In our fourth and final segment on networking, we’re going to focus on giving back.  It takes time to build a strong and effective network, one that supports you in many ways.  One of the quickest ways to lose your network is to only take from it and not give back.  

So, let’s explore some of the common reasons people have not given back to their network:

In our third segment on networking, we’re going to focus on using networks in your job search.  There is so much research to support utilizing networks for finding jobs or career advancement versus other methods like internet searches, job boards, etc.  

As we continue the series on networking, today we’re going to focus on in-person networking events.

With most people returning to in-person events, and the holidays sneaking up, opportunities to network will most likely be far greater now than the last couple of years. If your business depends on making or enhancing connections, or you are looking to make a job change, networking is a must.

As you take the time to review the past several days, congratulate yourself on any of the coaching tips you’ve adopted. These are all meant to support you in finishing 2022 strong! While change can be hard, it can also be very rewarding. Time to give yourself a high five!

I’ve heard from a number of people in the last couple of weeks, talking about how invaluable their network is.  They are tapping their networks to find new jobs, to make introductions for others to expand their businesses, and for emotional support during tough times.  So, for the next couple of days, we’re going to focus on how to work on creating an incredible network of people.

Who in your industry would be a role model for you?  Someone who stands out because of their knowledge, passion, and positive influence.   What would happen if you modeled some of those behaviors?  

If you’ve read books by some of the most influential CEOs in business, many of them reveal that at one time or another, as they were coming up through the ranks, they identified someone as a role model they could follow.  Why?  So, they too could be the best at their craft.  What would happen if you studied people who have mastered their industry, emulated their positive behaviors, and learned as much as you could from their actions?  You’d be way ahead of the competition!

When the going gets tough, set yourself up!  While unemployment may be at an all-time low, in some industries it’s just not.  Time to set yourself up to be successful and get you hired!

So, let’s be clear.  Actions do not necessarily equal productivity.  Ambition does not equal productivity.  Best Intention doesn’t equal productivity.  Producing an output, every day equals productivity.  Productivity moves you forward!  Let’s drill into that a little further.

When I work with a client who tells me that they’re off track, stuck, and can’t get any momentum, I take special notice of the language they use and how they are describing where they are stuck. If that’s how you are feeling right now, I’d like to offer a few steps to get you back on track.  Let’s use the example:  I got passed over again for the promotion at work.

High Five on sticking with your daily coaching challenges for one month! There are only 70 days left in 2022, how will you make a difference in your goals?

While “work smarter, not harder” is an overused cliché, the meaning is still very relevant.  Early in my career, I subscribed to the thinking that if I was the boss, I had to be the one to turn the lights on in the morning and turn them off at night.  I wanted my team to see that I was right there with them, putting in the long hours. The problem was, I didn’t do myself or them any favors.  While I didn’t ever tell anyone they had to put in the same hours, it was perceived because of my behavior.  I could see the impact it was starting to have on my team, because they were trying to keep up.  And that was wrong.  I came to understand that like everyone else, I too needed to find balance, so we all stayed physically and mentally healthy.  I also needed to set a much better example.

While I’ve always been one of those 5:00 AM people, I get myself out the door and walk.  The length of the walk isn’t relevant, what’s important is to get moving!  While there are some days when I just don’t feel like it, I still go, and I don’t regret it.  In Colorado where I live, fall is in full swing.  The mornings are chilly, in the low 40’s and it’s definitely dark when I’m out there.  Instead of excuses, I layer on extra clothing, use my new headlamp I bought on Amazon, leash up my puppy and head out.  

There was a time when Sunday at 6:00 PM rolled around, that I could feel myself starting to get “down in the dumps.”  As people have started to talk more openly about it, this feeling of sadness that hits you at the end of the weekend has been labeled the Sunday Blues. 

So, what’s the reason?  We don’t want the time with family or fun weekend adventures to end?  Or is it what we’re facing in the week ahead at work?  

During my morning walk this week, I was listening to a podcast about the importance of strong and positive company culture.  I could not agree more.  I believe that culture can make or break a business.  I’ve seen it before.  Whether it’s a corporate environment, a manufacturing company, a school, or a church, if there is not a positive, inclusive, and engaging culture for the employees, it is very difficult to be successful.  

Time to celebrate your progress on your daily coaching challenges!

This is even more true when we’re going through some difficult times.  I believe that so many people feel like they’re on the proverbial “hamster wheel” when they don’t have intermittent things to look forward to.  When we save up all our money and energy for that once-a-year vacation, the remaining eleven and a half months can feel like an eternity.  There are so many things we can do so we have something we look forward to.  

When beginning a coaching relationship with a client, there are a number of steps we follow, like identifying the reasons they seek coaching.  What are their goals?  What are the desired timeframes for achieving them?  Then we break down the steps to get there.  But before any of that can happen, the client has to get really clear on what their number one “thing” is.  What’s the most important goal at this stage?   What has been pulling at them?  Walking through this process allows the client to refine their objectives and then actually say it and write it; this puts language to it, so it becomes real.

While we shouldn’t focus on regrets, the emotions that are stirred by looking back at missed opportunities can propel us forward to seize the day. At times, procrastination can be a powerful reaction to what we know we should do, even when we realize the pain or unfortunate consequences that will result from putting things off.

There is a LOT going on right now in our world.  So many things we cannot control, inflation, companies downsizing, interest rates increasing, and still concerns over more new versions of COVID that might creep in during the cold months ahead.  To name a few.  However, what we can control is how we respond to these challenges and to others.  One of the most important things to me, especially when there is turmoil, is for the people in my life to be true to their word.  

As you take the time to review the past several days, congratulate yourself on any of the coaching tips you’ve adopted. These are all meant to support you in finishing 2022 strong! While change can be hard, it can also be very rewarding. Time to give yourself a high five!

It’s important to remember the way we teach and lead our children as parents through our actions and our words, our voice, is also how our peers observe and learn from us as well. When we show leadership, conviction, empathy, and pride in our work it will always rub off on the right people. And those who are ready to listen are the ones we can help to become the leaders of tomorrow. Leadership is learned and earned.

Who in your life, whether personal or professional, can you help guide and lead? Find that person and show interest in them and offer to help coach them to find their voice.