The NEW New World of Work, Help Wanted!

Bloggers Wanted!

2012-01-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

Do you have something to say about job opportunities, the economic environment or companies on the move? Picture your short article, tips and wisdom shared here. Please comment below or write to me, Patty DeDominic, Santa Barbara based Coach to High Achievers.

Www.DeDominic.com.

2012 Will be an Exciting year! Patty DeDominic, Santa Barbara based Business Consultant

2012-01-01T13:27:00.000-08:00

High Achievers are expecting Gains in the coming year. US corporations seem to be sitting on great stores of cash and inventories have been managed well these past few years, This means that acquisitions are likely causing shuffling, more competition and reallocation of assets and opportunities.

"I'm from the Government and I'm here to help you!"
The US lawmakers approved a two month extension of a reduced payroll tax rate that had been in effect for most of last year. the IRS says that nearly 160 million workers will benefit from this extension. For more information on this reduction of 2% of your Social Security withholding reduction (from 6.2% to 4.2%) go to the IRS website at www.IRS.gov, a news release dated DEC 23, 2011 gives details and other resources. there is nothing special you need to do to take advantage of this tax cut, your employer and payroll service companies should handle it automatically in your paycheck. If you are self employed be sure younger working with your tax advisor to maximize the return to you on your business deductions.

Please put this small savings to work in your local economy. Besides saving for cash short months, and building up a reserve, your investing and supporting in local businesses can help create jobs. Your neighborhood small businesses created almost all of the net new jobs in 2011 according to the US Department of Labor.

JUMP into SOMETHING GREAT in 2012.....
Don't just escape the bad economy of 2011, dive into your ambitious projects for this coming year! Join a mastermind group, enroll in some added classes on line or at your local community college. MIT is now offering free on line classes for completion credit! You can learn more by googling MIT Game Changer.

Dr. Adele Scheele advises in her best seller. Skills For Success, to "act like a host, not like a guest." This is my wish for all of us this year....we are the hosts of our community, or environment and our economic prosperity. Let's put Dr. Scheele's time tested advice into action and become the greatest hosts of the next generation!
Launch yourself, take initiative and start something big in 2012.

Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achievers
Santa Barbara, California
Www.DeDominic.com.

The NEW New World of Work, Help Wanted!: What's On the Minds of High Achievers

2012-01-01T12:53:00.000-08:00

The NEW New World of Work, Help Wanted!: What's On the Minds of High Achievers: Take control of 2012 with a look at your health, wealth and time management High achievers, chief executive officers and organizational ...

What's On the Minds of High Achievers

2011-12-30T11:46:00.000-08:00

Take control of 2012 with a look at your health, wealth and time management

High achievers, chief executive officers and organizational founders come in all shapes and sizes. So, no two of them think alike. Most feel they are peerless, but they do appreciate skilled input.

Their styles vary, but they do have certain traits in common, including investing in their continuing education, a desire to surround themselves with other high achievers and an ability to be decisive in most cases.

One thing we all have a little trouble with is being completely objective about our blind spots and ourselves. That’s why professionals who wish to become more effective utilize coaches. They want fast access to resources a strong network and valuable input.

Here are a few other things on the minds of many high achievers:

» Focus on financial security. Feeling nervous about your income? You are not alone, and people at all income levels have renewed their focus in this area. Yes, the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid is getting a lot of attention these days with the need to arrange or restructure financing. High achievers worry about money, too. The average homeowner is not the only one concerned about getting finances in order. It is happening at every level, particularly with multimillion-dollar enterprises.

High achievers are looking for added sustainable revenue streams more so than ever. What used to be predictable cash flow can no longer be taken for granted, and diversified income is top of mind. Whether my clients are arranging construction loans or reevaluating their portfolios, the new year is a good time to review all your financial basics.

» Time management. Think 1,440. Time robbers are on our minds! Who stole 2011? We are all bombarded with phone calls, emails, letters, texts and people who want meetings, a lunch or a piece of us for something. Good causes and needy situations are abundant, and our society is at risk of becoming desensitized because of overstimulation. The good news is that we all have the same amount of time in each day: 1,440 minutes.

Are you making sure that you are doing the most important things with your 1,440? If you are having a little trouble with life balance or fitting it all in, it might be a good time to treat yourself to rereading Steven Covey’s book FirstThings First.

Remember this very popular book, based on his work, The Seven Habits of Highly EffectivePeople? You can download a free weekly worksheet at Wikipedia or from his site, and I highly recommend it.

Join the people who always seem to be open to the best new opportunities. Your decisions are not guided by “the clock,” but by the “compass” of purpose and values. Covey asserts that people have a need “to live, to love, to learn and to leave a legacy” and encourages us to move beyond urgency. We logically know that we can’t do everything. So, now is the time to stop trying. Most of my clients find they can actually accomplish more by doing less.

» Health and fitness. Yes, it is time to make sure your support team is reinforcing your healthy life style. According to the national Centers forDisease Control and Prevention and physicians everywhere, eating healthier and walking is one of the best things you can do for yourself to make a positive impact on fighting depression, heart disease and many other forms of disease.

If you or a loved one is still smoking, make a pact to quit this month. Smoking matters, and so does excess weight. We know this today more so than ever before. There are many things you can do to help yourself. Making the decision to start today is the first one. Help is available, and I have learned through my own fitness efforts — which enabled me to lose more than 90 pounds — that it is never too late to start on your healthier lifestyle program. Just get started!

For less than the cost of a daily cup of coffee you can join the YMCA or a fitness club, and there are many free resources available online.

— Santa Barbara resident and business consultant Patty DeDominic is an executive coach. An expert in human resources, development and recruitment, DeDominic sold the Los Angeles-based firm she started to a firm that made additional acquisitions and became a $1 billion-a-year company. Today, she runs DeDominicand Associates, which coaches high-achieving individuals and teams in entrepreneurial and social enterprises.

Deciding to be Successful

2011-10-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

Patty DeDominic says........
It's important to learn the basic skills and to decide not to become one of the unemployables.......

This is really a choice that most of the unemployed make unless they have a severe disability and most of those on unemployment do not have such disabilities! Some suffer from what Zig Ziglar called STINKIN THINKING....... that's when we listen to the voices who say it can't be done, or that it is too hard.....or that success take WORK! Being a Success usually also takes the decision to be successful, and it takes FOCUS and a plan!

Gather your resources! Gather your team and build a strong network. Make "DEPOSITS" into the universal favor bank of your selected team mates in your network. Choose the people you associate with and seek out mentors.

Here's one of my favorite coaches, Bill Poet and some great advice on a basic skill we are all born with, one that we can refine and use to our advantage in performance.....
"Our first, last, and most important skill is breathing; if you are still breathing, then there is still hope! Your ability to keep on breathing and moving is God's and the universe's way of letting you know they are not done with you yet." Bill Poett, America's Coach.

Dear Patty,

Good morning,

Today's Cuppa Joy is literally a breath of fresh air. Breath... it's much more than the key to life; it is the key to power, focus, and presence.

Twenty years ago, when I was a close quarter combat instructor, my peers, students, and I were consumed with performance; when lives are at stake (yours or others), good enough simply isn't. And how we preformed in practice was meaningless; the only thing that mattered is how we preformed under pressure. The key (in addition to perfect practice) is breathing. Using it, controlling it, and managing it!
When you are blasted with adrenaline by an event (an attack, a presentation, job interview, first date) everything within your physiology changes; your breath, heart rate, vision, perception of time and space, all change. Your ability to recognize, control, and perform in this environment is what ultimately determines your success or failure.

I was constantly looking for ways to place myself and instructors in high stress environments - - skydiving, rock climbing, stress shooting courses, and training blindfolded were just some of the techniques we used. We could then conduct a physiological post mortem. What does fear feel like? What changes does it create within your body and most importantly, how do you manage it? The simple answer is it all comes down to breath; short and fast = fear and decreased performance; slow and deep = control, confidence and increased performance. Your environment isn't the only factor controlling you; I want you in charge.

I understand this is a simplistic answer to a deep question but exploring it will be well worth your time. Just remember this, if you are still breathing there is still hope and the game is definitely still on!

On behalf of your team at Bill Poett Performance Group, slow down, breath, find your balance and keep moving...and oh yeah, whenever possible have fun!

Yours in-Joy,

Bill Poett, America's Coach

Access to Bill's coaching is as easy as 1.2.3!

To inquire about one-on-one coaching, e-mail Bill at Bill@billpoett.com.
To listen to Bill's most current radio show click on the icon below, to go to Blog Talk Radio... available 24/7. You can also get a free I-tunes subscription and listen to show while on-the-go!
Click to get a signed copy of Bill's recent book, the ABCs of Peak Performers.

Please click the photo/logo above to go to Bills site, hear his radio broadcasts and sign up for his classes!

TRUST and Culture Matter

2011-08-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

From the book The TRUST Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, by Robert Whipple.
Available on http://www.leadergrow.com/.

Two Rules to Improve Team Culture

Robert T. Whipple, MBA CPLP

The culture of a team governs its effectiveness. Most teams have a culture that allows adequate performance despite many unfortunate outbreaks of tension and sometimes childish behavior. It is unfortunate that more teams do not experience the exhilaration of working in a supportive culture that produces excellent results. The methods of building teams into high performing units are well documented, but most teams do not go through the rigor required to get to that level. This paper blends well known processes with horse sense born of experience that will allow any team to perform better.

In 1965, Bruce Tuckman described four stages that every team goes through. They are Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing. A critical time for any team is when it is forming. This is when the team is trying to figure out its role and goals. Members are not sure of their status or contribution at this point, and personal bonding is a key element to the eventual success of the team. It is advisable for the group to go offsite for some initial teambuilding activities. Many leaders avoid this step because often team building activities involve a kind of game atmosphere that does not feel like “work.” In fact, team building is real work that may be fun at the moment, but it is deadly serious business that can result in millions of dollars of profit if done well or millions of dollars in damage control if not done at all.

During the storming phase, there is some kind of power struggle where members vie for position and influence. It is up to the team leader to help the team move quickly through this awkward time. Usually the storming stage is short simply because it is painful. People want to get out of the rut of consternation and move on to getting the work done.

It is in the norming phase that the team decides the degree of effectiveness it will ultimately enjoy. If individual and team behaviors are agreed upon with conviction, the team will immediately begin to perform with excellence. Included in this phase is identifying the individual skills brought to the team by the diversity of talent in the group, the goals of the team, the ground rules of expected behavior, and the consequences of failing to comply with team expectations.

The two most basic things required for any team to become a high performing unit are
1. A common goal
2. Trust

If these building blocks are in place, all of the rest of the team dynamics (like excellent communication) will sort themselves out. If either of these is missing, the team will sputter and struggle to meet expectations. A key rule fostered by most teams that is most often compromised is to treat each member with respect. There is a kind of disease that sets in most teams where members subtly undermine each other.

People often make jokes in team meetings. Keep your antenna up and you will discover that, for most groups, the majority of jokes are sarcastic digs about other people in the room. Everyone knows they are only jokes, and they laugh, but deep down some damage is done.

Smart groups have a conscious norm that they will enjoy humor in meetings but never make a joke at someone else's expense. It may seem like a small thing, but over time this practice can really help improve the function of any team. It is easy to accomplish. The leader just needs to set the expectation and remind people when they slip up. In coaching some groups with a particularly bad habit on this, I have suggested that any time a person makes a joke that is a dig, he or she has to put $5 in a kitty. The money is used later by the group for a party. This small change can actually change the entire culture of a team.

Now that you are sensitized to this, just keep track in a few meetings with some hash marks on a piece of paper. You will be astonished how pervasive this problem is and also how certain people are addicted to the practice. Then, solve the problem and begin enjoying the benefits of better teamwork.

I have coached hundreds of teams, and find that there are patterns that lead to success and other patterns that lead to extreme frustration and failure. There is one condition that rises above all the others when it comes to dysfunctional teams. When some members of the team believe other members are not pulling their fair share, the team is going to have major problems. Unfortunately, this situation is so common, it is almost universal, yet there is a simple cure that is about 95% successful at preventing this condition or stopping it if it happens. The cure is to have an agreed upon Charter for the team upfront before behavior problems surface.

During the forming stage of a team, there is an opportunity to document several critical parameters of how the team will operate. These include:

1. A list of the talents and skills each member of the team can contribute

2. A set of solid, measurable performance goals for the team

3. A set of agreed upon behaviors that the members agree to follow

4. A statement of the consequences that will occur if a member fails to live up to the behaviors.

When teams take the time at the start to document these four items, the chances of success are much higher than if this step is omitted. The most powerful item is #4, and it is the one that is most often omitted from a charter. The reason it has power is that when the team is forming, usually all members have good intentions to pull their weight for the good of the team. If they agree that letting the team down by slacking off and having others pick up the slack will result in some unhappy consequence (like being voted off the team, or having no points on an assignment, or having to do extra clean up work, or some other penalty) they are far less likely to practice “social loafing.” If they are tempted to goof off, then the penalty they have already agreed to is quickly applied, and the bad behavior is quickly extinguished.

Most teams without a good charter end up in the frustration of having one or more people believing they are unfairly doing more than their fair share of the work. When a good charter spells out the expected behaviors and the penalty for non-compliance before the team experiences a problem, it greatly reduces this most common of all team maladies.

Robert Whipple is a regular contributor to Patty DeDominic's free resources for leaders and professionals seeing career advice. We appreciate his wisdom and the way he shares his expertise with so many people so generously. If you know of someone who can use more direct support, we encourage you to do business with him! Contact Bob at bwhipple@leadergrow.com

Robert Whipple is also the author of Leading with Trust is like Sailing Downwind and, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online. Bob consults and speaks on these and other leadership topics. He is CEO of Leadergrow Inc. a company dedicated to growing leaders.

Jeanne Erikson, PhD, PCC on Optimism

2011-07-18T18:20:00.000-07:00

ARE WE

HARD-WIRED

for OPTIMISM ?

A June 6, 2011 TIME magazine article on brain wiring and optimism caught my attention. To quote the article,

“On average, [people] expect things to turn out better than they wind up being. People hugely underestimate their chances of getting divorced, losing their job, or being diagnosed with cancer; expect their children to be extraordinarily gifted; envision themselves achieving more than their peers; and overestimate their likely life span (sometimes by 20 years or more.)”

I find this amazing in our day of “real” instant news overload. The article, by Tali Sharot who has written “The Optimism Bias” (2011), goes on to claim that although we might expect young people to be optimistic, even adults over 60 show this “optimism bias”. The TIME article points out that collectively we develop pessimism about wars, violence, the environment, and the euro, but individually we tend to be resilient. For example, a 2007 study found that 76% of persons were optimistic about the future of their own family—while over 70% simultaneously believed families in general had poor futures. This is partly credited to our unique brain wiring that allows humans to travel back and forth in our heads from the present to the imagined future. Our brains likely evolved with the ability to be positive side by side with the assurance/ imagining of our own death. This makes sense. Without the ability to imagine a life worth sticking around for, why bother?

When researchers took functional MRI images of brain activity in persons imagining positive futures, two areas lit up. These areas were most active in persons who were rated as most optimistic. The researchers were able to stimulate people to be more optimistic and lessen negative thinking when they gave them the task of choosing between two negative future events (i.e. a broken leg and a job firing). As they got to select their own fate, their brains were scanned for activity. Later, the volunteers re-rated the negative fates; the one they chose had become more positive The brain structures hard at work to create this magical feat were the frontal cortex and sub-cortical regions. These researchers found it is very likely we are hard-wired with the natural brain ability to mitigate negative thinking. I am reminded of the common directive “choose your poison.” Maybe there is some verifiable science behind this tactic.

An opposite experiment reported by Ms. Sharot had volunteers rate 80 destinations for their top vacation preference. They were then forced to select the “best” between two choices they had rated exactly the same. Interestingly, following more active brain regional interplay, the volunteers later also rated the rejected choice as less desirable . Sound familiar when you had two job offers, or you were at the Humane Society and made a choice between two puppies or kittens? Our brains seem to do magic, and assist us to become satisfied.

I am fascinated as to how I can help my own brain and that of my clients exploit this new scientific information. I am wrestling with the following questions, and would love your feedback and thoughts about the whole notion of how optimism is experienced and created.

Please respond back adding a comment or to my twitter @serenesuccess.

What is YOUR response to these questions?

1) When I feel discouraged, would constructing a choice between two options be a useful way to change my brain activity and change my mood?

2) When I help clients envision what they want as a coaching exercise, would it help them reach their outcome to also understand their own brain hard wiring and activity? If you were my client, would it help you or just confuse you?

3) Could one reason I feel happier when I exercise be that rhythmic exercise stimulates the inter- regional activity in the brain and make these type of optimism tasks easier?
I wish you active brain drama this month that leads you to more optimism!

Warmly,

Jeanne Erikson, PhD, PCC

on twitter at Serenesuccess

Jeanne@collaborativelifecoaching.com

The NEW New World of Work, Help Wanted!: LAND IT, Job Tips for Prime of Lifers by DeDominic...

2011-07-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

The NEW New World of Work, Help Wanted!: LAND IT, Job Tips for Prime of Lifers by DeDominic...: "I'm so pleased to share the great news with you! Our book is just available in electronic form but it is already changing lives and I am so..."

LAND IT, Job Tips for Prime of Lifers by DeDominic Wins 4 Stars from Readers Favorite Awards!

2011-07-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

I'm so pleased to share the great news with you! Our book is just available in electronic form but it is already changing lives and I am so grateful! Thanks for your support and for your wonderful testimonials!

Click on this book to read it now! Available from Amazon in August 2011.

Trouble? please try pasting this into your browser: http://www.blurb.com/books/2292250

"Whether you have just been laid off, have been spending months slugging through the seemingly over-whelming task of securing your next position, or trying to get more consulting clients, “Land It… Job Hunt Tips For Prime of Lifers” is a “must have” resource.

Sometimes all it takes is making minor corrections to what you’re already doing or just getting a specific piece of information that makes the difference between landing the job or not. Author, Patty De Dominic, the founder and former owner of two multi-million dollar placement firms, is an expert in this field -- providing a “no nonsense”, quick read, easy-to-implement plan for success that is sure to shorten either your time out of work, or add more clients to your business.

On the same day I read her book, I used one of her tips and secured a consulting client. In my opinion, this is one book you can’t afford not to buy!"

Suzanne Stanford, President, MISC, Inc.

Betsy Meyers, former Chief Operating Officer, OBAMA for America Campaign

Former Executive Director, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard's Kennedy School of Government said

" Land It, Job Hunting Tips for Prime of Lifers is the little black book of confidence. it is your friendly reminder of all the skills, assets and networks you have gained during your life that will help you land the job of your dreams at this stage in your life. We never stop needing mentors and this is one you can carry around in your pocket."

READERS FAVORIE Reviewers said:
Reviewed by Rita V for ReadersFavorite.com

Land It! is a valuable book with essential tools in helping people of all ages find quality higher job placements. Patty DeDominic has helped place over 250,000 people into the job market, and through her experience, she has written a very helpful book on how to find those jobs quickly and easily. Her book talks about job hunting tips for prime-of-lifers, not just the younger people! Let’s face it, people of all ages need jobs in today’s society, as everything has changed drastically in finding employment.

DeDominic talks about how to get the ‘good’ job offers and provides a job hunting checklist that everyone should refer to when seeking jobs. This checklist is unique and gives invaluable tips for readiness and tips for a successful job hunt. She also shows how a person can learn to find Government Grants and other resources that people do not know about but will aid in finding and financing job opportunities. One's resume is a calling card, and every action and interview is a learning opportunity. Companies look for people who add value to their company, and they also look for special qualities that people bring with them to the table. Also provided are examples of three different types of resumes depending on what best fits each individual. DeDominic shows the reader how to build a Skills Based Resume, a Chronological Resume and a Keyword Resume. The reader will learn the differences between the three and see which one is right for him or her. The reader also learns the differences between recruiters, headhunters and staffing agencies.

Who doesn’t need a little help in finding job placement in today’s changing world? I found this book to be very educational and helpful for all people including the ‘prime-of-lifers’ that need to find jobs just as badly as everyone else today. I had no clue as to how many resources are really available to aid people in finding the right job for them. There isn’t a person out there looking for a job who couldn’t benefit from using these valuable tools. This was a very easy and detailed book to read. If I were looking for a job at the moment, this is definitely a book that I would invest in!"

Joke or No Joke by Robert Whipple MBA, CPLP

2011-07-10T04:13:00.000-07:00

I was having an online conversation in a class I am teaching about teams at work. The discussion was relative to having online messages misinterpreted. Clearly we have all experienced this uncomfortable situation more than once. I got so fascinated about this topic that I wrote a book on it a few years ago.

One student brought up a situation that is common in person as well as online, but the damage done online is usually much larger. This is when a person tries to rib another person with a joke, but the meaning on the part of the receiver is taken literally. The writer is astonished when the reader takes umbrage at the barb. The writer says, “but I was only joking.”

When people say things in jest, there is usually an element of truth in them. Jokes are often just distortions of reality; that is what makes them humorous. The problem occurs when we make a joke where the punch line puts down another person. This is so common you probably witness it a dozen times a day or more, and it hardly registers because it is ubiquitous. If you are listening for it, you will hear it often.

Unfortunately, when the joke is documented in online exchanges, there isn’t the opportunity for the writer to let the other person know through body language that the barb is totally in jest. Actually, even in person there is usually a part of the barb that is for real. Online, the danger is magnified for two reasons, 1) the person cannot see the facial expression and emoticons often are misinterpreted as well, and 2) e-mails are permanent, so the person can read and re-read the joke. It becomes more menacing with each iteration.

The antidote for this common problem is to establish five behavioral norms in your work group as follows:

1. We will not make jokes in any forum at another person’s expense.

2. We will praise in public or online but offer constructive criticism face to face in private.

3. When there is a disconnect in communication, we will always assume the best intent and check it out.

4. If something in an e-mail seems upsetting, it is up to the person who is upset to meet face to face with the other person as soon as possible.

5. We will call each other out politely if we see violations of these rules.

These five rules are not difficult, but it does take some training and resolve to get all people in a population to comply with them. It helps to get firm agreement among the entire group and to post the rules in the team meeting area. If you can get people to actually follow the five rules above, it will change the entire complexion of the work group. This is not rocket science; it is much more important than rocket science.

The preceding information was adapted from the book Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, by Robert Whipple. It is available on www.leadergrow.com.

Robert Whipple is also the author of The TRUST Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals and, Leading with Trust is like Sailing Downwind. Bob consults and speaks on these and other leadership topics. He is CEO of Leadergrow Inc. a company dedicated to growing leaders.

Contact Bob at bwhipple@leadergrow.com or

585-392-7763.

Bloggers Wanted! Patty DeDominic's new Best Selling Job Hunting Book for Prime of Lifers!

2011-07-10T03:21:00.000-07:00

My newest book has just been released in hard copy and for a limited time you can read it on line for free.  It will be for sale on Amazon after July 15th! Please tell your friends!

LAND IT! Job Hunting Tips for Prime of Lifers
  by Patty DeDominic

http://tinyurl.com/3rh4s3v

Click the book or the link to read the entire book on line for free for a limited time only!

Also, bloggers wanted:     Requirements:

1. Newsworthy, tell us about your job success or share job hunting leads!

2. Quality writing... short or long, we want to hear from YOU!

3. Basic rules of journalism apply (substantiated quotes, stats, and links to outside sourcing)

4. 1000 words or less
An image or your photo will be used with the article.   thank you! Comment below or write to me directly at coach@dedominic.com

6. A short bio about the contributor

7. List of contributor's core areas of expertise (marketing, branding, finance, taxes, etc.)
Thank you.....

Do What YOU LOVE! Let your passion drive your career.

2011-07-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Follow Your Passion,

Let Your Passions Drive your Career

Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achievers
Santa Barbara, California
http://www.dedominic.com/

Want to Do More of What YOU LOVE?
Need more energy toward your career?

You can easily learn the Secrets of Talented Professionals and Celebrities. Really!

Celebrities and Star CEOs and Investors make money because they focus in areas where money grows AND they prioritize their engagements to the things that they love to do that will pay off bigger for their brains and their bank accounts.

Celebrities, smart executives and investors do their homework and they build teams of helpers to leverage their expertise, their success and their return on investment. Then they repeat, and repeat and repeat. They also have mentors, coaches and advisors and they learn from them. You CAN do this too.

Malcolm Gladwell in his book, The Outliers, talks about the 10,000 Hour Rule. Gladwell contends that it takes more than 10,000 hours of doing something with passion to become an expert. I content that is how much time it used to take in MY generation.... but it does not have to take 50 years to become famous, or even 10,000 hours of practicing your craft to develop a commercial expertise and reputation of being great at what you do and what you love to do. It can be done faster and with more effectiveness than ever before with todays tools of technology and the resources available to you on line today.       Yes, today, and starting this very hour if you choose to make it happen!        How?   read more......

How do you become a pro? An expert?

Practice, practice and more practice.

It takes focus and commitment and you can't do it easily. Not too many shortcuts but thanks to technology we can speed up the 10,000 hour rule. With time and determination to continue growing and getting better, you will almost always net a deeper expertise. When you combine this with modern technology and Moore's law of exponential knowledge, we'll soon be able to become expert at most things in less than one year of intense study!

Imagine one year to your dream job! This is possible, if you focus and decided what you want and work diligently to make it real!     Not too much to ask is it? For a dream job?

Focus Matters
So does talent, time investment and connections.

Financial and career success usually starts with a clue about your own personal "gifts," your natural talents and life's desires and sometimes even a bucket list!

Too young to make a bucket list? I think everyone can use ONE!
What's a bucket list? (+ see below for help)

Everyone can make a bucket list
Take a Personal Inventory.

What do you have to offer?

What dreams do you have for yourself and your family that can be accomplished in the next year? Before the end of your life?

What is holding you back?   Don't let a need for perfection stop you from getting started on a more passionate life and career success.     This is not a magic bullet....success does take work but there is no ceiling on your personal success potential and their is no term limit on how much you can learn when you are driving your own career.

Everyone can benefit from taking stock of their goals in life and their personal assets in this economy.

Write Down Your Career Wishes and Goals right now.
Make a list of the things you want in your next job.    Perhaps it will include a new job or simply things you want to do to make the next job better.   Ill talk more about your goal list in a future blog....leave me some comments about your own list. What more would you like to know or say about this topic?    I appreciate your input!

Who Benefits by Making a Goal list?      Then the Action Plan and People Needed to help make it happen?
Everyone can benefit by making a goal list and an action plan.

Is anything too big to ask for?   Maybe not....... ask Jane Goodall.   Once a child who dreamed of traveling to Africa.

One of my favorite icons is Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall dreamed of moving from England to Africa to study the animals. To hear her tell it, she used to read and watch about Tarzan and Jane while a young person, and she fantasized about being THE Jane..... she loved the animals from her earliest memories. When Jane was a young woman, she had the opportunity to travel to Africa with her mother under the research program of Dr. Louis Leakey. She was not an expert then.

Jane was a young woman with passion and over the years she developed deep expertise, she practiced her craft and now more than fifty years later she is known around the world as not only one of the world's great primatologists, animal and environmental experts but also a the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador of Peace.          For Jane this took a life time and a contract with National Geographic to "tell the world" about Africa, the chimps and her passion for empowering local people to protect their environments.

I had the privledge of serving on the board of the Jane Goodall Institute board of directors for six years and I learned so much about economic development in Africa and in igniting youth around the world. Jane illuminated these areas for me and her board and frankly for millions of other people via her youth programs at http://www.rootsandshoots.org/   and her work for microfinance and sustainable farming and economic development via eco tourism.     If you are not familiarl with her work in this area, please visit the website of http://www.janegoodall.org/

If you have an extra minute, you can watch Dr. Jane greet audiences...... chimpanzee style at her website.    Is there any doubt that she is passionate about her work?

I am humbled by a recent endorsement that Dr. Jane Goodall gave me about my work with her board and about me:

"Patty definitely shares many of my ideas for a better fairer world. She joined the board of the Jane Goodall Institute USA in 2003 and soon became a valuable member, embracing and advocating our mission. She helped to develop TACARE (our community conservation program in Tanzania) and Roots & Shoots (our conservation and humanitarian education program for young people of all ages), now active in over 125 countries.

A few years ago, when JGI was in a transitional period between CEOs, we counted on Patty’s professional help. I know that we will have Patty’s support in the years ahead for her interest in our work is undimmed.

Thank you Patty."
Jane Goodall PhD, DBE
Founder – the Jane Goodall institute & UN Messenger of Peace http://www.janegoodall.org/

Thank you Jane!

+ What's a Bucket List?What do you want to do before you 'kick the bucket'?
Why not make a list of your life goals and get help from friends and the BucketList (see bucketlist.net) community in fulfilling your goals?
1. Make a list of your life goals.
2. Bring joy to others by helping.
3. Live your dream and find joy in your life.
4. Give credit to those who have helped you.

This blog is not affiliated nor does it receive compensation from bucketlist.net, we just thought it was a useful resource and wanted to let you know about this on line service.

It does not matter if you are a CEO coming out of retirement after a home run or a business setback or if you are a new college graduate, you are likely to be more effective and land in happier places if you are clear about your passions and your life's goals.int, they mostly do what they love and they allow their passions to drive their education, their network and their commitments. They try to stear clear of treadmills, balls and chains and mills of any type. They try to stear clear of treadmills, balls and chains and mills of any type. Why do they make so much money? Not all of them do, but the folks who earn six and seven figures have discovered the cash flows and how to tap into them for recurring revenue streams.

Katie White on Networking for Introverts, Advice for Lawyers

2011-06-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

Networking for Introverts

kwhite@law.gwu.edu

Question: I am basically a shy person, so networking does not come naturally to me. What do you advise?

Answer: A large percentage of lawyers are uncomfortable with networking, and might classify themselves as “introverts.” However, they have been able to learn to tackle networking and to make it work for them. Here are some ideas for coming out of your shell:

Join an organization – As you have read in this blog, a great way to meet lawyers is to join a bar association. The good news is that the meetings these groups hold often have agendas, and are not merely open networking receptions. Find a way to talk to people at the meetings. If there is seating, talk to the person sitting next to you. Talk to people while you are waiting in line to get name tags. Talk to people standing next to you waiting for the program to begin, or in the food or drink line. The more meetings you attend, the more comfortable you will become, and the more people you will meet.

Follow up with people you have met, and arrange for face to face meetings over coffee or lunch – Set a goal of reaching out to your friends and colleagues and friends of friends to build your network one person at a time. When you meet, be prepared to ask a lot of questions, solicit advice about your career, find out what is going on at their company or law firm, and see if they can refer you to at least one new person who might be a useful contact for you.

Email is your friend! — As an introvert, you may prefer to email people instead of talking on the phone. This is a great way to make the initial contacts with the people you want to meet. But ultimately you are going to want to meet face to face, to get to know them.

Manage your contacts:
Note the date of your meeting, the event name, and a note about what you talked to this contact about on each business card you receive.
Send an email to the people you would like to keep in touch with the day after the event.
File business cards in a file box, or enter the information into a spreadsheet or an address book database on your computer.

Schedule a time each week to go through the cards of the people you have met, and decide who to follow up with, and how you will do so.
Prioritize your contacts, and determine which people you want to follow up with first. Who can be the most useful to you in your job search, or as a future contact for business?
Reach out to the people you most want to meet to set up a time for an informational interview.

Follow Up – After you meet with a contact, make a note on your spreadsheet about following up and what you talked about. Act on the advice they gave you about who else to contact and other actions.

Be sure to send a thank you note (email is fine) to the people who have helped you.

Finally, don’t be discouraged if you reach out to a contact and they don’t respond. Keep trying to reach them, and if it doesn’t work out, move on. Not everyone will be responsive or available to help you. But this will work if you keep at it. Persevere! Good luck!!

Katie White is an advisor to law firms, lawyers and educational institutions. She has helped hundreds of the nations top attorneys launch and refine their careers.

From her website: www.ktwhitelawcareers.com

My consulting business is growing, thanks to the great people in my network, and referrals from my clients. The following is a snapshot of the work I have been doing of late:

* Preparing senior in-house counsel for job search moves, with mock interviews and consults about job search strategy
* Coaching an on-track associate about his pathway to partnership, time management, and building his network of contacts for future business development
* Coaching law firm partners transitioning out of law firms and in to new careers ventures
* Consulting with clients about cover letters, resumes, and all phases of job application
* Blogging about "Networking for Introverts" and other topics, on www.legaljob.com

I have also had the opportunity to speak about networking skills and how to use LinkedIn as a business development and job search tool. Most recently I offered a webinar called "Why Everyone Keeps Telling You LinkedIn is So Great" to Harvard Law School alumni.

I hope all is well with you! Please keep me in mind, if you know anyone who can use my services. My blog post about "Networking for Introverts" is copied above.

Regards,

Katie White

Update and Free Seminar Offer from Bernadette Doyle

2011-06-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite new-economy international entrepreneurs is Bernadette Doyle.   Her value is always obvious, right out front and she blends enough free advice and good tips with her marketing message that I never seem to mind.   Prayers were answered when her son showed enough progress on his recent illness to come home from the hospital.

Here's her update and a great free seminar she is offering next Tuesday.   Check the times, since she is located in Ireland and the seminar airs in Los Angeles at noon.
Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achievers
http://www.dedominic.com/
a proud member of the RBC network
http://www.realitybasedcertification.com/

After 3 long weeks in hospital, my son JJ is finally home!

We still have daily trips to the hospital for foreseeable future. That smile on my face is happiness and relief at finally having my whole family back under one roof. (My elder son Benan spent the 3 weeks with one of my
aunts who lives 250 miles away.)

I feel like I've had mastery level tuition in balancing work and family over the past month, and as you'd expect, this experience will have a profound impact on how I conduct my business and what I teach from now on.

As a result of this experience I am redesigning my entire business. I've got plenty of juicy insights to share with you over the coming months, but to start with I'm kicking things off with a special Masterclass on one of my favourite business strategies.

This is my way of saying 'thank you' to all my clients and subscribers for your love and support over the past few weeks.

Featured Article:

Are You Making Tough Decisions Out of Fear or In Faith?

Given all the upheaval over the past few weeks, with JJ being hospitalised over 100 miles from home, there were plenty of stress and challenges to deal with, but one thing I didn't have to worry about during all that time was money. That's largely because of one important strategy that I implemented in my business 4 years ago.

It helped me triple my business then, and is still a strategy I use today that plays a vital part in the overall health of my business. I love to teach this strategy to new business owners because it can literally catapult them into the 'big league' overnight. I've also successfully taught this strategy to experienced business owners to help them take their business to the next level. So whether you are just getting started or have been in business for some time, this strategy will work for you.

It's my most informative AND FUNNY, yes funny video yet! Join me on this private interview with best selling author, Steven Sonsino. I promise you, you'll learn and laugh with Steven as I guide him to his £500,000 goal. We talk challenges, "scaredness", reams, possibilities and results. It's all about creating a profitable online business.

Watch here:

After our session Steven says "this has helped me in more ways than you can imagine" ... AND it's going to help you too.
http://clientmagnets.tv/stevensonsinoprofitableonlinebusiness/

>>> P.S. Also, please send me a comment - do you think I'm being gentle with Steven Sonsino or am I being BRUTAL as he claims! Love to know your thoughts on that.

Client Success Stories

Zero to a £100k within 12 months!

My new business, Bombshell Academy only started in January and I help Wedding Suppliers with their marketing. Up until then I was a Wedding Planner and I used Bernadette’s tools and inspiration to grow that business from virtually nothing to a £100k a year business within about 12 months. Since January (I sold my Wedding planning business in October 2010) I've been helping other Wedding people do the same.

Before using Bernadette’s strategies, I was struggling to get new clients, converting them and was not making much money at all. I introduced a sign up procedure and was able to start converting people to paying clients. My subscribers went from about 12 to over 500 within a few months and from those I was converting about one every 10 days into a client, with an average spend of about £2500! Within 12 months I went from having 6 weddings booked for the following year to 27 ! Another strategy I introduced was the “high-end package”. My standard wedding planning packages started at £3000 and I introduced a super deluxe package for £9000, yes, three times my usual rate ! It was scarey stuff and I was convinced no one would go for the package but when I introduced it in the June I sold 2 of these packages within the first months! Just 2 sales brought me the revenue the work of my usual 6 sales!!!

The biggest benefit is that it made the whole thing of getting new clients much easier - it was no longer an arduous task of chasing customers, it became an automated system that got me clients with no effort at all. The changes I implemented turned my business around from 20k a year to over £100k and also enabled me to sell that business last year (for a nice sum I can't disclose! lol) to spend more time at home working ever more effortlessly!

The biggest personal change is that I'm expecting my first child in October and I know I won’t have to be working all hours around it, my business will still be bringing in money and ticking over while I'm caring for my new baby. My biggest discovery is that business doesn't have to be really hard work - it can effortless if you set it up right. My advice to others - do it and follow it to the letter and it can't fail!

Claire Dobinson

http://www.bombshellacademy.com/

Have you ever had the feeling that you need to do something, and you need to do something now!
That is an example of a pressing need. Too often a pressing need drives a desperation that can cloud your judgment when making decisions. When it is a desperate need that drives and guides you when making a decision, instead of a desire of your heart, you could be making a big mistake. What you think is taking a leap of faith, may actually be a leap of fear. But a leap is always scary, so how do you know the difference?

1. Start by Being Honest With Yourself …

Taking a leap of faith is putting your trust in something that you believe in. You take action because you have a level of confidence that it will work out. Yes, there maybe some fear mixed in there because there is no guarantee that it will work out. But it is faith mixed with fear, it is not panic and fear. This is something that you cannot fake and you need to really be honest with yourself. If you examine your motives you should quickly be able to figure out if you are making the decision in faith or out of fear. The problem with taking a leap out of fear is that your heart is not really in it. It is something you feel you MUST do rather than something you have a desire to do.

Acting out of fear also shows desperation. When you are desperate you won’t be thinking clearly. You will have this huge problem hanging over your head making you worry. So any decisions you make at that point will be clouded by the problem you are facing. You will be thinking of the consequences of not taking the leap rather than the benefits of taking the leap.

Get the rest of my tips when you read the whole article here. And please remember to post me a comment. I’d love to hear how you plan to use these tips in your own business.

To read more about it, not to mention lots of success stories, go here: www.clientmagnets.com/steppingup2011

About Bernadette

Bernadette Doyle created Client Magnets Ltd to help self-employed people solve one of their biggest business problems: attract a steady stream of clients.

Formerly a full-time training consultant, Bernadette built an impressive corporate client list and delivered sales training all over the world. But she soon became disillusioned with trading her time for money and wanted to seek out new ways to profit from her expertise.

Since then she has made the transition from full time consultant to information marketer, relocated to Ireland and now runs her business part time so she can devote more time to raising her two sons.

Bernadette has attracted a loyal following who rave about her down to earth yet inspiring approach. If you liked today's issue, you'll love Bernadette's marketing and success training products and programmes to help you develop a business that suits YOUR preferred lifestyle. http://www.clientmagnets.com/products.asp

Bernadette Doyle publishes her weekly Client Magnets newsletter for trainers, coaches, consultants, complementary therapists and solo professionals. If you want to get clients calling you instead of you calling them, then get your free tips now at http://www.clientmagnets.com/

© Copyright 2010 Client Magnets Ltd, 23 Fortwailliam Hall, Belfast, BT15 4EB

Dr. Jeanne Erikson, PCC on Surviving Complexity

2011-06-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

This is from Dr. Erikson's June newsletter.

Surviving Complexity
By Jeanne Erikson, PhD

“Complex.”
Do you cringe when you read that word?
To be complex is to be intricate, knotty, elaborate, sophisticated, and complicated according to Webster. Does this sound like your world?

With the exception of WWII with its huge complexity, fifty years ago we did not know about melt-downs in Japan, exact and updated death tolls from tornadoes and hurricanes and floods, changing weather patterns, the Medicare donut hole, or everyone’s sexual indiscretions. We would have known about our own job progress, our overt health status, our children’s grades, and the neighbor’s business we could hear from our porch.

I have been reading “The Practical Neuroscience of Buddha’s Brain” by Rick Hanson, PhD, a book about how to actually cope with complexity. It reminded me that our brain has evolved slowly over time, but retains the reptilian basic structures, as well as the squirrel ones of the mid-brain, and the monkey ones of the complex brain. All three methods of coping can get triggered when we face complexity. The author points out that when we allow brain overstimulation for hours a day, our brain copes by lighting up various systems. Resources shift away from building a strong immune system and preserving good mood to managing chaos. The end of this complexity cycle has two bad outcomes. We can eventually quit/ get fired from the things we love to stop the anxiety, depression, and discouragement, or we are forced to stop when we flame out with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, immune disorders, and back pain.

I have these suggestions for you to try in the next 30 days:

1) Decide how much noise and “input” is too much for you.
How many hours a day can you have background sound before you feel stressed and overloaded?
If you pay attention, you will find this happens fairly rapidly. We have gotten so used to input overload that we ignore the discomfort. How often do you try to increasing coping by reminding yourselves to focus? How often do you begin inattentive multi-tasking?
Plan for the quiet time each day that you need.
Could it be that introverts need more than extroverts partly because of how their brain operates?

2) Substitute soothing nature noises for electronic noises part of each day.
Nature noises like bird songs and wind through trees can help, as there is a predictable pattern for your brain to process. Part of combating complexity is discerning organizing patterns. Our brain makes one adjustment, then stabilizes. When we bombard it with continuously variety, it eventually fails. It reminds me of the Eastern U.S. electrical grid during Summer peak use.

3) Do intentional brain-calming activities.
Pair passionate motivation with deliberate, reasoned activity. For example, when you bowl or play golf, set your “I will be satisfied when..” goal in the mid-range of your skill. That way you do not over-stimulate your brain, and the amygdala does not send you into a tirade when you miss a spare or a par. When you begin work on a project for work or home, break it down into sequential pieces you can celebrate finishing.

4) Actively notice good news in your life to let your brain systems experience pleasure.
Pay attention to when someone is nice to you. Enjoy the smell of a peach. Praise yourself for making it through a trip to the swimming pool or lake without yelling at or trying to control your kids. Enjoy minor successes at work. Dr. Hanson suggests continuing to focus on each happy thought for as long as 20 seconds to assist brain function. Try it!

We can’t choose our brain, but we can choose how to challenge and soothe it.

How do you want yours to work?

I want mine to be on that poster that says “This is your brain at peace.”

To your wellness,

Jeanne Erikson, PCC

Jeanne@collaborativelifecoaching.com
On twitter@serenesuccess

2011-06-05T17:35:00.001-07:00

usafestival.net- The Event Collector Site of the USA!

College Opportunity Knocks....... Yes, there is money to help with your college education!

2011-06-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

Q: I want to go back to school.   Is there any money to help California residents with college tuition?

A:    Yes!    There have never been more, and there are federal programs for Military and Military spouses too.    Anyone can apply and you should be proactive to get help with your costs!

Federal Work Study

If a student is offered Federal Work Study as part of his/her financial aid package, the College or University Financial Aid Office can usually help students find a part-time job on or off campus. If possible, students will be placed in work related to his/her studies or career plans, or in community service. A student will generally earn between $8.50 and $14.50 per hour and be paid once per month.

Federal Pell Grants

Pell Grants are awarded solely on demonstrated financial need to every eligible undergraduate student who hasn't already earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree. Pell Grants don't need to be repaid. They can be used for tuition, fees, and living expenses. A student can even receive a Pell Grant if he/she is attending college less than half time.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)

Your college Financial Aid Office awards these grants to undergraduate students who have exceptional financial need, with priority given to Pell Grant recipients. Unlike Pell Grants, there's no guarantee every eligible student will receive one. In addition, funds are limited. These grants don't need to be paid back.

Cal Grants

Cal Grants are awarded on demonstrated financial need and academic achievement as measured by a GPA to undergraduate students who haven't already earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree. Cal Grants don't need to be repaid. They can be used for tuition, fees, and living expenses. Contact the California Student Aid Commission at 1-888-224-7268 or visit their web site at http://www.csac.ca.gov/ for more information regarding deadlines and availability of funds.

Federal Stafford Loans

There are two types of Stafford loans: subsidized, for which the government pays the interest while the student is in college; and unsubsidized, for which the student is responsible for paying all the interest on the loan, during college and after. A student can receive both types of loans at the same time.

The interest rate is currently 3.4 percent for subsidized loans and fixed at 6.8 percent for unsubsidized loans . After graduating, leaving school, or enrolling less than half time, a student will have a six month "grace period" before the first loan payment is due. All student loans must be paid back with interest. Typically a student will have 10 years to repay the loan.

Federal PLUS Loans for Parents

With PLUS Loans, a student's parents or stepparents may borrow up to the total cost of a student's education, minus any other aid that the student receives. PLUS loans are not based on a student's family's income or assets and are only for undergraduate study.

The current interest rate is fixed at 7.9 percent. Interest is charged from the date loan funds are first disbursed until the loan is repaid in full. Generally repayment starts within 60 days of the loan's final disbursement for the school year, so a student's parents may be repaying both the loan and the interest while the student is still in college.

Check with your employer too. Many offer tuition reimbursement and some offer generous scholarships!
Best of luck as you continue to grow your options!   Patty DeDominic, Coach to High Achievers

Ali Asadi, MBA, MA(IT) An Active Business Consultant from Aprofitmaker.com

2011-06-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

Ali Asadi, MBA, MA(IT) Offers some advice for entrepreneurs who want to improve their businesses that is alos useful for job hunters too!    Edits and additions by Patty DeDominic

The following are some rules to improve your business:

1) You should never stop thinking how to improve your business. (Or your skill set!)

2) Go through every single cost of your business to see if you can do it more cost efficiently. (Let employers know that this is one of the ways you want to be of service to them too, not just in making money which is very important, but in saving money too.   A dollar not spent sometimes means that $20.00 of revenue burden is reduced.)

3) Network instead of paying for advertising. (Actually, I feel that you should do both, but along with the thoughts above about saving money, networking is an activity that can really boost your effectiveness and your reach if you do it professionally and strategically. Networking is not simply handing out business cards or asking people for theirs.)

4) Sometimes, outsourcing is much cheaper and efficient than doing the job by yourself. (Know that it is an option to outsource, so your department must be highly effective and efficient to keep the work in house.     In order to survive today, companies must look for ways to maximize productivity and return on investment.)

5) Treat your employees like your best customers. (Treat your colleagues as if they were your best boss!)

6) Keep promises. (Under Promising and over delivering assures you will get called back much more often than your competition.)

7) Provide learning procedure for your employees. (People who keep all the information to themselves create a false dependency that will not be sustainable. Smart people leave user friendly trails!)

8) If you are wrong, apologize.

9) Ask for feedback.

10) Please let me know this one based on your own experience

Ali Asadi, MBA, MA(IT)

Business Consultant

www.aprofitmaker.com

The Helping Professions Could Use Some Help Now! Patty DeDominic

2011-06-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

Helping professionals like nurses, teachers, clergy, firefighters and law enforcement give a triple bottom line to our society and we continue to cut, cut, cut away at them. It's time to give them a break and a boost!

I wanted to spend some time today writing about the Helping Professionals and their devotion to their craft, to their "consumers" and their important role in our community. They are essential to a healthy nation and have been under represented when it comes to getting support or perks! I noticed that former US Labor Secretary Robert Reich even has a new book (Aftershock:The Next Economy and America's Future).

Hopefully this important segment of our society will soak up all the advice and resources we can send their way since they are the ones who give back so much to our very foundation of society, safety, wellness and care and education.

I am a career coach, I consult with high achievers in a variety of professions, including medicine, education and clergy. I have noticed that this group, which does not seem to be represented by powerful lobbyists in Washington, (except some of the unions which seem to have lost their way) and their pensions and wages have continually been cut. I know college professors who are trying to piece a living together. I know police officers and even chiefs who don't make enough money to support a family. Where are our priorities?

MY advice to all professionals striving to do better:

1. Continue to build your networks, inside and in parallel to your chosen field.

2. Your investment in your continued education can pay off exponentially if you combine it with colleagues in a and outside of your profession.

3. Make friends with those who are also committed to professional growth and are alert for opportunities in their network. MAKE REFERRALS.

4. Act like a leader not like a follower: you don't have to become an extrovert or salesperson to get better at making referrals or taking action beyond noticing what's wrong with a workplace or community situation.

5. Mere mortals have changed the world, and when people who are selfless, who are committed to better law enforcement, medicine, care or education combine their passion with a few networking and business education skills magic CAN and does happen. Two colossal examples of this come to mind, math teacher Marion Davison who wanted to help her students have a better time learning math, so she invested MathBlaster which she and her husband eventually sold for hundreds of millions of dollars (rumored to be the first billion dollar education deal) almost twenty years ago, and today's Lynda Weinman, of Lynda.com who has revolutionized computer learning and teaching, by breaking stuff down into bite sized chucks that anyone can learn from.

There are countless stories of passionate helping professionals who are able to make a triple bottom line contribution......earn a paycheck, make a difference to their patients and or students and provide our communities with such a cushion of support that many take it for granted. However, a safe, educated or healthy society can't be taken for granted and we must do all we can to encourage the helping professions!

Call or write if you want more. I'd love to brag about my son, a community college professor who is also working in the prison system in New Orleans as a creative writing instructor. He tells me it is the most rewarding of all his teaching work!

To Your Continued Success,

Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achieving Professionals

Priceless Picks from Patty DeDominic and Coach Eve Konstantine

2011-05-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

Direct from Coach Eve:

I urge you to take a look at this workshop being offered by my friend, Sondra Barrett, July 8 - 10 in Petaluma, CA. She's a brilliant, warm and engaging person, who will help you to understand "the world in a grain of sand," i.e. the universe within each cell. There will also be a very unique wine tasting as part of the weekend. Read on, and be sure to click on the video link to hear about the material foundation for creating resonance within our systems.

Hope to see some of you there, and please share this with those who might enjoy!

Very warmly,

Eve
Eve Konstantine eve@evekonstantine.com
We are thrilled to announce that Eve is now a candidate on the Reality Based Certification, the RBC Network which is a standards based professional network of extraordinary people!

You and your cells are invited to join us at the NEXT

Cells and the Sacred workshop

at the beautiful Earthrise Retreat Center IONS.

When: July 8-10, 2011 from 6 p.m. Friday night until 1 p.m. on Sunday

TO REGISTER -

Watch this short video to learn more
http://vimeo.com/23824296

From this workshop you will take home

• A new sense of peace plus an energy practice or two

• Taste experiences of wine and wisdom

• Enhanced sensory and imagery skills

• Experience of your cells' intelligence as we explore the architecture of life

ADDED BONUS: UNUSUAL WINE TASTING

At one dinner we will have a fabulous wine experience with Pete Hoffman of Aum Cellars. If you know Pete’s work, influencing the taste of wine with intention and crystals - this will be a treat. And yes, I know I thought that only time changes wine and was a skeptic. Yet Pete and Jeff Dawson of Round Pond Estate have done a lot of 'out-there' work with wine worth knowing about. They both will be with us. Pete and I did an interesting experiment a few months ago and I captured the results with photographs through the microscope. Results here. If you follow the water crystal work of Emoto, wine is even more impressionable. Or maybe we are.

Writing Wriggles

This has been an amazing year since my last workshop at Earthrise when Sounds True contacted me to do a book about our cells. I finished writing the final chapter last week and have begun to work with my editor to fine tune and improve the manuscript. We must have it done by mid-August. Watch for the new book, working title, natch, Cells and the Sacred, out in 2012. I am honored to be working with Sounds True and if you visit their website you can explore a lot of transformative talks and writing

Websites evolve and as I blend my romance with wine and cells, there’s a new Get Started page where you can find links to blog posts about wine, cells and science.

Finally I have a new Facebook page - please LIKE me.

Good Reads

Wishing you a wonderful spring and remember that you can still obtain first edition copies of Wine’s Hidden Beauty. Order your autographed copy here.

Dear friends of mine have published three wonderful children's books. Looking for gifts for your kids, grandchildren or the kid in you, visit Seasons Studios. Apps are also available

Creating an Effective Resume now available on Lynda.com

2011-05-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

You'll find a brand new training tool on Lynda.com called Creating An Effective Resume.

This training video with other samples, resource and tools is a great help in preparing your resume, thinking about transferable skills, cover letters and how to best present youself.

Is your resume in need of a refresh?

In Creating an Effective Resume , author Mariann Siegert gives insider tips and techniques for creating a resume that will effectively market your skills and help you stand out from the crowd. The course covers how to target your resume toward specific employers and gives expert tips for writing your resume so that employers will want to read it. It explains the pros and cons of the different ways to organize your resume, and gives strategies for formatting each section. It shows how to take advantage of the internet in your job search, giving tips for writing titles for online searches and uploading to resume banks and job sites like Monster.com.

http://tinyurl.com/6738yp8

LYNDA.com Resume & Job Skills Tutorial with Examples

We also want you to know that Lynda.com is hiring and they have been judged one of the best employers in California! If you would like to know more about them please visit

Check out all the new job openings at http://www.lynda.com/aboutus/careers.aspx.

"Help, I'm pretty sure I won't survive the next layoffs"

2011-05-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Career Coach Patty DeDominic,

I have been in this position for the past 12 years. There is a good chance our site is going to be closed the end of the summer. I thought I would start looking for a new job. Any tips from you would be greatly appreciated.

Signed,   Sue (name changed to protect candidate confidentiality)

Dear SUE
Please be proactive.

Employers have so many choices today. Some are tired and feel harassed, but I see the assertive early birds getting the better opportunities. Stay upbeat, don’t let depression about the job market get you down.   Make looking for a job become a job!

Some people make the most basic and avoidable mistake that snatch job opportunities away from them.
One guy told his potential employer the job wasn’t quite good enough… can you believe he actually told the interviewer, he would accept an offer of employment but wondered how the employer would feel if he kept looking for another, better job while employed! How to shoot yourself in the foot, huh?

My blog for free career resources is Patty's Free Career Resources blog, resume and search tips

Write if you would like an e version of my new book, free for the first 100 people who ask for it:
Timely Tips for Job Hunters.      patty@dedominic.com
Please put Requesting Free ebook in the subject line.

Thank you and best wishes!

Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achievers

Need Help Writing Resumes?

2011-05-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

NEXT RWA TRAINING & CERTIFICATION CLASS

Group Class: Starts Thursday, May 19, 2011 Self-Paced Class: Start Anytime

This is for resume writing coaches and career coaches.
I really like what Wendy does.
Patty DeDominic, Coach to High Achievers, Guidance for their extraordinary accomplishments.

If you're serious about becoming an expert resume writer, consider the upcoming Resume Writing Academy certification program. Comprised of 8 classes that you attend via phone, computer or audio recording, you'll complete 6 homework assignments and an additional 3 resume/cover letter writing projects. We review every project individually and provide 1:1 feedback. Most important, we require that you earn an A or B on every project. If not, you'll need to rewrite to meet class standards.

If you're interested in RWA and all of the opportunities afforded to our graduates (publishing, writing, etc.), please visit the website to determine whether you're ready to make the commitment to the program. For more information: http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/rwa.php

One more thing ... If you're self-employed, consider the upcoming Entrepreneurial Elegance program that meets (via phone and computer) for 4 Mondays in June. Meet on Monday; make money by Friday. This is the next-generation version of the $100K Entrepreneurial Roundtable that Louise Kursmark and I used to teach in person. Entrepreneurial Elegance is just as intense and motivating; just much more affordable! For details: http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/elegance/

Let me know if you have any questions.

Wendy

Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW

Author, Trainer & Career Consultant

******************************

Co-Founder & Director - Resume Writing Academy www.resumewritingacademy.com

******************************

President - Enelow Enterprises, Inc.

www.wendyenelow.com (Bookstore)

******************************

Passivity Kills Your Job Opportunities, Write Your Resume Right! by Patty DeDominic

2011-05-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

Will being PUSHY help you?

Depends on the type of job you are going after. IF you are a CAR Salesperson you might fit the stereotype. One thing I know for sure, getting jobs in today's climate is not for PASSIVE people.

Somewhere between "given up" and "in your face" is the right place for you to be with your JOB assertiveness skills and in your resume writing.

Your resume should be freshly updated and when possible, customized for the job your are applying to.

One employer told me recently that of four candidates that an employment firm lined up for him to interview, two had resumes geared towards other types of jobs and industries completely. Needless to say, this left a poor impression on the employer and the people did not get called back for a second interview or get job offers.

Learn as much as you can about the job and the employer before you apply.    This isn't always possible but at least once you know who the company is you can do on-line and in-person research to demonstrate that you are really interested.   Employers know that if you are not very proactive in the interview process that you are likely to be less active while employed. Who can afford to hire chair warmers and clock watchers now a days?

Be sure to follow up with thanks and your expressions of interest after that phone or personal interview.    You never know about the employers needs until you ask them. but you can make some educated guesses and you can assume that many people don't follow up.

Free E-book with more timely tips for job hunting.     If you would like to receive a copy of our soon to be released book, please leave a comment here and write to me personally.

We'll email you a free e-book with some great tips for job hunters in the Prime of Life!          coach@dedominic.com

Kymberly Williams Evans does what SHE LOVES, CAN YOU TELL?

2011-05-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

My friend Kymberly Williams Evans, of Fun and Fit FUNANDFIT has just completed an added credential:

www.realitybasedcertification.com she got her Reality Based Certification!

Kymberly is definitely certifiable, can you see how happy she is?
Photo credit and thanks to HalfCity Productions, Deborah Halberstadt.

Patty DeDominic's best pick for Resume Writing Class

2011-04-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

MASTER CLASS IN RESUME WRITING

Presenters: Wendy Enelow & Louise Kursmark

http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/esummit-master-resume.php

Attend live 2-hour webcast on Friday, May 6 or listen to the audio recording at your convenience. Everyone gets unlimited access to the recording so you can listen as many times as you'd like.

Here's a brief program description:

Learning to write great resumes has a lot to do with your ability to think about the resume writing process from a creative perspective. This requires that you think outside the box (the construct of the resume) and allow yourself to write and format creatively. In turn, you're then able to showcase the precise information about your client in the way that best supports his or her current objective. There is a defined process to it all, and nothing you do on any resume should ever be arbitrary.

By mastering the fine points of resume writing, you'll give yourself and your clients an instantly remarkable advantage. Plus, you'll be able to take even greater pride in your resume writing talent, knowing that you are among the best. And, if you're self-employed, you'll have the confidence to charge what you are worth and know that your clients will pay it!

This 2-hour webcast will provide you with new resume writing tools - strategies, content ideas, formats and designs - that you'll be able to use immediately for your clients. In addition, you'll be introduced to new resume formats that we've created over the past few years. The 40+ pages of handouts and resume samples alone are worth the price of admission (only $69)!

For more details and registration:

http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/esummit-master-resume.php

Hope to "see" you there!

P.S. If you're ready for more than a 2-hour webcast, consider the RWA certification program. The next group class starts May 19; self-paced classes start at your convenience. For more information: http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/rwa.php

Wendy & Louise

Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW

Author, Trainer & Career Consultant

******************************

Co-Founder & Director - Resume Writing Academy www.resumewritingacademy.com

******************************

President - Enelow Enterprises, Inc.

http://www.wendyenelow.com/ (Bookstore)

******************************

Executive Director - Career Thought Leaders Consortium www.careerthoughtleaders.com www.careerthoughtleaders.com/conference

******************************

2265 Walker Road, Coleman Falls, VA 24536

Phone: 434.299.5600

Fax: 434.299.7150

******************************

wendy@resumewritingacademy.com

Three Most Common (and avoidable) Mistakes Job Hunters Make by Patty DeDominic Santa Barbara based Business Consultant

2011-04-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

I have owned placement firms which have helped launch over 250,000 careers.
During the 20 ++ years I owned and grew PDQCAREERS and CT Engineering we saw many “Kamikaze interviews”… or job hunters who shot themselves in the foot for some of the most
basic oversights:

1. Failure to proof your cover letter and resume. Typos and misspelling can nuke your chances! We routinely screened out applicants who could not spell or did not have enough sense to take the time to make an application correctly. We found that those who were not careful in the application process were always sloppy later too. We found this error on entry level resumes and those of “executives” and professionals too.

2. Failure to follow up. Ask for the job if you want it and check back in. Interviewers and job screeners are busy people who are often juggling competing demands on their time, attention and multiple job openings. It is valuable to follow up and take responsibility for “be backs” as we found that those people who are proactive, who let the interviewer know that they want the job and who follow up and three times more likely to get good job offers.

3. Failure to prepare yourself for this opportunity. Do research on the employer and prepare your references. There are a few basics that separate desirable employees from those who simply show up. Have you prepared yourself and do you understand why the employer should hire you? If you don’t know the answer to this, you can be sure that the employer could have difficulty figuring it out too. Additionally your references should be prepared that you are looking for work and may get called; keep them informed so that they will be responsive when contacted about you. Skilled interviewers know it is often what is NOT SAID or who doesn’t get back to them on references that is more telling that what IS SAID.

I welcome your comments and questions. Patty@dedominic.com or please post comments here on this blog.

Your On Line Business Image, Opportunities by Patty DeDominic

2011-04-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

Mary Schnack and I will be conducting some trainings this summer and we welcome your inquiries. You will remember that Mary Schnack is an award winning journalist and media coach.  She is also a social entrepreneur and international Trainer in Media relations.     We will be talking about building your brand and media strategies this summer on both coasts.    Please write to me to learn more about details of Brand It seminar in Santa Barbara July 21-23, 2011. Boost your personal power and search rankings and results.

Aug31 - September 1, 2011   NEVER LET 'EM SEE YOU SWEAT - Media Training by Mary Schnack and Patty DeDominic in San Diego, California at the NAWBO national conference.   http://www.nawbo.org/

Here's a Free prep for you to boost your on line profile offered by the delightful Sharon Hudson of Marketing Profs!
Digital Marketing World: Search Marketing, part of our FREE monthly series of focused digital marketing experiences.   This is a free notification to you for clients and friends of Strategic Business Consultant and Coach to High Achievers, Patty DeDominic of Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, California.

Your registration includes access to:

• Three actionable sessions from search marketing experts

• NEW! Virtual roundtable discussions—chat about hot topics with leading experts and your peers

• Live Q&A time with the speakers

• A fully-featured virtual conference environment with networking lounge, roundtables, and resource center

Digital Marketing World: Search Marketing

Cost: FREE

Where: The comfort of your own desk

When: Friday, May 13

10:30am–3:30pm ET

Join us for three educational sessions (if you miss one, you can always catch it on-demand later):

• Today's Top 5 SEO Essentials

• Integrated Search and Social

• The Future of Search: Top Trends to Watch

Learn more about the sessions.

Space is limited—register today!

We're limiting registration to ensure that each attendee gets the best virtual experience possible. Don't miss out, register today!DeDominic referral for FREE Seminar, click to register here

:: Sharon Hudson
:: MarketingProfs

:: (866) 557-9625

Making the Transition to the Non Profit Leadership World? Patty DeDominic, coach to high achievers

2011-04-12T16:20:00.000-07:00

Today, many powerful executives are looking for ways to make their life and work more meaningful. Some former CEO's top elected public leaders and other executive level people are turning to the non profit world to find a hungry outlet for their skills and to find ways to leverage their wisdom for good.

Doing your homework to find out what exists is always a good place to start.    Visiting websites today can give you a birdseye view of who needs what and provide more data for your search.   It used to take forever to get this kind of research, or at least a copy of the New York Times help wanted ads to find so many opportunities. Today, you can gather information in just a few hours that might have taken you months to gather in years past.
Best Bets for Executive Jobs (mostly executive and senior-level jobs)

A great place to start is the Center for Association Leadership.    http://www.asaenet.org/ (see Career Headquarters) Association with over 25,000 individual members who manage leading trade, professional, and philanthropic associations. Represents 10,000 associations.

Here is a listing of other helpful websites for serious leaders in transition:

• http://www.associationjobs.org/ (Same Web site as www.CEOUpdate.com)

• http://www.ceoupdate.com/ A premier source for up-to-date information on senior-level nonprofit jobs in trade associations, professional societies, cause-oriented organizations, and foundations.

Council on Foundations
• http://www.cof.org/ A membership organization of grantmaking foundations and giving programs worldwide. Postings for all levels of philanthropic or related nonprofit positions are welcome.

• http://www.execsearches.com/ Features executive, fundraising, and midlevel job postings in nonprofits, government, health care, and education.

• http://www.idealist.org/ A portal for anyone interested in nonprofit careers, volunteering, and internships.

• http://www.nptimes.com/ The online service of The Nonprofit Times.

• philanthropy.com/jobs/philanthropy careers is the online job site of The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

• OpportunityNocs.org Electronic version of a long-established nonprofit job newspaper that started in the San Francisco area.

Other Nonprofit Job Sites (may include executive jobs along with other positions)

• http://www.developpro.com/ Resources for development professionals, including a jobs board.

• http://www.devnetjobs.org/ A gateway to international development jobs.

• http://www.deepsweep.com/ A free job posting and resume bank for nonprofit employers.

• http://www.dotorgjobs.com/ A free online employment resource for nonprofits.

• www.interaction.org/jobs/index.html Jobs with U.S.-based humanitarian and development organizations with positions available in the United States and overseas.

• www.internationaljobs.org/hotjobs.html Mid- and senior-level positions with nonprofit and for-profit organizations, based all around the world, as well as entry-level and internship positions.

• http://www.nassembly.org/ Jobs at health and human services organizations.

• http://www.nonprofitcareer.com/ Job and volunteer opportunities.

• http://www.nonprofitjobs.org/ Fee-based job site for nonprofit organizations.

• http://www.nonprofitoyster.com/ Fee-based job site for nonprofit organizations.

• http://www.pnnonline.org/ Fee-based job site for nonprofit organizations.

Regional Sites

• Atlanta: www.nonprofitgeorgia.org/jobs.html

• California (Northern): OpportunityNocs.org Individual job postings cost $80 for a 30-day listing. www.opportunityknocks.org/index.jsp (Same as OpportunityNocs.org)

• California (Southern): www.nonprofitdirections.org

• Washington, D.C.: www.nonprofitadvancement.org Center for Nonprofit Advancement Web site.

• Maryland: www.mdnonprofit.org (See “Career Bank” link for jobs in Maryland) Members can post jobs for free.

• New England: www.OpNocsne.org

• Philadelphia: www.lasallenonprofitcenter.org/research_pub/joblistings.htm

• Texas: www.cnmdallas.org/pages/employ.html

Print Publications

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy: http://www.philanthropy.com/

• The Nonprofit Times: http://www.nptimes.com/

I sincerely hope this list is helpful and not overwhelming to you.     Good data is always a great place to start your career search.    The more research you do the better prepared you will be when interviewing for executive positions in this complex technology based jobs society we life in.

If you need help, write for a free consultation.   Sometimes talking with one of our experience career coaches can help you refocus on the best path for your transition.     Here is hoping that you find the most meaningful ways to earn your living... and that if you are a skilled leader you will consider putting your talents to work for the benefit of our growing non profit sector.     Patty DeDominic

Executives ON Interview Ready 24-7 Exec Level Interviews by Patty DeDominic

2011-04-08T13:23:00.000-07:00

Patty De gets questions and will attempt to answer those of general interest. We regret that
we are not able to answer individual posts, however when there are Q & A that will benefit
lots of people we will post those!

Q: What types of simulation/work assignment/problem-solving interviews (e.g.: in-basket exercises, requests for 30-60-90-day plan for employer) are conducted at the EXECUTIVE level?

A:
Search firms and boards of directors use a variety of methods to evaluate capabilities and listening skills of job candidates. Sometimes the screening starts in the advertisement and job posting level,

Asking for salary history and specific input as the first response.

What is their purpose? How common are they?

Candidates then are screened for initial responsiveness. Some may not put their salary however to

Pass this screen, you do need to respond in some ways and offer to provide relevant info further in the process.

Over the years when I have recruited and placed Chief Executives and other senior officers for corporations and non profits, we have asked for presentations which show how relevant accomplishments line up with the new job requirements. Also professional interviewers (recruiters and HR pros) are also skilled at asking specific questions during the interviews, looking for specific responses as opposed to generalities. For example one might be asked to share specifics of a recent strategic plan, give the list of board members or show non-proprietary reports that the exec worked on.

Is their popularity among
hiring managers increasing?

We have found many more legitimate candidates having lack of stable work history. It seems we are indeed living in a “Gig Nation” and not all qualified professionals have just one professional employer. It becomes increasingly important to have ways to screen out the large numbers of applicants, to be able to have a quality procedure to cull through those who look good on paper. Professional recruiters and search firms almost always use a structured interview process to vet the best…..no matter what their employment history looks like. And, in today’s world – many executives work patterns look at bit spotty. This was considered a flake in the “olden days” twenty years ago and when I started my employment services firm in 1979, but more commonly today, good people may have had a career that looks more like an ACTORS….. leading roles, and supporting roles, but successful people do have things in common and that usually includes happy fans who want to come back for more.

Q:What do executives need to know to be prepared for these interviews?

It is important to have references and credentials lined up before hand. Not necessary to submit initially but please do understand that through your informal networks and professional organizations your background is being looked at when you are unaware that it is being scrutinized. I recently told one CEO to think of herself as being on display 24/7. There is almost nothing you can say off the record that might not come back to be connected with you.

Q: At what point in the interview process are they conducted? Have any stories of executive success/failure at these types of interviews?

These “tests” go on all the time…. In the informal referral networks, in the friends of friends deciding who to refer and not to refer. References are checked in non linear ways so it is not only who you give as a reference but where else you have worked, how visible you have been and with whom you associate that impacts your reputation and your “halo” or lack thereof.

Patty DeDominic Coach to High Achievers DeDominic.com

Language and Culture Matter.
I recall one time we were recruiting a CEO for a Chamber of Commerce. This candidate was extremely smart, capable and appeared qualified….however his style was to refer to his (bosses) board of directors as Lay Leaders. This may have worked in his religious professional background but was the wrong cultural message to try to send to a Chamber of Commerce. Which is filled with servant leaders who mostly see themselves as community leaders and professional community builders – not Lay persons. This language alone, which in my opinion demonstrated that he was unaware of the culture of the industry he was interviewing for, caused the candidate to be dropped out of the process early on.

Patty DeDominic with Cindy Burrell for Boardroom Bound

2011-04-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

Wendy Enelow is one of Patty DeDominic's favorite Resume Coaches

2011-04-08T13:07:00.001-07:00

* MASTER RESUME WRITING E-SUMMIT

(2-hour webcast on Friday, May 6, 2011)

Back by popular demand are our resume e-summits!
This e-summit showcases a portfolio of expert resume writing strategies, formats, concepts, and techniques that we've used in recent years to market our clients - young grads, mid-career professionals, senior executives, and everyone in between. The handouts and resume samples alone are worth the price of admission (only $69)!

For details and registration:

http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/esummit-master-resume.php

* ENTREPRENEURIAL ELEGANCE (4-session program in June 2011)
We invite you to join us as we launch this new entrepreneurial program, as rich and deep in content and resources as our exclusive $100,000+ Entrepreneurial Roundtable, but with no travel required. Instead, join us for 2 hours each Monday in June and make more money by each Friday! Classes include: Marketing & Business Development; Pricing, Packaging & Profitability; Sales & Customer Relationship Management; and Business Management & Confidence Building.

Be sure to register soon before the program fills!

For details and registration:

http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/elegance

For Career Coaches!

* RESUME WRITING ACADEMY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
(next class starts Thursday, May 19, 2011) In addition to the class lectures, Q&A, and 500+ pages of resources, sample resumes and cover letters, handouts, e-books, and more, the greatest value of the RWA Certification Program is the one-on-one homework review. Each of your 10 writing projects and other assignments are individually graded so that you get direct feedback every time - on new projects and on rewrites. Once you've graduated and earned your ACRW, you can then participate in publishing, subcontract writing, and other professional opportunities available exclusively to ACRWs.

For details and registration:

http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/rwa.php

We hope you'll be able to join us for one or more of the programs, and guarantee that each will make a positive and lasting impact on your professional success!

Wendy Enelow & Louise Kursmark

Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW

Author, Trainer & Career Consultant

******************************

Co-Founder & Director - Resume Writing Academy www.resumewritingacademy.com

******************************

President - Enelow Enterprises, Inc.

http://www.wendyenelow.com/ (Bookstore)

******************************

Executive Director - Career Thought Leaders Consortium www.careerthoughtleaders.com www.careerthoughtleaders.com/conference

******************************

2265 Walker Road, Coleman Falls, VA 24536

Phone: 434.299.5600
wendy@wendyenelow.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyenelow

http://twitter.com/WendyEnelow

Forward this message to someone:

http://www.wendyenelow.com/lists/?p=forward&uid=c535e9623e1e40f79efe313eab3d3321&mid=190

--

Tribute to Genie di San Faustino by Dr. Jane Goodall DBE

2011-03-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

This is a tribute to Genie di San Faustino,
Founding Board President – the Jane Goodall Institute-USA
She recently passed away and this is the tribute written to and for her by
Dr. Jane Goodall who was inspired and funded by this extraordinary woman.
Patty DeDominic

Dear, dear Genie.

What a wonderful friend she was—I owe her a huge debt of gratitude.

So too do all the hundreds of people now impacted by the programs of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) around the world. But for Genie, the chimpanzee behavioural research at Gombe might have ended more than 30 years ago. For it was Genie who started JGI back in 1976 when, after the kidnapping of four of my students, we lost the support of our major funder. At that terrible time, Genie and Ranieri were towers of strength and, together, began working on ways to help. Ranieri died before JGI was officially incorporated in 1977, and I think it helped Genie through that difficult time to continue the work that they had begun together.

The first board meetings were held in her house and, for the rest of her life, Genie—our Founder President—was incredibly supportive and involved. To help raise funds and to introduce me to potential donors, she hosted many small dinner parties and lunches and a couple of cocktail parties in her marvellous house in San Francisco. She more than deserved the the Jane Goodall Lifetime Achievement Award that I was honoured to present to her at a dinner at her home.

However, it is not just as founding president and supporter of JGI that I think most fondly of Genie, but also as a friend. A wonderful friend not only to me, but to my family. To my husband Derek Bryceson and, most especially, to my mother Vanne (short for Myfanwe, pronounced Van). During the years I was teaching at Stanford, every fall quarter I rented a house so my son could be with me and Vanne came over to keep things going. I had already got to know Genie and Ranieri when they visited Gombe and I remember inviting them to supper to meet Vanne. They instantly “clicked” and began talking nineteen to the dozen—with the result that the dinner over which Vanne had slaved was burnt to a cinder and they ended up with scrambled eggs on toast.

It was very different when we all went to Genie’s enchanting house, with its myriad of fascinating treasures collected by Genie over the years, the antique furniture and the marvellous garden. In those early days, there were two little dogs who used to lie on round blue cushions in her bright kitchen where shining pans hung above the counter and where Geraldine presided for so many years. I used to stay with Genie every time I was in town.

Several times Genie visited my home in England where, of course, she instantly enchanted the rest of the family. But my fondest memories of Genie and Vanne are in America. I can close my eyes and see the two tiny ladies immersed in conversation and laughter—in San Francisco, Ridgefield, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. Genie was always beautifully dressed with her tiny black or red leather miniskirts and silver necklets—and it was typical of her thoughtfulness that whenever I visited she always remembered to wear the one made of Zanzibar silver that Derek and I gave her.

Even when she was in a good deal of pain during the last years of her life, she was always sparkling when I visited, wanting to know how things were going, quickly diverting the conversation away from her. By then I was usually travelling with Mary Lewis—initially it was Genie who made this possible. They too became friends and Genie was the first person to call last year when Mary had surgery in London, checking daily on her progress in hospital despite her own pain.

I miss Genie so much. It is hard to imagine I can no longer pick up the phone, wherever I am in the world, and hear her voice at the other end, warming to joy as she realized who it was. Difficult to believe that when I next visit San Francisco I shall not be able to climb those steps into that marvellous old house and the warmth of Genie’s presence and friendship. I can only imagine the loss felt by her family and other close friends, and my heart goes out to them all at this sad time.

I count myself blessed that, for 35 years, Genie was part of my life, and I am immensely grateful that I was able to see her a few days before her death to thank her for everything, and tell her how much I loved her. To say goodbye until we meet again in a place where there is no more pain.

Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE

Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute &

UN Messenger of Peace 23rd March 2011

We send prayers and comfort to all who loved Genie di San Faustino. She was a committed
passionate soul who did indeed create changes in the world and she enabled Dr. Jane and
thousands of others to make a positive impact of people in over 80 countries around the world.

What better career could there be?
Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achieving Professionals
Santa Barbara, California

Member of the Board of Directors of the Jane Goodall Institute (retired)

Margo Day - The Walking Tree.mov

2011-02-23T16:05:00.000-08:00

\\\Your Future could be in GREEN IT.

You can also learn lessons from Thw Walking Tree in the rainforest according the Women Leaders,

Margo Day and others at the International Women's Festivals this past year. Come to Santa Barbara on March 4 & 5, to see Anne Doyle and others on Leadership lessons.

Get connections, inspirations and new friends at the www.womensfestivals.org

Build YOUR Image, Brand YOU, Inc. by Patty DeDominic and Mary Schnack

2011-02-21T01:04:00.000-08:00

Re-invigorate your BRAND at

BRANDit Santa Barbara

March 31 - April 3, 2011

Hosted by Patty DeDominic and Mary Schnack
Yes, its time to take action!
Give yourself the time to step-away from the distractions of your office, and give more attention to focus on your personal and professional brand. BRANDit helps you bring a crystal clear vision on your work passions, future plans, and a BRAND new marketing kit, including professional head-shots and personal video trailer.

Comment here to APPLY now and get Early Bird Discounts! Write to me at patty@dedominic.com
or go to http://maryschnack.com/brandit/index.html

About The BRANDit Program

A three and half day global business training program designed for the established businessperson who wants to refresh and reinvigorate his/her branding. In an exclusive group (max of 14), attendees:

1. Identify their core five PASSIONS and future VISIONS in a workshop called, Your BRAND Your PASSION.

2. Define their Brand Positioning Statement in the workshop The BRAND called YOU!

3. Create a BRAND new or updated elevator pitch, with input from other global businesspersons.

4. Transform their BRAND new positioning statement into a cool presentation trailer for multiple usages. (Videos grab attention, engage viewers and, if executed properly, can succinctly communicate your entire value proposition in as little as two minutes).

5. Receive professionally styled photos of them and their BRAND.

6. Get one full page coverage in the BRANDit online magazine distributed to business owners in over 70 countries.

Schedule

Thursday, March 31: Arrive in Santa Barbara. Introductory dinner (part of workshop package) in the evening.

Friday, April 1: Full day of training, plus finalizing your elevator pitch for tomorrow’s video shoot.

Saturday, April 2: Video and photo shoots. You will have specific times. So you can use the rest of your time to attend additional workshops, shop, go to a spa, winery, etc. Dinner for all full workshop participants.

Sunday, April 3: A day of surprise activities. The cameras will still be rolling and you’ll be experiencing some of the best places the Santa Barbara area has to offer. Weekend concludes with a celebratory dinner!

Chapter One: Your BRAND your PASSION!

Runa Magnusdottir, co-founder of BRANDit and international trainer, works with participants to discover unique ways to build up their own company culture of Passion and Purpose. Every individual has unique gifts and a unique purpose in life, and every company provides a unique value to its customers, clients and to the world. In today’s busy society, business owners are seeing the importance to gain clarity on their own Passions and Purpose in their professional as well as personal life .During this training course, you will discover your own Work Passions and Core Passions, learn the tools for a Passionate Life, determine where you stand now in living your Work Passions, and create your own future 10-year vision. This is taken from The Passion Test ™ from the #1 NY Times bestseller book by Janet Bray Attwood & Chris Attwood.

Chapter Two: The BRAND called YOU!

Mary Schnack, an international PR specialist and consultant, clarifies your own unique BRAND. The first step of a well-rounded communications campaign is to create your brand, your identity. YOU are a brand and an important part of the business's branding. As we are constantly vying for attention in a crowded marketplace, we must build our brand to position ourselves as an EXPERT in our field. By being seen as an expert, our branding helps us secure financing, generate awareness through publicity and build our reputation in our communities. What do you stand for? What makes you unique in your field? What makes people remember you and want to do business with you again? It’s not an easy question for most people to answer! It doesn’t matter what size your business is, how much revenue you create or how many employees you have or even if you work for someone else. YOU are a brand. When you can define your brand, you can successfully market YOU.

Chapter three: Your BRAND new Marketing Kit

In business, fresh and outstanding images of the BRAND YOU can have a big impact. It is important how the pictures are captured and the feeling they present when you send them across to your clients or media. They should present you as a professional and identify your BRAND. This is Bjarney Ludviksdottir’s specialty and passion, and you will be amazed with the outcome. In order to capture the perfect image we take two days to shoot each participants profile from various different angles. In studio with hair and makeup and in nature. You will leave with three different stylized head-shots ready for your BRAND new Marketing Kit. Your BRAND new video pitch trailer serves as a personal tool to give your clients and media a positive feeling about you and what you represent.

The BRANDit Program Brings You:

1. Crystal clear focus on your passions and future vision for yourself and your brand*

2. Two to four stylized photos ready to use for your Marketing Kit*

3. A video presentation of your business pitch*

According to Forrester Research, you are 53 times more likely to appear on page one of Google's search results with video on your website. Video raises click-through rates up to 200 percent.

4. Worldwide visibility on our online BRANDit magazine (2 pages)

5. Confidence when delivering on your razor sharp elevator pitch*

6. A special GOLDEN profile on Connected-Women.com*

7. A network of incredible businesses from around the world*

8. A bucket-full of new inspiring ideas and the vision to pursue your passions!*

9. Your Brand Positioning Statement who YOU are as a brand!*

The workshop helps businesspeople achieve success through attaining a clear vision of their present strengths and future goals, identifying their passions, and creating a network of powerful businesspeople to support them along their journey.

COSTS for BRANDit Santa Barbara

Full Charge* NAWBO, WIPP, TIAW, WLE discounts*

$3,500 $2,900

Early Bird Discounts

If paid by February 27, 2011

$2,700 $2,500

If paid by March 6

$3,000 $2,700

*Charges include three celebratory dinners.

Workshops Only*:

Friday, April 1: Your Business Your Passion presented by Runa Magnusdottir and The Brand Called You presented by Mary Schnack.

Saturday, April 2: Social Media presented by Runa Magnusdottir and Media Training (or Message Point Development) presented by Mary Schnack.

$250 per seminar or two for $450.

Sign up By March 6: $225 per seminar.

*Workshop registration includes a ticket for Sunday night (April 3) Celebration Dinner.

See BRANDit magazine online.

LINK https://asp.zone-secure.net/v2/index.jsp?id=2407/3338/12325&lng=en

For more information on BRANDit, including testimonials, marketing kits for prior attendees and programs in other countries, click here.

LINK http://www.brandit.is/

Dr. Adele Scheele on HOW TO FIND A MENTOR

2011-02-08T20:20:00.000-08:00

There are certain necessities in life, and having a mentor is one of them. No matter where you are in your career -- just starting, rising, stuck, at the end -- you need such a coach. In fact, you need a series of them.

Where do you find them? Look around you and see whom you admire. Potential mentors are busy working in your department, in your organization, in your profession. They are not typically your direct bosses, who need you in your place (although, some who are promoted might take you with them). Search for outstanding people two or three levels above you in experience and talent. You will discover them talking in meetings and at conferences that you sign up for, even if you have to pay for it. Watch for those who are smart, on the rise (if they have not risen to the top already) and genuine. Seek out those whose advice you might value for ways to think through problems, tackle dilemmas, handle difficult (but critical) people and get noticed and tracked. In short, increase your opportunities. Imagine how they might guide you and, hopefully, have the power to nominate you.

But don't wait until they find you. You have to start the process. Compliment them after they have given a presentation, and tell what impressed you. Ask if you can talk to them about a project you are working on, one in which they have expertise. Don't think of it as asking them to sign on as your life mentor; instead, ask for their take on your work and a suggestion to make it better. Then report back what happened, what didn't. If their advice failed, think about whether you followed it well or if timing was against you. Sometimes they are wrong twice in a row, and you have to move on to another. It's not uncommon.

Continue to ask for specific advice along with initiating conversations about their careers and the state of their organization and profession. Celebrate their continued successes. It will make stronger bonds as well as underscoring what it takes. And, as you rise, look for other experts. Every CEO has a board to talk to; every smart politician has a kitchen cabinet, at the least. Every successful person turns to and relies on brilliant others to advise them. No one does it alone.

Thank them each time. An absent thank-you note is a sure sign of selfishness, ignorance or overload. But authentically successful people make time to write thank-you notes or email. Always. Sometimes, they even send a token gift of celebration. Some also remember birthdays. Think of mentors as your family, your work family, for whom you are always on your best behavior.

Find talent by working with it. Get yourself active by joining committees and taskforces in your organization. Certainly join and participate in professional associations. Or, consider civic, religious or political volunteering as well. Getting mentored is not a formal process, but you can learn this networking skill and make your way in. Sign up for unpaid work; learn by doing and watching those who do it well. Growth and leadership need development through belonging. Only through that process can chance be at your side.

Being catapulted up by mentors is an education in itself. You'll learn many skills, technical and strategic savvy, along with the nod from someone who does more than mentor you -- someone who can sponsor you and nominate you for a position for which you would otherwise not have been considered.

The unspoken rule is that you must show yourself to be one of them. By demonstrating your work and your relationship, you gain their trust.

Taking the risk of connecting to sage others, over and over in your careering progress, will yield unimagined opportunities. And it will be a model for what you will do for others, in turn.

Make your luck happen!

***

Dr. Adele is the author of "Skills for Success" and "Launch Your Career in College." Visit her website, dradele.com

The NEW New World of Work, FREE Career Resources: Help Spread the Word About Empowering Women at the International Women's Festivals in Santa BarbaraThe Biggest Networking Event Santa Barbara Offers

2011-02-06T18:18:00.000-08:00

The NEW New World of Work, FREE Career Resources: Help Spread the Word About Empowering Women at the International Women's Festivals in Santa BarbaraThe Biggest Networking Event Santa Barbara Offers

Help Spread the Word About Empowering Women at the International Women's Festivals in Santa BarbaraThe Biggest Networking Event Santa Barbara Offers

2011-02-06T18:14:00.000-08:00

BLOG REVIEW TEMPLATE: (Please post on your web site blog):

The Biggest Networking Event Santa Barbara Offers All Year: March 4-5th

4th Annual Women's Festival—Empowering Leadership, Fostering Education and Women Empowerment

Meet Powerful Women In Leadership Roles at the Women’s Festival On March 4-5th

SUMMARY: On March 4 and 5, 2011, Santa Barbara, CA, you will have a rare Santa Barbara networking opportunity with powerful women in business. If you are interested in learning about the importance of education and women empowerment, you do not want to miss this unique Santa Barbara festival that seeks to empower women and celebrate Women's History month.

The Women's Festival is one of the only events in Santa Barbara that offers a unique opportunity to network with women in leadership roles from a wide range of backgrounds. The Women’s Festivals are the premier gathering of women seeking to empower themselves by connecting with the tools and resources they need to flourish and prosper in all aspects of their busy lives. Attendees help further the celebratory momentum behind Women’s History Month and address the crucial issues facing women today in an interactive, multi-cultural, and entertaining format—providing fertile ground for networking, referrals, and resource sharing.

You will have a unique opportunity to meet powerful women business leaders, and influential owners of Santa Barbara companies. You will leave with a renewed sense of the importance of education and women empowerment. Women leadership is a key focus of this March festival, and many say it is the best networking event Santa Barbara offers. Come help empower women at the 4th Annual Women's festival. No other Santa Barbara festival gets you up close and personal with inspirational leaders from the arts, local non-profits and thriving businesses.

A talented team of well-connected men and women have joined forces to produce the 2011 Women's Festivals in Santa Barbara, California. Founding non-profit organizations include the National Association of Women Business Owners, SCORE, Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, Future Women CEO’s, Women's Economic Ventures, the Women's Foundation of California, the Weidemann Foundation, the Profant Foundation for the Arts and Santa Barbara Chamber Commerce - all joining forces in a common goal of empowering women through educational and enlightening discussions led by renowned speakers and authors.

According to Founder Patty DeDominic, “We invite you to be up close and personal with inspirational leaders from the arts, important community organizations and business in beautiful Santa Barbara to help you create a Rich and Fulfilling life.”

The Women's Festival seeks to benefit and encourage non-profit organizations specifically concerned with women leadership, e.g., NAWBO, Girls Inc., etc. The Women's Festivals will celebrate the accomplishments and nurture the dreams of women in an interactive, multi-cultural, and multi-tracked format focusing on the five critical areas of women's lives: Personal, Professional, Philanthropic, Political, and Planet— otherwise known as the "5 Ps."

The festival mission statement is to further the celebratory momentum behind Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, which is always on March 8th, however, the Santa Barbara event is planned a few days earlier on March 4-5th.

2011 Festival Theme: Collaboration and Leadership

* Better future relationships

* Building a better world through philanthropy

* Building better businesses - Skills for Success

* Better health

* Better planet - smarter, sustainable, and green

* Working with young women, future leaders, building self-sufficiency

* Looking at past role models to find lessons for the future

People from throughout the world will attend the California Women's Festival on March 4 & 5, 2011 at the Earl Warren Show grounds located in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. The Santa Barbara festival will include a professional business expo, awards program, and educational and enlightening discussions led by renowned speakers and authors. For further information about how you can help empower women and meet women in leadership roles at the biggest networking event Santa Barbara has to offer for 2011, please visit the site at http://www.WomensFestivals.org or contact info@womensfestivals.org

Empowering Women In Leadership Roles At The Biggest Santa Barbara Festival Of The Year

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The Women’s Festival is coming up on March 4-5th and offers you a unique opportunity to network with powerful women in leadership roles, and gain renewed sense of the importance of education and women empowerment. Women leadership is a key focus of this March festival, and many say it is the best networking event Santa Barbara offers. Help empower women at this Santa Barbara festival http://www.womensfestivals.org/

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The biggest networking event Santa Barbara offers in 2011 is coming Mar 4-5th. Empower women in leadership roles. http://womensfestivals.org/

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empower women

events in santa barbara

santa barbara festival

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education and women empowerment

empowering women

2011-01-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

Patty DeDominic says goodbye after a successful trip to the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

DeDominic worked with Deborah S. Nelson, founder, along with Minguito 17 (middle with hat)
and 19 year old Junior (left). The boys, whose classroom education stopped in the 7th grades
were gifted with English lessons by Canadian/Haitian
philanthropist Brian Kelly. After DeDominic's coaching
where she learned they want to become leading Haitian
businessmen, she encourages them to get back in school.

Only a week after her visit, Deborah has already helped
them get tutoring to bring them up to speed and they will
re-enter public school in Montellano, Dominican Republic.

They are learning Facebook and will be Twittering about
their progress soon. You are invited to support them with
charitable donations thru their NGO international, non profit
fiscal agent www.aidmatrix.org or via their social enterprise
at www.HAITIUP.com

In this photo they are opening their first copy of the book that Deborah Nelson
helped them write! Search for their book on Blurb.com or at www.authoryourdreams.com

2011-01-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

Haiti Up.com

Here's a photo of Junior and Minguito
the two Haitian boys living in the Dominican
Republic.

Thanks to generous Americans and Canadians
they now have their own book, laptops and will
soon have wireless internet service in their
own home town Montelleno, DR.

Visit their website at www.haitiup.com

This was taken at the airport as I departed from
my recent trip taken at the request of friend
and Author's coach, Deborah S. Nelson.

Patty DeDominic www.dedominic.com Helping Achievers Soar.... comes in all forms all over the world.

Zeitgeist 2010: Year in Review

2010-12-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

Inspired Work David Harder Offers Hope and Options!

2010-12-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

Patty DeDominic says,
The greatest recession of our lives is finally over. Thank God! It has been "a long hard winter for many Americans and others around the world" Our economy is inventing itself as we speak........and you will need plenty of skills, inspiration and innovation i n 2011 and beyond.

ARE YOU READY??

Are you inspired? Are You Inspirational? If not, you have work to do!!

David Harder has some ideas and answers for you.

Many of us want a great relationship with our work.
We want to find work that is meaningful that not only speaks to our heart
but also to our pocketbook. Many of us want to find the pathway to greater
success in our existing professions and jobs.

I'm reaching out to you because the possibility exists that you or a loved one wants to have a richly rewarding relationship with their work. Socrates believed that if we ask people the right question, they will come to their own truth.

For twenty years, The Inspired Work Program has led almost 40,000 people to the truth about the life they were meant to have, the work they are most want to do and much great happiness throughout their lives. It just may be the greatest gift you've given yourself or to a loved one.

We are delivering The Inspired Work Program on January 8 & 9 at the Luxe Summit Hotel.
In reading a note, it is difficult to comprehend how much greatness can happen during those two days. Consequently, if you would like to have a discussion to evaluate if this is for you or a coleague please feel free to call me for a chat. If you have a friend or loved one that comes to mind, I'm equally happy to have a conversation and listen to their needs.

Happy Holidays.
All the best,

David Harder

More information on our site: http://www.inspiredworkservices.com/

Inspired Work - Los Angeles

1801 Century Park East, 24th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90067

P: (310) 277-4850

E: david@inspiredworkservices.com

Inspired Work - Manhattan

12 Desbrosses Street

New York, N.Y. 10013

P: (646) 200-5902

http://www.inspiredworkservices.com/

TOUCHING AS MANY LIVES AS POSSIBLE

The Straight and Narrow Path.....leads to straight and narrower places

2010-12-13T23:53:00.000-08:00

I've been a bit worried about you lately.
It seems you may have lost your belief that you will make a big difference. And for some of you, stuck in jobs you hate, you are beginning to cost the company a lot in lost opportunities.

Maybe it's time to take a different path.
Wake up...and find something good to get excited about and expand your horizons and those of your employer while you are at it! Try to have some fun too. Pictured here with me is a friend from a very successful business organization. We were clowning around at a Halloween Party. We had fun being silly..... and you can too. Just don't get too laid back, unless you are a prince or an heir to an oil fortune, OK?

Get out there and Network....... Look for signs of intelligent life and go talk to those people who are busy.   You can identify trends and put yourself into the main stream with a little extra effort.   Business strategist and employment expert, Patty DeDominic warns that complacency in a job search will end up costing you plenty in lost income and reputation. You might feel like the odds are against you.... and they surely are if you stay at home and complain about the bad economy.   Get out There!

Timely Job Tips from DeDominic    -   Get Your Groovy Employment Upgrade in 2011

1. Sometimes you have to go out on the limb to get attention.
Attention grabbing for the sake of tooting your own horn is NOT a good thing..... but being assertive and having a sense of humor about yourself can go along way for your career. The view is better up here on the limb.

2. Remember to network.
Stay in touch with high performing friends.    Misery loves company....and so too do good friends.   Choose where you invest your time wisely and make that net work for you.

3. Elevate those contacts and friends who are on an upward track,
their own success tracks; educate those friends about what you need and ask how you can help them too.

4. Eliminate those "psuedo friends" who bring you down,
waste your time or who don't bring anything to the party.

Remember to circle back around, thanking the people who helped you along the way and giving feedback to those who gave you introductions, good advice or opened your eyes.   Those people are good connectors and they are the folks you want to stay in touch with..... ....... probably forever!

Call our office immediate if you need to be connected to a good career coach, DeDominic & Associates, in connection with RBC is certifying over 100 new coaches in the coming months and we can find the right coach for you!
805 453 7490             http://www.dedominic.com/

Mary Elizabeth Bradford Offers Great Job Coaching

2010-11-02T01:26:00.000-07:00

Our next JSS Coaching Group call is today,
Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Do What You Are – Match Your Personality with Your Career
By understanding your personality type you can discover the perfect career for you! Please join me for this very special call where we will be discussing different personality types and best career fits! In preparation for this call we ask that you take the free career assessment athttp://www.keirsey.com/. This call is fr’ee for Job Search Success System Members.

Want the Job Search Success System for Fr'ee?
When you purchase a resume package from me you will automatically receive my entire Job Search Success System! This includes private coaching and everything you need to set up a turnkey job search that teaches you easily how to tap into the hidden job mark et-saving you time and maximizing your income.

Learn more here: http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com/resume.php

VIP Client Spotlight—Feature Testimonial

"I started job searching August 15 and had NO responses from any of the 13 online applications. The only responses were "sorry..."

So, just since last week, I began using the new resume you designed for me. I have applied for 5 jobs and gotten 3 calls/requests to take assessments online + 2 telephone interviews. Interestingly ***** was a company I applied to several years ago, but got no response. Since I had posted my new resume in a very few select job boards, I got a call from them today out of the blue.” So we have movement!!!! Thanks so much!!”

Maria Elides, HR Executive, Youngstown, OH

NEED A JOB? Think Agri-Business! by Alan Walsh

2010-10-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

NEED A JOB? THINK AGRI - BUSINESS!

Alan Walsh, Owner

Walsh Enterprises, Business & Financial Advisors

Finance & Accounting and Multi-Hat Business Professional

October, 2010

I’ve been saying it for years, and events just continue to prove me out with increasing clarity & intensity. Agri-business is a growth-industry that job-seekers and investors need to investigate carefully.

Population-growth continues, while the quantity of arable land is relatively scarce. Food has become such a critical issue that a poor harvest in one country has ripple-effects around the globe. Investment marketplaces erupt over new crop news. Price increases cause economic spasms; and sometimes riots. People starve for lack of it. It’s a hot topic in political circles; not only regarding quantity, availability, and price; but also for quality and nutritive value. Numerous factors come into play; such as increasingly fished-out oceans, and poorly-used land that becomes unarable.

The demand for food will only continue to grow; and as developing countries go through their industrial revolutions their citizens will gain wealth and want more of everything. Meanwhile, those nations not so fortunate continue to wrestle with hunger & starvation.

Agri-business encompasses just about every business & professional activity one can think of: from basic farm labor –to- food processors, packagers, distributors, sales & marketing people, engineers, scientists & researchers, accountants & administrators, international trade experts, and others. Vast secondary industries exist to provide farm & processing equipment, processing & packaging and storage facilities, refrigeration, transportation, seed, fertilizers, pesticides, and other needs. Technology is being increasingly applied to achieve higher yields and improved production & distribution. The industry needs managers & executives who can innovatively provide greater quantities, of higher quality, distributed more efficiently, at reduced cost; without health-threatening chemicals or poorly-conceived genetic alteration. Those with a bent toward government will find increasing opportunities as this topic intensifies in political & economic importance. Those in academia will find increasing opportunities for research into food-related subjects. As population growth and socio-economic shifts continue, the opportunities will only intensify.

The U.S. will continue to be a major player due to the unique combination of factors that make it a leading producer. With global demand growing, pressure will intensify on the U.S. to feed the world. Developing countries will eventually become more efficient at feeding their own populations; but they’ll be decades behind the U.S. due to our massive lead. Much of the science & technology to bolster their home-grown agri-business will come from developments already used in the U.S. We’ll keep ourselves busy just meeting increased demand; and the related challenges, such as re-enriching stressed farmland. Water availability, and the politics & infrastructure that go with it, will become increasingly hot topics. Water is already shaping up to be a major “hot potato” of the 21st century. Creative minds will be increasingly focused on making unarable land productive. Then there’s all the civil infrastructure necessary to get food from field to table; roads, bridges, power plants, railroads, port facilities, etc. U.S. infrastructure is getting old, and will need replacement & expansion. All of this can only have a positive impact on U.S. agri-business and the economy as a whole.

People in developing countries have an opportunity to be the “tip of the sword” in developing their own countries’ agri-business.

There’s already a vast agri-business infrastructure all around us; and an even bigger infrastructure supporting it. Take a hard look, think creatively, and find a niche for yourself. Lots of bright minds will be needed. Why not be one of them? Those of you who are entrepreneurially-oriented will find opportunities abounding if you just give it some creative thought.

Many of you want to make a contribution to a “greener” world. It doesn’t get any more “green” than this.

After all, what’s more basic to the human condition, and rewarding, than putting good, affordable food on peoples’ tables. We’ve all gotta’ eat!

Teachers, Mentors and Musicians Wanted and Needed! by Patty DeDominic

2010-10-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

Do what you love........    Design the LIFE YOU WANT, then Make it Real......
Patty DeDominic

In spite of millions of people out of work..... some great programs still need people to step forward and share their gifts.   There are hundreds of thousands of jobs going unfilled every week.     If people really
want to find work....... there are plenty of opportunities out there.    Here's an example for part time teachers......

Dear Musicians and Music Educators,

I write to inform you about a brand new music education program in Santa Barbara, CA that is currently looking to fill a few part-time after-school teaching jobs at Franklin Elementary School . The program is poised to begin late 2010 and run through the 2010-11 school year and into the future.

For the past few years, the Incredible Children's Art Network has been sponsoring and designing in-school elementary level visual art programs. These art programs have been extremely successful, providing weekly art classes to children from kindergarten to 6th grade at five elementary schools in Santa Barbara. Students have flourished, creating works that fill the halls of their schools and are true sources of pride. This past summer, the members of ICAN decided to expand our vision to include an ensemble-based music program, inspired primarily by the longterm success and vibrancy of the él Sistema movement in Venezuela. Él Sistema is perhaps best known for producing talents such as Gustavo Dudamel, but it is more noteworthy for its commitment to social change, and the belief that ensemble music education can nurture children into becoming complete and compassionate individuals.

We are both humbled and inspired by él Sistema's proven example, and we seek to create our own version of this here in Santa Barbara, starting with a pilot after-school program at Franklin Elementary School. We have already seen interest from around 45 families of first and second graders, and we plan to grow as their children do, expanding upwards as they get older and adding a new crop of younger children each year. The program is currently set to take place for two hours after school every monday-thursday, and we hope this frequency will accelerate the forming of bonds between students, their teachers, and their music. We are also planning to explore frequent performing opportunities, and as a result, our teaching will focus on the personal and social benefits that are proven elements of ensemble learning and practice; students will be part of a choir, a rhythm ensemble, and an orchestra.

In order to accomplish all of this, our most vital resource is people. We are looking for instrumentalists and vocalists who are confident in their interpersonal abilities as well as their musicianship. We seek teachers who are interested in creating a program that provides a positive and lasting impact on the lives of children, with music as the vehicle.

We are asking interested candidates to apply through a website, hiring.icansbc.org, which explains the program more fully. There is also a video provided that we ask you to take the time to watch: it is a poignant and inspiring account of the principles behind él Sistema described by its founder, José Antonio Abreu, who won a TED prize two years ago. He is far better than I at describing the power music can have in the lives of children.

I look forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Adam

Adam Johnston

Program Director, Music Program at ICAN

ICAN- Incredible Children's Art Network

cell: 973.202.8715

ajohnston@icansbc.org

Sing for Hope-Women's Festival 2010

2010-10-20T17:34:00.000-07:00

Do What YOU LOVE.... love what you do or find something else to do. Life is magnificent and you deserve to enjoy it everyday! Consider becoming a sponsor of the 2011 International Women's Festival - celebrate the accomplishments and potential of extraordinary men and women. We'd like to get Lady Gaga at the 2011 Festival because she is not only an amazing entertainer but she is also one of the most accomplished business women in our lifetime. Her earnings may soon exceed Oprah's. I think she does what she loves to do!

www.womensfestivals.org Need enterprise or career advice? Call YOUR SUCCESS COACH for some real coaching. Make it REAL with DeDominic's Reality Based Coaching. www.dedominic.com

Robert Whipple on ACTING LIKE ADULTS

2010-10-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

Acting Like Adults

I am a big fan of documenting expected behaviors for a team.
Reasons:

1) expectations are clearly stated, which improves performance and

2) it is easier to call out members who are not abiding by the rules.

Every team should spend time upfront to construct and document rules of behavior and engagement. Here is an example set of rules one of my teams came up with that helped us perform well over several years.

• When in conflict we will try to see the situation from the other’s perspective

• We will not leave our meetings with “silent nos”

• We will listen to each other but not beat dead horses (80/20 rule)

• We will build an environment of trust

• We will work together on a finite number of common goals

• We will be more inclined to ask for and offer help

The team that created this set of rules was a high performing group of mature managers.

In many offices and teams, there is an additional rule that would be most helpful. That is

• We will try to remember we are all adults and act that way most of the time.

It seems so simple, yet all of us have witnessed adults acting like children at work. If you have not seen this, check your pulse – you may be dead! The problem is that when we get into petty squabbles, the real issues are deeper than the symptoms that are driving us nuts on the surface. So those childlike behaviors come out all over the office.

Operating in close quarters, human beings have a remarkable talent for driving each other crazy.
This problem is ubiquitous, no demographic is exempt from this kind of bad behavior. You can find petty squabbles and childish actions on the part of lawyers, doctors, construction workers, bellhops, auto mechanics, ballet dancers, rock bands, people on assembly lines, farmers, office workers, top managers, etc..

If you observe a typical work environment for just a couple days, you will see ample evidence of all the aberrant behaviors grade school teachers witness every day in the class room and on the playground. Here are a few examples you will quickly recognize.

Being selfish – Kids like to hog the remote control. Well, so do adults (and don’t deny it). At work,
the idea is to cooperate and give as much or more than you get, but since equity is in the eye of the beholder most people have the perpetual feeling they are doing more than their fair share. They put up with it for a while, but eventually the perceived inequity flares beyond the tolerance limit and fights erupt.
Whining – Oh boy, is that ever common in the working world. You would think some people are living in a prison camp the way they moan and cry about everything that is not up to their personal liking. We had a sign in one of my work areas that had a big red circle with a line through it and the word “Whining” in the center. The “no whining” symbol was actually useful in many cases. When people are called for whining, they tend to do less of it. Some offices have Olympic quality whiners. They need to be called on it.
Shouting or grandstanding – Sometimes the level of yelling in the workplace is amazing. In school, bullies find out that most kids do not have the courage to stand up to them when they bluster. It is a great trick to be able to out shout the competition and often get your way. Supervisors in many organizations have a habit of using a tone of voice that people interpret as yelling. I often find that word to be hard to define because it really is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes a supervisor will be accused of yelling at an employee when he has not raised his voice at all. So, “yelling” does not always mean shouting, but it can mean that. I know one supervisor who really does yell at people – loudly. This kind of approach has no place in the working world, in my opinion, but there is still some debate.

There was an article in the Harvard Business Review indicating that for large scale change or innovation initiatives, a healthy dose of dissent is necessary. For example, it is said that Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer were famous for yelling at people. In my book on Trust, I share a cute story about Jack Welch. “One former GE executive who had been dressed down by Welch for daring to question his boss, admitted to the moderator of an Aspen Institute Seminar that Welch’s furious tirade ‘caused me to soil my pants.’ ” I think most of us would agree the bully approach is most often working at cross purposes to the organization’s best interest. Short term it may get compliance, but it destroys motivation.

Hitting – I guess this is not so often seen in the working world, but I have actually witnessed it in rare situations. Usually the hitting is with words rather than fists, but sometimes cat fights do erupt that involve pushing and shoving or an occasional slap in the face. Sometimes there is a type of sexual harassment that goes along with the physical contact sports being played by the children at work.

Sulking – This is so common that you will recognize it immediately. Watch for it whenever someone is called out for another one of the child like behaviors. The person will sulk and mope about for days because his or her ego has been bruised. This childlike behavior occurs because people just do not know what else to do, so they hang their head and sigh deeply that the world is so unfair.

Passive Aggression – We see this all the time when people do not feel motivated to do their work. They will go into a “Flight Controller Slowdown” and do only exactly what they are told to do. Then they will sit and wait for more instructions. It is a way to get even for the sins done unto them by the big bad bosses. Kids do this to try to get out of doing their homework or eating their vegetables. Adults practice it to punish those in control. It is exactly the same driving force.

Getting even- Back stabbing or in some way paying back an individual or group for some perceived wrong doing only serves to escalate the hostility. The easiest way to witness this is in the e-mail grenades that go back and forth in every office in the world. Each time a note comes from the other person, the situation becomes graver and additional top brass are copied on the note until the final string becomes really laughable. It is the exact equivalent of a food fight in the Junior High School cafeteria. It gets messy very fast. The antidote is so simple. Don’t take the bait!

There are probably dozens of other childlike behaviors you can witness every day in the working world. I think having a rule that indicates we are going to try to avoid this kind of thing is a good defense that can work. There needs to be a highly visible effort to act like adults and not resort to immature tactics to get our way. When you set that expectation as a leader, it flushes out the individuals who like to practice these techniques and they are far less disruptive. Soon the embarrassment of the whole thing forces the perpetrators to grow up and join the adult working world. Try it, and see if it helps improve things in your place of work.

The preceding information was adapted from the book The TRUST Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, by Robert Whipple. It is available on www.leadergrow.com.

Robert Whipple is also the author of Leading with Trust is like Sailing Downwind and
Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online.
Bob consults and speaks on these and other leadership topics. He is CEO of Leadergrow Inc.
a company dedicated to growing leaders. Contact Bob at bwhipple@leadergrow.com

Deborah S. Nelson's Newest Books - Dreams to Reality and Author Your Dreams

2010-10-18T06:36:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be partnering with Deborah S. Nelson on our new book which will be
released this winter.       MAKE IT REAL - by Patty DeDominic & Deborah S. Nelson
will be a guide to turning your big visions into action items and accomplishments.

In the meantime if you don't know about Deborah S. Nelson, you might want to check
out some of her previous works.    She is passionate about helping others achieve their
dreams and came up the her Dreams to Reality Series just this past year.      Dreams
to Reality is already have great success and you can find out more about Authoring Your
Own Book or the exercises associated with putting your dreams down on paper and getting
them out into the world.

Deborah talks about the 4 Keys to turning your dreams to reality. They are
1. Conceive
2. Believe
3. Receive
4. Achieve

I watched her work magic with one of my clients, an International Speaker and Visionary who
wanted to bring her message around the world.    The exercises that Deborah has designed give
power to wishes and give you tools to help you figure out the difference between wishes and dreams
and actionable goals.        Once you launch your courage and learn your preferred methods of visualizing your dreams you are half way there.

If you would like to learn more you can find her books, which are now recommended reading for select DeDominic career coaching clients, at http://www.authoryourdreams.com/

CAREER Brainstorming Day Coming to a City Near YOU!

2010-10-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

With Unemployment numbers reaching new record rates...... and people stumbling around
trying to find their way in our new economy, I thought you might like some new age resources
for finding out more about YOUR CAREER Options.

This Friday October 22, 2010     Career Thought Leaders are sponsoring a Global
Career Brainstorming Day for you!         Sign up now or come to visit us regularly
for more career inspiration.     Patty DeDominic - DeDominic & Associates - helping
achievers soar.      http://www.dedominic.com/

WHAT IS GLOBAL CAREER BRAINSTROMING DAY?

"Brain Day" is a groundbreaking event of exploration, discovery and collaboration as colleagues join together to define our industry's best practices, identify emerging trends and set new standards for performance.

WHEN IS IT AND WHAT'S THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER?

The event is on Friday, December 3, 2010, but registration ends this Friday, October 22, 2010.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

"Brain Day" participants will experience:

1. Remarkably unique colleague-to-colleague brainstorming and networking event unlike anything our industry has ever hosted.

2. Chance to share your talents, insights, prognostications and more with hundreds of other career professionals worldwide.

3. Opportunity to tap into the collective intelligence of every "Brain Day" participant - those at your event and at all of the other events in the US and Canada.

4. Prominent positioning of your name, credentials and company name on the final "Brain Day" publication.

HOW CAN I TAKE PART?

You can participate in one of two ways:

1. Attend a LIVE EVENT in a city near you: Atlanta, Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Madison, NYC, Ottawa, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Raleigh/Durham, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seatsitrvgftle, Tampa, Toronto, Twin Cities, Virginia/DC/Suburban MD.
For Santa Barbara - register at this site please   http://www.dedominic.com/

2. Attend a VIRTUAL EVENT if none of the locations are convenient. We have several virtual events that will be going on simultaneously with the live events so our voices will be heard around the world.

NOTE: The deadline to register is this Friday, October 22, 2010.

WHY THE EARLY DEADLINE?

Since each city requires that a venue be selected and a contract be signed ASAP,
cities that are not full or near full by this Friday will no longer be available.

Don't worry if you've registered for one of those cities that's not filling! I've taken care of everything and you'll be offered the chance to participate in a "special" virtual event. Or, if you'd prefer, I'll issue a full refund.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

For more information about Brainstorming Day, sponsorship opportunities and registration, visit www.careerthoughtleaders.com/brainstorming2010.

WHO'S RUNNING THIS EVENT?

Global Career Brainstorming Day is brought to you by the Career Thought Leaders Consortium, the think tank for the now, the new and the next in careers. For more information about the Consortium and free access to all of our information - trends, best practices, articles, blog postings and more - click here:

www.careerthoughtleaders.com.

WHO'S SPONSORING THIS EVENT?

--Pat Kendall & Career Folios 2.0: http://www.careerfolios.com/reseller.html

--Clara Nydam & Career Momentum: http://www.careermomentum.com --Mindy Thomas & Thomas Career Consulting: http://www.thomascareerconsulting.com

--The Greater Brandon (FL) Chamber of Commerce: http://www.brandonchamber.com --Resume Writing Academy: http://www.resumewritingacademy.com

FINAL WORDS

The Career Thought Leaders and I hope you'll register and share your expertise with all of us. The real power of this event is the collective knowledge that we will amass and share with colleagues, job seekers and others around the world.

Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW

Author, Trainer & Career Consultant

www.resumewritingacademy.com

******************************

President - Enelow Enterprises, Inc.

www.wendyenelow.com (Bookstore)

******************************

Executive Director - Career Thought Leaders Consortium www.careerthoughtleaders.com www.careerthoughtleaders.com/conference

******************************

2265 Walker Road, Coleman Falls, VA 24536

Phone: 434.299.5600

wendy@careerthoughtleaders.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyenelow

http://twitter.com/WendyEnelow

patty's note:
I hope you will attend one of these live for virtual events. I have enjoyed Wendy's expertise for many years and know that her team will make sure that everyone gets great value.   She is well netoworked and a through and through professional.   Patty De

Developing Basic Computer Literacy by Patty DeDominic

2010-10-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

Don't get left behind.

You can become Computer Literate in no time. Many FREE computer trainings on line!

Plenty of people in their PRIME feel like the world of work is leaving them behind where it comes to job skills and the computer! If you have been out of work for a while, or worked at the same company in a non technology related job, you may feel like you have a mountain to climb just to get competitive.

Where to get help? Having a teenager at home will help....but for some of us, the kids left the nest years ago and grandkids may be too young or too far away to coach us!

Some baby boomers and seniors are totally frustrated. They may be trying to figure out how to search for jobs on line or just get called back for interviews. Technological advances make it more important to be able to conquer basic computer skills. You CAN do this.

Where to start? Learning new skills can be exciting but it can also become a daunting task if you don't know where to start. You want to begin learning all the computer basics in order to work in today's office. Below is a checklist of things to think about before you launch your job hunt.

Computer Essentials

The Computer Keyboard. Learn your way around. Typing at 40 words per minute or more
will be very helpful in all you do.

Microsoft Word and Excel, Two tools which enable you to save time, make wonderful documents which used to take professional artists to create. You can make charts, graphs, special fonts, headlines and headers with ease. Learn to Cut/Paste or Copy documents too. This can save hours and enable you to share information with others with ease.

Outlook Email, enables you to send receive mail and files. You can have task lists, reminders and color code your priority messages. You can create rules which allow you to send memo and emails into folders so you can read when you have time.

Filesharing, with Google docs or GoToMeeting enables you to share information and work with others without having to be in the same room. I have been having meetings regularly with Asia and Canada, Europe and Africa..... all on line using Skype or GoTo Meeting.com

Learning to be computer literate is a skill you can learn

on your own and there is FREE or very reasonably price help on line.

Try www.lynda.com This is a fantastic resource for all who want technology to become their

friend. This company works hard to make learning fun and easy. They offer thousands of on line courses broken into easy to digest segments. Many are free. Enjoy!

Job Hunting 101 Checklist

Resume Updated _____

Resume Proofread _____

References Prepared _____

Computer Skills Updated _____

Transportation Arranged _____

Prepared and Able to Work _____

Strengths & Weaknesses Defined _____

Proper Attire for the Job _____

Attitude Adjusted & Focused _____

Mentors or Job Counselors _____

Tally Your Score _____

Most people score 5 or less when they make their first call or email to get an interview. If you scored 7 or less, you have your work cut out for you. If you scored 8-9 then you can be ready in two days or less. If scored 10, congratulations. You are well on your way to getting interviews.

Want to learn more about what is happening in jobs in your region, city or state? Click on this link for government information on jobs. http://www.bls.gov/

Alan Walsh on The CFOs Role IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE

2010-10-08T15:43:00.000-07:00

Al Walsh is a regular contributor and valued expert at The NEW New World of Work. His business and financial experience has proven essential for corporations and financial professionals all the way up the career ladder. Thanks to Al for this submission. Patty De

The CFO role grows increasingly complex,
but a critical aspect of my work has always involved finding opportunities & weaknesses and driving performance improvements. In this, the CFO is in a unique position to view the business from macro & micro standpoints; both analytically and intuitively. Of course, multi-hat experience has broadened my perspective; viewing the business from different functional perspectives, and in one instance, from the CEO chair.

In both identifying opportunities, and driving improvements, people skills come into heavy play; which is the focus of this article.

The CFO’s interplay with the management team can vary greatly depending upon circumstances. In the extreme situation, I’ve taken direct leadership guiding a turnaround. I’ve also been involved in entrepreneurial situations partnering heavily with the CEO. But in most cases, there is a competent team in place and the CFO’s only direct authority lies within the F&A sphere; plus any other functions they may be overseeing. This typical situation is where people skills are most critical for success.

Most people take pride in their work, and naturally resent any perceived interference in their areas of authority. They don’t like having someone “looking over their shoulder”. They also naturally tend to shy away from change unless clear, immediate benefits are obvious. Even then, they will tend to hold back commitment unless they can take ownership and implement change “their way”. Forced change usually breeds resentment and avoidable complications.

This scenario assumes the employee is competent. Sometimes the employee IS the problem; and direct intervention may be necessary.

Seasoned CFOs understand that their roles are best served by insinuating themselves subtly across the organization.

Ronald Reagan famously said: “There is no limit to what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.” This should be a guiding principle for any sitting CFO. Its one thing to see an opportunity, but it’s quite another to get it enacted. Miracles can be accomplished through others, once you obtain their buy-in. This is done by laying the opportunity out clearly, identifying definite & measurable benefits, sharing or relinquishing credit, providing room for the key manager(s) to go about it in their own unique way, and helping out in a non-intrusive manner. Trust is the key to obtaining a receptive audience.

Putting the shoe on the other foot, the CFO can be useful as a sounding-board for ideas hatched by others. This means keeping an open mind, listening carefully, asking incisive questions, assessing fairly, and providing meaningful input. It entails taking certain risks, and might require taking a partnership role in fleshing-out, selling, and implementing the idea. In other words, the CFO must transcend the mere “screener” role and approach ideas from a broader business perspective. Of course, this first requires building an atmosphere of trust with the management team so that they feel comfortable approaching you. They should feel at ease being able to “run an idea up the flagpole to see if it flies”, confidentially, without fear of consequences. They need to be able to trust in your fairness and discretion. If you have to say “no”, your reasoning should be clearly & rationally laid out and presented in a non-confrontational manner. Don’t be too quick to reject out-of-hand. Give the idea considered thought before responding. Better to be accused by an impassioned manager of being too slow than rejecting an idea too hastily. Remember, the CFO’s supposed to be a reliable and trusted thought-source.

In most companies, major changes require the CEO’s and/or Board’s buy-off. The CFO is usually “hooked-at-the-hip” with both. This makes the CFO a natural for sanity-testing, prepping, and possibly helping present & promote worthy ideas.

There’s little about the CFO job that’s more fun than taking one’s own, or someone else’s “hair-brained scheme” from concept to reality. It’s also very satisfying to work constructive change through others; and it helps cement strong relationships when done correctly. Not every idea will work out; no matter how appealing it may have been up front. In such cases, you must be prepared to take full or partial blame; even though you wouldn’t have received credit had it worked. Also remember that most actions can be reversed or mitigated if they don’t render the desired results.

The CFO’s role could be said to be part-fiduciary, part-analyst/assessor, part-strategist/tactician/innovator, part-advisor/mentor/confessor, and part-“doer”. All of these elements come into play in developing, promoting, and implementing business improvements.

People skills overlay it all.

Alan Walsh

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9 Things You Must Do Now if You are Out of Work by Suzanne Stanford

2010-10-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

You Just Lost Your Job!

The 9 Things You Must Do Now If You’re Out Of Work

By
Suzanne Stanford
sstanfordk@gmail.com

It’s a terrible thing to be out of work and struggle to support yourself or your family but you’re not alone. According to the August report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 14.9 million Americans are jobless. 6.2 million, or 42%, have been out of work for 6 months or more. The “Land of the Brave” and the “Home of the Free” is taking a beating right now. There are things we can do however to mitigate our loss, bounce back, and create a secure future.

#1. EMBRACE THE “IT’S THEIR LOSS” ATTITUDE: As hard as it may be, bless the boss that let you go! He or she just let an amazing and talented person, “You”, go, and despite all scenarios, you will be missed. So, in effect, they need your blessings. Give it to them. It will serve your psyche in the long run. Take the high road! You are now “free” to re-evaluate your goals and objectives for your life. Is it scary to be jobless in these economic times? Absolutely. Is it the end of the world? Not even close. You are your biggest asset. You are valuable. Embrace the future of new and exciting possibilities, whether it’s working in the same field or charting a new path.

#2. THANK GOD or Whomever your “Higher Power” is: Be grateful that you are who you are and that you live in America. Know that you are a unique, one-of-a-kind amazing being. You are not defined by your past, your age or your circumstances. Rather, you make the “choice” to define yourself! You can choose to stay the same as you are, improve yourself or your skills or change direction entirely. Your talents and gifts are priceless. Thankfully, we live in a country that guarantees us “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. The key is, we need to make it happen. Despite America’s shortcomings, you don’t see people rowing away from our shores. Life is not a “dress rehearsal”. Every day is an Opening Night and you can make it a Smash Hit!

#3. GIVE YOURSELF 48 HOURS OF “ME” TIME: Starting on the day after you’ve been laid off, downsized, or fired, allow yourself 2 days to grieve.
On Day 1: Cry, get mad, feel sorry for yourself, rant to your friends. If you’re an emotional eater, binge on your favorite foods for a day. Whatever you need to do to get over the emotional hurt, shock, feelings of unfairness, or fear, do it! But do it for just 1 day.
On Day 2: Have fun! Don’t get caught up in thoughts of doom, gloom or anger. If you find yourself slipping into that, re-read #1. Spend the day doing whatever it is that you have wanted to do but didn’t have the time because of work. It can be anything from spending a day with your family, getting together with your friends, or learning something new that you’ve always wanted to try. Whatever it is that will give your mind a rest in the spirit of play and involves people, do it! Don’t give in to negative thoughts! The result of this exercise is to re-charge your emotional batteries. If you’ve already been out of work for a while, then you can either include this step or just skip to #3.

#3. SELF ASSESSMENT: Take an empty spiral notebook and on the first page, write “My Job”. Then, draw a vertical line down the center of the page. On the left side, write everything you like or liked about your former job or career. Be sure to include a category of responsibilities you like to do; regardless of whether you’ve been in charge of that task before or even if you’ve never been involved but think you’d be an asset if given the chance. On the right side, write everything you don’t or didn’t like. This will help give you clarity as you think about your next job move in terms of the responsibilities and environment in which you’d like to work.

#4. IDENTIFY YOUR IDEAL JOB: On the next page, write at the top “If money were not an issue, this is what I would I like to do?” In a stream of consciousness, without considering your educational background or training, write down what job you would absolutely love to do. Do not consider the money that the particular job or career typically offers. This is to find your PASSION. If you come up with different jobs, then put each one on their own piece of paper. Again, draw a vertical line down the center of the page and on the left side, write down everything you like, or think you’d like about this job or profession. Ideas of things you might include are: not an office job, less business travel, like working with start-up companies, can work more independently, etc. If you’re happy with your current job or career, write down what you like about it. On the right side, list the things about that job or profession that you don’t like. Now, review your lists. This should provide a description of your “ideal” job and some direction in finding it.

#5. ACTION PLAN: If you’ve come up with a job that is a departure from the one you’ve already been doing, before jumping in head first and spending money on school, consider seeking someone out who already has that job. Ask for a brief “informational interview”. If the person likes you, you may get an opportunity to observe them or their staff at work, or you can offer your services for free as an unpaid intern. Volunteering, whether at a job you’d like to explore, or even just for charity, often leads to wonderful and unexpected opportunities.

If you’re looking for a job in your existing field, let colleagues know that you’re available. Then go through the business cards you’ve collected along your employment journey. People want to be in business with people they know, like, and trust. Networking is the key to the “hidden” job market. One of the great things about email is that it’s not obtrusive. You can quickly shoot someone a “’just catching up” note and voila! You’re connected. Also, make sure you’re on the main social networking websites such as LinkedIn and FaceBook. You may find that your circle of influence is a hotbed of job leads.

#6. RESUME: Job hunting is all online – meaning that software programs, not people, are the initial gate keepers in selecting your resume to be read by a living, breathing person who can bring you in for an interview. As for writing your resume, you might want to consider hiring a certified resume writer, as they’re often connected with online recruiters and can offer targeted online exposure for you. If you don’t want to spend the money which can range from approximately $299 to more than $1,000, you should review a recent resume writing book before getting started. There are formatting specifics that must be followed or your resume will not make it through the screening process. The key is to get “in the game” as quickly as possible.

#7. UNEMPLOYMENT DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE MORE VACATION DAYS: While you may not have an office to be at, or a boss to report to, IT IS IMPERATIVE, that you treat Monday through Friday as work days that are defined by “usual” work hours. The temptation exists to get caught up in the daily routine of chores or extra activities, but resist it. Remember, your time is money regardless of whether or not you’re getting a paycheck. The two hours you took to lunch with your friend may have been the exact time when “the person you thought about calling” just filled a job that needed your skills.

#8. IF YOU NEED MONEY NOW: Don’t be attached to your “stuff”. Look around your house and see what you can sell either at a garage sale or online. Even if you make a few hundred dollars, it is more than you had before. There are also opportunities for online work at home. First, “beware” of scams. Never pay for any opportunity to make money for another company. There are however opportunities to start your own business which does cost money, takes consistent and dedicated time, and there’s no such thing as “get rich quick with little or no work or training!” As for work at home jobs provided by companies, the following are just some of many legitimate resources. Some of these also provide benefits and your employment contract is much like one with a traditional offline business. www.associatedcontent.com, www.elance.com, www.justanswer.com, www.alpineaccess.com, www.workingsolutions.com, www.etsy.com, www.artfire.com, www.oncallnursing.com, www.fonemed.com,

#9. DON’T GET DISCOURAGED: Know that looking for a job is “often” harder work than actually working at a job. Nutrition is also vitally important during this time. Fuel your body with healthy food and regular exercise, even if it’s just taking a walk around the neighborhood for thirty minutes. Stimulating your endorphins helps to promote a positive attitude, self esteem, and confidence – qualities you need to land that perfect job.

Suzanne Stanford
sstanfordk@gmail.com

Editor's note:

Ms. Stanford is an award winning, internationally known speaker and expert on Internet Safety and innovative education tools and systems. You can comment below or write directly to her at sstanfordk@gmail.com

David Harder's Inspired Work Program......... Come find your true passion.

2010-09-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

People who love their work have more than a job, they have a great relationship with their work.
In 20 years, over 35,000 people have launched new careers, reinvented themselves in existing jobs, found their competitive edge in today's market, created new businesses, gotten promoted and become truly happy with their lives - all by attending The Inspired Work Program.

Over 80% of America's workers don't really like what they do for a living. If you or a friend is having challenges with the topic of work, please forward this note to them. In two days, we promise you will transform your entire relationship towards work.

Los Angeles - Saturday & Sunday, October 9 & 10

New York - Friday & Saturday, October 15 & 16

Space is limited to 20 participants.

For more information, visit http://www.inspiredworkservices.com/

or call (310) 277-4850 (California)

Robert Whipple Offers Tips on Email Opening Lines

2010-09-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

E-mail Openings – Make Them Work

By Robert T. Whipple MBA CPLP

Humans have the ability to synthesize data with incredible precision. In his book, Blink, Malcolm Gladwell describes how human beings can form accurate impressions of situations and people based on just a tiny amount of data. Gladwell calls this “thin slicing,” which is the ability to sort out germane factors from a large array of data with lightning speed. Let’s look at the first few words of some example e-mail notes and see how people are likely to react to them.

• “Hi Alan” This is a friendly and neutral salutation that puts the reader in a happy place. Why? You have used the most important word in your reader’s vocabulary. You used his name along with the happy word, “Hi.” After those two words, your reader is subconsciously saying to himself, “This is going to be a nice note.”

• “Alan” Here you use his favorite word again, but without the word “Hi” or “Greetings,” your note starts out on a sober, stern, or businesslike note. Your reader is wondering whether he is going to get chewed out or get a raise.

• “So Alan” This is an alarming opening to an e-mail. The reader will instinctively cringe before even reading the third word. This is going to be rough. Either Alan has previously written something to upset you, or you have a serious question about something he has done.

• No name or greeting Here you have lost an excellent opportunity to start your note with a polite greeting. Alan will usually not miss it on a conscious level, but he will be wary about the contents of your note until he reads further. Without the name as a courteous salutation, the first couple words will set the tone for better or worse. If you start with “Once again…” you are signaling that Alan is in trouble unless he knows you are thrilled with his most recent performance. At worst this is a trust withdrawal, and at best you have missed the opportunity for a trust deposit.

• “You dummy” There is no mistaking the tone of this greeting. Alan is going to put on his flack jacket before reading this note.

• “Bless you, Alan” This is the kind of note Alan will print out and put on his wall or take home to show his wife.

The words used to begin a note are the first “thin slice” of the tone for the entire e-mail. Make sure you get started on the right track. There is momentum when reading notes. If the reader starts out in a good frame of mind, things go more smoothly. If the opening is abrupt, curt, or is a blatant trust withdrawal, it will take a lot of honey in the rest of the note to make up for it.

It is like the difference between a conventional photograph and a hologram. If you take a photograph and cut out just a tiny piece of it, you will have only the data represented by that piece. If you cut out a tiny piece of a hologram and hold that piece up to the light, you will be able to see the entire image, only with less resolution than the larger hologram. Humans work the same way. If you have an entire note, you can study it and reveal great detail, but people can sense the body language in just a few words. The first few words of an e-mail are especially important. Let me share an extreme example for clarity.

It is the first day of an online class. None of the students know each other yet. Allison is responding to a question about whether leaders are made or born. Here is a short section of her note:

• Allison writes: “I really do not believe there is any such thing as a natural-born leader. I believe that leadership is an acquired skill and can be improved constantly. When I was seventeen, I was promoted to shift manager. I was not a good leader to say the least.”

Another student (Roger, who has not yet exchanged notes with Allison) replied to her note as follows:

• Roger writes: “Allison wake up!!! How many seventeen-year-old kids are asked to be a manager??”

The note goes on, but for purposes of this illustration, these few words are all that is required. I believe Allison had Roger pegged after the first three words, and probably did not even read the rest of his note. If she did read it, she heavily discounted the information. To her credit, she did not take the bait and fire back a strong rebuttal. She just pretended the note never happened, which is a good strategy in a case like this.

Roger’s note was a blatant example of starting out in a way that completely alienates the other person. Usually the damage is more subtle, but the impact is similar. Here is another example of a note that begins poorly:

• “I really think you should be careful when you write, ‘people like you’ in a note. It tends to peg you as a bigot or someone who likes to put people in boxes.”

The first five words, “I really think you should,” give away the body language before the real content of the message is reached. After the opening phrase, the reader is prepared to get a lecture and reacts accordingly. Here is another version of the same message with a more constructive opening:

• “That was an insightful note. One possible upgrade is to avoid the phrase ‘people like you,’ because some people might find that offensive.”

The reader is more likely to absorb and heed the advice in the second note based on how it starts.

##

The preceding information was adapted from the book
Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, by Robert Whipple.
It is available on www.leadergrow.com.

Robert Whipple is also the author of The TRUST Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, and Leading with Trust is like Sailing Downwind. Bob consults and speaks on these and other leadership topics. He is CEO of Leadergrow Inc. a company dedicated to growing leaders. Contact Bob at bwhipple@leadergrow.com

Joy Chen on Mentors Value

2010-09-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

Find Mentors to Spur Your Career
Joy Chen

People often scratch their heads and wonder how I was appointed Deputy Mayor at age 31, just 10 years after graduating from college and moving to Los Angeles where I knew no one. I can understand their surprise. After all, I’m a child of immigrants who struggled to learn English and to fit in. I’m perhaps slightly above-average in some areas – intelligence, looks, talents – while below-average in other areas, such as height and weight.

Great mentors were important to my journey. This is a story of one of my mentors, and how to develop mentors for yourself.

When I graduated from Duke in 1991, I was drawn to Los Angeles by its glamour and good weather.

How I found my greatest mentor:

Shortly after arriving, I signed up for an Asian Pacific Women’s Network event. There, I met a woman who later invited me out with her neighbor, a lobbyist named Maureen Kindel. In America, while mayors and governors rotate in and out of office, “kingmakers” like Maureen help decide who gets elected to what position. Behind the scenes, they pull the strings that make government run.

Maureen embraced me into her life, and over time, I became known as “Maureen’s Chinese daughter.” She loved to entertain, but hated sending out invitations and organizing the events. So I jumped in, helping her with the details while she played hostess par excellence. Our Saturday night dinner parties and poker nights were legendary among California’s business and political leaders.

From Maureen, I learned how to connect with people of diverse backgrounds. Maureen is one of the world’s most artful, generous, lively and charming personalities. She’s a voracious learner and can converse on any subject. She understands power and how to wield it.

Maureen continues to surprise, delight and attract many, men as well as women. A few years ago when she turned 70, she sat before her birthday cake and said “The only thing that surprises me at age 70 is … that I am still SUCH a FOX!” She has not stopped. She’s returned to school and is now working on her doctorate in education. When you and I are her age, may we all share her capacity for joy and learning.

To cultivate a mentor, become an indispensable assistant

When I think about our mentoring relationship, I’m reminded of the wise words of another close friend, Joel Kurtzman, who is one of the world’s top business strategists and a former Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Business Review. Joel says that most highly successful people have been blessed with mentors, and the way to develop someone as a mentor is to become his or her “indispensable assistant.”

To mentor you, someone need not to be as powerful and distinctive as Maureen. He or she just needs to be someone from whom you can learn, and in fact, you can learn from everyone. When you find someone you’d like to have as a mentor, find a way to become an indispensable assistant.

Find virtual mentors online

Meanwhile, study remarkable people from afar. The WWW is an incredible resource which did not exist when I was starting out in my career. Marketer Hajj Flemings points out that many outstanding people mentor millions virtually:

When was the last time you read a blog post or followed someone on Twitter and the light went on for you? … These brief points of interaction can be as impactful as spending 3 or 4 hours with a person in a face-to-face mentoring session.

In this way, I have developed many online mentors whom I’ve never met. I follow a wide range of people, including: philanthropist Bill Gates, technology leaders Robert Scoble and Guy Kawasaki, marketing leader Seth Godin, economist Tyler Cowen, NY Times columnist Tom Friedman, GE’s Jack Welch, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, and media moguls Oprah and Martha Stewart. I try to retweet the tweets that I find most helpful, so if you want to see those, you can follow me at @globalrencai.

If you’d like to share your own list of great people to follow, on Twitter, Renren, SINA or other resources, please post them in the Comments section of this blog post.

Having had such great mentors, I now am blessed with the chance to give back. I can’t fill all the requests for personal mentoring which I receive, so I started this blog, to help virtually mentor the millions of young Chinese who will build the future of China and by extension shape our world. To help with this, I’ve just hired a small team of elite Communications student interns from USC. Here at www.GlobalRenCai.com, we look forward to expanding our range of information, videos, interviews and other resources to help accelerate your career. So if you’d like to take advantage of this, subscribe your email address above if you haven’t already.

Potential Mentors are Everywhere

Every highly successful person I’ve met has had mentors and heroes who inspired their own greatness. Find mentors who can serve as role models for you. They are all around you, in person and online.

*

I welcome your comment, in English or Chinese, on the Chinese version of this blog post, which is here.

GlobalRenCai is a blog and community for all the world's talented, ambitious, exceptional young Chinese talent. It is hosted by Joy Chen, a Chinese-American former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles who now works as a corporate head-hunter, finding U.S.-based CEOs and other talent for successful global companies.

Visit us at www.globalrencai.com

Follow on Twitter @globalrencai

Follow on SINA Microblog at: http://t.sina.com.cn/globalrencai

Patty DeDominic on Staying the Course, It Might Not Be Age Discrimination

2010-08-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

It Might Not be your AGE….

Your problem is probably not age discrimination....You may be giving up too soon.

Over the past year many people, on both ends of the age scale have told me they think they might have an issue with age discrimination.     Both college "kids" and "senior citizens" have told me this when describing their difficulties in getting that great job offer.   No question that age discrimination does exist.    So if you have been a victim I offer my sympathy, but there is no reason for you to be limited by that. There really ARE enough opportunities out there for those who will keep making the effort.   No doubt it will take tenacity and creativity...as well as a thick
skin.

Debbie Gregory's 95 year old uncle who is still working.
There has been a news segment about him and it has been nominated for an Emmy.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34382597/ns/today-today_people/
God Bless him, he is working as a greeter at Walmart and he seems to be having a grand time.

The Case of the Mysterious Banker.......

I was recently contacted by a well meaning friend of a former banker. the banker has been trying for months to get a new job replacing her former occupation in one of the banks in town which she had not yet worked for.    Still no offers.....    Could she have a discrimination claim?    Could I please review the resume and offer suggestions on anything this person might be doing wrong on her resume.   The resume was well done and listed a number of impressive banks in the woman's home town.

This business development and relationship banker has had a series of jobs in banking over the past 20++ years, sometimes even winning awards and occasionally getting promoted. The banker friend was worried that Age Discrimination was her problem and after reviewing the resume, I realized the woman had a pattern of leaving her job at 2-4 year intervals.  (boredom? burn out?)

I said, Your friend has a three year track record, (unless these are acquired banks)

She gets hired.
She wins awards
Then… what happens……. She loses steam? She gets laid off.   It is quite possible she
has just run her course in this profession and it is time to make the most of it and move on.

After a little added analysis, I think her "pattern" has simply caught up with her and it might be time to look for a parallel occupation out of banking. If she is willing to go outside her comfort zone and seek a job in another field she might be able to put her skills and experience to even more rewarding work.

Where can she can build on her vast contacts and experience in the business development and  banking world?   A great place in need in today's "new economy" is the non profit sector who generally LOVES former bankers. Another example of a job that might work with this experience might be Selling to Banks or bankers.   Given that the woman had business development experience, I encouraged her to consider expanding her job search outside of banking and look into non profit organizations.

Sometimes going into allied fields allows people to “start over.”

If you are a former banker here are a few things to consider:
Particularly if you have business development experience, perhaps fundraising for charities will be a good career move.

Or….. household finance?

Or prepaid legal? Or promoting related professionals or firms of pros, like CPA's or Law Firms.

Or business development for a finance company/ business factor?

You can leverage Your Track record and get out of the insiders whispers by trying that parallel universe. Make the most out of your decades long investment and go out there and find something that will generate some new excitement in your brain and your heart in the coming years.

Reputation…… is key.
It is NOT what people say about you always… sometimes it is what they won’t or don’t say.
Patty DeDominic, Coach to High Achievers

Happy Job hunting.... and please feel free to comment or offer your own experience or
job leads here!

Own the Whole Project by Patty DeDominic

2010-08-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

"It' s not my job"
Years ago...... there was a joke going around and lots of people thought it was funny
to proclaim that some (or almost every) aspect of their messed up corporate job was not their problem.   As a coach to boards of directors and company president's as well as successful entrepreneurs,    I am hearing more and more employers wishing that their staff would indeed "own the whole project"   or at least act like they understand that their work in part of a bigger picture.

Please... job seekers and those wondering when your next raise is coming.
Hear this advice:
Act as if you owned the company.

Without "taking over" or becoming bossy, please take a look and try to understand
how your part of the project fits into the whole.       Please use caution and try never to
delegate back to your boss or sit and wait for added instructions before you can move a
project forward. If you aren't sure what to do next, please ASK.

Do not ever utter those words   "It's not my job"..... because your job may indeed hinge on
your being able to see the bigger picture and helping to make a difference beyond tasks you
may have been assigned.

Try it..... You might like it!

Patty DeDominic
Coach to High Achieving Professionals.
http://www.dedominic.com/

Veteran and Military Business Owners Association launched in California

2010-07-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

VAMBOA – VETERAN AND MILITARY BUSINESS OWNERS ANNOUNCES NEW TRADE ASSOCIATION

Simi Valley, California (July 15, 2010)—A new non-profit trade association to ensure the development, growth and prosperity of Veteran Owned Businesses, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOB) and Military Businesses of all sizes worldwide has been launched under the name of VAMBOA.org ,Veteran and Military Business Owners Association. VAMBOA will serve the needs of the veteran and military business communities by uniting veteran and military business owners for collaboration, connections and contracts with both private corporations and government agencies.

VAMBOA was founded by Patty DeDominic, CEO of DeDominic & Associates and the former national President of NAWBO, the National Association of Women Business Owners and Debbie Gregory, CEO of MilitaryConnection.com. Patty DeDominic brings a wealth of experience leading associations of large and small businesses. Debbie Gregory has years of successful interaction with the military and veteran communities and is dedicated to those who serve, past and present.

One major area of focus for VAMBOA is connecting veteran and military business owners with the private sector and corporations that want to use their goods and services. VAMBOA also provides networking, collaboration, mentoring, education, certification and advocacy.

“VAMBOA's "Vet Owned" seal symbolizes the talent, dedication, leadership, courage and ingenuity of these special Americans who currently serve or have served in America’s Armed Forces and have a business, large or small,” said DeDominic. “VAMBOA offers a multitude of resources and services to its members but does not charge any dues.”

Gregory added, “VAMBOA is proud to have Amgen as one of our first sponsors. Amgen is a company that embraces and supports diversity suppliers. VAMBOA commends Amgen for their support and their efforts to reach out to Veteran and Military Business Owners.” Amgen is also a Gold Sponsor at the 6th Annual National Veteran Small Business Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. VAMBOA’s corporate sponsors will gain visibility to this audience and provide valuable mentorship.

For more information on VAMBOA, building success for Veteran and Military Owned Businesses, one connection at a time, please go to http://www.vamboa.org/. You have honorably served our nation. VAMBOA is here to serve you and be your voice.

Robert Whipple, Leadergrow Inc on Creating Meaning

2010-07-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

Leaders Create Meaning

by Robert Whipple: MBA, CPLP

Too many people go to work each day in a zombie-like state where they go through the motions all day and try to stay out of trouble with the boss. Work life is a meaningless array of busywork foisted upon them by the clueless morons who run the place. They hate the environment and intensely dislike their co-workers. Their suffering is tolerated only because there is no viable option for them to survive. What a pity that anyone would spend even a single day on this earth in such a hopeless atmosphere.

We can fault the individuals who allow themselves to be trapped in this way, but I believe the environment created by leaders has a great deal to do with this malaise. Reason: if you put these same individuals in an environment of trust and challenge, nearly all of them would quickly rise up to become happy and productive workers. It is essential that each individual in the workforce find real meaning in the work being done, and the responsibility is on leaders to make that happen.

Some good research into this conundrum was presented by Viktor Frankl a half century ago in his famous book, Man's Search for Meaning. Frankl posits that it "is a peculiarity of man that he must have something significant yet to do in his life, for that is what gives meaning to life." He discovered this universally human trait while surviving the most horrible of life conditions in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. One cannot imagine a more oppressive environment, but believe it or not, many people at work feel like they are in a kind of concentration camp. The antidote is for leaders to create something significant yet to do.

Dave and Wendy Ulrich, co-authors of The Why of Work put it this way. "In organizations, meaning and abundance are more about what we do with what we have than about what we have to begin with." They point out that workers are in some ways like volunteers who can choose where they allocate their time and energy. For their own peace and health, it is imperative that workers feel connected to the meaning of their work.

What can leaders do to ensure the maximum number of people have a sense of purpose and meaning in their work? Here are a dozen ideas that can help.

1. Create a positive vision of the future. Vision is critical because without it people see no sense of direction for their work. If we have a common goal, then it is possible to actually get excited about the future.

2. Generate trust. Trust is the glue that holds people together in a framework of positive purpose. Without trust, we are just playing games with each other hoping to get through the day unscathed. The most significant way leaders help create trust is by rewarding candor, which is accomplished by not punishing people for speaking their truth.

3. Build morale the right way. This means not trying to motivate people by adding hygiene factors like picnics, bonuses, or hat days. Motivate people by treating them with respect and giving them autonomy. Leaders do not motivate people, rather they create the environment where people decide whether to become motivated. This sounds like doubletalk, but it is a powerful message most leaders do not understand.

4. Recognize and celebrate excellence. Reinforcement is the most powerful tool leaders have for changing behavior. Leaders need to learn how to reinforce well and avoid the mine-field of reinforcement mistakes that are easy to make.

5. Treat people right. In most cases focusing on the Golden Rule works well. In some extreme cases the Golden Rule will not be wise because not all individuals want to be treated the same way. Use of the Platinum Rule (Treat others the way they would like to be treated) is helpful as long as it is not taken to a literal extreme.

6. Communicate more and better. People have an unquenchable thirst for information. Lack of communication is the most often mentioned grievance in any organization. Get some good training on how to communicate in all modes and practice all the time.

7. Unleash maximum discretionary effort in people. People give effort to the organization out of choice, not out of duty. Understand what drives individuals to make a contribution and be sure to provide that element daily. Do not try to apply the same techniques to all individuals or all situations.

8. Have high ethical and moral standards. Operate from a set of values and make sure people know why those values are important. Leaders need to always live their values.

9. Lead change well. Change processes are in play in every organization daily, yet most leaders are poor at managing change. Study the techniques of successful change so people do not become confused and disoriented.

10. Challenge people and set high expectations. People will rise to a challenge if it is properly presented and managed. Challenged individuals are people who have found meaning in their work.

11. Operate with high Emotional Intelligence. The ability to work well with people, upward, sideways, and downward allows things to work smoothly. Without Emotional Intelligence, leaders do not have the ability to transform intentions into meaning within people.

12. Build High Performing Teams. A sense of purpose is enhanced if there is a kind of peer pressure brought on by good teamwork. Foster great togetherness of teams so people will relate to their tasks instinctively.

This is a substantial list of items, but most of them are common sense. Unfortunately they are not common practice in most organizations. If you want to have people rise to their level of potential, they must all have a sense of meaning. To accomplish that, focus on the above items, and see a remarkable transformation in your organization.

Bob Whipple is CEO of Leadergrow, Inc. an organization dedicated to growing leaders. He can be reached at bwhipple@leadergrow.com 585-392-7763. Website www.leadergrow.com BLOG www.thetrustambassador.com He is author of the following books: The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind

Mary Schnack, Tips on Crisis Communications for Leaders

2010-07-02T05:43:00.000-07:00

PR Tips

Crisis Communications

Whether you are part of a large corporation or a small family business, no one is exempt from a crisis.
Crises appear in the news all the time and small businesses are often the victim-business loss due to arson, product tampering, someone getting hurt on your premises, or a sexual harassment lawsuit.

If something were to happen at your place of business, would you be prepared? It's too late to develop a crisis communications plan once the crisis hits. You need to have a plan in place with professionals "on call," and know how to communicate both internally and to the media.

Tips:

1. Appoint a crisis communications "team" and develop a crisis communications plan.

2. Having an on-going public and community relations program with pre-existing, positive relationships with the media and your community will help minimize the impact of many crises.

3. During a crisis, don't forget to communicate to your internal audience -- your employees, investors/shareholders, clients, community contacts and colleagues.

4. Be honest about what's going on. Provide as much information as you can and tell the truth!

5. Simple media training in advance is not only a good precautionary step, but can also be fun!

6. Develop message points that communicate the essence of your business, your concern, and your responsive actions.

7. Besides news releases and websites, use other inexpensive ways to get your messages out: Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, messages on voice mail - or the tried and true touch of personally calling people.

The key to the entire concept is to have the plan in advance. Don't let a crisis turn into a disaster.

"Public relations is a long-term commitment to outreach, and ultimately, your public image."

- Mary Schnack, President, Mary Schnack & Associates

www.MarySchnack.com.MEDIA TIPS

David Harder A GREAT AGE

2010-07-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

THE GREAT AGE
David Harder

My greatest fear in today's economic landscape is that too many American workers will give up their hopes, dreams and aspirations. A recent Towers Watson survey indicates that over 70% of American workers are hunkering down and planning to stick to their old jobs. That same reputable firm put out figures that over 80% of our workers don't like their jobs! By lowering our personal expectations, we also lower the productivity, innovations and standards of the workplace. There will be many essays to come on this topic. Let's take one selection at a time.

In the months ahead, let's examine a few of the myths / beliefs that get in the way of career/work/employment satisfaction. Some of us are holding onto mediocre jobs because we believe we're too old to change. Some of us end up in that terrible place because when we were kids, we went for, "it's just a job." Now we are fifty and sixty and we need to change! What happens to those kids that pursued their dreams? What happens when they make it to the top? Do they quit for mandatory retirement? Broadcast journalism has certainly been accused of ageism. Let's look at the evidence:

Morley Safer - 79 Morley is an integral part of 60 Minutes for decades. At almost 80, we still find Mr. Safer in flack jackets in the battlefield with a childlike curiosity that makes him such an interesting journalist to watch.

Diane Sawyer - 64 America's class act! How many women become world news anchors in their sixties and boost the ratings?

Barbara Walters - 80 She will be holding the mike when asking, "How do you feel about the end of the world?"
Christian Amanpour - 52 Yes, in this crowd, 52 is a toddler, but she's aged twice as quickly by bringing middle east terrorism into our living rooms.
Anderson Cooper - 43 Because you can see he loves it and you know he will still be here at 100.
Bob Simon - 69 Engaging in news stories as if he was 40.
Dan Rather - 79 The gold standard of in your face reporting. (In comparison, Geraldo's a 67 year old thug)
Katie Couric - 53 Shows her colon, gets mud slung on her ratings, Katie has whatever it takes to get 90 - gracefully.

Charlie Rose 65 Does 65 with greater vitality then many 40 year olds.
Brian Williams - 51 Will be with us for fifty-one more years.
Charlie Gibson - 67 The grandfather of 60 minutes.
Andy Rooney - 91 Hasn't he been 91 since the beginning of time?
Walter Cronkite - 93 Walter quit in 1980 and said, "I regretted it within twenty-four hours and for the rest of my life." What would have been if he stayed on the air?
Betty White - 88 She's not a journalist but what 88 year old can talk about her muffin on Saturday Night Live?
The point of today's essay is do something that you love and do it well.

It is never too late to find something that you love and to also do it well. If you have that, you will be vital!

All the best,
David Harder

President & Founder, Inspired Work
(310) 277-4850

http://www.inspiredworkservices.com/

THE INSPIRED WORK PROGRAM has led over 35,000 participants into vital, rewarding, successful and engaging relationships with their work - all within two days.

In 1990, Inspired Work developed a philosophy that work is the biggest relationship we have. We spend most of our waking hours getting ready for, driving to, being at, driving home and recovering from work. Twenty years ago, we defined the learnable skills that would allow anyone to have a wonderful relationship with their work. We created a Socratic curriculum and in just two-days you walk out of the room with insights about your purpose, your life's work, how to best package yourself and seven life skills that lead to success with all professionals. To date, over 35,000 participants have used the program to create new and re-newed work lives:

"Remarkably, self-knowledge emerged and I left the program with a renewed lie purpose. I highly recommend The Inspired Work Program with my personal testimonial as well as having

witnessed the transformation of each participant in the program."
- Erica Phillips, Award-winning costume designer

"Now I know why I am here. I have a clear-cut focus with short and long-term objectives. I feel empowered, liberated, resourceful and confident."
- Anne Chen, Sony Pictures Entertainment

"My wife left an executive position she held for 23 years - it was her only employer. The Inspired Work Program gave her the confidence to define and find a position more fulfilling, exciting and

profitable than ever. Anyone who wants to get the most out of their ought to run - not walk to this program. The insights are that powerful."
- Barnet Bain - President, Metafilmics

We can take you to a place where you can see how to be successful and happy with every important aspect of your work!
We will show you how to do the work you love successfully!

We guarantee you will solve that problem about work that has bothered you for a long time!

Robert Whipple on Admitting Mistakes

2010-06-07T16:03:00.000-07:00

Admitting Mistakes   It's not IF Mistakes happen,
but how you handle the Mistakes.

At DeDominic & Associates http://www.dedominic.com/ we feel fortunate to have extraordinary
resources at our fingertips.     Being Santa Barbara based strategic planning and organizational
consultants for operating more effectively, we see all types of enterprises from the under belly
as well as from the public relations point of view.    I applaud those leaders and managers who
strive to become more effective and who believe that keeping their integrity is paramount. One
of the important qualities of a leader who operates with integrity is the ability to admit mistakes.
Frankly it is not that you don't make mistakes, everyone does.   But how you handle and grow from
those mistakes that can make a huge difference in your impact. Today we hear from a national resource on leadership, Robert Whipple, MBA and CEO of Leadergrow, Inc.

Admitting Mistakes

By Robert Whipple - The New New World of Work Guest Expert

One of the most powerful opportunities for any leader to build trust is to publicly admit mistakes.
The source of that power is that it is so rare for leaders to stand up in front of a group and say something like this: “I called you here today to admit that I made a serious blunder yesterday. It was not intentional, as I will explain. Nevertheless, I failed to do the best thing for our group. I sincerely apologize for this and call on all of us to help mend the damage quickly. Without being defensive, let
me just explain what happened…”

If you were in the audience listening to this leader, how would you react? Chances are your esteem
for the leader would be enhanced, simply by the straightforward approach and honesty of the statements. Of course, it does depend on the nature of the mistake. Here are a few situations where an admission of a mistake would not produce higher trust:

• If the blunder was out of sheer stupidity.

• If this was the third time the leader had done essentially the same thing.

• If the leader is prone to making mistakes due to shooting before aiming.

• If the leader simply failed to get information that he should have had.

• If the leader was appeasing higher-ups inappropriately.

Assuming none of the above conditions is present and the mistake is an honest one, admitting it
publicly is often the best strategy. There is an interesting twist to this approach that has often baffled
me. Let’s suppose that I have gathered 100 leaders into a room and asked them to answer the following question: “If you had made a mistake, which of the following two actions would have the greater chance of increasing the level of respect people have for you?

(A) You call people together, admit your mistake, apologize, and ask people to help you correct the problem.
(B) You try to avoid the issue, blame the problem on someone else, downplay the significance, pretend it did not happen, or otherwise attempt to weasel out of responsibility.”

Given those two choices, I am confident that at least 99 out of the 100 leaders would say action
(A) has a much greater probability of increasing respect. The reason I am confident is that I have
run that experiment dozens of times when working with leaders in groups. The irony is that when
an error is subsequently made, roughly 80% of the same leaders choose action more consistent with choice (B). The real conundrum is that if you were to tap the leader on the shoulder at that time and ask him why he chose (B) over (A), he would most likely say, “I did not want to admit my mistake because
I was afraid people would lose respect for me.”

This situation illustrates that in the classroom, all leaders know how to improve respect and trust,
but many of them tend to not use that knowledge when there is an opportunity to apply it in the field.
It seems illogical. Perhaps in the heat of the moment, leaders lose their perspective to the degree that they will knowingly do things that take them in the opposite direction from where they want to go. I believe it is because they are ashamed of making a mistake, but when you admit an error, it has an incredibly positive impact on trust because it is unexpected. Perhaps this is one of the differences between IQ and Emotional Intelligence. Intellectually, they know the best route to improve trust, but emotionally they are not mature or confident enough to take the risk. When you admit an error, it has a positive impact on trust because it is unexpected.

As Warren Bennis in Old Dogs: New Tricks noted,
“All the successful leaders I’ve met learned to embrace error and to learn from it.”

http://www.leadergrow.com/

585-392-7763

bwhipple@leadergrow.com

The NEW New World of Work, FREE Career Resources: Katie White on WHAT GOES AROUND

2010-06-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

The NEW New World of Work, FREE Career Resources: Katie White on WHAT GOES AROUND

INCREASE YOUR ODDS TEN FOLD by Patty DeDominic

2010-06-05T17:28:00.000-07:00

Patty DeDominic is a coach to high achievers and a former owner of PDQCAREERS which
sold in 2006. Her career placement and staffing firms helped over250,000 people get jobs.

De Dominic says:

Here is some advice I have for Job Hunters and Resume Writers about how to put themselves
"in the front of the line.".

PERSONALIZE, Please Personalize your communication and your approach!

One of my clients just got hired this week using RESEARCH and Personalization on her follow up to an employer. My client did several key things. This young woman went to the website of her desired employer and did a small (but not so critical analysis of what was missing) snapshot of the employers website and then made a couple of gentle but valuable suggestions to the employer. The job hunter also used a professional organization's social to network with the business owner/employer creating a closer connection. Additionally, the candidate let the employer know that she was really excited and interested to work for the company.

When placement professionals present qualified candidates to potential employers they usually try to make
a skills match. They also try to give the employer a couple of choices to refine the chemistry fit. In today's job climate, it is likely that there are plenty of supply of skill-qualified candidates.... so those candidates who do advance homework usually can put themselves at the front of the line of candidates.

I have include more advice below. I hope it is helpful for you.

Patty DeDominic
California business coach to high achieving professionals.

Here is some general advice I give to job candidates:

TIPS TO PUT YOURSELF IN FRONT OF 90% OF YOUR COMPETITION!

Getting a job is like accomplishing most other goals, but it is often harder to be objective about it because it is so personal. Many important aspects of our lives are included in our job and it can seem so much bigger than "just a goal like any other". It's our paycheck, our livelihood, our reason for leaving the house five or more days a week and for many people, a job or career is much of their life's identity. When your whole identity and self confidence are wrapped up in what you do for a living, finding yourself unemployed can seem like a most traumatic event. And it is almost impossible to be objective.

OBJECTIVITY AND CLEAR GOAL SETTING TECHNIQUES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TOOLS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL JOB HUNTER.

Here's how to become more objective and how to engage goal setting techniques to apply to your job hunt. If you ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly, you will be better prepared to take the steps necessary to do your outreach, networking, prospecting, preparing and follow up.

WHO IS MY TARGET MARKET? ( dream job or industry)
WHICH EMPLOYERS ARE LIKELY TO NEED MY SKILLS?
WHERE AM I GOING TO FIT IN FOR A WIN FOR THEM AND FOR ME?

Employers love it when the job candidate really wants to work for them. When the fit is great everyone celebrates. One of your goals is to look like a great fit!

How do you do that? How do you make your case about what a great fit you are?

In order to look like a great fit, you will need to do research on the employer. Who have they hired in the past? Is there a particular university that they typically recruit from? Do the people have a "uniform" e.g., is every one always formally dressed, or super casually? Don't make the mistake one job candidate made and go to an important interview in a sweatshirt. Just because his last employer loved people to dress down, doesn't mean his next one will.

Look around for clues about the company culture and try to artidulate ways it will be a big WIN for this employer to hire you. Ask people you know and read special interest group comments and blogs to learn more about a particular employer. Are you crazy about their field or are you just desperate for a job? Are you willing to work long hours? And do you understand that simply working hard does not make a person successful? It also requires "working effectively" and producing results, not just hours logged.

The costs of hiring the wrong person usually keeps employers eager to reduce the risks of a bad hire. they will lose time and money when they make hiring mistakes. Not to mention, lost opportunity costs. Don't expect an employer to make accomodations for you, you will have to do this for them. Employers rarely go out on a limb for job candidates.

That second question above, "how to make your case about what a great fit you are." This may take some practice on your part, but learning how to do this will be a good investment of your time. Please make a list of a few industries and then some specific companies who fit on your "I would love to work for" list..

Take time now to list at least 5 industries and 5-10 employers in each of these industries. Once you do this you now have a target prospectlist of at least 25-50 companies you can do research on, ask for referrals to and target as a great potential employer. You can work this list, narrow it down to a few that you feel really great about and you can learn more about them every day.

Once you have your DREAM EMPLOYER HOT LIST you are ready to begin doing some personal inventory of your own skills and potential contributions.

We found at PDQ and CT Engingeering, while recruiting for USC, Children's Hospital and local government that job candidates who knew their skill sets and could articulate their potential contributions to the employer got hired two to three times faster than other "qualified" candidates!

Questions to ask yourself about this potential employer:

1. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THIS EMPLOYER?

Each employer is unique but many have similar goals in mind. They almost always want a person who will
be a good fit for the current culture of the organization. My answers here for you include employers that
are private and public corporations, not for profit organizations, local and state and federal government, universities and other independent contractor opportunities and many business opportunities. The JOB HUNTER who knows these answers for the particular employer they are meeting with has a ten fold advantage over other candidates.

How do I find this OUT? Research.... Today research is a critical skill of all people.
It is important that you practice and perfect your RESEARCH SKILLS as they are an essential tool in working today, just as critical as the ability to read and to communicate with others. There are plenty of things that are not essential in today's new world of work, but anything above minimum wage requires your resourcefulness and your ability to do research.

Research includes your finding information sources and resources on the internet. It also includes your working your own network of colleagues, former classmates and your friends and family. Research includes talking to people, getting expert advice or getting second and third opinions when needed.

For example, if you were getting ready to apply for a management training job at Jiffy Lube, it would be very helpful for you to know that this company is part of a national franchise program. It will also be helpful for you to know if you are interviewing with the local franchise owner, a regional manager or the head of sales of Franchises for the Corporation. Does the person you are meeting with expect you to be his or her prospect to buy a franchise or simply to enter a local job? Good questions to ask and answer for yourself and when you do, you separate yourself from the other ten, twenty or one hundred people in line for an appointment with that hiring (or sales) manager.

How could you find out this information? First, today we have the wonderful advantage of being able to go the company website. Most employers have a website and many of them post news and information about their firm and their business goals there. You must visit that site before you approach any potential employers. That simple step alone will separate you from many of the others "in the unemployment line".

Asking your friends and even customers of a potential employer is a good way for your to gather intelligence about the employer. In this case, local car owners may be Jiffy Lube clients and it would be helpful for you to know how that organization is perceived in the local market place. As you gather info on the potential employer you are also reinforcing whether you feel YOU can add value to this employer, whether you feel it will be a good fit for your interests and skills. You may find that your neighbor is a favorite customer of that franchise and can recommend that the manager interview you.

Are you great at turning around messes or at making messes?
In the first case you might be excited about a chance to join a firm that needs a little "tune up" in the PR or
the morale department. In the latter case, I do not know of anyone who will be willing to hire you at this time.... unless it is a market research firm that wants to test cleaning services. Good luck on that job hunt!

WHAT IS THE COMPANY CULTURE?

Any why should you care about it? Like attracts like and all employers wnat to know if you will fit in!

Many employers will not tell you about their culture because they are not even consciously aware of it. But every employer, large or small, has a culture and how you might fit into it - even more so than your educational background and your skill set - can have a huge impact on your success at that stage of your career development. Does this company prefer to hire new college grads? Do you notice that they brag or share that all their new hires come from a particular school or sector? This is a telling characteristicof who they are likely to hire. I noticed over the years of running PDQCAREERS and even after at Select Staffing that some companies preferred to hire college drop outs and work the heck out of them. It almost seemed like they knew that non college grads might have a bit of a feeling of insecurity and be willing to work harder to make up for somepotential or perceived shortcoming. Even today I notice that some job seekers are a bit defensive about their educational connections or lack of them. This is part of an employers culture and it helps to be aware of it.

If your dream job brags about how 80% of their management team graduated from Stanford....you may not have to enroll in grad school thereto get the job nod, but it can't hurt .then for you to enroll in executive education at Stanford.

Educational background is not the only thing that shows up in company culture. There are also other important factors like the general age of workers..... are they all under 35? Yes,we all know that age or
other discrimination is illegal, but my objective here is not to help you win legal battles but it is to help YOU increase your job offers and increase your pay. So find a good fit where you can compliment the culture.... you do not have to be a clone.

Culture includes aspects like:
Overtime.... does everyone do it regularly? If they do and if you are eager to clock out at 5pm everyday keep looking for the right fit for yourself.
Volunteerism: Is everyone expected to give of their time off to one particular cause? Does the company encourage your involvement in the community and does it give you paid time to do that? Is that important to you? Learning this helps you fit the best fit for yourself.

When you are working for an employer who not only pays you with a paycheck but they also pay you with psychic rewards, personal and emotional growth opportunities, if that is your goal, you will be so much happier. People who are fully engaged at many levels and are a great fit with the company culture rarely look for jobs elsewhere.

WHAT ARE THE EMPLOYER'S SHORT AND LONG TERM GOALS?
That is another great question to try to learn the answer to before you apply.

Please post your comments and questions and we will attempt to answer any confidential info privately if you write to me at patty@dedominic.com

http://www.thenewnewworldofwork.com/
http://www.dedominic.com/

Katie White on WHAT GOES AROUND

2010-06-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

What Goes Around . . .

Katherine M. White

“With every relationship – personal and professional – there is give and take. Looking for ways to compromise when possible and treating others with respect are attributes that can pay off later, in
how others treat you and whether they want to work with you.”

– Tamika Langley Tremaglio, Huron Consulting

This article is about the power of building relationships.
It is about building a successful book of business and a successful career through writing and speaking.
And it is about why doing great work and going the extra mile can help benefit your organization and you long after you have left one employer and moved on to another.

Two incredible and successful people agreed to be interviewed for this article. Tamika Tremaglio is a JD/MBA as well as the Washington Office Managing Director and co-leader of the global disputes and investigations practice for Huron Consulting Group. Kirk Pasich is a partner heading the insurance coverage practice at Dickstein Shapiro and is also a member of the Executive Committee there.

Relationships Matter

Tamika Tremaglio and I met in 2003 while I was at Morgan Lewis and she at a Big Four accounting firm. We worked together on a joint expert-witness deposition project that was ultimately very successful, giving 10 attorneys the opportunity to practice deposing expert witnesses and 10 consultants practice testifying. After the program was over, Tamika kept in touch with me by inviting me out to lunch and to receptions
and other events at her firm. Later, when I moved to Dickstein Shapiro and she to Huron Consulting, we convinced our new employers to offer the expert witness training program. The program was a great success once again, benefiting both our firms and the attorneys and consultants who were trained.

I did not think I would ever be in a position to refer business to Tamika, or to reciprocate for all of her personal kindnesses to me. But she continued to reach out and to offer Dickstein, and later Akin Gump,
top-notch, and free-of-charge, accounting and financial training programs for their attorneys. This was a
great way for the firms to obtain training from outside experts, and Tamika’s active networking helped
Huron gain exposure to the partners at these firms. Again, both Huron and the law firms benefited.

Fast forward to 2009. I was now Chief Attorney Recruiting Officer at Akin Gump. Tamika asked if I would introduce her to one of our litigation partners who is well known in her field. I arranged for the two of them to meet, and Tamika was engaged as an expert in one of the partner’s current cases during their first meeting. Through her work and other networking opportunities, Tamika kept in touch with this partner and began to form a professional relationship. The story came full circle earlier this year when Tamika was instrumental in referring a piece of business to Akin Gump.

Writing Your Way To A Successful Career

“I read the local legal newspaper, and noticed that practitioners would write columns about their field of expertise but that no one was writing a column about entertainment law. So I called the editor.…” - Kirk Pasich, Dickstein Shapiro

Kirk Pasich has built a successful career in the insurance coverage and entertainment law field. For 21 years, since he was a mid-level associate at Paul Hastings, he has written columns for The Los Angeles Daily Journal on entertainment law, courtroom craft, and insurance law. And he continues today to write a monthly column on insurance law.

Kirk saw an opportunity and was willing to put in the extra time to make it work.

Having clients, practitioners, mediators, and judges see his name in print, month after month, on topics of interest has served him well. People contact Kirk with questions. They refer business to him. They send his articles to friends, who contact him about potential business. Kirk keeps in touch with his contacts by sending them articles every month along with quarterly client alerts; he also keeps them informed about developments and trends that affect their business.

In addition to writing, Kirk has built contacts through public speaking and by doing great work for clients that impresses both the client and often opposing counsel (who have referred work to him as a result). Each of these things redounds to Kirk’s reputation as an expert and to his success in developing business.

Associates are often skeptical about how they can emulate Kirk’s success in their own careers. Kirk believes that they, too, can succeed with his model. Publications of all kinds, including industry blogs and magazines,
are eager to find authors to submit articles. Associates should volunteer to speak at bar association meetings, client industry conferences and meetings, in-house training programs, and business development events and conferences. They should work to become experts in their fields and to keep up with the business of their clients.

Four Cornerstones of Successful Networks

Last fall when I left Akin Gump, I turned to the network I had been building during my entire career. Through my contacts, I landed three amazing consulting opportunities that have enabled me to continue working in my field. I have seen firsthand how building relationships and friendships through networking and doing great work helps you when you most need it.
In my experience, these are the four cornerstones of building successful networks:

• Building a great reputation inside your organization by doing great work and being known for your contributions.

• Becoming a resource to colleagues inside and outside of your organization, the person they know can bring people together to achieve a goal.

• Reaching out to clients and colleagues outside of your organization in a consistent and organized manner and maintaining a relationship with your contacts.

• Attending networking events to build your contact list and stay informed about new developments in your field and practice.

Networking 101

Many books and articles have been written about this topic, and no article would be complete without a “how to” list for effective networking.

1. Determine a strategy for your networking goals.

2. Build your contact list via “LinkedIn.com” or other social networking sites that will maximize the contacts of your friends and colleagues and give you a platform for organizing your contacts.

3. List the people in your network and the people you would like to invite to join your network. Include friends, colleagues from your current and past places of employment, family members, college and law school classmates, and others you meet at business and social occasions.

4. Rank your contacts in order of importance from one to five – one for the contacts you believe can be the most helpful to you, and five the least helpful.

5. Then begin to contact the people in your network who can be the most helpful to you in achieving your goals. For example, you can contact all of the people you ranked #1 first, and see where these contacts lead you, before moving on to others on your list.

6. Make sure you have an agenda for meetings with contacts, so you will be able to make the most of their time with you, and they will come away from the meeting with a clear idea of what you are asking of them. And remember to be on the lookout for what you might be able to do for them.

7. Follow up after meeting with your contacts and be sure to follow through on anything you offered to do for them during your meeting.

So why bother? What can you gain from meeting with contacts, and what can they gain from meeting with you?

Here are five benefits:

1. You will have the opportunity to get to know people whom you respect as successful in their field. If you are able to make a connection, you will begin to form a relationship that can be useful to both of you for years.

2. If you are on a job search, your contacts can provide information about an industry or specific field that will be helpful. They can provide answers to questions you may have as preparation for a job interview.

3. You can learn insider information about a specific work place and the people who run it. What is it really like to work there? Are people happy? How are employees treated? What kinds of clients or work do they have there?

4. You may get ideas about other people you might contact.

5. You can find much-needed mentoring and support.

There are many ways to approach networking, build a reputation, and develop business. At times the benefit may not be immediate or obvious; but rest assured, when I hear “what goes around comes around,” I no longer think of this as a negative threat. It is true in the best possible way, and I’m the first one to nod my head.

About the author, my friend of over 30 years:

Katie White consults on attorney talent management, career counseling, and business development.
She has over 20 years of experience in law firm professional development, attorney recruiting, and diversity initiatives. She is based in Washington, DC,

Katie can be reached at ktwhite148@yahoo.com.

Great Resume Writing Tip from Wendy Enelow

2010-05-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

GREAT RESUME WRITING TIP by Wendy Enelow

This tip is from me. When you're writing a resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, executive bio or any other document and you can't get a word or phrase to flow correctly in a sentence or a paragraph,
delete and start over. It is remarkably easier to write new copy than it is to edit and "fix" wrong
copy! Don't spend 20 minutes trying to get that sentence to work.

Simply write a new sentence in a new style or format and you'll see how much easier it is!

Announcing a great Linked In e- Summit Webcast.

HOW TO ACCESS LINKEDIN E-SUMMIT WEBCAST

Yes, you can still register for the program on Writing LinkedIn Profiles, Social Media Profiles and Executive Bios.

http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/esummit-writing-profiles.php

Patty DeDominic, Entrepreneur, Investor and Coach to High Achieving People
and Organizations says:

Thank you to Wendy E! She is a fabulous resource to many, all over the world.

She is especially valuable to people in the USA. Job Market.
Wendy S. Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW

Author, Trainer & Career Consultant

******************************

Co-Founder & Director - Resume Writing Academy http://www.resumewritingacademy.com/

******************************

President - Enelow Enterprises, Inc.

www.wendyenelow.com (Bookstore)

******************************

Executive Director - Career Thought Leaders Consortium

http://www.careerthoughtleaders.com/

www.careerthoughtleaders.com/conference

******************************

Coleman Falls, VA 24536

Phone: 434.299.5600

http://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyenelow

http://twitter.com/WendyEnelow

My Newest Book, available for pre order now

2010-05-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

HOW I LOST IT 99 Pounds and Counting | Patty DeDominic

Sharing Illuminations, May 5, 2010

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1335156

HOW I LOST IT 99 Pounds and Counting | Patty DeDominic

Sharing Illuminations, May 5, 2010

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1335156

Sharing my odyssey, this book is available for order here or at blurb. Great Mother's Day gift or for anyone who could lose some weight. Humorous, serious and filled with resources and 5 fat loss keys.

Preview at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1335156

or buy directly from DeDominic & Associates.

$29.95 Hardcover, $20.00 paperback Order here patty@dedominic.com

Put Yourself in front of 90% of the other Job Hunters by Patty DeDominic

2010-05-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

OUT OF WORK AND DETERMINED TO GET A JOB?

Want to move to the front of the line of qualified candidates?

Here are some tips to put yourself in front of 90% of your fellow job applicants!

Getting a job is like accomplishing most other goals but it is often harder to be objective about it because it is so personal. Many important aspects of our lives are included in our job and it can seem so much bigger than "just a goal like any other". It's our paycheck, our livelihood, our reason for leaving the house five or more days a week and for many people, a job or career is much of their life's identity.

When your whole identify and self confidence are wrapped up in what you do for a living, finding yourself unemployed can seem like a most traumatic event... Confidence shaken it can be almost impossible to be objective. But Objectivity and clear goal setting techniques are very important tolls for the successful job candidates.

SET YOURSELF APART FROM and in front of the competition by doing your homework..... and a little homework and preparation will pay off big time.

Here's how to become more objective and how to engage goal setting techniques to apply to your job hunt. If you do ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly you will be better prepared to take the steps necessary to do your outreach, networking, prospecting, preparing and follow up.

Who is MY target Market? Which employers are likely to need my skills and where am I going to fit in for a win for them and for me?

Employers love it when the job candidate really wants to work for them and is a great fit. One of your goals is to look like a great fit and to be able to make your case about why that is true.

You will need to do some research on the employer and you will also need to be able to articulate why you are THE candidate to hire. Employers today look for win win and the cost of hiring and the cost of mistakes in hiring the wrong person usually keep employers eager to reduce the risks of hiring the wrong person, unqualified people or where the chemistry is not great.

Please make a list of a few industries and then some specific companies who fit this second question.

Take time now to list at least 5 industries and 5-10 employers in each of these industries. Once you do this you now have a target prospect list of at least 25-50 companies you can do research on, ask for referrals to and target as a great potential employer.

Once you have YOUR Personalized TARGET list you are ready to begin doing some personal inventory of your own skills and potential contributions.

Job Candidates who know their skill sets and can articulate their potential contributions to the employers get hired two to three times faster than other "qualified" candidates and ten times faster than those who do not have the needed skills.

Tips on Getting a Raise by Patty DeDominic, Coach to High Achievers

2010-04-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

Few quick tips on Getting the raise in this tough economy:

1. Prepare yourself and be ready to make your “business case” not your hardship case. Sadly, no one

Is going to be able to pay you more just because your needs are greater, the price of gas is still through the roof or your relatives need an operation. There are over ten million Americans in that latter boat now…unemployed or severely underemployed and those reasons while being valid are not sufficient to get YOUR PAY and Respect levels raised.

2. Make an Appointment with your boss to discuss “business opportunities”. Try not to be coy, but don’t tell that you want a pay raise just yet.

Let your boss know that you would like to talk about “our best opportunities” for creating more revenue or cutting costs as well as get some input on his or her perception of your performance. After you get the lay of the land with regard to their perception of your contributions and your “report card” you will be in a better position to ask for a salary adjustment. Note, I said Adjustment, not a raise.

3. At the 2nd or third meeting with your boss on the subjects suggested above, bring up your perspective (without going on the offensive or being on the defensive) about your Contributions to the value of the business or department.

4. Remember that getting a raise in 2010 and beyond is going to be more about “making contributions” and sharing in some of those opportunities than it is a cost of living increase or straight pay raise. Many salaries have been frozen in place for several years now and thousands of businesses have been able to hire new employees as 65-79% of the former starting salaries – so getting paid “like yesterday” is a thing of the past – for now. Unfortunately it is no longer about how many hours you work…. Or how hard the work is, it is about your contributions to the margin….aka the profits or the reduction of expenses. Employers in 2010 can only afford to pay for progress and contribution and no longer pay for loyalty or longevity.

5. After you have made a good case for the value of your contributions, ask for a PAY Adjustment to better reflect the contributions you are making and the results (you and your boss agree on) that have come due to your effectiveness and experience in your role. Chances are your boss has their “we are out of money” speech well practiced and they know how to put off an unprepared employee from asking for a raise….. but most supervisors, CEOs and executives know that it costs money to make money and INVESTMENTS is the people who really drive the revenue and the margins and costs for the business can pay off handsomely.

6. Don’t threaten to quit….but educate yourself and become aware of what the competition would be willing to pay for your talents and time. . If you know what the competition is and how you fit in to the bigger picture you automatically increase your value and your chances of getting the right kind of attention from your boss. You may not get your raise the first time you try this approach but you will eventually get better at it and you are likely to find yourself in the position of either getting more paid time off, increased responsibilities or opportunities and eventually a big pay increase If you cannot get the right pay raises where you are, it might pay off to do a little job shopping!

Following these tips will enable you to make a strong case for increased pay. You will also make progress in understanding your own employer and their perspectives and opinion of your contributions. Awareness and knowledge is valuable…… YOU can turn Value into a bigger paycheck for yourself.

Patty DeDominic

DeDominic & Associates Coaches to High Achievers

www.thenewnewworldofwork.com

Patty De is past president of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Here firm was a national award winning staffing partner to such corporate giants as AT&T, USC, Children’s Hospitals, The American Red Cross, entrepreneurial businesses and governments. Patty participated in advanced training on negotiations at Harvard University and got her Institutional Shareholders (ISS) Certification from UC Berkeley in 2008.

In 2006, the Los Angeles Business journal named DeDominic CEO of the Year at it’s annual Women Making A Difference Awards Luncheon

See Jane in Your Town! | the Jane Goodall Institute

2010-04-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

See Jane Goodall in Your Town! the Jane Goodall Institute

Click on the link above to go the JGI.

Many of my readers know that I enjoy working with top professionals in their fields. I have been fortunate over my 30 year career to work with some of the world's leading subject matter experts. Watching a pro in action and helping them achieve are two of my favorite things to do!
I enjoyed serving on Jane Goodall Institute board of directors for six years. Gene and I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Africa with Jane and other important environmental leaders.  Seeing Dr. Jane Goodall in her element was an incredible experience.   It was certainly enough to keep me motivated to help her raise money and grow her institute multifold over the next few years.

When we were in Africa, we stayed in the workers camp, ate at Jane's home at Gombe National Park
and sat with her on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. One day we went out to view the chimpanzees and got the show of our lives as the chimps walked among us, just a few feet away.    We noticed that the animals
seemed to know "Jane was in town" as they magically appeared from the dark reaches of the jungle and
called to each other...and seemingly to her.       It was an awesome experience and if you have not yet
met Jane Goodall I really encourage you to go to one of her lectures soon.

When we were at Gombe National Park, we climbed to the top of "Jane's Peak" (she was in better shape than all of us!). This is the 50th anniversary of Jane's groundbreaking research and passion for Gombe. It is also her birthday month.... and in her mid 70's she is still climbing around the peaks of Africa and traveling the world hundreds of days each year.    She is truly an amazing woman and one who has devoted her life to making the world a better place.

I encourage you to support Roots & Shoots the global youth program now reaching young
people in over 80 countries and to help support the vision of a better world. http://www.janegoodall.org/

Patty DeDominic
patty@dedominic.com
Helping Achievers Soar
http://www.dedominic.com/
http://www.how2valueyourself.com/

Make Money on the Internet? Learn How With a Real Product Launch Innercircle

2010-04-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

Do you know anyone who would want to be part of a groundbreaking,
sneak peek experience where two business and marketing experts discuss
development of their next multi-media product?

Do you know a frustrated subject matter expert who would benefit from the step-by-step
methods that could transform their knowledge into money in their pocket?

Do you know anyone, whose retirement has been derailed due to bad investments?

Recent Bureau of Labor studies have shown that our nations unempoyment rate is still about 10% and fewer than 20 % of American workers have savings for retirement of over $50,000. According to recent BLS reports, the percentage job decrease for the Nation as whole was 5.3 percent over the same period (September 2008 to September 2009).

The largest decline in employment levels occurred in Los Angeles, Calif. (‑278,000), followed by the counties of Maricopa, Ariz. (‑155,000), Cook, Ill. (‑140,100), Orange, Calif. (‑126,400), and New York, N.Y. (‑125,100). Combined employment losses in these five counties over the year totaled 824,600 or 11.6 percent of the employment decline for the entire United States.

Employment declined in 329 of the 334 largest U.S. counties from September 2008 to September 2009.

The BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program produced these data, which are preliminary and subject to revision. Data presented here are for all workers covered by State and Federal unemployment insurance programs. The largest counties are those with employment levels of 75,000 or more. To learn more, see "County Employment and Wages: Third Quarter 2009" (PDF) (HTML), news release 10-0393.

How do you turn it around?
You create internet income from your ideas.

How do you start?
Become a fly-on-the-wall during someone else's product launch!

Take this multi-media 45 day, inner circle privileges course
and experience a case study live – as it unfolds.

How To Value Yourself product launch inner circle – 45 day multimedia course,
features social entrepreneurs Patty DeDominic and Dr. Nina Craft (Dr. Neen) as they launch their next venture. They will be using their business expertise to launch a product on the internet.

Internet business consultant, Dr. Neen, a multi-book author, will coach her co-author, Patty DeDominic to leverage her expertise in career placement, as she navigates the internet and launches her second book using the latest technology tools. This will be a co-authoring venture with possible creation of multiple products along the way. You'll learn about social media and how to apply it to YOUR idea as well!

To find out more about this adventure and reserve your experiential ticket, visit http://www.how2valueyourself.com/

Mimi Donaldson on Necessary Roughness

2010-03-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

Necessary Roughness:

New Rules for the Contact Sport of Life

Prevailing in challenging times is not a question of ability – people are able.

Success hinges on opportunity and intention.

Opportunity and intention are what football is all about.

Over the years, many football coaches have written books that teach life lessons from the game. Sports figures and sports newscasters have written books teaching leadership lessons. An NFL wife wrote a book as a fan and insider of the professional league. But until now, there has never been a funny and profound take from a lifelong football fan with a team building background. Mimi Donaldson is about to change that.

Women have gained a great deal at home and at work. We are assertive, but now it’s time to step up the game. No longer are we expected to play nice all the time. Sometimes, a certain roughness is necessary: we need to talk straight, stand our ground, say no, and negotiate everything. As in football, we need to hunker down and get our knuckles in the dirt.

In this laugh-out-loud, insightful and practical book, you’ll discover a new appreciation of football strategies. After all, they are the same strategies you have used to get ahead in business and be successful in your personal relationships. In this female-friendly book, Mimi shares the secrets of capitalizing on opportunity and intention, so you can become the ultimate coach for yourself and your team. Then nothing will stand in the way of your win.

e-mail: mimi@mimidonaldson.com
http://www.mimidonaldson.com/