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When One Career Isn’t Enough
By: Beverly Jones
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Karen Deans is an artist, illustrator and designer. Her online Portfolio shows some of her work, ranging from colorful posters to clever postcards, from fine art to business logos, magazine covers and book illustrations. And Karen is also a writer. Among other projects, she is the author of children’s books, like the charming “Swing Sisters,”which tells… Read More
How to be Happy at Work
By: Beverly Jones
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The most recent of bestselling author Dan Buettner’s insightful “Blue Zone” books shares lessons from healthy and thriving people around the world. In “The Blue Zones of Happiness,” Buettner summarizes a broad sweep of research and recommends ways for all of us to achieve greater well-being. According to Buettner, the latest studies suggest that by… Read More
Overcome 7 Common Reasons You Don’t Network
By: Beverly Jones
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You already know that, for most professionals, a broad, diverse social network is vital to career success. Career support is just one of the benefits that tend to flow to a person with many connections. The importance of being embedded in a vibrant network is so great that social scientists are studying how it impacts… Read More
Praise Your Team in Ways That Work
By: Beverly Jones
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People like to be appreciated. In fact, we need it. If a friend or colleague offers us a warm and sincere “thank you,” we tend to feel acknowledged and validated. And each little expression of gratitude might help create a sense of connection between those giving and receiving thanks. Psychologists say that feeling appreciated promotes… Read More
Quit Saying “If Only”
By: Beverly Jones
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“If only I’d done more networking, I’d be able to find a new job.” “If only they’d stop bothering me with trivial meetings, I could finish this project.” “If only I’d gotten that promotion, I wouldn’t hate this company.” “If only I were younger, I bet they’d listen.” One of the more self-destructive phrases to… Read More
Try This Recipe for Job Satisfaction
By: Beverly Jones
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I book my haircuts three months in advance because Jason Holloway, my hairdresser, has a full calendar and a long waitlist. Jason sometimes works just 4 days a week, and he sees clients only 6 to 8 hours a day. Unlike other studio owners I’ve known, he never double books in order to squeeze in… Read More
Quit Saying “If only”
By: Beverly Jones
Posted on:
“If only I’d done more networking, I’d be able to find a new job.” “If only they’d stop bothering me with trivial meetings, I could finish this project.” “If only I’d gotten that promotion, I wouldn’t hate this company.” “If only I were younger, I bet they’d listen.” One of the more self-destructive phrases to… Read More
Overcome 7 Common Reasons You Don’t Network
By: Beverly Jones
Posted on:
You already know that, for most professionals, a broad, diverse social network is vital to career success. How to move beyond your excuses for not networking. Career support is just one of the benefits that tend to flow to a person with many connections. The importance of being embedded in a vibrant network is so… Read More
When “Working Hard” Isn’t Enough – Refocus
By: Beverly Jones
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Like most successful professionals, you probably respect the power of hard work. But are you always “working hard” in the smartest way? When things aren’t going well, it’s tempting to redouble your efforts on your major projects. But sometimes a better use of a few hours may be to concentrate briefly but intensely on other… Read More
Loneliness Adds to Career Burnout
By: Beverly Jones
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Millions of Americans often feel alone, and it’s making them ill. In 2016, Dr. Vivek Murthy, then U.S. Surgeon General, sounded an alarm. “Despite the ubiquity of social media, we are facing an epidemic of loneliness and social isolation,” he said. According to Murthy, social connection is a critical component of “emotional well-being,” a “powerful… Read More
8 Keys to Career Resilience
By: Beverly Jones
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It’s been almost a year since Career Press published my book on creating career resilience, Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO. Being a first-time author has been an adventure, involving lots of events, discussions, reviews and radio interviews, as well as a good bit of feedback from readers. I’ve noticed that some of… Read More
If Political Talk at Work Is Making You Crazy
By: Beverly Jones
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We’ve all heard that it’s not smart to talk about contentious issues, like politics or religion, at the office. Some companies even have rules against discussing political and other potentially inflammatory matters in the workplace. And most of us agree, at least in theory, that it’s wise to avoid talking politics with your colleagues. And… Read More
Your Free Time Activities Can Energize Your Career
By: Beverly Jones
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Because energetic, enthusiastic employees get more done, today’s managers are exploring many ways to stimulate employee engagement. Some programs work better than others, but one point seems clear: it’s difficult for bored or unhappy leaders to motivate their teams. So perhaps your first rule for engaging colleagues is to be engaged yourself. Of course, it’s… Read More
Ideas for Recreating Your Life
By: Beverly Jones
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In “Life Reimagined – The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife,” NPR reporter Barbara Bradley Hagerty shares the story of her own middle age challenges. She writes with humor and honesty about her concerns about aging and her efforts to rethink her career. And at the same time she takes a deep dive into cutting-edge… Read More
How to Help Promote a Book
By: Beverly Jones
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When I began work on my recent book, “Think Like an Entrepreneur, Act Like a CEO,” I thought the big challenges would be completing the manuscript and finding a publisher. It wasn’t until later that I understood how much of the responsibility for marketing a book rests with the author, even if you have a… Read More
8 Tips for Inspiring Employee Engagement
By: Beverly Jones
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It’s well understood that upbeat and highly motivated employees achieve more than their negative, disgruntled peers. Recognizing the link between attitude and job performance, human resources experts used to talk a lot about the need to enhance “employee morale” and build “job satisfaction.” In recent years, however, the buzz has been all about increasing productivity… Read More
Tidy Up That Data Overload
By: Beverly Jones
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In my last post I talked about how clutter can drag us down and distract us from our most important priorities. We can gain so much when we can beat back that tumultuous tide of too much disorganized stuff! And there’s a particularly burdensome type of clutter in today’s workplace: the vast, unending flow of… Read More
Need New Energy? Clear Some Clutter!
By: Beverly Jones
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Are you feeling stuck, bored or besieged? A good strategy for getting out of the doldrums can be to attack the clutter that is clogging up your desk, your office, your home or your life. A little bit of tidying can bring you a big boost You have a clutter problem if you don’t have… Read More
Being Aware of Your Time Focus Can Boost Your Career
By: Beverly Jones
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I felt refreshed at the end of a phone call with a client I’ll call “Mark.” It wasn’t just because Mark, like many of my clients, is smart and likeable. What made the conversation energizing was listening to a person whose orientation to the continuum of time is so nicely balanced. How you live in… Read More
Learn How to Accept Tough Feedback
By: Beverly Jones
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During my first coaching session with “Jodie,” a talented scientist, she expressed frustration about not getting the challenging assignments she thought she deserved. She theorized that she might be a victim of gender discrimination. Or perhaps she wasn’t respected because her Ph.D. was from a university some regarded as second-tier. I heard a different story… Read More
Moving Past an Error of Judgment
By: Beverly Jones
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Recently I wrote about Ira Chaleff’s fine new book, Intelligent Disobedience, that explores situations where ignoring your supervisor’s command may be an act of wisdom and courage. In response, a friend told me a story about an executive who kept pushing on a proposal after her boss had nixed it. In this case, the CEO… Read More
When “Intelligent Disobedience” is the Best Choice
By: Beverly Jones
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Guide dogs undergo intense obedience training to prepare them to lead visually impaired people around obstacles. But what happens when a blind woman doesn’t hear the approach of a quiet electric vehicle and directs her dog to step off the curb? At that moment, the dog must make a life and death decision: does he… Read More
Smart Entrepreneurs Know the Power of Communities
By: Beverly Jones
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When I meet new clients, it’s sometimes easy to spot the ones who’re enjoying resilient careers. Whether they’re solopreneurs creating their own thing, or professionals making their way through large organizations, people with thriving work lives tend to share some of the same characteristics, like a positive attitude and an ability to listen. As I… Read More
How and When to Say “I’m Sorry” at Work
By: Beverly Jones
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The way you routinely speak at work may say more about you than you realize. Some words are particularly powerful and should be handled with care. One of those big impact words is “sorry.” It’s typically defined to include emotions like regret, sadness and penitence, but in practice it can have many shades of meaning…. Read More
Why & How to Start Your Day With a Smile
By: Beverly Jones
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Some scientists say that humans are the only animals who smile. I don’t believe that. Daisy, our yellow lab, has a killer smile. As she establishes eye contact, her mouth drops open and the corners turn up, wider and wider. When she gives my husband, Andy, her love gaze, his big grin mimics hers. The… Read More