Archive for November, 2009

     In the last month I have been focusing on the advice we get from others and how when you listen to good advice it can have great effects on your career. Then books I have wanted to read about intuition finally made their way into my hands and it became clear to me that so many people don’t take the advice they are given from the most important people in their lives: themselves. In our society, intuition can be perceived as bordering on odd because images of fortune tellers appear when most people hear this word. In its purest terms, intuition is an innate skill we are all born with, it’s our gut instinct. When you learn to follow this natural form of advice the hard decisions become much easier to make. 

     I have the tendency to be a pragmatist, so I can already hear my fellow pragmatists wanted the evidence that intuition is a real, measurable skill. While researching the topic, I came across an article in O! Magazine that discussed “Reinvention Strategies” by Louise Lague. The article focused on Gary Klein. He is the author of Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions, and his company, Klein Associates, Inc, also trains high powered executives to make choices. In his book he interviewed nurses, fireman, and other people who have to make quick decisions for a living.  What he learned from this is that the two ways we make decisions are by weighing pros and cons or using our gut instinct. Klein created strategies using both of these techniques to help individuals make better decisions.

     Klein suggestions are as follows:

• Get in touch with your gut instincts first, before your rational mind starts creating pros and cons.
• If you have a hard time recognizing your gut opinion, flipping a coin and recognizing how you feel when an option is gone. Happy? Disappointed?
• Visualize the options. Brainstorm ideas and combine them to see how the outcomes look. Try to make it simple and avoid analysis paralysis.
• Visualize the outcomes. See how comfortable you are with worst case scenarios.
• Let go of perfection when making decisions it just causes unneeded stress.
• Learn to trust yourself. Examine your decisions and if you would make them again.

      When you feel the overwhelm of decision making, refer to this list of suggestions as a way to create clarity and confidence even in stressful situations.

     Have you ever noticed that some of your best ideas are not being well received? They look great on paper, but somehow you are having a hard time getting your boss or co-workers to support your endeavors. You may find yourself in a position at work where it seems like the tasks you need to be completed by others are at the bottom of their to-do list. Does this mean you’ve become some kind of social piranha at the workplace? Absolutely not. It means you have to look at that old catch phrase; “It’s not what you say but how you say it.”

       While researching communication techniques, I came across an article written by Amy Hertz for Oprah.com in November 2007 called “How to Get What You Want from Anyone”. Hertz discusses her own struggle with communication skills at the workplace and reveals that her epiphany came when she worked with communication coach, John Artise. After extensive research and field work with thousands of people, he identified 4 four major communication types: Feelers, Sensors, Intuitors, and Thinkers.  Artise teaches his clients to tune into a person’s communication style to identify ways to promote collaboration in the workplace.

     Here are some characteristics and communication tips for each style:

• Feelers: The person who uses language to express themselves and loves to help others. The feelers look for empathy to be reciprocated by acknowledging challenges he/she may have. At the same time they like to be reminded of their ability to help people in difficult situations. When you strike a balance of asking for help and at the same time showing appreciation, the feeler will be happy to assist you.
• Sensors: The person who likes to get it done and get it done fast. They often have short attention spans because they are thinking about the deadline at all times. Before approaching a sensor, have the information you want to share condensed into small pieces that can be understood quickly. Any idea you present should give them a feeling that you can help them reduce their workload.
• Thinkers: The person who is very logical, organized, and loves completing tasks. When there are errors in any projects or plans, you can win them over by letting them know that you will help to fix them. Thinkers like to see preciseness in the way others approach their research.
• Intuitors: The person who is all the about looking at the big picture concepts and the future but don’t necessarily want to be part of implementation. They are the idea people who want you to fill in the details because the idea is very clear in their own mind. Known to be impatient with questions, you should let the intuitor talk about ideas at length before questioning them. Then emphasize what you like about the ideas in order to get more details.

     It’s not about using persuasion to get people to collaborate with you; it’s about meeting them where they are and building compromise by tapping into their communication and working style.

     Advice is a tricky thing for most of us, whether we are giving or receiving it. We often seek out advice from others, but its questionable how many of us actually take the advice we are given. I was reminded of how important advice can be while reading the July 6, 2009 issue of Forbes magazine. The issue focused on influential leaders in various professions and the advice they received that “changed their lives and careers forever”.

     Lloyd Blankfein, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, discussed the importance of learning the opinions of others first and how to carry yourself under stress. Mika Brzezinski, co host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe with Joe Scarborough, found that using failure to motivate yourself can really change the course of your career in a positive way. It is obvious that all of these leaders kept their minds open and their vision clear to accept and use advice to create positive change in their lives.

     Some of the other advice that various industry leaders noted as their best advice include: set realistic goals; be effective, not popular; hire a coach; make a strong first impression; keep it simple; and listen. These may seem like simple pieces of advice that we have heard since birth, but when you hear the advice from a trusted source and commit yourself to living that advice, real success happens. The way you choose to carry yourself in the world and handle obstacles has a real impact on how far you get in the professional world.

      To a certain degree, notions like keeping it simple and setting realistic goals may seem counterintuitive in a world filled with intense competition and millions vying for a spot at the top, but these simple words of advice really can impact who you become and the influence you may have on others. Look at the advice you have received regarding your goals. Do they make sense to what you want to achieve? Do they help you attain the success you desire and still allow for a sense of balance and well being in your life? Think about the simple words of advice noted by the industry leaders and evaluate your own goals. Do you refine your goals often to match your success? Have you let failure stop you from achieving a goal?

      When you start to evaluate your goals and really look at what mentors and other leaders tell you, you may begin to realize that there is something very big in what feels like simple advice. The Forbes article included a resource section called “what price advice?” that details the various resources available to people who are looking to enlist counsel regarding their goals. It notes that even in a recession, the advice business, which includes coaches, psychologists, lawyers, and consultants, is a booming business. Now more than ever people understand the importance of good advice.