Take a Step
Positive Strategies to Move You Closer to Your Goals
Sometimes we’re so stuck in our jobs and careers that any change seems daunting. And yet as the old Chinese Proverb states: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Leslie Levine, author of “Wish It, Dream It, Do It” provides concrete steps that you can easily adapt and implement to get you moving towards your dreams and goals.
Q:
Is mentoring really that effective? If so, how can a mentoring
relationship help one's career?
A: I think mentoring can only work if
both people—the mentor and the mentee—respect one another, believe in the
process, and know when to move on. I also believe that mentors come to us in all
sorts of way. The “momentary mentor,” for example, may be the person sitting
next to you on a flight who gives you a piece of career advice that you never
forget, the kind that could send you over the top in terms of being successful.
I also think that we have mentors who we may never meet. Eleanor Roosevelt lived
long before my time, but I love what she once said about having to do the thing
you think you cannot do. I practice that a lot.
Q: How do you
find a mentor?
A: Many companies have formal programs
that help employees find mentors within their corporations. You can also
approach someone yourself; if you can graciously make the request with the
understanding that you may get a no, it’s worth a try. While it is helpful to
have a mentor within your industry, being mentored by people outside your area
of expertise can be instructive and fruitful too.
Q: In your book you
suggest to readers in one chapter that they study their lines? What do
you mean by that?
A: Wouldn’t life be grand if we were
able to say the perfect thing at just the right moment without ever rehearsing?
Of course we’re always coming up with that clever response about a day late. “If
only I’d said . . . “ I often prepare myself for a phone call, for instance, by
jotting down a short script, bullets that will help me stay on topic and make it
unnecessary for me to call the person back or follow up with an email saying, “I
neglected to ask such and such.” I sometimes forget about the script and do fine
but, there are instances when I really mess up and I remind myself that I must
be more prepared for the next time.
Q:
Why is it important for people in the workplace to talk up their work?
A: No one can
“boast” about what you do the way you can. Of course there’s a good way to brag
and there’s bragging that will turn people off. Just acknowledging someone’s
recognition is a way to boast. Too often we downplay and minimize our
accomplishments even when the opportunity presents itself so smoothly as when a
colleague or friend pays us a compliment. Instead of dismissing their kind words
we should make THEM feel good by acknowledging the compliment. But you can’t and
shouldn’t expect others to speak up about your work.
Q:
How do you “boast” if you are shy by nature?
A: It’s
possible to learn how to talk up your work even if you’re shy. The best
approach, especially for people who aren’t accustomed to talking about
themselves at all, is to speak up about how much you enjoy doing what you do. In
that way, you’re simply showing people that you’re doing what you love and if
you enjoy what you’re doing, you usually are doing it well. Sometimes you might
start out by saying, “I used to think this would be really difficult, but once I
started spending some serious time with it, I realized that it was something I’m
pretty good at.” In that phrase, the speaker is balancing out the boast with the
reality.
Q:
Even with personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, elaborate day
planners, and other time management systems, some people just can't seem
to get it together. Why is that and how can they solve this dilemma?
A: Unless
people value their time, no time management system, regardless of how many bells
and whistles and buttons, is going to work effectively. Plus, if you don’t value
your time, few others will value it either. For me, a time management system is
about organization, but again, unless I take what I do seriously whether it’s
taking my kid for a pair of shoes or finishing a report, that gizmo that does
email, allows me to make and receive calls, and lets me go on the Internet isn’t
going to make much difference to the quality of what I do.
Q; Why should we give back to the community? What does that have to do with work?
A:
The very act of giving our energy and
talents to someone or something in need imbues a sense of self
confidence. Very often, the people who enjoy giving back say things like,
“Oh, I get much more out of this than the people I’m helping” or “This is
just the right thing to do.” Indeed, giving back for those who do it from
the heart simply feels natural. It feels good and basically that, besides
enriching the community in which you live, is a strong impetus for
volunteering. Of course writing a check is good, too, and while some
people might look down on that, you have to remember that not everyone
gives the same way and in many cases our ability to give varies with
where we are in life. I also think that companies have a great
opportunity to give in ways that individuals, by themselves, can’t always
achieve. So whether you have a company of two or two thousand you can
probably figure out a way to give something back. Plus, it builds
teamwork.