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Hope is not a strategy

November 8, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

The world of work is changing fast. Are you ready for it?

Here are 6 trends from a digest of a MPF trends seminar I attended recently by Rohit Talwar of Fast Future. @fastfuture

• Old style businesses could become extinct: There is a big ‘clash’ between the old and new worlds. This is magnified for traditional businesses and where technology is changing fast/creating disruption

• Change and uncertainty is certain: Accelerated speed of change with uncertainty the new ‘normal’

• Quality thinking a must: To succeed, firms and businesses need to create time and a structure for thinking

• Danger of stress inhibiting clarity of thought: Stress of downturn pressures has created fatigue – can affect clarity of thought/decision making when quality thinking is becoming more vital

• Plans with 3 timeframes: Three different timeframes need to be considered for businesses to stay ahead; longer term ‘radar’ (4-10 years), medium term vision (3 years), short term – clear goals for 12 months

• Diverse minds needed in tandem: Different individuals and mind/skill sets are needed to be responsible for these 3 different timeframes and issues

How will these trends affect you?

What’s your first step to reflect on this?

To follow Fast Future on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/fastfuture

For more insights and tips to help you liberate ALL of your talent, follow us on Twitter:
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10 pros of a career portfolio

October 24, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Portfolio careers are growing fast – because of need and want. More information below if this is a new concept for you.

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2014/05/25/could-a-portfolio-career-make-you-dance/

A career portfolio or portfolio career has many pros. I have thought of over 70. Here are 10 of mine for now:

1. Doing what I want
2. No week ever the same
3. Always learning
4. Planning my own tasks around the sunny weather
5. The ability to be spontaneous
6. Taking a day off if I feel like it
7. Avoiding rush hour
8. Avoiding queues and busy times in shops
9. The variety and stimulation of varied work
10. Getting better value train fares from travelling off peak

What would be your biggest pro?

For more insights and tips, follow us on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Below are two analogies for managing your career portfolio:

Comparing a portfolio career to Doctor Who:

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/comment/columnists/doctor-who-and-the-portfolio-career/2016469.article

Managing a portfolio career like investments

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/manage-your-career-just-like-an-investment-portfolio/articleshow/44913756.cms

Are you plural or singular?
http://www.harveynash.com/uk/news-and-media/publications/portfolio_careers_the_business_of_pluralism.asp

Who’s marketing you?

September 19, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Do you hate marketing yourself?

Many people do especially women; it makes them feel very uncomfortable. With more competition for jobs and the trend to freelance and portfolio working growing apace, marketing yourself is something that cannot be ignored.

Rather than write lots of words, I thought you would appreciate some questions to ponder.

Here they are:

My desired outcome from marketing myself is …………..

I dislike/resist marketing myself because……………….

Ways I currently/historically have avoided marketing myself are ……………..

Ideas to market myself that feel more comfortable to me are ………..

The top 3 key stakeholders to my career success are ………………

1
2
3

Three S.M.A.R.T. actions I will take to market myself are ……………

1
2
3

If you found these questions, just imagine how useful coaching would be to help you market yourself.

For more useful insights and tips, follow us on Twitter.

Tweets by talentliberator

Indirectisms of the Brits Part 1 ………..

August 18, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

English is known to be a confusing language to Foreigners because English people do not always say what they mean – they wear a ‘mask’. I am the only very direct member in a family who are very indirect/covert! This can be challenging & frustrating in the ‘communication department’!

The other day I caught up with a contact on the phone. When I asked them how their job was going, they replied: “It has its challenges.” Translation – “It’s a b******* nightmare!”

This got me thinking about verbal padding and how the British rarely say what they really mean and feel and what phrases they say.

This blog, Part 1, is a light-hearted look at the phrases that are used at work. What are your favourites?

“Your dedication has not gone unnoticed.” (but won’t be rewarded)

“I don’t know where we would be without you.” (in a better position, I’d imagine)

“It’s been really helpful you challenging our thinking.” (now get back in your box where you belong, you minion)

“You are a very valuable member of the team.” (but you’re on the redundancy list as your brilliance makes the management feel threatened)

“Would you excuse me?” (I have far too many important matters to attend to, to grace you with my presence)

“I understand what you are saying.” (I really don’t know what you are banging on about)

“You have my backing.” (you’re on your own mate!)

“I hear what you say.” (and will ignore it and do what I planned in the first place)

“The decision had nothing to do with me.” (I chose the knife, stabbed it in your back and twisted it)

“You can be completely frank with me.” (but only if I like what you say)

“Just between you and me.” (and the rest of the office)

“Do you have a moment?” (you’re sacked)

“This won’t take long.” (just longer than it needs to because I haven’t prepared)

“Is it a convenient time to call?” (I want to speak now whether it suits you or not)

“It’s been a pleasure.” (not)

“We have a no-blame culture here.” (your card is marked)

“I love the new look.” (you look like a dog’s dinner)

How are you creating some sunshine in August?

August 11, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

August is a great time to catch up with yourself!

Stephen Covey who wrote the classic book ‘The 7 habits of highly effective people’ talks about the importance of blocking out time in your diary for ‘important not urgent’ tasks.

He defines important not urgent tasks as:

• Preparation
• Prevention
• Planning
• Relationship building
• Empowerment
• Self-awareness, learning, exploration & development
• Learning new skills
• Creative thinking
• Networking
• Prioritisation
• Training & development
• Exercise

People are naturally better at some of these and less so at others.

What are your goals for each of these areas? Do you block out time in your diary for these things? Most people don’t. They spend most of their time reacting, fire fighting and chasing their tail!

Why not choose August to create some new habits?

Ask yourself these questions and score yourself out of 100% for these key effective habits:

1. How good am I at managing time well and prioritising tasks for maximum results?
2. How good am I at marketing myself in a relevant, consistent and targeted way?
3. How good am I creating better systems, healthy habits and behaviours?
4. How good am I at developing my skills/knowledge to stay one step ahead?
5. How good am I at reflecting, planning, refocusing and follow up?
6. How good am I at setting compelling goals with plans to achieve them?
7. How good am I at creating and building key relationships to help me grow personally and professionally?

If your total core is less than 400, coaching would be very beneficial indeed to protect your current work position and ensure you are planning your future with more competition. If your score is 400-650, coaching would help you to achieve excellent results faster than you can do alone.

The world of work is changing REALLY fast at the moment and there is less time to do these things but they are becoming more important to create a secure long term future for yourself.

Important not urgent things to do in August:

5 tasks I am focusing on this month are:

• Catching up on sleep and de-weeding the allotment
• Reducing the paper mountain that has built up over a few months of writing and doing events
• Identifying and removing the cause of annoying ‘niggles’
• Reviewing my technology
• Mapping key systems and processes to streamline them

Here are 6 more ideas for creating some sunshine in August:

1. Reflect on your achievements and learnings from the last 3 months
2. Review your career strategy
3. Tag your LinkedIn connections
4. Update your CV
5. Follow more followers on Twitter
6. Research networking and training events for the Autumn

Review our client testimonials:
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/energise-client-testimonials/

View our LinkedIn profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/energiseliberateyourtalent

Get in touch if you are ready to explore coaching with us. Thanks!

Yes, But, But, But …………..

July 13, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Making a career change can feel as big a decision as choosing a life partner and whether to have a baby. That’s big.

To achieve a successful career change, you need to overcome the ‘buts’. A career change can seem like a huge mountain in front of you to climb. Part of my job as a talent liberator is to be your Sherpa.

I was reflecting recently on what ‘Buts’ come up often with my clients:

* Lack of time to think and make a change

* Feel burdened by the weight of responsibility e.g. as the main breadwinner

* How a change will affect future plans and choices e.g. having another baby

* Fear of the unknown

* Finding something that fits you and is fulfilling

* Getting a lucky break and for a potential employer to see the value you bring

* Fear of making a bad decision and regretting a change

* Believing that a change means you have to go to the bottom of the ladder

* Fear of losing financial security and feeling vulnerable

Sound familiar?

7 Tips to overcome career change ‘buts’

1) Design security into your change

2) Set up a savings account to fund a career break, retrain or financial cushion for peace of mind

3) Keep the faith – be persistent

4) Make time to get clear on what you want

5) Create your own luck – be proactive

6) Fill the gap – information, especially for lawyers, provides clarity and reduces fear

7) Block out time every week so you make progress

What tips would you add?

What next?

The quieter summer months are the perfect time to think about your career and what you really want.

Imagine returning to work in September clear about what change you want to make and how you will achieve it.

A fast track career coaching programme could enable you to achieve it. Act today – get in touch:

http://careerstrategies.co.uk/careercoaching/what-next/

To follow us on Twitter,
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Want to work flexibly?

June 30, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Today’s the day – 30 June 2014. From today, any employee who has been working for 6 months can request flexible working in the UK, whether they are a parent or carer or not. 20 million people have the right to ask. What impact will this have do you think?

Status re flexible working

Employees want flexible working but presenteism in the office still pervades the work culture in many businesses and an old fashioned 9-5 model of work (often 8-6 in reality!) still exists that creates commuting bottle necks that could be avoided. Companies have become more open to flexible working, but because it jobs to adopt & accommodate flexible working. How to balance clients’ needs and employee demands is the key.

Impact of failure to embrace flexible working

Employee needs and wants are rarely the driver for employers embracing flexible working, when this would enhance motivation, reduce stress and enable firms to operate more 24/7. It is hardly surprising there is a huge drain of talented women from many companies as a refusal to adopt flexible working often gives working mothers no other option but to exit.

Growing demand for flexible working

The younger generation’s desire for flexibility, enabling technology and a growing employee voice helped by social media will be catalysts for change, as will be lost productivity with peak commuting bottlenecks. Flexible working has become associated with women, but men want it too and wanting a good work life balance is a common and growing desire. In many professions, a request for flexible working is like career suicide.

Transport & commuting challenges

The core problem is that too many people travel to work at the same time on transport infrastructures that are feeling the strain. Data on transport utilization and population growth, especially in London and the South East, indicates that the problem will get worse not better.

What types of flexible working are there?

There are a number of types of flexible working – which one appeals to you?

Self-employment – the ultimate in flexibility – choose your own hours

Part time working – less than full time hours

Flexi time – freedom to choose to work within agreed set hours

Staggered hours – employees have different start and end times enabling employees to avoid commuting and businesses to open longer

Compressed working hours – cover standard hours in fewer days

Job sharing – two workers agree hours and split a full time job between them

Term time working – take paid or unpaid leave during the holidays

Home working/teleworking – spend some/all hours working away from the office

V time working – reduce hours for an agreed period with guarantee of full time work when this period ends

Zero hour contracts – work only hours the employer needs

Sabbatical/career break – employees are allowed to take time off for an agreed time, either paid or unpaid.

5 tips about flexible working

If you are looking to negotiate flexible working with your current or future employer, here are 5 tips:

• Create a business case for your employer to work more flexibly with data about increased productivity working from home.
• Look ahead to tomorrow as well as today. Will you be a carer or parent in future and if so, how can you start the ball rolling today to work more flexibly?
• Get up to speed with your legal rights.
• Find out your employer’s policy on flexible working.
• Think about possible objections and barriers to you working flexibly and brainstorm ideas and responses to overcome them.

Self-reflective question

“If I could design my working life to suit my needs, what would I choose?”

Inspiring quote

“We all have two choices. We can make a living or we can design a life” Jim Rohn.

For more useful insights and tips, follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

PS I have just written a chapter for a new book being published by Globe Law & Business in the Autumn – ‘the impact of coaching on work life balance’. I am self-employed so I can and do work flexibly. I am naturally an early bird, so my flexible working is waking at 4am ish and having a nap at about 2-3pm! Coaching at 6am is a good time for me 🙂

10 inspiring quotes about change

June 23, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

I love inspiring quotes – selective ones. It is like a well-chosen image, anything more is not necessary.

Here are 10 inspiring quotes about change and attitudes to change.

“Often people live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the opposite. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want.“ Margaret Young.

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Alan Kay.

“Control your destiny or someone else will.” Jack Welsh.

“But is a fence over which few leap.” German Proverb.

“If you have to support yourself, you might as well do it in a way that is interesting.“ Katharine Hepburn.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.“ Gandhi.

“Your work is to discover your work and then, with all your heart, give yourself to it.” Buddha.

“Do not let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.“ John Wooden.

“If hard work was such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept it to themselves.” Lane Kirkland.

“If you think you can, you can, if you think you can’t, you are right.” Henry Ford.

Which one is your favourite? We would love to hear any inspiring quotes that you especially like.

Ready for change? Get in touch if you would like to discuss how career coaching support would help you achieve your change faster and with less pain.

Does a portfolio career appeal to you?

June 8, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Our last blog looked at what a portfolio career is, the components and why they are growing.

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/2014/05/25/could-a-portfolio-career-make-you-dance/

This blog shares the pros and cons of a portfolio career and some examples.

Pros of a portfolio career

• Variety & stimulation
• New experiences
• ‘Weather’ economic storms/market shifts
• Honour your different needs and wants
• Balance financial security & dreams
• Time for hobbies and travel
• Time to invest in new skills

Cons of a portfolio career

• Need to market yourself
• Need to be good at managing priorities
• Multi-tasking ability ‘a must’
• Uncertainty can be uncomfortable for some
• Can be ‘full-on’
• Have to explain to others what it means

Examples of a portfolio career

My portfolio career comprises; career coaching, executive coaching, content creation, content curation, events, writing, facilitation and consultancy.

Below are some other examples of a portfolio career.

• Lesley combines associate freelance work, a part time job and volunteers for a charity
• Ben works long hours earning for 6 months of the year to fund his travelling the world for 6 months
• John is a non-exec director and also does paid project/contract work
• Claire has 2 paid retainers, volunteers and is studying to increase her skills and marketability
• Charles Handy and his wife Elizabeth split their year 50:50. Half the year his career is the priority and the other half she calls the shots

One of the great things about a portfolio career is that you can design it to suit you and the mix of the components changes over time, so you don’t feel stale.

Last week for example, my portfolio career comprised; a 2 hour session on personal branding for women in advertising, executive coaching/business development mentoring, career coaching with current and new clients, editing some content, writing on diversity and inclusion and attending an industry awards on best practice in learning and development.

What next?

Are you at a career crossroads?

Now is a great time to take action. Career coaching helps you focus, create change and achieve more faster. Starting now, 6 weeks on a fast track programme would enable you to move forward before the summer holidays. Get in touch for more details.

What do our clients say?
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/energise-client-testimonials/

Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Could a portfolio career make you dance?

May 25, 2014 By // by DigitalJenIPC

More and more people are doing a portfolio career. Could you be one of them?

This blog shares what a portfolio career is, the components and why they are growing.

What is a portfolio career?

A mixture of different strands

Doing more than one thing for work

A shifting blend of work components

Work that gives you options

A growing trend

Components of a portfolio career

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Alan Kay

Part time job/jobs (employment)

Freelance/contract work (self-employment)

Non-Exec director

Volunteering

On-line business

Study

Travel

Career break/rest

Why are portfolio careers growing?

Changing world of work

Shortage of full time jobs

Growth in self-employment

Desire for choice

Gen Y/Millennials/Gen Edge different values

Desire for meaning and purpose

Shift to employees taking responsibility

Second career post redundancy

Less middle management jobs with automation

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
Maria Robinson.

Next time, we will share the pros and cons and some examples.

Are you at a career crossroads?