Presenting, Not Pleading, Your Case

An aficionado of words, and an avid reader, I am often most inspired by how others use words to encapsulate thoughts, feelings and experiences.

In one such case of wordplay, an inspirational speaker* recommended that [ when praying ] we present a case for what we desire [ with evidence from the Bible to support our achievement of these wishes ] to God instead of pleading for solutions. Such a simple swap of words, from pleading to presenting, resulted in a novel concept and new way to approach fulfillment.

Spirituality aside, my mind is always working on new methods to analyze and approach professional success. It did not take me long to take the case of pleading v. presenting and consider its efficacy in the office or on a project.

If you have the ability to identify a need or issue, you must also find the confidence to present a solution – only then can you acquire the resources needed to execute. Any manager will tell you – come to me not with a problem, but rather with suggestions for its solution, and then – I will help you make that solution happen. In other words, help me help you.

In the spiritual realm, that confidence comes from faith and is implied in sourcing the Biblical foundation for your hopes and wishes; in the workplace, that confidence comes from knowing your work, your capability and commitment to improving the process.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Image Courtesy of dreamstime.com

* Joel Osteen

5 Things Workshifters Won’t Say, But Should

The post which follows is an approved re-print of my recent article on Workshifting.com, and is soon to be excerpted in a new book entitled Out of Office (by Gihan Perera, August 2011 ).*

For anyone not familiar with the term, “workshifting” refers to “anyone who works out of coffee shops, hotels, airports and whose home every bit as much as the office” (Definition courtesy of www.Workshifting.com, Powered by Citrix).

Given that I still struggle with these tenets daily – when the need to please and assist mask the [greater] need to produce and produce well – these statements are helpful reminders that quality, balance, and living your truth are crucial to productivity and success.

5 Things Workshifters Won’t Say, But Should
By Natalya Sabga on June 22, 2011 12:08 PM |

Making the proverbial shift into workshifting is tough – for employers and workshifters, alike. Though gaining greater credibility, the workshifting lifestyle is still nebulous at best and completely scary at worst to most organizations considering permitting an employee to workshift or hiring a workshifter outright.

This perceived dilemma can make some workshifters second guess their daily decisions, promises and commitments in order to say what we believe the hiring parties want to hear.

So, I have come up with the 5 things most workshifters won’t say, but should:

1. “My greatest quality work is produced when I have the most flexibility in time, location and method.”
2. “I would love to help you/your organization with this project/issue, but it’s not within my core competency and it would be better for you to ask someone else with that strength.”
3. “I would need to assess the current status of your organization and measure the gap between where it is currently at versus what you want this project/assignment to achieve, before I commit or spec out my statement of work.”
4. “As a rule, I need a full 24 (48) hours’ notice in order to attend a meeting on-site, except in the case of an emergency or project showstopper.”
5. “I lobbied for a workshifting lifestyle so I could perform at my best and serve you at the highest level of my capability; therefore, being asked to commit to more than my realistic capacity or having to forgo my flexibility defeats both of our ultimate and intended goals for success.”

Some of these statements may appear harsh or “un-A-player-like” at first, but rest assured – they are often the mantras which need to be heard first and most. Your opportunity to workshift has been hard won and much deserved; so wouldn’t you prefer to set yourself up for success with expectations based on realistic and supportive parameters or speak only empty promises and have your work and workshifting lifestyle suffer?

Wishing You Success in any workstyle you adopt,
Natalya

* Find Gihan Perera on Facebook!

Photo Credit: forangels.org

Lessons From My Father

Happy Father’s Day to a man whom the world looks up to and seeks for advice, yet we have the privilege and blessing of calling him “DAD”.

Almost two years into writing this blog, I only just realized – firsthand- that history does, indeed, repeat itself. I grew up under the “reign” of a father who guided, protected and provided for us as children, and who has had virtually every ounce of advice we have needed as adults. There was never a school report, standardized exam nor professional problem that could not be addressed in his library at home- leaving no need to seek external resources and making short work of bibliographies, when all we needed to do was quote one man. So today, when so many ask me for advice and I give it sometimes hesitantly – questioning what worth my words might have and sometimes begrudgingly- when I am strapped for time, I realize that it would be a privileged legacy to continue in my father’s footsteps and impart even half the help and wisdom he has given to many over his lifetime.

And, his words:

• On Forgiveness… “Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.”
• On Adversity… “Adversity is the best teacher.”
• On Generosity… “The best measure of generosity is your time freely given to others…”
• On Gratitude… “Never expect nor look for gratitude.”
• On Children… “The best education you can give a child is by the example you set and not the lectures you give.”

Special thanks and credit to those who compiled and published the short book, WISDOM from a Family…by the Children of Abdou and Linda Sabga, 2009 – from which the above quotes were excerpted.

Do Remarkable Work

I recently read a tweet from one of my gurus, Marcus Buckingham. In the past 2 years, he has taught me not only to seek out my strengths but more importantly, to embrace and utilize them in light of and in spite of my weaknesses.

A simple and profound aspiration: Strive to become a hard act to follow. ~ @MWBuckingham #strengths

We all have both strengths and weaknesses – it’s WHO WE ARE. Haven’t you ever admired someone for being such a talented marketing mind, a super-organizational machine, a social connector, or even someone who just makes you smile and feel peaceful in their presence? Well, you’re seeing all of these individuals’ strengths shine through and not noticing any of their [underlying] weaknesses.

Yet, most of us seem to focus primarily on the areas upon which we need to improve – I’m too disorganized, I’m not detail-oriented enough, I’m too laid back, I’m too intense, I work too much, I don’t have my priorities in line - well, while any or all of these may be true , and there is certainly nothing wrong with aiming to improve and grow, what if we simply focused on what we already [ translate: inherently] do well, and allow that facet of our personality to lead the way?

Marcus Buckingham’s quote above sent my mind in several different directions:

• The first reminded me that I hold myself to an incredibly high work ethic – everything I produce has my stamp on it and it better meet my standards and reflect who I am (for better or for worse). Even the work I am not so proud of signals a red flag to me to change direction, refocus and accept only those initiatives which will lead me to future growth, productivity and expansion [ which, to me = success ].
• The second direction reminded me that doing “remarkable” work, however you may define or categorize “remarkable”, entails simply doing your very best in any endeavor you choose to undertake, and, understanding that each endeavor IS a choice – whether personal or professional – which bears your very own stamp of quality and respect. You better be sure that when you turn your back, and someone speaks of anything you have said or done – whether positively or negatively, that you are proud to stand up for the result.
• The last direction takes us full circle back to the quote – Let your strength lead the way, and that in itself will make you a hard act to follow. I remember “falling into” the practice of project management at my first job, and immediately receiving high accolades for the quality of work I produced with little to no experience. In those [naive] days, I assumed I was a “good employee to have”. Now, I know… that because I was inadvertently using my [yet unrecognized] strengths, I was not only doing very well but making it look easy (which it was not and still is not!!!).

Be a part of something you believe in. Those around you will notice your enthusiasm. ~Marc and Angel

So, all that being said, whatever your line of work or priority in life – strive to be who you are and the best at being that person. Don’t waste time focusing on what you are not, for that creates empty space and no room to grow.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

The Downside of Overconfidence

Sometime ago, in a post far far away, the subject of expectations came up…but it did not cover expectations’ evil twin, over-confidence.

Even “I Dream of Jeannie” had an evil twin, Sabrina.

Now, please don’t misunderstand me – Confidence is GOOD. Planning, preparation, knowledge, and experience should all contribute to a sense of confidence and expectations for success. Confidence propels us to take action, to put our training to use. Those attributes are the “good angel” sitting on your left shoulder. However, let us not forget who is sitting on the right shoulder -the devil…IS in the details.

Paradoxically, while some may feel that overconfidence is a signal of success – in fact, it is most often attributed to weakness and, yes, even failure!

Let’s examine a case of overconfidence on a project:

You begin a new project which closely resembles many others you have handled in the recent past. You’re familiar with requirements, have extensive knowledge of what it will take to get it done and are well-acquainted with all of your stakeholders. What could possibly go wrong? You certainly know what to do and how to do it, and the project proceeds according to scope and schedule. Then, all of a sudden, your engine goes on autopilot and you involuntarily close your eyes (metaphorically). Like sneezing behind the wheel of your car. All of a sudden, you don’t negotiate the space between you and the car in front of you and wham! You CRASH. The project still required your full attention; yet, by not concentrating on it fully, the opportunity for oversight therefore now exists.

Enter our friend, risk. Regardless of how well-versed you are in an area, unexpected things do happen. Yes, unforeseen changes can happen. They usually do happen. So, even when situations or projects appear to be easy and predictable, do not rest on your laurels nor reservoir of experience. It’s no time to “rest”. In fact, the stakes are higher and change may be just around the corner.

Remember that when things are easy, you are expected to win. ~ An ‘INTJ’

We are human and it is easy to make mistakes, despite years of experience or vast training to guard against error. So, successful outcomes are as much about managing expectations (your own and others’) as about balancing confidence.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Image courtesy of – http://www.despair.com/overconfidence.html

It’s My Job….And I’ll Cry If I Want To….

I just happened to be working from home one day and a newscast on MSNBC caught my ear….on crying in the workplace.

How should emotions be controlled in a professional environment?

Apparently, according to Ann Kreamer (author of It’s Always Personal: Emotion in the New Workplace ), workplace anxiety is both commonplace and problematic for many. While this factoid certainly did not surprise me, the results of Kreamer’s study on reactions to unveiled (i.e., exposed) emotions in the workplace were shocking:

Women view other women who cry at work as unstable.

Men view other women who cry at work as unprofessional.

Those are strong judgments!!!! I get the need to be professional, to a fault, particularly in today’s competitive environment which demands that we all raise our standards on a daily basis. And, I am the poster child for professionalism, often overlooking even the most basic social niceties and getting directly to the point or project at hand. Yet, for me, something is definitely missing.

We are Human BEINGs not Human DOINGs.

How many of us have not had “those moments” at work – where life, work stress and someone or something – took us over the edge? Perhaps our voice raised a few decibels, our throat got choked up, or we shed a few (or many) tears in public or private? I certainly had MANY of these moments managing projects that would not end and clients that would not cooperate. And, although over time, I have learned to manage my reactions more effectively – in those very human moments, sheer frustration and exhaustion were my truths.

So, raise your hand…I would venture to say that there are actually going to be many who can attest to that prize-winning status of never showing your weak side at work. But, I would go one step further and say that society is holding us to an unhealthy and unrealistic standard – not to mention false and inauthentic.

In [my] weakest moments, and those of my own staff over the years, I much prefer to have the issue and accompanying emotions acknowledged with compassion, and then guidance provided on how to address it…this does not mean pamper nor babysit, but it does mean understand.

I see compassion, understanding and guidance as closely tied to longevity, results and productivity. So, sue me, or…try a little kindness

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Image Courtesy of: blogs.forbes.com

If You Get…Give. If You Learn…Teach

If You Get…Give. If You Learn…Teach ~ Maya Angelou

Both the title of this particular blog, and the quote above, are the words of the brilliant Maya Angelou. While I have not studied her works in great detail, the wisdom and peace which can be derived from mere snippets are surely mere portents of her full works.

And the aforementioned quotation, in particular, resonated with me greatly. With the super surge in blogging, tweeting, “facebooking”, LinkedIN, podcasts and the like – you are either overwhelmed with an onslaught of information and want nothing to do with it OR you cannot get enough. Really no in-between. Despite authoring a blog of my own, I was -admittedly- a member of the nothing-to-do-with-it club for many months.

Even as I wrote my first blog entries, I wondered ” who really cares except me…? ” A lifelong student of human behavior, coupled with an ease with words, I could not help myself but blog – all of those experiences and behavioral observations co-mingled with a platform on which to finally express them was too much to resist! Yet, the nagging voice which decried the relevancy of my thoughts and work lingered and often does to this day…until I realized how much I derive from the information imparted by other fellow bloggers and tweeters. I am addicted and grateful to them for funneling timely, relevant and otherwise easily-overlooked information to continuously fill my brain and exercise my mental muscle.

So, thank you Ms. Angelou for not only encouraging but justifying the shared expression of knowledge and thoughts -for each blog entry is a compilation of what someone has learned, including me, and it is a privilege to be taught by these writers.

On that note, I must take this moment to recognize some of my favorite, most-admired and thought-provoking bloggers – which, btw, I discovered from reading other blogs that had linked to these – I do hope you will check out my Top 5!

• Alisa Arenas (Sanera)
• Marc and Angel (Marc & Angel Hack Life)
• HR Bartender

And, for the PMs…

• The PM Coach
• Head First PM
• The PM Student

Wishing you Success,
Natalya

I’m Not W-BS’ing You…

We all have tasks, goals and wishes…and we cannot live without accomplishing these. In some case, completing certain tasks means earning a living or fulfilling our responsibilities to others; similarly, achieving certain goals or having our wishes come through may mean fulfilling our responsibility to ourselves.

So, what is the method for the madness of tasks, goals and wishes all swimming around in our heads?

Well, ask a project manager and he/she will tell you – it all begins and ends with a WBS.

A work breakdown structure (WBS) breaks a project into smaller, more manageable components. It is the basis for project planning…

The operative words here are smaller and more manageable…

Large, complex projects are organized and completed successfully only by breaking them into progressively smaller pieces which result in a collection of defined “work packages” or individual tasks. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is the tool used to provide the framework for organizing and managing the work in front of you. Then why not, too, use a WBS for your life milestones?

I recently mapped a WBS for my personal and professional goals. The exercise resulted in:

1. Realizing where my priorities landed. Unfortunately work was a Level 2, Priority 3 item – I won’t even tell you where vacation and R&R landed. Good news is, writing was priority #1.
2. Mapping out what it would take to actually accomplish each milestone and progressively elaborating through a list of the work packages which comprised the larger goal. For example, if I am trying to write another book – sublevel 2, item 1 would be defining concept; sublevel 2, item 2 would be mapping out chapter concepts and titles…etc – and I could progressively elaborate as many subtasks as needed until the book is finished, published and marketed.
3. Reducing anxiety. In planning any project or approaching any new task, it is normal to find oneself possibly overwhelmed and confused. But, breaking a project into logically arranged, step-by-step pieces is a proven way to get to where you need to go!

The journey of a million miles…begins with one step. ~ Attributed to Tao Te Ching

So, take that step today, and WBS your own life’s projects and milestones! Preparing and understanding the steps for your life’s projects are an effective way of managing and achieving your goals.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

If You Enjoyed This, You May Also Like:
The Journey of a Million Miles

Image Courtesy of: The Project Diva

Managing Change – Flexibility or Fallibility?

A few of my long-term projects lately have been encountering changes on the fly. OK, if I am being honest here – the actual truth is that every project I’ve ever worked on in the past ??? years has faced change requests somewhere along the path to completion. YET, every time an email floats in that threatens to alter scope, resources or content, I stare at the laptop like an alien in a UFO just landed on the keyboard. My heart flutters and a certain minuscule level of anger rises up in me. What is wrong with me… shouldn’t someone tell me to stop being surprised by now??!!

The only constant is change…

Did I even need to block quote that? I think not. We all know that change is inevitable, unavoidable, unexpected yet expected, annoying and welcome at the same time. And, clearly, I am not alone. A recent study published by Wharton’s Aresty Institute for Executive Education cites that “most CEOs consider themselves and their organizations largely ineffective at implementing change.” The study cites the failure rate for initiatives at almost 60 percent, with just 61 percent of CEOs reporting that they managed change well in past projects. The study also reveals that the percentage of CEOs who expect substantial change climbed to 83 percent.

So, if 83% percent expect the change, 61% feel that they manage well to change, why then is the failure rate(60%) still so high?

And, for a project manager like myself – who manages to a carefully laid out plan, where change requests are actually integrated into the plan, and whose success hinges on bringing projects to positive completion, where is the delineation between flexibility and fallibility – both in projects and in life….?

Interestingly enough, the answer to that and the CEOs’ high failure rate problem are much alike…

Expecting change is not just an emotional connection, it must be tactical, too - whether you see the change coming or not, experience tells you it will come, so know how you will deal with it. Develop change management procedures and coping mechanisms which can be widely adopted regardless of circumstance. Wharton Professor of Management Sigal Barsade notes, “Even as executives realize they’re not effective at implementing change, they continue to approach new initiatives with the same methods they used in the past. ” Hello, definition of insanity calling….

Understand change – I don’t care how many people actually admit to it or not, but NOBODY LIKES CHANGE. And we are pre-programmed to berate ourselves when we find that our involuntary reactions to change invoke feelings of instability (reference first paragraph, last sentence of this very blog!) Be it positive or negative, change can evoke excitement, happiness, anxiety, anger, denial, sadness, frustration – whether we want/allow it. And, more often than not, we cannot do a darn thing about the change other than to….

Accept and Adapt - And herein lies the simple answer to my original question, which was fraught with complexity and frustration: “Where is the delineation between flexibility and fallibility ..?” Change WILL happen, so accept that, and flexibility will follow. Be prepared for change, whether it is by building float into your schedule, reviewing lessons learned from the past before embarking on new/repeated initiatives, or invoking coping mechanisms. Change is not synonymous with a disastrous ending, it’s simply a re-start – so learn techniques to adapt, be flexible within those adaptation techniques, and failure will no longer be in your forecast.

Perhaps you cannot predict change, but we can all predict how we behave in its wake.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

If you enjoyed this post, you make also like:

• 
  What Is Black, White, and Varying Shades of Gray?
• Project Management Trend: Turning Change from “Roadblock” to “Gateway

Journey v. Destination

When haven’t we all asked ourselves this age-old question…Which is more important, the journey or the destination?

I’m not sure anymore that there is a right answer to that question. So, if you haven’t found the answer yourself, don’t fret.

It is human nature to focus on the destination – i.e., the goal, the reward, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And, it’s important to have destinations that create the possibility for the journey.

Personally, I’d like to believe that the destination guides the journey; but in the end, does it even matter if you ever get there or not…?

Image Courtesy of Dopiaza

So, let’s talk for a moment about what actually happens along the journey.

~ Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. ~ Arthur Ashe

In 2009, I had a destination in mind ~ a virtual one, that is. Create a website to showcase my project management skills: a virtual mirror for me to glimpse at my capabilities from the outside in, if you will. Within the website a blog would exist. The blog would be an outlet for my love affair with words and a harmonious marriage between what I do as a PM on a daily basis and what I write. Well, almost 20 months into writing the blog, I can count on one hand the number of posts which had anything to do with project management! Needless to say, I needed some help with scope management on my own project!

According to the A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), there are 5 phases to a project:

Initiation – Planning – Executing – Controlling – Closing

I need not highlight the fact that I veered off course at Initiation. My blog became a stream-of-consciousness exercise as opposed to a stream of knowledge!

So what does that have to do with the case of Journey v. Destination, you ask?

The way I see it, “destinations” complicate the journey too much. They’re no more than placeholders, mile markers if you will, and how you get there is in no way comprised by whether or not you get there…. It’s not written anywhere that we must reach certain destinations in life, no more so than it’s etched in stone what each of my blog posts must be about. That is not to say you should not have goals, or resolutions, or set mile markers of achievements to which you may aspire – and if you need help setting those, check out fellow blogger extraordinaire, HR Bartender’s, post here – but, it may mean that destinations will be arrived at on their own merit, as long as you seek fulfillment and growth along the journey’s way.

Wishing You Success on Your JOURNEY,
Natalya

Author’s Note: Ironically, my 20 month journey gone askew led me directly back to its initial destination…writing about Project Management. Just when I thought my scope had creeped too far and the risk of retrieval too high to mitigate, the compass turned 180 degrees back to writing blogs about PM. (Funny how that works, eh? ) I hope not to “projectize” my blog too far such that I lose readers along the way, but rather illustrate how you, too, can project manage your life.

Reflecting Back & Looking Ahead

Interestingly enough, I keep saying that I am not going to write an “Ode to 2010 and Hello 2011 ! ” blog; yet, at this time of year, I simply cannot help reflecting back and looking ahead in my own life – and as you all know by now – what I observe and learn ends up here

Although I am self-proclaimed “Type P (the ‘Planner’) and incessantly project manage my own life and others’ when they allow me, I recently did something I have never done before….I sat down to map out my goals for 2011. In fact, I went so far as to book and pay for a seminar on goal-setting. When asked to introduce ourselves and why we came to the seminar, I stated candidly that there is no lack of goals I can set for myself- but somehow ( translate -always) they get buried under the noise in my head and around me, and rarely become reality.

So, I thought this seminar would be great for me. Document my goals – map out my long-term vision and inject short-term motivation.

Although I am a master at making lists and complicated spreadsheets, those are simply not effective for goal execution. As I reflected on the best method to not only strategize around my goals but also execute them, I realized that I could (of course!) invoke some of my favorite, tried and true, project execution techniques within my personal goal-planning exercise:

A. Exceed Expectations:

To a project manager, this means exceeding stakeholder expectations and delivering a project that is on time, within budget and which meets all requirements. So, if my goals are my personal project, that would mean that I am the primary stakeholder and I have to set the timeline that is the most realistic and within the budget of my capabilities and constraints. And much like any project manager has to do, I must identify all of the steps (mini-goals) it would take to achieve each main goal (milestone), map out the mini-goals in logical order (work breakdown structure), sequence (precedence diagramming) and track their progression against the calendar year (schedule baseline). Ultimately, it’s me I want to please and impress – and so I should treat my goal setting with the same importance and priority as any other project I undertake.

B. Create a Quality Plan:

Within the realm of any project, it’s pointless to complete the sequence if the outcome is junk. Therefore, quality control measures are leading indicators of ultimate project success. Project managers create well-defined project quality plans at the beginning stage of projects to monitor each deliverable in the project plan and ensure high quality results are achieved throughout the project. Similarly, I would need to monitor my efforts on each mini-goal that would lead to the end result I wanted to achieve. This means that I need to be focused, present and accountable for each step, but more importantly, that I give each mini-goal the attention it needs and commit to reviewing my own progress along the way.

C. Establish a Results-Management Office:

Large consulting conglomerates, such as Deloitte Consulting LLP, have begun to take an innovative approach to continuous improvement of project results company-wide, and to ensuring that projects do not run over budget, miss milestones nor disappoint stakeholders. How? They implement dedicated “Results-Management Offices ” which are responsible for not only achieving project outcomes, but more importantly, ensuring that the organization’s efforts realize the rewards for the specific project. (1) So consider this: in personal goal-setting, you are your own ‘CRO’ (Chief Results’ Officer) - and as such, you are responsible for measuring and taking pride in the achievement of your goals. You can see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind and begin realizing benefits and building on success along the way.

Begin with the simple act of writing down your goals – it may intimidate you to do that (it did me) but it makes all the difference. If you can SEE it, you can DO it!!!!

So, as we look ahead to 2011 – remember: What gets planned gets measured. What gets measured gets done…

Here’s hoping we can plan, set, measure and achieve our collective goals in 2011!

Author’s Note: though it may not be documented as a project success technique per se, one other item of note I learned is that we must be grateful and see the blessings embedded in each step we take toward the primary goal. Celebrate the small successes and continue to follow the path you have mapped out toward the end goal (whether you ever decide to reach it or not!).

Wishing You Success as 2011 Approaches…,
Natalya

(1) PMI Credential Passport, December 2010 © 2010 Project Management Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

Image Courtesy of: Ericblue7

The iNspired Series #4: What Would You Tell That Girl…?

So, for anyone who has been following the past three installments of my “iNspired Series” – you know by now that I had an epiphanous weekend thanks to the Inspiration University conference I recently attended. I had the opportunity to clear my head and reprogram my internal GPS, to empty my elevator, and continue holding my own space.

I also had the rare opportunity to hear from 3 very accomplished women and go “inside” their minds to discover what made them successful. And, of all the wisdom they shared – I remember only one thing. A young woman in the audience asking the panel: “If you were me [ a young professional] sitting in the audience, what would you tell that girl…?”

So, if asked the same question, my answers would be:

1. YOU Can Do It – Even If They’re Doing It Now
   We all have to begin somewhere; for me it was as a secretary answering phones. And, by the time I was promoted 3 times over to eventually land in a project coordinator role, I had realized that what “they” were doing [i.e., those at the manager/director level] was simply a compilation of skills I had already learned or could easily learn with time.
2. Do the Jobs No One Else Wants to or Can Do
   OH, I am the poster child for this – no job too big or small, above or below me. Don’t underestimate the amount and quality of information you can glean by photocopying a 500 page binder from the Legal office, nor what a big picture you can paint doing data entry for an annual budget template and discovering which programs really fund your paycheck. I could go on and on. I’ve done everything from the menial task of carrying water bottles in for training groups to monumentally impactful tasks such as coordinating over 20 SMEs and an entire company to respond to 100-page RFPs and win contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those who are MOST successful know the AtoZ because they were willing to start at A and build to Z, leaving those who only know Z at their mercy.
3. YOU are Not Your Job
   The panel of women all acknowledged that they live full lives, where they contribute and excel in places other than the companies at which they work. In so doing, they were able to keep a perspective about their jobs, as well, for their worth was evidenced outside of the office. Regardless of the title on your business card, you must not be defined by it. I recall beginning a new job and feeling like the lowest wo[man] on the totem pole; however, after invoking my experience and skills for just a few short months I was being sought out as a decision-maker.

   So be confident about what you know not what your business card says!!! In a more evolved world, our business cards would reflect our strengths and contributions, not a title! ~ N

4. Work Toward YOUR Goals and Overcome the Roadblocks
   So what if no one else thinks or performs like you do? Define YOUR personal best and work with the resources you have to achieve it. Don’t wait for a manager, VP or colleague to spoon feed you with solutions. Much like relationships, another person cannot “complete” us. Nor can any job. Not even the “perfect” job. So pursue that continuing education even if it won’t be acknowledged – it may make your job easier to do and you can take it with you wherever you go! Go the extra mile on a project because it reflects the quality you want to be associated with, regardless of any naysayers who take shortcuts.
5. “A” is for Attitude
   Keeping a positive attitude and surrounding yourself with the same will make you a more strategic and effective contributor. Not everyone should or will share your views, but know your own truth, maintain a ‘can do’ attitude and overcome the roadblocks others’ perspectives and tactics place in your way.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

If You Enjoyed This, You May Also Like:

What I Wish I’d Known Before I Went Out Into the Real World…

GPS-less

Holding a Space for Yourself

Empty Your Elevator…And Allow Abundance to Walk In

The iNspired Series #3: “Empty Your Elevator” So Abundance Can Walk In…

So, herein continues my series of blogs in the iNspired series which reflect the concepts that most inspired me during the seminars I attended earlier in November…

Being that we are in the season of “giving thanks” – I thought it most appropriate to revisit the attitude of gratitude I conjured up last year around this time, with a new spin – emphasis abundance.

I recall moving into my new home and wanting to touch up the garden; never having been a homeowner before, I don’t think I had even paid attention to grass until then. Soon, I found myself becoming borderline obsessed with other people’s landscapes and able identify trends in bushes, flowers and trees all around me. I’m sure that has happened to you, too. Someone mentions they tried a new restaurant and now you notice it has locations everywhere you drive. Or you take a trip to NYC for the first time, and all of sudden NYC appears in every single TV show and movie you watch. Where am I going with this…? Well, this hyper-awareness does not have to be random..

Intentionally place mile markers of abundance in your mind and the universe will conspire to lead you to them…~ [paraphrased from] Wendi Blum

Something as simple as rising a bit earlier to see the sunrise; stopping on the walk/jog you’re on and breathing in the air or examining the flower growing along the path…mile markers of abundance are everywhere, if we just stopped to look. And do not just say you wish for abundance, say:

My Life IS ABUNDANT …connect with the outcomes you want….~concept credited to Wendi Blum.

I caution you, however, sometimes the auspices of abundance are not so obvious and you have to open your mind to being led there. In the past year, I thought I had had a life-altering epiphany: I wanted to teach writing. What better to teach than something I love and enjoy doing, right? So, I applied to an outstanding Masters program in Writing. Sure enough, as sooooooon as I was accepted, over-analysis set in, and we all know what I’ve written about that before…the time, money and effort it would take to earn a degree at night in order to [maybe] teach was haunting me. So, I decided to defer this acceptance until I am better able to accept it and act on it. But you know what I discovered in the in-between? YES, I would like to teach. NO, perhaps I don’t need a third degree in order to get there and perhaps I could actually teach something else that I consider a strength, based on credentials I already earned. So, perhaps serendipitously I was led to opening my mind and overcoming my fears of teaching by choosing the wrong program to do so.

So, commit to yourself not to make choices out of scarcity but rather from abundance. I have found that abundance favors a calm mind, as well. So, stepping back, being patient, and invoking deep-breathing and/or meditation techniques are assets you need on your personal balance sheet for life.

I leave you with this:

Allow everyone and everything “taking your elevator to its maximum capacity to clear out” so you can clear your mind, and make room for abundance to walk in…

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

* “Emptying Your Elevator” concept credited solely to Wendi Blum.

* Image courtesy of The New Yorker

If You Enjoyed This, You May Also Like:

GPS-less

Holding a Space for Yourself

The iNspired Series #2: Holding a Space for Yourself

Be the change you want to see in the world. ~Ghandi

So, who among us has not hard that quotation? I always thought Obama said it, not Ghandi – so enter in epiphany #1! And, I never ventured beyond my own shallow interpretation of that statement until my recent time spent in a powerful seminar entitled “Your Life – Your Destiny” led by speaker and coach Wendi Blum*.

But what does it really mean?

Since high school I held close to me the notion that, regardless of success or failure rate, I would live according to my own belief system and moral compass and act accordingly. I feel this so strongly about this, in fact, that this premise provided the overarching theme for my book: From Secretary to CEO: A Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder Without Losing Your Identity..

But the reality of life is that you cannot control the events which occur nor the behaviors of those around you. Essentially, what you can control are your own behaviors and reactions. But there’s one other thing you can control, that is rarely acknowledged. You can choose the space in which you live and the vibrations which resonate from this space. Consider the combination of your personal beliefs, behaviors and people with whom you surround yourself as a bubble. You live within the circumference of this bubble. In a sense, this bubble is your “space.” A space you’re holding for yourself in the largess of the universe. And much like the effect of throwing a small pebble into a pond, there are resonant ripples (vibrations) which emit from this bubble.

Those resonant ripples may take the form of integrity, standing up for what you believe against popular opinion, doing the right thing, doing unto others, etc., etc. But most importantly, this space reflects the place where who you are and how you choose to live your life reside; where others’ enemies are not your enemies; where you can choose the things you say “NO” to every day; where you elect to invite in those who support your beliefs and strengthen your walk; and, most importantly, where you find happiness and contentment within yourself so that surrounding events/people/crises fail to remove your own inner glow.

And believe me, because I have seen it happen:

…Your vibrations from that space will change other’s vibrations as well. ~[paraphrased from] Wendi Blum

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

* The concepts of “holding a space for yourself” and “vibrations” solely credited to Wendi Blum.

If You Enjoyed This, You May Also Like:

GPS-less

The iNspired Series #1: GPS-less

Just a few weeks ago my portable GPS unit (best gift ever, in case you need some Christmas ideas for the directionally-challenged in your life) had to be sent back. It refused to power on despite forcefully pushing the power button; and it when it did start up, it either froze or drew a blank screen. Thankfully it was still under warranty (another option to consider when gifting said GPS; it’s likely the directionally-challenged in your life is also technically-challenged ).

Ironically, the behavior of my GPS closely mirrors my own brain and psyche lately. Unfortunately, there’s no warranty plan for life and sometimes our internal computers do get stuck or act temperamentally. So, we do a mental disk defrag, clear off our harddrives and maybe even make time for some expert maintenance.

I did just that this past weekend, attending a workshop from the creators of Inspiration University. Never before have I seen conference-goers all so intent on absorption that the need to eat, drink and breathe took second place to a session on the jam-packed schedule. Myself included.

Timely as it may be, I will forgo the typical, somewhat mundane “end of year blog entry” for 2010; and instead, what will follow is a series of blogs (the iNspired series) that sum up the lessons I learned, the wisdom I borrowed, and the experiences I had from this one inspirational weekend.

So, as 2010 draws to a close and 2011 approaches – I have no choice other than to quiet the noise in my head, sit still and reflect. I will reflect on and release the unsuccessful chapters, in an effort to heal and learn the lessons that lived within the suffering. I will end on a high note with the wins, and be proud of the limbs onto which I climbed this year instead of remaining in the safety of the warm nest. And, I will pray that 2011 does not bring anything I do not have the grace to handle…

Wishing You Success as You Reflect out 2010 and into 2011, too…
Natalya