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Your 2017 Goals
Last Sunday my husband and I hunted down an open coffee shop (not easy to do on New Year’s Day) and spent 90 minutes talking through the goals we set for 2016, and then created new ones for 2017. We go through this exercise every year—sometimes right at the start of January, other times not until March or so. But at some point, it happens. Part of me loves this exercise because I get to sit with my significant other and talk about our life together, from our deepest hopes to our most frustrating challenges to our most rewarding accomplishments. Another part of me digs it because writing down...
read moreA look ahead at 2017.
Year after year (since 1993) I’ve been in the unique position of hearing first-hand from hundreds of career-minded Coloradoans what’s going on with the local economy and its employers. Based on that, these are my predictions for the world of work in NoCo for 2017: – Businesses will continue to increase their efforts to improve employees’ working experiences. We live in a boom city in a boom state–very lucky we are! But that translates to a tight market for experienced candidates. Employers who are motivated to keep rock-star workers will continue to raise the bar on how...
read moreNot so Merry. I’ve been downsized, what should I do?
As the year winds down, several businesses are letting workers go. Restructuring, fiscal downturns, a change in strategy—the reasons vary. Rarely is it personal, but at this time of year, it can be an especially difficult blow. My sister, a 50-year-old fundraiser, is going through this right now. When she shared the news and asked for advice, this is what I recommended: – Acknowledge the emotional aspects. Losing a job ranks among the top five life stressors, and to move ahead successfully, you’ll need to process the disappointment. Saying, “It doesn’t bother me,” is usually a...
read moreUsing creative sources for research and support.
Coming off of a whirlwind travel weekend, Monday then hit me with the challenge of coming up with a theme for this week’s column. The few ideas I had in reserve didn’t inspire me. So I did what I often do lately when looking for help: I asked my friends on Facebook. My post, calling for any interesting career-growth related topic, yielded 27 submissions in four hours. Suggestions ranged from when to give up on a passion career and just take a job, to when to give up on a job to shift to a passion career. What to do to get noted for a promotion, to what not to do at the company holiday party...
read moreEAP services for a better you!
November was Mental Health Awareness month, but I was a little too overwhelmed to be on top of that, so this column is a few days into December. My recent discombobulation is as a result of some changes in my business. Then, when I noticed my stress spilling over into my personal life, I contacted my Employee Assistance Program and lined up some sessions with a counselor. For more than two decades, I’ve been quick to run to a therapist when my mental balances get out of whack. Seems as though I’m not alone in this behavior. According to a West Virginia University report, approximately 20% of...
read moreA Survey For Hope
Chances are you’re basking in the glow of a delicious holiday meal, feeling optimistic about the world around us. Or at least I hope you are. What is hope all about, anyway? According to Therese Lask, a training and organizational development specialist at Colorado State University, it’s about having goals and a belief that you can overcome obstacles to achieve them. The future seems bright to those with hope. Lask trains employees within workplaces on how to increase their feelings of hope, based on research by Shane Lopez, Ph.D. Using data gathered in schools, and combined with his...
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