Ingen tillvaro är problemfri. Denna vecka har vi granskat dina farligaste fiender i karriären. Vilka är de? Och, vad kan du göra för att undvika att stöta på dem överhuvudtaget? Här kommer svaren…

1. Den yngre kollegan

Vi har alla vart med om det. Från ingenstans dyker han/hon upp. Kollegan som kan allt som du kan och lite till. Som alltid kommer med en bättre idé, är yngre, hungrigare, ser bättre ut och verkar få bättre kontakt med arbetskamrater och chefer. Plötsligt måste du jobba dubbelt så hårt och länge för att hänga med och få uppskattning för dina insatser. Problematiken är inte ny och knappast något du kan stoppa huvudet i sanden inför. Du måste agera och det nu – men hur? Ja, det första steget är definitivt att inte drabbas av panik eller komma med pikar och kommentarer på morgonfikat. Att prata illa om en kollega leder alltid till konflikt och ger dig definitivt problem i längden. Du riskerar också att uppfattas som missunnsam och baktalande. Fokusera istället på att framhäva dina egna fördelar och egenskaper både i och utanför jobbsituationer och projekt. Du bär helt klart ta ett aktivt grepp om den bild av dig som du vill att dina kollegor skall ha. Passa på att försöka initiera projekt och aktiviteter som knyter an till din kompetens och ditt kompetensområde. Detta ger dig en chans att framstå som “specialist” inom ditt gebit och kan tom ge dig anledning att agera mentor eller som stödresurs för andra anställda. Bra exempel på initiativ är bla att ta på sig att bygga upp en intern kompetensnod eller utvecklingsgrupp, att organisera informella aktiviteter för din arbetsgrupp eller avdelning i samband med kick-offer, företagsevent, konferenser m.m. Du gör även bäst i att liera dig med en ny kollega och se till att ni blir vänner. Innan du vet dennes avsikter bör du vara på din vakt men du vaccinerar dig lättast från yrkesrelaterade angrepp genom att bli vän med din “fiende”. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer helt enkelt, som det heter.

2. Brist på typiska chefsegenskaper

En vanlig orsak till att man kan riskera att köra fast i en viss position på ett företag är att ledningen kanske inte ser dig som ett “chefsämne”. Kanske har du arbetat dig upp från en relativt junior roll i ett företag och ses av de mer seniora som “the rookie” fast du arbetat länge i företaget. En sådan fålla kan vara svår att ta sig ur men det börjar med att du talar om för dina närmaste chefer att du vill mer med ditt arbete och att du är redo för att gå vidare inom organisationen. Nästan att befordran sker utifrån förmåga att axla ansvar i en organisation varför det är just detta som du bör trycka på. Ta på dig personalansvar så fort du bereds en möjlighet men se till att du gör ett bra arbete. Du måste verkligen visa att du har förmåga att leda och vinna dina arbetskamrates förtroende för att uppfattas som värdig en personalansvarig roll. Gå in för att skaffa dig de egenskaper som krävs för att leda och ta bara på dig uppgifter och projekt där du kan “vinna”, dvs sådant som du känner att du kan klara av med glans. Du bör även anmäla intresse för att vidareutbilda dig internt och visa gärna din vilja att utvecklas till en ledare genom att tex tipsa din chef om utbildningar som du skulle vilja gå eller kurser som du tror skulle göra dig till en naturlig föregångsman bland dina kollegor.

3. Brist på utbildning eller kompetens

Saknar du utbildning eller kompetens inför nästa steg i din karriärsbana bör du överväga att ta ett sabbatsår eller en “time-out” för att komplettera din utbildning. Du kommer bli förvånad hur öppen din chef är för att göra dig till viljes. Så länge du kan påvisa att du kommer att bli en mycket bättre anställd efter kursen kan du lita på att din chef definitivt kommer att överväga din idé. Välj dock din timing rätt så du inte riskerar att orsaka haltande försäljning osv med din eventuella frånvaro. Fråga när affärerna går som bäst hel enkelt och försök att välja intensiva utbildningar som ger dig certifierad kompetens inom ditt område. Särskilt om du säljer din egen expertis på ett eller annat sätt i din yrkesroll så är vidareutbildning extra motiverat.

4. Proppar i organisationen

Särskilt i statiska och mätta organisationer som kopplat ledning och chefer till sig med hjälp av optioner, delägarskap eller fördelaktiga bonusprogramm har en tendens att vara mycket trögflytande vad gäller organisatorisk rörlighet och naturliga eskaleringsrutiner. Sitter du som direktrapporterande till en nöjd chef på mellannivå vars fokus snarare ligger på att att lyfta lön och bilda familj under ett antal år kan det kännas som en lätt dyster situation om du vill göra en snabb karriär. Att vänta ut en rolls eventuella vakans är sällan en bra strategi. Försök att fokusera på att växa ur din egen roll istället på ett sätt som verkligen märks. Om du gång på gång överlevererar och tex drar in nya kunder och överträffar dina säljmål eller vad det nu rör sig om kommer du ändå att skina och framstå som en viktig resurs i ditt företag. Nästa gång det är dags att ha utvecklingssamtal bör du också ta upp detta och fråga aktivt vad din chef har för plan för dig karriärmässigt under den kommande 1-,3- och 5-årsperioden. Om du arbetar för ett seriöst och ansvarsfullt företag och i en roll som ger dig utvecklingsmöjligheter så är det helt klart din rättighet att få ett bra svar på detta och kräva att ledningen har en utarbetad plan för hur du skall utvecklas inom den egna organisationen. Om du sitter i något av en flaskhals bör du dock vara beredd på att det kan krävas att du rör dig i sidled inom företaget för att du på sikt skall kunna eskalera. Ofta kan det vara värt att bredda sig och våga gå vidare inom en annan del av organisationen, särskilt om du har chansen att göra detta inom ett nytt område eller en ny avdelning. Möjligheterna är alltid störst där risken och rörligheten är störst helt enkelt.

5. Oförmåga att välja rätt lag

Din kreativitet och utvecklingsvilja till trots kan du ändå hamna i situationer där du tvingas göra ett bokslut med dina chanser till karriärmässig utveckling. Kanske är det dags att börja nätverka och se sig om efter ett nytt jobb. För faktum är att du aldrig blir bättre än det lag du spelar i. Passa på att då och då se dig omkring i din organisation och ställ dig kritiskt frågan om du ser roller i din närhet som du själv skulle vilja ha om ett eller fem år? Om du måste tänka länge har du antagligen svaret närmare än du tror. Inget är så karriärhämmande som oförmågan att drömma och skapa en inre vision om var man vill befinna sig i framtiden. Ser du inte roller som entusiasmerar dig på både kort och lång sikt omkring dig bör du byta arbetsgivare eller starta eget. Det är den raka sanningen.

6. Ett begränsat kontaktnät

Inget kan vara så hämmande i en karriär som avsaknaden av “rätt kontakter”. Majoriteten av alla nya jobb förmedlas via kontakter. Det vet vi alla. Ändå är det lätt hänt att vi slarvar med våra personliga och yrkesmässiga närverk. Att alltid ha visitkort på sig är bara början. Det är genom att äta luncher, skicka födelsedagshälsningar och komma ihåg vad chefens barn heter som du sticker ut i längden. Vi håller alla våra vänner närmast och ju äldre du blir och ju längre upp du klättrar på karriärsstegen desto viktigare blir det att “känna någon” för att få till både säljmöten och inofficiella jobbintervjuer. Var noga med att hålla koll på din adressbok, försök att följa vart folk tar vägen när de byter jobb och hör inte av dig bara när du vill ha något så kan du ha mycket stor glädje av dina gamla kunder och kollegor.

7. Dålig “Self Marketing”

Oförmåga att marknadsföra sig själv internt och externt är ofta starkt bidragande orsak till varför en del personer inte lyckas få drömjobbet. Idag mer än någonsin gäller “syns du inte, finns du inte”. Så nästa gång du dragit in drömkunden, avslutat ett framgångsrikt projekt eller fårr ett branschpris, se till att våga kapitalisera lite på dina framgångar. Skicka ett internt pm till berörda personer och tacka för deras medvekan till framgången och se till att vidarebfordra artiklar och notiser som skrivs om dig. Exekverat på rätt sätt blir detta en värdefull marknadsföringskanal för dig i längden och ökar dina chanser att komma på tal när man letar efter nya förmågor både inom och utanför den egna organisationen. Du kan även starta en blogg eller nätverka med andra bloggare och utbyta artiklar och content av olika slag. Om dina prestationer uppmärksammas utifrån värderas detta naturligtvis högre än om du själv är källan till informationen.

8. “Inre demoner”

Se noga till att du inte fastnat i en negativ tankespiral eller tvingar dig själv att leva upp till en viss förväntad roll inom ditt företag. Ibland är det lätt att man “type-castar” sig själv, dvs, ger sig själv den roll som förväntas av en snarare än den man själv vill ha, vilket kan göra att man hamnar fel. Din vision om var du vill vara och vem du vill vara är din absolut största och mest värdefulla tillgång. Den ska du inte låta någon, allra minst dig själv, ta ifrån dig. Ta gärna hjälp av en äldre kollega eller skaffa dig en mentor utanför organisationen som kan bolla dina drömmar och idéer med dig och peppa och coacha dig när du behöver det. Att han någon mer erfaren person att prata med när man står inför karriärmässiga utmaningar är ovärderligt. För att lyckas måste du stänga ute alla tvivel på din egen förmåga och lita på att du kan och förtjänar att göra karriär. Särskilt om du skall leda dina arbetskamrater. Var noga med att undvika att skapa mentala barriärer för vad du “kan” och “inte kan”.

9. Jobbrelaterade misstag

All gör vi det. Begår misstag. Men bara ett fåtal vet hur man vänder misstagen till fördelar och har förmågan att lära sig av dem. När (inte om) du gör något fel som orsakar problem för din organisation eller dina anställda är det viktigt att du hanterar “krisen” på rätt sätt. Ta all kritik på allvar och lyssna i den första fasen. Var noga med att skapa dig en balanserad bild av situationen genom att prata med fler personer som berörts av ditt misstag innan du uttalar dig och presenterar en lösning. Om du begått ett fel som hade kunnat undvikas och samidigt kan presentera en effektiv lösning på problemet bör du vara noga med att ta på dig ansvaret för din del av misstaget och be dina kollegor och chefer om ursäkt för detta. Gör du det på ett snyggt sätt kan du vända situationen till din födel genom att att helt enkelt visa att du kan hantera även motgångar på ett kraftfullt sätt. Se dock till att fokusera på lösningen så snart som möjligt och kommar ifrån diskussioner om vems fel det var eller hur felet kunnat undvikas. Ta lärdom av det inträffade men gör det snabbt betona de nya kunskaper och den information som kommit till kännedom pga det inträffade. Viktigast av allt är dock att du ser till att aldrig göra samma misstag två gånger. Det riskerar nämligen att starkt skada bilden av dig inom och kanske tom utanför organisationen.

10. Bakåtsträvande

Undvik att inta en alltför försiktig, konservativ, bakåtsträvande eller pessimistisk hållning utifrån din yrkesroll. Även om du har till uppgift att begränsa kostnader eller fokusera på redan befintliga kunder snarare än att vara visionär, låt folk vara kreativa. Ingen gillar en glädjedödare. Även om det inte faller dig naturligt som person så bör du se till att du befinner dig i de projekt eller i kontakt med de kunder och initiativ som uppfattas som nytänkande och aktuella. Särskilt om du är äldre än dina kollegor kan det vara smart att löpande sätta sig in i nya teknologier, arbetsmetoder och idéer. Se det som en investering i din karriär. Spännande nya jobb och uppdrag ges nästa alltid till personer som uppfattas som kreativa och nytänkande och inte sällan prioriteras dessa egenskaper högre än att tex anses vara en duktig administratör med förvaltande och metodiska karaktärsdrag. Något som blir särskilt viktigt att tänka på för oss som befinner oss inom kreativa yrken och organisationer.

Text: George Samuelson

by Danielle Koprowski

When children are not delightful to be with, their behavior is telling us they have a need that requires our help. Those needs are Physical, Emotional or Sensitivity/ Temperament Issues. Let’s take a look at Sensitivity/ Temperament Issues.

Have you ever noticed how different one sibling can be from another? How is that? They have the same genetics, the same or similar environment, but they are so different.

Children come into this world with their own unique temperament and sensitivities. As the brain develops we each create our own unique way of processing information. The are some general patters, but each of us is unique. For some children their brain develops in a way that causes them to have a different way of processing the stimulus around them. A child like this might be said to have Sensory Integration issues, Hyper Activity, Explosive Temperament or they might be called High Spirited.

These types of issues can show up in many ways. A child might avoid stimulus or they might seek stimulus. So you could have a child that is very sensitive to loud noises and avoids them or on the other end a child who yells and screams to stimulate that sense.

There are exercises, games and interactions that can help children with these issues.

If you have the feeling that your child might have some of these issues, below is a list of websites and books that will be very helpful in giving you the information and tools you need to help your child.

Out of Sync (Sensory Integration Issues)-
http://www.out-of-sync-child.com/
http://school.familyeducation.com/sensory-integration/parenting/36660.html
High Energy/ Hyperactive-
http://www.amazon.com/Stopping-Hyperactivity-Solution-Nancy-ODell/dp/0895297892
http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Moves-Learning-Your-Head/dp/0915556375/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1
http://www.braingym.org/

Explosive (Easily Frustrated)-
http://www.explosivechild.com/

Spirited (Intense, sensitive, perceptive, persistent)
http://www.parentchildhelp.com/SpiritedChild/tabid/59/Default.aspx

Danielle Koprowski
Free To Be Parenting Support
ACPI Certified Coach for Parents
www.freetobeparenting.com

On Wed night The Venue at Melrose Arch was abuzz with excited final year design students awaiting the outcome of the Sappi thinkahead Student Portfolio Awards for 2009.

These awards, started in 2002, are directed solely at graduating communication design students, giving them a chance to showcase their work to creative directors looking for upcoming talent!

After scrumptious little cocktails and a browse of the gallery displaying the finalists’ work we took our seats in the auditorium. The students represented 11 design schools with North West University emerging as the top institution for 2009. The big winner of the evening was Emarie Gouws of North West University who received a Platinum award.

Thank you to Sarah Beswick, event coordinator and Graham Foote, Sappi Marketing Manager for making us so welcome.

Best wishes to all the graduates in their future careers.

Alison Gitelson Development tutor, speaker & facilitator

Fonte: Site Oficial

A partida deste domingo, às 17h, contra o Coritiba, no Mineirão, marcará o reencontro do mestre com um antigo pupilo. De um lado estará o lateral-direito Jonathan e do outro o técnico do time paranaense Ney Franco, que dirigiu o jogador por dois anos na equipe júnior e foi o responsável por subir o atleta para o profissional. 

Jonathan, natural de Conselheiro Lafaiete, na região central de Minas Gerais, chegou ao Cruzeiro em 1999, para a categoria pré-infantil. O jogador atuou com Ney Franco em 2003 e 2004 no sub-20 celeste.

Ney Franco chegou ao Cruzeiro em 1995 para comandar o time infantil e permaneceu até 2005, tendo passado por todas as categorias de base do Clube. O trabalho do treinador na formação de atletas foi bem-sucedido  e com inúmeros títulos conquistados.

Quando era funcionário do Clube, Ney Franco dirigiu o time profissional como interino em duas oportunidades, com destaque para os sete jogos na reta final do Campeonato Brasileiro de 2004. Naquela época o técnico promoveu a estreia de Jonathan no time profissional do Cruzeiro, na última partida da temporada, contra o Flamengo.

“Eu conheço o Ney. É um profissional muito competente, trabalhei com ele na base e meu primeiro jogo como profissional foi com ele, em 2004. Vai ser um jogo difícil pela situação em que o Coritiba se encontra. Acho que não vai ser fácil. Temos que respeitar a equipe deles porque têm bons jogadores e contamos com o apoio da torcida”, destacou.

Went through the pile of envelopes and have a picture of what’s owed and where we stand. Took 3 hours and had help recording and organizing things so it was very busy like. Note to reader – don’t try that at home alone. If you’re feeling buried, make sure you get a friend or family member or associate, or stranger or anyone who’s not emotionally attached to the situation to sit with you to get the details on paper. Apparently this is step 3 and it’s supposed to be where the rubber hits the pavement. I think I agree because during the discussion and the piles of recycled paper, we also started to come up with the framework for a plan to restructure everything.

I am obviously still completely overwhelmed and barely breathing but somehow last night after the 3 hours of sorting and recording, I found the energy to transcribe the minutes for the board meeting that I’m supposed to be at right now, but had to bail out of. Gotta make my calls – the key is the activity – more activity, as hard as it is, is like exercise it triggers the endorphins and starts the machine. Here we go – dialing for dollars…

What are the stumbling blocks for building the business of your dreams?

There are many keys to building a successful business.  Some keys are outside your control.  But the most important key is Yourself.  Ask yourself, “Are you the biggest stumbling block to your own success?” If success keeps eluding you, read on.

How you view yourself will determine whether your business succeeds or fails.  You must prepare yourself for success.  You must change your mind set for unlimited potential.  How do you do this?

• You are your business, not the widgets or services that you sell, but YOU!.  Learn to put yourself at the forefront.  Take stock of your skills and assets.  What do YOU possess that will propel you into success?  We all possess them, but we need to dig down and do a detailed examination.  Often we are unable to see what our assets truly are.  What are yours?  Make that list right now.
• Start believing today that you are worthy of success.  You must feel this in your bones.  You must act as if success has already arrived. 
• Visualize yourself as successful.  Picture YOU living in that elegant, waterfront home, or driving that fast, powerful car, or jetting around the world to exotic places.  When you visualize, put yourself in that car or skiing down that far away mountain.  Walk through that home, look through the windows at the fabulous view, or touch the lustrous fabrics of the furniture.  This is the fun part, dreaming.  Be the dream.  Look from the inside of the dream at the world around you.
• Give value to those around you.  Are you a mentor?  Do you give of your time or money to charities or church?  What you give will return to you tenfold.
• Don’t allow others to block you from becoming who you were meant to be.  Say NO to negative opinions,   Walk away from the naysayers.  This is probably one of the hardest things that all of us face in the process of changing ourselves.  While it is a hard thing to say, sometimes those who are closest to us to do not have our best interest’s at heart.  But this is the most powerful part.  We do have the control over this.  We do control our feelings and our responses.

Part of the process of recreating YOU is educating yourself.  Read inspirational books.  Attend seminars and lectures.  Join clubs.  Always be learning and growing.  I have learned a great deal from Mike Dillard’s Magnetic Sponsoring book.  He explores self-value and how to propel yourself into a leadership role.

Do you want to change your focus today?  Click HERE to start that new future that is waiting for you.

Cheryl Cole is reportedly set to be mentored by hip-hop mogul Jay-Z for her break in the US.

.The X Factor judge was said to be in talks with Beyonce Knowles’ husband for a collaboration.

“Cheryl is the biggest fan of Jay-Z and Beyonce,” the Mirror quoted a source as saying.

“To hear the feeling is mutual has totally made her year. She never imagined her album would have taken off like this.

“To get Jay-Z’s support is beyond her wildest dreams,” the source added.

Source

Adam Lambert from American Idol appeared on ‘The Today Show” where he was interviewed about his performance at the AMAs. I was struck by the final statement in this clip, “I’m not a babysitter, I’m a performer.” While this is true, it still bothered me. I am not completely sure why. Maybe as a youth pastor who knows that teenagers that watch this performance will be influenced by it, and in a negative way in my opinion, I am just offended by his attitude. Do I expect to much of our stars to want them to ‘own up’ for their mistakes? I feel like the attitude that Adam has taken on is the attitude of a lot performers, actors, and artists today. They don’t care what people perceive they just want their message out there, and when people take offense to their message they get all offended. Should we expect our ‘entertainers’ to have a higher standard? Or do we as mentors, and parents need to open a dialogue with our kids and teens about what the culture is throwing at them?

What stance do you take?

As Thanksgiving and the holidays approach us, I am reflecting on what I am thankful for.  The obvious that come to mind are family, friends, health, and having a job that I truly enjoy.  Yet, the more reflecting I do, the more I realize that I am forgetting about another important group of people: mentors.

Remembering these mentors triggered a sense of urgency to remind them that I am still grateful for all that they have given me.  Whether it was personal advice, a letter of recommendation, or a shoulder to lean on, I made an effort to reconnect with them.

Photo: Alexander Wredge from Flickr.com

Oprah Winfrey once said, “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.”  If this hope was ever provided for you, then it might be worthwhile to give your thanks.

Because the extra support, guidance, professional networking, references, friendship, and hope that mentors offer are definitely things to be thankful for, especially in navigating through these difficult economic times.

-Olivia Yeung, Alumni Mentor Program Coordinator

by Danielle Koprowski

When children are not delightful to be with, their behavior is telling us they have a need that requires our help. Those needs are Physical, Emotional or Sensitivity/ Temperament Issues. Let’s take a look at emotional needs.
 
Emotional needs (for children and adults)- Here is a partial list: Unconditional love, Loving touch, Affection, Acceptance, Connection, Respect, Feeling heard, Guidance, Safety, Security, Stability, Down time, Play, Self-Esteem, Self-Worth, Sense of belonging, Feeling valued, Friendship, Emotional release of pain, Freedom, Power (control over their life), Trust, Positive role models

That’s a long list and it’s only partial! Can you see why so many people have unmet emotional needs? The two main reasons children have unmet emotional needs are that parent’s have their own unmet needs and that not enough time is spent connecting with children.

One of the first indications that a child is feeling emotionally disconnected is that they begin to be uncooperative. When this happens, it is not bad or wrong, it is just a sign, like a flag going up saying, “My child needs something or My child needs help.” So we ask ourselves (or even the child) what is this behavior telling me? What is it that my child needs?

Is he developing autonomy and needs to feel powerful in his life? Is she hurting and needs to cry about something or release anger (punch a mad pillow)? Does she need to be accepted even when she makes choices I don’t agree with? Does he need some down time after a busy day? Does she need play that includes loving touch and affection? Does he need some focused one on one time?

When you are in the moment, asking the question, it is often mom intuition (or parents intuition) that gives the answers. Trust yourself and your ability to feel out what it is that your child needs.

It is not always so important that we find the answer, what is most important is that we ask the question and look for the root of the behavior rather than punish the behavior. Punishment never solves the problem of unmet needs. If a starving man steals food, can I punish him out of his need for food? No, I can address the need and teach him appropriate ways to get food.

Look again at that list of emotional needs, maybe even print this out and read that list daily. Ask yourself these questions:
What one thing can I do today to meet my own emotional needs?
What one thing can I do today to meet my child’s emotional needs?

Danielle Koprowski
Free To Be Parenting Support
ACPI Certified Coach for Parents
www.freetobeparenting.com

Dr. Romulo G. Davide

Farmers who are also scientists and businessmen—that’s what Dr. Romulo G. Davide envisions for Filipino farmers.  He wants to train farmers to empower them using science and technology.

Dr. Davide’s farmer-scientist program has empowered upland farmers in Cebu to determine the appropriate technologies for their farms.  Through Dr. Davide’s  program, the farmers learned integrated pest management, and thus encouraging them not to depended on toxic pesticides.  They also learned to develop their own hybrid corn producing their own seeds from their farms.

Dr. Davide’s desire to serve his fellow Filipinos is unquestionable.  After gaining his bachelor’s degree from the University of the Philippines’ College of Agriculture, he went to the United States where he earned his masters and doctorate degrees from the Oklahoma State University and North Carolina State University, respectively.  Shortly after receiving his doctorate degree in nematology and plant pathology in 1966, he was offered a professorial job that he declined because of his commitment to his country. 

This commitment would highlight his prolific career.  Dr. Davide is internationally recognized for his contributions to nematology, including the national survey, identification, and control of nematodes that infest economic crops.  He also discovered the first and safest biological control agent, called BIOACT, against nematodes.  For these and other works, Dr. Davide has the distinction of being the first Filipino to be included in the “Who’s Who” in nematology.

Asked to comment on his career and contributions as teacher, scientist, and mentor, Dr. Romulo Davide shrugged all the accolade aside, saying that he is just an instrument of God.

Source:

► Eileen Calaycay-Cardona.  ‘There are no barren soils, only barren minds.”  www.up.edu.ph/forum/2002/Aug02/davide.html

► National Academy of Science and Technology.  www.nast.dost.gov.ph/pro_davide.html

Another rewrite! Had a meeting with Stina today and had her read the new ending for the book.

She was not impressed. She was still wondering what the book was about. I sat down in my studio with a somewhat hollow and uncertain feeling in my cheast.

Stina came after me, said that she felt uncertain about how to advice me. I understand her. We needed to bring in a third party into our relationship. (I’m the guy at the left…)

So come Thursday I shall have Josefine Svenske read it when she’s here at Comic art school (as a substitute teacher for Gunnar Krantz, who is currently bone broken and lying at home watching bad films and eating heaps of  licorice (I do not know this for a fact, it is only a suspicion of mine)).

Anyway the meeting with Stina did inspire me to rewrite it agian, so now it’s a story about running away from your problems. It was about that before too, but now it’s more of a clear theme in the book.

This will be a magnificent masterwork! The first of many!

And you will love it.

 As do I.

“…With increased cohesion likely comes an increase in things such as shared tacit knowledge, shared attitudes and work habits, and social support.”

-http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reality-mining/200911/the-water-cooler-effect

“If there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean.” The conventional view of productivity is that the more a worker works and the fewer the breaks they take, then most productive they will be. But productivity is not that simple.

Co-workers of all different skill levels make up a work crew. So if a veteran tradesman and a novice take a lunch break together, the novice has the opportunity to socialize with the tradesman. He can learn a trade secret, he can get a mentor-style review of his techniques, he can pick up information about the purpose of the project at hand and how he fits into the plan to get it done.

The veteran tradesmen can get an idea of the novice’s interest in the project at hand their attitude toward the tasks they are doing, mishaps of family life that might strain the worker’s focus.

With the amount of background information and soft facts that can be exchanged, with the team-building that can occur, break time is an essential part of the day for workers, especially when guided productively by a savvy foreman.

Bill Stacey Construction is a member of the Arizona Builder’s Alliance. The Arizona Builder’s Alliance offers training for a variety of construction leadership

Written By Brad Stacey

I have come across an interesting book via the Blog of Thomas Nelson CEO.

Mentor like Jesus.

(You can buy on Amazon.co.uk, but .com, once again, has more about it).

It looks interesting as this it what our church has specifically been focussed on for the past 4 years.

It has been a challenge to all involved. It has redefined church and taken us back to the example of Jesus.

The book looks like it will help explain (in English) what has been achieved by one of the world’s largest churches, Misión Carismática Internacional, based in Bogotá, Colombia.

Founded and led by Pastor César Castellanos and his wife, Senator Claudia Castellanos, the church has grown from 8 people to 200,000 through the G12 vision.

I have not read this yet , but I intend to win a copy (or will buy it)!

As an entrepreneur it’s crucial to have the right mindset.

The right thinking about yourself, about your products and services, about your customers, the way you overcome set-backs and the way you run your business makes all the difference.

If you’re making the transition from being an employee to being an entrepreneur then having support, coaching and mentoring during this process will significantly improve your chances of success.

Many self-help, how-to, and get rich quick schemes ignore this vital step and focus on the tactics, the detail, and the next ‘essential’ tool they can sell you.

This is just one element that sets this programme apart from the crowd.

Here it’s about joining a community of entrepreneurs, created and built to support and encourage the success of every member.

Just click here and enter your contact detail and we’ll explain more.

Mark

Today’s Mentor Monday post comes from my friend Ryan Knapp.  After reading this post, check out his blog to find out more about him.

Photo cred: Kathy a.k.a. "K"

In 2006 I went from a PhD program in Linguistics to becoming a President/Owner of a minor-league soccer club (quite the life change, right?).  Thrust into my new position, one of the first things I did was make a list of what I needed to be successful.  Right below ‘make loads of $$’ and just above ‘hire an assistant’ I had scribbled ‘Find a Mentor’.

So I Googled, “Find a Mentor” and after reading 10 posts about why a mentor is so important and how to find a mentor in 5 steps (or for $29.99) I had a silent freak out moment,

“Oh God, I DON’T have a mentor…what do I do? Where do I start? and HOW do I find one?”

My previous life in academia I was lucky enough to have been ‘given’ three amazing mentors, or advisers as they are more commonly called.  I know many college students who are stuck with an adviser they despise, but my adviser in High School and my two advisers in College (Dr. Jeri Jaeger and Dr. Wolfgang Wölck) are/were incredible mentors and friends, but I never had to venture further than down the hall to find them.

For the first time in my life I was stuck finding a mentor on my own, and I had no clue.

So I took up an industrious approach and searched out potential mentors and read their bios and scrutinized as if I was interviewing them for a job to work with me.  “Nope, too young.  Nope, not in my field.” Lo and behold I came up empty.

However, after a few months of my failed mentor search I realized something — finding a mentor isn’t about trying to find a mentor at all.

Finding a mentor comes from forming quality connections and relationships with new people without a set outcome in mind.  Using this approach opens up a world of possibilities and you view mentorship in a completely different context.  The ’search’ becomes unnecessary and your focus shifts to a productive two-way relationship with both give and take.

From the get-go you may have been looking for a big-shot in your field to be your mentor, but just because someone isn’t a big shot means they have less to give you.  Maybe you are a business focused person but your mentor might be someone who is an artist but can show you 1001 different ways to look at a situation.

I have been lucky enough to find two incredible mentors who have been instrumental in my growth professionally and personally.  Both Kiko Suarez and Keith Burtis became my mentors during transitions in my life, and they helped me get to where I am today, and are helping me reach where I’ll be tomorrow.

So, if you do not have a mentor but you are looking, don’t fret.  Put yourself out there and keep on making connections and meeting new people.  The beauty about our world is that your mentor could be someone half way around the world, a group of people, or you might become a mentor to someone in the process.

How did you find your mentor?  Were you looking, or did it just happen?

Today I posted this attempt at inspiration on our main blog. As Kevin Roberts of Saatchi & Saatchi says, it’s not enough to just get attention. People want INSPIRATION.

So – how to get tactical about inspiration is the topic of this post. I will update this insider’s post throughout the week to let you know how it’s going. It’s starting with a news show.

All of this is being done to:

1.  Launch The Hot Mommas Project 2010 Case Study Competition

2. In preparation for my appearance on Washington Business Tonight with Rebecca Cooper (11.24)

Stay tuned for our Black Friday “Give the Gift of Mentorship” developments.

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What is this, where I am, who are you? If this is your first time here, this is the insider’s blog for The Hot Mommas Project. We are the world’s largest collection of teachable role models and virtual mentors for women and girls.  We are housed at the George Washington University School of Business (where I teach) and have an audacious goal of becoming a million dollar venture…while being led by a mom working part time. Click here to nominate someone.  See more on our about page.

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11.23.09 – 12.28 pm UPDATE. FINALIZING MESSAGING, INITIAL DISTRIBUTION. This morning, before running off to my daughter’s Thanksgiving school thingy,  I began our promotion of the 2010 case study competition. It started with:

• Slideshow. Two different versions of the Hot Mommas Project “Everyday Revolutionary” slideshow                 ( Slideshare and authorStream -which is animated). I am intrigued with this medium for getting across messages.

• Blog posts. A must, of course, to cover your bases. Two blog posts (the insider’s blog post, which you are reading, and our main blog)

• Twitter and Facebook. Sending links out on Twitter and Facebook with two different “taglines.” Here they are, verbatim:

1. “Everyday Revolutionaries-Women Making a Difference http://tinyurl.com/ykjdwup #wgbiz“

2. “Mentors MATTER for women/girls.Be part of the solution with the gift of mentorship http://ad.vu/mxqz“

The second one is getting re-tweeted a lot. So, I will use that title for a press release on 1888PressRelease.com, although I do like this press release from Girls With Dreams that goes right to their site. We just need to get our act together tech-wise and do that. We have prioritized content and surveying/data over tech and I think it’s beginning to show. Anywhoo, here is who retweeted so far:

Twitterati who care:

@alizasherman @Rieva@SalesBogcast@WomanWifeMomMe @Joannefunc@LydiaFernandes @AUJOEevents@BobBurg @TheMojoCoach@agoldfisher

Incredible folks. On Twitter, you start to learn who your friends are. But, they are like your over-achiever friends who push your message out there for you because they are excited about it. It’s quite incredible, actually.

Couple nuggets:

- Twitter/FB sync tool. I have a program installed that allows Tweets to selectively show up on my Facebook profile when I add “#fb” at the end. While I’ve never really gotten any big business leverage out of Facebook, I know some have, and that it is always good to be at least somewhat familiar with certain social media avenues and be willing to test.

- Slideshare/FB sync. On Slideshare, you can sync it with your Facebook page so the slideshow shows up in the left column of your profile. One bummer is that Slideshare does NOT currently support animation.

11.24.09 – 9:39 am UPDATE – So far there have been no comments on the slideshow on Slideshare or authorStream. I am trying not to render judgement too quickly, however. I think starting early, getting the message out there, and keep pushing it forward is the way.

THE BATTLE OF PRIORITIES.

Content, Promotion, Funding are my main priorities right now. This does not include managing staff, emails and basic communication, and lots of other grey area. Here is the list of things I need to do. What will win? This is the daily battle.

• Press release – drafted, if not submitted, to 1888PressRelease.com
• Virtual interviews (typing responses to questions for folks who are promoting the case study competition for us).
• Real inteviews – Interview prep for the show tonight. I need to learn how to use Skype for the interview.
• Press packet (logos, blurbs, links) for partner organizations helping us get the word out
• Site and blog stats analysis (have delegated this to Achin so I don’t get sucked into the vortex, but even Achin is behind busy with his promotion list).
• Get focused back on content. I want the chapters of a book outlined by the end of this month. The slideshow, or “enduring message” as pitch expert Sam Horn says, was the first step. I am hoping the enduring message is resonating.
• Sponsor brief. I should also be doing a brief for potential sponsors. A lot of folks are waiting for this one pager. Am I nuts? My instinct is to always focus on funding. However, I am having to really focus on my business instincts and what is the right thing to do at what time.

Off to a client call, and to tackle the above to do list. Stay tuned for feedback after Washington Business Tonight.

11.25.09 2.30pm UPDATE. I have done nothing. I tend to over-prepare for any kind of media. Thus, I spent pretty much the entirety of yesterday afternoon getting ready for the Washington Business Tonight interview.  Here it is (Windows Media Required). It was on hibernating from emails and the world in general.  I did manage to check my link stats on Adjix and am fascinated by the number of people who clicked on my reference to the move “Breakin.”

]]> http://keeleycooperstone.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/wiccas-wisdom/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:51:56 +0000 keeleycooperstone http://keeleycooperstone.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/wiccas-wisdom/

Once upon a time you get an opportunity to do something that you don’t normally do and for me that was attending the session at Fashion Institute where you could talk to the famous Wicca Merlin in an Open Forum with Wicca. The info for the session only said ‘We are delighted to invite you and all of your friends to an open forum with Wicca Merlin. Wicca is a top professional model in SL and here is your chance to come and quiz her on any aspect of modeling.’

I was quite interested in what she would have to say and curious how one of the best in the industry handled the pressure and all the requirements of modeling. It was a great talk and she was a lovely person to be so honest, open and frank. We listened to her talk about her time in the modeling industry and some do’s and don’ts she would suggest. As well as talking about some interesting things that had happened to her during her time so far. She had some very good advice about being unique and to have a unique style and I didn’t realise how much trouble she went to, to keep her face as similar for all pictures as possible – so the brand of Wicca Merlin remains the same. It was interesting also to hear about other areas of modeling and the fashion industry that she was involved with. I think she was promoting as it being very important as a model to be involved in your agency in other capacity. I really was so enthralled by the session and it was lovely to have Shal come along with me to support me in some of my training. He is good he always helps out and I think honestly I am very fortunate to have such a supportive special person in my life . During the time with Wicca I was fortunate enough to ask a question so I included the information about what I asked and what was said. What a great answer

[15:48] Wicca Merlin: if you like to ask it is Keeley
[15:48] Keeley Cooperstone: I just was interested how do you find the time to fit in all that you do
[15:48] Sparkie Funizza: lol good question
[15:49] Sakura23 Bleac: lol that is good
[15:49] Wicca Merlin: against all rumors i have an RL ..i have the advantage that iam a musician in RL so i can do my schedule by my own
[15:49] Wicca Merlin: but
[15:49] Wicca Merlin: count the time you have
[15:49] Wicca Merlin: for your self
[15:49] Keeley Cooperstone:
[15:49] Wicca Merlin: and then think what all you can handle
[15:49] Wicca Merlin: and think about what takes you hwo long
[15:49] Wicca Merlin: for example
[15:50] Wicca Merlin: if you have 4 hours time
[15:50] Wicca Merlin: you can go to the store you model for ..then you can open a small window for example photoshop and edit your pics or write a note cards and you even can pay attention for the incoming customers
[15:51] Keeley Cooperstone: lol yeps im hearing my life right now
[15:51] Wicca Merlin: then you can sort your inventory and thinking about what time you else have for another appointment
[15:51] Wicca Merlin: time managing is it
[15:51] Wicca Merlin: get yourself an agenda
[15:51] Wicca Merlin: for SL onöly
[15:51] Wicca Merlin: only
[15:51] Wicca Merlin: get in your important RL times
[15:51] Keeley Cooperstone: multi tasking
[15:51] Wicca Merlin: and make frames of times in a colored way when you have time to do some
[15:51] Wicca Merlin: write that down and follow that plan
[15:51] prazillo Lemon is Online
[15:51] Keeley Cooperstone: nods
[15:52] Wicca Merlin: never change a running system and first come first serve
[15:52] Noa Daffyd: are there any agenda’s you can use in-world?
[15:52] Wicca Merlin: nop
[15:52] Wicca Merlin: i only have a “ols” paper calendar”
[15:52] Wicca Merlin: that never gets lost
[15:52] Wicca Merlin: or SL eaten
[15:52] Rumour Market: great discipline!!
[15:52] Sakura23 Bleac: lol
[15:52] Veronica Krasner: right I use my cellphone and set it with alarms only for SL
[15:52] Wicca Merlin: or some else
[15:52] Talyia Tarber: google calendar is wonderful.
[15:52] Anabella Ravinelli: lol
[15:52] Keeley Cooperstone: i use google
[15:52] Keeley Cooperstone: snap
[15:52] Anabella Ravinelli: google is amazing
[15:52] Sakura23 Bleac: *hugz google*
[15:52] Rumour Market: hehehe google fanatics R Us!
[15:52] Anabella Ravinelli: hehe
[15:52] Keeley Cooperstone: lol
[15:52] Lorac Cleanslate: yes I do all threee
[15:52] Lorac Cleanslate: have back ups
[15:52] Anabella Ravinelli: (thanks to Colby and Tal)
[15:52] Wicca Merlin: iam a very “classy ” person and always scared that all what i don’t have in my hand can get lost
[15:53] Keeley Cooperstone: mmh
[15:53] Wicca Merlin: but everyone can set his or her own favourites to use what is the best
[15:53] Keeley Cooperstone: ty wicca

Well I look forward to other sessions like this so that I can learn more about how to be my best from the best – learning is so important to development.

TTYL

Keeley~~~~~~~~~~@