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FranklinCovey Blog | Great Work, Great Career
Jennifer Colosimo talks about building a Great Career with elearning TV
Interview with Jennifer Colosimo about building a Great Career with elearning TV
Interview on BlogTalkRadio: How to Create Your Ultimate Job
Here is a link to an interview with Jennifer Colosimo on BlogTalkRadio discussing the topic ”How to Create Your Ultimate Job”. Check it out!
Plea for Better/Fewer Meetings
Things I hate about meetings:
1. Having no idea what the expected outcomes of the meeting might be or how we intend to get there.
2. The rest of my work piling up like gravel while I attend LONG meetings or too many meetings.
3. Presentations led by PowerPoint.
What I like:
1. Rigorous conversations—open, respectful, communication—searching for real solutions for real problems.
2. The food (sometimes). Depends on location. Ok, I’m ambivalent—if it is good, I eat too much. If it is bad, I’m bored.
3. Action items and follow up on action items.
Despair.com has a poster about meetings: None of us is as dumb as all of us. Let’s buck that. Let’s have fewer and better.
Author: Jennifer Colosimo, Chief Operations Officer at FranklinCovey
Follow Jennifer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jencolosimo
Great Work, Great Career is the #2 book in Shanghai!
Great Work, Great Career is the #2 book in Shanghai! Learn more at:
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/?id=451783&type=Opinion
Author: Jennifer Colosimo, Chief Operations Officer at FranklinCovey
Follow Jennifer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jencolosimo
Career Focus—Act Without Vision If You Have To.
“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”—Eleanor Roosevelt
Paradox: If the vision doesn’t come to you immediately, act without vision.
When Ann Dunwoody, a U.S. Army lieutenant general, was nominated to be the first female four-star general in the nation’s history, she said: “I grew up in a family that didn’t know what glass ceilings were.” One imagines that to ascend the ranks and break down barriers, Ann Dunwoody must have uncovered her vision at a young age. Her father was, in fact, a career Army officer and she joined the Army immediately following graduation from college. Unlike Ann, many of us, myself included, fumble along not knowing what we are “meant to do.” My high school talent survey came up with three possible jobs I was well suited for: an accountant, because I have decent math skills and can focus intensely on a problem, a forest ranger, presumably because I love to hike and camp, and a fashion model (?) which only makes sense in light of the fact that I used to spend a lot of time on my hair. (It was the 80’s and it took a long time to get my bangs to stand straight up and stay there.)
Why didn’t the talent survey suggest “CEO” or “President of the United States,” jobs that both require math and problem-solving skills and can have immense impact on the environment? And the even better question, why would I complain about the talent survey outcomes? At least I’m American, where accountant and forest ranger are possibilities for women. There are plenty of places where women don’t have any options beyond “make dinner.”
But here is the problem for many of us who are not Ann Dunwoody: we are frozen, inactive, waiting for our “calling” our “best life” our “mission and vision” to hit us on the head like a religious conversion. And until then, we’ll remain vaguely dissatisfied with the world and ourselves. There is a book on theology written by Dick Gilbert that quotes an anonymous author avoiding the call to leadership by saying, “Give me causes, O God, to theorize, argue, talk about. Let me think of problems far away.” Because it is safer to theorize at the water cooler or post complaints on a blog then to act.
I say, “ACT!”
Then reflect.
Invest time thinking about what you’re doing.
Write about your actions.
And from that, a vision will emerge. Susan B. Anthony is a great example. She was an active Abolitionist, taught school for 15 years, then worked in the temperance movement. Because she was a woman, she was not allowed to speak at temperance rallies. This experience, along with her acquaintance with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, led her to join the women’s rights movement in 1852. Soon after, she dedicated her life to woman suffrage, working tirelessly as President of the National American Woman Suffrage Association until she retired at age 80. Women earned the right to vote with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, 14 years after her death.
When did her vision become clear? In hindsight, she was “meant” to lead the suffrage movement. But everything she did until that point led to her being uniquely prepared to lead. I always tell my daughters, “Luck favors the prepared.” Opportunity is not going to strike working toward something with focus and dedication, continuously learning, and upgrading your contribution.
Author: Jennifer Colosimo, Chief Operations Officer at FranklinCovey
Follow Jennifer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jencolosimo
Promotions and Career Stalls: More in Common Than You Might Think
I was recently promoted. That same week I coached some mid-career professionals who feel like their careers had “stalled.” I was surprised how much we had in common regarding how we felt, how others reacted to us, and then how we veered off in wildly different directions when it came to our plans of action. First, in common:
- I’m not yet sure what to do that would have the highest and greatest impact on the people, processes, and systems that I have been promoted into leading. I think my uncertainty can be solved by listening to people, building relationships, studying the financials, and figuring out the organizational need that my unique blend of talents and passions are best suited to address. Then I need to talk with people about the problem I’d like to solve and the contribution I’d like to make and working with them to make an impact. Interestingly, the career stalls have the same uncertainty about what to do. And I would suggest they consider the same a plan of action.
- In the case of my new role and in the case of those experiencing a stall in their current role, the reaction of people around you could be described as opposite sides of the same coin. Some people are genuinely helpful. Some exhibit signs of worry as to how your level of influence (or lack thereof) will influence their level of influence (or lack thereof) and some are clearly steering clear—hoping to avoid the work of being pulled into your circle of potential/despair.
- Both promotions and career stalls are rare opportunities to be creative, innovative, and impactful. For myself and others it seems common sense to view a promotion as an opportunity. But a career slump doesn’t have the same motivational spark—the spark must be self-created. If those in a slump saw it as a time for creativity and action, they would get better results. Particularly when compared to the choice to give up. Or even worse, to give in to cynicism and to spread that cynicism like the flu.
From a Jewish prayer (paraphrased): “I must do my allotted task with unwavering faithfulness even though the eye of no taskmaster is upon me. I must be strong even when slander distorts my noblest intent.” And luck must shine upon me (my addition).
Author: Jennifer Colosimo, Chief Operations Officer at FranklinCovey
Follow Jennifer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jencolosimo
Writing a Stand-Out Resume
Of course, follow all the basics: spelling, grammar, layout, bullet points, quantitative representation of accomplishments. The basics are a great foundation–necessary, but not sufficient, for your resume to stand out. Donald Asher, a resume expert says, “Be specific and people will help you. Specificity sells, my friends.”
A resume is a marketing document. A key principle in marketing is knowing what you’re trying to sell. If you aren’t sure, then you can bet your readers won’t be either.
To better know what you’re trying to sell, you need two things: › Continue reading
How Diverse Is Your “Village” (Network)?
Many studies, and my own personal experience, show that those with larger personal networks have more successful careers. We all know how important it is to network when searching for employment, but it is equally important when employed in order to obtain advice, coaching, and other points of view.
At the Chief Learning Officer symposium last week, Joe Santana from Siemens USA proposed that a broad network is richer and more robust than a deep network. He said that a strong network for career growth, problem solving, and innovation isn’t made up entirely of people just like you. I thought it was interesting to consider so I thought through my layers of friends, colleagues, advisors, and contacts—and even looking through my Outlook and LinkedIn contacts—and then realized with a start that my network is deep but not broad. While it may cross national borders › Continue reading
Write Down This Date
On Tuesday, April 13, the Great Career iPhone app will be available for just $2.99. On April 13th, click the Buy Now link at http://bit.ly/b7w8Cd to take advantage of the special promotional price.
Need more information before you buy? You’ll find an overview of the application’s features at http://liveclicks.na6.acrobat.com/p80551659.