Bev's Tips for a Better Work Life
Bev Jones' twice-monthly ezine offering you suggestions
for making your career more productive and more fun.

Dear Friends and Clients,

Occasionally I’ll hear people express reluctance to work with a coach or consultant for fear that it would make them look weak or unsuccessful. But in reality the opposite is true. Successful people are often the ones with the confidence and resources to ask questions, examine strategies and seek paths, like coaching, toward even better performance.

In life and work, things usually are either getting better or getting worse. Nothing stays the same for long. So when things are going well, it’s not wise to just sit back and let the good times roll. Just as you should take action in order to break out of a downward spiral, you should stay active to build up your momentum when it’s already positive. Winners don’t quit trying when they’re in the lead – they keep pushing forward.

Is 2012 shaping up to be a pretty good year for you? I hope so. And in this ezine I’ll offer tips for keeping up the good work and good times.

Warm Wishes, Bev


Things going well for you?
Keep up that winning streak!

January 17, 2012 * Number 162

Why is it that some people can go from success to success, while others stumble fairly quickly, then seem to spend more time down than up? Of course luck can help, but the people who keep landing on their feet tend to have something in common. The perennial winners don’t take success for granted -- they keep hustling, even in the good times.

If you are looking for ways to perpetuate success, in your own career or within your organization, consider these strategies:
  • Pinpoint the brightest spots. Sometimes when people are winning kudos or making money, they just enjoy the results and don’t ask questions. A smarter approach is to gather data that will more precisely describe the basis of your success. Let’s say that you are making good money selling three products, each for $100. But what if a closer look at your costs shows that one product is more expensive to produce than the others because of the extra time you have to spend on it. With more detailed information you may find that you can make even more profit by phasing out or redesigning the time-consuming item. In other words, good information may help you to improve performance even when you’re doing well.

  • Build on strengths. Doing well at work requires certain disciplines, processes and standards. Sometimes people stumble because they get busy and cut corners, or get arrogant and act lazy. To stay on top it is important to keep refining the methods and approaches, and polishing the expertise, that brought you success in the first place. For example, Jane’s company creates hand-knitted items. She built up her business by quickly creating fine products in response to her customers’ requests. At the moment business is booming, but she and her team are still working to reduce the time it takes to deliver each garment to an eager customer.

  • Listen to your customers. Even when your customers (and bosses) already love you, pump up your game by listening carefully to what they have to say. If you understand their goals and problems you may spot new ways to add value.

  • Look around. When you are on a winning streak you may feel so busy that you don’t have time to think about the bigger picture. If so, you are facing a big risk: tunnel vision. Just because you are successful today, doesn’t mean you can ignore the broader environment. It is not enough to simply benchmark your competitors. Change can come from any direction. Strong players are well informed about the wider world. And being engaged in any kind of learning experience can help you to keep an open mind, spot emerging trends and see things in new ways.

  • Stay confident. Management guru Rosabeth Moss Kanter has written that confidence is what makes the difference in any competition, whether in baseball or high-stakes business. In her book, “Confidence,” Kanter says that in every realm in which individuals perform to high standards leaders can foster confident, winning behavior by focusing relentlessly on three values:

    • Accountability. Gather and share information, seek feedback and self-improvement, set high aspirations, avoid excuses and celebrate achievements.

    • Collaboration. Stress collective goals, avoid bickering, encourage people to get to know and support others, and build networks.

    • Initiative. Seek and reward improvements, empower team members by sharing resources and investing in small wins, and respect people and approaches that seem “different.”
Do you want confidence to be a theme at your group’s next retreat? Bev and her colleagues are available to create workshops or offer keynote speeches about topics related to your productivity, work life and other challenges and transitions. Meanwhile, read Bev’s Blog and visit her website at www.ClearWaysConsulting.com.
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Bevs Tips for a Better Work Life is published on the first and third Tuesday of each month by Beverly E. Jones of ClearWays Consulting, LLC. Bev is a lawyer and former executive who now coaches accomplished executives and other professionals to bring new direction, energy and enjoyment to their work lives.

Copyright ©2011, ClearWays Consulting, LLC Beverly E. Jones
All rights in all media reserved. However, the content of Bevs Tips for a Better Work Life may be forwarded in full without special permission on the condition that (1) it is for non-profit use and (2) full attribution and copyright notice are given. For other uses please contact Bev Jones.

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