Inspiring Thoughts on life’s dreams and writing
Tag: postaday
Fragile: The Art of A Child
The natural creativity of a child inspires us to dream, to expose the feelings of the heart. The heart of a child is not afraid, not Fragile. A child steps out in confidence to do what he or she wants to do.
Today let’s be like a child. Let’s be bold! Let’s reach for those goals, dreams, and aspirations buried deep inside our soul.
Go ahead. Unveil the Dream. Bring it to reality.
Share this:
Things That Make You Go hmmm…
Radical Steps To Deal With A Bad Boss
We show up everyday doing a job that we don’t like, and then feel like we are losing our mind when we are expected to be productive and profitable.
Get angry! Tell them off on national TV-like that famous weather reporter did! Give them a piece of your mind-like that flight attendant did, then de-planed! Or quietly sneak away never to return again, which unfortunately happens too often.
Though we may smile at these examples, they are real life situations that actually happened. As a HR consultant, I have worked with clients that have had these experiences and more. Because we spend most of our time at work, it would be great for us to really like what we do, and who we have to work with.
Vincent Van Gogh said that he put his heart and soul into his work and lost his mind in the process. How many of us really feel that way? We show up everyday doing a job that we don’t like, and then feel like we are losing our mind when we are expected to be productive and profitable. It’s hard. But we keep at it if we are to cover our basic needs to survive, thrive, or for those at the higher levels, fulfill our higher need to self-actualize.
STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH A BAD BOSS
If you have a bad boss…see qualities in 23 signs you have a Bad Boss, it is not likely that you are going to change them. So here are a few strategies to help you take the steps to work better with him or her.
- Have an early, upfront conversation about what is important to you in a leader and how you can best work together. In a civil manner, discuss things such as:
- Leadership style and the coaching you would need to develop.
- Expectations. What he/she expects from you, and what you expect.
- Perception. How each of you perceive “success” with regard to the job.
- What “meets expectations” or “exceeds expectations” look like on the performance-rating continuum.
- Your current performance
- Be proactive and check in with him or her often to provide reports, or updates.
- Acknowledge them publicly for their support, especially when they have been instrumental in helping you succeed.
- If problems occur that escalate, have a conversation with the HR manager to ensure that any complaints are logged. HR will take the necessary steps to help resolve the issue and can serve as a mediator in future meetings.
- If 360-degree feedback systems, and other anonymous options are in place in your organization, do use them to provide input regarding your concerns.
- Keep a record of dates, times, and specific examples of issues that have occurred so that you will be able to recall them when necessary.
Essentially, do your best to try to work with the situation you are charged with at the moment. Nothing lasts forever. Things do change sometimes. But by all means, if the horizon really looks bleak in that company, then start the process to move on, especially if it starts to negatively affect your health. Start the job change process to search for a new opportunity. Take the steps to:
- Update your Resume
- Refresh your LinkedIn Profile
- Connect with a Recruiter
- Consider other career options
It’s important to heed the caution before you make such Radical change….Making irrational decisions then saying “oh wait”, will be too late. So be cautioned that you never leave a job without first finding another one. It will be well worth it in the long run.
Share this:
23 Signs You Have a Bad Boss
We have all had to deal with bad bosses at one time or the other throughout our career. We scream, complain, lose the Zing, become demotivated, do barely enough to get by, or inevitably jump ship. If you are dealing with a bad boss here are a few examples of characteristics that depicts the behavior.
Common Bad Boss Behavior
- Lack of vision and inability to communicate effectively
- Micromanaging
- Thinking you have all the answers and that you must have all the answers
- Working late everyday
- Poor Hiring Decisions
- Failure to Admit Mistakes
- Takes the credit but gives the blame
- Does not Lead by Example
- My way or the high way
- Mistakes being liked for being respected
- Provides little/no feedback or coaching
- Shows favoritism
- Task-focused vs team-oriented
- Embraces the status quo
- Being a good ‘doer’ means you will be a good manager
- Selects and leads based on “like me”
- Ignores diversity of thought or varying opinions
- Past focused vs present/future
- Lacks courage
- Being a friend instead of a leader
- Failing to delegate and demonstrate trust
- Allowing ego and pride to get in the way of good decisions
- Personal agendas/motives
If you are a new manager, reflect on these characteristics. Recognize the signs and plan to change. You will then be on your way to becoming a good leader.
Share this:
The Sand: Which Goal…
Even downtime is to be planned like a marinating
Summer’s over! Free reign! The iguana walks around like he’s the Don in charge. The gecko scampers on my approach, and the little lizard (big to me but small when compared to the iguana), stands still as if asking me “what you gonna do now”? What can I do but dart in the opposite direction.
That said, it’s the same in our lives. Seasons change and Businesses take on renewed zest. We take a look around and realize …oh yea I’m supposed to be busy working on my goal. The truth is, you should never have stopped. Even downtime is to be planned like a marinating Sandwich until we return.
But don’t be too hard on yourself. Get back in the game. Push forward and catch up.
Here are two Goal guides to help you compliments of The Coaching Tools Company and iHarry.
Share this:
Write Away…
Success and Stress
Be careful what you wish for.
We often dream of success…however, we define it. But to place a twist on attaining success, one wonders whether the good life is always good. Are the very things that so many individuals strive for, such as a high-paying and powerful job, a beautiful house, a wardrobe of nice clothes in desirable sizes, and a fancy education for children to prepare them for carrying on this way of life: Do these very things turn out to be more trouble than they are worth? In fact, it is believed that the psychological burdens associated with being a low-status individual (i.e., poor) grow lighter as people move up the social ladder, but that is true only to a certain extent. Once individuals achieve more success, the mental and physical health benefits associated with greater affluence fade away. As individuals near the top, life stress increases dramatically, and its toxic effects essentially cancel out many positive aspects of succeeding. Basically, it falls
High Status Stress
The stress of high status is also a reason for caution. Schieman, Yuko, and Van Gundy found that people with higher levels of education and in higher status occupations with higher income experience higher levels of stress. Some factors that contribute to stress include more authority and autonomy, non-routine work demands, involvement, and longer hours, may lead to more conflicts between work and home. This was due to the rationale that the very trappings of success can make life harder for those who are more driven and work devoted.
Power And Stress
Power is another benefit that is a stressor. Having authority over others binds people to all sorts of interpersonal conflicts and management turmoil, leading to very high stress. In the same way, the smaller details associated with micro-impression-management activities, such as getting the right clothes, the right haircut, and the big enough house, as well as raising the attractive, athletic, community-serving kids that will get into Harvard, all contribute to stress.
Also, in high-status communities, such activities might be a requirement rather than a choice in order to maintain credibility. Individuals have to wear the right suit to work or have to live in the right neighborhood, or else people will not take them seriously. Because millions of Americans struggle to make ends meet and would probably be willing to trade places, Time magazine writer Warner warned, “Be careful what you wish for.”
Share this:
Total Eclipse Of The…
That moment when you realize that “‘ahh yessss, I have done it!”
Total eclipse of the…. When we hear this phrase we often think of the heart, or the moon’s eclipse of the earth. That’s natural. But I’d like to think of eclipse as the collusion of goals, dreams, and aspirations with final achievement. That moment when you realize that “‘ahh yessss, I have done it!”So satisfying.
The photograph depicts the dream of photographer Colleen Pinski who travelled hundreds of miles from her home in Colorado to capture this dream picture. Her eclipse moment indeed.
When was your last Eclipse?
Share this:
The Melody of Talent
Talent renders the whole idea of rehearsal meaningless. When you find something at which you are talented, you do it (whatever it is) until your fingers bleed or your eyes are ready to fall out of your head. Even when no one is listening (or reading, or watching), every outing is a bravura performance because you as the creator are happy, perhaps even ecStatic. That goes for reading and writing as well as for playing a musical instrument, hitting a baseball, or running the four-forty. The sort of strenuous reading and writing program I advocate – four to six hours a day, every day-will not seem strenuous if you really enjoy doing these things and have an aptitude for them; in fact, you may be following such a program already. If you feel you need permission to do all the reading and writing your little heart desires however, consider it hereby granted by yours truly – Steven King
Share this:
I Shiver…
How easy it is to be totally wrong about people. But for me, I shiver just thinking how totally wrong I can be about reaching my goal.
I am tired. I am tired of trying very hard to reach my goals. I’m tired of wanting things that seem to move further away the closer I get. Now at times I am even afraid. I am afraid of doing the things that I need to do. I Shiver at the very thought of rolling up my sleeves to get ready to work, to get things done. It is then that I shiver! I shiver! I shiver!
But even as I shiver – I will not give up. Lauren Oliver said she shivers just thinking how easy it is to be totally wrong about people. But for me, I shiver just thinking how totally wrong I can be about reaching my goal.
But I will keep trying. In the midst of my fears, my doubts, my exhaustion; I will not give up. My goals, my dreams and my aspirations are right in front of me. And as I look at it closely… as I dream of it… I am assured that I will face the light at the end of the tunnel. I know one day it will be real. I shiver but I will not stop. I let will achieve.
These thoughts are common among entrepreneurs, career enthusiasts, and goal seekers. Today, find comfort in knowing that your labor will not be in vain. Keep striving even when you are afraid. Reach out for help if you need it but whatever you do, don’t give up.
Share this:
3 Ways to Become An Expert in Your Field
Rome was not built in a day. Neither is your business. Success is as a result of hard work dedication, and persistence. Being seen as an Expert can go a long way in leveraging your business for success.
So how can you establish yourself as an expert? For the purpose of today’s prompt, I decided to share Female Entrepreneur’s three tips on how to become an expert in your field. Naturally, these are not all inclusive but is a solid foundation to begin. They serve as a starting point for you to establish yourself and your business as an expert in your field.
1. Get your name in the media
2. Pursue Speaking Engagements
3. Build Strategic Alliances
