I recently came across this short article dated January 2002 that I had clipped from the magazine Fast Company.
How do you better the odds that you’ll succeed at a new start? Serial entrepreneur Karnran Elahian has made a life out of starting over. Here are excerpts of his hard-won lessons for starting fresh — and starting smart.
Write a mission statement. You’ll never do work that matters unless you define what matters. Elahian gave himself a sense of purpose by writing a mission statement for his life. He succinctly outlined his big picture goals. Then he mapped out how he would get there.
Don’t look back. Once you embark on a new venture, put all of your focus on the future.. Second guessing only slows you down.
Be your own biggest critic. Relentlessly (ruthlessly) evaluate your performance, paying special attention to your weaknesses. Only then can you shift your course of action so it plays to your strengths.
Celebrate your setbacks. Or, at the very least, learn from them. If you don’t analyze what went wrong and what you’d do differently, then you’ll repeat the same mistake.
Lose like a winner. Failing doesn’t mean you’re a failure. In business as well as in life, the only unforgivable sin is never trying in the first place.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Searching for Work Group Progress Report
The Searching for Work group is at an interesting stage of development. It has evolved into three distinct subgroups that can be described as follows—
The first group consists of individuals who have made decisions to change careers, and have launched new ventures to generate income producing work. They have a sense of direction and are pursuing their objectives. Examples include employment in new fields, starting consulting practices, and purchasing or starting businesses.
The second group is made up of individuals who are searching for employment in the same or closely related field and are making progress exploring opportunities through networking and search firms. They are having little success pursuing online job postings.
The third and most difficult group is individuals who face insurmountable obstacles, resist change, or put little effort into their search. They are having difficulty setting a course of action to deal with their issues and advance their searches.
The first two subgroups are contributing in a major way to the success of the group meetings. They report on their progress, which generates interest and discussion. They have the confidence to raise questions and to speak out on issues. The third subgroup unfortunately, has little progress to report, so it is difficult for the group to help them in a meaningful way. They are hopefully absorbing information, but their contribution to helping the group grow is limited.
Small groups are often complex entities, and the Searching for Work group is a good example. It is made up of people in various stages of their search, and putting varying amounts of effort into their pursuit of employment. There are people with considerable financial concerns who appear desperate and others who seem to be getting by with severance packages and or spouses working. Few believe that they are empowered to create their own future, and are resistant to techniques and processes that would enable them to discover new learning about themselves. For most, allowing themselves the opportunity to dream and create is a luxury they believe they cannot afford. It is outside their comfort zone, so they resort to search strategies that require little creativity and effort — and in this difficult economic time generally lead to unproductive results.
Some people show up for one or two meetings then do not return. Others have been regular attendees for many months. As people get to know one another, they become more willing to participate actively in discussions. We begin each meeting with a devotion period. It has become an increasingly meaningful part of the program and frequently sets the stage for discussions that follow. In recent months, discussions have become more thought provoking and interesting. I leave the meetings encouraged that we are making progress.
The first group consists of individuals who have made decisions to change careers, and have launched new ventures to generate income producing work. They have a sense of direction and are pursuing their objectives. Examples include employment in new fields, starting consulting practices, and purchasing or starting businesses.
The second group is made up of individuals who are searching for employment in the same or closely related field and are making progress exploring opportunities through networking and search firms. They are having little success pursuing online job postings.
The third and most difficult group is individuals who face insurmountable obstacles, resist change, or put little effort into their search. They are having difficulty setting a course of action to deal with their issues and advance their searches.
The first two subgroups are contributing in a major way to the success of the group meetings. They report on their progress, which generates interest and discussion. They have the confidence to raise questions and to speak out on issues. The third subgroup unfortunately, has little progress to report, so it is difficult for the group to help them in a meaningful way. They are hopefully absorbing information, but their contribution to helping the group grow is limited.
Small groups are often complex entities, and the Searching for Work group is a good example. It is made up of people in various stages of their search, and putting varying amounts of effort into their pursuit of employment. There are people with considerable financial concerns who appear desperate and others who seem to be getting by with severance packages and or spouses working. Few believe that they are empowered to create their own future, and are resistant to techniques and processes that would enable them to discover new learning about themselves. For most, allowing themselves the opportunity to dream and create is a luxury they believe they cannot afford. It is outside their comfort zone, so they resort to search strategies that require little creativity and effort — and in this difficult economic time generally lead to unproductive results.
Some people show up for one or two meetings then do not return. Others have been regular attendees for many months. As people get to know one another, they become more willing to participate actively in discussions. We begin each meeting with a devotion period. It has become an increasingly meaningful part of the program and frequently sets the stage for discussions that follow. In recent months, discussions have become more thought provoking and interesting. I leave the meetings encouraged that we are making progress.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
An Elevator Speech
An elevator speech is a prepared presentation that grabs attention and says a lot in a few words. An elevator speech is used when you meet someone for the first time, have a very limited amount of time, and want to make an impression. The components of the speech are simple—say who you are, what you do, and what you want—all in about thirty seconds!
Here is one of my elevator speeches—
“Hi, I’m Jim McAdoo and I am a human resources consultant. My current project is moderating a group of people who are searching for work. The group focuses on building personal networks, developing job search skills, and providing mutual support and encouragement.
“This project is important to me, and I am determined to guide it to a successful conclusion as quickly as possible.”
Here is one of my elevator speeches—
“Hi, I’m Jim McAdoo and I am a human resources consultant. My current project is moderating a group of people who are searching for work. The group focuses on building personal networks, developing job search skills, and providing mutual support and encouragement.
“This project is important to me, and I am determined to guide it to a successful conclusion as quickly as possible.”
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