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3 Posts tagged with the career_effectiveness tag Productivity tips from the Priority Pro

Many ambitious high achieving professionals fear that they are not really as bright and capable as others tend to think they are. As they climb the career ladder they have apprehension and self-doubt. Although they have accomplishments, they tend to attribute these achievements to luck. All this weighs heavily on an already full plate.

Several years ago, I attended a presentation by Dr. Valerie Young about what she referred to as the “Imposter Syndrome”. It has stuck with me because I frequently come across successful business leaders who seem to be afflicted by this. As a business owner and former corporate employee, I admit to having my own demons in this area. Often when I hear feedback from a coaching client or event planner, I discount the impact that my words and strategies have made. I worry that I’m not good enough, smart enough or savvy enough to make a positive difference in people’s lives. So, despite contrary evidence to this, my complex self-doubt thinks otherwise. Insecurities can make us question ourselves and our capabilities.

Seemingly very successful business leaders at every level of the organization, entrepreneurs, rising stars worry that they’re not as great as others think they are. Although they’ve faced every challenge, received recognition and promotions, their customers think they’re a super star, they fear that they will be found out!

The imposter syndrome can hold you back from pursuing dreams and goals. It prohibits you from feeling pride and a sense of accomplishment. It can cause you to work harder than anyone else to convince yourself that if you were really as smart and capable as everyone else believes, you wouldn’t have to work so hard. The fear can be paralyzing and terrifying, if you allow it!

If you are one of the millions suffering from the imposter syndrome, there are effective ways to help you cope. Re-examine your expectations of yourself. If you tend to have perfectionist tendencies and the conviction that you shouldn’t be struggling at all, reflect on this by asking yourself ‘why’. For instance, for a client of mine who is a technical professional that will be taking a new position as an Operations Manager very soon, “why would you know how to be an exceptional Operations Manager if you’ve never done this before?” By shifting her energy away from the self-doubt caused by the Imposter Syndrome, she began focusing on what skills, knowledge, and resources she already has to build upon and what relationships are already in her network that she can expand on and learn from. She shifted from not being able to make any mistakes to minimizing mistakes and risk and using any mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. The faith and confidence her company has in her is giving her the courage to step in and be as great and capable as everyone else already thinks she is.

Stop doubting your own abilities and skills! Realize you’re not the only one that suffers from the imposter syndrome! Some experts estimate as many as 70 percent of people have this feeling of fraudulence at some point in their lives, while as many as 30 percent of people may experience it consistently.

For tips and strategies to help you deal with the Imposter Syndrome, click here.

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In my last BLOG, I shared some reports about the drastic decline in employee job satisfaction. In this BLOG post I will share some observations and strategies for increasing the prospect of job satisfaction, even in a doom economy.

In my experiences working with people both employed and unemployed, I’ve found that many people have not taken responsibility for their own career growth. When I worked for years in the corporate world, over two decades ago, we were told that the company was no longer responsible for our career growth but rather we were responsible for creating our own. Many employees had a difficult time adapting to this new way of thinking because they were used to earlier times when they created a career plan and followed it within one company.

Strategy: Own your career! Seek out the right opportunities for your interest and abilities both inside and outside the company. Have a career plan.

I’ve also seen people get complacent. They stopped taking continuing training and development and looking for opportunities to expand their skills and network of contacts. They didn’t have an up-to-date resume and couldn’t remember the last time they had a job interview. Often, with training budgets being cut, employees blamed the lack of funding for their discontinuance of learning and professional development.

Strategy: Keep learning & growing. If there’s a skill you want to develop, look for opportunities, to build and demonstrate that skill, even if it’s outside of the workplace. Having new skills in diverse areas may help distinguish you while increasing your job satisfaction. Enroll in classes. Meet new people. Challenge yourself!

Often, people dissatisfied at work are also unhappy at home. People allow their work grind to follow them home. It is possible to improve your life even if you can't improve your work.

Strategy: Instead of letting your work displeasures to invade your home, invest in your private life and create a happiness that can make work more palatable. Consciously create fond family memories, indulge in a hobby, 'date' your spouse or partner, take classes, or enrich your life in other ways! Make laughter a part of your every day life.

Lastly, people feel stuck at their dissatisfying job. They don’t believe they have an out so they don’t look for other opportunities. Unfortunately, whatever you believe becomes true for you based on your thoughts and actions. In this case, it would be the inaction of looking for other career prospects.

Strategy: Seek out alternative job opportunities while you are still gainfully employed. You are more likely to ask the right questions and not take something out of desperation or fear. Also, in the meantime, find ways to change your current job even if your actual job description or boss can’t change. Your perception and your attitude can change and that by itself can make a world of difference with your job satisfaction.

Want to be more satisfied at work?  Then, create more happiness and satisfaction!

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These days with high unemployment resulting from layoffs, reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, many people are concerned about losing their job. My client, John Stuart had joined a pharmaceutical company less than five years ago. Although he had survived two other downsizing efforts, Stuart wasn’t sure he would make it through this next one. He felt like he needed a miracle!

 

To help sift through his options, Stuart met with his mentor, a senior-level manager in another department of the company. He also hired me as his professional career coach to provide an objective unbiased sounding board.  Although no one is truly irreplaceable, Stuart’s goal was to make himself so indispensable to the division that his managers couldn’t afford to lose him.

 

As part of the process, Stuart assessed his strengths, weaknesses and value to the division. He also analyzed his competition before developing a strong personal strategic plan with both short- and long-term strategies to increase his value within the company. This became his personal brand message.

 

His career-enhancing strategies helped him thrive in the ever-changing job market. They increased his confidence and helped him more clearly and consistently communicate his value across the company.

 

Are you valuable to the company? Test your indispensability with this quick quiz!

Directions:  Use the rating scale to the right with 1 representing "not at all" and 5 indicating "this is a strength of mine".

 

Standards

Never------------------------Always

I take ownership of my responsibilities and continually look at the bigger picture before making a decision.

1

2

3

4

5

I take responsibility for my career.

1

2

3

4

5

I maintain a positive attitude, even when I’m stressed or overwhelmed.

1

2

3

4

5

I save the company money by hiring outside experts, contractors or consultants when necessary rather than staffing with extra bodies.

1

2

3

4

5

I have identified a task that I can do better than it’s being done now and have asked my boss for the challenge.

1

2

3

4

5

I strategically broadcast my accomplishments.

1

2

3

4

5

I excel in an area where my boss is weak.

1

2

3

4

5

I represent the company in outside organizations or community events.

1

2

3

4

5

I am an effective team player.

1

2

3

4

5

I continually invest in myself and my career.

1

2

3

4

5

Scoring: 40-50 points – Your are indispensable; 30-39 points – Identify 5 areas to improve upon; Below 30 points – Polish up your resume.

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