Hopelessness Versus SEE

I imagine that we all understand “hopelessness.”  Hopelessness usually leads to defeat and cessation of even trying to keep going. For some, it can lead to self-destructive behavior.

In this Christmas season, there is spiritual hope for those who seek it. Personally, my greatest hope is in Jesus Christ, in His Promises, and in His Future Return. This is the foundation of hope that I build upon.

However, there is also a secular way of dealing with hopelessness. In my opinion, there is always hope but it is difficult for those under pressure to see it, to see opportunities, and to grab those opportunities.

Some have suggested that the reason for hopelessness is the insistence that they want what they want, how they want it, and they want it NOW! If they can’t get it, then they lose hope. If that is true, then many in America are losing hope; but they don’t have to lose hope. They just have to be willing to see the world through a different lens. Old paradigms must be replaced by new paradigms. What used to be true is not necessarily the world we live in today. The world is changing and we must change with it or lose out.

So how does one usually make those changes, redefine what is their hope, and move from defeat to victory?

I call the process “SEE”. It stands for Significant Emotional Event.

When we grow up, we learn ways of thinking that impact our perception of reality, our dreams, and whether we see the world as full of empty promises or incredible opportunities. You may be thinking about the motivation principles of positive thinking but that is not what I am referring to. Positive thinking can change an attitude but it cannot change a fact. However, changing your attitude, identifying opportunities, and going after those opportunities can change your circumstances.

Here is an example. I have heard that the Chinese writing that means “Chaos” can also mean “Opportunity.” Many successful businesses today were started during the Great Depression. Most successful entrepreneurs failed and even went bankrupt several times on the way to making fortunes. You may see Chaos. However, there is Opportunity all around you if you are willing to change your view of the world.

That is where “SEE” comes in. I used to use it when I ran a global organization to help people become successful when they were on the edge of being fired. It is a process to grab someone’s attention, shake them up, and force them to make a decision to either change (in the way that spelled success in our company) or leave for an opportunity in another company (that meant they would be fired or leave voluntarily).

If you are in transition, you are undergoing a significant emotional event. If you are in a job that you hate, you are undergoing a significant emotional event. Whatever or whoever caused it does not matter. What matters is how you respond to it.

For example, one person who read Jobpreneurship™ 101 took notes and is implementing every step. He sees the opportunity of how to compete in the marketplace and should do well. Another person read my book and told a supplier of mine that there were so many good ideas that he did not know where to start – so he didn’t do anything. You want to give that person a swift kick in the you know what! The book is a road map. You start with one step. Do it. Go to the next step. Do it. Then go to the next step… Our upcoming Jobpreneurship™ 201 is a Career Success and Mentoring Guide which combines the road map to teaming with a mentor to leverage your success opportunity.

Success is one day at a time, one step at a time, and looking for ways to succeed. If you follow these principles, you will eventually be successful.

If you feel hopeless, I encourage you to take that Significant Emotion Event turn it into opportunity. To paraphrase a famous Latin quote, “Seize the day”…by starting today!

Have a great Christmas and New Year!

Are You Willing to Make a Career Change?

No one likes the word “change.” Change is hard. Change means moving around priorities. Change may include personal and financial cost. So, why would you consider a career change?

Here are some typical reasons:

1. Your specialty / trade has moved overseas.
2. Your town is a one company town and that company closed down
3. Your profession, such as real estate, has fallen on hard times
4. Competition for your job from those younger and lower cost left you the one on the street
5. Your age or prior salary cost is too high for companies to want you.
6. New regulations or legislation is killing your industry
7. Company management wants to remove layers of management; which means you

We could go on all day. Here are some examples for college graduates:

1. Industry wants specialists, not liberal arts degrees
2. No one is hiring in your field
3. Your GPA and accomplishments are average. Companies are looking for outstanding

You get the idea. The markets may drive you to consider a career change.

Here are some other reasons that may entice you to want to make the change:

1. You are burnt out where you are
2. You are never home and need to spend more time with the family
3. Your passion lies elsewhere.
4. You are no longer challenged. You feel like you are just putting in time without going anywhere.
5. You’ve had it with politics and cultures that you can no longer tolerate.

Regardless of the reason, there are times when you need to consider a career change.

The point is that career changes are far more common than most of us realize. In fact, we are told that the next generation will have up to six different careers! Just ask an average college student how many times they changed majors.

So, where do you start?

First, your industry may merely be in a down cycle. You feel that it will return to an up cycle if you can just wait it out. That may not be necessary. Consider flipping your career or branching out in a related area within the same industry.

Here are three real estate agent examples.

1. You decide to tighten your belt and continue as an agent. You will work harder, longer, and with a lower expected return. That is an option.
2. You decide to work with banks and investors who need to flip distressed inventory. New skills may be required to put together the financial portfolio, or to coordinate crews to fix issues, or to coordinate auction and selling events.
3. You decide to shift to the property management side of the house. You no longer sell but you still work with tenants and ensure that the tenant rate is high.

These changes are slight changes. You can easily modify these examples for your situation. For example, a union cement worker may be able to provide high quality concrete repairs or projects for high-end home owners. You can remain in the union and still be able to take on union work when it is available. Later, you can choose to go full time in your own business or return to union work when the economy recovers.

For most of us, if you like the field you have chosen, thinking creatively in these areas may be your best alternative for the least impact to your family – and make you even more competitive when the economy recovers. After all, how many others will have had such a broad range of experience in the same field but from different perspectives?

What Will You Do For Me?

So, you can do the job. Great. So can the long line of candidates in front of you and behind you.

You can make friends. You can play the political game. You are a subject matter expert. You are a whiz kid. You are a world leader. You walk on water… Nice. You should make it to the top list of final candidates.  But you have not answered the next key question.

You can do many things; but what will you do for me?

What I want is almost never on the job description.

What I want is usually never volunteered to you.

Before you can answer “what will you do for me?” you need to find out what the decision maker and his or her team wants. Yes, I said team. Most hiring or promotional decisions today are with a number of players, each having their own ideas, agendas, and “wants.” This means doing your homework and learning to ask skilled questions.

Second, you need to decide if you want to give them what they want. Sometimes what they want is not what you should or want to give. You do have choices.

Third, you need to start thinking in the shoes of the management team. The company may want more revenue, more profit, more prestige, more public notice. But the hiring and promoting manager is more likely to want to get themselves promoted, get a larger bonus, or get personal recognition.

Can you give them what they want?

Fourth, you need to start practicing how you will communicate how you can help them get what they want. You need to use sixth grade English to ensure they understand what you are saying. You need to keep the comments short, with a maximum of a one minute answer and preferably only a 10-15 second answer.

When you are networking with others, internally or externally, you can start learning what the management team wants. Ask questions. Ask advice. When others are doing the talking a lot will be shared; including what they are really looking to find. In other words, “what they want.”

Now, with some homework, you should have the best answer of any candidates of the question, “What Will You Do For Me?”

 

How to Take Advantage of a World in Turmoil

No matter who wins the White House in 2012, the die is cast. We are in an economic hole that has been dug for the past 30 years.

Moneynews.com published last year an article entitled, “Economists: Unemployment Won’t Drop to Normal Until 2018.” “American households have lost $14 trillion of their net worth in the recession” said Albert Niemi, dean of the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. The resulting shock is causing a slow down in consumer spending, which is typically 70% of the economy. When you get burnt, you don’t want to get burnt a second time.

2018 is so far out, who really knows what our economy will be like in the future? Unless our government debt and long-term obligations are reduced, the picture could become even worse. The European bailout begun yesterday by the FED is raising the risk for further global financial pressure.

Between now and the 2012 elections most businesses will take a wait and see attitude before risking major company expansion. However, companies will still be hiring and promoting those who they perceive as adding the most value.

Now for the more good news!

If you are seeing hundreds or thousands of people looking for the same jobs that you are, you can get depressed. The good news is that your competition is also getting depressed. Most depressed people will quit showing up and quit trying to get a job. If you choose to keep looking, you are ahead of the pack.

If you are employed, now is the time to double your efforts to network within your company, to add more value in your work, and to be sure that you are visible to decision makers. The goal is to first survive and then thrive. We have written a new guide that will be released next year on how to create career success through a combination of your personal development and through asking a key manager to help mentor you with you making it easy for them to help you.

So how do you get started?

First, get on the new train before it leaves the tracks. The world has changed. Grieve over being caught in today’s mess. Realize that you cannot control the economy. You can control your response. Don’t be a victim. Choose to learn how to be competitive in the new economy. Do what it takes to be successful.

Second, quit listening to old world thinking. What used to work is not working. So, find out what is working and do it. Listen to leaders who understand the roadmap to success in today’s world economy. Follow them.

Commit to a change of thinking from being entitled, being taken care of, being helped, being rewarded for just being alive. Instead, take ownership for your future. Help others. Deliver value to others who then will reward you because you earned it.

Third, start learning. Learn what your passion is. Learn what you really want to do. Learn how to communicate with others what you want to do. Learn how to brand yourself. Learn how to effectively network in the area you want to work. Keep learning as a lifestyle.

If you do these things, you can be successful regardless of the economy or who is in Washington DC.

Unemployment may still be high in ten years; but not for you.