The Joblifter

I'm Moving

2007-03-30T05:59:00.000-05:00

Hi Readers,

I'm relocating this blog to WordPress. The new address is http://lipglossdiva.wordpress.com. Just click the link to be redirected!

If you want to continue to subscribe from this page that's fine, I plan to continually move everyone over until this account is closed. I encourage you to visit http://lipglossdiva.wordpress.com for the latest entries of The Lip Gloss Diva and to leave your comments.

I've enjoyed receiving your comments and feedback on The Joblifter. Thank you so much for your support and see you on WordPress!

~Quiana

P.S. You can still send emails to CoachQuiana@Gmail.com and call me at (240) 607-6168.

What Companies Don't Get

2007-03-28T12:54:00.000-05:00

Every day I receive many articles from employees asking why companies won’t treat them right and just as many articles from companies asking why employees keep quitting their jobs. What really amazes me is that many times companies ask why employees leave ONLY because it hurts their bottom line.

Did you know the U.S. Department of Labor estimates the average cost to replace a worker in private industry is about $14K? That's a lot to loose every time someone decides to leave their job. The article was supposed to talk about how companies can KEEP their employees but like so many articles they really missed the mark. So I read on and on as the writer got more and more technical and less and less personable.

This is a HUGE mistake (not to mention Turn Off) but it so accurately shows the exact reason people leave companies. The companies simply don’t listen. Sure they start programs and train until employees are blue in the face but they really don’t meet the employees’ needs. What do you expect? No matter how hard they try, and many companies do want their employees to be happy, when it comes down to it they see employees as a whole and not individuals who all have different needs.

What can be more frustrating than that? Not much I’ll tell you (from my own experience)! The good thing is that the more employees know about the cost to replace them, the better position they’re in to bargain for what they want. This means you've got some leverage if you play your cards right! However, if you don’t know how to get what you want, you may find yourself even more frustrated.

So how do you get what you want when you’re treated like just another number? How do you get your voice heard when everyone else is complaining too? Where do you start when EVERYTHING seems wrong with your job? How do you do what you’ve gotta do? What, you don’t have all the answers???

Well I’ll tell you…you get help and fast! You find someone who can help you see your situation in a whole new light. You develop a support system who can cheer you on. You find an accountability partner who won’t let you quit when you feel you just can’t take it any more. You make the decision to really do something about your situation and stick with it…this time. You hire a Coach.

What can a Coach do for you?
1. A coach can give your situation a new perspective so you can find new and FUN ways to deal with your work problems.
2. A coach can give you the help you need based on experience and field knowledge.
3. A coach can be your support system and cheerleader when you’re feeling down.
4. A coach can be your accountability partner and help you stay the course even when you don’t think you can.
5. A coach can be anything you need them to be while you make the progress you want to make.

As a Coach I can tell you…there is not much new out there. If you’re going through something, believe me someone else has probably gone through the same thing. Wouldn’t it be great to share ideas and perspectives with someone who can relate? Wouldn’t it also be great to have someone to bounce ideas off of? Wouldn’t it be great to have someone rooting for you?

I know 100% that it would be great for you to have all that and still come out on top at work. I can help you! Email me at CoachQuiana@Gmail.com or call me at 240-607-6168 so we can get you started today. As a bonus for calling I’ll give you a FREE Coaching session. That’s right…I want to help you so much that I’m giving you (for FREE) what my clients pay me for. But don’t wait I only have a few more sessions left this month. Call/Email me today. Happy Joblifting!!!

Feeling Overwhelmed?

2007-03-26T07:25:00.000-05:00

Today is three days after my wedding. As I think back to that very special day in our lives, I remember all of the great things about the day: the beautiful weather (we were married outside by the Potomac River), loved ones, etc. I also remember the times before we were married in which we sat planning this memorable event. Even though we opted for a small wedding, planning for this memorable event was a challenge and many things took over me: excitement, fear of the unexpected, happiness, worry, lack of total control, frustration, and sometimes being just ready to give up, etc.

While thinking back to those planning days I wonder why I was so overwhelmed. In hindsight I think, I should have just relaxed! I felt I needed to control every detail of the planning because this was for my wedding day. However, like many times in our lives, we can’t fully control every detail. This is a hard fact to face, especially when it involves a daily part of our lives: work.

How many times do you get up in the morning and wonder what work will be like today? Then get hit with many different emotions, most being negative? Worrying about how bad your day is going to be before you even get out of bed? Often we feel completely powerless at work. We think only managers have any real power and that we are at the mercy of our managers and coworkers. We let go of our power and let “work” consume us.

Only after retiring, quitting our job, or being fired do we realize we gave a lot of our power away to others. That’s how I’m feeling now about the planning. The day would have still been wonderful even if I'd forgotten my earrings, or the flowers, etc. I still would've ended up married to my soul mate and sitting here happy today thinking back to our big day.

So let’s try something new. Instead of worrying about what awful thing could happen, let’s instead try these:

When you start to think negatively about work, your coworkers, manager, etc., STOP, feel those feelings, take a deep breath, and change your focus. Think instead of something that brings you joy. The more you do this, the easier it will become and the less you will find yourself consumed with negative feelings.
When you find that your day is shaping up to be a bad one. TAKE A TIME OUT, get up and walk. Even if you have no place to walk but to the bathroom for 3 minutes do it. Walking can be a physical release of emotions. You will also find that removing yourself from one environment to another can change your whole outlook.
When you start to feel like you have no control: work is piling up, people are treating you bad, and nothing is going according to plan WRITE. You can decide what to write about and for how long as you want. In our technology filled world, so many people have abandoned putting pen to paper. Writing allows you to be creative which gets your brain going and helps you become more productive and less drained.

There are so many different techniques that I could’ve used to make planning much more fun. Looking back I had tons of options. I don’t want you to waste months or even years feeling out of control like I did. Since realizing how I let the planning run me ragged, I’ve made a promise to myself to not allow that to happen again.

I'm challenging myself to use new techniques to cope whenever I feel overwhelmed. If you want to join me in this challenge or if you need a partner during your challenge, contact me at (240) 607-6168 or CoachQuiana@Gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Are You In A Job Rut?

2007-03-19T13:45:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night, I had dinner with a group of friends. We were celebrating my wedding this coming weekend. We had a great time! After dinner a friend and I started talking about her job. She said, "You know, even if I got my business up and running, I would still keep my job even though I don't really like it ‘cause I’m bored and they don't pay me enough". The first question I asked was...WHY?

She went on to say you know I just need a pay check. I can't just not work. That's when my Coach's hat was put on. In talking with her, we discovered the true issue was not that her business was not yet fully operational, the issue was far more common...like most people, she thinks work is supposed to be something they HATE.

It made so much sense. I gave her a few things to think about before we left. I'll share them with you...

If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be?
If money were no object, how would you work (# of hours, # of days per week, etc.)?
If presented with the opportunity to do what you said in #1 working the schedule you wanted in #2, would you quit your "day job"?

Believe it or not, she said she still would not quit. This belief that work has to somehow be awful is so false. I asked her what was really holding her back. What she said was all summed up in one word "FEAR".

So often we talk ourselves out of really good ideas and experiences because we are afraid to try something new. We figure we already know what we have to “deal with” so why “rock the boat”. It is this mode of working that keeps people in jobs they can’t stand for years and years. I call this the Job Rut.

Are you in a Job Rut?

Do you not like your job but are afraid to ask for what you want out of fear that your manager might make your life worse?
Do you avoid trying new things at work because you don’t want to open yourself up for what may be “dumped” on you?
Do you try to stay under the radar for fear that being “seen and heard” may cause people to reject you or label you a trouble-maker?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, my friend you may be in a Job Rut. The great news is that you can overcome your Job Rut. How? It’s simple:

1. Write a list of whatever it is you aren’t enjoying about your job.
2. Pick one thing (only one for now) on your list and decide to change it, whatever it takes
3. Write down 3 to 5 possible solutions that could fix this thing you don’t enjoy
4. Decide who in addition to you is needed to make this change really happen
5. If others are involved (now this takes courage) invite them to help you
6. Stick with it, no matter what!

Here’s an example:

I am terribly bored at work and I don’t like speaking in front of the group so I never get what I want.
I want to fix speaking in front of the group first.
I could: ask a question whenever they ask for input, I could volunteer to help out with a briefing, and/or I could volunteer to be on a workgroup.
I probably need my team lead’s help, I’ll ask Mark to help me, he is usually very supportive.
Today I am going to volunteer for that new workgroup. I like the project and since Mark is the lead on this project, he can give me feedback on my input.

Work does not have to be awful and boring. You can enjoy what you do. It really doesn’t take too much effort to get the ball rolling. If you truly want to have a better work experience, you can start today. A Job Rut can be a day or a few years, if you are in a Job Rut, let’s end yours today!

If you need additional help with your Job Rut, email me at CoachQuiana@Gmail.com or call me at 240-607-6168. You may find all you really need is a supportive partner to get you through.

Welcome the Newbie

2007-03-16T11:10:00.000-05:00

I've always been interested in this thing called Blogging. It seemed like a great idea to share my thoughts with the world. I've got so many of them. Well I'm glad to be here. It is great to have a place to share my ideas and thoughts with the world in a very raw form. It's also great to be able to do what I love and that's help people. Helping people is my passion and I’ve been told I'm good at it. ;~)

You on the other hand are here for another reason...maybe you want to find out a little about me, maybe you want help with your work issue(s), or maybe you are just clicking a link to a new blog. For whatever reason you're here, I'm glad you are.

Each week (maybe more if I am inspired) you'll find tips, advice, and even other resources to help you get your Joblift. The basic concepts behind the Joblift are:

know who you are
be who you are
start moving in the direction you want for your career and more importantly your life

If you have a workplace issue and need advice or other resources, feel free to leave a comment or email me at CoachQuiana@Gmail.com. Your privacy is important to me and I will never give your name or personal information to another person or company. I would be honored to have you use me as a resource in improving your current situation.

Now, here’s the first question posed to me today:

How do I get my boss to listen to me?

Although that is a very broad question, the answer is simple: stop talking. Many times we want to be heard so bad we do the exact thing that makes people not want to listen to us, TALK. I used to work with a very quiet guy, Mr. Quiet (respecting his privacy). He hardly ever spoke except to say "hi" or some other greeting. One day while we were in a meeting (the room was small so we sat in rows) our manager asked us for questions/comments. The usual group asked a question, challenged our boss, or gave their comment.

Then another question was posed, I thought who is that, I don't recognize that voice. I guess I wasn't the only person who thought that because when I turned around so did many people. Low-and-behold it was Mr. Quiet. One of my coworkers commented that she didn’t even know he could talk. Though it was funny, it illustrated a good point. If you really want to be heard--speak very rarely and when you do speak--say it with purpose.

Now I know you can't go through life talking only when spoken to, but the point is, if you always have something to say, it really diminishes how serious people take you when you have something really powerful to say. So, my solution to your question is to back off a bit. Not retreat but rather use other sources or ways of communicating. Try instead emailing (in low frequency) or leaving a note here and there when appropriate. I’m sure that in due time your boss will begin to solicit your input.

If you’d like help with your personal work issue(s), feel free to email me at CoachQuiana@Gmail.com. Your name and information will never be given to another person or company. Together we can fix your workplace problem with a Joblift.