What Does It Mean to Manage Up? The concept of managing up can be a bit tricky. For a simple definition, we can look at it in two related ways: on the one hand, it’s taking action to make leadership’s jobs easier, and on the other, it’s about managing your manager with feedback and solutions. Both sides of this definition look pretty much the same. As a valuable team member, it’s important to be proactive, to follow through, and to adhere to organizational policies. The closer team members follow management’s vision, the more neatly they fit together like cogs in a machine…But is that always a good thing? Putting too much focus on managing up, and thereby satisfying the wishes of the leaders of your organization at any cost, can quickly turn you into a pushover – a proverbial “yes wo/man” who doesn’t resist against bad ideas, or speak… Read More
Leadership
What’s Your Story?
When you’re presenting yourself in social, or more formal, situations- in an elevator or at those mythical cocktail parties – you have the choice, and the power, to help listeners learn what’s really important about you. How you talk about yourself, what you start with and where you go with your story, is always up to you. This requires, first, that you know who you are, what you want, and where you’re going. Sound like pressure? It might. A lot of people feel kind of queasy when they work on their elevator pitch. They try to memorize a catchy, pithy statement to use when meeting people, making sure they don’t trip on their words. Personally, I prefer that my clients think more about having a conversation with someone in a way that genuinely conveys who they are – hitting the key points that are important. You can call that an… Read More
How to Make Great Connections and Build Your Network this Summer
Make the most of your summer fun by meeting the people who can help you grow in your career! Maybe it’s a residual from being kids going on summer vacation, but most of us, as adults, tend to take it a bit easier during the summertime. Yes, you are still working away, but the longer days just seem to spell ‘vacation.’ You can’t not want to head to the beach, take some time off, and enjoy the long, sunny days. Thankfully, this is a great time to take advantage of your summer mindset by reaching out to connect with new contacts while you’re also taking it easy! Here are a few ideas how to use the long days of this summer so you’re ready to make the career moves you want post-Labor Day. Connect at Summer Events One of the best things about summer is all of the relaxed, outdoor… Read More
2015 Review & Release Event
Release 2015 and Recharge Your Vision of What Can Be for 2016 with Career Coach Daisy Swan, and Tarot/Astrological Reader Mary Griffith January 23, 2016, 1-5pm Cost $199 (includes 30 mins. Tarot Card reading) During this afternoon, you’ll have TIME to choose what learning from last year you want to keep and put into action in 2016, to get insight from a professional astrology/tarot reading, to create a vision board based on a vision developed for what you want to see come to life in 2016, and beyond, to do exercises lead by an experienced career coach to help clarify next career moves based on your strengths and interests, to learn mindful awareness meditation, to support clarity and calm throughout the coming year. This event will be held at a lovely private residence in South Bay. Location details shared after registration. [REGISTER… Read More
Burnt out to Brilliant Webinar Series
Entrepreneurship: What It Takes and Do You Have It
Join us for our June 8th Panel Discussion and Networking Event! Scroll down to read about our panelists whose inspiring stories and tips will help you formulate ideas and new strategies to move forward in your own business and career! Have you been contemplating striking out on your own, by starting a new business? But a little – or a lot! – hesitant to do so? Not even sure where to begin, or if it’s the right move for you? It’s clear that entrepreneurship is our way out of this recession – whether you head out on your own while working, or want to be a more innovative and proactive contributor in your current workplace – it’s essential to hold on to that bigger view of what’s ahead of you. Join us on June 8th to meet our five panelists who will be speaking… Read More
A Writer Writes
I listened to this interview on KCRW’s Bookworm program today and was really grateful to have heard this. I thought you might be too. While the discussion about the book itself is yummy, the rest of it is very satisfying to hear — especially for any of us who have ever contemplated being a writer. Or for those who are currently writing for a living, or attempting to. I know that I wanted to be a writer from the time I was 10 years old when I read Harriet The Spy. I always have loved writing, and loved the idea of being a writer. And over the past few years have found out just how hard it is to actually write and publish a book. I hope you’ll take the time to listen to this recording and be inspired, as I was. — Daisy… Read More
Entrepreneur Characteristics – The 5 “C’s” of Success
Mompreneur, dentist, franchisee, CEO, brick and mortar retailer, E-commerce Business Owner, Service Provider? How do you define yourself?
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an entrepreneur as “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.” That’s true, of course, but this definition doesn’t tell the whole story—namely the entrepreneur characteristics that define their success and, more importantly, the intrinsic drive it takes to achieve that success.
There are 5 entrepreneur characteristics that are common among anyone who strives to start and run his or her own business. These characteristics are found in entrepreneurs at any age, in any industry, and at any socioeconomic level.
A Lesson from The Suns
Steve Nash has been an inspiration to me since the first time I saw him play, live, at the Staples Center years ago. I recently read a great article about him in Sports Illustrated. What struck me was Stoudemire’s statement here about how success on the court manifests — through creative vision and seeing. “When you have creative minds, you get involved in different sports, in different cultures, and it allows you to open up on the basketball court and just be yourself. Steve’s a heck of a soccer player. He’s one of those skateboard guys. For the most part, you want to be yourself. Being yourself allows you to play better, to have more fun. It opens up your spirit.” Take a moment to assess how open you are to what’s going on around you. What energy are you leaving on the table? How engaged are you in a… Read More
What's Fun Got to Do With It?
This past weekend I had the good fortune to attend an independently organized TED (Technology Entertainment Design) event in Manhattan Beach. TED is all about Ideas Worth Spreading; you can find more about this at TED.com. While I learned so much during this one day event, I’ve found myself talking about a particular presentation about play and fun and see how this ‘plays’ out in work – mine, my clients’, and my 13 year old son’s.
Michael Shore, VP of Worldwide Consumer Insights at Mattel Inc. presented valuable research about what fun means to a wide cross section of kids, summarizing this with 10 Expressions of Fun. I’ve been measuring my sense of fun against these. And, after presenting this list to my video playing obsessed son, understand more about what he gets from these games, and appreciate more what we’re all really after. In fact, fun is absolutely key to a satisfying career. Check yourself against these 10 Expressions of Fun. How much are these a part of your work and life?
