Joyce Weiss

I work with organizations and individuals who want to kick conflict and chaos to the curb - Queen of Conflict Resolution and Communication Coach

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Warning:  Use These 6 Tips to Gain Control at Your Own Risk

The Challenge:  How to gain control when the demands on your time seem to never ease up. We’re all struggling to make time for ourselves, maintain friendships, and keep the spark in our love lives. Gain control

How can you determine what you need to be happier and more productive?

The Solution:  Start with these 6 tips to achieve better balance in your life:

Tip One: Gain Control by Searching out a Flexible Employer

Job flexibility is the number one desired corporate benefit. If your company gives new meaning to the word rigid, you may need to look elsewhere – flexible employers do exist!

Pay attention to articles profiling companies that are particularly family-friendly or rated as the best place to work. These companies are a great place to start your job search.

 Tip Two:  Gain Control by Asking and You Shall Receive (Maybe)

If you want a more flexible work arrangement, whether it’s flex time, job sharing, or a shorter workweek, try asking for it – but make sure you’ve done your homework.

For example, if you’re a really productive person, highlight this strength to your manager. Show her you’re worthy of this special consideration. Be prepared to give your boss the details of the new arrangement so he knows you’ve thought it through.

Tip Three: Gain Control by Forming a Work-life Balance Committee Gain control

Form a group to survey coworkers to determine their needs. Gently inform your leaders that creating a flexible environment will be a benefit to the company because their employees will be happier, more creative, and loyal.

Tip Four: Gain Control by Scheduling ‘ME’ Time

If it’s important to you to do a thirty-minute workout three times a week, mark it with permanent marker on your calendar.

There will always be some ‘more important’ work projects that compete for your time, but you need to realize that your personal commitments are just as valuable.  I enjoy looking at my health app at the end of the day to see how many steps I took.

Tip Five: Gain Control by Realizing a Temporary Lack of Balance is Acceptable

Sometimes, you may feel your life is out of balance. Sometimes it’s worth it, like when you go back to school or take the time to care for a child or parent.

If the benefit is bigger than the drawback, then accept it – because you have a new important, temporary priority. In time, you can shift back to a better balance with a new sense of accomplishment.

 Tip Six: Gain Control by Recognizing the Signs of Burnout

When life remains out of balance for an extended period of time, you can suffer from burnout. Are you as tired when you wake up as you were when you went to bed? Do the little pleasures of life fail to satisfy you? Is your productivity waning?

Refresh yourself! It could be something as simple as taking a weekend vacation-or as major as changing careers. The first step is recognizing it, so you can put your life back in balance.  Many of my coaching clients discover that their job is actually killing them from all the stress.  They either have tough conversations with the boss or decide to look for another job.  Burnout is an obvious sign to take seriously.

Gain Control by Reaping the Rewards of a Balanced Life Today!

Determine what your personal and professional needs are and decide if your workplace is meeting them. If it’s not a match, then review the six tips and make the necessary changes. When all the puzzle pieces of life fit together, you will be a better friend, parent, employee, and person.

Do you want more info on how to gain control in your life?

LEARN MORE how Joyce can transform your life and teach you work-life balance through her personal life coaching.

Read more articles and listen to podcasts at our Life Coaching Strategies Knowledge Base https://www.joyceweiss.com/resources/knowledge-base/life-coaching-strategies/

Let us hear your thoughts! 
Please send me your questions on how to improve your working condition.
Share an example on how you have gained control in your life.
I will send you a free personal growth e-workbook when you send me tips that you use.

Career Advancement is like riding a bike:
Shift Gears from coasting to owning the road

Until next time,
This is Joyce Weiss
Corporate Communication Strategist and Career Coach
And Remember…YOU GET WHAT YOU TOLERATE!

 

 

 

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Shattering the Myth About Career and Executive Coaching

Do you think that Executive Coaching is for people who are

  • Troublemakers?
  • Reserved for the hardest cases?
  • Headed towards termination?

If so, this article will shed some light on the myths of Executive Coaching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sqNxAKE7uY

The Reality of Executive Coaching

  • It’s a strong retention tool
  • It supports professional development
  • It helps grow leadership and employee engagement

Who are Good Candidates for Executive Coaching?

  • Executive Coach | Joyce WeissLeaders who need to learn how to stop micromanaging direct reports
  • Top performers who are ready for a promotion yet need to improve their communication skills with the executive staff
  • Employees who have excellent technical skills yet need to become more assertive at meetings
  • Workaholics who don’t know how to balance their home life and career
  • Anyone who want to receive a promotion

The Executive Coaching Process

  • Executive Coaching |Joyce WeissAnalyze the fit of client and coach
  • Understand the client’s challenges, strengths, and needs
  • Determine shared goals with the client and client’s supervisor
  • Check in with each other between sessions to ensure goals are reached
  • Discuss progress with the client’s supervisor
  • Schedule periodic check-ins to keep client on track and accountable

Let’s Get Real about Executive Coaching

My experience with Executive Coaching has been very rewarding because clients have worked very hard to achieve their goals either to develop their career or resolve conflict in their workplace.

The biggest mistake for new Executive Coaches is when they begin working with clients and have not decided if they are good coaching candidates.  You heard me right.  We need to interview clients to make sure they are ready for candid feedback and are willing to check in with the coach to show that they are accountable to make the necessary changes.

READ HERE to discover 3 important Executive Coaching Questions to Ask Yourself.
They are powerful and may help generate some positive change for your career growth.

I want to hear from you

Send me your questions or comments on your experience with Executive Coaching.

Read more articles and listen to podcasts at our Career Coach Strategies Knowledge Base

This is Joyce Weiss, Communications Strategist and Executive Coach

Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”

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A Career Coach Challenge:  How to Select the Best Candidate

A few months ago leaders from a professional organization asked me (Career Coach Joyce) to rank a few people who would be the best candidate to receive a scholarship for the winner’s future education.  I was honored and felt that this was going to be an easy assignment. The process sure caught me off guard!  I was faced with a huge challenge.  I read all the applications and thought each candidate would be an excellent choice.  How would I make a good decision?  The 3 Career Coach challenges will help you look at your own career to discover how you can grow professionally.

Career Coach Challenge #1:  Are the candidates’ goals realistic?

Career Coach

I needed to decide who had the most realistic, practical, achievable, and logical goals.  This sounds like a basic idea.  At first, it seemed like each person wrote very realistic expectations.  As I went deeper, I saw how some candidates expressed how they overcame issues with childcare, financial challenges, or moving from another country. They had to face these challenges and figured out how to achieve their goals no matter what issues they faced daily. Other candidates described similar challenges yet were not as action oriented.   

Here’s my Career Coach challenge for you: 
Are you facing your challenges and moving forward so you can achieve your goals no matter what is standing in your way?  This is the time to stop blaming the economy, your boss or family to find solutions so you can live your life like you want to.  There is usually a solution to our conflicts when we open our eyes!  

Career Coach Challenge #2:  How much of an impact will the scholarship have on the candidate’s life?

Improved status, home environment, and self-esteem would impact each candidate.  How in the world could I decide who to rank as the #1 candidate after reading why they thought they deserved the scholarship?

As I delved deeper into each person’s philosophy and background, patterns started to appear.  Improved self-esteem and home environment were apparent for all candidates.  Each person expressed how they would feel personally if they received the scholarship.  Improved status is what showed me which candidates could achieve their goals to help themselves, their family, and give back to the community.

I realize that we must start with ourselves first.  This is not a selfish way to think.  It is survival of the fittest.  Life is not fair at times.  This was a tough one for me because each candidate expressed deep reasons why they “deserved” the scholarship. 

My role was to select the best person who would use the money to reach their goals.  None of us know what the future holds for us.  This Career Coach knows that we need to look beyond ourselves as we grow professionally and give back and support others on our success journey.

Here’s my 2nd Career Coach challenge for you:
Let’s envision that you are either interviewing for a new job or a promotion, why should the company select you?  What characteristics have you shown others that you are the best candidate?

Career Coach Challenge #3:  Which candidate received the best letters of reference?

There is no surprise that each reference letter expressed glowing remarks about all candidates.  Again, who do I select since these candidates impressed their professors or bosses?  Stability, initiative, work ethic and character were apparent for all of the well-deserved candidates.  I read and reread these letters and finally saw one candidate who shined above the others in this area.    This person’s boss and professors expressed how supportive this candidate was with classmates who needed extra support.

Here’s the 3rd Career Coach challenge for you:
We are all competing for jobs, awards, promotions and need to go that extra mile to stand out from the competition. Ask people who have written your letters of reference why they feel you stand out and what your unique quality is to make the organization better.  It’s a great question for you to ask to discover hidden characteristics and behaviors about yourself. 

Career Coach Solution:  I finally selected a candidate

The reason why this process was so difficult for me was that all the candidates deserved the scholarship.  The candidate who I selected had the most realistic goals, would be impacted the most, and had natural leadership traits.

This was the first time I was on a scholarship committee.  I hope that you get a chance to experience the same challenges as I faced to select the best candidate.  It will not be an easy decision.  You will have to go deep within your own value system.  I’m glad that there’s another group of impressive judges who will go through the same process.  It will be interesting to see who they select. 

 I want to hear from you

Send me your questions or comments on what is and what isn’t working with your own career path.

This is Joyce Weiss, Communications Strategist and Coach
I provide personalized coaching and Premier Programs for individuals and groups.

Learn how I can leverage my 30+ years of communication and leadership consulting and coaching experience to help your organization address career skills here.

Read more articles and listen to podcasts at our Career Coach Strategies Knowledge Base

Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”

 

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Secrets from an Executive Coach to Advance Your Career

As an Executive Coach, my clients ask me to address strategies on how to get promoted or get noticed in their company.

  • Are you ready to ask for a promotion?
  • Do you see others advancing in your company?
  • Are leaders listening to your suggestions?

There is a saying that I use quite a bit, “If you don’t toot your own horn, who will?”  I realize that there’s a fine line between being a braggart and being assertive.  I’m not asking you to put your ego on steroids! 🙂  The strategies in this article will take you on your own career path. They are discussions this Executive Coach has during accountability sessions.

If eighty-hour workweeks and impending layoffs are leaving you apprehensive about your career decision, you’re not alone. These days, countless professionals are yearning for more fulfilling careers.

Unfortunately, many professionals are going to their day-to-day work activities and feeling as if they’re pedaling a bicycle uphill in the wrong gear.

They secretly yearn for the feelings of freedom and self-reliance they used to have when they were children pedaling away on their very own Schwinn or Huffy.

How can we recapture those childhood feelings of independence, adventure, and joy?

Executive Coach Secret #1: Safely navigate work’s potholes, ruts, curbs, obstacles, and challenges.

executive coach

In order to excel professionally, you need the ability to learn from any past mistakes rather than dwell on them.

The truth is that the only wrong mistake is one we don’t learn from – when things go wrong, we have a choice. We can criticize ourselves and curse our own bad luck, or we can coach ourselves, extract value from what we learned, and focus on how we can handle that situation better in the future.

The next time something devastating happens to you, whether it’s a layoff or a failed project, remember there are lessons to be learned.  Believe me, I know what I’m talking about and remind myself of this strategy numerous times!

Executive Coach Secret #2: Take the direct route.

Many people are so confused about expectations at work.  They need to ask specific questions to receive clarity as to their job specifications.  It’s during these times that people need to use straight talk to solve issues.

Being Direct with Respect® means being able to communicate openly and honestly without hurt feelings. Encourage Be Direct with Respect® in your office by thinking about what you really want to say, writing it down, and practicing it.

The more you use it, the more comfortable you’ll feel, and the more your colleagues will follow your lead.

Executive Coach Secret #3: Stay balanced when the road is bumpy.

The majority of people are running on empty.

If your workday feels out of balance, the quickest way to identify what is missing is to know your core values.  What’s holding you back from achieving balance in your day? Can you say no to the things that aren’t consistent with your core values?

When you ignore your personal values for the sake of others, keeping balanced is a challenging ordeal.

To gain balance, you first must be true to yourself. When you can gear down, relax, and enjoy the flowers on the side of the road, you will finally see the right path.  You will find answers and become more focused when you think about what you want to do with your life and not concentrate on the negative parts of your career.

Executive Coach Secret #4: Stop pedaling in circles.

executive coach

How long has it been since you’ve tried something new and different in your work?

After evaluating yourself personally, ask people you trust to make suggestions on how you need to grow.

Use their advice to guide your education decisions. Do you need to take a computer class, a writing course, find an Executive Coach, or attend advanced leadership workshops?

To carve a new career or enhance your current one, you must take responsibility for your own future and learn new skills on a daily basis.  It doesn’t help when we stay in the status quo and don’t move forward.

 

Final Thoughts from Joyce

Your ability to safely navigate workday obstacles, use straight talk, stay balanced, and keep learning will help you recapture the feelings of your youth – when your bike was your ticket to exhilaration.

You’re the one in control! Sometimes the journey will be easy coasting, while other times it will be an uphill bumpy trek.

Either way, it’s up to you to shift your professional life in gear and create your own career path.

I want to hear from you

Send me your questions or comments on what is and what is not working with your career advancement. What are the strategies that work for you?

Do you want to see how your communication skills are impacting your career?  
Take our FREE Communication Skills at Work Assessment HERE.  I will send you a personalized evaluation.

executive coach

Feel free to send me a private email if you have questions about your own career advancement.  I am here to support my loyal readers to improve their working condition.

 This is Joyce Weiss, Communications Strategist and Coach

Learn how I can leverage my 30+ years of communication and leadership consulting and coaching experience to help your organization address executive coaching strategies here.

Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”

 

 

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5 Career Skills to Make the Best of Your Job

Career Skills is a topic that I cover in every workshop or coaching session.  It’s all about feeling positive about our jobs.  Let’s face it, we are at work more than we are at home!  Some people are fortunate because they find their jobs rewarding and actually love going to work.  Others can’t wait until the weekend and constantly complain to their families about how miserable the job is for them. 

So if your work situation is less than ideal and you don’t want to change your job, here are some Career Skills strategies that may help.

Career Skills Strategy #1:  Do whatever it takes to get the job done

If you don’t like the job and find it difficult to complete projects, then the job won’t get done at all. It’ll be hanging over your head like a dark rain cloud. Also, if you don’t get the job done, someone else will, and then you’ll get the pink slip. If you feel that you can’t do whatever it takes to get the job done because of a lack of resources and your hands are tied, untie your own hands. Ask yourself what you could do differently given your existing resources. There’s always a second right answer.  You could collaborate with a team member and support each other with different tasks.

Career Skills Strategy #2: Do your best to stay positive and don’t let your negativity take over 

Career Skills

How can you be positive when you dislike your job? Remember that at least you have a job. You’re paying your bills. You’re not part of the newest unemployment statistic. Find something positive to focus on to remind yourself how life would be if you didn’t have any job at all. In order to stay positive, strive for excellence, not because you have to, but because you want to.  This is not easy to do but necessary.  Others will sense your negativity.  You may not be looked upon as someone who could get a promotion. 

Career Skills Strategy #3:  Be eager to share ideas with leaders and colleagues

You can’t work in a vacuum. You need to talk with others and collaborate in order to expand your thinking and gain a new perspective. And you never know… someone may say something to remind you that your job isn’t so bad after all.  Start looking for ways to improve productivity or customer satisfaction.  Share these ideas with your boss and at meetings.  This could help you feel better about your job.  Using this Career Skills strategy may get leaders to pay attention to you and your good ideas.

Career Skills Strategy #4:  Ask your boss or human services if there are different options that could match your Careers Skills and Path

Career Skills

Many of my clients have used this Career Skills strategy to develop their careers by working in a different setting in the company.  It’s always a risk to let others know that you want to make a change.  Make sure and keep your negativity intact when you have these conversations. Let leaders know that you want to remain at the company and are open to exploring other options.

Career Skills Strategy #5:  Look for ways to constantly grow

We are all a work in progress. Growth and learning are Career Skills that we must initiate; we can’t expect others to do it for us. Additionally, lifelong learning will make you more competitive in the marketplace. You will be more employable and will have the skills and mindset to find a better job if you decide to leave your current position.

I want to hear from you

Send me your questions or comments on how you developed your Career Skills even at a job you didn’t like.  

Read More on how to improve your career by exploring the Our Career Knowledge Base

This is Joyce Weiss, Communications Strategist and Coach

Do you want to discover how our services can help you develop your or your team’s career? Visit our Career Coaching Services page

Until next time, Remember…”You Get What You Tolerate!”

Contact Joyce

Email: joyce@joyceweiss.com
Phone: 248-681-5831