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Transitioning from a peer to a leadership role can be one of the most challenging shifts in your professional career. This journey is not just about taking on a new set of tasks; its about reshaping relationships and redefining your place within the team dynamic. Here are some strategies to help you navigate this transition smoothly. Clearly Articulate Your New Role and Responsibilities Start by transparently and promptly communicating the changes in your role to your team.
Not long ago, I wrote about the importance of diversifying your learning activities. In this article, I want to expand on that topic by helping you explore your own unique learning preferences. Every brain is different. So, its only natural that some learning activities will be more suited to your cognitive style than others. Some programs and resources will be better at holding your attention, just as some experiences will feel more enriching and satisfying.
Most professionals have heard of transferrable skills and vaguely know what they are, but few know how to truly build and leverage them for career advancement. Let’s change that! What Are Transferrable Skills? Transferrable skills are competencies that can be applied across various jobs, industries, and roles. Unlike technical skills, which may be specific to a certain job or field, transferrable skills are broadly applicable.
In today’s ultra-competitive workplace, success requires a drive for continuous improvement. Complacency is the opposite of that. In simple terms, complacency describes a state of self-satisfaction that often comes with a lack of awareness for potential deficiencies. It is one of the most significant—and common—threats to career success. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with being content.
When most people think of career advancement, they imagine some kind of physical ladder, illustrating a straight upward path to the sky! However, the reality of career progression is often more complex and nuanced. I have long advocated that the image we should conjure is more like that of a jungle gym—you can move up, down or sideways. Depending on the situation and what you’re looking for, a move in any direction can be a strategic form of advancement that puts you on a path to achieve your lo
As a career coach, I often remind people that raises serve two purposes. In my experience, many people only focus on one or the other, and that can be detrimental. A raise is both a reward for the value you’ve created in the past and an investment in your future potential—the value your employer expects you to bring to the organization moving forward.
Dealing with emotions at work is a common concern for many professionals. After all, if you’re invested in your work and care about doing a good job, it’s only natural to get emotional from time to time. However, as we know, emotions can also be dangerous. They can cloud our logical thinking and cause us to behave in irrational ways, which can ultimately damage our professional standing.
It’s no secret that the professional world is extremely competitive. Everyone wants to stand out in a positive way, and that can be hard in a crowded marketplace. If you want to make a name for yourself, you have to take intentional steps to do a little bit more than the average person—and that’s where professional certifications come in. If you’ve followed me for a while, you already know that I’m a big believer in the power of professional credentials, specifically certification programs.
When it comes to job satisfaction and career fulfillment , it’s only natural to have periods of highs and lows. No matter how much you love what you do, feeling unhappy at work is something almost everyone can relate to. We’ve all experienced it at one time or another. Sometimes it passes quickly, and sometimes, it sticks around. When you’re feeling unhappy at work, the most important tip I can provide is this: Don’t make any sudden movements.
So, you didn’t get the job. Bummer! But it’s happened to everyone at some point. In the midst of disappointment, it’s only natural to ask, “Why?” Here are just some of the possibilities: They didn’t like you. They had an unconscious (or conscious) bias against people like you. The CEO’s nephew wanted the job. The budget for the position was cut and no one was hired.
Early in my career, I worked for a leader who had a lot of emotional intensity. Extreme highs and lows were common. Every day, I would arrive at work walking on eggshells, waiting to see what kind of mood he was in because that would determine the kind of day I had. After about a year, it suddenly dawned on me that my response to him was very unhealthy.
The primary purpose of developing a strong professional network is to be able to leverage those relationships in a way that helps you advance your career. While this might sound selfish, I assure you, it’s not. Using your relationships to get ahead is not only perfectly acceptable, it’s expected in the business world. There’s nothing wrong with asking your network to help you out, especially if you’ve already done the same for them.
In the modern workplace, “authenticity” has become a bit of a buzzword. The drive to be our “true selves” at work is a direct response to the robotic corporate personas that previously dominated office culture. However, as much as authenticity is championed, it’s important to recognize that there’s a fine line we have to walk.
The Eat Your Career community is full of passionate learners, and I’m one too. We love to soak up new information and expand our horizons. But there’s a point when being an enthusiastic learner can turn into professional development overload. I’ve experienced it and I know many of you have as well. Acquiring knowledge is very beneficial, but trying to implement everything at once can be overwhelming (and really, it’s impossible!).
In the busyness of everyday life, it’s easy to adopt a “do it later” mindset, especially when tasks seem small or insignificant. However, this approach can lead to something called “operational debt,” a buildup of unfinished tasks that can seriously hinder your productivity. I found myself falling into this bad habit recently, so I’m not judging!
As a passionate writer, a naturally forgetful person, and a self-confessed control freak, I have always believed in the power of documentation, especially in the workplace. Documentation is a vital tool for enhancing productivity, accountability, transparency, and (most importantly) peace of mind. Whether paper-based or electronic, effective documentation practices can have a profound impact on your professional life.
Like it or not, we all make mistakes in the workplace. But such setbacks don’t have to be disastrous. Using something known as “black box thinking,” you can turn mistakes and failures into positive learning opportunities that can accelerate your growth and even advance your career. What is Black Box Thinking? Black Box Thinking is a transformative process that comes from the aviation industry.
Choosing the right size organization is an important decision that can impact your career trajectory and professional fulfillment. As someone who has worked for and with large corporate behemoths, mid-size organizations and tiny struggling startups, I have experienced the benefits and drawbacks of each. Understanding these can help you make an informed decision about which environment will best support your career goals and work style.
In our modern work environment, the dynamics of teamwork have evolved, demanding more from each individual. To thrive in this setting, professionals need to understand what it means to be a balanced teammate. This is my own terminology for a critically important, though rarely talked about skillset. The idea is simple: Being a balanced teammate means you know when (and how) to step up and lead AND when (and how) to step back and follow.
In the dance of professional conduct, confidence moves gracefully, turning heads with its poise and assurance. Arrogance, on the other hand, stomps around and demands attention. No one wants to be thought of as arrogant. In fact, many of us fear it so much, we go to extremes. We end up hiding in the shadows for fear that any attention at all will get us labelled arrogant.
Many professionals set their sights on management because they think it’s what they’re “supposed” to do. But truthfully, management isn’t for everyone. Some people just aren’t cut out for it, and that’s perfectly okay! There are plenty of other ways to advance your career without going into management. I speak from personal experience. My first “real job” out of college was as a management trainee at the country’s largest financial institution (at the time).
Recently, a dear friend of mine was sharing her desire to get a new job. But she was hesitant to leave her current position because (in her words): “What if the new one isn’t any better?” This is a common concern, and for good reason! The grass always appears greener when you’re looking at it from afar. Once you get to that promised land, however, it often isn’t what you thought it would be.
We all want to be good at what we do. But sometimes, the goal of excellence goes too far…and becomes perfection. Perfectionism is a double-edged sword. I definitely think (and know from personal experience) that striving for “perfection” can be a motivating force. But it can also lead to Perfection Paralysis: a state where the fear of not being perfect hinders our ability to get things done.
In our pursuit of effective time management, we often forget one crucial factor: the relative value of time. Not all hours are created equal. An hour on a Monday morning, when you’re fresh from a restful weekend, holds different potential than an hour late on a Friday night, after a taxing week of work. Understanding this can be transformative in how we approach tasks, productivity, and rest.
In the professional world, navigating unrealistic expectations is a common challenge. Often, we encounter demands for immediate results or exceptional quality that doesn’t match the available resources. While it’s our duty to clarify and push back on such expectations, we may face situations where that impossibly high bar is simply non-negotiable.
I firmly believe that self-assessment is a crucial tool for personal and professional development. By evaluating your own performance (instead of simply relying on others to provide feedback), you can proactively identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth. The end of the year is a natural checkpoint for reflection, but self-awareness and self-evaluation are tools you can leverage all year long.
Prioritization is one of the most important topics under the umbrella of Time Management. It always surprises me to see how many capable, intelligent professionals still struggle with it. Recently, I got curious about why, and the answer surprised me even more. Typically, the problem is not that people don’t know how to prioritize; it’s that they simply expect there MUST be a better way.
As we stand at the crossroads of a rapidly evolving professional landscape, it’s crucial to understand the key trends shaping the future of work. From advancements in hiring practices to the integration of AI and automation for productivity enhancement, the workplace of 2024 and beyond will be unlike anything we’ve seen before. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of what lies ahead and equip you with actionable insights to stay ahead of the curve.
I’ve seen a lot of discussion lately about pay transparency. Some career advisors suggest that we should all share our salary details with one another to help promote pay equity. I understand the goal and broadly agree with the sentiment. But I disagree with the suggested methodology. I don’t think we should openly discuss salary at work. Before you get upset, allow me to explain my point of view and what I think is a more appropriate course of action.
Over the past week, I have been fully engaged in my favorite activity (learning) with back-to-back conferences. At one, I was a presenter and at the other, I was a participant. At both, Artificial Intelligence was a hot topic. By the end of the week, I was both overwhelmed and excited. The possibilities for AI are truly limitless and, as scary and mysterious as it might seem right now, there is no escaping the fact that it will totally and completely disrupt our way of working in the not-too-dis
I am a big believer in the power of constructive conflict, especially in the workplace. I don’t think conflict has to be inherently negative or uncomfortable. When handled well, it can lead to more dynamic discussions, more innovative problem solving, and better decision making. But that doesn’t mean it’s always necessary. Sometimes, conflict is just conflict.
You play a critical role in the success of your team and organization. It’s an inconvenient truth that you won’t always be around. One day, in the near or distant future, you will move on. You’ll retire or get promoted or find a new job. Instead of avoiding this inevitability, you can put a plan together now to set your team and organization up for success—and to ensure you leave behind a professional legacy you can be proud of.
As a trainer , I have a pretty extensive training catalog. Some people wonder what the common thread is. Sure, my training all falls under the general umbrella of “professional development.” But other than that, my topics of interest span a wide range. Only recently have I been able to articulate the common thread myself: I believe that all of my courses focus on Standout Skills —a term I recently coined to describe a particular kind of professional skillset.
In the simplest terms, influence means, “the ability to have an effect on someone or something.” So, if you think about it, this concept has very broad application. It doesn’t necessarily define the kind of effect, or who you have an effective on; and it’s not just reserved for people in certain roles at certain levels. In my experience, we ALL want to have an effect on our surroundings; we want our work to be meaningful and our voice to be heard.
You may notice that I have some fancy letters after my name. They stand for Project Management Professional (PMP) and Professional Career Manager (PCM). People often ask me what these two things have to do with one another—like it’s a strange combination. But to me, it makes perfect sense! Your career is one of the most important projects in your life.
Even the most ambitious professional can fall victim to procrastination—endlessly putting off important things that eventually pile up and come back to haunt you. When this happens too often, it can create disastrous career consequences. Instead of feeling guilty and criticizing yourself, it’s helpful to evaluate what’s causing your behavior. You can then put better systems into place to avoid these things in the future.
Like the rest of the world, I’ve been fascinated by the recent emergence of Artificial Intelligence into the mainstream of work life. Over the past few months, we’ve all watched in amazement as hundreds of new A.I. tools have flooded the market. These programs can refine and even create brand new images, videos, presentations, written content, data analysis, and more.
A common problem I hear in the workplace sounds something like this: “Some decisions can only be made by leaders. However, they’re often slow to make them and sometimes, they don’t make a decision at all…even when I persistently remind them. This makes it hard (and sometimes impossible!) for me to do my job.” If this sounds familiar, rest assured you are not alone.
Mentorship is a frequently cited tool for ambitious professionals. Maybe you’ve heard that it’s beneficial, but you don’t know much about it. Perhaps you’ve wanted to participate as either a mentor or a mentee, but you don’t know how. Whatever your experience or interest level, this session provides valuable information to help you understand the power of mentorship and how to leverage it in your own career (whether or not your organization provides a formal program!).
Do you ever feel that you’re not being truly leveraged at work? Like your talents and skills are going to waste? Like you have more to offer and more to contribute, but you’re limited by your job description? If so, congratulations! You are totally normal! Feeling underutilized at work is probably the most common complaint I hear from professionals across all industries and all fields.
If you feel underutilized in the workplace, you’re not alone! This is such a common complaint, and it’s easy to see why. Most people have a wide array of talents and interests, but most jobs have only a limited set of duties and responsibilities. Even if you’re overworked, you may still be underleveraged! The good news is that you can change the situation using your voice and your influence.
In the modern working world, it’s pretty much a given that you’re going to have to deal with constantly shifting priorities. Nobody likes it, but it’s really a consequence of the constantly changing environment that we all have to operate within. But just because it’s expected, doesn’t mean it’s easy. If you’re struggling to navigate ever-changing priorities, I have some tips that may help.
A few years ago, I met someone who asked me what I did for a living. So I told him: I was a professional development trainer and I work with companies to help elevate employee performance, he said, “Oh man! That sounds awful!” I was SO shocked. I had never gotten a response like that. In fact, most people think my job sounds really fun, and it is! Obviously, this person had some bad experiences with workplace training.
Continuing Education Units (or CEUs) are often required to maintain professional certifications. If you’ve dedicated the time, energy, and attention necessary to obtain your certification, you certainly don’t want to lose it because you didn’t keep up with the requirements. In most cases, if you fail to meet the CEU requirements, you’ll have to requalify for the certification, which may include taking another exam.
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