What’s Working Well?® Blog

When the cat dies…I’ll live

Mary — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:37:44 +0000

While cleaning the kitchen the other day I noticed back behind the refrigerator an accumulation of dirt and cat hair. I was going to try to move the refrigerator to vacuum and stopped myself thinking, “I’ll wait until the cat dies.” I started to giggle, “What was I thinking? If I wait until the cat dies I’ll only have to do it once?”
Short history – my cat Jenny was diagnosed with kidney failure around 5 years ago and was given a short time to live. Defying my vets predictions she still lives – granted we have had a hand in treating her with subcutaneous fluids and she keeps holding on.
Over the last years I’ve collected a list of things I’m going to do when the cat dies. I started the list as a reward since I will be sad when the cat dies. I can have something to look forward too after the fact. However, I’m noticing it’s become a mechanism to put off to tomorrow what I don’t want to do today. Procrastination or cost savings:
Clean the air ducts, clean the carpet in the bedroom, replace the curtains, fix the basement floor, move, go on an extended vacation.
I often hear my client saying similar thing:
When the kids graduate, when I retire, when I save 500K; when I…fill in your blank.
Are we postponing a change we know needs to happen? Has your life gotten smaller because your waiting for something in the future to happen? Do you know that it’s time for a change or something needs to be done and you’re waiting for the perfect time?
Get started today. Quit waiting for something to happen. You’ll wake up someday with nothing but regrets –I should of…
Gotta run…I’ve got some cleaning to do.

Creating Careers – It’s Messy

Mary — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:04:54 +0000

Creating is messy. I think I’m doing one thing and end up with something completely different.

A good friend of mine is a glass artist and her process illustrates what I’m talking about. In her mind’s eye she knows what she wants a piece to look like. She can imagine how to create a mold, experiment with varieties of glass and to set the kiln at just the right degree to achieve the results she envisions. Sometimes the finished piece may not come out quite like she thought; it might be even better. Other times the process needs to be redesigned; putting something back in the kiln to reform, and then polishing and cutting. The process of creating may take many tries to get it right.

Isn’t this just like careers? How many of you are doing today what you thought you would be doing when you were younger? The economic landscape has changed too, job titles exist today that didn’t exist yesterday. A recent article in Fast Company claims the career cycle is now a short 4-years. Consider the creative process of your own career: create on the fly, understand your skills and abilities, be willing to let go of how it should be and embrace constant change.

Renewal OPRAH Style

Mary — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:18:45 +0000

Oprah is now “leaving the building”. She has a huge global fan base, a large staff and a studio which she has supported for 25 years. She defined her purpose early in her career and became a force for positive change in the world. Oprah is a teacher that inspires others to make positive changes in their lives.

Yet only 5 years ago, she publically struggled with her impending retirement. You could see it in her face. Something happens to a person’s eyes when he or she descends into RIP- “retired in place”. Over the years, I learned how to predict who would quit, die or get fired. It was the RIP in his or her eyes.

Through a self renewal process, Oprah committed herself to 5 more years. She set her sights on retiring at 25 years and she’s doing it. Sadness and disbelief have descended upon her fans. “What are we going to do without Oprah?” She will move on now to other creative endeavors and her success or failure like so many other cultural icons will be measured against her past. Comparing is never a good thing and in spite of comparisons yet untold, Oprah will renew herself and her life.

This renewal process is the same for all of us. Career transition is essential when work isn’t working anymore. Often my clients express frustration and feel drained. The recognition of what the client thought he or she would, should, or could be – doesn’t match the realities of life on the job . These feelings push people to make changes or for some to start medicating to numb out the disappointment. You can choose to embrace these feelings or you can avoid them with drugs, alcohol, religion, illness and any number of other remedies.

What’s wrong? People want to do something different and yet they are held in place by the expectations of self and others. “My wife and kids rely on me.” “ I have no choice.” “I don’t like it –I want it to stop.” This is when people do crazy things to make it stop.

RIP – (Retired in Place) AKA a dead on the job mindset – “I’ll just hang out here, disconnect; no one will notice that I’m only a placeholder”, becomes a self-made “hell”, more comfortable than the unknowable future. Realize that this withered state exists because you let it. At the extreme, a person becomes very ill or even dies when he or she senses the kicking of that unborn self. The discomfort increases until he or she can no longer deny it and will go to any length to relieve the pain.

Career re-invention requires letting go of your current identity no matter who is trying to prevent you from changing. Most of us are motivated to change by discomfort. Having the courage to move away from the status quo and into new territory propels you.

Creating a statement of desire – “This is what I want”, is very powerful. I have used the visioning process successfully in my Career Coaching practice for years. I confess that I don’t know why it works, but it works. I recently took a “creating” course and read Robert Fritz’s book , “Your Life as Art”. In it, he tells us that by creating the desired state and visualizing it we clarify what it is that we truly want. The discrepancy between what we want and our current state creates a constructive tension that pulls us toward our desire.

Going through a life transition can be exciting and fun; it can also be terrifying. Letting go of your former self is an essential step before the new self can take shape within the void. I call the void “The Valley of Darkness”. The Valley is not a place to hang out indefinitely; just keep going and you will see the shape of things to come soon enough.

Oprah is showing us a healthy way to move on. Accept the love and admiration, enjoy the good-byes and cry. Know that the small voice that is pushing you won’t let up. No amount of numbing will stop it. It is scary…but you’ve done this before. Self-renewal is essential for tapping into the energy of your life.

Look for those who have reinvented themselves, reenergized and ask them how they did it. We are all around you. A career life coach can support you through this journey.

If you’re ready to start the reinvention process contact Mary Cosgrove regarding her upcoming Career Strategies workshop starting in June.

Career Insights from “The King” of Rock ‘n Roll

Mary — Thu, 26 May 2011 03:34:40 +0000

After a few months of fairly intense creative work in my business, I took a break for family fun. While attending my sister Ann’s miraculous 50th birthday, a few of us decided to tour Graceland. It was once the home and now shrine of Elvis Presley, popularly known as “The King” of Rock ‘n Roll. We toured the grounds, watched videos of his career and saw all the gold records and Grammy awards he had received throughout his life.

Elvis died in his mid 40’s. It’s a well known fact that he was abusing drugs and as a result his body too. He was very successful and on the face of it “The King” had it all. Why, I wondered, would he want to numb out his life with drugs?

While at Graceland, I discovered that he wanted to do different things in his life. His aspirations included becoming a serious actor and directing films. In contrast, his handlers wanted him to perform for sold-out crowds, to enlarge his fan base and to create chart-topping record albums. I suspect he felt trapped or at least held hostage by his fans and entourage who implored, “Elvis, please don’t change”. There were many who had a vested interest in his financial success and many more who simply loved him solely for the image he represented for them. Sadly Elvis, like many of us, lacked first, the self-awareness to distinguish the difference between himself and their image of him; and second, the will to renew himself based on what he truly wanted.

What a tragic parallel between Elvis and Michael Jackson. I suppose “Neverland” will end up like “Graceland”. Michael, like Elvis, wanted to do different things. He even changed his appearance. His critics habitually compared his current work to his past success. His new work failed to captivate his fans the way that “Thriller” did. It remained a defining piece; totally innovative and different. While his life changed and his creative process changed along with it, he was never able to recreate that “Thriller” experience. Among his creative peers and his fans as well, he was perhaps undeservedly deemed a disappointment.

What about other “successful” creators who couldn’t handle it…Charlie Sheen , Billie Holliday, Ray Charles to name a few. Did they start out abusing drugs or alcohol as a way to self medicate their fear of failure, boredom or burn out? Even in the face of amazing success things will stop working like they have in the past.

Fredric Hudson tells us in his book, “The Adult Years; Mastering the Art of Self-Renewal” that as an adult your life will change. Our beliefs about a straight and upward trajectory in life are unrealistic, unsustainable and dangerous. Adults need to create self-sustaining lives that embrace learning, renewal and actions based on the life that is emerging with each passing stage, including those that impact careers. With the uncertainty of the last several years, professionals are beginning to recognize the benefits of a lifetime career management strategy.

Perhaps you aren’t on course toward an end like Elvis or Michel Jackson. But it may be time to ask yourself if you are resisting the change in your life you truly desire. Are you too familiar and just a bit too comfortable with the person you were than with the person you want to become? Maybe it’s time to embrace your next life phase; to release your old identity. A career life coach can support you through this journey. Mary Cosgrove’s “Career Strategies for Today and Tomorrow” 5-week course allows you to explore this topic in an intensive, cost-effective group setting.

Creating a MATCH between the Opportunity and the Candidate

Mary — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:31:20 +0000

Finding a “Successful Hire” among Few “Qualified” Candidates

With many unemployed who want to work and companies receiving fewer qualified applicants, job seekers and companies must be creative to find a match. A “successful hire”—someone who can meet the job specification over a period of time, often within six months of hire—will otherwise remain elusive.

Companies that innovate and streamline their hiring practices may be more successful in matchmaking than those that don’t. Here are some actions worth considering:

First, ramp up your recruiting. Good recruiters are resourceful and will pre-qualify serious candidates.

Engage current employees with professional development that includes succession and career planning. Don’t lose the qualified employees you already have to competitors that offer advancement and challenging assignments.

Partner with your local community and technical colleges to develop programs that attract entry-level candidates.

Hire for “fit” and train for skills and knowledge. Interview candidates for key abilities, e.g. customer service, ability to learn and adaptability.

Use internal subject matter experts (SMEs) to bring new hires up to speed on knowledge specific to your organization.

Consider hiring the long term unemployed. In the long run, helping a long term unemployed person reenter the workforce can be beneficial for the company. He/she is likely to be more loyal to the company when the economy makes a full recovery.

Assess the leadership within your organization. The number one reason an employee “leaves” his/her company is not for pay, time off, or benefits; it’s the relationship with his/her direct supervisor. Does the current employee morale indicate leadership deficiencies? Maybe it’s time to switch things up.

Candidates Need to Change Too

Candidates seeking to be marketable as the economy changes need to rethink their techniques and mindsets as well. As a candidate are you ready to:

Take a look at industry data. Can you get some experience in the sectors that are hiring?

Start fresh and develop know-how in a new area of expertise? With the skills and knowledge you already have, you should be able to prove yourself more quickly than someone starting with no previous work experience.

Train for licensures or certificates that are important in the sectors that are hiring? Going back to school is a great idea. However, if it takes too long the job market could shift yet again. If you are investing time and money, choose studies that will be in high demand and have a longer return for your investment. It makes no sense to spend a pile of cash and still be unemployed with student loan debt.

Utilize a career coach to help you sort through these options. Look for a good match personally and professionally when selecting a coach. A word of caution: coaches that are aligned with for-profit schools and universities are often paid based on the number of students who enroll – they may not have your best interest in mind.

What can you do to create a MATCH?

In this volatile job market, those who have remained employed or landed quickly are those who were willing to do different things, who continued to seek out training and education and who easily adapted to change. Savvy employees and job seekers know that the employment landscape is perpetually shifting and that the rate of change is increasing. Companies that have unfilled positions are looking for “qualified” candidates not just a warm body. An employment professional can educate you about current labor statistics and help you to identify your skills, matching them to available opportunities. You will have a professional guide to help you make informed decisions that can lead not only to employment in the short term but to help set your course for career success in the long term.

Call me (801) 519-9144 if I can help or answer any questions.

Mary Cosgrove – What’s Working Well?® LLC. mary@whatworkingwell.com

Current Employment Statistics: Is there a match between Job Openings and Job Seekers

Mary — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:49:55 +0000

Truth: Companies have started to hire again and, even with high unemployment, they are not finding “qualified” candidates.
Anecdotally, my recruiter colleagues are telling me it’s harder to fill positions than it was five or six months ago. They have noticed a difference even from January to March of this year. Survey data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics offer insight about the relationship between job openings and job seekers.

Professional and business services hired the most employees in January (775,000). These sectors reported among the highest number of open jobs (494,000) at the end of the month.

Education and health services had the highest numbers of job openings in January at 498,000. Despite the large number of job openings, only 434,000 employees were hired.

Based on its size government also had a relatively high number of open jobs at the end of January, despite its low job openings rate.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, March 11, 2011, “Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey
Highlights” January 2011.

The survey indicates that in some sectors, the number of job openings each month that remain unfilled is increasing. Why haven’t these jobs been filled? This is what I surmise:

Unemployment Data Tells a Story

On the data/numeric side:

Business has had a plethora of job applicants over the last two years. For example, if a company received 150 job applications, often there would be 3–5 qualified (could do the job) candidates from which to pick.

When the recession began (December 2007), the number of “unemployed persons per job opening” was 1.8. When the recession ended (June 2009), the number was 6.1

The “unemployed persons per job opening” ratio has trended downward since the end of the recession, dropping to 5.0 in January 2011. (Source BLS)

Qualified Applicants Count, Not ALL Applicants Count

On the “qualified applicant” side:

”Qualified” is a loaded word. I think there are at least three areas to consider:

First and foremost, a “qualified” applicant has the skills, knowledge and abilities to perform the job successfully with minimal training.

Additionally, a “qualified” applicant has the motivation and self-management to perform the job successfully.

Third, the “qualified” applicant is a “good fit” with the organization. This can mean different things to different companies and is difficult to quantify.

Generally, “good fit” qualities include:
o Willingness to work within the organization’s culture either alone or for a micromanaging boss.
o Age, gender, race, religion (all the legal stuff)
o Willingness to relocate or travel frequently
o Flexibility (Few or no accommodation(s) for work/family issues)
o Willingness to work part time

What my analysis indicates is that the ratio of unemployed persons per job opening is misleading—most applicants never reach “qualified” status.

Rehab for the Information Addict

Mary — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:13:35 +0000

WEEK ONE – Observations of Necessary Reading challenge, ie: cut down on reading and media challenge.

ELIMINATE I’m an addict and the first step in recovery is to admit it. This morning I picked up the “The 4-hour Workweek” by Timothy Ferriss. I was reviewing it to discuss some time management techniques. It’s been a few years since I read it. It randomly opened up to the chapter: The Low Information Diet. The Bottom line – if you want to improve output you must decrease input otherwise known as distractions.

Stop reading this blog post this minute.

Here are Tim’s tips Pg.87
• Get clear on what is necessary and set boundaries.
• No newspapers, magazines, audiobooks, or nonmusic radio. Music always
• No news websites whatsoever
• No television at all, except for one hour of pleasure viewing each evening.
• No reading books, except for his book and one hour of fiction pleaser reading prior to bed.
• No web surfing at the desk unless it is necessary to complete a work task for today. Necessary means necessary not nice to have.

I recommend you get this book if only for the time management techniques. Turn off the modem to remove the distractions, turn your cell phone off during your get it done time.

Manage your accountability using your coach and family to pull you back to what’s important. Give them permission to ask you if what you are doing is productive. If I’m unable to be productive right now at my desk, I get up and do something else. (Cook dinner, work out, or clean the house)

My challenge buddy, John wants you to know that even when it’s hard – you need to let information go. The world isn’t going to end. He reported, “In fact I’m awake to what’s important in my life and I’ve opened the window to my creativity…I will continue to work on this and will be meeting with a virtual assistant tomorrow to review the list of activities I want to outsource.”

What I (Mary) discovered as I spoke to others is this – I thought my lack of focus and forgetfulness was a function of aging. I was surprised to discover no matter someone’s age – others are feeling the same way.

My commitment is to PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN I’M LOOKING FOR DISTRACTIONS. When my attention and focus go, I will do something completely different.

Sorry it took me so long to get this up (Last Thursday) I got distracted….
UGH

Social Media – Distraction While Feeling Productive

Mary — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:40:21 +0000

I went on Facebook to find out what time a party was starting tonight. I spent 10 min reading posts and reposting a blog from my brother. I never found out what time the party started so I called my friend to get the information. It took less time to call than to FB and not get the answer.
I posted a job announcement on LinkedIn and connected with a potential client while we were talking on the phone. I deleted all emails not directly related to my jobs.

I find myself drifting back to check emails or LinkedIn when I have two big projects I need to focus on. Do you think this is procrastination? You bet. Distraction while feeling productive.

“The Artist Way” book written in the late 80’s has this exercise: Take the week off reading. (author Julia Cameron) I did the exercise a number of times and found it helpful. I’m not sure it’s possible in today’s multi-media world. Can you go off all media, no radio, cell phone, podcasts, TV, reading for a week? Will I miss the revolution if I’m not watching my twitter feed? Will it matter if I do miss it?

How can I access my own brilliance when it’s shrouded in collective noise? Some of the noise is brilliant original thought; most of it is retweets or retreads.
BACK TO WORK.

Necessary Reading – Is Information Addiction Affecting Your Performance

Mary — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:39:38 +0000

This is hard. Yesterday my client John and I took on a challenge. For one week we will only read what is necessary to do our jobs. Anxiety was rising as we finished our call. We are both feeling pressed for time, running a small business, and trying to keep up with social media and changes in our industries.

Now define necessary: I cancelled the paper. Yes, I started taking the paper again last year. Why? – Because it is a concise resource for local news and issues. I could peruse it in a few minutes daily and BONUS I started reading the comics again. I found when I was getting my news from the web I would be sucked into browsing under the guise of keeping up. I found the paper gave me only what I needed without the incumbent distractions of surfing.

Facebook – Really – is it necessary? It’s just for a week. I can catch up with my family and friends if I want next week by reviewing their posts. Confession – I was on there today for “work” and well you can guess what happened- in short order I caught myself reading updates on the winter storm across the mid section.

LinkedIn – I just finished a class on Social Media and logged on to upload my PowerPoint files. And since I was already in there, I managed my SLC Job Club group, posted an update, sent an email to a colleague and read updates…Yikes get me out of here.

Necessary reading: feedback on a resume; reviewing a client’s homework; preparing for a coaching session; reading proposals for an upcoming workshop.
Why do this? Create space for your own ideas and brilliance to come forth. THE EXPERIMENT – will this give us more time?

Career Meltdown Month

Mary — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:51:14 +0000

There is something about July I’ve noted over the years. In June my practice slows and there are not many new clients calling. I know that in July things will pick up. This year was no exception. This period typically lasts about 6 weeks. Once school starts client meltdowns are less frequent.

Many in the work place have had the feeling of being under siege. Your values, your mind, your physiology are ignored by an unfeeling employer in the guise of a boss or corporation. This feeling may be felt in the pit of your stomach – a recent client told me it felt like when his father passed away. He was missing something. He is missing something – his sense of identity. It’s just a feeling. Our feelings, however, can highjack us in many dysfunctional ways. Is it, “I’m hot and crabby.”? Often within 3 to 5 minutes or immediately the person is in tears. “I can’t take it I’m going to quit. Help me.” These are wise people – they reach out before they commit career hari-kari.

I call this monkey brain syndrome – it’s the fight-flight response. When our identity system is under attack the rational brain shuts down and our brain reverts back to basics. I believe this is called the sympathetic nervous system which is controlled by the hypothalamus, in close association with the limbic system of the brain. I’m not a scientist by trade; however I am a highly trained observer of human behavior.

So the monkey brain kicks in and the distressed caller says either “If I don’t leave here soon – I may kill my boss” or “I feel like I’m dying and if I don’t get out of here soon I will…..” You have called the right place. I can help you. First- promise you won’t make any decisions or take any actions while you are in this frame of mind.

The last few weeks have given us tragic examples of career meltdown. Eight people were killed in Connecticut by an employee who was being fired for stealing. The current celebrity of the moment is the Jet Blue flight attendant who took flight (literally) by deploying the emergency slide. Fight or flight – there is a better way.

Utilizing a series of techniques including Mind-Body Bridging; career analysis and review I’m happy to report many of my clients are back to fully functioning human beings in weeks if not days. When the “rational” employee is back, you may then choose to make your exit or discover that it was a momentary mind collapse and that you actually have the perfect job. A change in perspective was all that was needed.

I recently asked some of my clients from the past few years to tell me what prompted them to call me in July. Client Margaret (named changed) told me she was sitting in her office one hot evening. She was frustrated as she wanted to be off with her two boys and husband who were out having some fun. She was overwhelmed and her brain wasn’t functioning. She typed into her web browsers the words: “work, overwhelm, tired, career help, Utah” and bingo there was What’s Working Well?™. She shot me off an email, I phoned her. Three years later she has successfully sold her small business and has accepted a new leadership role. Now there is a wise woman – she wasn’t feeling that way when she first called – but it was just a feeling. She’s a fully functioning, creative, resourceful and happy person.

You too are creative, resourceful and a fully functioning human being. Give me a call.