The Exclusive Career Coach

The podcast discusses how to prepare for behavioral interview questions by creating CARL stories that align with job competencies. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the job description, highlighting key keywords, and crafting stories that showcase skills. The host provides examples of scenarios to practice, including managing conflicts and challenging situations, to excel in interviews.

There is a change to my podcast starting with this episode. I will begin offering a segment at the end of episodes called “DIY vs. DFY” – Do iI Yourself vs. Done For You. This segment will tie into the podcast episode whenever possible and offer 1) a top tip or resource for those of you who want to tackle that episode’s subject on your own, and 2) a service or program for those of you who would like help. So stay tuned to the end! This week, I wanted to give you a peek inside my coaching practice…to pull the curtain back, Wizard of Oz-style. Sure, I mention the various things I do with clients throughout episodes, but I’ve never given you the full tour. Here we go. My practice began as a resume writing service once I got my initial resume writing certification back in 2009. At that time, my business was called LEK Consultants. Previous to that, I had LEK Presentations while I was still working in higher education, focused on providing training programs for companies, higher education, and non-profit organizations. Along the way, I became a Certified Executive & Leadership Development Coach (CELDC), a Certified Job Search Strategist (CJSS), and a Master Resume Writer (MRW). My practice expanded with a full slate of coaching services, with the goal of being a full-service career coaching practice. So what are those services? And how do I charge for these services? The “inner circle” of my practice is in service to clients who are in job transition. First of all, I determine where the client is in their career – Early Career is within about seven years of graduating from college; CareerSpring is my sweet spot, folks who are mid-career; Executive is folks at the VP or C level.  At each of these levels, I offer three packages: Document Package: Resume, Cover Letter, LinkedIn profile Document & Coaching Package: Resume, Cover Letter, LinkedIn profile + 3, 1-hour coaching sessions VIP Package: Resume, Cover Letter, LinkedIn profile + 6, 1-hour coaching sessions + 6, 30-minute Accountability & Support calls  The next “rung” of Exclusive Career Coaching is coaching for people who aren’t looking to change jobs or employers in the immediate future. Rather, they are dealing with something in their career that they know they need help with. Here are some recent examples of clients I’ve worked with: -A Senior Manager who is now managing a large team and dealing with politics in a way she never has before -The senior-most female executive in a male-dominated company and industry who is being told to act “more like a man” and is understandably confused by the mixed messages -A project manager managing a $1B infrastructure project in Canada who has been told his micromanagement is hindering his chances for upward mobility with his employer -A woman in banking who is seeing younger employees pass her by. She’s become very negative in her thinking and has been “phoning in” her work.  For these complex issues, I typically recommend a 12-session coaching package. We typically meet every other week for six months – this is sufficient time to really move the needle in their area(s) of concern. As I mentioned last week, I have just begun a very structured program called Highly Promotable – for people whose goal it is to land in the C-suite. This program involves a 360-degree assessment, 10, 1-hour coaching sessions + 2, 90-minute mega sessions at the beginning and as we wrap up, + follow-up sessions at 45 days and 6 months. The Highly Promotable is for mid-career professionals who want to land in the C-suite. They have either identified an area that is holding them back, been given feedback of an area they need to work on, or just want to optimize their chances for rapid promotability. Using the 360 feedback, the client and I determine 1) an area of strength that we will intentionally and strategically leverage over the six months we work together to make it a signature strength, and 2) a developmental area that, with that same intentionality and strategy, could become a strength. There will be homework between each session, such as reading, listening to podcasts, talking with specific people, or implementing specific strategies at work.  DIY vs. DFY SegmentWelcome to DIY vs. DFY! For those of you who want to improve in an area of your job by yourself, here’s a resource for you – and it’s around goal-setting for the area you want to improve. Here’s where most people go wrong with goal-setting: they aren’t creating SMART goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Sensitive. Here’s an example: Let’s say you have identified public speaking as an area you want to improve on. A SMART goal might look like this:I will identify, sign up for, and participate in three public speaking opportunities by the end of 2023. Once you’ve identified that SMART goal, chunk it down into bite-sized pieces and calendar those steps in. You’ll need time to identify potential opportunities, time to prepare your presentations, time to practice, time to actually deliver the presentation, and possible follow-up time. You may also want to measure your improvement in public speaking as you make these presentations: Will it be from participant satisfaction surveys? Will you have mentors in the audience to give you feedback? Could you have the presentations taped for you to review?  Now for DFY. In our example above, you can’t hire someone to do the presentations for you, but you can engage with a coach who specializes in public speaking. You can expect this coach to help you with your topic, fleshing out your talking points, coaching you on your delivery and how to make your presentation more engaging, and even how to overcome your fear of public speaking through thought work. BOTTOM LINE: Here’s how I like to think of DIY vs. DFY – what is my investment vs. what is the potential payoff? For example, if I have to give a presentation this fall that could make or break my career – there’s a lot at stake, so a coach would probably be the best idea. Also, if I know my public speaking skills are really terrible, then a coach would be the best idea to make real progress fast. If, on the other hand, I’m already pretty good at public speaking and just need opportunities to present so I can demonstrate my strength in this area, I may not need a speaking coach.  If you are a high-achieving professional with the goal of landing in the C-suite, the Highly Promotable coaching program may be just the ticket! This 1:1 program is targeted to strategically leverage one of your strengths to become a signature strength, and move the needle on one of your developmental areas so it becomes a strength.  This is a high four-figure investment in your professional future! If this sounds like just what you need, schedule a complimentary introductory call to determine if you are a fit for Highly Promotable:  https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/highly-promotable-introductory-call    

Link to schedule an introductory call for Highly Promotable: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/highly-promotable-introductory-call  With so many people job searching right now, I wanted to do a deep dive on a particular aspect of the job search. But first, let me set the stage. When it comes to networking, many of you engage in what I call “The Tommy Gun Approach” – spray everyone you can think of with the information about what you are looking for, followed by “If you think of anything, let me know.” While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, a more effective tool is what I call “The Bow-and-Arrow Approach.” This is a more strategic approach to networking that begins with the end in mind. For some reason, I always think of the Wizard of Oz here…you know you want to get to the wizard, so what’s the first step you need to take to get to him? In Bow-and-Arrow networking, you are setting up strategic meetings with people who can get you successively closer to the decision maker…The Wizard. This Bow-and-Arrow approach starts with you knowing where you want to work. I’ve talked in previous episodes about how to profile your ideal employer, so I won’t go into detail here, other than to say it is SO important that you know what you are looking for in your ideal company. Otherwise, how will you know if you’ve found it? What might be important to you in a company?-Location/Commute-Size-Number of employees-Revenue-Product or service-Mission-Reputation-Culture And there are many others. You won’t likely find a company that meets your criteria for everything, so you want to select your top 3-5; I call these your non-negotiables. Everything else is just gravy – or, as I call them, Wouldn’t It Be Nice. Once you’ve identified your non-negotiables, your next step is to create a list of about 25 employers that MIGHT meet your criteria. I say MIGHT because, at this point, you haven’t done in-depth research on these companies yet. Meaning: If you think they MIGHT be a fit, put them on your list. If you KNOW they don’t mesh with one of your non-negotiables, DON’T put them on your list. How do you come up with this list?-Top-of-mind-Where friends/family work-In the news (for positive reasons)-Competitors-Chamber of Commerce directory-Google-Who’s in hiring mode? (check things like LI) Once you’ve created an initial list of about 25 employers, now it is time to do more in-depth research to narrow your list down to about 10-12 Ideal Employers. I recommend you create a rating system using your top 3-5 criteria – you can do this in Excel or whatever way works best for you. Your next step is to create “tiers” within your 10-12 Ideal Employers. Look for natural demarcations or just put an even number of companies in each of three tiers – it’s up to you. You also get to decide how you will approach each tier. For example, you might choose to find three contacts who are connected to each of your Top Tier employers and try to set up face-to-face meetings. For your second tier, you might choose to find one contact for each. For your third tier, you might choose to keep an eye on them, look for openings, and watch out for news about the company that would either move them up or out of your list. With at least your top tier, you then want to figure out how to get your foot in the door with each company. Who do you know who works there AND knows the decision maker? Who do you know who either works there OR knows the decision maker? Who do you know that knows a lot of people? (I call these people Centers of Influence) This is where you begin speaking with people. Remember, until you reach the decision maker, you aren’t asking anyone to give you a job – you are asking for an introduction. Do your homework on LI before the meeting and have a specific ask – this gives the other person some concrete way to help you AND gives you something specific to follow up on.  Are you wondering why your job search hasn’t been as successful as you expected? Grab a copy of “Five Things Derailing Your Job Search” here: https://bit.ly/6thingsderailingjobsearch   

Today, we’re talking about researching an employer who has sought you out for an interview. However, it is important to research employers BEFORE you apply for a job. Here’s the alternative scenario: You see a job posted online and it looks perfect for you. You’ve never heard of the company, but you apply anyway. Soon, they reach out to schedule an interview. In preparation for the interview, you begin to research the company – only to find that their business practices, lack of commitment to DEI, lack of environmental consciousness, or financial woes throw up a red flag. So you decide you definitely DON’T want to work at the company, but you agree to the interview “for practice.” BAD IDEA – after all, you aren’t likely to get any feedback on your interview, so the only thing you’ve practiced is how you THINK you should answer their questions. Instead, I want you to do your research BEFORE applying to the company. By the way, I talked about all aspects of preparing for a job interview in episode #176: https://www.exclusivecareercoaching.com/posts/2021-05-05-176-how-to-really-prepare-for-the-job-interview In that episode, I covered these general areas for research prior to a job interview:            -Research the company            -Research the company culture            -Research the industry            -Research the product or service the company provides Where should you look for this information? What should you be looking for? How do you analyze the information you garner to make a decision as to whether you should apply to that company?  Let’s start with where to research and what to look for.  While I think the company website can be useful, I find it most helpful in answering questions around the products and/or services the company provides, divisions of the organization, corporate structure, etc. If I want to find out about company culture, I recommend glassdoor – and possibly reaching out to former employees of the company via LinkedIn. If I want to find out about the industry the company is in and its competitors, I would look in the Wall Street Journal, industry journals, Wikipedia (one of my favorite resources), and public library resources such as Data Axle (formerly ReferenceUSA). Specifically, I am looking for the company’s major competitors, where this company stacks up (is it #1 or a smaller player?), and what this company’s brand differentiators are (in other words, what are its unique attributes?). While I can find out information about the company’s products and/or services from its website, I’ll need to look elsewhere to learn about the product and/or service classes it is in. In other words, it’s great that I know how many widgets company X makes every year and how they distribute them – but if I don’t know what a widget is and what it does, that information isn’t of much use to me.  How do I analyze the information I gain?  There are no right or wrong answers here – you are simply holding the company’s qualities up against what is most important to you. Here are some things my clients are frequently concerned about in potential employers: -Is the company in an industry I want to work in and/or have experience in? Is that industry viable right now? -Can I get on board with the products and/or services the company makes? Are they in harmony with my beliefs and values? -Is the company in growth mode, or are there signs the company is in financial distress? -Does the company’s mission and vision resonate with me – and have I found evidence that they “walk the talk?” -Is the company’s size and lifecycle phase a good fit for me? What about number of employees, revenue? Is it a private company or public? -What is the company culture – and how does that fit with what I am looking for? -Where is the company located geographically and am I willing to move there? If the company is nearby, what do I think about my daily commute? If I want a remote or hybrid job, what does the company offer in that regard? -What else is really important to me in my next employer – and how does this company measure up? Are there things I can’t evaluate until I am in the interview stage – such as how I connect with my potential boss – and what, specifically, will I want to find out at that stage?  To wrap up, there is much research you can do before ever applying for a position. I’m not suggesting you go into hours of research upfront, but certainly 15-30 minutes of research will keep you from applying for jobs you ultimately wouldn’t be interested in. When you get to the interview phase, you’ll want to do even more research as you develop your questions for the interviewers; I covered this topic in episode #85: https://www.exclusivecareercoaching.com/posts/2019-06-26-085-developing-your-questions-to-ask-the-interviewer Next week, I will be talking about how to develop your list of target employers, which will lean heavily on the research we’ve talked about in this episode.  Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring document and coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.  If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more:  https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2 

I’m leaning heavily on an article from cnbc.com by Claire Hughes Johnson entitled “I was VP at Google for 10 years. Here’s the No. 1 skill I looked for at job interviews—very few people had it” According to research references by Claire, 95% of people think they have this quality, but only 10% to 15% actually do. What is this important, yet rare, quality? Self-awareness. Here’s a quote from the article: “Sure, your experience and skills matter, but they can be learned. And when someone is highly self-aware, they’re more motivated to learn because they’re honest about what they need to work on. They also relate better to their colleagues and managers.”One way the author checked for self-awareness during job interviews when she was a VP at Google was to pay attention to two words: “I” and “we.” Too much “I” is an indication that the candidate may not be humble or collaborative, and too much “we” may obscure the role the candidate played in the situation. There needs to be a balance between “I” and “we” language.She also would ask the candidate what his or her colleagues would say about them. If the response is only good things, she would probe as to what constructive feedback they have received. Then she would ask “And what have you done to improve in that area?” to see if they took the feedback to heart and made improvements.  How do you know if you are not self-aware? Here are some telltale signs:-You consistently get feedback that you disagree with. This doesn’t mean the feedback is accurate, but it does tell you that how others perceive you differs from how you perceive yourself.-You often feel frustrated and annoyed because you don’t agree with your team’s direction or decisions. This is likely because you aren’t aware of how you are presenting your ideas or how your ideas may be perceived. It may also indicate that you tend to disagree with ideas that aren’t yours.-You feel drained at the end of the day and can’t pinpoint why. Self-awareness helps you to focus on the things you both enjoy and are good at (Motivated Skills), minimize the time you spend on activities that don’t play to your strengths, and have the proper mindset when you have to engage in Burnout Skills. -You can’t describe what kinds of work you do and don’t enjoy doing. Engaging in your Motivated Skills and minimizing the use of your Burnout Skills allows you to do more of what you enjoy and less of what you don’t – it has to start there.  How to Build Self-Awareness1.    Understand your values. Knowing what is important to you, what gives you energy, and what steals your energy will help you make sense of how you work.With these insights, you will be able to express your values and understand when they are at odds with one another, or with someone else’s values. 2.    Identify your work style. Take a few weeks to write down the moments when you feel like you are reaching new heights in your work or hitting new lows – you’ll start to see patterns.If you have trouble trusting your own instincts, ask someone whose judgment you respect: “When have you seen me do my best and worst work?” 3.    Analyze your skills and capabilities. In an interview setting, you should be able to speak confidently about your strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself these questions:“What can I do really well and really enjoy doing?” Which skills do you have, and which do you need to build on? What are my Motivated Skills? Conversely, “What skills am I good at, but don’t enjoy using?” These are your Burnout Skills, and you want to minimize the time you spend doing these things. “What is an area I have the capacity to move the needle on, and how can I move that needle?” This is not a weakness, but rather an emerging strength you would like to turn into a signature strength.  Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring document and coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.  If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more:  https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2 

Discover the top desirable trait employers look for according to Harvard expert Heidi K. Gardner. Collaboration skills are rare but deliver higher quality results, faster promotions, and more satisfied clients. Exceptional collaborators are inclusive leaders, foster diversity, show gratitude, give credit, and form strong collaborations. Strategies for finding key individuals within an organization include leveraging leadership connections and clear communication.

This week, I want to talk about how to focus on the right things at work, using Stephen Covey’s Four Quadrants. At its essence, the Four Quadrants is about time management. If you’re anything like me, you’ve had it up to your eyeballs with articles, speakers, and social media posts about how to manage your time better. So, let’s not go there. Instead, let’s think about the Four Quadrants as a tool to manage our ACTIVITIES better – so we are focusing on the right things to get the results we are held accountable for achieving. My challenge for you in this area is this: After listening to this episode, decide to make a small – but significant shift – in one of the quadrants. A shift that will yield substantial results in terms of your productivity. The Four Quadrants For the uninitiated – or as a refresher - here are the four quadrants: Quadrant I – Urgent & Important Quadrant II – Not Urgent but Important Quadrant III – Urgent but Not Important Quadrant IV – Not Urgent & Not Important Let’s get specific. Quadrant I is the Quadrant of Necessity – things you need to do immediately. While these things are Urgent & Important, living in this quadrant tends to lead to burnout and takes time away from doing things that are Important but not Urgent. Examples:Resolving crises/Putting out firesPressing problemsProjects with deadlines  Quadrant II is the Quadrant of Quality – this is where you do important things that lead to real success and long-term viability for your company and yourself. The best way to ensure you are spending an appropriate amount of time in Quadrant II is to calendar these activities in and keep track of what you are doing. Examples:Relationship-building/NetworkingPlanning/PreparationPreventionEmpowerment  Quadrant III is the Quadrant of Deception – the key here is to recognize that these tasks don’t need to be done right away and may even be delegated. These tasks may seem important in the moment because of their urgency, but they aren’t. The challenge is not allowing someone else’s urgency to become yours – especially if it is due to the other person’s procrastination. Examples:InterruptionsSome phone callsSome mailSome reportsSome meetings  Quadrant IV is the Quadrant of Waste – activities that aren’t urgent or important. You want to minimize the time you spend in Quadrant IV at all costs. Examples:Busy workSome phone callsSome mailTime wasters  So, how do you figure out where the shift needs to take place? Step one is to take an honest look at how you are currently spending your time at work. Some of you may do very similar things each day, so evaluating how you spend your time could be as simple as tracking your activities for one day. Others of you may have a wide variety of tasks based on the day of the week, time of the month, quarter of the year, or other variables – so you’ll need to evaluate how you spend your time over a longer period of time. I thought I would use myself as an example – and yes, I’ll let you know the shift I will be making as a result of this exercise.  Quadrant 1 – Urgent & ImportantWriting my client’s resumes, cover letters, and LI profiles – 10 hours/weekCoaching calls with clients/Consults with prospective clients – 12 hours/weekWriting and producing this podcast each week – 2 hours/weekResponding to emails from clients, prospective clients, etc – 2 hours/weekIn-processing new clients – 1 hour/weekSunday preparation for the coming week – 1 hour/weekMeeting with my VA and my coach – 1 hour/weekTOTAL: 19 hours/week  Quadrant II – Not Urgent but ImportantAttending SHRM meetings - 2 hours/monthAttending Ellevate meetings – 2 hours/weekOther professional development – 2 hours/monthNetworking via LI, Fairygodboss – 2 hours/monthBudget management – 1 hour/weekPlanning for business growth & expansion including new programs – 4 hours/weekTOTAL: about 7 hours/week  Quadrant III – Urgent but Not ImportantI can’t think of anything I do that falls in this category  Quadrant IV – Not Urgent & Not ImportantGoing down a rabbit hole with unimportant emails – not much time, but should avoid this altogether – 2 hours/week  Here’s what I learned from this exercise: I spend the vast majority of my time in Quadrant I, which can lead to burnout. I get tremendous satisfaction from planning for the growth of my company, as well as networking – yet I let the Quadrant I activities overtake Quadrant II activities. I am committing to carving out an additional two hours/week to engage in planning, program development, and business growth. My question to you is this: What one change will you make that has the potential for a tremendous ROI in your productivity – job satisfaction – results? Let me know!   Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring document and coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.  If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more:  https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2

I talked in episode #268 about leading through a reduction in force – today I want to talk about the signs that your company might be about to do a RIF – and how to be prepared. Here’s the link to episode #268: http://exclusivecareercoaching.com/posts/2023-04-12-268-leading-through-a-reduction-in-force-rif  Let’s talk about the preparation piece first. I’ve talked on this podcast numerous times about ARFO – Always Ready For Opportunity. If you take that approach, your resume, LinkedIn profile, qualifications, and job search plan are always up to date and ready to go at a moment’s notice. If you haven’t updated your resume or LI profile lately, that should be a first step. Are there any credentials or qualifications you need to get or renew, or training you need to make you more competitive? Get that training. The thing I most hate to see is when clients are either not seeing the handwriting on the wall – or are blissfully choosing to ignore it. You don’t want to be caught flat-footed when the pink slips start coming – nor do you want to be at the back of the line for available opportunities at other companies in your industry and field. Whether you see RIFs on the horizon or not, updating your marketing materials, ensuring your credentials and education are competitive, and having a job search strategy in place is always a good idea, because you just never know. Another aspect of ARFO is keeping your network current and active. The best practice is to spend a small amount of time on a regular basis maintaining your network. If you haven’t done that, you’ll need to allot a larger amount of time to revitalize your networking efforts. What are the signs your company may be planning a significant reduction in force? 1.    Key projects and assignments going to someone else. 2.    Nonessential perks start being cut. 3.    New products, initiatives, or expansions are being put on the back burner. 4.    The budget is under a microscope, such as heightened scrutiny on expense reimbursements, additional procedures for purchase approvals, or targeted or across-the-board budget cuts. 5.    There’s a merger or acquisition – creating duplicate positions. 6.    You’re being kept out of the loop and in the dark. 7.    Executives seem more stressed out than usual, and communication dries up.  These are indicators that you need to start looking elsewhere immediately: 1.    Your company is bleeding money – missing revenue targets for successive quarters. 2.    The essential budgets are being cut to the bone, like sales & marketing. 3.    There is a hiring freeze. 4.    There is a mass exodus, often without any notice, from the c-suite and other key executives. Especially when the exodus includes top performers. 5.    There’s talk of restructuring the company. 6.    There has already been at least one round of layoffs. 7.    Your boss or HR is suddenly interested in the specifics of your job duties – perhaps even asking you to write them down. 8.    You’re getting locked out of files or not included in emails.  Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring document and coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.  If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more:  https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2    

Once again, I am pulling from the book “Leading with Emotional Intelligence” by Reldan Nadler. In his book, Nadler talks about “The Perfection Loop” – the fact that success-driven people often set unrealistic goals that set them up for failure or frustration. There are three reasons for setting unrealistic goals: 1.    The expectations are set without the benefit of critical thinking 2.    Once the unrealistic expectations are set, they aren’t revisited for their accuracy or realism 3.    The unrealistic expectations are adhered to as the Golden Rule  Six Stages of the Perfection Loop 1.    Perfection is set as an expectation 2.    Stress, pressure, and possibly procrastination going into the task 3.    A less-than-expected performance 4.    You are On Your Case, and on others’ cases Here’s the link to the episode I did on Being On Your Side vs. Being On Your Case:http://exclusivecareercoaching.com/posts/2023-03-29-266-self-confidence-being-on-your-side-vs-being-on-your-case 5.    You become less confident about yourself and your team 6.    You determine to do better next time  When you recognize that you are in a perfection loop, you can begin to see how unproductive it is, understand how you created the loop, and determine what you need to change to get different results.   Here are some indicators that you are in a perfection loop: -Your “planning” is actually worrying -Your “preparing” is actually avoiding -Your “resting” is actually procrastinating  So how do we counter the perfection loop? -Assess how realistic and attainable your expectations actually are – is your evaluation system faulty? -Determine what resources, time, or other help you will need to get the task done. -Assess where you currently are in the perfection loop and determine the first step you need to take to regain control. -How can you view your evaluation of the outcomes of this activity so that it becomes a learning experience for next time? -Who do you need to support you, and in what way(s)? -Who can you ask to give you feedback when they see you stuck in the loop?  As a previous coach of mine would say, “Perfectionists are scared people.” What she meant was that, in their effort to be perfect, they were trying to manipulate other people’s opinion of them by doing “a great job.” When in fact you can’t change what other people think – no matter how good (or bad) a job you do. That’s on them. Perfectionists are also afraid of backlash from putting an inferior product or result out in the world. My coach advocated for B- work, and I concur. It is better to get your work out into the world at a B-, than to not get it out into the world at all. As I like to say, it’s not winning or losing. It’s winning or learning.  Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring document and coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.  If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more:  https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2 

Today, we’re talking about leading through a Reduction in Force, or RIF. This episode isn’t just for people who have managerial duties, but also people who lead by influence. I want to frame this with some statistics; as of the day I am writing this episode in late March: -Meta is planning to lay off 10,000 workers this year -More than 161,000 tech layoffs occurred in 2022, with an additional 128,000+ layoffs so far in 2023 -Disney announced 7,000 layoffs in February -Amazon is cutting 18,000 jobs -Salesforce is laying off 10% of its workforce -Goldman Sachs is cutting 3,200 jobs -Spotify is cutting 6% of its workforce  So, what do you do when you are in a leadership role during a RIF? What DON’T you do?  Show kindness and compassion to those you are letting go.  Advocate for them to receive outplacement benefits and severance. Treat them with dignity and respect. Leverage your network, if possible, to help them successfully land in their next role. If you aren’t in a leadership role, you can still show this kindness and compassion to your RIFed coworkers – and you may be able to help them network their way to a new role.  Acknowledge the toll on the remaining employees. It’s easy for a leader to think that those remaining are thrilled to keep their jobs, but the uncertainty of the ground underneath their feet makes it much more likely the remaining employees will be nervous, shaken, and unsettled. They are simultaneously mourning the loss of their colleagues, wondering if they are next to be RIFed, and trying to adapt to added job responsibilities as they fill the roles of those who have been let go. As a leader, you are tasked with keeping the team together emotionally and motivationally – this is key to help avoid further layoffs. If you aren’t in a leadership role, be a friend to your remaining coworkers. It’s okay to express your emotions – but it’s not okay to use your lunch hours as a bitch session. Be a positive inspiration of how to navigate this situation.  Allow space for grief. Perhaps your employees need to share their grief with each other – facilitate this for them. The worst thing a leader can do in this regard is pretend like your team isn’t grieving. If you aren’t in a leadership role, and your boss isn’t allowing space for grief, advocate for this with your boss.  Redefine priorities and communicate with your team. If this has been a significant RIF that has decimated your team, meet with your direct supervisor to determine priorities in light of reduced staff. It is quite possible that previous priorities are thrown out the window and a completely new focus is introduced if the company is reorganizing or refocusing.Over-communicate these new priorities with your team. This is a critical time for employees to be kept in the loop to help minimize gossip, fatalistic thinking, and a mass exodus of the employees you had hoped to keep. If you aren’t in a leadership role, ask your boss how you can support him or her in communicating these new priorities – and what new roles your boss needs you to take on. Be a model team player.  Streamline systems.  How can you step up automation to help with reduced staff? How can you reshuffle job duties to even out the workload? If you aren’t in a leadership role but have significant tech skills, perhaps you can take the lead on researching possibilities or implementing additional facets of existing technology. Could you help your boss reshuffle the workload?  Invest in your remaining team members.  You need those who remain to be operating at their highest level; what are the tools, training, and support they need to do so? Will some team members need to be retrained to take on completely new responsibilities? Plan social events, recognition, even give out spot bonuses, if possible, to keep your remaining workforce motivated and committed. If you aren’t in a leadership role, perhaps you would love to plan a social event or create a recognition program – approach your boss to offer to take the lead on some aspect of this that plays to your strengths.  Paint the vision. The only way you can get your team onboard is to show them a brighter future. Here’s a quote from a Forbes article called The Big RIF: “Most people will jump ship immediately without a clear view of a future magnetic state. Or, they will check out, go through the motions, and then jump ship. Neither scenario accomplishes your mission.”If you aren’t in a leadership role, you can’t paint the vision – but perhaps there is a part you can play. Can you create a PowerPoint for the boss to share with your team? Is there an opportunity for you to support your boss in operationalizing the new vision? If you are in a leadership role during a RIF, you have a tremendous opportunity to show kindness and empathy, provide direction and resources for your team members during a turbulent time, and show those above you how good of a leader you truly are. If you are not in a leadership role during a RIF, this is your opportunity to put your leadership strengths on display for your boss, coworkers, and others to see. Take advantage of this!   Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring document and coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.  If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more:  https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2