Finish Strong in 2020 With These Top Tips

Like many of the New Year’s resolutions set this past January, unforeseen circumstances likely made your goals much more difficult to achieve. For many, objectives were shifted around and some plans had to take a backseat. However, we do not have to allow one setback to control us. What adjustments have you made to find success in your new schedule?

Look Back on The Goals You Set in January

No one could predict Covid-19 showing up and overtaking workplaces across the country, but there are still measurable aspects to assess. Picture yourself at the finish line. Are you proud of the adaptability you’ve shown? Things won’t always go the way we plan, so we must be ready to adjust to maintain momentum.

When looking back, you can learn what worked best, what came short of expectations, and what adjustments can be had. If you had your goals and resolutions written down, take time to assess the significant challenges and key lessons you’ve learned. Were your goals realistic or improbable? Maybe you didn’t meet every expectation, but there are likely still reasons to celebrate.

“Every task, goal, race and year comes to an end…therefore, make it a habit to FINISH STRONG.” — Gary Ryan Blair

Don’t Delay the Future

Perseverance is one of the most common qualities exhibited by today’s top entrepreneurs. If you want to be one of the best, you must think and act like the best. Quit hitting snooze on your career objectives. There are some things you don’t have to wait until 2021 to get started on.

What are you putting off that you can be acting on now? Are there any tough conversations you need to have by the end of the year? Now is the time. Maybe you are running point on a new project that does not yet have a timeline. Getting started today can limit the stress ahead in the new year.

Gather Your Thoughts & Recommit

Whether the year led to you working from home or to a new job entirely, there are likely significant takeaways you can find from 2020. The massive work-from-order perhaps allowed us a ‘look’ into the future. How would you rate your productivity? No matter how your performance shakes out, you need to dedicate time to reset and recharge.

A critical first step to renewing your energy and clarity is clearing out the thoughts in the back of your mind, even if they are not career-related. Don’t allow your mind to get ‘bottled up’ with household chores, or trips to the grocery store/bank that you have to make. I have experienced this firsthand when I know there is a sink full of dishes or a hamper full of laundry. These are avoidable distractions. If you don’t check them off your list today, they will cross your mind and instill dread at the most inopportune times.

Do you have positive, uplifting individuals in your circle (people that will challenge you but also provide relevant advice)? Remove those around you that do not serve your goals. Shake off the negative thoughts and people, kick out the bad habits, and identify a clear vision.

“No matter who you are or what you do, embrace the challenge to first start with the goal to finish strong.” – Andy Andrews

Wrap Up

Prepare for the New Year, but allow your goals for this year and next year to coincide. While it’s key to focus on your tasks at hand and remain proactive in your goals, there are bound to be objectives you cannot tackle until the new year. Amidst the chaos of 2020, take time to ensure orderliness for 2021. Preparing now will provide peace of mind and allow you to build momentum in the new quarter quickly. Set a brainstorming session and lay out a plan of action within your department.

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Facing Career Disappointment Head-On

Whether it is losing your job, failing to receive a job offer, or merely making a mistake on a new project, we all encounter disappointments in our careers. What is your experience in conquering yours? Are you aware of all the tools at your disposal? Don’t allow yourself to become a spectator of life because of one mistake. Take these three steps to renew your confidence and get back on track:

“Disappointment is the nurse of wisdom.” – Sir Boyle Roche

Accept Your Feelings & Move On

Encountering disappointment is inevitable, so we must practice accepting and choosing to view it as a form of growth.
What Not To Do:
-Do not guilt or shame yourself for feeling discouraged.
-Do not pass the blame onto someone else.
-Do not make a rash decision that you will come to regret.

The best way to cope with your feelings and get it out of your system quickly is to open up about what happened. Talk it out, write it down, and prepare to move on. Creativity expert Diana Raab, Ph.D., promotes the use of ‘free writing’ because “it can help you express concern and emotions in a non-threatening way. The journal is non-judgmental and will listen.”

If you are an active job seeker facing rejection from employers, find confidence in your resilience. The high bar you have likely set for yourself is admirable and will ultimately help you reach your full potential, but don’t stay out of the game for too long. Instead, choose to view your next opportunity as a stepping stone to something greater. If that means temporarily broadening the prerequisites of your ideal job, so be it.

Find new energy and motivation through co-workers and your friends and family. Surround yourself with those who will listen and allow you to vent or blow off a little steam. Your closest friends and family will often be there to provide the necessary encouragement and keep you from the self-criticism and negative thoughts built up in your head. However, it is important to be swift when cycling through your feelings. The longer you harp on your disappointments, the more discouraged you will feel.

Get Realistic

Our brains are naturally wired to pinpoint the negatives surrounding us, but there are still steps to overcome them. Do you have tendencies of a perfectionist, continually finding faults in your work? It’s great always to be striving to improve, but not when it comes at the cost of your happiness. Stop comparing your career ‘lows’ to other people’s career ‘highs.’ It’s not fair to others, and it’s not fair to yourself.

It is important to set lofty career goals, but it is equally important to keep your present expectations realistic. Take a step back and ask yourself if you are acting overdramatic. Ask yourself questions like, “Will this matter three years from now? Or even three weeks?” Quit perceiving disappointment as a sign of failure, but rather an opportunity to try something new. What did you learn? What steps can you take to ‘right the ship?’

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Bounce Back with a Win

How we choose to handle our disappointments will determine our eventual success. When you learn the applicable lesson from your disappointment, it’s time to get back on the winning track. It does not need to be a ‘huge win’, but establishing a little momentum is vital for career growth. Do not attempt to overcompensate with a risky move that could end up proving costly. Take small steps to get back in the game and keep moving forward.

Support from your friends and family is great, but ultimately, hard work, dedication, and passion have to come from you. Can you think of something specific to you that provides extra motivation and self-encouragement? I urge you to meditate on that thought and find a notion that will ignite a flame in you no matter what current path of life may be. When you choose to persevere through strife, your efforts will soon be rewarded.

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Ditch These Obsolete Resume Guidelines

Are you failing to see results from your job-seeking efforts? A lack of ‘call-back’ interviews or responses from employers can be detrimental to morale. However, this does not always mean you are unqualified, but simply that you are not up-to-date with what today’s hiring managers are seeking.

If you are starting on your job search, there are guaranteed to be several elements you can discard from your previously used resume. Join us as we review four obsolete resume tricks revealed by our friends at The Ladder.

Using an Objective Statement

So you are looking for a new challenge to help you grow, and you aspire to make a positive impact? Big deal. Employers do not feel an urge to hear your vaguely described needs and desires because it does not help them evaluate your qualifications and skill-set. If you have not already, now is the time to replace your objective statement with a professional summary. Career expert Amanda Augustine (Top Resume) recommends your summary follow these guidelines:

“In three to five sentences, summarize your qualifications for the role you’re targeting and provide examples of how you’ve used the skills and experience you’ve gained to produce results and provide value to your previous employers.”

“References Available Upon Request”

Four words may not seem to be a massive waste of space, but with its heading, the brief section becomes an eyesore for hiring managers. The statement is a prominent, outdated cliché and therefore brings the job seeker no benefit. Your interviewer assumes references can quickly be made available, seeing that you are actively seeking their approval. If you do not have any references available, your chances at the job are minuscule. Although you should undoubtedly have individuals in mind, any mentions of references on your resume are unnecessary. 

Cramming Your Content to One Page

If you have minimal work experience, restricting yourself to one page of content is ideal. Forcing irrelevant details and work experience just to get to two pages is cretinous. However, when you possess work experience, education, and certifications relevant to job application at-hand, a two-page resume is more than merited. It is important to keep in mind that your second page will not receive nearly as much focus as your first, so it’s best to list your most relevant information early. 

“Most resume reviewers would rather read a well-laid-out, easy-to-skim, two-page resume than a one-page resume that jams too much information on the page.” -Kim Isaacs

Including Your Full Address

It would be rare to find someone who lists a mailing address as a preferred line of communication. With already listing your phone number and email address, including a full address can be seen as a waste of space on an already content-filled resume. Additionally, with the plethora of databases and employment-related search engine platforms, there is an increased risk in sharing your address. 

However, knowing a general location can be critical to an employer’s willingness to reach out. Limit your location data to the city/region and state. 

With all this in mind, what should your resume look like in 2020 & beyond? Our friends at The Muse recently laid out seven tips to help you stand out of the crowd and land that interview!

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Building A Positive Team Culture

“Individual commitment to a group effort: That is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” — Vince Lombardi

It takes real leadership to establish a vibrant, uplifting work culture where your employees can feel a sense of authenticity and fulfillment in the workplace. When this kind of working climate is achieved, the foundation for employee satisfaction is secured. Here are a few things you can do to ensure your company’s culture is one that fosters growth and attracts future ‘all-star’ employees.

Hire the Right People

Identifying the ideal ‘fit’ for your active job listings goes beyond hiring the most intelligent individual. Recently, I spoke with a friend in the recruiting industry who revealed that his company ranks ‘culture fit’ as their No. 1 priority in candidate analyzation. He shared a story of turning away a highly qualified IT professional due to his arrogance, smog, and ‘my way or the highway’ mentality. Despite all his accolades and capabilities, it appeared inevitable that his presence would cause strife and disrupt the chemistry within the department. When you establish core company values, your goal should be to identify the same values in individuals before you hire them. 

Relationship Building

When there is limited interaction between colleagues or departments, the challenge of instilling a sense of unity and camaraderie is intensified. So, what steps can you take? Stay intentional when it comes to including others and intermixing your departments. Courtesy of our friends at Inc, here are five leadership tips to help you strengthen relationships and build a sense of community, inspired by Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life.

  1. Speak the truth out of respect.
  2. Think of yourself less.
  3. Practice uncommon courtesy.
  4. Maintain confidence.
  5. Focus on frequency rather than intensity.

Check out the full breakdown from Human Capital Specialist, Michael Schneider here.

“Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal.” -Patrick Lencioni

Establish Goals

Every employee wants to feel heard, valued, and like they made a difference. Setting new goals with your employees, both from an individual standpoint and as a team, offers the chance to make that happen. Additionally, challenge your employees to step out of their comfort zones and set some new objectives for themselves. It can be daunting, but excelling in an area outside your specialization brings a level of job satisfaction that cannot be measured.

Track the progress of these goals and encourage them throughout the way. Advocating for your employees will renew their motivation and yield feelings of importance and purpose. However, make sure that the goals set forth are ones you believe are attainable and align with the employee’s strengths. Falling short of a goal can put your employee in a rut, but completing these goals will build a sense of job security and loyalty.

Be a Role Model

If you have expectations for your employees to follow company values or act a certain way, you must understand those same guidelines apply to you. If you have core values of integrity, honesty, and fairness, you must demonstrate those values and lead by example. Choosing to put your team before your objectives is one of the most manageable steps to creating a positive culture. 

Make yourself readily available. Being in the building is not enough. If you want your brand to have a positive correlation and message, it starts at the top. Show respect to your employees and allow them to feel comfortable approaching leadership with any questions, concerns, and frustrations. Mastering ‘The Art of Listening‘ will establish a healthy work culture through trust, empathy, and complimentary exchanges. When you choose to empathize with them, trust is established for both parties.

The Benefits of a Positive Culture

Employee satisfaction is the driving force behind a business’ success. When your team sees value in the work they are doing, there are enhanced levels of joy and loyalty that can become contagious throughout your company. Courtesy of our friends at Forbes, we take a look at a few of the top benefits that a positive work culture ensues: 

Recruitment
People want to work for organizations that are thought highly of by their peers. A toxic work environment can be picked up on by candidates right away, so having a positive culture is a real competitive advantage for employers.

Collaboration
When there is a sense of authenticity and fellowship, it gives way for more social interaction. Workplace acquaintances develop into genuine relationships, and fruitful ones at that! When there is open communication and teamwork, amazing things can happen.

Reduced Stress
A strong corporate culture tends to boost employee morale, health, and work performance. When employers are dedicated to seeing their employees achieve a healthy ‘work-life balance,’ you will find increased focus, communication, and interest in their work.

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The Art of Listening & Its Ties To Success

In the often-hectic work environment that COVID-19 and the ‘work from home’ order have left us in, it can be challenging to maintain consistent and productive conversations. Within your company or department, the importance of clear communication and listening cannot be understated. But the year of 2020 certainly taught us: Things are not always as easy as they seem. Learning to listen and listen well builds a healthy work culture in trust, empathy, and positive exchanges.

“Talk, and you’ll have a tough time winning. Listen, and you’ll have a tough time losing.” – Dan Whitfield

In an article for Talent Culture, writer Cyndy Trivella shared eight ways to enhance your listening skills. We break down a few of her key points and some important notes from our friends at the Forbes Coaches Council.

Allow for Silence

Have you noticed how frustrating it can be to get ‘cut off’ in conversation? No one likes the person who is continually interrupting to ramble on with his/her thoughts. This interruption gives the perception that the only opinion you value is yours. To be a good listener, you must allow the speaker time to collect their thoughts. Showing patience in conversation allows for more productive outcomes only by improving each other’s state of mind. We often think faster than we speak, but not every pause in a conversation needs to be filled with our immediate feedback. 

Learning to allow for silence will allow you to learn how others feel, think, and work. Forbes Coaches Council author Dan Whitfield recalls some of the best advice with the ’80/20′ rule: Allowing a potential or current client to do 80% of the talking leads to an 80% success rate for sale. “Talk, and you’ll have a tough time winning. Listen, and you’ll have a tough time losing.”

Repeat Back in Your Own Words

Rather than quickly providing feedback to the speaker, we can more effectively digest their words by stating it back to them. Being able to repeat back their key points and reasoning shows that you were actively listening rather than merely waiting for them to finish talking. Additionally, allowing the speaker to feel heard will, in return, make them more receptive to your feedback.

Ask Relevant Questions

Simply asking questions does not illustrate the proper art of listening, especially if the matter were to lead them to repeat something previously stated. Be sure to take mental notes throughout each point of conversation or even written notes for your workplace meetings. Asking open-ended questions will prompt further discussion, but your goal should never be to control a narrative or retort someone’s opinion. Instead, you should aim to gain a new understanding and perspective of the topic at hand.

Work Toward Empathy

Have you ever felt afraid or nervous to speak up in a workplace meeting? We’ve all been there, and part of being a good listener starts with taking away this fear from your employees/co-workers. Being empathic to the speaker begins with intentionality – to put yourself in their shoes. By providing affirmation to their thoughts and understanding of their feelings, you help calm their nerves and enhance comfortability. 

“I often like to joke that if God had wanted us to talk more than listen, he would have given us two mouths.” – Ken Blanchard

Wrap Up

Communication is key. Why? Because good listeners make the best leaders. Ken Blanchard doesn’t only recommend learning more about the ‘art of listening,’ but to consider it a skill that you must practice every day. Cyndy Trivella ends her article best: “A little understanding can go a long way in terms of collaboration, trust, and productivity.”


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