Tips On How To Be More Creative In The Workplace

“The economic future of an organization depends on its ability to create wealth by fostering innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.” —Linda Naiman

Organizations throughout the world have one vision, and that is to succeed. Whether you lead a company that has seven or thousands of employees your goal is to be the best you can. Is your team creative enough to take you to the next level?

I consider myself very fortunate for working with leaders that are innovative and can be creative and flexible. I will take you back several years, where one of my mentors, boss, and leader helped me see things differently and shaped who I am today. Nothing was impossible, and everyone was heard, from creating a chalkboard wall to draw our visions and expectations, to challenge my thoughts and decisions. My coworkers and I always had the opportunity to voice our ideas and implement them, we were empowered.

If you want a team that has the energy and stamina to keep going, consider encouraging them with powerful communication and interactions. If you find yourself a micromanager, it’s time to reevaluate your dependency on being in control of every little situation. It’s time to let go, to explore new creative avenues.

Below you will find tips on how to build a creative team to help your organization get to the next level.

Don't Worry About "How"

When there is a vision that seems impossible, unattainable and hard, that’s when the magic happens. If you build a big picture and scale it down to manageable tasks, what once seemed impossible can become your golden nugget. Don’t worry about the how, if it excites you and your team, go for it.

Brainstorm

Have brainstorming sessions, but one secret keep them offline. Encourage everyone to give their input, however, have them do their own brainstorming on their own the week before the meeting on their own time. Have suggestion boxes with the primary objective as the theme and see where that takes your team. Then when everyone meets, you discuss the right ideas, visions, and goals. How powerful.

New Viewpoint

How open are you to new ideas? Start today by listening to everyone’s point of view. That doesn’t mean that you will adhere to all of the plans, however, when you start seeing things from a different viewpoint, you will become more creative.

Build A Diverse Team

We are all different, it doesn’t matter who we are and what we do, we all have profound magic inside of us. Start by encouraging creativity and build a team with a variety of different skills and strengths, and support healthy debate among them.

Have Fun

It’s all about being relaxed and flexible. Having fun during work allows one to be comfortable and that’s where one tends to get inspired with beautiful ideas. Encourage a playful meeting that brings everyone together with one goal in mind, to win.

In summary, consider asking, “what would be possible if this idea wouldn’t fail?” start with the end in mind and be flexible and empower your team. Are you a high performer? Contact me for a deep, career coaching conversation.

Until next week,

Coach Barb

Professional Coach

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Thoughts On How To Make A Difference In The Workplace

"When you encourage others, you in the process are encouraged because you're making a commitment and difference in that person's life. Encouragement really does make a difference." Zig Ziglar

More than ever organizations are struggling to engage, empower and excite employees to make a difference in their company. It starts at the top, and it trickles down. An empowered employee is a productive employee. How do you start making a difference in the workplace? By keeping it simple and recognizing where changes need to be made.

I enjoyed working for different corporations and everything that I learned along the way. It was empowering to be able to make decisions even if mistakes were made. It’s how I dealt with errors that helped me grow. I was fortunate to have worked where I was respected and given the opportunity to make a difference. When I decided to write this blog, I took the time to explore what employees and employers can do to make a difference in the workplace.

This is what I came up with, feel free to comment below and add to my list.

Value & Respect Others

Make a difference in people's lives and experience positive outcomes at work. By being respectful and consistent, that alone will change the atmosphere.

Help Others Succeed

Not only helping them find their desired gifts but help them reach new levels of quality and progress in their work. By assisting them, you will be helping them be more active on the job and do the best work they can possibly do.

Empower & Involve Others

As leaders, we can make a difference at work by merely empowering others to make an impact. As they become empowered they become enriched and positively affecting their work experience.

Acknowledge Others

To create a spirit of acknowledgment and appreciation at work, just get into the habit of thanking and congratulating others. It makes their experience at work meaningful and powerful.

Bring Positivity To Your Team

It’s essential to avoid competitiveness, power, and control in an organization. Instead, build a team where authentic collaboration exists. Create a place where employees can communicate and interact with openness and respect. Always promote more profound levels of communication and team building.

In summary, make it your goal to bring to your organization a better work experience, it doesn’t matter the position you hold. Make a difference, make it meaningful and purposeful. Contact me today for a deep coaching conversation.

Until next week,
Coach Barb
Professional Coach


What would it feel like if you made a difference in your workplace?

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Quick Tips On How To Improve Your Emotional Intelligence

"No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." 

Theodore Roosevelt

You’ve pictured in your mind thousands of times to get up and leave your current job, but something deep inside of you doesn’t allow it to happen. You are probably experiencing high Emotional Intelligence. Practicing self-control and controlling your emotions is a sign of having high EQ and that will enable you to be more engaged and committed in the workplace.

I consider myself having high EQ, why? Because I have perseverance, self-control and I get along with others. I recently experienced a situation that I needed to act quickly and be extremely flexible. I missed a deadline for submitting a vital document, and I failed. I picked myself up, I admitted my wrongdoing and corrected my actions. I acted quickly and did my best to cooperate with my client. We all make mistakes, that’s true but how we deal with our mistakes is what makes a difference.

Let’s look at the two components, Intelligence, and Emotions. The two couldn’t be any more different, but together they become dominant. Daniel Goleman wrote the book, “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ.” In his book, he points out to hire candidates who will thrive in your workplace, look for those who have a handle on self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy & people skills. If you know someone that wants to improve their EQ, below you will find quick tips on how to improve your emotional intelligence.

Become More Self-Aware

Start by understanding your strengths and weaknesses, as well as knowing how your actions are affecting others. Also, when you reach a point that you can handle constructive criticism you will be headed towards high EQ.

Practice Self-Regulation

Go to a place that you are able to regulate your emotions with maturity and exercise restraint when necessary. Also, practice the ability to express your feelings with absolute control.

Improve Your Social Skills

Start to build rapport and trust with others and realize that you can work well with your team and peers. Then start avoiding power struggles and backstabbing, and soon you will enjoy other people and have the respect of others around you.

Become More Empathetic

Having empathy, compassion and an understanding of human nature will allow you to connect with other people on an emotional level. The ability to empathize will enable you to provide exceptional service and respond genuinely to others’ concerns.

Stay Motivated

Be self-motivated. Become resilient and optimistic when you encounter disappointment, always look for ways to be driven by an inner ambition.

In summary, having a high level of EQ can lead to better business decisions, and best of all employees are more likely to keep their cool when under pressure, a win-win for everyone. I invite you to have a powerful deep discovery conversation with me. You can reach me via email. Have a fantastic day.


Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach




What would be possible at work if you focused on your emotional intelligence?

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How To Be A Great Listener In The Workplace

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. 

Bryant H. McGill

Have you ever caught yourself thinking what you're going to respond? When do you realize that you haven’t heard what the other person was saying? You were not listening; it’s time to learn how.  I am sure that when you are having a conversation with a client, you want them to listen tentatively. It can be annoying when you are saying something significant, and the other person jumps right into another conversation about themselves without even acknowledging what you just said.  

I have to admit that I have caught myself saying, “oh no what did she just say?” Then I’ve gone into panic mode and try to fix it.  The moment is gone, and if I didn’t practice active listening, it’s game over. I soon realized that I had to pay more attention and learn how to listen.  I now consider myself the best listener there is because I practice the art of listening. Every person that I come in contact with is important to me, and I am looking forward to what they have to say.  

We need to retrain ourselves and learn how to listen.  The benefits of practicing active listening in the workplace are that it boosts your self-confidence because now you are part of an actual conversation.  Also, you practice being in the present moment and become more focused. You develop your real ability to grow and connect on a deeper level.

If you find yourself having a hard time listening, below, you will see five simple steps that helped me become a better listener.  Hope it will help you become a better listener too.

Have Time

We are all busy, and If you are in a hurry let the other person know.  It is better to get back to them when you know you can take the time to listen.  And it is better for you because you won’t have to stop what you are doing and run the risk of being late.  It’s a win/win.

Eye Contact

Keep eye contact.  If your eyes are wandering around the other person will feel that you are not listening.  To improve this what I do is that I focus on keeping eye contact, It takes practice, I suggest to start little by little. Be aware that you are maintaining eye contact.  

Don’t Interrupt

Have you ever tried to finish the other person's sentence? I think we have all done it, but it is annoying.  It’s not a race; you are just having a conversation. The way to stop yourself is to be attentive to the other person's thought process. It takes practice, but it is worth it in the end. Stop interrupting by jumping in and interrupting.

Engage

Ask questions don’t read minds. By asking questions, you start to have a compelling dialog.  Keep the conversation going by being interested. Always summarize what the other person just said, that keeps you focused on the story and helped you retain relevant information.

Be Genuine

Find the space in your heart to care what the other person is telling you.  By showing that you are genuine, it helps you grow as a person. I am one that likes to reach out to people all the time, and I genuinely care when I ask how they are doing, it boils down to this one crucial thing, that we all care in one shape or form for one another.  

In summary, nothing worthwhile comes easy.  And it is useful to have a meaningful conversation. Start practicing and watch yourself grow in the process.  Have a fantastic day. I invite you to have a discovery conversation with me. Email me today.

Until next week,

Coach Barb

Certified Career Coach

Do you struggle with active listening?

The Best 5 Powerful Skills To Develop In Business

"Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people." Jim Rohn

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, what matters is the skills you acquire to bring out your best in everything you do. Do you find your work meaningful and rewarding? If you answered no, then you must learn specific skills to bring meaning to the work that you do.

On my career journey, I have had the privilege of learning new things all the time. I have mentors that don’t even know that they mentor me, but I learn from everyone that crosses my path. What is one skill that we all need to have to succeed? Excellent communication skills come to mind. In my research and the books that I read, communication is the one skill that always comes up. That is why I am still learning new ways to develop and improve my communication skills.

Besides communication, countless other skills are necessary to be successful in any industry. Let’s explore the Top 5 Skills that I find essential, and that will make your life more meaningful and rewarding.

Essential skills to acquire and develop for success:

Good Communication Skills
The ability to present, to speak, to write, and to question.

Take Action
It’s not enough to have ideas, that’s where it all starts, but the magic happens when you do something about it. Make it happen, make the call, set the appointment, write the article, write the email and hit send.

Be Flexible
Be open to new ideas, be creative, don’t settle,

Build Relationships
Not only friends, but think of building stable working relationships with bosses, coworkers, vendors, suppliers, prospects, and clients.

Listening 

When you focus your conversations on listening to understand what the other person is saying, rather than listening to respond, your business relationships will improve drastically.  Develop your listening skills to enhance any relationship.  

In summary, always be analyzing your performance, see where you need improvement and take the time to develop core skills that keep you moving forward. For a Career Coaching Session, contact me today.

Until Next Week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach


What skills do you consider worth developing?

How To Manage A Robust Sales Funnel

“Keep Your Sales Pipeline Full By Prospecting Continuously. Always Have More People To See Than You Have Time To See Them.” – Brian Tracy

Are you not getting enough sales? Then it’s time to revisit your sales funnel and create a robust sales process. If you are not familiar with a sales funnel, it’s a tool to help you manage your sales process; the main point is to control every stage and keep moving qualified leads and eventually having them become customers.

                     

Moving from the top layer all the way to the bottom layer will determine at what stage your current prospects are and what you need to do to close the deal. You need to know how you're generating leads and converting them into customers. 

Today I will share with you how to effectively manage your sales funnel to get winning results. As you might know sales is a numbers game, for instance, you might get 8 individuals that are interested in your product, but as they move through the funnel, only 4 will become leads, that is about 50% out of the 4 only 2 need a quote, and out of the 2 only 1 will buy your product. That is an example of a working funnel. If your target is to get ten sales, then you need to bring awareness about your product to 80 people

Generate Leads

First, you need to decide how you're going to get individuals interested in your product or service. Take a look at your marketing strategy, is it working? Are people interested in your business? The way you fill the top end of your funnel is through your marketing efforts. Marketing creates awareness and interest, therefore generating leads.

Create A Process

After you have your leads of interested people, it’s time to move them down the funnel. When they are paying attention to what you have to say about your products, the process begins. At this stage, your sales team will attempt to convert those leads into buyers.

Qualify At Each Level

Always be qualifying, you qualify by asking questions to keep them moving down the funnel and eventually buying your product. If you have a gaming business, you would ask questions like, “How often do you play video games? Or At what level do you play? You would always customize the questions depending on your product or service. However, the point I’m trying to make here is to keep qualifying.

The primary goal is to move the maximum amount of interested individuals through the funnel. The way you do that is to consistently be testing and analyzing and tracking everything that is going on with your process.

At the end of the day, when you have happy customers, they will become ambassadors for you and start filling up your funnel with newly interested individuals and eventually grow your business.

In summary, the more consistent you are, the more efficient you’re going to be. Always keep in mind that the size of your funnel will determine the number of sales you are going to make. Contact me today for an empowering career coaching chat.


Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach

How do you manage your sales funnel?

5 Easy Steps On How To Overcome Overthinking

“The sharpest minds often ruin their lives by overthinking the next step, while the dull win the race with eyes closed.” Bethany Brookbank, “Write like no one is reading”

Have you ever stopped yourself cold and had the feeling of analysis paralysis? Well, I have, and I know the feeling well. Analyze it; overthinking can lead to paralyzing your actions that turn into the lack of productivity, that's what overthinking creates.

For me, it all started when I would get cold sweats of the thought of just making a simple decision. “Should I call?” No, maybe I shouldn’t, it’s not the right time, or they will not understand me, I was torturing myself with negative self-talk. I realized that my over-thinking was taking over my existence. I have to share with you how I came out of that rut and escaped unharmed. I have the power and the momentum to continue with my actions.

Here are the five steps on how to overcome overthinking:

1. Recognize Negative Thoughts
2. Take Action
3. Keep The Momentum
4. Be Honest
5. Allow


Step 1: Recognize Negative Thoughts

Start by feeding yourself with positive thoughts, and when a feeling of fear or doubt sneaks in, immediately realize it and stop it in its tracks. Say, “no that thought is not supporting me,” and immediately think about something better. Tell yourself that this thought is not productive. It doesn’t matter what it is, what matters is that you can recognize it. It will give you a sense of power and allow you to be in control.


Step 2: Take Action

Call, write the article, make the decision and stick to it. Taking action is vital in this process, do the necessary things to keep going. When you work at it, you will feel empowered. Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best, “ “Do the thing and you will have the power.”


Step 3: Keep The Momentum

Learn new things, read books, listen to motivational videos and reprogram your mind to focus on the right things and not give the power to fear and negativity. Become active and influential. Everyone is different, keep your momentum with what feels right for you.


Step 4: Honesty

Be honest with yourself and your feelings, surround yourself with like-minded individuals. Be honest about how you are feeling, for instance; you will never go wrong when you treat yourself right. The sense of freedom transforms you into having the positive feeling of doing what you set your mind to do, that will keep you from overthinking.


Step 5: Allow

Change is hard, don’t get stuck in your routine and negative ways. You can't have change unless you change. Allow yourself to be opened to positive change, for instance, allowing the positive vibration and letting it guide you. Let yourself explore new possibilities, journeys, and experiences.

In summary, by taking action you take control, and at the end of your journey, you will see that it wasn’t as big or intimidating as you thought. Are you ready to take control of your life? Start today by recognizing that you do overthink, and practice doing less of it daily.  Contact me today for a transformational chat. Have a fantastic day.


Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach

How do you deal with overthinking?

How To Have The Right Attitude In The Workplace

"A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results." Wade Boggs

Making decisions at work are inevitable, and along with that comes actions. The difference in how things turn out is just the attitude in which you took those actions. Everyone creates opinions, work in teams and accept responsibility. However, how many times do we experience negativity and rudeness in the workplace? More than we should.

What has helped me in the past is my ability to start my day with a solid morning routine. That helps me start my day prepared and with clarity for whatever comes my way. It’s unfortunate that I have dealt with relentless negativity in the workplace, but I have used those experiences to learn and grow.

Below I will share with you what you can do to create a positive environment so that when you need to take action, you make them with the right attitude.

To have the right attitude, you must possess the qualities below:

Quality #1
Be A Good Listener
When you are involved in a conversation always seek to understand, don’t attempt to respond. It is a valuable lesson that everyone should learn and practice. It goes a long way to be a great communicator in any industry. Listen.

Quality #2
Be Enthusiastic
Show enthusiasm in everything that you do. If you decided to work where you are working make the best of it, treat your customers with excitement it will show that you are happy to service them. And, treat your coworkers with respect and show enthusiasm with your actions towards them.

Quality #3
Be Kind
Did you know that if you are kind to others, you will automatically feel better? Also, be kind to yourself, do the necessary tasks first, take appropriate breaks to keep going with proper energy, this will help with approaching events with the right attitude.

Quality #4
Be Conscious
How are you speaking to yourself and others? What you decide to feed your mind is what you are going to see as your actions. Start listening to personal development audio books and podcasts, nourish your mind with quality information. Get into the habit of treating yourself good so that you will treat others even better. Start by being conscious about everything you do and how you are doing it.

Quality #5
Be Responsible
Stop complaining and stop criticizing. When you take responsibility for your actions and learn how to avoid gossip, you will feel better. Remember that positivity always wins.

In summary, is your attitude a stepping stone to your next opportunity or is it a stumbling block to your subsequent failure? You will conquer more with a positive attitude, and keep solving problems along the way. Contact me for a Transformational Career Coaching Session. Have a fantastic day.


Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach



What steps do you take to have the right attitude?

How To Become More Productive With Better Habits

“I will form good habits and become their slave. And how will I accomplish this difficult feat? Through these scrolls it will be done, for each scroll contains a principle which will drive a bad habit from my life and replace it with one which will bring me closer to success.” Og Mandino

Sometimes what you are doing is automatic and part of your daily routine. But, is it productive? I’m talking about your habits. We tend to create patterns at work that we don’t even notice that it’s affecting our environment. If you are struggling to get things done or even feel hesitant to participate in new projects, you might have a couple of habits that need replacing.

I had a couple of bad habits at work, and one of them was to over plan. I would plan my calls, my visits, my week, my days to perfection. But, then I would realize how much time I wasted preparing. I couldn’t keep it simple; I had to overthink (another bad habit) and over plan. I did manage to overcome those two habits, and I replaced them with practices that shorten my time and be able to be more productive.

Below I will share with you what I did and how I did it. In addition to those two lousy workplace habits, I came up with a couple more that might be giving you problems at work.

Bad Workplace Habits

• Excessive Organizing
• Overplanning
• Resisting Change
• Gossiping
• Procrastinating 
• Overthinking
• Tardiness

The key to changing a bad habit is to be aware that you have an ingrained habit that is unwanted and destructive. Once you pinpoint a problem, you are ready to tackle the problem. Then you can implement the steps below to help you overcome one habit at a time.

Acknowledge- Identify the habit that needs replacement, for example, you are a habitual latecomer, identify that you are always running late and ask yourself, what can I do differently to start being on time? Make a list of what you need to do.

Decide- Next you need to decide to start incorporating your new habits. For instance, I will leave the house 15 minutes earlier, or I will make sure to be on time from lunch every day. Once you decide, then it’s time to take action.

Replace- Once you decide now it’s time to take action. Replace leaving the house at your usual time and leave 15 minutes earlier every day.

Visualize- Take the time to do a practice run in your mind the night before. It might mean to change a couple more habits at home, like going to bed earlier. But, by picturing it in your mind's eye first, you will find it easier to accomplish.

You can incorporate this exercise with any of your bad habits, the goal is not to get rid of your bad habit, but by replacing it with a new habit. Become a master of taking control of your life and surroundings.

For the changes to have a significant impact on your life and at work, you must be committed to being disciplined in changing and practicing the new habit to get the best results.

In summary, it is no easy task to replace a bad habit, but with awareness, discipline, and desire you can do this. For a transformational Career Coaching Call, contact me today.

Until Next Week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach

Do you find it difficult to replace a bad habit with a good habit?

How To Overcome Toxic Behaviors In The Workplace

"There's been a quantum leap technologically in our age, but unless there's another quantum leap in human relations, unless we learn to live in a new way towards one another, there will be a catastrophe." Albert Einstein

Recent studies have shown that behavior is much a factor as technical abilities. It’s not easy to bring together different personalities to a well-functioning organization, so the best way to manage employees is to identify and rectify toxic behaviors sooner than later.

I have worked with a good share of different people in my career, and I have to tell you that I have been fortunate to have worked with great colleagues. Some that I currently have significant relationships with, however on the other side of that same coin I have encountered difficult personalities that have been bad experiences. The good thing about having to deal with difficult, toxic individuals is the lesson learned.

As the observer and the affected employee, below I will share with you how to identify and deal with toxic employees and or colleagues.

Is your organization affected? Take a look at the most common toxic behaviors:

• Aggressiveness
• Resistance to change
• Rudeness
• Passive aggressive 

Having an employee with any of the above characteristics can affect your organizations' morale, quality, and the bottom line.

Ways to overcome a potential problem:

• Detect a problem early
• Create workshops and coaching sessions about toxic behaviors, have a plan
• If problems persist, evaluate, confront and eliminate the toxic individual

Always have an open door policy about complaints in the workplace. Notice if more than one individual complains about the same person, take notice and create an action plan immediately.

In summary, it’s imperative to identify toxic behavior before it ruins your organization. Don’t be afraid to make corrections early. For a Career Coaching session contact me today.

Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach

How do you handle toxic behavior in your organization?

How To Be More Confident On Your Next Job Interview

"Get to know the job intimately that you're applying for. Don't just read the job description - study it and picture yourself performing every task required of you. When you interview, framing your responses so that you reveal your significant knowledge about the job gives you a massive advantage." 

Travis Bradberry

Being prepared for any given tasks is always a good idea, especially before your next job interview. Have you ever noticed how tense you are if you are not prepared? That is why preparing as much as you can before an interview will reduce your anxiety level and give you a boost of confidence.

I’ve had many roles in the staffing industry to include prepping interviewees on their next top interview. One of the main reasons we would take the time to prep interviewees is for them to feel more confident and have a sense of calmness that would help with such a stressful process.

Today I will share with you three basics steps you can take to make your next interview a little less stressful.

Step 1 - Research The Company

This is the time to go above and beyond, ask yourself, “what do I know about this company?” With the ability to search on the internet, you will be able to find information like, who are the key players? The company’s products, goals, and competitors. It’s time to investigate and find out about any recent layoffs, or struggles. When you gather all of your data, now you can construct solutions you can bring to the table and picture yourself as part of the team.

Step 2 - Prepare For The Face-To-Face Interview

Now you are ready to prepare for the interview. When you speak with the person scheduling the interview, don’t forget to confirm the address and meeting place. Ask who are you meeting with and their role. It’s normal to feel a bit of anxiety, but remember when you are prepared you are eliminating part of that stress. Practice a visualization meditation, actually picture yourself going through all of the processes; this will reduce your uncertainty. Picture yourself at your best. Practice, have a mock interview with a friend or family member. Alternatively, hire a career coach that will help you through the complicated process.

Step 3 - Things To Bring

Besides knowing what to wear beforehand, have everything ready, from a couple of working pens to a professional notepad, several copies of your resume. Moreover, your list of references. Now is an excellent time to write out possible questions for when you are asked, “Do you have any additional questions?” Alternatively, Don’t forget to work on your elevator pitch for when you are asked, “Tell me about yourself.”

Elevator pitch: 60 seconds to tell the person about yourself and your best qualities.

Example of additional questions at the end of the interview:

• Can you share more about the day to day responsibilities of the position?
• What’s a typical day like?
• What’s one thing that makes you happy to come to work every day?

In summary, with these several tips, you will alleviate your stress about your upcoming interview. Now prepare to map out your route the day before, arrive early and relax because you’ve got this. The more prepared you are, the better you will feel. Contact me today for a career coaching conversation.


Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach


How do you prepare for an interview?

How To Develop A Strong Team For Your Company's Growth

“Coming Together is a Beginning; Keeping Together is Progress; Working Together is Success.” – Henry Ford 

Sales or Business Development? Even though they both have the same outcome in mind, the process from where they take point A to Point B are entirely different. Two halves complete as a whole. They both exist to help your business grow.

My past background allowed me to learn both aspects of the process. I held a business development role in addition to having the responsibility of sales. However, after doing research and uncovering the details of each position, it is best to maximize each task and let your business reach higher levels by separating the two.

Think for a moment, why have your best sales rep busy doing research, prospecting and hunting for leads when he or she is best at closing? And why have your best qualifier close leads when he or she thrives on doing research? Get the best results, by knowing when to separate your team to maximize results.

Role Of A Top Business Development Team

• Expand New Markets
• Form Partnerships
• Do Research
• Prospect
• Gather Qualified Leads

Role Of A Top Sales Team

• Close
• Demonstrate Product
• Handle Objections
• Draft Contracts

It’s time to separate prospecting from selling to allow each team to focus on one task, instead of becoming frustrated with trying to do both with clearly different objectives.

Some companies sales reps are required to do both, and that’s ok, however, to know what is best for your company, answer the two questions below and determine whether or not you would like to have two departments that will maximize your return on investment.

• What is my employee's strength? Prospecting or Closing?

• How can I maximize my team's efficiency? 

After evaluating all of your employee's strength, determine how to separate them into two teams creating a Business Development Team and A Sales Team. Start your trial teams and analyze the results. It takes time to implement something new; however, if it’s going to help your company grow, it’s worth a shot.

In summary, having a clearly defined outcome can lead you to create a capable team. You know what’s best for you and your company, make sure that you have the right team in place. For a Career, Coaching conversation contact me today.


How do you view the difference between Business Development and Sales?

5 Powerful Skills When Developed Make You More Valuable

"The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership." Harvey S. Firestone

In today’s job market it is always best to show and improve your soft skills, also known as transferable skills. Employers are always looking for the right candidates to have the right abilities and skills, and that includes skills that can help in different areas of the organization.

What skills do you possess that can be used from one industry to another? I have excellent time management skills. For instance, I demonstrate excellent time management skills every day, I will have completed over six thousand words by the end of every Saturday afternoon. The way I accomplish such a task is by creating a schedule that allows me to achieve a little every day. It might not seem like a lot, but by the end of the month, I’m averaging twenty-five thousand words.

That’s just one example of the many tasks that I have on a daily and weekly basis. Let’s take a look at some transferable skills that you can acquire and develop.

Five everyday transferable skills to develop:

1. Leadership
2. Time Management 
3. Listening
4. Communication
5. Problem Solving

Of course, there are many more skills that are transferable. However, I chose the ones that I feel that by cultivating them you can use them across a wide range of industries.

In summary, what transferable skills do you have that has brought success in your career? Mine has always been the ability to maximize my time management. Also, take a look at being flexible and willing to go that extra mile. Show the initiative to be that one employee that brings more value to the table. Contact me for a powerful career coaching session.


Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach


What skills did I not mention that you would include on the list?

How To Be A Confident Job Seeker

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” –Arthur Ashe

If you are seeking to switch your profession or you are new in the workforce arena, you need to start to prepare your job seekers toolkit. Looking for employment is a full-time job. And it is important to schedule your days to help you get through the process as easy and painless as possible; preparation is critical.

Previously I conducted career workshops to assist students with their job searching skills. I learned that it is essential to be disciplined and organized in the preparation process. It is rewarding to help and guide individuals through the stressful and taxing job searching task.

To become a confident job seeker, you need to be informed and ready to get to work. You need to schedule the time that you will dedicate to your job search.

Below you will find several tools that can help you jumpstart the process.

Tools:

• Job leads 
• Professional Portfolio And Pens 
• Interview Questions 
• Interviewing Outfits 
• Updated Resume 
• Reference List
• Research Power Hour 
• Notebook To Keep Track
• Updated Contacts 
• Follow Up Tracking System
• Network Opportunities 
• Schedule 
• Updated linkedin Profile 
• Work With A Career Coach

Social media clean up is essential, now with a social media footprint, employers are noticing more on behaviors that might not be appropriate for the organization.

If you are interested in a specific industry, read up on your industry trade publications to see new trends and news about your desired industry. Always stay informed.

In summary, as long as you know your strengths, skills and have the evidence of your past successes, you will be heading into your new career without a problem. By being prepared, you will reduce your anxiety with the job search process. Contact me for a Career Coaching Session today.

Until next week,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach

How do you prepare for a job search?

Learn How To Let Go Of Harmful Stress In The Workplace

“Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.” Hans Selye

Many things can trigger stress at work, however, because it can cause harmful health conditions it’s essential to get a handle on your lousy pressure before it becomes a serious health condition.

I’ve experienced stress-related symptoms at work, for instance, high blood pressure, lack of sleep and constant brain chatter with worry. However, I know that lack of preparation has been the leading cause of my stress at work. When I found myself stressed out, I would take a step back and retrace what caused it. And what I saw was my lack of being on top of something important, like a follow-up call, or lack of research or anything that resembled an unfinished project of some sort, knowing how to manage my time and adequately prepare, has helped me throughout my career.

The good news is that if you take the time to understand what is causing your stress, you have time to correct it.

Possible Causes of Stress At Work:

• High Workloads
• Job Insecurity
• Long Commute
• Unclear performance expectations
• Conflict at work
• Lack of Work-Life Balance
• Rumors About The State of the Company

Taking Some Positive Actions To Prevent The Stress:

Prepare And Plan
Lift a heavy load off your back. Take the time to prepare the day before for tomorrow's tasks. Plan on how you are going to do each job and make reasonable deadline expectations. If it’s out of your control, speak with the proper person and recommend an adequate deadline and state your reasons why.

Create Habits For Each Task
Challenge yourself and view each work that needs to be done, and create habits that will lead you to complete each task. For instance, if you need to write your weekly report by Friday afternoon, establish a daily routine to calculate the required information, and at the end of the week, it will practically be done. Or, if you need to hand in a monthly expense report, make it a habit that on a daily basis you will update your expense report. At the end of the month guess what? It’s complete.

Learn To Relax
If you consider yourself an uptight person this might be a section for you to read and reread. Make it your goal to learn the basics of relaxation, for instance, simple breathing exercises. I wouldn’t go overboard in the beginning, take the time to go outside and sit quietly without a phone and sit and listen to your breathing. Count all of your breaths silently and when you feel calm, go back to your office and start grinding again. But, learning how to take control of your relaxation will have positive health benefits. Do you have 10 minutes to spare?

Recharge
Do you have a favorite movie? Or a great book you want to read? Then it’s time to think of recharging. On the weekend, besides spending time with family and friends take time for yourself. Besides a refreshed you, it’s a better you. Don’t you agree? Relax, Recharge and Release! Try it.

Separate Work With Personal Time
Make it a habit not to check your business email or social media while on personal time. Make sure that you have a healthy home life-work balance. Separating the two can be beneficial if done correctly, even if it’s just on Sundays.

In summary, by taking control of the things you can control will help you take the necessary steps to reduce the stress that you are experiencing. If you are looking for career coaching, contact me today. Have a fantastic week.


To Your Success,
Coach Barb
Certified Career Coach

How do you manage your stress at work?

The Resume Black Hole And How To Avoid It

"I believe that people make their own luck by great preparation and good strategy." Jack Canfield

What is the Resume Black Hole? According to my research, it is a term used since the great depression of 2008.  However, many candidates today are experiencing the same effect of not getting a proper response after applying for a position.  And, on the other side of the coin, employers are missing out on qualified candidates with a lengthy Applicant Tracking System process.  Today I will share with you tips on how to avoid the Resume Black Hole trap.

Coming from the staffing industry, it is my experience to see countless resumes coming in on a daily basis. I was fortunate to work for companies that managed the interviewing process with experienced recruiters.  Having the right ATS and a strong recruiting team made the hiring process manageable.

However, now looking from the outside I can analyze how frustrating it must be to send countless resumes to different companies including staffing agencies and not getting any calls.  That is why I decided to do some research and help both the companies and the candidates have a different outlook on handling the hiring process.

Below I will share with you my recommendations for both the employers and candidates.

Employers:

How to avoid losing qualified candidates that apply:

• Take a look at your process, is it too lengthy? Consider trimming your application questions to gather the necessary information upfront. 

• Engaging in today’s era is critical.  Instead of an automated, we received your resume, consider sending the next steps in the hiring process. Let the candidate know what to expect. 

• Technology is the best tool we have, and to maximize the interaction with your interested candidates, activate the social media features in your ATS.  The social media feature goes hand in hand with engagement; it is a tool that many are not using.

Candidates:

How to maximize your callback ratio when applying online:

• The obvious sometimes is overlooked, proofread your resume. Something as simple as a typo can get your resume set aside or tossed out.  

• Simplicity is vital, do not add logos, graphics or artistic fonts.  It might seem like the best way to stand out. However, the ATS might not recognize the format and not put you through the system.

• Keywords are essential; the tracking systems function is to match different keywords to the job description.  Use keywords that are relevant to your skills.

In summary, there is no reason to feel overwhelmed when relying on the applicant tracking systems.  The resume black hole is a term that many today are using, but with proper preparation from both the employer and candidates perspective, the experience can improve.  Contact me today for a Career Coaching Session. Have a fantastic day.

To Your Success,

Coach Barb

Certified Career Coach

Are you currently struggling with the resume black hole?