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FranklinCovey Blog | Jennifer Colosimo
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 to Change Your Paradigms
I was passing through the family room when a horse jockey on TV shared with a new co-worker that the photo on his clipboard was of his 18 year old daughter. I have a 17-year-old daughter so I stopped to listen. His daughter had died nine months ago. At the end of the show, the race track at which he worked named the spring racing series in honor of the jockey’s daughter. I was sobbing, at a reality show. And I finally understood: this is why people love reality shows. They love the story—success, failure, villainy, and redemption.
Reality show stories may stretch the truth or overemphasize some facts over others, but no more than the stories we tell about ourselves to ourselves. Stephen Covey calls this our paradigms, the way we see the world. Jim Loehr, the author of The Power of Full Engagement, the best Habit 7/Sharpen the Saw book out there, says that we have stories about our work, our families, our health; about what we’re capable of achieving. In his book, The Power of Story, Dr. Loehr says that editing our dysfunctional stories can transform our business and personal lives. › Continue reading
New Great Work, Great Career Webinars with Jennifer Colosimo
Please join me for one or two or even three great webinars on building a Great Career! Click here to register. These webinars are based on content from the recently released book Great Work, Great Career. See you there!
Career Advantage is about getting a great job now and enjoying a great career for life. In this webinar, participants look at the contribution they would like to make through the lens of talents, passion, and conscience and then at defining career, project, and current-role contribution in a way that’s a win for them and their organization. The end in mind is becoming more employable and advancing one’s career. Click here to learn more.
Traditional resumes are like a product brochure with you as the product. Unless the prospect is actively looking for just that product, the brochure goes in the trash. Resume Advantage teaches participants to design a unique resume based on the problems the employer needs solved and how participants’ background and experience demonstrate their ability to meet specific employer needs. Click here to learn more. › Continue reading
Saying “No” Effectively
Sometimes a request may come your way, but it doesn’t align with highest priorities. At work, it is a cubicle drive-by, an IM, or an e-mail:
“Lisa, could your team . . .”
And you think, “We could, but it doesn’t align with what is important to the organization right now or my team’s critical path.” Don’t say that, not unless you think you can get results without relationships (you can’t, not long-term anyway) OR as a last result.
At home, it is a phone call at 7:00 p.m.: “Hi Teresa, the Girl Scout cookie mom can’t do it again this year. Can I put you down for it?”
And your mind races: “But I already volunteered to chaperone the camping trip, and help with the school carnival, not to mention my work on the Food Bank fundraiser . . .but wouldn’t a good mother, a mother who didn’t work, wouldn’t she say yes?”
Let me be clear, Executive Mamas don’t say “yes” to everything. They sometimes say “no”—EFFECTIVELY, in a way that builds relationships and reputation, not in a way that destroys them.
Here’s some suggestions:
To a boss:
“I’d be happy to. I am currently working on x, y, and z. Could we re-visit the timing on those so I could complete this project?”
“Of course. This looks like about 3 days worth of work. Should I table x, y, and z and work on this for the next three days? Or is b an acceptable completion date?”
“Could you tell me a little bit more so I could see how this fits in with my other commitments?”
To a colleague:
“I’m not sure. Let’s talk about deadlines, scope, final product so I can tell you if I could help.”
“I can’t do it by x. Is y soon enough?”
“I have to tell you—I don’t know that I can. Maybe I can offer up some thoughts as to how you might accomplish that without me?”
To a child who wants to add another after school activity to their already packed schedule:
“No, no, a thousand times no! Don’t you see that this overlaps with basketball practice? How can you expect to add another drop off/pick up to your already Presidential schedule?” (OK, that one was a bit autobiographical and not very effective. But I strongly believe you should tell them the truth. I know a woman who refuses to accept that little Sally might miss one activity, one party, one experience. Sally is a horrible child because she believes the entire world revolves around her desires. )
Executive Mamas say no. With grace.
Author: Jennifer Colosimo, Chief Learning Officer at FranklinCovey
Follow Jennifer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jencolosimo
Find Career Fulfillment in Tough Times with new iPhone App
With the national unemployment rate in double digits and talk about layoffs and the economic crisis dominating newscasts and dinner tables everywhere, it’s no secret that today’s employees and job-seekers are more stressed, discouraged, and drained than ever.
To help people find work and career fulfillment in these tough economic times, Stephen Covey, author of the best-seller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and Jennifer Colosimo, chief learning officer at FranklinCovey, have launched the Great Career iPhone application, which was developed in partnership by FranklinCovey and Signal Patterns based on their new book Great Work, Great Career.
Get the Great Career iPhone application at iTunes at: http://bit.ly/GreatCareer
The Great Career iPhone app can be used in conjunction with the content in Stephen Covey and Jennifer Colosimo’s book or independently. Its specific activities and functionality include:
- Know Your Strengths – Research-based assessments help users to discover personality, strengths and career interests
- Define Your Contribution – A contribution statement builder helps users specifically define how they can match their strengths, talents and passions to an opportunity that matters to an employer.
- Build Your Village – A unique network-building and -nurturing tool; enables users to take specific actions and track them to build and maintain their most important career relationships
- Find Resources – Helps users identify “hidden resources” that can assist them to overcome specific challenges, or take advantage of promising opportunities, in building their career
- Action Center – Tracks, prioritizes and accomplishes all the necessary tasks to build and maintain a great career
- Ask an Expert – Allows users to submit questions to Stephen Covey and Jennifer Colosimo as well as get answers to frequently asked career questions.
Get the Great Career iPhone application at iTunes http://bit.ly/GreatCareer
Click here to get the Great Work, Great Career book.
Great Work, Great Career
This week I have a book coming out called Great Work, Great Career about finding and great work building, over time, a great career. It focuses on how you contribute, what you contribute, and tactical elements like interviewing, writing resumes, and focusing on what you can influence, not on what you can’t. You can see some blog posts regarding the book (some of them mine) in the Great Work, Great Career blog page. You can also follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jencolosimo.
Of course, Executive Mamas build Great Careers. How is yours going?
Author: Jennifer Colosimo, Chief Learning Officer at FranklinCovey
![jennifer_colosimo[1]](http://www.franklincovey.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/jennifer_colosimo12-189x200.jpg "jennifer_colosimo[1]")
How to reach the mountain top.
Some of the really interesting questions that keep popping up regarding Great Work, Great Career are related to challenges: unemployment; socioeconomic challenges including poverty and education levels, race, gender, age; you name it, I’ve been asked about how GWGC addresses challenges. There is a great quote that says, “When you see a man on top of a mountain, you can be sure he wasn’t dropped there.” And, in effect, people who ask the “challenges” questions are saying, “Right, but some people were helicoptered to the ledge just below the top and some started out in the swamp 100 miles west of the base of the mountain. Some people have an easier hike.”
I agree. › Continue reading
New Book: Great Work, Great Career
I totally have an unfair advantage and read all the FranklinCovey new book titles well before you do. And I try not to hold that over you but I got to tell you about a great new book I just read today: Great Work, Great Career by Stephen Covey and Jennifer Colosimo.
This book re-inspired me and reignited my passion for what I do. I tell people I love my job but after reading this and going through the exercises I have come to realize that I really do LOVE my job. I have my dream job working and plus I work best people in the world. Well of course you do, you might say. You work at FranklinCovey where the people are highly effective, right? › Continue reading
Building Trust
I was in a meeting earlier this week with 20 people from around the world and the strangest feeling came over me. I trusted everyone in the room—their intent, their integrity, and their ability to deliver.
Maybe this happens to you all the time. Maybe if I were quicker to extend trust it would happen more often to me. But as it currently stands, sometimes I feel like I don’t know enough about a person—their character and competence—to trust. Sometimes a person has behaved in ways that have broken trust. Regardless, it is rare for me to trust an entire room full of people. And it felt great! You’ll laugh, but I felt tears spring to my eyes when I thought about it. It didn’t mean I agreed with them on everything or that the meeting was easy, but things were easier to achieve because I assumed good intent.
I had worked with everyone in that room for at least three years and with some for over a decade. I trusted them because they had kept commitments, they had talked to me straight, and they all delivered results. Does this happen to you often? Or never? What else builds trust for Executive Mamas?
Author: Jennifer Colosimo, Chief Learning Officer at FranklinCovey