Don’t quit: Fix it
That’s the advice Marilyn Carlson Nelson received from her dad when she was 13 years old. Today Nelson, owner of the $40 billion Carlson Cos., is one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
Category: Career
Seeing signs of trouble? What to do
A common story in the current economic environment is this: One day, you notice signs that your company might be in trouble. Soon after, the company begins layoffs. Rather than wait for the ax to fall, prepare yourself at the first signs of trouble.
Quick tip: Find a mentor
Does your company have a mentoring program? About 70% of Fortune 500 companies do. Even if you don’t have a formal way to seek out a mentor, consider doing the legwork to find one on your own.
S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g the training budget
It won’t surprise you that most companies plan to spend less on training this year. Rather than lament the fact that there’s less money in the budget for traditional training, consider this: Less-formal training might be more effective than formal training, and it still allows you to develop your career.
Career advice: Know yourself!
“My boss is driving me crazy. What can I do about it?” … “My co-worker got a promotion, even though I do a better job.” The starting point for almost any question about your career, says career columnist Penelope Trunk, is: Know yourself better.
Fan the flames of optimism
Fear can paralyze even the most successful people. To make it through the recession, though, businesses need people who can be fearless. Gayle Lantz, author of Take the Bull by the Horns, says that to move back into “thrive” mode, “You’ve got to figure out how to aggressively move forward.”
Keep your job: 10 survival tips
More pink slips are on the horizon … While you can’t control the job market, you can control the impact you make at work every day. “It’s important for your own survival to do what you can, as opposed to backing into a corner and waiting for the ax to fall,” says Deb Bright, a longtime executive coach, of Bright Enterprises.
Spoke-and-wheel goal setting
Break down a big goal into smaller pieces by envisioning a wheel and spokes. At the hub is your long-term goal. The spokes radiating from the hub are what determine your daily actions.
1-Minute Strategies: March ’09
Pump up your managers with useful research they don’t have time to do themselves … Sharpen your workplace instincts by playing The Office-Politics Game … Soothe stress by first dividing triggers into two categories …
Champion your idea all the way to the top
When you’re ready to put a big idea on the table, you’ll need to be a defender, a supporter and a champion of the idea. Classic example: Spence Silver’s glue that wasn’t so good at sticking. He championed his pet project, and Post-it notes became an office mainstay.