Make It Easy

I went to Cancun recently and stayed at an all inclusive resort. I was struck by how easy everything was. Easy to find food at any hour of the day. Easy to get a fresh beach towel. Easy to get a cold drink at a nearby bar. Easy to find a member of the staff if I had a question.

The employees in your company who make things easy are probably your higher performers. The ones who come with a well defined problem, a few potential solutions, and a recommendation that makes sense. And they include the cost as well as the anticipated benefits for the company. They anticipate all your questions and have well thought out answers.

Are you recognizing their efforts by saying thank you? Are you making them feel appreciated and valued? Are you giving them stretch projects that provide a challenge and help them grow? Or are you accepting their great performance as normal. Not something unusual at all. No recognition or appreciation is something they will remember a long time. And over time, they will resent that you are taking them for granted.

Your greatest employees need your words of appreciation, your time, and competitive pay. If they aren’t rewarded, then you need to be ready to struggle to find their replacement.

To learn more about how to reward and recognize your employees, schedule a strategy call with Denise Liebetrau. https://go.oncehub.com/DLcall

Freedom Is A Choice

With the July 4th holiday tomorrow, I’m thinking about freedom. It is so very easy to take for granted. It is found in the decisions we make and in the small steps each day. It is the moment you decide you have had enough. The moment you sent a boundary because a line has been crossed. The moment you find the strength to say “no more.” It is in the life you build based on your values and how you put those values into practice each day. It is in the feeling of peace when you are living a life that is authentic. Comfort is the enemy to growth and becoming the best version of yourself. How are you pushing yourself out of your comfort zone toward freedom?

Reinventing Yourself

I met a friend for lunch today. Let's call her Susie. She is in a job she doesn't like in a company with a toxic culture (70 hour work weeks). She is determined to get out so Susie has started her job search. Some weeks she has interviews and then at other times she has nothing for months. I know I can help her because I've helped so many of my coaching clients get great jobs at great companies AND with a great paycheck.

And get this. My friend also has a dream. A dream of creating outdoor leadership programs for youth, executives, business owners, moms, etc. I love it! She has the right background in leadership development and loves the outdoors. It would also allow her to tie in her faith and use her seminary background.

I'm looking forward to supporting her on her journey. First, we'll get her out of the company she is in and into a job that gives her the ability to get paid competitively AND work on starting her business as a side hustle. I know people with successful businesses that are like the one she is dreaming of starting so I'll make those connections for her.

What are you waiting for? What dreams are you not pursuing because it seems difficult? It just takes one step and then another to build momentum. Schedule a Strategy Call with me (https://go.oncehub.com/DLcall ) if you want to talk about your dream job, business, or the pain box you're in today that you need to get out of. It's never to late to reinvent yourself!

The Practice of Patience

As I was sitting in a lobby waiting for an appointment to begin today, I was reminded to practice patience. I kept looking at the clock and thinking of all the things that I needed to do. And then I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I started slowly counting to ten and practiced patience. I reminded myself that everything is working out for me and that things unfold as they should. My sense of urgency was self imposed and not being pushed by anyone but me.

I talked to a potential career coaching client last month who didn’t think she would need my help. And this past week she contacted me with great news. She was expecting two offers and wanted help to negotiate and maximize them. I knew she would be back after talking with her the first time. She had great skills and experience. She was taking action each day on her job search goals and the momentum was there. I just needed to be patient and so did she.

To often we are racing toward our goals only to find out that achieving them isn’t as satisfying as we thought they would be. It’s like someone in high school being told to focus on getting good grades and the right sports and activities so they can get into a great college. And then saying that they need to choose the right major to ensure that they can get a great job after college. And then saying they need the right internship and then to get the right job in the right company after graduating from college. And then they need to find the right person to marry to start that part of their life.

Do you do this? Focus on the future so much that you forget about today. Many of us are so focused on our long-term goals and checking them off our list that we forget to focus on now.

I’ve learned that happiness and joy are found in the small moments. The practice of patience and being fully present now instead of thinking about the past or the future is difficult. But it pays off because this morning I had a quiet few minutes to myself as I waited. I turned off the stress and stayed present by being patient.

There are daily habits you can build that will help your job search. Things related to storytelling, networking, and marketing that will build momentum and great results. Too often I talk to clients and they are frustrated and disappointed that they didn’t get the offer they expected. And it can be the smallest of things that ultimately makes you THE candidate chosen to receive the offer. Practicing patience is important, but it needs to be balanced with taking the right actions. If you need help with your job search, schedule a free strategy call by clicking here. https://go.oncehub.com/DLcall

The Price of Admission

When my 10-year old son gets hungry and makes himself something to eat, he leaves a trail behind him. The stuff he pulled out of the refrigerator to make a sandwich is still on the counter when he has finished and moved on to the next thing. I’ve tried getting him to put things away, but he just moves on in his head and forgets. I’ve come to realize this is just the price of admission for loving him and so I just put the sandwich making stuff away and don’t make a big deal about it.

We all have a price of admission that someone is paying for working or living with us. There are things that we all do that annoy those around us. Others are willing to pay the price, because we also do things that are terrific. We show up and make their lives better or we make them feel fantastic when they are in our presence.

It makes me think about the workplace. There is always a price of admission. Think of those things that are annoying and bothersome, but you put up with them day in and day out. Until you can’t anymore. Until the price becomes so big that you start thinking about making a change. Maybe that change is to get a different job in the company with a different manager. Or it could be a job search for a role in a different company that is thriving instead failing. Or it could be dreaming of ditching the job that you hate and reinventing yourself and transitioning to another career.

What is the price of admission where you work? Are you ready for a change? If so, schedule a free strategy call and let’s talk. Go to: https://go.oncehub.com/DLcall

Weed Your Garden

I firmly believe in going through your phone contacts a couple times a year. Why? Because it reminds me of people I need to talk to and check on. It also reminds me of the people that I have let go of. We all have them. Those people who crossed boundaries, that proved to be takers not givers, or that haven’t been as eager to stay connected as I have. Then I take a deep breath and make a choice. Do they stay in my contacts or do I delete them? And most of the time I delete them. I think of it like weeding my garden.

We become like the five people we spend the most time with. When I started my business, I became deliberate in who I spent time with. I want to be the dumbest person in the room, because I have so much to learn. And I want to be surrounded by people who inspire me to do better.

Who are your five people? When was the last time you took time to weed your garden?

Stop Networking

I don't like the word or the activity of networking. Especially if it is a shallow interaction like handing each other a business card and saying you'll follow up. Then crickets. Nothing. No contact or real connection. What I do instead is simple. I try to make a new friend. I listen, learn and help. With no wish for anything in return. Let's focus on becoming friends and being kind to one another.

Do you deserve better?

I recently walked away after a conversation with a friend and thought, “I deserve better than this.”  In that moment, I decided I had had enough.  I distanced myself and stopped choosing to interact with her. 

It wasn’t easy because we had a lot in common.  But her behavior clearly demonstrated she didn’t respect me, my expertise in HR, or my time.  She took advantage of my good nature and willingness to help over and over.  And I decided I was done.

And you know what? I feel better.  I blocked her on my phone, stopped following her on social media, and shifted my focus to spending time with people who were great at being supportive and respectful. 

I had a similar experience when I was working at what I called a great company. But really, the day to day interactions with my manager was filled with disrespect and a lack of consideration for the priorities I had outside of work. The behavior I accepted as normal and okay for years was suddenly no longer acceptable.  I had leveled up my expectations and had outgrown what he and that company offered.

This forced me to make another tough decision.  I had to leave that company and reinvent myself.  I had to find a company that respected my contributions to their business results and my other priorities.

To often we accept bad behavior because underneath it all we don’t think we deserve better.  If you feel worse after interacting with someone, stop and ask yourself if it is time to make a change.  And think about what you want instead. 

Sometimes all it takes to make the decision to change is creating a clear vision of what you want instead.  And the knowledge that you deserve better. —If you are ready to level up and get treated better at work, let’s talk.

Why Everyone Needs a Coach

I didn’t think I needed a coach. I was an independent strong woman, and I knew how to manage my career and life. I had been achieving my goals for decades.  I was wrong. 

My first experience with a coach was in five years ago. I read a book written by a coach, and she offered a 6-month online program. I decided to invest in myself and see what happened.  It changed my thinking. I was more accountable. I found a community of like-minded women working on the same things in their life. I had resources I could watch or listen to anytime.  I was doing activities that pushed me to get uncomfortable and grow.  I was hooked. 

Since then I have always had a coach.  At first it was a focus on my career. Now as an entrepreneur, I invest in coaching so I can reach my business goals faster and push myself. 

I also experienced the life changing effect of having a weight loss coach.  And then I became one. I helped 19 people loose more than 300 pounds in 16 weeks.  Once I stepped up from being coached to becoming a coach, I realized I found my calling.  It is never to late to evolve and become more.  To become more focused, to have more impact, and to find meaning and fulfillment. 

I love being a career and salary negotiation coach.  It is incredible to see my clients to go from frustrated to fearless.  Their thinking changes first. Then they focus on the right things and act. They find the right job in the right company with an amazing paycheck.  And they do it in record time because I know exactly what to do. 

Having more than 20 years of experience in HR means I have insight into what happens behind the scenes that most career coaches don’t have.  I know what to say and when to say it.  And I know how to overcome the objectives of business leaders when they are hesitating to give you the promotion or reward you for your amazing results. 

Do you have an accountant, financial adviser, and a mechanic?  You have these experts so you can tap into their expertise and make your life better.  When you decide you’ve struggled with your career long enough, call me.  

Today I Am Grateful

I've been more intentional with my gratitude lately. As I brush my teeth each morning, I think about three things I am grateful for. Today it was for the veterans who have served so we can enjoy the freedom that is easy to take for granted. I am grateful for my children, their laughter and yes, even their fighting. They don’t realize how blessed they are to have each other. I am grateful for being able to walk and enjoy the outdoors. So many people can’t walk with ease and struggle to move about each day.

I live a life that many can only dream of. I have time to spend with family and friends. I am financially secure and look forward to the work I do each day. I can choose what to do and who to do it with in each moment. And yet I am restless.

Restless for more…more impact and more connection. In a world where most of us grab our phones before we put on our jackets, it is easy to forget that real connections are built in the small moments. That moment you pass someone on a walk and share a smile. That moment when you help someone up when they fall unexpectedly. That moment when you hold someone’s hand to give them comfort when their heart is hurting.

Take in those moments and just be. Not just today but on any day that your path crosses the path of a veteran say thank you. They have made the small moments of connection possible.