Some people use personality profiles to gain insights that will help them choose or change careers, but are these tests really helpful?

In the midst of a time of great searching and struggle, reading the results and understanding them can be very frustrating.

The experience feels something like this: Let me get this straight–I ticked through a hundred check boxes, commented on the color of my umbrella, and now you’re telling me I’m a PTEXRV?  Say what??

You can see the results but you don’t feel them.  They don’t seem to connect. 

That’s because these tests should NOT be substitutes for approaches to identifying your strengths.  They can be supplements, but they should never be substitutes.

Use a holistic approach to assessing your interests and strengths.

I often ask clients to make a list of everything that makes them happy.  Not just happy but—hold the bus—flat-out euphoric.  A general sense of well-being.  A floating feeling.  Tingling.  Joy.

Look for those moments when you’re excited about something.  When you feel like you’re in the zone.

What makes you feel that way?
Discussing finances with a friend and helping them solve a problem?
Walking into a room and being intrigued, fascinated, enthralled by its design?
Reading something new?
Once you have the list,  start asking questions about how you spend your time.  How you wish you could spend your time.

Drill down, further than you are comfortable.

Put pen to paper and write a definition of yourself.  This is a powerful act.

If the definition comes from you—rather than from an expert or a personality assessment–it has meaning.  It sticks.
Don’t Go It Alone.
Having a partner in this process is important.  Sometimes it’s hard to know what questions to ask, much less actually force yourself to answer the really tough ones.

On Wednesday, the Associated Press carried a story about the new 3-D model of the World Trade Center Memorial, a collaborative effort between Google Earth and the National September 11^th Memorial and Museum.

A few follow-up stories, like this one posted on NPR, provide interesting details about the virtual memorial and its significance. The story raises LOTS of good questions about virtual memorials and virtual tourism, but I’m most fascinated by the stunning work done by the Google Earth team.

Using the Google Earth tool is a reminder of the power of place. This is particularly true of landmarks—the Empire State Building, the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower.  These places invoke a range of imaginative possibilities.

The places where we live, work and play are equally–if not more–important.  They can have a strong pull on our happiness and our productivity.

Since the long weekend is upon us, take some time to honor that idea.  Hang a new picture or take down an old one, plant some flowers, and take the time to visit somewhere meaningful to you—a park, a cemetery, a museum—even if your visit is a virtual one.

There’s always ONE request that your co-workers, employees, boss, or even spouse just never seems to hear.

“When we’re getting ready to travel, please don’t pack my toothbrush until after breakfast.”

“Before we go into a meeting, be sure to send me a copy of the report.”

People seem to listen. But next time around, nothing changes.

The toothbrush is still missing before breakfast, so you’re left to slather a gob of paste onto your index finger.

What can you do to finally be heard?

For starters, stop talking!

Instead, get creative and think of a way to use the old teaching adage, “show, don’t tell.”

Here’s an illustration.

If you told me the ideal gas law (PV=nRT) (which states that a drop in temperature with fixed mass and external pressure will result in a smaller volume, and vice versa), I would say WHAT?

I might never get it.

Even if I cared about this concept–even if it was important to my personal or career success–I wouldn’t get it.

I would walk around forever misunderstanding, misremembering, and generally feeling baffled by the ideal gas law.

Everything would change in an instant, however, if you showed me this video (see below).

I would get it in a split second.

Apply the same thinking in your relationships.

Show, Don’t Tell.

Take it as a fun challenge, though you should probably stop short of using dry ice and balloon animals. Well, maybe.

more about “YouTube - MIT Physics Demo — Balloon…“, posted with vodpod

Some high-profile foodies are raising the profile of the school lunch.

First Jamie Oliver, now Rachel Ray.

A few months ago, famous chef and TV personality, Jamie Oliver started a TV series, “Food Revolution,” with the mission of improving food in our nation’s schools.  Earlier this week, Food Network talk-show host, Rachel Ray joined New York’s junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, on Capitol Hill to lobby for a more school lunch money.

What’s At Stake?

These inquiries into school lunches raise some good questions what’s in our own lunchboxes.

Nutrition and quality of life are inextricably connected, and thinking through those connections is something I challenge all of my clients to do.  Your happiness, career performance, and energy level are dependent on a constellation of issues.  Food –and your relationship to it–is one of those.

Unfortunately, food is a delicate topic.  It stirs up emotions, or at the very least, some bizarre cultural memories.

Cabbage diets, talk show hosts touting the next miracle pill, full-service gyms promising to make you a better, happier person.

The good news is that getting real about nutrition isn’t about guilt or beauty or thinness or measuring up to a destructive ideal.

It is much simpler than that. And much more important.

Eating well is like taking good medicine. Good foods in the right proportions will keep you energized and focused.

I often challenge people to implement some basic strategies:

Don’t skip meals just because you “don’t have time to eat.” Your work and energy level will suffer, ultimately costing you a LOT more time than a quick lunch.

Trust your body. Eat when you’re hungry. Eat what you enjoy. Eat what gives you energy.

“Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.” This basic way of thinking about food comes from Michael Pollan’s book, In Defense of Food.

Watch this video lecture to see Pollan talk about the way nutrition is much simpler than most people would let on.

more about “YouTube - Authors@Google: Michael Pollan“, posted with vodpod

We understand and judge each other through powerful non-verbal cues.  Your posture, hand gestures, and facial expressions are instantaneously “read” by friends, co-workers, prospective employers, and romantic partners.

Although rarely acknowledged, the tone of your voice is also one of those important cues.

Even the pizza delivery boy is sizing up the likelihood of getting a good tip from you.

If Your Voice Speaks Volumes, What Is it Saying?

People use their assessment of your voice’s tone, timbre, and volume to answer important questions.

–Are you pushy or pleasant?

–Easy or difficult to work with?

–Powerful or powerless?

“It’s Like They Just Don’t Hear Me”

I’ve heard this frustration expressed more than once over the years.  Sometimes it’s a matter of what you’re saying.  Are you getting to the point?  Are you using an effective communication strategy for the situation?

Other times, it’s a matter of how your message is delivered.

One of the best books on this topics, Change Your Voice, Change Your Life, makes this important point: “The properly produced voice, then, permits individuals to be perceived for their substance–physical, intellectual, and emotional.”

Simple Techniques for Finding Your Natural Voice (from Change Your Voice, Change Your Life)

1.) Umm-hmmm:  As though you were enthusiastically, spontaneously agreeing with someone, say ‘umm-hmmm’ with your lips closed.   Imagine some kind person has asked–unexpectedly–if you want a piece of cake.  Umm-hmmm!  Be sure to use a rising inflection.

2.) If done correctly: You’ll note a light tingly, vibration around your lips and nose.  According to Dr. Morton, “This indicates correct tone focus, with oral-nasal resonance.” Eureka!

If you need to try again: If your pitch is too low, “you will feel too much vibration in the lower throat, and very little if any at all in the mask area.”

Keep trying– umm-hmmm-ing your way into your natural pitch.

3.) Another test: “Standing, place your index finger just under your sternum (where your ribs come together).  Now press gently with a staccato movement and make sound with your lips closed.  The sound you are producing is essentially the one you were born to make–the voice you were born to use.  Now say ‘umm-hmmm’ in that same voice.”

To the Beat of Your Own Drummer

These techniques are a start to finding your natural voice, but they’re certainly not the final word on the subject.

Your voice is like your fingerprint–entirely unique.  To talk with me about ways to find and use your natural voice, comment below or send me an e-mail.

COMING SOON: a Follow-Up Post on Using Your Voice to Convey Power and Purpose

Quotations in this post are drawn from pages 22-27 of Change Your Voice, Change Your Life: A Quick, Simple Plan for Finding and Using Your Natural, Dynamic Voice by Dr. Morton Cooper.

How much exposure on social networking sites is too much?  Protecting your personal information while at the same time carefully crafting your online persona can be a full-time job.

From Private to Public

Earlier this week, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, announced a policy change that allows for the disclosure of Facebook profile information to third parties for the purposes of marketing and marketing research.   Unless you manually opt out, all of your information will be considered “public.”

Online advertisers and privacy groups are going to be squaring off over this issue for a long time.  Bloggers at Inside Facebook  explore the nuances of the issue.  To hear even more, mosey on over to the latest Tech Talk podcast on the NY Times. Regardless of how you feel about the new announcement, it serves as an important reminder to think about how much of yourself you broadcast on the web.

If you think you’re being smart enough, think again.

In the midst of this Facebook brouhaha, Consumer Reports published a report (just yesterday!) showing that 52% of social networking users post risky information.The report offers 7 tips for protecting yourself–including checking on and using important privacy controls and refraining from mentioning when you’ll be away from home.

Protecting your personal information is one thing, and managing your online persona is another.

During the Italian Renaissance, the ideal courtier was to exemplify sprezzatura– rehearsed carelessness, a studied nonchalance.  Any skill that he had must seem effortless rather than practiced.In some ways, managing our online identities requires a similar mastery, a kind of sprezzatura of web conduct.Here are a couple suggestions, particularly for folks whose careers in small or large part require their participation in social networking sites:

– Disclose some things, but not everything.  Don’t completely stop posting about your family, but consider abbreviating your children’s names.  Call a kid S. instead of Sarah, or J. instead of Jane.

– Consider cultivating a double presence.  Create one page for close, personal friends with tightly controlled privacy settings.  Use  a separate page for a larger network of associates, colleagues, and clients.

– Stay positive as much as possible.   If your day sucked or your boss is terrible, find some other outlet for airing your complaints.

Finally, just to make you laugh on a Friday (come on, people!), here is a video showing what would happen if we interacted in real  life like we do on Facebook.

more about “FaceBook In Reality - from www.idiots…“, posted with vodpod

Instead of trying to organize your desk for the millionth time, consider throwing it away!

To Work More Effectively, Think about Your Body, Not Just Your Brain.

If you’ve always found it frustrating to sit in one place–you tap your feet, you shift around, you look for excuses to walk away from your desk–you might benefit from using a standing desk.For some, though not all, of my life coaching clients, standing while working makes a difference.Depending on your personality and work environment, benefits might include:

– greater focus, clarity and creativity;

– decreased stiffness and soreness, particularly in the neck, shoulders, back and hips;

– weight loss and improved muscle tone.

It sounds like I’m hocking the latest “miracle pill,” but what’s good for the body is always good for the brain. Movement rather than stagnation. Activity over passivity.

Changing Perceptions about Standing Desks

A number of years ago, while working at a large corporation, I asked my boss if I could use a standing desk. She immediately said no.When explaining her objections, she said, “It’ll make you different.”

As though that was somehow a big secret. We’re all different!

Fortunately, over the past five or ten years, employers have become more flexible with regard to work spaces and configurations. Media and medical professionals alike have been talking about standing desks and even work stations with treadmills attached.

Last week, an article about standing desks “Can’t Stand to Sit Too Long?” made it to number one on the list of “most e-mailed” articles on website of The New York Times.   This article comes on the heels of another NY Times article titled “Stand Up While You Read This!”.

Dr. Michael Levine, a Mayo clinic researcher makes the case for working while standing and even walking.

more about “A Standing Desk: Is it Right for You? “, posted with vodpod

Latest figures put the US unemployment rate at approximately 10 percent.  That can be a daunting number for those hoping to find a job.  The nightly evening news paints a desperate picture of unemployed America.  Interestingly enough most of the job seekers I know are upbeat and hopeful.  Many have been at dead end jobs for years, just going through the motions of keeping that job.  They have told me that losing their jobs has been liberating.  One client who had been at the same mind numbing job for ten years said she was looking forward to reinventing herself and very optimistic about her options.  One thing that the 10 percent rate of unemployment has done is to remove any stigma about being unemployed.  Liberation and acceptance - unemployed is a powerful and creative place to be.

Many unemployed individuals are coming up with inspired ways to re-enter the work world.  Some are choosing to go back to school for an advanced degree or specialty, such as nursing.  Others are taking a closer look at what their strengths are and what makes them happy.   As a coach it is very gratifying to help someone discover their talents and passions and develop a plan to use those to earn an income.  One of the best ways to jump into unknown waters is to volunteer your talents.  “Volunteering and pursuing avenues where you excel…can ­help career-changers make the best of the situation”, said Mary Beth Sammons, author of “Second Acts that Change Lives: Making a Difference in the World.”  (Alban, 2009)  Not only do you get some experience under your belt, but the enthusiasm you feel when doing something that is worthwhile and exciting can really accelerate your career move.  Not being tied to that 40 plus hour work week allows you to explore, create and network. Take advantage and enjoy.

Unemployment may not be a welcomed situation, but we are learning that it is not always a bad situation either.  Remarkably, we are seeing a recent trend where some top managers of large companies are up and quitting their jobs without having another offer lined up.  These mavericks are announcing to the business world that they have higher aspirations and they have the courage and self confidence to pursue them.   “The decision to quit a senior position to look for a better one is unconventional, to say the least. For years executives and headhunters have hewed closely to the rule that the most attractive CEO candidates are the ones who must be poached.” (McGregor, 2009) Changing the rules of the game and making it your game- that is exactly the type of attitude I strive to uncover in people.

As a result of hard economic times we realize that employer provided health care coverage and 401K matching may be a thing of the past.  What we aren’t hearing is that now is the time for the American worker to define who they are and where they want to be.   Whether it is a career change, a company change or starting a small business, we Americans are overcoming fear and leaping towards advancement and self-fulfillment.  The shame of unemployment, the allure of company benefits and panic of the unknown no longer imprisons the American worker.  I find this an exciting time for all of us.  As history has taught us, Americans will persevere and inspire.  I urge you to think about your aspirations and encourage you to invest in yourself.  No time like the present to be proactive.  Define, commit, achieve – let’s do that together!

Alban, D. (2009, July 6). Laid-Off Workers Find Fulfillment in New Careers. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from CNN: www.cnn.com/2009/living/worklife/07/06/career.change/index.html

McGregor, J. (2009, November 5). Top Managers Are Quitting Without a New Job. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from Business Week: www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_46/b4155072824076.htm?chan=magazine+channel_what’s+next

Some people may wonder why they even need to call a Business Coach. After all, if your business is thriving and everything seems to be going very well, why should you spend the time or money in consulting a Business Coach?

Well, there are actually several reasons why talking with a Business Coach is useful even if your business is going well.

• First, a Business Coach has an outside perspective. He or she has no pre-conceived notions about your business, giving him/her a great view of how your company looks to an outsider. Your Business Coach can often see things that you overlook, and these are often things that would either cause problems in the future or can be changed to make your business more efficient.

• Second, a Business Coach isn’t consulted just to solve problems. In fact, many people discuss their very successful businesses with a coach. They want someone to challenge their perceptions and look for blind spots they might have when reviewing the business objectives, clients, employees, systems and results. They also want to simply talk about their business strategies and approaches. Often, the discussion takes a more personal turn, and the two discuss things like the owner’s managerial style, motivations and vision.

• Finally, sometimes a Business Coach serves as a sounding board. As a business owner, you may have several ideas for your company but aren’t sure which path to take. You can bounce these ideas off the Business Coach to get an idea of how they will be perceived by your customers and your employees. This is a great way of getting feedback before you implement ideas at your company.

A large percentage of my coaching practice involves helping clients who are already successful to become even more successful. To achieve bigger goals. To expand their business. To grow from a freelancer to an owner of a marketing agency. To move quickly from a small business to mid-size business. To crystallize their vision.

If you’re already a successful entrepreneur or business owner, it’s important to realize the importance of having a Business Coach who can be an outside sounding board to help you quickly grow or expand your business. For your complimentary initial consultation, please call Carroll King Schuller at 804.288.0099 to set up an appointment at a time that works best for you.

One of the biggest trends in the business world is to seek Business Coaching. Retaining a Business Coach doesn’t mean your business is failing or that you necessarily have a problem to solve. Instead, Business Coaching is often used by business owners to create a collaborative opportunity to review ideas and create structure for improving their businesses, management style and professional skills.

Business Coaching is a growing trend for several reasons. It helps to have an outside objective person asking questions about what they are considering as you move forward in life or business, and at the same time looking at the other professionals that are necessary to encourage and position the business for the growth. Many business owners want a coach to have the focus to ask the questions, understand and challenge the priorities and create accountability for smooth moves going forward. This relationship creates the opportunity to evaluate what works for a company and what doesn’t. Business Coaches are perfect for this since many have experience with businesses and can objectively ask the hard questions.

Another reason why people are turning to Business Coaches more and more is because business owners want a confidant. They provide a great place to discuss the vision you have for your company, ideas for the future, and more. Business Coaches won’t share your ideas with anyone, so you can freely bounce ideas off of them. This is a great way to get feedback on ideas that you’re not certain of.

Finally, Business Coaching is a growing trend because, well, it works. You can actually see your business making more money after talking with a Business Coach. For that reason alone, it’s clear to see why more and more people are turning to Business Coaches.

For your free initial coaching consultation, please call Carroll King Schuller at 804.288.0099. You’ll be glad you did.