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Articles from Jane Cranston | Selfgrowth.com
- Taking Control of Office Clutter - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2012 from Jane CranstonI was in the Container Store watching what seemed like hundreds of people buying all sorts of plastic containers to put their “stuff” in. It got me thinking about the types of clutter we have, particularly in the workplace. While I don't, nor do my executive coaching clients, partake in the ...
Views: 84 - Three Essential Qualities of a Great Supervisor - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2012 from Jane CranstonWe’ve all had our share of poor or mediocre bosses, but what qualities do most great supervisors seem to have? I would argue three of the essentials are transparency, flexibility, and leadership. Here’s what they look like in action. Transparency: A tremendous amount of workplace time is ...
Views: 107 - Gratitude is Good for Your Health - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2012 from Jane CranstonI’ve never understood why it is so difficult for some people to say “thank you.” It begs the question, “Are we really grateful?” and, “For what and whom?” And most important, “Can we admit it to ourselves and share it with others?” Recent research by Micheal E McCullough, a professor at the ...
Views: 261 - Five Hiring Mistakes Smart Employers Make - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2012 from Jane CranstonIn good and bad employment times, it seems certain people can locate, attract, and select the best. Whether they’re looking for a new CEO, to fill a line position, or searching out the best childcare worker, some employers seems to get the right results. Why is that? Are they just plain lucky? I ...
Views: 129 - Other Ways to Communicate Besides E-Mail - by Submitted on Dec 31, 2011 from Jane CranstonHas someone IM’d you recently? I don’t mean someone down the street or in another region, I’m talking about the person sitting next to you. Is every “conversation” you have with your boss on e-mail? Gotten a text condolence note lately? (I did, no kidding, can’t say it was very consoling.) Have ...
Views: 160(2 votes) - Manage Your Time to Fit the Challenge - by Submitted on Dec 31, 2011 from Jane CranstonEveryone is trying to manage time. When you hear them talk, you would think it could be manipulated -- stretched or duplicated. It isn’t possible and for those who think they can, it’s more of a game than a solution. Knowing there are but 24 hours in a day, the challenge becomes more about ...
Views: 161(1 vote) - Getting a Raise in a No Increase Environment - by Submitted on Dec 31, 2011 from Jane CranstonMoney is tight everywhere. Even people doing well are feeling the impact of local, national, and global slowdowns in the economy. That said, it doesn’t necessarily mean no one is getting merit increases, promotions, and salary adjustments. Whether you work for a company that has a very ...
Views: 283 - Getting Great Employees for Less Money - by Submitted on Dec 31, 2011 from Jane CranstonIt’s just a fact of work life -- not everyone has the same amount of dollars to invest in opportunities or challenges. In today’s economic environment the numbers with less is accelerating and even those with resources appear to be hesitant to spend. This is true especially when it comes to the ...
Views: 266 - The Sorry State of Apologies - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2011 from Jane CranstonAll of us make mistakes, say things we didn’t mean, forget, or are rude when we may not have intended to be. Experience has taught me most people don’t intentionally harm others but once they do, they’re reluctant, or find it difficult, to take responsibility for the damage. According to ...
Views: 143(1 vote) - The Sorry State of Apologies - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2011 from Jane CranstonAll of us make mistakes, say things we didn’t mean, forget, or are rude when we may not have intended to be. Experience has taught me most people don’t intentionally harm others but once they do, they’re reluctant, or find it difficult, to take responsibility for the damage. According to ...
Views: 129(1 vote) - Humanizing Your Work Place - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2011 from Jane CranstonThe statistics speak. Most people spend more time at work than in any other activity; more than hours with their family, eating, sleeping, or interacting with friends. That said, wouldn’t it seem logical that we would spend an hour and some effort making our workspace as conducive to the job at ...
Views: 238(1 vote) - Creating Awe-inspiring Presentations like Steve Jobs - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2011 from Jane CranstonWe all have attended presentations. I’m sure you will agree most were terrible – boring, redundant, and/or visually offensive. I am guilty of giving a few myself. You too? To improve my knowledge base and skills, I started studying the product launches of Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, Inc. I then ...
Views: 287(1 vote) - Building Trust at Work - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2011 from Jane CranstonI had a boss, I’ll call him, Ted. Ted was very political and used his high emotional intelligence to play all sides of every issue just to make sure he was always covered. I heard him lie by fact and omission. So clever was the man that when opinions were asked, he was able to shift positions ...
Views: 203(1 vote) - Extroverts in the Workplace - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2011 from Jane CranstonIn contemporary psychological terms, “extrovert” is used to describe a individuals whose temperament type or preference directs and receives their energy from external sources. In the practical sense, they are action people who plug into others for their juice. They’re not generally drawn to ...
Views: 319(1 vote) - Hire for Skill, Retain for Results, Fire for Chemistry - by Submitted on Sep 29, 2011 from Jane CranstonWhen working with managers and executives in a coaching relationship, I’m often struck as to how naïve some are to the realities of the day-to-day operating on the job and the politics of the workplace. All too often people tell me how many hours they work and about all the effort they ...
Views: 194(1 vote) - Leadership Lessons Learned from My Father - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2011 from Jane CranstonNo matter how much individuals like their jobs, they’re entitled to be paid. Years ago the company my father was an executive with was purchased in a hostile takeover. The new owners were unable to deliver the paychecks on payday. Their response was, “They’ll just have to wait ‘til Monday.” “My ...
Views: 332(2 votes) - Introverts in the Workplace: How They Operate; How They Succeed - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2011 from Jane CranstonIn modern behavioral terms, “introvert” is used to describe individuals who are most comfortable in the inner life of the mind, come across as more reserved, and are less likely to seek numerous or large interactions. They represent approximately half of the population. In the workplace their ...
Views: 484(2 votes) - Encouraging and Making Progress - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2011 from Jane CranstonDo you have days when you feel like you’re getting nowhere or sense a project will never end? Worked on initiatives where you were only part of the solution and would never see the finished product? Wonder what happened to that suggestion that received such a positive reception and now seems to ...
Views: 188(2 votes) - Increase Your Productivity by Doing Less - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2011 from Jane CranstonWho wouldn’t like to get more done in less time, have excess hours and energy to devote to family, hobbies, and rest? If you looked at the actions and habits of the average worker, you would wonder. We seem to be increasing productivity to levels formerly seen as impossible, lengthening our ...
Views: 205 - Do Women Lack Ambition? - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2011 from Jane CranstonHave you recently observed the steam coming out of the ears of a few women over forty? Not sure what’s up and what started it all? Let me clue you in. It’s a reaction to a just published McKinsey & Company report in conjunction (some would say cahoots) with The Wall Street Journal. In the spirit ...
Views: 192 - Watch, Wait, and Imitate: What I Learned from a Person with Asperger’s - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2011 from Jane CranstonDiseases, disorders, and conditions seem to go in and out of public favor. Not so long ago everyone seemed to have dyslexia, and then it was ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder). Charlie Sheehan put mania back on the radar. With the widespread success of the movie “Social Media,” ...
Views: 333 - Become a Better Boss - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2011 from Jane CranstonEach of us, at some time in our career, dreamed of “designing” the perfect boss. You know what I mean. Type in the specifications and out would come exactly who you needed to get your job done with none of the flaws we’ve all tolerated in mere mortals. The question is “what would you want in a ...
Views: 192 - Advance Your Career -- Get Out of Your Comfort Zone - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2011 from Jane Cranstons I see it, there are really three places you can exist in your career--Comfort, Growth, or Fear zones. Let’s assess where you are. Think of a work issue, your current status, or even take a bird’s eye view of the recent past. Ask yourself “Where am I?” “Am I operating mostly in my comfort ...
Views: 185 - Increase Effectiveness with Checklists - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2011 from Jane CranstonAtul Gawande is an accomplished scholar (Mac Arthur Fellow), a staff writer for The New Yorker, and a Harvard professor, in addition to being a well-respected surgeon. He is also an astute observer with a curious mind. In the world of surgery, infection kills more people than the operations. ...
Views: 223(3 votes) - Branding Yourself in the Workplace - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2011 from Jane CranstonExecutive coaching clients wanting to enhance their role and impact in their current workplace continuously ask me, “How do I get greater recognition?” “Make sure my boss doesn’t get all of the credit?” “What’s the best way to be found by potential employers and thought leaders in my field?” My ...
Views: 237 - Civility in the Workplace -- Four Ways to Achieve It - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2011 from Jane CranstonThe word civility is surely not new to the language, yet it is not a term you hear spoken every day. It took a “shellacking,” a tea party, and a deadly shooting for a few people to step back and ask “is this really the way ‘we’ want to treat one another?” Of course, most of us, myself included, ...
Views: 502 - Goal Setting Ideas for 2011 - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2011 from Jane CranstonTime off gave me the opportunity to read and listen to more news and pop culture media than usual. The myriad of suggestions is staggering. I have chosen a few I found interesting and doable. Try some and you will be well ahead of the curve. In 2011 I will: Backup personal data as ...
Views: 224 - Resume Essentials Part 2 - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2010 from Jane CranstonHere is the second part of “Resume Essentials.” In this section, we’ll discuss some of the nuances of a resume and how it can attract the right people to you and your work history. Brand Names: Everyone likes the familiar, so if you’ve worked with an organization that has high recognition, ...
Views: 213 - Resume Essentials Part 1 - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2010 from Jane CranstonWe will discuss, exclusively, chronological resumes. They are the most common, generally preferred by HR pros, and if you know how to create them, the easiest to write. They’re not well-suited to career changers, people with gaps in work, and possibly recent grads. We all need to remember a ...
Views: 269 - Curb Anxiety -- How to Keep Calm and Carry On - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2010 from Jane CranstonThe tone and stiff upper lip image the phrase “Keep Calm and Carry On” portrays tells a lot about its origins. It’s 1939 and Hitler’s forces are bombing England day and night. The government prints motivational posters telling the people “Keep Calm and Carry On.” And they did. Fast forward ...
Views: 607(2 votes) - Save Time -- Deal with NUTs - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2010 from Jane CranstonWhen I say NUTs I am not referring to some of the crazies my clients tell me are hanging around their workplace. I mean Nagging Unfinished Tasks. You know what I’m talking about, those things you are going to file (electronically or physically), the calls you should make, the networking you ...
Views: 226 - Executive Coaching -- What it is and Isn’t - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2010 from Jane CranstonOne of things I love about being a coach is the variety of people and situations that come to my office or call on the phone. In no particular order here are some of the presenting challenges brought to coaching sessions. You will note—I fired no one. A client comes to executive coaching ...
Views: 305(1 vote) - Gain Time with a 3-Day Tech Rest - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2010 from Jane CranstonYou probably know the work of Matt Richtel, though his name may not be familiar to you. Richtel won the Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting for the New York Times for his series titled “Driven to Distraction.” The series, where he addressed the impact of multitasking, texting, and phoning while ...
Views: 342 - Time vs. Things. What Makes You Happier? - by Submitted on Aug 31, 2010 from Jane CranstonIn the Business section of the New York Times (August 8, 2010 ), the author, Stephanie Rosenbloom, wrote about people who had successfully downsized their lives, sometimes to a level many of us would deem extreme, particularly when it came to possessions. Whether by choice or circumstances, such ...
Views: 471(2 votes) - The 3Cs of Communication: Clear, Concise, and Correct - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonBob Sheppard, the announcer for the New York Yankees, for more than almost six decades, applied three simple principles to his extraordinary delivery. Surely his beautiful baritone made him highly listenable and memorable; however, it was his discipline that made him a lifetime member of the ...
Views: 1440(4 votes) - Must I Leave My Company to Advance My Career? - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonToo quickly, and too often the answer given to this question is “yes.” “Of course you have to move to get to the next level, make more money.” “Everyone knows home-growns are paid less.” True? Not necessarily, according to Monika Hamori, professor of Human Resource Management at the IE Business ...
Views: 690 - Validation--Getting and Giving it at Work - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonI’ve been thinking about, and sharing with my executive coaching clients, the idea of validation. What I mean is the need of almost all of us to be told, in word or reaction, that who we are and what we contribute is relevant, valuable, and special. People on the job interview circuit ...
Views: 362 - Taking a Part-Time Vacation - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2010 from Jane CranstonAre you envious of people who can go on vacation and not give work, home, or other obligations a thought? I use to be but then decided it really wasn’t the right mindset for me. As many of you know, I am an advocate of “the blended life” (to read more take a look at my past article on the ...
Views: 798 - Are You a Renter or an Owner of Your Career? - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2010 from Jane CranstonAre you a renter or an owner? The question is generally asked about living space or maybe an office. Today, I ‘m asking about it with regards to your job and/or career. Think about it. A renter generally has a defined time commitment, a lease. They may have an exit plan from the get go “we’ll ...
Views: 277 - Love My Work Hate My Job - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2010 from Jane Cranston“Love my work, hate my job” is the lament of too many people. Since layoffs appear to have reduced in numbers and the workplace seems to be settling into the new normal, people have the luxury of contemplating whether they're happy in the workplace. Being out of work, or even the threat of ...
Views: 813 - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats--SWOT - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonHow do you predict the outcome of a behavior, project, or idea? A few days ago, an executive career-coaching client came to a session with an interesting PowerPoint presentation. It was a proposal to a potential employer. My client hoped the company would gain a better appreciation of his ...
Views: 1158(3 votes) - Networking Hurdles - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonI'm always surprised at how many of my executive career coaching clients are hesitant to contact former colleagues and supervisors when they need advice or information. I call these their “networking hurdles.” It seems particularly true when they’re looking for a job. Why is that? I gave it some ...
Views: 293(1 vote) - Why am I Talking? Saying too Much at Work - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonI learned the W-A-I-T acronym in my graduate school training. I’ve always posted a small note on my wall, out of the client’s view, as a reminder. The letters stand for “Why Am I Talking?” Why do people talk too much in business situations? They’re anxious. Maybe the gathering is about a ...
Views: 815(1 vote) - The Blended Life (Better than Balanced Life) - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonMy last Competitive Edge Report article “Is the Key Still in Your Ignition?” hit a sweet cord with a number of you and sour note with others. I thought I’d continue the discussion this week by looking back as well as forward. The impetus for the original piece, where I advocated when you take ...
Views: 346(6 votes) - Balancing Your Life--Is Your Key Still in Your Ignition - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonLast week, while I was considering subjects for this article, I found myself thinking about a tip my daughter-in-law, Mary, gave me. Since she was trained by the military as a truck mechanic, I take her automotive advice seriously. Then, I had to laugh. I think this is the third Competitive Edge ...
Views: 292(2 votes) - Winning Managers Compromise - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonThere aren’t many people who could say their opponents shed a tear at their funeral; however, that is reportedly what happened at the services for the late Edward Kennedy. As with most current events, I found myself curious for the lesson(s) behind the story. While researching Kennedy’s ...
Views: 360(2 votes) - Marketing Lessons Learned from a Yard SaleSubmitted on Jun 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonI decided autumn was a great time to clean out the garage. Thought, while I was at it, to get rid of the things that had been replaced or whose time had come. The answer was clear—sell it at my first ever yard sale. Here’s what I learned and how I think we can all apply some of the lessons to ...
Views: 252(1 vote) - Are You Networking at 10 Percent - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonConversations with a number of coaching clients have focused on the need to network and develop a networking strategy. While job seekers may not want to “get out there in a big way,” they generally appreciate the role that reconnecting and meeting new people plays in identifying positions and ...
Views: 241(2 votes) - So You Want to be a Leader - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonI hear it all the time from my coaching clients, “I want to get to the next level and in order to do that, I have to take on a leadership role.” “Really? And do you want to be a leader?” “I don’t know, seems like I have to if I want to get ahead.” This is a treacherous and potentially ...
Views: 303(1 vote) - How Not to Get Laid Off - Part II - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2010 from Jane CranstonHaving been on both sides of the layoff table I can tell you with great confidence that few employment decisions are based strictly on contribution or goal attainment. Don’t get me wrong, making money for the firm is important, doing superior work is essential; however, there is that less ...
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