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Archive for the ‘Quick Tips’ Category

Although the New Year has just begun there might be some of us who have already broken some of our New Year’s resolutions. When you set about making big changes in life, it makes sense to reflect back before moving forward.

Don’t neglect to take time to review and assess your personal and professional challenges and accomplishments of 2011 as you plan for an exciting 2012 to come. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you take time to assess your personal and professional challenges and accomplishments from the past year:

1. What are your proudest successes and accomplishments from this past year?

2. What people, books, events, or activities created good memories for you in 2011?

3. Who and what supported your personal and business growth and success this year?

4. How consistent is your work with your deepest values?

5. What are you most grateful for this year?

6. What slowed you down or stood in the way of fulfilling your intentions?

7. What unexpected opportunities came up and what did you learn from them?

8. What have you been putting off that you know you need to execute on before the end of the year?

9. What goals did you fail to achieve and why?

10. What big, major goal are you working on for 2012?

Now here’s a bonus question:

How can you bring more love, enjoyment, and peace into your life in 2012?

Taking the time to think about what you’ve done, what you wanted to do but didn’t, and what you’d like to do in the year ahead is a great way to get some closure and begin the year on a positive note. Be sure to celebrate your accomplishments, but don’t punish yourself for the failures. Trying and failing is the only way to make forward progress.

Wishing you a healthy, prosperous and Happy New Year!

Marshall Brown, a certified career and executive coach, entrepreneur coach and personal brand strategist, has always had a passion for helping people find ways to live more fulfilling lives. As a coach, Marshall helps individuals to find their passions and encourages them to move ahead in reaching their goals. For more information, contact marshall@ mbrownassociates.com, 202-518-5811 or visit www.mbrownassociates.com.

Whether you’re learning to swing a golf club, baseball bat or tennis racquet, coaches always emphasize the importance of follow-through. It’s not just hitting the ball that matters, it’s how you continue your swing once contact is made.

The same thing applies in job interviews, networking, sales and almost any work situation: without purposeful follow-through on your actions and interactions with others, you won’t really be able to reach your professional potential.

“Failure to meet deadlines, honor commitments, monitor staff, return calls and keep track of long-term projects is the most underrated cause of chaos and failure in business life,” writes Stephanie Winston in Organized for Success.

So often we feel we’ve completed a task because the action of it is “done,” but we underemphasize how powerful it is to continue developing, tracking and monitoring operations and relationships even after they’ve been set in place. As Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan note in Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, “Follow-through is the cornerstone of execution, and every leader who’s good at executing follows through religiously. Following through ensures that people are doing the things they committed to do, according to the agreed timetable.”

It’s Not Just What, But How

When we think of follow-through, we tend to think of taking action. But a large part of follow-through is about first figuring out how things will be done. Once you define your goals, set aside some time to decide just how you will reach them. What steps will be needed to accomplish them? Who will do which steps and when? What is the desired timeline? If a strategy does not address the how, it is almost certainly doomed to failure.

Take meetings, for instance. A plan for follow-through should be detailed at the end of every meeting. “Never finish a meeting without clarifying what the follow through will be, who will do it, what resources they will use, and how and when the next review will take place and with whom,” Bossidy and Charan suggest.

Organizing and Delegating

A good organizational system will support follow-through more than almost anything. If you are among the organizationally challenged, do one of two things:

1. Make a vow, buy an organization book or two, reserve a weekend or a week, and just do it. Get organized once and for all. You’re not likely to follow through well, if at all, when the disorganization gremlin has hold of you. Getting organized is one of the biggest keys to success; not doing so is an extremely common and most unfortunate form of self-sabotage.

2. Hire someone to organize you and keep you that way. The investment will pay for itself when you begin following through more consistently.

Delegating should also be part of an organizational system. “Getting things done through others is a fundamental leadership skill,” according to Bossidy and Charan. “Indeed, if you can’t do it, you’re not leading.” Delegating is an efficient way to ensure that the greatest number of tasks, including follow-up tasks, get done in the shortest amount of time. In other words, if you want to be successful, don’t be afraid to dole out the workload to others. The key is to always think in terms of the big picture instead of focusing only on whatever task is in front of your face at the moment.

Pro-activity and Integrity

Following through means taking action and keeping your word. Below are some additional considerations regarding follow-through.

•  When you say you’ll do something, be scrupulous in meeting your commitment, whether to a client, supervisor, customer or direct-report. If you can’t deliver it, don’t promise it.

•  In job interviews and networking, rapid follow-up can mean the difference between landing the job and/or client. Hiring decisions are often made very quickly after interviews. And getting in contact with people soon after meeting them means they will remember you, increasing the likelihood they will eventually buy from you.

•  Be sure to send a thank you note after you close a sale or receive any courtesy. This will make you stand out from the others, inviting an ongoing relationship to develop, or continue to develop. Also, a short thank-you note gives you a great excuse to add anything you forgot to say in a meeting or interview, or to highlight details you only glossed over.

•  All top salespeople are masters at follow-through. Lack of follow-through is the primary element missing when sales are not keeping pace with leads generated. You may have hundreds of leads with a great deal of potential. But unless you follow through and actively market/sell to these leads, they will not turn into sales.

•  Following through after sales have been made also makes good financial sense. Getting business from new customers costs significantly more than securing additional business from existing customers.

When it comes to follow-through, something is better than nothing. It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing thing. The best is to follow-up as frequently and best as you can, a practice that can even affect productivity positively.

“On a day-to-day basis, consistent, automatic follow-through can deflect a lot of the firefighting that can push your day off course,” Winston writes.

If you’d like some support in honing your ‘follow-through’ skills, contact me today and let’s talk about how coaching can help you to achieve the life you desire.

Photo credit: Mark Eglan

Great ideas can mean the difference between mediocrity and huge success, between boredom and passion. Whether you want to streamline a process, write a best-selling headline or start a killer business, consider the following tips:

1. Pay attention. Awareness is the first step of anything. Take in all the details as they are; then you can begin to develop ideas to address the facts.

2. Stimulate creativity. What helps take your mind in different directions? A day off? Chasing your 2-year-old? Dancing? A mastermind group?

3. Examine your beliefs. What thoughts keep you stuck in the same old same-old? Which ones sabotage your efforts or keep your ideas small?

4. Play. Play with words. Play with concepts and characters. Play both inside and outside the box.

5. Identify the “juice.” What is it you LOVE to do? See if you can incorporate that—or the energy of it—into your ideas.

6. Get your pen moving. This writers’ trick works in all kinds of scenarios to generate great ideas. Just start writing.

7. Notice what’s not working. The heart of a problem is rich with possibility for creative solutions.

8. Ask. Solicit input from people in your field of interest. Or, if you’re spiritually inclined, ask for guidance from whatever you consider your “higher power.”

9. Be open. Ideas can come from anywhere. Your teenager may articulate just the thing that will work for your needs.

10. Keep track. Great ideas are often born while driving or running or sitting at the beach. Keep a tape recorder or notebook always handy to capture them.

July 2011

Welcome to the July issue of According to Marshall…

There is a lot of information out there and most of us have little, or no time, to read it. My goal is to provide you, my readers, with relevant, important and up to date information that will help you in your business success. It’s just a quick summary, on various topics of interest, that I am sure will be relevant to your personal and professional success.

If there are particular subjects that you would like to receive information on, let me know. And if you want to share relevant information I would be happy to include it to my readers. Please feel free to send your information to me.

How Using the Right Photo Online Can Help Your Career

by Miriam Salpeter, USNews

“There was a time when U.S. job seekers would not consider a photo part of their job-search materials. But since LinkedIn joined the professional scene, things have changed. While it’s the job seeker’s choice whether to share a picture via social networks, there’s no doubt most people who notice a photo-less LinkedIn profile will assume one of two things: 1) you don’t know how to upload a picture or 2) you are really ugly.”

Click here to read the full story

Nine Things Successful People Do Differently

by Heidi Grant Halvorson, Harvard Business Review

“Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren’t sure, you are far from alone in your confusion. It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail. The intuitive answer — that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others — is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.”

Click here to read the full story

Five Reasons Why Facebook Will Never Replace Your Website

by Maggie McGary, Smart Blogs

“Today someone said something which still has me reeling hours later: “Facebook will eventually replace websites.” Was this person the first to ever have said it? Surely not. But it was the first time I’ve ever heard an actual person say it, and I’m telling you, it freaked me out that someone could honestly believe something so crazy to be true. I was taken aback at the time and didn’t respond; now that I’ve had a few hours for it to sink in, let me say here what I should have said then: THAT IS THE WORST IDEA EVER.”

Click here to read the full story

3 Reasons You Should Shut Your Cake Hole

by Mike Figliuolo, thoughtLEADERS, LLC

“Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply shut up. Simply put a big pair of socks in your mouth and plug up your cake hole.

There are plenty of situations where shutting up is the right strategy. There are also plenty of benefits to doing so. It’s no secret – sometimes I open my mouth when I should be doing exactly the opposite and before those of you who agree start spewing “I can’t stand when he talks” just realize at least I’m self aware – are you? Hmmm. Hello Pot, this is Kettle…”

Click here to read the full story

June 2011

Welcome to the June issue of According to Marshall…

There is a lot of information out there and most of us have little, or no time, to read it. My goal is to provide you, my readers, with relevant, important and up to date information that will help you in your business success. It’s just a quick summary, on various topics of interest, that I am sure will be relevant to your personal and professional success.

If there are particular subjects that you would like to receive information on, let me know. And if you want to share relevant information I would be happy to include it to my readers. Please feel free to send your information to me.

10 Tips to Get People to Act on Your Emails

by Jessica Strelitz, Smart Blogs

“Want to be more innovative? Stop doing all the stuff that is wasting time and sapping energy.”

Click here to read the full story

The Most Important Question a Manager Can Ask

by Linda Hill & Kent Lineback, Harvard Business Review

“The most effective way to find out what your employees need from you — and to be a better leader — is to ask “What can I do to help you be more effective?”.”

Click here to read the full story

9 Ways to Use Summer to Your Career Advantage

by Andrew G. Rosen, USNews

“As adults, most professions require we that we show up at the office, regardless of the season. While summertime can be considered “lazy days,” it’s actually the perfect time to up your game and advance your career.”

Click here to read the full story

Why Branding Your Resume Produces a High ROI

by Jessica Holbrook, JobDig

“It has been no secret in advertising and marketing for some time now that you need to know your target audience. In a job search it really isn’t any different. You need to know who you audience is, what their needs are and how to communicate the benefits of what you offer.”

Click here to read the full story

Properly setting expectations for directors and employees/team members is a critical dimension in quality workplaces, according to a study of managers undertaken in the 1990s by the Gallup Organization. Below are some tips on setting clear expectations that will set standards for excellence and results.

1. Start with a vision of what you want the end result to look like. Not just what you want done, but the results you want to achieve when the project is completed.

2. Discuss the how you define “excellent performance.” Paint a complete picture. Refer to your performance review form. Don’t assume.

3. Focus on the desired outcome, not on describing each and every step. Your goal is to guide, not control. Letting individuals find their own route toward productive outcomes encourages them to use their strengths.

4. Tie the mission of the department to each job. People want to know that their role, whether large or small, makes a difference.

5. Put the expectations in writing.

6. Stay on the sideline. You may be tempted to step in and ‘play the game’ for a subordinate, but if you do, no one will learn.

7. Give feedback, and often! The annual performance review is too late to let staff members know how they are meeting your expectations. Schedule informal review time weekly (quarterly for larger departments). Feedback given along the way sounds more like coaching, not like punishment.

8. Ask for staff members’ feedback on how they think they are doing. Two-way communication clarifies expectations.

9. Give positive reinforcement. Don’t mix negative and positive. Mention the thing you like and you’ll get more of it. Be specific and prompt.

10. Don’t take it personally. When staff members don’t perform as you think they should have, look for solutions, not blame.

April 2011

Welcome to the March issue of According to Marshall…

There is a lot of information out there and most of us have little, or no time, to read it. My goal is to provide you, my readers, with relevant, important and up to date information that will help you in your business success. It’s just a quick summary, on various topics of interest, that I am sure will be relevant to your personal and professional success.

If there are particular subjects that you would like to receive information on, let me know. And if you want to share relevant information I would be happy to include it to my readers. Please feel free to send your information to me.

If you have trouble reading this or seeing graphics click here for the online version.

10 Signs of a Healthy Job Search

by Tim Tyrell-Smith – USNews

“If you’re out there looking for a job right now, you may be wondering, am I doing this right? How would I know? And if I am, why haven’t I found a job yet? Here’s the truth: In a struggling economy, you can do everything right and still not find the right job—or any job, for that matter.”

Click here to read the full story

Top 10 Interview Tips

by Alison Doyle – About.com Guide

“These top interview tips will help you cover everything you need to know to successfully ace a job interview. From checking out the company to sending an interview thank you note, these job interview tips cover all the basics needed for interviewing success.”

Click here to read the full story

10 Mistakes You’re Making on Your Resume

by Alison Green – USNews

“Chances are good that you’re making a few of these common mistakes on your resume. How many are you guilty of?”

Click here to read the full story

10 Tips for Social Media Introverts

by Heidi Cohen, Smart Blog

“Are you part of the social media silent majority? Do you hesitate to participate — either as an individual or as the manager of an organization who reads and observes what’s happening in the social media sphere? Do you want to break out of your social media shell? If so, here are 10 suggestions that you may remember from high school to help you ease into social media participation.”

Click here to read the full story

Marshall’s Blog at the Washington Post

For those of you that have not had a chance to visit my Washington Post blog yet here is the link:

http://views.washingtonpost.com/on-success/career-coach/

March 2011

Welcome to the March issue of According to Marshall…

There is a lot of information out there and most of us have little, or no time, to read it. My goal is to provide you, my readers, with relevant, important and up to date information that will help you in your business success. It’s just a quick summary, on various topics of interest, that I am sure will be relevant to your personal and professional success.

If there are particular subjects that you would like to receive information on, let me know. And if you want to share relevant information I would be happy to include it to my readers. Please feel free to send your information to me.

If you have trouble reading this or seeing graphics click here for the online version.

What Business Leaders Can Learn From “The King’s Speech”
by John Barker – The Financial Post

“The movie’s parallels to the world of business are clear: when called upon, leaders often struggle to find their own voice. Whether king or queen, executive or manager, anyone who aspires to inspire must face this rite of passage.”

Click here to read the full story

The Skill That Separates
by Marshall Goldsmith – JobDig

“If you want others to care about what you have to say – care about what they have to say!”

Click here to read the full story

Learn The Tricks Of Effective Networking
by Howard Adamsky – Monster Thinking

“How we go about our networking is important because in the end, if networking isn’t effective, there’s little reason to continue doing it. There are many rules of engagement for networking…”

Click here to read the full story

Why “Good Enough” Is Better Than “Best”
by Kimberly Weisul – BNET.com

“New research compares people who strive for the best to those who strive for ‘good enough.’ The high achievers aren’t who you’d expect.”

Click here to read the full story

Marshall’s Blog at the Washington Post

For those of you that have not had a chance to visit my Washington Post blog yet here is the link:

http://views.washingtonpost.com/on-success/career-coach/

How much time, money and energy have you spent in developing a “personal brand” that is unique and represents YOU.

1. The personal branding process is about having self-awareness of your strengths and talents, and then letting everyone know about your gifts, talents, and experience. It’s about giving a clear impression of who you are, what you value, what you’re committed to, and how you can be counted upon to act. Your branding statement must provide a clear, concise view of your unique set of strengths and tell why you can do it better than anyone else. You need to be able to state clearly and unequivocally why you are different than everyone else, and what services you offer that make you unique and set you ahead of your competition.
2.  Understand how you connect best with people. Consider what your target audience needs and wants, and then identify the value and the experience that you can deliver to meet those needs and wants. Communicate in ways that reach into the hearts and minds of your target audience and connect with their core values and deepest desires.
3.  Consistency is one of the keys to building a strong personal brand. Be aware of being consistent in every interaction you have, both in what you say and how you respond. Establishing a professional brand is absolutely critical to long term, sustainable business growth. In an overcrowded marketplace, if you’re not standing out, then you’re invisible. Branding your products and services will give you an edge over your competition and enhance your value to your target market.

What makes you different?  Click here to share with us, on our survey, what you feel are the top 3 qualities that represent YOU – YOUR brand.

February 2011

Welcome to the February issue of According to Marshall…

There is a lot of information out there and most of us have little, or no time, to read it. My goal is to provide you, my readers, with relevant, important and up to date information that will help you in your business success. It’s just a quick summary, on various topics of interest, that I am sure will be relevant to your personal and professional success.

If there are particular subjects that you would like to receive information on, let me know. And if you want to share relevant information I would be happy to include it to my readers. Please feel free to send your information to me.

If you have trouble reading this or seeing graphics click here for the online version.

3 Ways to Get a Promotion
by Elaine Pofeldt, CNNMoney.com/Money magazine

“Tired of waiting for better days to arrive so that you can ask for a bump up? Maybe it’s time to quit being so patient.”

Click here to read the full story

4 Ways YouTube Can Land You a Job
by Jessica Stillman , BNET.com

“Here’s another tool to add to your job-search arsenal: YouTube. We’re not kidding. Take notice of these four strategies that actually worked for real people.”

Click here to read the full story

Three Steps to Establishing an Entrepreneur Brand
by Dan Schawbel, Business Week

“But entrepreneurs who fail have a better chance of succeeding at their next ventures, because they have experience and understand what doesn’t wor.”

Click here to read the full story

Soles
by Seth Godin

“All you’ve got, all your brand has got, all any of us have are the memories and expectations and changes we’ve left with others.”

Click here to read the full story

Marshall’s Blog at the Washington Post

For those of you that have not had a chance to visit my Washington Post blog yet here is the link:

http://views.washingtonpost.com/on-success/career-coach/