Necessity is the Mother of Collaboration

The economy today forces people to be inventive - and potentially to collaborate. Non-profits are the original "do more with less" folks, and that sector's creativity at leveraging is going to be stretched to its max over the next two to three years.

As a society, we've gotten used to non-profits providing all sorts of services that perhaps government should provide and that local communities used to provide without a formal infrastructure. Services include feeding people, providing clothing and shelter, educating kids after school and on weekends, providing exposure to art and music, helping the elderly live at home and enriching their lives. Americans will continue to support some of those things - especially food, clothes and shelter - because they perceive them as necessities. And they are necessities. The other things are less essential to basic survival and its likely that people will cut their budgets for art, music, after-school education, and the like.

How will non-profits adapt to this culture? Are there opportunities that exist to leverage existing resources and develop new relationships that will result in at least a maintenance of current services, and perhaps even increase them? I believe there are.

I was just talking to a young woman who works at a NYC music school that has two main divisions: tuition-paid music lessons, and community services. The two divisions rarely if ever work together. The school owns its building, but it is not used full-time.

My colleague is responsible for community programming, and recently approached a major NYC cultural institution about a collaboration that would serve both groups' interests. Specifically, she thought it would be great to have alums of this institution serve as faculty for her school, as well as giving community concerts. This would expand the number of students to be served, it would allow these young musicians to teach and to perform, and it would enhance the school's presence in their target communities.

The original plan was to establish a new separate program and raise money for it. Now most places are looking at funding cutbacks and ways to increase revenue. Raising money for a new program probably is not going to be a priority.

Does this mean the program is dead? Not necessarily.

We talked about applying a business models to the music school. Its under-utilized is sort of like empty airline seats. At an airline, its fixed costs (equipment, infrastructure, terminals) are covered by selling a certain configuration of seats at certain prices. Once fixed costs are met, the airline has to cover its marginal costs - fuel, crew, food, etc.)- - selling other seats is gravy. That's why airlines cancel flights - haven't sold enough seats to cover fixed and marginal costs.

How would this apply to a music school? Most costs already covered by current tuition - only have marginal costs to cover for additional students; could excess cover other work? Could the school bring in PT faculty to teach retirees during day, at lower tuition cost? Cover costs, raise profile, give needed service. Adding new revenue stream is way to cover fixed/marginal costs INSTEAD of raising tuition for current students (as is current plan). Can even start out small with two or three instruments - have small group classes for short period of time - use young musicians to teach.

Adding new PT faculty has other benefits. Young musicians can do concerts for community as well - expose kids, parents to classical music, different instruments, culture. The school can publicize these through local neighborhood papers via a press release that's published as an article, as well as by partnering with senior centers and city agencies.

This strategy avoids giving people a chance to leave the school. If they raise current tuition, this gives people a chance to decide NOT to renew - a very bad move in this economy. Why not keep tuition the same to avoid that decision? In this kind of economy, organizations need to look for multiple revenue streams that are creatively using existing resources, leverage external resources, and collaborating.

Suggestions for someone seeking a clerical job

On PartnerUp.com, a woman wrote for advice on how to get a clerical job. She's having a difficult time getting interviews. One person suggested she start her own business. I built on that with my response:

"If you can do lots of administrative work, check out being a Virtual Assistant. There's an international association, www.ivaa.org, that has information about what a VA does, as well as a site that matches VAs with employers (www.virtualassistants.com).

The other option is that your resume needs some work. The key thing is to identify YOUR core value to an employer - what makes you stand out? What would you bring to an employer that no one else will? In other words, in a world where many people are applying for the same job, why should the employer choose you?

There are a number of other things to consider - are you highlighting your measurable accomplishments in your resume? Is your resume easy to read? Do your cover letters make the match between your skills/abilities and the employer's needs? Do you let the employer know that you want to work for them and why? A little flattery can go a long way, especially now when employers have a choice about who to hire. Most would rather hire someone who is focused on meeting the company's needs instead of their personal needs. Remember the cover letter is to get you on an interview, so it requires care and work."

I suggested that she check out this blog for more information on how to structure a resume and cover letters.

Achieving goals

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle

I am struck by some common themes when reading stories about people who have set and achieved their goals.

* Many people have accomplished their goals. It is possible!

* Everyone started. They began. They took action. And then they watched what happened.

* They say they've achieve the goals by taking things one step at a time, one day at a time.

* Each one takes required action, consistently acting every day,

* These people take the long view, recognizing and reminding themselves that desired results usually are not achieved in a day or week or month.

* Each one demonstrates the qualities of patience, hard work, and willingness to stay committed to reaching the goal.

* When people reach their goals, they keep up the same habits they developed along the way including sharing their progress and lessons learned with others

Patience, perseverance and perspective are keys to progress and success!

Leadership via planning

I just talked to someone about developing her own leadership abilities, and how she can use strategic planning to help foster her leadership ability.

She already encourages meetings for all senior staff to get on same page - a form of leadership for the entire organization. Now she can think of her role as promoting and enabling short-term planning. She's done a SWOT analysis for herself and the organization, as part of her individual development planning. It turns out her boss did one on the organization, but never shared it with any of the senior staff. The next step for the organization is a SWOT analysis with all staff, or at least the senior staff. This woman can promote that, suggesting to her boss that this would be a good way to promote staff alignment even if they can't do a full-fledged strategic plan. They can do an Action Plan that focuses on the next 12 to 18 months and lays the groundwork for a more thorough-going plan. In this way, my colleague can think of herself as a leader in helping her boss become a better leader.

Her boss wants more organizational alignment. Right now, staff is pretty divided between two parts. The mission statement is very broad so it doesn't help guide people in particulars, and there are no common organizational goals and objectives. A broad mission statement is OK as long as everyone shares definitions and understands same meaning. This is very rarely the case, unless the staff have talked at length about what they mean.

Mission usually isn't great for focusing internal alignment. Staff alignment usually arises more effectively when staff together arrive at a common vision for what the organization will achieve within anywhere from 18 months to five years. Coalescing about the specific impact desired is a remarkable team-building process. further staff alignment is achieved through the remaining planning process.

This starts with agreeing on where the organization currently stands (using SWOT, PEST* and market analyses). It is critical for people to be able to voice and vent what they love, hate, fear and hope about and for the organization. I've used a great group-based activity that very quickly (1/2 hour) sifts through and identifies the top Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. A small team can distill the lessons of the PEST and market analyses for the entire group. Simply reaching agreement on where we are and where we want to be forges incredible bonds - with about four hours of group time required.

Additional alignment and team coalescing is realized through the discussions about how to get from where the organization currently is to where it wants to be - the strategies by which it will achieve its vision. This is where the major time and work takes place, and people learn how to work collaboratively. Some strategies are obvious while others require rehashing and rephrasing. Once strategies are agreed on, smaller staff groups can go to work on major program goals and objectives. The entire staff group then discusses these.

With such broad agreement on the major things, everyone on staff is headed in same direction AND there is room for shifting tactics, programs, detail. Individual program activity plans and the organization budget will stem from the broad strategies and goals.

The entire Action Plan process can be accomplished in 4 to 5 months. An Action Plan is essentially done by staff, with the Board receiving the final plan in lieu of a standard annual plan. Board buy-in is very important because the broadly agreed-on ideas provide a framework for what I call "opportunity management" - how do we decide what opportunities to work on? While opportunities do present themselves to staff, it is more often Board members who propose inappropriate ideas. It is quite useful to point to a plan that fully articulates everything staff already are doing.

It will be a very powerful leadership experience for this woman to promote such a process. Her boss doesn't need to know her underlying agenda of becoming an organizational leader. That's her personal goal. What's important is that she helps her organization develop, and hopefully positively affects her boss's leadership at the same time.

Later I talked to someone about how to publicize a strategic plan given that it's a political AND marketing document. My initial feedback is that the public plan needs careful editing and word choices to ensure that the proper context is set, and that the language is clear and unambiguous, and compelling. In fact, an organization may need three levels of document: one for an internal audience that is quite detailed, one for the external world that provides a broad, birds-eye level look at the organization's plans, and one for stakeholders that provides enough detail to spark buy-in and interest in knowing more.

Maybe it's not laziness!

I recently heard from a very hardworking person that she felt she was lazy because she is spending time laying around and isn't producing much work. Here was my take on this.

"It sounds like you are taking such terrific positive steps toward realizing your dreams - the website (can't wait to see it!) and the lawyer (very, very smart move on your part). My take on the "laziness" is that you are not lazy, you are healing. This past year and a half has taken a big toll and it's not until we have some down time that we can see the toll. You've experienced a lot of loss (job, apartment, friends, community), a lot of anger and shame and letting go (or not...), a shift in identity, moving from your home base, working to establish new roots.

In my experience, it's impossible to keep going and going and going. Sooner or later, we have to rest and allow the subconscious to process everything, to incorporate the change into our being, and gradually adjust internally to the external changes. That's the essence of transition - not simply changing outside circumstances, but learning what the change means and choosing our response to the change.

It's big stuff, and you now have some time in which to do that internal work - or should I say, to allow that internal work to occur, because there's very little "doing" that's required or even possible. Yes, that is frustrating for someone like me and you because we love to keep busy DOING. Otherwise, I don't feel useful or necessary, and can lapse into depression. So the trick is to keep some perspective and allow it to happen. I like to mix in some writing to bring the internal stuff out and sort of complete the circle and realize what shifts are happening. And awareness of the process always helps me.

My own past four years of travail are finally coming to an end, and I now have a renewed sense of purpose and identity - not so dependent on other people now and coming more from within me and through my spirit. So it does have a happy ending! And your journey will as well. Of course, then it will all start up again...for we are always changing and transitioning, if we so choose."

How to Land a Job in this Market

I heartily endorse the sentiments in this article:

www.thirdage.com/career-transitions/10-winning-ways-to-land-the-job-you-want

Under-promise and Over-deliver

I talked to someone today who over-promises AND over-delivers - a recipe for getting completely overwhelmed. He is sick now with a bad cold, because he was doing more than he could handle.

It doesn't really matter why he did that; what matters is whether he does it again. Looking at this situation, he can see that he wanted to prove himself to a new client and was relatively inexperienced in both estimating a job and negotiating a rate. So this was a learning experience.

Like him, I learned that I can overestimate the amount of time I think a project will take. Projects usually take 2 to 3 times longer than I initially think they will take. So I take my original estimate and double or triple it, depending on the project and what other things are going on. It's better to deliver early or on-time than late. And it's definitely better for me to get enough sleep than have to stay up until the wee hours finishing a project due the next day. Time is one area where it really works to "underpromise and overdeliver." I used this idea when I was studying on-line for my MBA, and now for any writing I undertake (with myself as the client!).

Sometimes it's difficult to "underpromise" because a client's or employer's expectations are unrealistically high and they are inflexible. This is a set-up for resentment at best and failure at worst. I've had the experience of working so hard for so little money that I never want to work for the client again. However, I see that it was my responsibility to establish my limits, or chalk it up to "on the job education" because I made the choice freely, if ill-informedly. I learned that there may be times when I have to pass on a project or job because the expectations are too high and/or the compensation too low.

For example, when I was looking for an Executive Director job a couple years ago, I did not consider those that I believed paid too little for the effort I knew would be involved. Having been an Executive Director, I know full well how completely enveloping that job becomes, and I knew, too, what my skills and abilities were worth in the marketplace. There was a fantastic job in California, that paid about 50% less than I felt the job warranted. I told them that the salary was a problem, even though I knew it might take me out of the running (and it did!). If they weren't able to raise the compensation level to meet me even halfway, then it wasn't the right position for me. I was willing to hold out for the right job with the right compensation.

Similarly, the terms of a consulting contract have to work for both parties. If the contracting entity can pay only X amount, then the consultant can deliver only X product. If the client wants more, they will have to pay more to get it. Otherwise, the client must figure out a way to do more in-house and farm out only a portion of the project to the consultant. The consultant can help with this task.

Of course, there are always going to be choices and trade-offs. If the client can pay only a portion of the real cost, the consultant can decide to do the entire job as long as the client is super flexible on the due date. If the consultant wants to establish him or herself in the field, s/he can take on a low-paying job with the explicit understanding that the client is getting a deal and should not tell anyone else the price. In this way, the consultant is over-delivering in the sense of giving more than is reasonable given the compensation involved.

I suppose the concept of "under-promising and over-delivering" has most to do with calculating how much time and effort will have to go into producing something, and whether the compensation or payoff is worth that time and effort. Let me be generous with myself and surprise the client.

2008 Charitable giving will focus on high-need groups

A recent JupiterResearch survey commissioned by Convio indicates that on-line donors may give more than $3 billion during the 2008 holiday season.

* More than 89 million people plan to give in November and December 2008.
* Most (67%) plan to give the same or more as last year, while 33% will give less because of the economy.
* 54% of women and 48% of men expect to give.

On-line donors are most likely to support these types of organizations:

* human and social services groups, like food banks and homeless shelters (41%)
* faith-based organizations (34%)
* disease and health service organizations (33%)
* animal welfare organizations (24%)
* disaster and international relief organizations (22%).

- 45% of women plan to give to a human or social service organization.
- 35% of men will give to human or social services organization.

Donors expect to use the following tools to make on-line donations.

* Charity Web sites (27 percent)
* E-mails from family and friends (15 percent)
* Charity information and evaluation sites (10 percent)

For more information, go to www.convio.com/holiday2008.

how can you be courageous today?

In our lives, we have two or three opportunities to be a hero, but almost every day, we have the opportunity not to be a coward.

- Spanish proverb

Advice for a recent Smith College grad

Having helped lots of people get jobs in the non-profit sector, I've found it's important to identify what you're looking for (I use a "must have" list) as well as what your "core value proposition" is, to use a marketing term. When you know what you want to do and what you have to offer to an employer, it's easier to sort through the various postings. You can read more about the "must have" list; resume building to highlight your distinct talents, skills and experience; and cover letters elsewhere in this blog.

As far as where to look, Idealist.com has a lot of listings; be aware that you'll get different results when you put in different search criteria. To cast the widest net, just say "NY" for state and city, and hit "enter." There will be a lot of listings, but just slog through. Philanthropy News Digest (PND.org) also has job listings. I have a more complete list of sites at my blog www.growhappycoach.blogspot.com.

Obviously, networking is the most effective way to find a job, and you are starting with a great source - the Smith group on LinkedIn. If there are specific organizations you've targeted, see if you can find a Smithie working there. When I was at City Harvest, I often met with recent Smith grads to help them on their way and I think you'll find a lot of receptivity. Again, it will help if you know fairly specifically what you want to do and what you have to offer. It makes it easier for someone to respond affirmatively.

Another hint: ask for 20 minutes of someone's time. It's hard for anyone to say no to 20 minutes. Seeing someone in person is preferable, but take telephone help if that's all you can get. The most successful networking meeting results in you getting at least one additional person to whom you can talk, and permission to use the person's name when you make the contact.

What if you don't feel enthusiastic about a prospective employer?

When looking at job openings, I think it's a good idea to check out the organization's web site to get a better idea of its mission, values, activities and impact. There's no better way of finding out whether the organization will be the right fit for you and whether you'll be a good to great fit for it.

* If you find there is great synergy between your values and those of the organization, by all means apply.

* If you don't admire the organization or think you wouldn't be a good fit, then it's probably better not to apply.

* If there's a question in your mind, I recommend taking the next step of applying to find more information.

Learning about the organization sets you up to write an effective cover letter. I recommend being enthusiastic about the company in your cover letter. Employers want to hire someone who wants to work for them. If it's a toss-up between two people with relatively equal qualifications, the employer normally will interview and select the person who convinces them that s/he wants to be part of the company. Thus, I believe it's usually better to err on the side of flattery for an organization and saying you think you're a good, great or even perfect fit.

In my humble opinion (IMHO), it's OK to say you admire an organization even if you don't think it's perfect. You can still think there are places you think they could improve. Usually we hope to make an impact on our place of work, and I'd expect you to see things that you could do, contributions you could make, improvements awaiting your presence.

Of course, you can make clear in your cover letter that you have a point of view based on experience. The question is whether your point of view complements or contradicts the prospective employer's focus.

* If your values and views complement the employer's, then move forward in hopes of gathering more information about the employer. Send in your resume with a cover letter that emphasizes your positive feelings about the company. Hopefully, you'll be selected for an interview. If not, then it wasn't meant to be.

* If your values and views contradict the employer's, then it's unlikely you'll be happy there. Move on to apply for other jobs with which you have more congruence.

Setting and Achieving Goals

Often I hear and ask myself questions like "why am I not reaching my goals?" and "I keep trying, but I'm not succeeding - why?"

I've found that it's beneficial to focus on one goal instead of several. Work toward that one goal.

First, of course, we need to settle on that one goal. Choosing sometimes seems impossible.

My experience is that when I focus on one goal, I start to experience success in that area. That success provides more motivation for me to keep working at that one goal. Eventually, this success feeds my motivation and energy to tackle another goal.

Selecting the one goal can be difficult. I try to determine what's most important to me RIGHT NOW.

* Am I worried about money, afraid I won't be able to pay my bills or retire in the future? Then the one goal is to achieve financial stability.

* Am I overweight and worried about my health because of it? Am I afraid I'll get diabetes or have a heart attack or stroke sometime in the future? Then my one goal is to release my extra weight, to let it go!

* Do I hate going to work? Am I unhappy in my job, with the organizational culture, my boss and co-workers, the pay, or all of the above? Then my goal is to become happy in my work. That may mean looking for another job, adjusting my attitude, finding ways to contribute more or differently, or detaching emotionally.

Essentially, I have enough information already about the topics important to me. And if I don't, I can get more. So it's possible for me to set and reach goals. If I need more information as I go along, I can set aside some time to learn more.

What's important is to just take action - the next step. I will learn from my experiences from doing.

Changing my consciousness

I spend a lot of time on the internet finding free things that expand my knowledge and consciousness. Suddenly, I really get that changing a lifetime of attitudes, beliefs and behaviors REQUIRES surrounding myself with new messages for many moons.

The messages about doing what I love, being a great inclusive leader etc., are still a minority consciousness in our command/control culture. There is pressure from the old style leaders to continue their ways, and from the current money culture to ignore human capital, human values.

For example, I ran across this quote in a fascinating article about employee satisfaction and profit:

"[Costco's] management is focused on ... employees to the detriment of shareholders. To me, why would I want to buy a stock like that?" Equity analyst, quoted in Business Week

That question is partially answered by Professor Alex Edmans of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in his paper Does the Stock Market Fully Value Intangibles? Employee Satisfaction and Equity Prices. Dated June 23, 2008, the "paper analyzes the relationship between employee satisfaction and long-run stock performance."

Contrary to popular opinion, a focus on employee satisfaction also provides greater profits. From the paper's abstract:

A portfolio of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America earned an annual four-factor alpha of 4% from 1984-2005. The portfolio also outperformed industry- and characteristics-matched benchmarks, and the results are robust to the removal of outliers and other methodological changes. Returns are even more significant in the 1998-2005 sub-period, even though the list was widely publicized by Fortune magazine. These findings have three main implications. First, employee satisfaction is positively correlated with shareholder returns and need not represent excessive non-pecuniary compensation. Second, the stock market does not fully value intangibles, even when independently verified by a publicly available survey. This suggests that intangible investment generally may not be incorporated into short-term prices, underpinning managerial myopia theories. Third, certain socially responsible investing screens may improve investment returns.

It is affirming to know that my values are emerging as good for business as well as being good for people.

Rebuilding Trust

In my experience, rebuilding trust in an organization is achieved when there is both admission of wrong and forgiveness.

Forgiveness is really important. The person who was wronged or betrayed needs to be willing to forgive the betrayer. It's healing for that person to put down the grudge, to lay down the burden of anger and hurt feelings. However, the entire burden for healing the broken trust does not lay on the wronged person's shoulders. Both sides need to do some work.

It's quite difficult to forgive if the person who broke trust doesn't acknowledge that they were in the wrong, that they understand that it was a breach of trust, that they know why it was a breach, and they accept that the other person/people have a good reason for feeling betrayed. Without such an admission of responsibility AND an apology - a heartfelt one - I doubt there can be healing because there will still be hard feelings on the part of the betrayed one. I've seen situations deteriorate over time even if there is a bandaid agreement to work together for a period of time.

Private mediation between the two people most concerned has helped me in the past, with later public acknowledgement to the whole group that the two people now understand each other, that one repents and the other forgives. The rest of the group may then need to voice their feelings about the aftermath of the conflict. Obviously, that has to be mediated, and time-limited.

Having some kind of common understanding of each other and each others' values can help heal a breach and reduce the possibility of future betrayals. I've used the Myers Briggs and DISC instruments as non-judgemental mechanisms to get information out and increase mutual understanding. Myers Briggs is my preferred tool because there is so much great support information for it, and the interpretations are more nuanced.

Great consulting/job advice from NAFE

I just read this very useful article in the National Association of Female Employees' (NAFE) newsletter. Hope it's helpful to you!

5 Tips for Deciding Whether to Take That Job or Consulting Assignment

You finally get the offer for that new job or consulting assignment you interviewed for. And, of course, you could certainly use the money. Before you decide to accept, big-business escapee and NAFE member Babs Ryan (former GE new product division head, Citibank VP of business development, now a small business owner with clients in 207 countries) recommends you give the offer this Five Tips sniff test. These tips and more can be found in her book America’s Corporate Brain Drain.

1. How was the interview process? Companies are on their best behavior when trying to attract talent. You will never be treated better than you are during the interview process. So, if it took four people and two months to make a decision and get you an offer in writing, multiply that times three, and you’ll have about the number of people and time it’ll take to get a decision made on your business proposals. If no single person is empowered to make a decision, you will never be empowered in your job either.

2. What will you own? Is it a process job? Process jobs are those where you are responsible for getting others to do their jobs but have no authority over those people. Process jobs rarely have budgetary responsibility. Typical titles of process roles are project manager, new product development guru, service quality/Six Sigma manager, or strategy chief. Businesses create these roles because the people who do have the authority and budget aren’t doing their jobs and they won’t fire them. You’ll be the scapegoat. Own the budget and authority over staff, or don’t take the job.

3. Can you escape? That retainer or two-year contract sounds great, until you realize that Godzilla is your boss and there’s a massive financial penalty if you want to leave before being chewed up. Never sign a contract without an out that won’t bankrupt you.

4. Who was doing the job before and why isn’t that person there? Dig deep, real deep. Bully managers cause a target to leave every 17 months, and find a new target in 2 weeks. And women bullies target women 84 percent of the time. Make sure you’re not next. Go on. Ask the manager if he/she “liked” the person who just left, and the one that left before that.

5. Big or small? Seventy percent of workers in big companies are unhappy at work. Big company employees are not only three times more likely to be bullied, but exponentially less likely to ever create, develop, and launch a new product. The majority of women who started their own businesses said “nothing” could get them to return to a big company. If part of your job will involve bringing change to the organization, if you have multifunctional skills, or expect a broad scope of responsibility, it’s probably better to think “small”-- and go for a smaller business.

Clearing Emotional Paths and Finding my Direction

Someone just let out a lot of toxins from the past and shared them with me so I can help her focus on positives. Clearing the path is so important!! At some point, it's important to vent the crap so can get through to identifying the next steps.

I believe it's important not to confuse the result with the commitment. It's helpful to focus on small wins - part of learning to depend on oneself one day at a time, to count on oneself - to build for bigger steps.

Change - even if it's for the better - is scary. I like to take fear around the shoulder and say "OK, fear, let's go!" And there are other steps I find helpful.

I observe myself to learn how I learn, how I take on new challenges, how I approach life, how I develop a new habit. I do that with small habits I want to develop and change. Then I know what to expect of myself and my process, so I can be patient with my process when I decide to start something new that is bigger.

Instead of feeling bad about my lack of follow-through on a project I haven't completed, I can observe my behavior and start again with no judgment. Why would I start anything again if I've judged myself harshly? I don't want to feel bad again when I stop again (which I probably will...). Correct and continue!

By having a focus, it's possible to see how other intriguing things fit into it and support it. I may question whether the direction is really the one for me. I find that I don't have to know the answer to that question. "More will be revealed" as I continue in the direction I've set for myself. My path will shift over time, and looking back, I'll see how it happened without my even realizing it. My focus needs to be right here, right now.

While it's easy to get lost in the past and the future, I find I can't really get lost in the present. My reminder to myself is to stay in the now, in my present - the present that is a gift to me. And in that I can be stable, focused, safe.

Changing culture one hire at a time

I have a client who graduated from Georgetown and then Columbia Law, got a prestigious clerkship, worked at white shoe law firms and now has transitioned into working for non-profits. She's African-American.

We talked this morning about how she always felt this undertone of "you should be grateful we hired you" at the white shoe firms. She thinks it was a reflection of their bad opinion of affirmative action, that somehow she didn't deserve her success. I agree with her. My question is "why would you think it was simply affirmative action that got her into your firm? After all, don't you have standards of work that are required?" So why should she be grateful? If they hired for reasons other than her abilities, isn't that their problem? She's doing the work, after all.

Plus, last time I checked, law schools teach the same things to all students. There isn't a separate track for affirmative action. Either you can handle the material or you can't. So what if someone got a chance to succeed because s/he was a woman, black, Asian, Latino/a? Either you can do the work or you can't.

Are there support networks to help non-dominant groups succeed in a dominant culture and environment? Sure. Just as there are groups that help those in the dominant culture succeed. Needing support is a great thing. We try to teach our kids to ask for help, and then somehow when they become adults, it's "weak" or "incompetent" to ask for help.

I wonder why it's OK to look down on someone who takes advantage of opportunities. Isn't that what our market system supposedly is all about? Or are opportunities only for certain people, the ones who control the market?

Once she proves herself, my client will have put one more chink in the wall separating people by race and ethnic background, and gender. The rub? To some people, she will never be able to prove herself. That's really their loss.

How to Find Work You Love

The work as I see it (mostly in this order):

1) Zero in on what you really want to do. What do you love doing? What do you do well? In what environment and culture do you thrive? What's your "live with" number for compensation? This is your "must have list."

2) Develop a final profile and resume. The profile and resume content will be linked together for a seamless document that presents you exactly as you want others to see you.

3) Come up with your networking spiel (otherwise known as the "elevator pitch"). This is essentially your intention regarding what you want to do and what skills you want to use in service of x, y or z.

4) Identify people with whom you can (and want to) network, and look at how to connect with people you don't yet know. This includes using LinkedIn, Facebook and other social networking sites.

5) Find jobs that interest you, and decode the job description to see if, on its face, the job matches or could match a majority of your Must Have List. Job descriptions contain lots of clues to job scope and responsibility level, organizational culture, and core skills you need.

6) Develop a powerful and persuasive cover letter "format" that will help you get interviews. Getting interviews is the only goal of the cover letter.

7) Go through your interview concerns, perhaps including some role play for difficult questions.

8) Talk through any issues and strategies as you move through the interview process.

You're going to be so much more successful if you have a person to help you through this process. A coach, a friend with whom you make an agreement for weekly contact, a mentor - these are all options.

Leadership

A topic I've long studied, good leadership to me is characterized by two key things: vision and compassion.

Good leaders - the ones I will follow and the kind I strove to be - have a compelling vision of the future, a vision that seems achievable and reachable within a reasonable period of time. Kennedy's vision for reaching the moon in a decade seemed possible even if not probable. And in fact, it was achieved one year before Kennedy predicted.

Obama's vision for getting the US independent of foreign oil also is possible. Just as there were for Kennedy's vision, there are obstacles and many interests lined up against this vision. Yet, the fact of setting out that vision puts Obama in the leadership role. If he can successfully mobilize enough people behind that vision, we can overcome any obstacle.

Yet...is Obama's a compelling vision? Well, I don't think so. It's a little fear-based - and I don't believe that a fear-based vision is ever really compelling. It's usually much less compelling to run away from something instead of toward something. Can Obama rephrase the vision more positively?

More compelling to me is a vision that states "the US will generate half its electricity from renewable sources within 10 years." It's a huge goal, it's measurable, and it's possible. Sure, there are some big "ifs." If enough people support it. If enough resources are devoted to building the necessary infrastructure (e.g. a national grid, better storage capacity, affordable technology). If the private sector and public sector work cooperatively.

That's the vision piece of good leadership.

Compassion is the other piece of good leadership. I define compassion as caring about other people - their life circumstances, their opinions, their hopes, their fears. It's about knowing enough about people as they really are and where they really live that you can talk to them and be understood. It's about beginning where people really are so that you can lift them up, appeal to their dreams, and encourage them to believe those dreams are possible.

Compassion is about understanding that people have fears and sometimes think they are not good enough or strong enough or smart enough - and then connecting with them to help them find their strength and worth and brains and other resources. It's about helping others find their own abilities and belief in themselves.

With compassion, a good leader can enlist people in the movement toward the vision. With compassion, a good leader can be a great human being.

Abundance Mentality for Leaders

I wrote about establishing an abundance culture in an organization, emphasizing that the leader sets the tone and establishes the standard. The leader must be committed to and conscious about her or his own mentality, and is responsible for guiding the team toward developing their own abundance mentality.

The question might arise "how do I do that? How do I develop my abundance mentality?"

I just happened on a website that provides really terrific information for leaders who want to develop the abundance mentality. Visit accessabundance.com for some free information that will get you on the path.

I'll be writing much more about how a leader's abundance mentality can form the core of creating a healthy, abundant organizational culture. Stay tuned!

Abundance-based Organizational Culture

What kind of culture does your organization have? Is it built on a sense of scarcity or abundance? Is there a feeling of love and generosity, or of withholding and punishment? Do people compete or cooperate? Can you learn from mistakes or do you fear doing something wrong?

It's very disempowering to work in a place that operates with the scarcity consciousness. Even saying "consciousness" is oxymoronic, for "scarcity" usually applies also to one's level of awareness of how people work best.

While it's true that fear and punishment motivate people to produce results, it only works for a short period of time. Everyone I know who is seeking new work is fleeing a fear-based, dictatorial, secretive, and unforgiving workplace.

And everyone seeks a place where they are respected, informed, allowed to participate and collaborate, and able to think and act somewhat independently. I call this a culture of "abundance." In such a culture, there is enough for everyone, and there will be more when people work together openly, generously and kindly.

Literally every single person I talk to wants the same thing. Sadly, almost every single person doubts that such a place exists.

One person wrote so eloquently about her current workplace, from which she longs to escape:

I am noticing here that there is an undercurrent of hunger here.
Many smart people all looking to prove themselves. Everyone
wants to comment on everything. Folks seeking attention,
acknowledgment and to prove how smart and capable they are.
At the same time as people are somewhat protective of their
own turf - it is a weird and draining mix.

Clearly, the "scarcity model" is operating in this workplace. When people perceive that there is a limited pie, they think they need to hang on to what they have; otherwise they won't be able to get any more. For that matter, it makes sense that one might denigrate others - "let me get some of their pie!"

The environment wounds everyone in some way. Obviously, it harms those who are criticized and denigrated, excluded and not respected. Those doing the denigrating also are harmed if only because they are operating from fear - fear that they will lose what they have. Also, on some level they fear the same thing happening to them. How difficult it is to maintain the defenses needed to protect oneself from possible attack! It drains one's energy from other endeavors.

If everyone is hungry and operating within scarcity, then it's so much more difficult for any one person to own her own abilities and power - especially someone who is naturally generous. It's far easier to recognize other people's abilities than one's own - feels like taking away from another person. "If I get a slice of pie, someone else won't get any."

"Abundance" cultures do exist, and perhaps are becoming more common as leaders grow in awareness of how to get the best out of their people.

I created and maintained such a culture, to the best of my ability, while at City Harvest. By definition, I did not do it alone. Everyone at the organization had to buy into the culture and do their best to support it. And it was a challenge.

For example, there was constant pressure to protect information or "package" it so it "protected" employees who "couldn't handle it." Rather than cave in to the fear that motivated such urging, I chose to welcome the input and then use the information as part of an open discussion process with my leadership team. We became more thoughtful and aware of the impact information has on people.

In the end, we shared more information in order to provide context and reasons for certain decisions. The culture of openness and abundance was partly built by exposing fear and then working with it constructively.

Fundamentally, that culture depended largely on my willingness to recognize my own fear-based behavior and use it as a sign that more openness was needed. From there, I could find information and tools to help me create a team that would help develop the abundance culture we all sought. If a leader does not want to create an abundance culture, it will not happen.

For someone working in such a place, it's difficult to escape. When seeking another job, you have to be confident in your own abilities and goals. Yet in the scarcity culture, it's extremely difficult to develop and maintain such confidence. Perhaps the way out of the conundrum is to step outside the construct, either literally (a vacation, any new job) or conceptually (recognizing the behavior of "scarcity" and ceasing to behave that way).

As Gandhi said, "be the change you wish to see." If I want to work someplace that is open, generous, fun, and abundant, I need to be those things to the best of my ability. Once I have left behind the old behavior, new opportunities will appear to me.

Is it easy to maintain "abundant" behavior and attitudes in a "scarcity" environment? No. But it is doable. Do the opportunities appear instantly. No. But they do appear.

I know, because I experienced it. It took me two years of misery at the NYC Department of Employment before I got my dream job of Executive Director at City Harvest. During those two years, I was the "boss of choice" for many people, because I no longer operated with fear as manifested by unreasonable demands on, impatience with, and criticism, disgust, and contempt for my staff.

Overnight, I had shifted my behavior after my secretary had an asthma attack that put her in a coma and eventually killed her. I came to realize that what really mattered was the quality of my relationships with other people, not getting things done. Things would get done - and done very well - if I had great relationships. The focus needed to be on people, not the work. My focus shifted to supporting people working together to get things done.

The change was so substantial that word got around that I was great to work for, and people applied. Not just any people, but the best people. This made me very unpopular with my peers. As I once heard, "the knives came out and I have the scars to prove it."

Many a night I cried wondering why this was happening and despairing of ever getting a different job. For I was looking. Nothing came to fruition.

I see now that it was part of my learning process, for me to learn how to maintain my attitude and behavior under stress and duress. That muscle had to be strong for me to succeed at City Harvest.

So while I cried at night, I focused on doing great work and having fun during the day. I learned how to withstand outside pressure, maintain my integrity, treat my staff well and protect them from attack and unreasonable demands. I became the buffer between them and the surrounding organization. When I was strong enough, the City Harvest job came along - and I was ready for it.

Building that internal strength can be done in any environment. And I know positively that when one adopts and then lives the "abundance" model, you will attract abundance-based opportunities.

Setting Up a National Membership Organization

I recently did some research on how to set up a membership organization that is national in scope, specifically whether it's very different than setting up a local non-profit.

What I found is that there's not a lot of difference. Every non-profit is a corporation, and is incorporated in a specific state - just as for-profits are incorporated in a particular state even though they operate in many locations. So the incorporation process is the same as for local non-profits. The incorporation purpose will have to include reference to national activities so you have the legal ability to work on that level, just as the application for tax-exempt status will have to state clearly what the association will do and its scope.

Obviously, the IRS has a lot of information especially in its section about professional/trade associations, which is the kind of entity you want to establish under Section 501(c)(6) of the Tax Code.

Where the national vs. local issue comes in is when you get to fundraising. Any non-profit that raises funds has to register with the state's attorney general's office or whatever other entity oversees non-profit activities - most often it is the attorney general that has a Charities Registration Bureau. Registering across state lines is advisable for any non-profit that is national in scope - but only if you intend to raise money. There is a cost associated with registering that varies state by state, but usually is in the $100 to $500 range.

Here are sites that provide useful information:

* Www.associationexecs.com has information and resources about creating an association.

* The American Society of Association Executives appears to be most useful; check out the Knowledge Center.

* GuideStar has various articles on legal issues, as well as other topics of interest on non-profits.

* The Alliance for Nonprofit Management has information on financial management and many other topics.

* Charity Channel has lots of terrific resources, including this article on legal issues.

Life Lessons at Work

I always thought my teachers in life would be loving and generous. "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." I thought I'd have gurus at whose feet I could sit, soaking up wisdom and knowledge of the universe, becoming enlightened myself.

After enough rough times, however, I realized that my teachers didn't wear flowing orange or white robes and sit in the lotus position. My teachers were bad bosses, difficult work environments, and disappointments.

Sometimes bosses and work environments started out great and turned a little sour over time. The lesson there? Usually, I had changed and grown. In learning new skills and developing new maturity, I outgrew my current situation. Unfortunately, I was so deeply immersed in the change, I had little if any awareness of how much I had changed. All I knew was that my boss and some co-workers became incredibly frustrating. Did they just become stupid?

It's clear now that my expectations for my boss and co-workers had shifted, often becoming higher. That makes sense, when I realize that I was playing a bigger game with better skills. I naturally wanted to play with others who had similar skills. My frustration stemmed from two sources:

1) there were people who couldn't play the bigger game because they really didn't have the skill; and

2) there were people who had the skills, I just couldn't recognize them. Consequently, I assumed they didn't have them.

My arrogance conveyed itself to others, who then didn't really want to play with me, either. Caught up as I was in my own circumstances, I rarely spared a thought for how others were doing or what situations they were coping with well beyond my ken or awareness.

That was an important lesson for me. I needed to stop assuming I had all the answers and all the information. I discovered the power of questions - asking people about themselves and the challenges they face. I also started to look at how people, especially bosses, handled situations and thought about how I might do it differently. They were my "negative powers of example" - the "how not to do it" teachers.

Those lessons helped me own my own abilities and also understand why someone might do what they do. I learned to respect our differences and developed some compassion for people differently and perhaps less able than me. This made it possible for me to consciously choose how to handle a situation. It made me ready to lead others.

Keep the Faith!

Sometimes it seems as if you'll never reach your goal of finding the "right fit" job or work. And sometimes it's hard to see the path ahead. Am I really headed in the right direction? How do I know I'm taking the right actions?

While frustrating and perhaps even depressing, this state is a magical one. This state of "not knowing" leaves you open to new information. When you lose your sense of certainty, new possibilities can emerge and you may even recognize them as opportunities to get closer to your goal.

In fact, at this point in your search process, you're not supposed to "know" - you don't have enough information yet. Information-gathering is the key to moving ahead. Information is everywhere around you and it's within your reach. All you have to do is pay attention and ask questions.

I'm reminded of an image from the Carol Burnett Show (some of you may be old enough to remember it). At the end, she always appeared as a cleaning lady with her mop. Just a spotlight was on her, illuminating only her and her immediate surrounding space. There was only enough light to take one step at a time. She couldn't see where she was going so she trusted that spotlight would take her where she needed to go. She "kept the faith" and kept walking toward her goal while surrounded by darkness. Because there was enough light for her to confidently take the next step.

As long as we have enough light to take that next step on our path, we'll get where we want to go and reach our desired goals. Be in the now, with that spotlight. That's where faith comes in. When you started on this path, you stated your intention and began to take actions. Have faith that you are still on the path even if you can't see how you'll get to your goal from where you are now. The way may not be clear or even visible. It is there, however. Simply put one foot in front of the other, do the next thing that appears, take the next step.

Maybe there's someone you've been meaning to contact. So make that call or send that e-mail asking for 20 minutes of their time to talk about your next move.

Perhaps a job posting struck your interest. Apply for it.

Possibly someone invites you to a social gathering. RSVP "yes" and then actually go.

Maybe you always wanted to learn about a particular field, or develop a skill. Do a little research. Ask someone if they know anything about it, or if they know someone who does.

Do the next thing that occurs to you. That's where the light is shining. That's what you know.

You don't have to worry about the step after that. There will be enough light shining then for you to see what to do and where to go.

And before you know it, step by step, you'll reach your goal.

Changing Jobs and Clothes : Color

What to wear for the interview?

It's important, because clothes definitely send a big message to people observing and meeting us. From the color of our clothes, people form impressions of us before we even speak.

Choose your clothing colors to convey an unspoken message, one that supports whatever verbal message you are delivering. By matching your visual and verbal messages, you are more likely to achieve your desired goal from whatever interaction you have with other people.

For job interviews, this is especially important. What do you want the employer to think of you?

I first was introduced to the idea that color could influence work by a book called The Mystic Executive (now out of print). In it, I learned that

* wearing blue is a great idea when I wanted people to know that I was listening to them, and to promote better communication.

* orange should only be worn as an accent color

* pastels make one appear weak and soft

* red is to be worn when one wants to command attention and appear authoritative.

* black and white to be "nothing" colors that conveyed no message at all and in a sense allow the other person to see in you their own self-image. That's a little dangerous if you ask me. I mean, what if they hate themselves?

Here's what Mary Giuseffi, an image consultant (Marygiuseffi.com) said in an interview with Steve Harrison (MillionDollarAuthorClub.com). It correlates nicely.

* Navy suit conveys team player, trustworthiness
* Red tie conveys power, enthusiasm, control
* Blue tie conveys clarity, teamwork, trustworthiness
* Yellow is a mentally clear color that helps you deliver a concise message. It also is a happy and entertaining color.

As for me, I stuck with a navy blue suit with a cream-colored top. And I wore the same outfit for every interview, so I would be familiar to those interviewing me. The suit was season-appropriate and somewhat stylish - not overboard with fashion-edginess, but looking current. I wore pumps and nude stockings. And I wore a simple pearl necklace, makeup, and my hair down and styled. It was a pretty classic outfit, that worked. I did get the jobs I really wanted.

Networking and Information Interviews, part 2

Networking is natural and easy when you start with people you know really well (your natural network) AND when you have a script!

Once you identify someone to contact, decide whether to contact them by e-mail or phone. E-mail is easiest, especially for busy people. A phone call is better for someone you know really well.

It's important that you have a clear intention that you can explain to the person. Here's a format that works:

I am looking for a job that allows me to play this role and use x skills, and where my work will contribute to this goal and impact.

When approaching someone you know fairly well, you can simply say "I'm exploring career options and wondered if you'd have 20 minutes to sit with me and give me some feedback and suggestions."

Often, the person will start the conversation right there with the question "so what are you looking for?" At that point you can say something along the lines of your intention - or shorter! Follow that by saying "I can tell you more when we meet."

If you're lucky, your first few contacts may actually know of jobs! It doesn't matter if they do, however.

Your goal should be to get referred to at least one person who might be able to help you. Ask "is there anyone you can think of who might be able to help me?" If they have to think about it, make sure you ask them about it in a follow up e-mail or letter.

The follow-up communication should thank them for taking the time to talk to you and say that their feedback [suggestions, referrals, etc.] was really valuable and you appreciate their help and support.

Here is a script for contacting the next person along the line:

“So and so recommended that I contact you regarding my job search. S/he thought you might have some great insight and advice to offer. Would it be possible for me to get 20 minutes of your time? I’m exploring the possibilities in the ________field, and would appreciate any advice and suggestions you might have. You can reach me by e-mail or at ###-###-####. I’ll contact you if I don’t hear from you. Thank you in advance! I look forward to meeting you.”

If you want to make the initial contact by phone, use the same script.

I suggest practicing the conversation before you make the call. It is incredibly helpful to rehearse so you get comfortable with what you are asking. Ask a friend to go through it with you two or three times so you role play your part and experience what it feels like to make the request.

It is rare for people to refuse to give you 20 minutes in person, and even rarer for them to refuse to give you 20 minutes over the phone. If they do refuse, it’s either because they have no time or they believe they have no advice to offer. In both cases, it’s about them – it’s definitely NOT about you. So thank them for their consideration and say good-bye. No burning of bridges is necessary. Who knows? You might run into them again in another context, and it can then be a pleasant introduction: “oh, I’m so glad to meet you! So and so has said such nice things about you.” And you might gain a new friend or colleague.

The Value of Networking

Networking for job search, business development, or career growth is valuable for a few reasons.

1) You have to get clear about what you want to do and why you want help. Writing down your intention or goal is the biggest step toward actually realizing it. And asking someone else for help both forces and guides you to get very clear about your intention.

2) You'll make the connections that will lead to a job or work or customers. The vast majority of jobs are filled through referrals and networking, most consultants build their businesses through referrals from happy clients, and businesses rely on "word of mouth" to generate sales and build their brand.

3) The very act of talking about your goal will help you reach it that much faster. When you are out there talking about your intention, the universe can step up to support you.

Remember, while you are preparing to get your "right fit" job or embark on your "right fit" career, that job or career is preparing to meet you. Employers are writing job descriptions, businesses are developing consultant specifications, people are beginning to understand that they can't do something by themselves and need to hire someone.

Networking and Information Interviews, Part 1

Networking can sound intimidating. Yet you do it every day without thinking about it. Every time you ask someone to recommend a plumber, you’re networking. Every time you send your friend to another friend for advice about something, you’re networking. Every time you meet someone at a party and end up calling that person later, you’re networking.

In this phase, networking is solely for the purposes of gathering more information about the various options. Using your statement of intent, you let your “natural network” know that you want to learn more about your areas of interest and ask for their help. Your “natural network” is family, friends, neighbors, trusted colleagues and former colleagues – people with whom you feel comfortable. Ask them if they know anyone who works in your area(s) of interest to whom they’d introduce you. All you want is 20 minutes of that person’s time to learn more about what s/he does and the field in which s/he works.

It’s best if you have some idea of what you think you could do in the area of interest, so people have enough detail to grab onto. If your intention is too broad (“I want to learn more about TV”), it’s hard for people to think of people you could interview. A better statement of intent is “I want to learn more about TV production, especially what goes into making a reality show or a talk show.” This gives your contact enough information to think of people who work in TV production, on reality shows, talk shows, and even cooking, travel or home design shows.

Finding Your "Right Fit" Work

Fantasy is useful to guide us toward our “right fit.” Don’t worry so much about whether something is achievable or not. Notice what you are interested in, drawn to. What magazines do you subscribe to? When you open a newspaper, what articles do you read almost or all the way through? If you decide to take a class, what are you drawn to? Even if you decide not to take it and instead take something “practical,” what sparked your interest? And actually, pay close attention to classes you “wish” you could take but it really isn’t practical or realistic or useful or something you should spend any time on. That may be the biggest clue to what your potential passion is, to your future “right fit.” In the noticing, you can start to identify things that are meaningful to you and in which you want to invest time and energy.

In the exploring process, it’s helpful to put aside judgment. This is merely the exploration phase, the time when you get to know a little more about the topic or issue or field that sparked your interest. There’s no lifetime commitment called for, simply information gathering. When you start to explore a new field, by definition you know very little about it. In gathering more information, you will start to be affected by the new information – it may resonate with you and spur you on to learn more, or you will shy away from further exploration. A gut reaction is a fantastic guide during your “information gathering.” Scientists have found that we actually have a second brain in our stomachs.

The Important Things

I have so much to do, I can't seem to make time for anything new - even if it's to follow my dreams and vision! I know it's important but I just can't get to everything.

I hear this all the time from friends and colleagues when I suggest that they set a goal for themselves, and make a plan to achieve it. "Sure," they say, "it's easy for you to say...but days just seem to go by filled with so much little stuff that I can't find the time to start my project/plan/vision."

I've said the same things to my coach and friends. Here's what worked for me to disentangle myself from the tangled web of everyday chores and obligations.

First, I give myself permission to do just a little bit - hopefully every day. If not every day, then a few times a week. If not a few times a week, then once or twice a week. The frequency doesn't matter! What matters is just doing something toward my vision.

Second, I allow myself to spend just 10 minutes on the vision. I didn't have to devote an hour, two hours, half a day - not even a half-hour. Just 10 minutes. Period. That gives me such a feeling of satisfaction, I want that feeling again. I am motivated to spend another 10 minutes another day.

Third, I accept that achieving my vision will take time AND that I will get there if I am patient with myself. Guaranteed! Gradually, I find more of my actions and attention directed toward my vision. It just takes time to refocus, and much of the refocusing happens subconsciously.

Fourth, I tell myself lots of stories to help me understand what is happening.

For example, I plant seeds and it takes a while for them to germinate. Under the soil, a lot is going on that is invisible - until one day, a shoot pops up and the plant is growing in plain sight. For it to flourish, I continue to water it and give it sunlight.

Similarly, I get an idea and commit to it. Then I stop taking action. I used to feel terrible about it. However, I now know that there is a lot going on subconsciously. One day, I find myself returning to my project with much clearer ideas of how to proceed. I continue to spend time and energy on my project so it will thrive and blossom.

Another story I like is the one about the rocks. Take a large wide-mouthed glass jar and fill it with big stones. Is it full? Well, now pour in a load of pebbles. So is it full? OK, let's pour in sand up to the top. Shake it around. Is it full now? Most people would say yes at step two or three. But...take water and fill the jar. At last it is full.

The moral of this story is to first take care of the big rocks (vision, dreams, family - your top priorities). There always will be room for the smaller ones ("have-tos").

I like to turn that around a bit. If your life is filled with water and sand and pebbles, it's going to be impossible to add some big rocks without making a mess. Yet if you are shifting priorities, you will have some big stones to add to the jar that is your life. That will mean displacing some small things.

Just as water and sand and pebbles have to spill out of the jar to make room for a big rock or two, so too may you have to let go of doing some laundry or cleaning some rooms or baking or cooking. If it doesn't get done when you don't do it, so be it. Once you've got the big rocks in place, you can add back some of the little stuff. Unless, of course, you realize that you'd rather spend that time on having fun!

I hope this piece helps you make room for the things that make you happy and fulfilled.

Compensation Negotiations

Take the employer’s viewpoint when negotiating your compensation.

You have a "live with" number for your compensation (salary, bonus and benefits) as well as your "want to have" number. "Live with" is the amount you need to make to meet your basic expenses and feel good about yourself. "Want to have" is what you really would like to make. Your "live with" number depends on your expenses, living situation, and reason for changing jobs. If you are starting in a new field, your "live with" number may be lower than if you are continuing in the same line of work.

Similarly, most employers have a "want to pay" figure and a "stretch" number. Just as you don't want to go below your "live with" number, so too do employers not want to go above their "stretch" number. Perhaps you can negotiate fewer hours for the same pay. This strategy won't succeed, however, if it significantly changes the scope of the job.

It's a set up for failure to get an employer to negotiate away or give up on something. You may get your way temporarily but there will be resentment on the employer’s side and eventually pressure to do the very thing that was negotiated away.

Likewise, if you accept pay below your "live with" number, you will eventually resent the employer and your work load. It's far better to turn down the job, knowing that the right one will eventually come along.

Obviously, take the job if you need one NOW and the only one you can find pays you less than your "live with" number. Just go in with your eyes wide open, knowing that you made the choice to take less than you are worth and therefore there is no good reason for you to be resentful. Do a great job in order to feel good about yourself and perhaps impress the employer. Plus, be willing to keep looking.

Remember, too, that employers will know on some level that they struck a bad bargain by giving you less than you wanted. They may expect you to leave soon, they may end up letting you go so as not to have a "bad apple" in the mix, or they may try to find more money for you if you're really a good employee. What happens is largely up to you and your attitude.

Resumes that Rock: Part 2

RESUME CONTENT

Your resume is a marketing document. Its job is to position you to get your "right fit" work. Thus, its content is crucial. It must convey to potential employers exactly what you have to offer them, as well as the results you are likely to produce for them based on your past record of accomplishments. Here's how to do that.

PROFILE
To begin, I advocate putting a profile at the very start of the resume, just under your name and contact information. A profile is not an objective (of course you want a job), nor is it a litany of your skills (boring!). It's a succinct description of who you are in the workplace.

Your profile presents your unique value proposition – what you love to do and are good at doing, the skills you want to use in the future, and the attributes you want to highlight. Your profile also will capture your personality through a judicious use of adjectives. In sum, your profile conveys the substance and flavor of who you are in the workplace.

In some ways, the process of creating the profile is more important than the final product. Developing it gives you the chance to think carefully about your "unique value proposition." In fact, the reader will usually catch the first five or six words of the profile and then move on to Experience. They might come back to it but even if they don't, the profile will make an impression. It says that you've thought about and know who you are.

Everything you say in your profile must be backed up by your accomplishments, which are listed under each employer and job. Essentially, the profile is the thesis that you then go on to prove with concrete examples. It also is useful as a way to ensure that your resume is internally consistent in terms of the message you intend to convey.

BODY OF RESUME

The first thing read by a prospective employer is the name of the company for which you worked. Then they usually will glance at the title and years worked - some will read title first while others read years worked first.

Here's the order of information that I recommend for the basic information:

* Employer's name first, in bold, followed by its location, not in bold. Use the city in which employer is/was located. Only include the state if the city is not immediately recognizable e.g. Wareham, MA, or is easily confused with something else, e.g. Springfield, MO vs. Springfield, IL vs. Springfield, MA. Otherwise, New York or Boston or Chicago or Los Angeles is sufficient.

* Dates of employment, not in bold, on the same text line as the employer's name and location. The dates should be tabbed over so they are on the far right of the page, preferably lined up with the right side of your address block.

If you worked at the company in more than one position, put the complete block of time over the far right. Next to each position title you can put in parentheses the dates you held that position. For example, Vice President, Sales (3/02 to 7/05).

Job titles can either be grouped together if your job responsibilities were substantially the same with the most recent encompassing the previous responsibilities plus more. If the jobs were substantially different, I treat each one as a separate job under the same employer.

* Title of your position, in bold and italics, directly underneath the employer name and location.

My experience is that most readers go through the entire resume once just glancing at employer, years and title. If all seems to be complete and consistent, then they glance at education to see if you have any degrees. So make sure you have no holes in time, and no major typos!

Only after that first quick read will they go back to look at individual jobs, starting with your most recent one first. After rereading your employer's name and title, usually readers will move to the body of the entry. Here's what it should contain:

* a brief paragraph describing your job
* bullet points that highlight your accomplishments

JOB DESCRIPTION

In a four to six line paragraph that starts on the line directly underneath the title of your position, briefly describe the company you work for and your job responsibilities. Say "Led all communications and marketing efforts for Fortune 1000 technology firm (STOCK SYMBOL)" or "Oversaw day to day operations for 45 year old non-profit teaching literacy to adult New Yorkers" or "Managed entire recruiting and on-boarding process for 300 person homeless services agency."

Use as many numbers as possible to give readers a good idea of the scope and depth of your responsibilities. For example, say "oversaw $3.5 million advertising budget" or "supervised team of 12, with four direct reports."

Readers' eyes are drawn first to numbers, then to CAPS, then to bold. Italics are rarely an eye-catcher, so use them only to indicate the title of an article or project, not for anything substantive.

BULLETS

Bullets are for accomplishments. I recommend limiting yourself to 5-7 bullets for your most recent job, 4-5 for your next most recent, maximum 2 for the next most recent and none for the oldest ones. Quantifying these bullets is important. Those are the things that will get you the interview. The interview allows you to fill in more detail and also to talk about accomplishments that weren't listed.

Here are my tips for great accomplishment bullets:

* Lead with the results and impact of your work, when writing accomplishments. Use active, directionally positive words like "increased," "improved," "advanced," "optimized," "enhanced" and "expanded."

* Use numbers as much as possible, especially with dollar signs and percentage signs; they are real eye-catchers and speak to many employers' focus on the bottom line.

* Split the accomplishment into "what" and "how": the impact or result, and how you achieved that result. For example, "Increased revenue year over year by 80%, through redeploying sales team."

* Ask “so what” to get to the impact of whatever activity you want to include. If you want to include it, it’s probably important but only if you can somehow tie it to an impact that is somehow measurable – as in “increased” and “improved” and “enhanced” and “expanded” – or gives clear evidence of major responsibility, as in “directed,” “led,” “managed,” “launched,” and “created.”

* Brevity is best. Limit each bullet to one, maximum two lines.

* Give leading information to cause the reader to ask a follow up question. Remember, the point of a resume is to get you an interview. The interview is where the reader can ask you to explain how you redeployed the sales team and why that resulted in 80% revenue increase.

* Only include things you really want to do again – similar or greater scope of responsibility, the type of work or project, specific skills you really want to use again, or attributes you want people to notice.

The next post will address the remaining parts of a resume: Education, Affiliations, Recognition, and other sections that might be relevant to you.

Change ingrained habits

"Sally" is very unhappy in her current job. She has little autonomy and lots of people looking over her shoulder, eager to criticize what she's doing and how she's doing it. The last straw was getting a reprimand for not appearing "concerned about getting things done" despite the fact that she always gets everything done. So Sally wants to leave and get a job where she has more independence and is more valued.

Right now, Sally doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do. She has some ideas but is still pretty vague about what she might investigate. Thus, she needs to gather more information. For instance, she needs to look at different jobs and industries to get more familiar with what is possible and what kinds of jobs are out there. In addition, Sally is in the habit of deferring to other people's wishes for her and has little experience pursuing her own dreams and wishes.

I came up with an assignment to help Sally begin to get more specific about things instead of vague, and to identify some things she can actually do something about NOW - thus beginning to act on her own behalf. The assignment is to:

Get very specific about all the things she is tolerating in her life - the things, people, situations she allows in her life that bug her, that are not optimal for her happiness and fulfillment.

We'll see what she comes up with, and how willing she is to do something different in order to get different results.

*name changed

August is the Perfect Time to Prepare

Use this coming month to prepare for job searches this fall. Marc Cenedella, Founder & CEO of TheLadders.com wrote this on his e-mail this morning:

The next 5 weeks are the perfect time to take advantage of the slow summer months and get your resume, your pitch, your interview, and your job hunt plans in order.

He's absolutely right - because while you're working on your resume, employers are finalizing job descriptions and postings that will start to appear right before and right after Labor Day. Many employers want to hire people right away to handle the expected heavy work load from late September to early December. If you're ready with your resume and cover letter, you'll be one of the first applicants to reach the employer.

It does help to be one of the first to cross the transom, especially in this economy. Employers are always looking for people who really want to work for their specific company, in their specific industry. Applying early in the search process indicates that you are motivated, even eager, to do this job.

Early application means that you stand a better chance of getting an interview if employers use a rolling search process - interviewing candidates until they get the right person. My experience is that very few employers actually wait to review resumes and start interviews until the advertised "final date for application." Thus, it's not to your advantage to wait until the very end of the process.

Don't despair, however, if you happen to see a posting that is close to its "end date" and you think the job is perfect for you. If you are really passionate about the work and the company, you can still put together a compelling cover letter. The cover letter should emphasize two things up front:

1) you just began your search process; and
2) you are so glad to have found this posting because it is absolutely the perfect position for you.

Stating this in the first paragraph of your cover letter can cause someone in HR to give your resume a look. And if they haven't already found the perfect person (or the "good enough" person), you may be in luck.

Remember the old saying that "luck favors the prepared" and have that resume ready to go. August is the perfect time to prepare to land your "right fit" job!

Non-Profit Executive Directors and COOs or Deputies

Recently, I learned that a former colleague is hiring a Deputy Executive Director. It seems he's been there a long time, and either wants or needs to let go of the management reins a bit. Whether it's "wants" or "needs" will have some impact on the level of difficulty he has in following through on this intention.

"Wants to" implies that he's thought long and hard about his responsibilities and realizes that his time is better spent doing more high level things. He already has an agenda and things he wants to concentrate on, opportunities he wants to pursue, expansion he wants to lead. So while letting go will be difficult (simply because he's been doing it one way for a long time), he has a goal toward which he is headed. He is moving toward something. The person hired has a good chance of succeeding.

"Needs to" implies that he is overwhelmed with his responsibilities and needs someone to take over the day-to-day management. It may be that people on his Board of Directors are urging this step. It could be that he hired a management consultant who recommended creating that position. In this case, he is moving away from something and still needs to find what he is moving toward. The transition will be very painful if this is the case, and the person hired may be the "guinea pig" or "sacrificial lamb" who helps the ED figure out what he needs and then is gone (by choice or force).

In either case, the Executive Director in question will really need good chemistry with the person he hires. Giving up some control is difficult for even the best-intentioned ED. The most successful COOs or Deputies are the ones who can put aside their own ego gratification needs and need for control, and concentrate on keeping the ED happy.

There's a delicate balance of keeping them informed and involved at the right level, and doing things they don't need to concern themselves with. Erring toward more information and involvement is better in the beginning, making sure you are aligned re goals and expectations, and what he needs to know about. Even as the COO or Deputy takes on more responsibility, it is incumbent on him/her to continually ensure that s/he is aligned with the ED's goals and thinking. That means "regularly," "consistently," "constantly," and "often." Better safe than sorry, really.

I had a COO who did not do that and it ended badly for her - and was not great for the organization, either. She seemed to want to be co-Executive Director. Unfortunately, I fed that delusion at the beginning and then it was too late to rein her in. There ended up being two competing camps at work - those loyal to me and those to her. When I finally eliminated her position and her, it was really demoralizing to the organization as a whole. Plus I had acquiesced in some misguided decisions in order for her to feel more powerful, decisions that placed the organization in some jeopardy. I had a LOT of fence-mending and organization-building to do to recover from that situation. Today, I'd be clearer at the start that I was not sharing my power; I was delegating some of my power to her. And I'd be willing to let her leave if she didn't like it.

The COO/Deputy is there to be the ED's right hand, meaning that they do things the ED cannot or does not want to do. If the ED wants to be involved in something, the COO/Deputy needs to understand that it's their right to be involved. Certainly, the COO/Deputy can discuss it and try to make sure the ED is involved at a strategic or conceptual level, rather than the level of execution or implementation. That is part of the job, in a way - making sure that the ED is focused on the proper things so as to get the most benefit for the organization. If the ED insists on doing something, however, it's really wisest not to fight with them about it and get on one's high horse about "but that's my job!" It just sounds like whining and annoys the ED, not to mention making him/her think you are trying to shunt them out of the way. Anytime an ED or CEO hears "oh, we'll take care of that for you," a little alarm bell goes off that warns of a power struggle or behind the scenes politicking and positioning. Depending on how often it happens, the ED may get rid of the parties involved.

Would it be nice if the ED was spiritually evolved and not threatened by someone else claiming some power? Sure, and that's a sign that the ED is not long for his or her job. Honestly, it's great to think well of people and curb one's suspicions. However, I've learned through bitter experience that there are just enough people who are not worthy of my trust. Better for me to be on guard just in case. And the people closest to the ED are the biggest threats to the ED's position. So COOs and Deputies who wish to succeed will make darn sure that they never overtly threaten the ED's position, and will seek an ED job elsewhere if they want to move into that position. Because smart EDs sniff out covert power plays and eliminate the threat. I was not smart, that's how I know.

Job Interviews are Information-Gathering Opportunities

I am such a believer in getting interviews no matter whether you're 100% sure you want the job. Interviews go two ways, for you are learning as much about the prospective employer as they are learning about you.

A job posting only gives you a hint about a job, and can tell you that there are some aspects that interest you - just as a resume only gives a two-dimensional, very brief picture of you, the applicant. So if you see jobs that might be sort of interesting, I encourage you to apply and see if you get an interview. My blog (www.growhappycoach.blogger.com) has a few posts that list search sites.

I also encourage you to keep an open mind and think about an interview simply as an information-gathering opportunity. Getting an interview doesn't mean you will be offered or will accept the job. It's just one more step along your path to the "right fit."

One person I know just went on an interview and was quite pleasantly surprised to find that, contrary to the horror stories she'd heard about the place, there was a new spirit and new people who want to create a healthy culture and bring in great people (hopefully like her...). Luckily, she had an open mind and went to the interview. Now the job is a serious contender in her search.

Remember, too, that a great cover letter is the way to get an interview. The best cover letters match your "value proposition" to the stated "market need" in the posting and job description. Of course, your resume has to be in top shape. But for people trying to transition into new sectors, or jump up a level, a carefully written cover letter is key. While it may take several hours and drafts to craft a tailored and targeted cover letter, think about it as an investment in your finding the "right fit" job.

Resumes that Rock: Part 2

RESUME CONTENT

Your resume is a marketing document. Its job is to position you to get your "right fit" work. Thus, its content is crucial. It must convey to potential employers exactly what you have to offer them, as well as the results you are likely to produce for them based on your past record of accomplishments. Here's how to do that.

PROFILE
To begin, I advocate putting a profile at the very start of the resume, just under your name and contact information. A profile is not an objective (of course you want a job), nor is it a litany of your skills (boring!). It's a succinct description of who you are in the workplace.

Your profile presents your unique value proposition – what you love to do and are good at doing, the skills you want to use in the future, and the attributes you want to highlight. Your profile also will capture your personality through a judicious use of adjectives. In sum, your profile conveys the substance and flavor of who you are in the workplace.

In some ways, the process of creating the profile is more important than the final product. Developing it gives you the chance to think carefully about your "unique value proposition." In fact, the reader will usually catch the first five or six words of the profile and then move on to Experience. They might come back to it but even if they don't, the profile will make an impression. It says that you've thought about and know who you are.

Everything you say in your profile must be backed up by your accomplishments, which are listed under each employer and job. Essentially, the profile is the thesis that you then go on to prove with concrete examples. It also is useful as a way to ensure that your resume is internally consistent in terms of the message you intend to convey.

BODY OF RESUME

The first thing read by a prospective employer is the name of the company for which you worked. Then they usually will glance at the title and years worked - some will read title first while others read years worked first.

Here's the order of information that I recommend for the basic information:

* Employer's name first, in bold, followed by its location, not in bold. Use the city in which employer is/was located. Only include the state if the city is not immediately recognizable e.g. Wareham, MA, or is easily confused with something else, e.g. Springfield, MO vs. Springfield, IL vs. Springfield, MA. Otherwise, New York or Boston or Chicago or Los Angeles is sufficient.

* Dates of employment, not in bold, on the same text line as the employer's name and location. The dates should be tabbed over so they are on the far right of the page, preferably lined up with the right side of your address block.

If you worked at the company in more than one position, put the complete block of time over the far right. Next to each position title you can put in parentheses the dates you held that position. For example, Vice President, Sales (3/02 to 7/05).

Job titles can either be grouped together if your job responsibilities were substantially the same with the most recent encompassing the previous responsibilities plus more. If the jobs were substantially different, I treat each one as a separate job under the same employer.

* Title of your position, in bold and italics, directly underneath the employer name and location.

My experience is that most readers go through the entire resume once just glancing at employer, years and title. If all seems to be complete and consistent, then they glance at education to see if you have any degrees. So make sure you have no holes in time, and no major typos!

Only after that first quick read will they go back to look at individual jobs, starting with your most recent one first. After rereading your employer's name and title, usually readers will move to the body of the entry. Here's what it should contain:

* a brief paragraph describing your job
* bullet points that highlight your accomplishments

JOB DESCRIPTION

In a four to six line paragraph that starts on the line directly underneath the title of your position, briefly describe the company you work for and your job responsibilities. Say "Led all communications and marketing efforts for Fortune 1000 technology firm (STOCK SYMBOL)" or "Oversaw day to day operations for 45 year old non-profit teaching literacy to adult New Yorkers" or "Managed entire recruiting and on-boarding process for 300 person homeless services agency."

Use as many numbers as possible to give readers a good idea of the scope and depth of your responsibilities. For example, say "oversaw $3.5 million advertising budget" or "supervised team of 12, with four direct reports."

Readers' eyes are drawn first to numbers, then to CAPS, then to bold. Italics are rarely an eye-catcher, so use them only to indicate the title of an article or project, not for anything substantive.

BULLETS

Bullets are for accomplishments. I recommend limiting yourself to 5-7 bullets for your most recent job, 4-5 for your next most recent, maximum 2 for the next most recent and none for the oldest ones.

Here are my tips for great accomplishment bullets:

* Lead with the results and impact of your work, when writing accomplishments. Use active, directionally positive words like "increased," "improved," "advanced," "optimized," "enhanced" and "expanded."

* Use numbers as much as possible, especially with dollar signs and percentage signs; they are real eye-catchers and speak to many employers' focus on the bottom line.

* Split the accomplishment into "what" and "how": the impact or result, and how you achieved that result. For example, "Increased revenue year over year by 80%, through redeploying sales team."

* Ask “so what” to get to the impact of whatever activity you want to include. If you want to include it, it’s probably important but only if you can somehow tie it to an impact that is somehow measurable – as in “increased” and “improved” and “enhanced” and “expanded” – or gives clear evidence of major responsibility, as in “directed,” “led,” “managed,” “launched,” and “created.”

* Brevity is best. Limit each bullet to one, maximum two lines.

* Give leading information to cause the reader to ask a follow up question. Remember, the point of a resume is to get you an interview. The interview is where the reader can ask you to explain how you redeployed the sales team and why that resulted in 80% revenue increase.

* Only include things you really want to do again – similar or greater scope of responsibility, the type of work or project, specific skills you really want to use again, or attributes you want people to notice.

The next post will address the remaining parts of a resume: Education, Affiliations, Recognition, and other sections that might be relevant to you.