career success

5 Keys to Handling Failure at Work

Posted by Beverly Jones on May 13, 2019

You CAN come back from

a career catastrophe!

Everybody encounters bad days on the job. And sometimes even a modest career stumble can feel like the end of the world. But you can come back from professional disasters. I know that not only from my own life, but also from watching how my executive coaching clients often rebound.

Let’s look at one example I’ll call “Holly.” She was a confident star during college and then sailed through business school. From there she was recruited by the marketing department of a major consumer goods company, where her goal was to move quickly into a management role.

Holly has a knack for coming up with clever ideas, and she knows how to execute them. So her colleagues weren’t surprised when, after just a few years on the job, she was named the team leader for the launch of a high priority product. Holly was thrilled by the opportunity, she was sure the project would be a success, and she saw it as her ticket to an early promotion.

But things didn’t work out as Holly expected. The product was bogged down by production issues. Her team members couldn’t agree about how to shape the campaign. And her young digital marketing experts had trouble relating to a product designed to appeal to an older, affluent consumer.

Eventually the launch team was disbanded, the product was put on a back burner, and Holly was reassigned to work on routine messaging for one of the company’s longtime brands. To Holly this felt like a career-killing disaster. In some moments she blamed the situation on her team, but often she berated herself for being weak and stupid. Her sense of failure sometimes made her feel sick.

When I met Holly, I suspected that she had breezed through school with what renowned psychologist Carol Dweck has called a “fixed mindset.” Holly believed her parents when they said she was destined for business success. She felt special, and she thought her talent would always keep her on track. And then when she couldn’t complete this key assignment, her humiliation was overwhelming.

In her influential book “Mindset,”Dr. Dweck used the term “mindset”to describe the attitude you adopt regarding your abilities. Her research suggests that your perception of your strengths and intelligence can profoundly impact the way you live your life. And people with a fixed mindset tend to believe that their personal traits are carved into stone. When a person with a fixed attitude, like Holly, fails to achieve, it can make her feel like her personal characteristics aren’t good enough, and the resulting pain can be as debilitating as a physical blow.

On the other hand, Dr. Dweck says that people with a “growth mindset”understand that the idea of a fixed IQ and set of skills is dated. They know that humans can cultivate their basic abilities through learning, experience and help from others. And when people with a growth mindset experience a setback they may feel some pain, but they recognize that the misadventure is a chance to learn, and they keep moving.

Holly started shifting her attitude and getting back her energy at work when she recalled the many times over the years when she’d been able to learn new things. From reflecting on past recoveries, she realized that she could learn from this situation as well. She turned her attention to her long-term career goals and came up with new strategies for heading in that direction.

Holly gave up the idea of her career as a direct path toward a defined outcome, and started thinking of it as an interesting and winding process. And she recognized that the team leadership role had given her a chance to test her managerial skills and identify ways to make them more effective.

Here are strategies that worked for Holly and might work for you:

Talk about it. Not everything you do on the job will end well. But if you never speak of your missteps, their importance may grow in your mind. You can take the agony out of your stumble by bringing it into the light. This doesn’t mean prolonged venting. The smart way to talk about a fiasco is to frame it in an objective way. At first it was difficult for Holly to acknowledge that she had made some mistakes. But she was able to discuss the project in a positive way once she had collected the data and written a matter-of-fact account of the team’s activities. Her report noted what the team learned at each stage and mentioned the positive contributions that various teammates made along the way.
Apologize if you hurt someone. Sometimes projects don’t work out but there’s no need to feel shame. However, if you let someone down, made a bad decision or were insensitive, it might be time to say you’re sorry. Start by acknowledging precisely what you did. Then describe what you will do to make things better and avoid the same mistake in the future. Keep your comments simple and straightforward, and be prepared to listen to what the injured person has to say.
Ask for suggestions. Once Holly developed her report on the project, she was able to take it to her bosses and mentors and ask for advice about how to handle things differently the next time. The discussions helped her think about her approach to collaboration, identify training opportunities, and explore new ways to communicate as a leader. And the humility with which she sought advice actually improved her relationship with a senior colleague who admitted he once thought of her as arrogant.
Look at the process. When you see the big picture, it’s easier to regard your recent disaster as just one phase in a long process of learning and achievement. In his book “Never Stop Learning,”professor Bradley Staats says that process-focused learners know that they aren’t fixed in their ability to learn. Learning involves figuring out how inputs affect outputs. And Dr. Staats says that when you study a process you can see that it involves more inputs than you first imagined. As you examine what happened, you start to see through the noise and discomfort, to better understand how various factors are related and to develop new discipline around reaching your objectives.
Make a plan. Many great leaders have overcome massive setbacks, and their example can help you navigate your recovery. Holly thought about President Jimmy Carter, who had a mortifying election loss to Ronald Reagan. He might have been tempted to spend years licking his wounds, but instead he looked around for ways to make a difference and he made some plans. He threw himself into addressing homelessness, poverty and international conflict, and in 2002 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. If you don’t know how to move past failure, follow the example of President Carter and look around for ways to add some value. Identify aspects of your job where you can become more productive, learn a new skill, or identify a colleague who could use your help. Each time your thoughts drift back to your catastrophe, shift the focus to your plan and take an action step.

The Bottom Line: One of the worst parts of a career disaster is when the voice in your head argues that you will never get past it. That voice is wrong. Highly successful people tend to take risks and sometimes things don’t work out. Remind yourself that this latest adversity is a key learning experience. Then turn your attention to your longer term goals and the immediate steps that can move you in that direction.

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Need a gift for a recent grad?

Here’s a small way to support their success: give them Bev’s guide to career resilience, “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO.”

How to be happy at work

Posted by Beverly Jones on March 5, 2018

How three basics of happiness

promote workplace engagement.

The most recent of bestselling author Dan Buettner’s insightful “Blue Zone” books shares lessons from healthy and thriving people around the world. In “The Blue Zones of Happiness,” Buettner summarizes a broad sweep of research and recommends ways for all of us to achieve greater well-being.

According to Buettner, the latest studies suggest that by cultivating three elements of happiness, you can achieve greater fulfillment. He says you need:

Purpose, which means you find opportunities in your daily life to use your gifts and talents in pursuit of meaningful goals;
Pride, meaning that your jobs and activities give you a sense of accomplishment, and;
Pleasure, including fun, awe and joy – particularly from socializing for hours every day.

I agree with Buettner’s wise advise about building a rewarding life. And I was intrigued by his three-part formula, because I have been using a similar framework when coaching clients around issues related to happiness at work.

“Engaged employees” tend to be relatively happy and committed to their work. And these upbeat workers are likely to achieve more than their negative, disgruntled peers. Because research underscores the link between attitude and job performance, organizational leaders often feel pressured to find new ways to promote “employee engagement.”

There’s no single, easy technique leaders can use to generate enthusiasm. But whether you want to inspire your team or yourself, a starting point is to reflect upon the things that do help you feel happy while you’re at work.

When coaching clients, one way I get at these issues is by exploring what I call the “Engagement Triangle.” Often, workplace happiness is the result of managing three basic factors. You’ll feel more jazzed about your job when you have:

Purpose. It’s easier to love your job if you’re working for something that matters more than just a paycheck.

Sometimes your work has meaning because you support the vision or values of the organization. Among successful companies known for their core values, Zappos says it will “create fun and a little weirdness.” At Salesforce.com, leaders say nothing is more important than trust. And Google says, “We believe everyone deserves the chance to learn, succeed, and be heard.”
Your team’s values can be motivating even when they are unstated. People share a sense of purpose in groups that offer superior service or a highly valued product.
Even a tedious job can feel rewarding if you have a good reason for working so hard, like supporting your family or laying groundwork for the next phase of your career.

People. Your job satisfaction is influenced by your colleagues, by your broader circle of clients and professional contacts, and by the other people you bump into throughout your career.

According to Gallup research, having friends at work is a key to employee retention. And if you have close friends at work you’re likely to be happier than your colleagues, more productive and better at engaging customers.
Many studies confirm that we accomplish more in an environment where coworkers treat each other with respect, gratitude, trust and integrity. Studies suggest that your office culture is more likely to promote success if people treat each other like friends.
In “The Culture Code,” bestselling author Daniel Coyle argues convincingly that highly successful groups tend to develop a culture that feels much like a family. He says that in strong teams people have a sense of belonging, communicate constantly and feel safe around one another.
If you work alone, or in an environment doesn’t feel friendly, it may be time to broaden your professional network, and explore activities that allow you to interact with simpatico folks.

Performance. You’ll probably love your job if you find enjoyment in your tasks, if you continue to build expertise, and if you frequently feel a sense of accomplishment.

Buettner suggests that time can move quickly in the best jobs because “your goal is clear, the task is challenging and you’re getting immediate feedback on how you’re doing.”
When work starts to feel dull, a good way to find new energy is to learn something new. The sense of accomplishment that comes from acquiring a fresh skill or deeper knowledge may jumpstart your next upward spiral.
Workers with autonomy tend to be happier and more productive than their micromanaged peers. If you are the team leader, be specific and consistent about goals, and let folks on the ground decide how to reach them. If you’re the one feeling micromanaged, focus on the decisions that you can control, and gain greater satisfaction from repetitive tasks by continuing to find ways to improve each process.
The way you perform your tasks helps you to support other people, contribute to the shared vision, and define your role within a group.

Do you want to have a bit more energy tomorrow morning? Try starting your day by writing answers to these three questions:

What core value will I keep in mind during my work today?
Who will I remember to appreciate in the course of the workday?
What task will I perform with special attention?

How to reboot when work is a drag

Posted by Beverly Jones on March 11, 2017

So things are tough at work?

These 5 strategies can help.

Most of us have periods of misery, when it seems like our careers are caught in a downward spiral. Sometimes the trigger is big and in-your-face, like the arrival of a new leader who wants to change everything about your job and mission. But at other times you just gradually lose hope, until thinking about your career leaves you wallowing in despair.

So what do you do if you can’t find a way to leave your job, but it feels like it’s only going to get worse from here?

The first thing is to understand that doing something is better than doing nothing. Chances are that nobody else will rescue you. So you’re the one who’ll have to shake things up and scramble toward paths leading to a better place.

If you’re caught in the mire, it’s time to get moving, even if you venture out only a little bit every day. As you look around for starting points, consider five strategies for bringing positive motion back to your career:

Build valuable expertise. One reason to develop greater subject matter expertise is that it will increase your job satisfaction. It takes long hours to acquire deep knowledge or technical skill, but people who have it and use it are more likely than their peers to find their work to be inherently rewarding. Beyond that, becoming an expert may translate into greater job security in the near term and a wider array of opportunities in the future. When you’re thinking about broadening your areas of know-how, don’t just jump on the bandwagon for whatever is hot today. Instead, focus on emerging issues that may become prominent down the road. Then position yourself to become the go-to answer person for next year’s questions.
Embrace technology. Change is tiring and it’s normal regret losing the old ways, particularly if that’s where you’re an expert. But this is the digital age, and — regardless of your profession — your future is being reshaped by changes in technology. If you drag your feet when it’s time to learn the latest system or application, colleagues may assume that you just can’t do it, perhaps because you’re too old or lack the education. Don’t fall into stereotypes or allow yourself to be marginalized. Instead, show interest in new trends and learn the latest relevant App. A good starting point can be social media. Professor Karen Riggs, who leads an SM program at Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication, says, “Social networks have low barriers to entry for professional use and can give you a way to show that you’re not intimidated by tech.”
Learn something. When you’re in the doldrums, a smart method for working your way out is to learn something new. This might mean expanding your expertise, but the approach works well even if you focus on a topic that has nothing to do with your day job. Being in learning mode changes the way you see the world. You become more alert, less bored and, perhaps, even less boring. You are more likely to spot opportunities and make connections among seemingly unrelated issues. And, while you’re gathering information outside your normal patterns, there’s a good chance you’ll try new experiences and broaden your network.
Focus on people. When you’re struggling in the morass, it’s easy to stumble into self-pity. But self-absorption will make your situation worse. If all you can think about is how unhappy you are, it’s time to shift your thoughts and start noticing other people. To get started, look around your workplace and ask yourself, “Is there any way I can help.” If you’re in a situation where others are struggling too, an easy way to add value is to listen carefully to what they have to say. Another is to be a positive force in the office, whether that means complimenting and thanking co-workers or consistently sounding upbeat and friendly. Many people find it satisfying to help out by mentoring or assisting colleagues or others in their professional community. And if you’re really feeling frustrated at work, volunteering in some kind of unrelated non-profit activity might help you regain overall perspective.
Enjoy other parts of your life. Most of my coaching clients were “A” students at school, and now they still want to feel like they’re regularly earning accolades and moving ahead. But a sense of achievement is seldom enjoyed at a steady pace in today’s long careers. There are times when trying too hard to get ahead may be self-defeating. In some difficult periods, the smart move may to do the best work you can, but then give yourself permission to stop striving so hard in your professional life. There are other ways to find enjoyment and satisfaction, and get your mojo back. One strategy for escaping career doldrums is to pursue a healthy hobby so passionately that you are energized and in better shape for your work life. The best path to a reboot at work may be to take a great vacation, vary and expand your social life, or try a new sport.

Want more ideas for creating a thriving, resilient career? Check out my book, “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO: 50 Indispensable Tips to Help You Stay Afloat, Bounce Back, and Get Ahead at Work.”

Your free time activities can energize your career

Posted by Beverly Jones on May 13, 2016

Things you do in your spare time

can support your success at work.

Because energetic, enthusiastic employees get more done, today’s managers are exploring many ways to stimulate employee engagement. Some programs work better than others, but one point seems clear: it’s difficult for bored or unhappy leaders to motivate their teams. So perhaps your first rule for engaging colleagues is to be engaged yourself.

Of course, it’s not always easy to pull yourself out of the doldrums. A variety of steps might help, like remembering why your work matters, learning something new or spending more quality time with supportive co-workers.

In this article, however, I’m focusing on a strategy that brings dramatic results for some people: pursuing your healthy hobby so passionately that you remain in great shape for your busy work life.

A striking example of someone whose thriving career is supported by her favorite free time activity is work and finance expert Kerry Hannon. She is a prolific author of books like Love Your Job, as well as a columnist and writer for media organizations like The New York Times, Forbes, Money and The Wall Street Journal.

Kerry seems to be constantly in the news, speaking at conferences across the country, testifying before Congress, serving as an expert for groups like AARP and turning out a steady flow of influential articles.

It’s hard to understand how she does it all, but part of the explanation is that Kerry’s favorite free time activity helps her remain grounded and upbeat. Riding horses is Kerry’s passion and she has been doing it since she was six years old.

But Kerry doesn’t just hack around. She has elected to pursue a very challenging sport, one that requires intense concentration. She regularly competes and wins blue ribbons in top, “AA” rated, Hunter and Jumper shows. In these events, the horse jumps over a series of fences, all the while maintaining a smooth stride and excellent form. It’s almost as though horse and rider are joined in a choreographed, flowing dance.

Here are some of the ways that Kerry’s passion for horses supports her busy work life:

It keeps her centered. Kerry loves being outdoors, looking at the countryside, particularly when she’s with horses and dogs. And substantial research suggests that human beings are hard-wired to let go of anxiety when they spend time with animals and in nature. More than that, Kerry seems to find something almost mystical about working so closely with a horse. She says, “horsemanship is about caring for another living being and accepting accountability and responsibility for another life. And that is magic.”

It reduces stress. Kerry says that being with horses is her time, “it’s incredibly freeing” and it’s “the ultimate de-stressor.” She says, “Earth people don’t know what it’s like…You can’t think about anything but what you’re doing when you’re on a thousand-pound animal… Riding requires, and, in fact, demands total focus.” Kerry says she’s like a new person after a few hours with her horse Saintly (also affectionately known as Brinkley).

It makes her a tougher competitor. Kerry is more entrepreneurial because of her experience in the horse world. She says, “In many ways, setting goals and developing the inner tools to grind it out during rough patches to achieve at this level are transferable to other parts of my work and personal life. To succeed in the show ring and jumping courses of fences, for example, you must be positive, have a plan, be prepared for the unexpected. You must flow forward, always moving and adjusting to changes in a fleeting second while appearing calm and steady on the surface. You must be confident and instill that confidence and trust in the horse… And you’re always learning when you work with animals. You’re learning about the sport, about the animal, about yourself, facing fears and the rewards of hard work and practice.”

It offers another reason to work hard. Kerry says that horses are expensive, so they provide a financial motivation that spurs her work. She explains that, while in many ways competing at a top level reduces her stress, participating in this world also brings certain pressures. “So I’ll equate a new assignment I get with Brinkley’s board bill. It becomes a barter system in my brain — if I do this extra assignment my hobby is paid for.”

Not many of us have a long-time interest that we can enjoy with the intensity that Kerry adores riding. But we each have the potential to find a few entertaining weekend pastimes that can transform the attitude we take to work on Monday. What might work for you?

And for more ideas for bringing energy back into your career, check out my book, “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO.”

Get ahead by serving customers

Posted by Beverly Jones on January 20, 2016

Yes, you do have “customers.”

And customer service is your job.

Because I spend long hours talking with clients on the phone, good quality, comfortable headsets are among my most valued tools. A few months ago I needed new ones, but I dreaded shopping because of past hassles, like being stuck with equipment that didn’t work with our telephones.

I searched on-line and elected to place a phone order with Headsets.com, whose website invited me to “Call our Headset Advisors.” My call was promptly answered by a cheerful fellow who asked good questions about my needs. Then he requested the product number of my phone to assure selection of a compatible headset. After he talked me through finding that number, he recommended a model and promised that his team would coach me through the setup, if necessary.

After I placed the order, an email informed me that if I had questions I could reach a live person by phone. I did pose a question, although via email, and got an immediate response. But it didn’t stop there. After a shipping update, the next message inquired about how the delivery went and asked whether I needed further help. Then someone actually called me, noting that I’d initially had concerns and asking if everything was OK. Finally, a friendly customer service manager phoned to ask if my headset was working properly.

The service level seemed too good to true. But then much the same thing happened when I ordered a second headset a couple of weeks later. What caught my attention was now much positive human engagement was built into the simple process of selling a small item. I went from putting off a purchase to wishing that Headsets.com sold a wider variety of products, so that I might direct more shopping their way.

Because real people listened to me and were consistently upbeat and helpful, the Headsets.com team made me, the customer, feel good. I noticed my own happy reaction and I thought, “this is how I want my clients to feel.”

While we’re not all vendors, most professionals do have some kind of “clients” or “customers.” They may be your colleagues, bosses or other people who rely on your work. So customer service is part of your job, no matter what your position description says. And good customer service takes more than simply sending acceptable products. It requires listening to your customers, seeing things from their perspective and acknowledging their needs.

If you think it’s time to put new energy into the service that you deliver, ask yourself: “how do I want my customers to feel each time they deal with me?”

Roll out the red carpet as much as you can (Image by Bits and Splits via Fotolia)

If you’re searching for new approaches to stellar service, you might try looking for inspiration outside your current workplace, and even beyond your industry. That’s a suggestion offered by customer service guru Donna Cutting, in her new book, “501 Ways to Roll Out the Red Carpet for Your Customers.” According to Cutting, “Some of your best red-carpet successes will come from ideas you borrowed from outside your field and then adapted, to the surprise and delight of your customers.”

Here are more of Cutting’s tips for offering world-class service:

Have them at hello and keep them at goodbye. Although Cutting argues that every single interaction you have with another person has more impact than you may realize, she suggests that some encounters count more than others. She agrees with the old saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. “In other words, you literally can have them – or not – at ‘Hello’.” But psychological research suggests that the last (or most recent) impression you make may be the one that sticks most of all.
Know how to recover. If you’re aiming for a first-class operation, your goal should be to strive for flawless service. But we all make mistakes and sometimes we have to face unhappy customers. Some researchers found that more than half “of complaining customers will continue to do business with you if they receive a response to their criticism. If they feel their grievance was resolved, that number goes up to 95 percent.” So when you’re faced with a crisis, ask the customer, “What can I do to make it right?”
Model five-star service. If what you produce requires a team effort, it’s hard to deliver excellent service if some members of the team have never received Cutter says “red-carpet service” means “treating the person in front of you right now as if he or she were the most important person in the room. This is as true of how you treat your internal customers (your team members and coworkers) as it is of others you serve.” So Cutter urges you to model what you want by offering praise and surprises, and “providing your employees with a little five-star treatment of their own.”

Whatever your job, providing effective customer service is the way you leverage the full value of all your hard work. Cutter’s “501 Ways” is a fun read, full of stories that will spark fresh ideas for treating your customers like royalty.

And for more tips on managing your career, please check out my new book, “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO.”

Don’t get stuck in the past

Posted by Beverly Jones on October 27, 2015

How you live in time —

yesterday, today and tomorrow

— helps shape your career

I felt refreshed at the end of a phone call with a client I’ll call “Mark.” It wasn’t just because Mark, like many of my clients, is smart and likeable. What made the conversation energizing was listening to a person whose orientation to the continuum of time is so nicely balanced.

Mark is comfortable with his past and has fond memories of growing up within a big family. Of course, he has experienced career bumps over the years, and has faced discrimination and other types of unfairness. But he has come to regard his tougher moments as opportunities for learning.

For the future, Mark has a dream job in mind, and he seems remarkably confident that he’ll reach that goal when the time is right. It will take a while for him to get there because so many people are ahead of him in his organization’s hierarchy. But, he said, he’s in no hurry to move up the ladder because his “work/life balance is so perfect today.” Even though Mark cares passionately about the mission of his nonprofit employer, he sticks close to a 40-hour workweek because, for the moment, his top priority is being with his young family.

Not everyone has Mark’s healthy attitude about the past, present and future. As a coach, I often encounter clients whose focus on the timeline of life is impeding their career:

“Elaine” cannot distance herself from earlier career situations where, in her view, she was dealt with unfairly. Elaine often complains about past mistreatment, and her bitterness limits her ability to pursue current opportunities. And when she gets bogged down in endlessly recycling yesterday’s disappointments, Elaine bores her colleagues and has trouble engaging in the projects on her desk today.
“Jack” lives today fully, but doesn’t prepare for tomorrow. While Elaine’s coworkers tend to avoid her, Jack is popular wherever he goes. He is playful, funny and interested in whatever you’re doing right now. But Jack’s career is stalled because of the way he avoids assignments involving a lot of planning or tedious, front-end work.
Ambitious “Harry” is focused on the future but neglects the present. He is determined to rise to the top of his field and he’s a master of networking and self-promotion. But Harry spends so much time chasing opportunity that he often is sloppy about tasks on his plate right now. And despite his broad circle, Jack has few close friends because social activities without a professional focus strike him as a waste of time.

Executive coaches understand that, although you may not be conscious of it, the way you think about time can impact your behavior and attitudes, and profoundly influence the course of your career. Coaches often ask questions intended to help clients develop a clear, hopeful vision of their future, as well as a realistic sense of their priorities for today.

People with a positive and balanced perception of time tend to be effective performers in the workplace. And simply noticing ways that you focus on the continuum of time can help you to better set your perspective. The relationship between performance and time orientation is one focus of The Time Paradox, a fascinating 2008 book by psychologists Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd. According to these authors, research suggests that for a happy life and a successful career, the best time orientation is one that features:

A high past-positive and low past-negative time perspective. You can’t change your past but you can adjust your attitude about it. An upbeat view of the past can help you feel rooted and stable, but a negative preoccupation with old events can make you suspicious, risk-adverse and driven by guilt or a fear of all that is new or different.
A moderately high future time perspective. Being oriented toward the future means you are more likely to engage in appropriate planning and scheduling and better able to anticipate to challenges. This perspective is associated with strong reasoning, patience and self-control, and with a focus on goals. It allows you to envision days ahead filled with hope, optimism and power. The down side of an over-the-top preoccupation with the future is you may be unable to enjoy today’s activities and experiences.
A moderately high present hedonistic perspective. The authors say, “A hedonistic present gives you energy and joy about being alive…Present hedonism is life-affirming, in moderation.”

If you’re interested in seeing how your time perspective compares with the authors’ view of the optimum profile, you can go to their website and take the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory. If you don’t feel like answering their 56 questions, simply try noticing, for a few days, how much attention you focus on the past, the future and what’s happening right now.

career success

5 Keys to Handling Failure at Work

You CAN come back from