Category: Career

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Career Karen

Receive the Truth About Your Business

So, you’re in leadership. You have weighty responsibilities. People look to you for solutions and successful outcomes. Currently, you’re somewhat concerned. You’re looking at the outgoing and incoming dollars, and you’re not sure about the best plan to execute. What’s next? How do you make sure this next phase is more successful than the previous two years?

Before making any more decisions, receive the truth about your business.

Galileo once said, “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.”

Stick to what you know is true. Don’t waiver. If your business is going through some challenges, it might be time for you to rediscover the truth about your business.

I remember a story that John Fluevog shared with me.  It was in the late 90’s and he was in the throws of big business changes. One day the light went on: “Focus on what I know to be true. I know how to design great shoes.”  By focusing on the facts and truth of his business, he then exploded into big success. At that point, he went from a small local business to an internationally known luxury footwear company. What is the truth about your business? Put your energy there.

John Fluevog also shared with me, “I picked the one thing I knew how to do and let all else go, especially the things I could not change. I focused on the one thing that made the business stand out. I did not follow a trend. I opened myself up and had the boldness to do the things that came to me or, another way to put it, I followed my heart. I lost the fear of following trends and trusted my heart. The product I did then, 15 years ago, saved my company. It was way out of step with the current trends but it gave the company a strong identity and it is still selling today. It has to be said that the style was also not accepted by mainstream fashion and remained a cult item. Which was and still is perfect for my company.  By letting go of what the rest of the fashion industry did, I saved my company.  I let go of fear and followed my inward voice.” 

Discovering the truth of your organization will make it easier for you, your team and your customers to understand why they want to sign up! What do I mean by receive the truth? First, by receiving the truth for yourself, you’ll be able to effortlessly give the truth away. For example, I can only exhale breath if I first inhale it. I can only give an apple, if I have one in my hand. I can only sell a great product, if I unwaveringly know I have a great product. I can only share the truth of my extraordinary business, by first confidently believing it is truly extraordinary. Do you know why you’re extraordinary? What do you know to be true? Receive the truth first, and then share it.

By the way, Galileo is esteemed as one of the greatest scientists of all time.  Might be a good idea if we pay attention to what he said.

– Karen Thrall

*also posted on www.karenthrall.com

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Ashley Career

Fear and Desire

As a twenty something, I feel very safe about my life decisions so far. I went to college in my home state, and I applied to grad school and ended up staying at Ball State University after undergrad because it was “free” (tuition reimbursement and a stipend ﹘ can’t beat it). My husband was the one who encouraged me to apply for jobs in February of our final year of grad school, in the heart of thesis projects. It paid off and I found a dream job in a city I longed to live in; it was a package I couldn’t refuse. But truth be told, despite working my butt off these past four years, it’s all been pretty comfortable.

When things get a little too comfortable and/or boring, it’s probably a sign that you’ve been playing it safe for some time. This week, I begin a new job within the organization I currently work for. This will truly be a career shift and is an opportunity to grow skill sets in areas of business I’ve been drawn to since I began my career. I’m incredibly excited about what this new opportunity means for me personally, but I’m most looking forward to the impact I can make within the organization.

But, truth is, although I’m ready to shake things up, I haven’t been so confident about the new role until recently. When I was first approached about the opportunity, I was feeling inadequate and questioned how I could possibly be the right fit for this type of role. (And then Catherine plopped a great article in front of me about how women don’t express their value and exude confidence about their skill set the way men do… go figure.) Once things moved forward, I became pretty terrified by what this change would mean. It wasn’t a new sensation; I’ve been afraid of change for as long as I can remember, though as I age, the degree of fear has lessened substantially. Then I was reading an article where a young female entrepreneur was sharing career advice about how you should be more excited about a new opportunity than you fear it. At that moment I thought, “bingo!” – that’s exactly how I feel.

I’m so excited about this change that any nerves and fears associated with what’s to come have subsided dramatically. I’ve replaced insecurity with desire and determination to succeed. If you’re ever fearful of a new endeavor, I hope you will also take inventory of your emotions and see if excitement is ready to overtake any fear or anxiety clouding your visions of success.

– Ashley Respecki

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Career Libby

Innovation

I attended a program on innovation last week. The speaker was Frans Johannson; he was really compelling. He talked about how innovation is all about intersections – the places where diverse thoughts/industries/paradigms come together. He was able to show how insects can influence architecture and Martin Luther King Jr. has an influence on techno music. It is the surprise factor that makes an idea exciting, and it is diversity that drives innovation.

Now, I have a lot of work-related ideas, many of which are interesting and a few of which are innovative. On one hand we are encouraged to be creative and try new things; on the other, we are hog-tied by something ironically called our “innovation process” – it is a cumbersome methodology designed to ensure that ideas are carefully thought out, the ROI is quantified, the budget is laid out, staff hours are accounted for, etc. All of this sounds perfectly reasonable and logical, and it also effectively kills innovation. It’s a very frustrating place in which to live…I’d really like to innovate the New Product Development process into obsolescence. One of the other things Johannson shared with us is that if we want to innovate, we need to do something, do anything. We may fail, but at least we tried and now we know more than we did before. If the “process” for innovation is to stop failure before it’s tried, there’s no way to try. If you really want to innovate, you need to think in surprising ways, allowing room for trying and subsequently learning from mistakes – with truly unexpected ideas, you can’t possibly know in advance how it’s all going to turnout! Creativity is not a linear process, it is messy and dirty and accidental and fun. To me, rules and frameworks are akin to professional fear…maybe the whole thing will be found lacking and then what? You better innovate your resume…

– Libby Bingham

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Career Karen

Confrontation: Deal with it now or deal with it later

One of my favorite seminars to facilitate deals with the topic of confrontation. We begin with a few general characteristics that typically surface and the participants choose which they prefer: deal with it now or deal with it later. Now the dialogue begins!

In small groups they tackle seven questions, one at a time. The first question is “What do you value most about how you deal with confrontation and conflict?” When they’ve answered the first question, they share the bullet points in the larger forum. They continue on to the second question, “What don’t you like about how the other group deals with confrontation and conflict?” We continue with this format, each question propelling us forward, until we’ve completed the exercise.

We end with a debrief and open conversations. The atmosphere is vibrant! The honesty and transparency is electric! Why? Because the safety to process how we function in unexpected turbulence is valuable.

Many times confrontation and conflict take us by surprise and our emotions are not prepared for this kind of disruption. We need these training opportunities to develop the skill of conflict resolve. I sure do!

Conflict surrounds us on a daily basis. We deal with unsettling moments every day: spilling coffee on your shirt; a traffic jam; a curt email; a rushed meeting; a crowded street; a crying child; the dog made a mess in your kitchen; tripping on a step – you get the idea! And these are the easy ones. The hard ones are when our emotions are heightened and we need to communicate. Sometimes we avoid communicating, hoping it will go away. By avoiding the confrontation, we are left battling disappointment, frustration and anger internally. That takes up a lot of energy.

Learn to communicate well in confrontation. Become an expert. The outcome? You’ll sleep better at night.

Okay, your turn! How do you deal with confrontation?

NOW:  “Let’s deal with this now.”

  • Let’s get it all out on the table and we’ll work through it.
  • If we say anything wrong, we’ll apologize.
  • Let’s not have anything between us.
  • We need to resolve this and not let time lapse.

LATER: “Let’s deal with this later.”

  • Let me think through how I’m feeling before I tell you.
  • I don’t want to say anything that I’ll regret later.
  • My mind is blank and I don’t know what to say.
  • I want to resolve, but I need to figure out what to resolve first.

Emotions play a big part in how well we can resolve conflict. Knowing what works for you to get the Best You to show up is vital to conflict resolution. If you need time to think and formulate your thoughts, take the time. If you need to get it out of your system so it doesn’t fester, get it out. The tricky part is “How?”

Are you in any type of conflict now? Is there a situation with a colleague or a loved one that has unsettled you? First, choose either the stance of Deal With It Now or Deal With It Later. Which one best describes you (normally)? Now, state your value.

“I need to talk about this right away so it doesn’t build up. I want to resolve this. Silence doesn’t work well for me. When are you free to chat?” The hard part for Now People is waiting for the right time to talk. They speak too soon, thus, their energy gets misinterpreted as aggression.

“I need time to think. My thoughts are blank. I want to resolve this, but I need to figure out what to say first. How much time can I have before we chat?” The hard part for Later People is they let too much time lapse and end up never speaking up. Their lack of energy gets misinterpreted as passive aggression.

If you are in leadership, you are trained to deal with matters quickly and efficiently.  But which group is the real you? Pick one, and then become extraordinarily dazzling at it. Become an expert conflict resolver as a Now or as a Later. Develop your skill. And watch conflict diffuse effortlessly.

– Karen Thrall

*also published on www.karenthrall.com

Categories
Career Libby

Whitespace

I just returned from an all-expenses-paid, not work-related three days in Palm Springs, CA at a resort that involved lots of swimming, drinking and eating. (Go ahead, hate me…it was awesome! And, yes, my friend Ellen is the best, and no, you can’t have her.) Though to be fair, I suppose it wasn’t all play, I did have to attend two hours-worth of general session wisdom. One of which was Juliet Funt (daughter of Alan Funt, founder of TV’s Candid Camera) – she was awesome: smart, funny and poignant.

The theme of her talk was “whitespace” – figuring out ways to turn off the hub and the bub of daily, connected life and find time to reconnect with your own brain. She has data about how this increases productivity and makes us feel saner – it’s kind of a “duh” thing, but it’s also really difficult to do. I found her message really inspiring and am already thinking of ways to reinstall whitespace wherever I can: not checking work emails on the weekend or after ten pm on weekdays (I do have a wacky schedule), turning my phone off while spending QT with my son and husband, spending time just thinking about a work problem instead of jumping in to solving it. These are little ways to regain focus and make the time I am working more effective and efficient. I haven’t really implemented them yet, but am hopeful it may also give me a boost of renewed energy…who doesn’t need that? What do you do to reclaim whitespace in your world? Have you noticed any changes?

– Libby Bingham

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Career Libby

Dream Teams

I don’t know if it’s Spring Fever or just general malaise, but I haven’t been exactly inspired professionally over the past several weeks. I think I’m more affected than I thought by the gearing up of the search for our boss’ replacement – among issues including job security, I am also really troubled about how bringing in someone new to our department could really change our inter-departmental dynamic, and not for the better. We have a terrific group of people right now and if someone messes with it, our Dream Team is in danger of becoming a nightmare. On top of that, I have recently been tasked with overseeing the transition of a preparatory program held twice a year to an online format, and the scope of that endeavor has also been the backdrop for my partial professional paralysis.

I recently met with the people I have been working on this project with for more than three years – it is challenging content-wise, time-wise and emotionally, and they have put in a lot of time and creative energy to make it a success. Today I asked my three volunteers – my friends – to make a commitment to me for two more iterations of our current program so that I can concentrate on the migration. If I can keep my own Dream Team intact, the worry and burden of training people who may or may not do a good job will all go away. They all said yes. I owe them all manner of goods and services for a long and indeterminate period of time, but they said yes! When I got home, I actually cried a little bit – the sense of relief was overwhelming. My gratitude to these people is immeasurable…having them as my team is a dream come true. Dream Team…a phenomenon which is so rare and incredibly important. So I ask you, before I get back to work with renewed vigor, who’s on your Dream Team?

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Career Karen

It Took Six Months to Resolve a Conflict

Karen fightSeveral years ago, I experienced a business conflict. This conflict lasted 6 months. I had made a business decision that created this disruption with a colleague.

We were both willing to engage in dialogue and resolve our differences. We had met over coffee a few times over those six months – per my request. However, the conversations never brought resolve. We had opposing views and differing opinions; and we could not find that common ground.   We still worked well together, but there was strain in our relationship. There was an unspoken undercurrent.

On-going conflict for six months is not any fun. It’s disruptive and has a negative impact on camaraderie and rapport.   I don’t like it (does anyone?).

I was determined to resolve!

We went for coffee…again. I asked him to recount his perspective…again .

He shared his views – which was not how I recollected it. But that didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered to me was his interpretation. I no longer tried to explain myself. I sat and listened; and repeated what I was hearing him say. As I listened, I continued to look for the positive intention in what he was trying to convey to me. It wasn’t about being right or wrong anymore. It wasn’t about defending my stance.   It was about respecting his views and valuing his opinions. And in turn, he listened to mine and reciprocated respect.

We resolved.

Interesting what took place next: He thanked me for my tenacity and my patience with the time it took to resolve our differences.

Something clicked in us that day. That very conflict strengthed us. Our loyalty to one another was sealed. And we stepped into a higher level of trust.

What did I learn? If we are willing to engage in dialogue, conflict will only strengthen us. If we are patient – it will resolve. There is nothing to fear. It is not a personal attack when someone disagrees with you. It is a strengthening of forces. Stay in it.

– Karen Thrall

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Career

Anatomy of an Apology

It’s never easy to admit we’re wrong or that we’ve done something to adversely affect someone else, especially if that someone is important in our life (though you’d think that would make it easier!). This is such a hard task, that we’ve come to accept – and offer – the most insincere of apologies.

I’m sorry if I…

No. You’re not sorry if your apology contains the word “if.” You’ve now put the blame back on the person who is supposed to be receiving the apology. You may as well just give up and go with something much more straightforward like “If you’re so sensitive that I hurt your feelings, then it’s not my fault.” Ouch. That’s harsh. And clearly doesn’t convey anything close to remorse for what happened.

Apologizing is all about taking genuine responsibility for your actions. It needs to be “I’m sorry I…” I’m sorry I lied. I’m sorry I missed the deadline. I’m sorry I failed to meet our shared expectations. I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. We’re taught early on never to apologize at the scene of a car accident – doing so implicates you and assigns fault early on, or so we’re led to believe. But in our daily lives, both personally and professionally, an apology can go a long way. Acknowledging your own role in something not going right can quickly defuse a tense situation, and often leads to an apology being returned, which can help decrease your own blood pressure.

And after acknowledging what you’ve done, it’s about being clear that you didn’t mean to cause harm, what you’re going to do to fix it and that you will take action to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

I’m sorry I didn’t meet the deadline we agreed to. I didn’t mean to hold up the project and I’m going to work on it tonight so you’ve got it first thing tomorrow. I’ll put reminders on my calendar so this is the last time we need to have a conversation like this.

I’m not always great about practicing this, but when I’m able to, I find I get to a resolution much faster and everyone feels better, including me. And when I think about the best customer service I’ve received, it’s usually about correcting something that didn’t go as planned in the first place, and a genuine apology for their actions makes all the difference. Things go wrong. We all make mistakes. And way more often than not, it’s not intentionally malicious, so it’s all about how we handle what happens next. So what’s next for you when something doesn’t quite go as you’d hoped?

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Career Karen

Training: We Have to Pursue It

Karen PuppyIt doesn’t matter what type of training you are experiencing. Training is a one-step-at a-time process.

Training is an invitation for growth. Growth in what? Well, what do you want to see grow? Let me ask that again: What. Do. You. Want. To. See. Grow?

We have to choose training. We have to pursue it and want it. It takes discipline and commitment.

Why do we train? What’s the purpose? We pursue training so that we may excel and become better at something. It hones in on a skill. We are strengthened through training. It opens up the opportunity to reach a goal – or even better – a dream.

Training is “the action of teaching a particular skill or type of behavior through practice and instruction over a period of time”. You begin at point A and, through training, you reach point B; and so on. Training is intentional and each step matters.

The truly committed will not look to fast track. They recognize that the step they are taking – right here, right now – is the only one that matters. It’s the most important one.

Training forces you to live in the moment. If you lose sight of the training at hand, you will not reach your goal.

Training requires endurance. And endurance cannot function without patience.

Training isn’t easy. It can be discouraging. It provokes self-doubt in our capabilities. It depletes our energy and pushes us beyond our comfort levels. It confronts our fears; our insecurities; and any feelings of inadequacy we might have.

Training commands us to let go and to forfeit our need for control. Training summons us to surrender our need to understand. Because sometimes it’s not time to understand, it’s time to train for…what might be possible.

– Karen Thrall

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Career Libby

Ex-Boss, Future Boss?

I had lunch with my old boss yesterday. I like her so much…she’s super smart and I feel privileged that she wants to continue our relationship. Actually, I’m friends with all three bosses I had at that organization; however, I am not in touch with the bosses I had in the two subsequent jobs after that organization…interesting, I think. Was it the organization or the people? Maybe it was the organization that attracted the people.

In any event, I have been able to maintain this important relationship which has had incredible positive outcomes for me. I’ve learned so much, including: the importance of data in decision-making, how you can – and should – still consider the emotional side, delegation is not a weakness, and that having a good team can make all the difference. As a supervisor of staff, I have tried to emulate all the good things she showed me. Even in the jobs where my relationship was not positive with my supervisor, I was able to help and support other folks I worked with. Since then, their careers have grown and completely eclipsed my own. That makes me feel so good – to know that I played a role (not “the” role necessarily – clearly they had something all on their own!) in their professional growth and development. It is important – for both yourself and others – to support staff and co-workers who are coming up through the ranks. We cannot be afraid of another’s success, that they may somehow outshine us. The truth is that by making everyone on your team stronger, you reap the rewards, both personally and professionally.

– Libby Bingham