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Articles from Alvah Parker | Selfgrowth.com
- Happiness Is Doing Meaningful Work and Getting Fairly Paid For It - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2009 from Alvah ParkerSeveral years ago I had a series of SCORE clients who wanted to start businesses making and selling greeting cards. The cards that they showed me were usually very beautiful and every one was unique. Pricing the cards was always a problem to them. The market would not pay a price to cover ...
Views: 1218 - Happiness Is Doing Meaningful Work And Having A Supportive Community - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2009 from Alvah ParkerHaving a community is important to your health, happiness and well being. “There are few better antidotes to unhappiness than close friendships with people who care about you”, says David G. Myers, author of “The Pursuit of Happiness”. "Sadly, our increasingly individualistic society suffers ...
Views: 1071 - Happy At Work – Want Professional Success? Ignore Negativity - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2011 from Alvah ParkerAmy, my client (not her real name), set a goal when we began our coaching sessions to find a position where she could achieve professional success and be happy at work in 3 months. She had been working in her position for about 6 months and was miserable. The environment was toxic, there was ...
Views: 1364 - How To Be Happy at Work? Acknowledge Yourself - by Submitted on May 13, 2011 from Alvah ParkerMaking a list of your accomplishments at work is a way to acknowledge yourself and your work. In 1997 when I had just started my coaching practice another coach sent out a newsletter suggesting that her readers make a list of 100 accomplishments for the year in their personal and work life that ...
Views: 1286 - Managing The Boss - 10 Questions To Ask The Boss - by Submitted on Sep 29, 2008 from Alvah ParkerHow do you manage a boss who seems unapproachable? I had one once. His office door was open but no one ever disturbed him. I was new to the staff but I noticed that he never came out of his office and no one went into it unless he called to invite them. I had a job that no one had had before. I ...
Views: 1490 - Meaningful Work - 10 Tips for Long Life and Career Growth - by Submitted on Jul 29, 2009 from Alvah ParkerA recent NY Times article focuses on a group of women in their 90s that play bridge with each other regularly. Researchers believe there are a couple of components to longevity - social interaction and using the mind. The game of bridge has both. Similarly when you are managing your ...
Views: 1431 - Parenting Success - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2005 from Alvah ParkerAt a Women’s Bar Association lunch one of the attorneys ordered a diet soda and then explained to the rest of us that her children were doing a “healthy living” program so she stopped buying diet soda to drink at home. She said having this diet soda was a real treat for her. She then ...
Views: 889 - Recession Proof Your Career - 10 Ways To Keep Your Job - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2008 from Alvah ParkerThere is lots of talk of recession these days. Whether the talk is true or not here are 10 things you can be doing for your career to bolster your chances of working through rough times. The best time to start is right now! 1. Skills Proficiency - Be sure to be up to date in your skills. ...
Views: 803 - Relieving Stress By Getting The Work Done - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2007 from Alvah ParkerAt a time management presentation for a group of paralegals one of the participants asked what to do with something on her “To Do” list that she keeps putting off doing. Procrastination! What a stress producer! Nearly everyone present said this was an issue for them too. I have to admit that ...
Views: 1084 - Self Assessment: The Key to a Successful Job Search - by Submitted on Apr 01, 2009 from Alvah ParkerWhen I was laid off in 1997 I was told by many to let everyone know I was starting a job search. I had been successful at my last job and was a star sales performer for many years. People who knew my history were eager to help me. But I knew something wasn't right about their advice. Don't ...
Views: 1159 - Simple Marketing Tips to Do in 5 Minutes a Day - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2009 from Alvah ParkerAll the professionals I work with are eager to find a simple way to add new clients. Most are already busy and tell me they have to struggle to find blocks of free time to “do marketing”. Of course some marketing does take large blocks of time but I am here to tell you that not all ...
Views: 957 - Storytelling for Fun and Profit - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2005 from Alvah ParkerStorytelling for Fun and Profit Storytelling - It’s a hot topic these days. What do I mean by storytelling? One website says that it is “a narrative account of a real or imagined event or events” That same website (http://www.eldrbarry.net/roos/st_defn.htm) says “Stories connect us with our ...
Views: 1033 - Structure Builds Confidence - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2007 from Alvah ParkerRemember the first day of first grade? Scary time! It felt very strange to be in a new school room with some friends but mostly new kids and a teacher you had met just that day. It probably didn’t take long to realize that things would be ok though. What did the teacher do to make ...
Views: 753 - Ten Actions Necessary for a Successful Job Search - by Submitted on Mar 30, 2009 from Alvah ParkerThere are many parts to a successful job search and the job seeker has to orchestrate them in a way that gets them to all come together so that he/she receives in multiple offers simultaneously. Here are some tips for those of you in the midst of a Job Search. They will be useful if you are part ...
Views: 1013 - Ten Networking Tips For The Job Seeker - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2009 from Alvah ParkerThe best way to find a job is through the people you know. If you want to establish some new relationships, networking is one way to do this. Some people think of networking as going to lots of meetings. That is only one piece of networking but not the total picture. By attending meetings ...
Views: 987 - Ten Signs of an Impending Layoff - by Submitted on Dec 05, 2008 from Alvah ParkerMany people are in denial about layoffs. There are many clues that one is coming but often people just choose to ignore the signs. Forewarned is forearmed. If you notice several of these signs in the place that you work, it is time to get your resume ready and identify your network. Here ...
Views: 735 - Ten Techniques to Stay Confident During a Job Transition - by Submitted on Mar 31, 2009 from Alvah ParkerYour confidence can erode during a job transition. As you move from the known to the unknown you feel unsettled and off balance. It is easy to begin to doubt your own abilities. This can happen during any type of job transition. Whether you doing a job search, have accepted some new ...
Views: 1519 - Ten Tips for a Good Billing and Collection System - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2009 from Alvah ParkerCash flow is critical to any professional service firm but especially small ones. How do you prevent clients from delaying paying their bills or worse not paying at all? Here are 10 tips: 1. Establish ground rules during the initial appointment with the client. If you don’t have a written ...
Views: 1106 - Ten Ways for Small Businesses to Cut Costs - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2009 from Alvah ParkerAs the economy shrinks businesses must think in terms of cost cutting. Business owners must start by looking at all costs. Finding ways to save money may be challenging but it will be important for surviving and thriving in a down economy. Here are 10 ideas that the Kiplinger Letter lists as ...
Views: 1068 - Ten Ways to Build Client Trust - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2005 from Alvah ParkerClients work with professionals whom they trust. Building trust is an ongoing process. Here are 10 ways to build trust with both old and new clients. 1. Keep your agreements with your clients – If you promise delivery on a particular day, make sure to deliver when it was promised. Even ...
Views: 922 - Ten Ways to Make Achievable Goals - by Submitted on Apr 24, 2010 from Alvah ParkerHave you written some goals for this year? How are you doing with them? What are the accomplishments you most want? To insure that you get exactly what you want here is a list of tips for writing good goals. 1. Connect your goals to your vision. Check each goal to be sure that if you ...
Views: 1245 - Ten Ways to Sweeten the Job or Job Offer - by Submitted on Jun 16, 2009 from Alvah ParkerOne aspect of meaningful work is being compensated adequately for the work that you do. Whether you are currently in a practice having survived a lay off or negotiating for a new job, you are probably finding that raises are small or non existent and offers are lower than what you were used to. ...
Views: 1045 - The Importance Of Listening In Communication - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2008 from Alvah ParkerAt first glance communication with another person seems relatively easy. This month I had two different experiences that showed me how tricky it is to understand what a person does or doesn't say. Taking the time to listen to others is important whether you are lawyer, a manager or an ...
Views: 2786 - The New Way of Work- Will It Be Meaningful Work? - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2009 from Alvah ParkerThere are many who are predicting that after this downturn in the economy the workplace will look different from the one we've known. Peter Weddle, a job board expert and writer on career topics sees a workplace with fewer permanent workers. Weddle says that employers are hit with a ...
Views: 967 - The Power Of Fans - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2007 from Alvah ParkerYears ago I had a good friend who loved to play tennis. Al wasn't a tennis star. He just loved to play and he especially loved to win! I'm not much of a tennis player myself but my son is pretty good and he enjoyed Al's company. One day the two of them went off to play a few sets on the ...
Views: 686 - The Three Things A Job Seeker Must Know to Use Social Networking as a Job Search Tool - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2009 from Alvah ParkerSocial Networking (Web 2.0) The buzz about it is unbelievable. Are you wondering why? It's because using social networking can be the key to your positioning yourself as an expert in your field. By blogging or using sites like Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter, you can reach hundreds ...
Views: 952 - Three Simple Ways To Get Job Satisfaction Out of a Job You Hate - by Submitted on Sep 03, 2008 from Alvah ParkerJob satisfaction seems like a dream to some. It is amazing to me how many people really hate the job that they have. Feeling stuck can really make you feel depressed and discouraged. It is difficult to find a way out. If you are someone who is unhappy at his/her current job, try making a ...
Views: 635 - Three Surprisingly Simple Steps To Delegate Work - by Submitted on Sep 03, 2008 from Alvah ParkerIn all the years I have been working with attorneys I am always amazed at how many of them hate to delegate work. What frustrates most attorneys or any professional is the time it takes to explain what they need and then to review and correct the work once it is done. Most will concede that ...
Views: 749 - Time Management – Time For Quiet Reflection - by Submitted on May 12, 2008 from Alvah ParkerTime Management – Time for Quiet Reflection "It's been weeks since I've had a few minutes of time for quiet reflection." my client said to me. Have you ever been so busy that you too had that feeling? I know I have. As I begin to write on the topic of "quiet reflection" I can't help but notice ...
Views: 1280 - To Do Your Best Work and Have a Joyful Life Ask for What You Need. - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2009 from Alvah ParkerCindy was a new manager in a mid-sized company. She had worked for years for a manager who had discussed strategies with her and encouraged her to try new things. He had given her constant feedback and approval. When her manager got promoted Cindy was promoted to her manager’s job. ...
Views: 1065 - Top Ten Reasons to Partner with Someone - by Submitted on May 03, 2005 from Alvah ParkerPartnerships come in many forms. There are legal ones such as in business or marriage and there are loose ones when two people come together to work or share ideas but then go on to work or share ideas with others too. I partnered with Dovid Grossman to come up with this list of reasons to ...
Views: 766 - Uncovering Your Passion So That You Can Be Happy At Work and Enjoy Job Success - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2011 from Alvah ParkerAre you happy at work? Do you have passion for the work that you do? The notion of passion was something that mystified me early on in my career. I was usually happy at work but the feeling of passion eluded me. In fact up until I retired from AT&T, I only got brief glimpses of what got my ...
Views: 1377 - Vision For Career And Life – 10 Powerful Questions - by Submitted on May 10, 2008 from Alvah ParkerHaving a clear vision of where you are headed is really important. If you have no vision then any direction will be acceptable even going round in circles! :) To begin finding your vision you must allocate some quiet time. Since I coach busy people I know that sitting quietly without doing ...
Views: 1059 - What Makes Me Happy At Work? - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2011 from Alvah ParkerWaking up every day excited and happy to go to work has always been a goal for me. Some jobs were like that for me and others were not. I remember once literally dragging myself to my job because it was so stressful. It was easier for me to write this list when I thought about what I hated ...
Views: 2128 - What Makes Me Happy? My 10 Habits - by Submitted on May 10, 2008 from Alvah ParkerWhat Makes Me Happy? My 10 Habits. What makes you happy? We are responsible for our own happiness so I want to insure that I do whatever is necessary to keep me happy and healthy. People are often focused on their goals. Instead these are habits I love to do and want to make sure I make time ...
Views: 739 - What makes you happy? 10 Characteristics of Resilient People - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2010 from Alvah ParkerWhat makes you happy? It is easy to stay happy when times are good. It is more challenging when life has thrown you a curve. In difficult times it is important to be resilient. Resilience is that quality that enables people to face adversity and adapt to it without lasting difficulties. A ...
Views: 1899 - Work-life Balance Is Good For Your Health - by Submitted on Jul 27, 2010 from Alvah ParkerWorking more than 40 hours a week seems normal today - at least in the US. My clients tell me they consistently work into the night and over weekends. Blackberries and other smart phones enable employees to be on call at any hour day or night. It has become an accepted way of life here. Is ...
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