team members are encouraged and rewarded for solving problems is a huge benefit for employee retention, engagement, and productivity.

-Create a suggestion system. You don’t have to do this yourself, but rather assign a key member of senior leadership to take the reigns on a suggestion system. Be sure they map out the end-to-end process – and do your best to shoot holes in it so they can make it better.

-Along with the suggestion system, have a team member create a reward system that can be evaluated and measured objectively. Make sure you allocate the proper funds for this – it will be money well spent.

-As part of your recruitment process, be sure your recruiters and other key staff members are speaking about your rewards system to prospective employees. Ideally, the marketing team is involved and has branded this program and effectively communicated it throughout the organization.

As an employee: If this is important to you, this should be a question you ask at the interview stage. Decide whether this is a deal breaker for you, and if it is, make sure you don’t compromise on it.

-Once you know what the logical next step in your career path with the organization should be, meet with your boss to inquire about the specific criteria he or she will use to determine whether you should be promoted.

-Communicate your progress towards that next role regularly with the appropriate person – and always ask if there is anything else you should be doing.

-Create CARL stories around your achievements in your current role that speak to your qualifications for the next role once you have the opportunity to interview for the role.

As a manager: It is your job to know what, if any, career path exists for the various roles you manage.

-Don’t wait for your employees to ask – tell them what could be next for them, and what it will take to get there.

-Recognize them for achieving milestones along the path.

-Get over yourself. A promotion might mean they leave your department – or even become your peer. Consider this a success story, rather than something to try to avoid.

As a C-suite executive: One of the key components of a successful retention program is clearly defined career paths, along with clearly defined competencies at each level and role. If your HR department hasn’t done this – and, of course, regularly updated it – this should be a major initiative.

-This is retreat material – an offsite to look at the entire organization with an eye to how to improve the promotability of various roles. You’re thinking about the big picture here – your HR team can then drill down with the specifics.

-Be alert to potential biases that will prohibit or hinder certain groups from achieving the next level. I am reminded of a grocery store years ago that required employees to have been a bagger before being promoted into a management role – and only males were allowed to be baggers.

-As with your rewards system, your career ladders should be communicated throughout your organization and promoted to potential employees, stakeholders, etc.

Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.

If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: 

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

I talked about the concept of Ikigai back in episode #243. This past week, a colleague posted a graphic about Ikigai and it got me thinking that it was time to re-visit and expand on this concept on the podcast.

Here’s the purpose of Ikigai: It is the Japanese answer to a life of purpose. In practice, this concept of Ikigai is a lifestyle, which the Japanese live somewhat instinctively.

We here in America can learn from the Japanese in this regard.

Here’s a quote from the ikigailiving.com website: “Your Ikigai wakes you up in the morning and leads you away from a mundane, status-quo lifestyle. It empowers you and drives your actions and purpose.”

Ikigai is the intersection of

-What you love

-What the world needs

-What you can be paid for

And

-What you are good at

What I liked about the graphic my colleague posted was that it shows what I’m going to call “partial Ikigai” – what you end up with when you have two or even three of these things, but not all four. This is where I want to go today.

Here’s my invitation to you as you listen: For those of you who are living your Ikigai – this is an opportunity for you to sink into gratitude about that. To think through – perhaps even journal on – the ways in which you are at the intersection of what you love, what the world needs, what you can be paid for, and what you are good at.

For those of you who know you AREN’T in Ikigai and those of you who realize it by listening to this episode, I will give some tangible steps you can take at the end. I promise, there is a way to at least move towards your Ikigai without changing everything about your life.

At this intersection, you are engaged in work you love AND contributing something the world is in need of. You’re committed to the environment, let’s say, so you find yourself volunteering for several climate groups, save the whales, saving the rain forest. Perhaps you are getting paid for your work, but not at the level your education and experience call for.

What you DON’T have at this intersection is consideration of what you are good at or what you can actually get a paycheck from.

You are committed to the cause, you are fully bought-in to making the world a better place. BUT you are either doing volunteer work or not getting paid enough to live a respectable lifestyle. You also are doing work that you aren’t necessarily good at – perhaps loving the cause and your idealism so much that you are square-peg-in-round-holing it.

Result: Burnout and Poverty. You aren’t playing to your strengths in this role, which will, eventually, lead to burnout. You will be constantly “picking up” odd jobs or one-off assignments to earn enough to make ends meet. You will likely be denying some desires, such as travel, a home of your own, etc.

Solution: Is it possible for you to get a full-time job with one of the organizations you’ve volunteered with, or been in a smaller role with? Can you keep the cause you are passionate about, while shifting your role within that organization to one that compensates you and utilizes what you are good at?

Possible Compromise: Start with figuring out what you actually need to earn for the lifestyle you desire (be reasonable). Then consider volunteering for your causes – or supporting them financially.

At this intersection, you have a very practical occupational decision – devoid of passion. You’re being pragmatic, but not taking into consideration what will actually fill your soul.

You’ve looked at a need, let’s say becoming a doctor. You know it pays well, so you go to med school. You have acquired a vocation.

The world needs doctors – but what the world REALLY needs is doctors who truly want to be doctors.

Result: Burnout and Dissatisfaction. You aren’t playing to what you love and what you are good at in this role. You’re making good money, but don’t have the time or energy to enjoy your earnings.

Solution: There’s nothing wrong with making logical occupational decisions – as long as your passion and skillset are also taken into consideration. Maybe you realize you would much rather conduct cancer research than be in a clinical setting. Perhaps you move into medical device sales.

Possible Compromise: If we’re actually talking about leaving the medical field, that can be tough because of the earnings potential. This example, in particular, is one where you really need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture – the quality and balance of your life. This one may require a bigger shift to get on the right path that the other combinations.

Here we have included your Strengths, but they are likely your Burnout Skills if you don’t also love utilizing them. This is another left-brained decision, because while practical, it won’t feed your soul.

I think a good example here would be someone who enters law school because they’ve always excelled at debate and they think all lawyers make a lot of money. Perhaps they go into private practice afterwards, because their desire to become a public defender or work for a non-profit has taken a back seat to the enormous law school debt they’ve racked up.

Result: Burnout and Yearning. You long for the non-profit work you were passionate about before law school. You have the trappings of wealth, but become disenchanted with the materialism. You are golden-handcuffed to your occupation.

Solution: Find a way to minimize use of your Burnout Skills and maximizing use of the skills you love to use and are good at. How can you shift your occupation to bring in the passion? Perhaps you sit down with your significant other to see whether serving as an attorney in a non-profit is actually financially viable. What can you do outside of your job to fill your soul, at least in the short term?

Possible Compromise: If you leave the law field, you could still volunteer in some capacity if you still want to use your legal talents in a capacity that fills your soul.

You are doing the work you love and utilizing your strengths. This decision was 100% right-brained, without consideration of what will make money and what the world actually needs.

Perhaps you’ve always loved working with animals, so you take on a role managing a local non-profit that rescues alpaca. You love the animals and seeing them rehabilitated and moving on to better situations.

Does the world need people doing this work? Yes. The bigger question is, does the world value people doing this work, and the answer may be no. Low pay, relying on grants or donations for basic necessities, and less-than-ideal working conditions are part of the job.

Result: Poverty and Yearning. You may find yourself yearning for more in your life – experiences such as travel or a nice home. You’re also frustrated, knowing that, while you are doing the work you love, you can’t seem to make a decent living.

Solution: Is there another animal the world values more than alpaca – that will pay better? Is there an organization with wider reach than your local non-profit, that may pay better and have more solid financial footing? Is there a role within the non-profit world that still uses your Motivated Skills but pays better?

Possible Compromise: Find a better-paying job with a cause and work you love – and then you can contribute financially or volunteer to help the alpacas.

Ikigai, then, is the intersection of all of these:

-What you love

-What the world needs

-What you can be paid for

-What you are good at

What if you need help in figuring these things out for yourself? Of course, I recommend working with a career coach like myself; I also want to give you some DIY tips.

What you love: Journal the aspects of your current and previous jobs as to what you loved about that work. Look at the activities you enjoy outside of work – what do you love about them? Finally, talk to family members and close friends for their insight.

What you are good at AND ENJOY DOING: I added that caveat because the things you are good at but DON’T ENJOY DOING are called burnout skills. We want to find your motivated skills. You can take my motivated skills activity as part of my Professional Purpose Course at: https://exclusivecareercoaching.com/free-resources

What the world needs: There is no shortage of information in this area; in fact, you may suffer from overload. Ask AI, read books, attend webinars or courses.

What you can be paid for: The US Department of Labor puts out salary data; you can also check out sites like Glassdoor.com or utilize AI to ask about salary expectations. I always recommend looking at job postings from the perspective of the skills and qualifications they are asking for relative to the position you are targeting – how can you maximize your desirability as a candidate?

The bottom line: As I said at the beginning, many of you listening to this will identify as squarely in the Ikigai – doing what you love and are great at, contributing what the world needs in a way that compensates you handsomely.

For those of you who identified one or more missing elements to Ikigai, consider working with a career coach or doing the self-work I just mentioned.

For most of you, Ikigai can be reached with a modification or two – not with starting over in a completely different job function or industry. Even adding one of the missing elements can improve your career satisfaction and move you towards Ikigai.

Others of you may be nearing retirement, but with no desire to put the car in park. Rather, this is your opportunity to achieve Ikigai in your second (or third or fourth) career, where perhaps high earnings doesn’t have to be the primary driver to the exclusion of true happiness and fulfillment.

Here’s that quote again from ikigailiving.com: “Your Ikigai wakes you up in the morning and leads you away from a mundane, status-quo lifestyle. It empowers you and drives your actions and purpose.”

Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.

If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: 

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

I talked about this topic way back in episode #150, which aired in 2020. I thought it was time to bring it back.

The framework I teach my clients for answering behavioral interview questions is CAR(L).

C – Challenge

A-     Action

R – Result

(L) – Lessons Learned

The “L,” when used correctly, can be incredibly powerful in driving home exactly what you want the interviewer to learn about you from your answer.

“L” can take two forms:

Lessons Learned – “What I learned from this situation was…”

OR

“What I think the story demonstrates about me is…”

I think the beauty is in examples, so here are three:

Example #1

Interviewer: “Tell me about a time when your customer service skills were really put to the test.”

C: In my current role as branch vice president, customer concerns are escalated to me. By the time the issue comes to me, the customer is often angry and frustrated. Just recently, I received an escalation at one of my branches concerning a customer who claimed the bank had stolen money out of her account – and she was understandably furious.

A: I knew this was not a situation to be handled over the phone, so I set up a time to meet with her at a neutral location where we would have privacy. I felt this environment would be less stressful for her than to go into her branch.

When we first met, I worked to establish a connection with her – not as an officer of the bank, but as a human who was concerned about her issue. I didn’t want to dive right into the problem – I wanted to put her at ease.

When I asked her about the situation, I asked her if I could make some notes. While she was talking, I didn’t interrupt to ask questions – I wrote my questions down for later.

When I asked questions, I made sure they didn’t sound accusatory or defensive. I then promised her I would fully investigate the situation and get back to her in one week.

R: After conducting my investigation, I found that a cosigner on her account had, without her knowledge, withdrawn the money in question, and I was able to tell the customer who that person was. I did this in a compassionate way, knowing that she would likely feel embarrassed about the situation.

I think the best indicator of how this turned out was that the customer baked cookies for the branch staff and sent me a personal thank you note.

(L): What I think this demonstrates about my customer service skills is my patience, how attuned I am to maintaining everyone’s dignity and privacy, and ability to find a problem that others couldn’t.

Example #2

Interviewer: “This position requires extreme attention to detail. Describe a time when you had to exhibit exceptional levels of attention to detail.”

C: Earlier this year, my boss asked me to conduct a final proof on our annual investors’ report. This document had already been reviewed by 2 others, and I think my boss expected that I would give a quick review and rubber stamp it.

A: Instead, I decided to fact-check everything. I clarified how much time I could have for the project – it wasn’t much time. So I worked evenings and over a holiday weekend to complete my assignment.

R: I was able to find four number errors that would have had significant impact if sent out. I also found a number of grammatical and spelling errors, which I also corrected.

As a result, I received a personal note from my boss, commending me for my efforts – and I am now the designated final reviewer of our annual investors’ reports.

(L): What I learned from this assignment is that sometimes I need to go deeper than what is asked or expected of me. Had I just given the document a quick review, I would never have found all the errors I did – and the results would have been significant.

Example #3

Interviewer: “Tell me about a time when you turned around an underperforming project.” 

C: Last year, I was asked to take over leadership of a team that was evaluating the company’s existing wellness program to make recommendations for improvement.

The previous project manager had so much on her plate that this project wasn’t prioritized and the team hadn’t met in several months.

A: Once I was assigned the project, I immediately got the old team together. My first priority was to determine if the existing team needed to be reconfigured moving forward – either because some members weren’t committed to the project, or because their expertise didn’t fit into the work we needed to do.

Once I reconfigured the team, we set up regular meetings with specific agenda items – everyone knew what we would be doing at each meeting. This really helped with attendance.

I reviewed the previous meeting notes and made decisions about the various facets of this project, and what order they should happen in. I ran this by the team for feedback and made the necessary changes.

I also made sure to give assignments as appropriate – this was “our” project, not just mine. And I built in accountability for those assignments.

R: As a result, we completed the project within the revised timeline and budget. I sent surveys to the team members, who expressed very high levels of satisfaction with me as the project manager and their contributions to the team.

The team received formal commendations from our company president and CHRO.

(L): What I think this project demonstrates about me is my ability to come into something mid-stream and evaluate, make correction, and leverage my leadership strengths to bring the team to cohesion, engagement, and ultimately project success.

Interested in interview coaching with me? Shoot me an email at [email protected]. 

My guest this week is Cheryl Fields Tyler, CEO and Founder of Blue Beyond Consulting. We are talking about the challenges – and rewards – of having multiple generations in the workforce (Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z).

Cheryl tells about the key takeaways from her research – both for younger workers and those who lead them – including the skills you need to work in a multi-generational work environment, the differences and commonalities in workers’ needs and requirements, and how to leverage a range of strengths in a diverse workplace.

Cheryl has worked for more than 30 years in helping organizations build cultures where both the business and the people thrive. She has been featured in media including CNBC, BBC, Fast Company, and Forbes.

In 2020, Cheryl received the For All Leader Award from the Great Place to Work Institute, and under her leadership, Blue Beyond has been repeatedly recognized as one of the Best Small & Medium Workplaces by FORTUNE and as an Inc. 5000 company.

You can find Cheryl Fields Tyler at:

www.bluebeyondconsulting.com

linkedin.com/in/cherylfieldstyler

Want a copy of Cheryl’s research?

https://www.bluebeyondconsulting.com/winning-on-the-people-side-of-business/

Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.

If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: 

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

I could have subtitled this episode “Beating Yourself Up for What Didn’t Get Done vs. Celebrating What Did Get Done.”

In other words, when you don’t do it all (and when do we), what do you make it mean?

I want to address this topic relative to three issues: Your job search, your work performance, and your life outside work.

Here’s a typical scenario: You decide to look for a new job. You tell yourself you are going to consistently devote 10 hours a week towards your efforts. You’re going to network, look on LinkedIn…all the things.

The next thing you know, a month has gone by and you’ve made little progress. Work or home life got in the way. You’re just too busy.

Maybe you actually did quite a bit towards your job search – but have no results to show for it.

You have two choices at this point: Give up or regroup. Your choice is largely determined by the story you tell yourself in this moment.

If you tell yourself:

“I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“No one wants to hire me.”

“I don’t deserve a new job anyway.”

You are going to make a very different decision than if you tell yourself:

“I am going to sit down today and map out a plan for my job search – and calendar it in.”

“I have found jobs before and I can do it again.”

“I let other things get in the way of my job search – but that is in the past.”

Here’s what I am recommending in that moment: Tell yourself the truth – but don’t beat yourself up. Don’t make excuses for what happened (or didn’t happen) – be compassionate and understanding towards yourself.

Next, I recommend that you write out what you HAVE done. Chances are, you have made some progress, so write it out and give yourself the credit due.

The next thing I want you to do is fill up a page with positive things you believe about yourself relative to the situation. For example, if you planned to lose 10 pounds over a three-month period and only lost three pounds, what do you know to be true about you?

-I have lost weight before, so I know I can do it again

-I DID lose three pounds

-I have started to kick my sugar addiction

-I’ve learned how to prepare healthier meals

-I’ve added a lot of plant-based foods in my diet

-I’ve started a walking program

You get the idea. Now you’re focusing on your progress rather than that seven-pound gap.

I also want to address the doing side of this situation, with seven suggestions to increase your chances for success going forward.

#1 – Map out a realistic plan

#2 – Calendar it in

#3 – Check in regularly on your progress (or lack of), and make any necessary changes

#4 – When you encounter an obstacle, find a solution (it’s only failure if you stop trying)

#5 – Get help if/when you feel you need it

#6 – Celebrate your success – and not just at the end

#7 – Adopt IT’s “Lessons Learned” approach

To summarize: When you fail to meet a goal for yourself, it’s important to be kind to yourself and objectively look at the goal and your progress toward it.

-Does the goal need to be revised? Do you need this goal at all? Is the problem with the goal itself, or the timeline you’ve set for that goal?

-What are you making this “failure” mean – and does that meaning support you?

-What do you need to think to increase your chances for success going forward?

-How else can you set yourself up for success going forward?

Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.

If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: 

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

So, full disclosure: I wanted to do an episode on networking, covering it from a perspective I haven’t yet addressed. That’s not always easy when you’ve done more than 300 episodes!

I’ve done episodes on how to network throughout your career, but today I wanted to focus on networking as a major component of your job search strategy.

I ended up deciding to pull pieces from some other episodes I’ve done on networking while also adding fresh, new content. So here goes.

Why Should I Network?

-As many as 85% of jobs are gotten through networking, with 70% or more of all jobs being in the Hidden Job Market.

-Hiring managers like to hire people they know. In the absence of people the hiring managers personally know, they like to hire people who are known by people the hiring managers know, like, and trust. Many companies have a referral program for this very reason.

-When you are just applying online to the company’s website or via sites like LinkedIn, it is akin to being in a very crowded auditorium, trying to get the attention of the people on stage. It’s very difficult.

-When you have a conversation with a decision maker in the absence of a posted job, you are in competition with no one. This is where the real magic happens.

-Even when you have a world-class resume and superior LinkedIn profile like the ones I create for my clients, you are still not fully dimensional. That can only happen through personal interaction.

-Once you’ve established a relationship with someone who is in a position to hire you or advocate for you, your shortcomings as they relate to the job qualifications may become less significant.

Keep in mind that, as you network, you aren’t asking people for a job. You are asking for leads, referrals, suggestions – and hopefully, for them to make an introduction on your behalf.

Group Networking

If you are looking in your local area for an opportunity, an in-person networking event may be a great option for you. Keep in mind, however, that even if you are looking for positions in another city or state or a remote opportunity, the people you meet at a local networking event will have friends, colleagues, and family members in a wide range of roles as a wide range of companies – possibly even throughout the world.

My recommendation is to identify 2-3 potential group networking opportunities, then give each at least two tries before crossing them off your list.

Here are some suggestions:

-Chamber of Commerce

-Rotary, Kiwanis, and other service clubs

-Your place of worship

-Your university alumni association

-Meetup/Facebook events

-Events you attend on your own – if there are people there, you can network

-Professional association meetings (your own and others’)

-Educational/training event

-Causes you volunteer with/are on the board of

In addition, there are online networking events, especially since Covid. I belong to a group called Ellevate Women’s Network – do some googling and see what you can find that interests you.

How to Work the Event

This depends, of course, on the setup of the event, but I want to give you some tips and considerations.

-Set a goal. Depending on the overall size and composition of the group, decide ahead of time how many people you want to speak with. Alternatively, you may decide to network until you find someone who ____ (fill in the blank).

-The all-important first impression. Smile, give a strong handshake, make eye contact as you introduce yourself. Repeat the other person’s name as a way to help you remember it.

-First be interested, then interesting. So many people get hung up on what they are going to say. Instead, focus on getting the other person to talk. Come up with a couple of questions you can ask everyone you meet. For example:

           -What book that you’ve read has had the biggest impact on you?

           -Are you a dog or a cat person – and why?

           -What’s one thing on your bucket list?

The common thread here is that these aren’t questions everyone else is asking, and the person you are asking them of won’t have a canned answer for you. They will have to drop into the present and actually think about their answer! And you’ll learn something interesting about them.

-Position yourself strategically. If people are standing around, stay out of the corners of the room. A good place to stand is near the food or drink areas.

If you are attending a seated event such as a luncheon, choose a table that is already about ½ full – and where the people already at the table don’t seem to be in a private huddle. Don’t sit with people you already know.

Here are some lines you can try at the table to get the conversation going:

           -Who has attended the event before? (Then ask those who say “yes” what they have found most beneficial about it)

           -What is everyone reading right now?

           -Who has seen a really good movie lately?

One-on-One Networking

Most people only think of networking with the people they already know – what I call “low-hanging fruit.” Their approach sounds something like this:

           “I’m looking for a job. If you think of anything, let me know.”

In one ear and out the other. It isn’t that they don’t WANT to help you, it’s that you haven’t really given them a WAY to help you.

Identify 10-12 companies you want to work for – those that are an ideal fit with your skills, the culture you thrive in, your preferred geographic location, products/services you believe in, etc.

Then used LinkedIn’s Advanced Search function to find:

           -Someone you know who works there, or has worked there recently

           -Someone who is connected to the decision maker

           -Centers of Influence

How to Steer the Conversation

Networking, when done correctly, is an exchange among equals. You are giving as much value as you are receiving.

If the meeting is 30 minutes, spend the first 20-25 talking about the other person. What projects are they working on? What new challenges are they facing? What’s keeping them up at night?

At minimum, you are providing a listening ear. You might also be able to suggest strategies, tools, resources, vendors, or other things that will help them.

Then they are likely to say something like, “We’ve talked about me this whole time! What’s going on with you?”

You will have an ask prepared, based on your research of them on LinkedIn.

Here’s an example:

“I’m in the early stages of looking for my next opportunity, leveraging my success at COMPANY as YOUR ROLE. I saw on LinkedIn that you are connected to NAME and she’s someone I would love to speak with. Would you be willing to introduce me?”

Now you have given the other person a specific ask – something concrete they can do for you. They may not know that person well (or at all) and may suggest someone else they can introduce you to – and that’s okay.

How to Incorporate Networking into Your Job Search

-Just starting out: 25% of your time should be spent in networking-based activities

-Mid-career: 50%

-Senior-level and executive: 75% - 100%

-If you are a full-time job seeker: 30 hours per week on your job search

-Part-time job seeker: 5 hours per week on your job search

You can do the math.

If you are a high-achieving professional with the goal of landing in the C-suite, the Highly Promotable coaching program may be just the ticket! This 1:1 program is targeted to strategically leverage one of your strengths to become a signature strength — and move the needle on one of your developmental areas so it becomes a strength.

This is a four-figure investment in your professional future! If this sounds like just what you need, schedule a complimentary introductory call to determine if you are a fit for Highly Promotable:

https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/highly-promotable-introductory-call