Category Archives: Holiday

REACHING and HOLIDAY GRAB BAGS…

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thPJJN3LD1WPimage fromBING121514I hope you enjoy a Blog I wrote today.  The Social Media platform of LinkedIn published it early this afternoon at:  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/grab-bag-reach-%22jo-ann%22-m.-radja.  Here it is for you to read:

“Is a Grab Bag a REACH?

We’ve all experienced being a member of a holiday grab bag at the office.  Often times we opened a package and received what we wanted; othertimes, we did not.   Personally, I like to be surprised because the grab bag is really a sharing event:

*  Price is limited –

*  Ingenuity comes into play –

*  Shopping time to research where to find the item –

*  We allow someone else into our lives to learn about us –

*  We learn a bit about the other person –

*  Our unconscious bias tugs at us if we are disappointed how our request was interpreted –

*  We may have lost sight about what the grab bag was really all about; and

*  The culture of your team or department may also strongly influence whether grab bags are even permitted at the office. 

Engagement and appreciation is what everyone strives for in an office. This time of year offers options and opportunities for creativity if your office grab bag has lost its luster or meaning.   Even if grab bags don’t happen at your place of work, there is a cultural office tradition during this holiday season.  Since every employee benefits by at least one day off for during this holiday season we share equally in the culture of the holiday. 

What can you do to reach out to someone to include them in your office culture tradition?  How open are you to understand why it may be important for another employee not to participate in the office tradition?   What form of engagement or appreciation are you expecting during this holiday season?

As You Choose Who You Want to be Known As during this holiday season, consider reaching out to understand – to engage – to appreciate someone else at the office and it will come back to you, when you least expect it.

Have a great career week!

‘Jo Ann’ M. Radja, Career Management Coach and Change Agent”

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Saint Nick – December 6th

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Happy Saint Nicholas Day!  From the Third Century up to today, this day is celebrated throughout the world.  A wonderful explanation of St. Nick is provided under the heading beginning with Albania at this Wikipedia page:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Nicholas_Day

St. Nick’s kindness was extended to children, sailors and voyagers, during his lifetime.  Everyone of us is enveloped by that sense of kindness.  Be kind to someone during this holiday season to feel the goodness it brings back to you.

Enjoy.  “Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach

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“Is it form over function or function over form?”

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Here’s a Post which was published by LinkedIn.com within the past half-hour.:

 

“Have you ever been told, “That’s not what you are supposed to do.  That responsibility belongs to someone else.”  While you may have a Title for your position, it doesn’t necessarily explain what you actually do.  A Form usually relates to one thing and a Function relates to the activity of a specific Form.

The answer may lie in what binds the Function to the Form, whether by a job description, perceptions, testimonials or accomplishments.  As we begin to think about our upcoming Labor Day – how would you describe what you do – is it Form over Function or Function over Form? 

What do your customers expect from you. . . Function or Form? How often has it happened to you that you visit a retail store and what you wanted to buy is not sold by the Form name of the retail store?   Perhaps you contacted an Accounting firm, only to learn that the specialty service you want to hire is not found within the firm’s members?   Form over function sounds simple, but it isn’t.   

Another way of looking at form over function and function over form is to consider the word “feedback”.    Is feedback just a comment or response, or your understanding of what was said, or advice, or an opinion or a demonstration of your listening skills?  While you may have merely given encouragement to someone’s decision, it was received as advice, which was not your intention.   Perhaps this topic is another puzzle for us to work out in our careers because we live in a fluid, every-changing world.  

Consider as you Choose How You Want to be Known As, what is your answer to the Form or Function question.  Have a great day!” 

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach and Change Agent

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July 4th 2014

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  4 times a year we celebrate a Patriotic Holiday. Traffic going and coming everywhere  Hurrying to enjoy a great day     Of celebrating our freedom   From tyranny, oppression and terrorists.     Jars of ketchup, mustard and hot sauce on the table, Unforgettable … Continue reading →

Memorial Day 2014

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      Your Patriotism has made so many of us safe in the world and we Thank You for what you did.

@Coach_Jo_Ann

It’s a Day for YOU!

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Valentine’s Day — It’s the second best day for Hallmark Cards.  Florists and Chocolatiers also love this day.  What’s your take on it?

How about it’s a Day for YOU!  Whether the love of your life is with you or not,  Valentine’s Day reminds us that Spring is not long off. So why not celebrate this cultural day on our calendar as it’s a Day for YOU!   So many of us have endured a winter that seems never to end.  Many employers asked their employees to head home yesterday at Noon in the Southeast States.  They were greeted with so much snow, many people left their cars abandoned on highways.  So, why not give yourself a Day for YOU! to remember how you lived through it and started another day anew.

It’s a well known concept in the Coaching field that when you take care of yourself, you are able to handle more easily the next challenge that comes your way.   As you Choose Who You Want to be Known As, I hope you choose a Day for YOU that makes you smile.  Happy Valentine’s Day . . . from the Midwest!MS2GoldHeartsMP900401177020912“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coaching and Change Agent 02/13/14

Notes:  http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2014/01/History-Valentines-final-v3.png

What’s your Influence?

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You don’t have to be a “person of influence” to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they’ve taught me. Scott Adams We’re saying good-bye tomorrow to the year … Continue reading →

THANKSGIVING 2013

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For all of you who have shown us resilience in the face of unthinkable heartbreak this year, resulting from flooding, forest fires, tornadoes and the loss of life, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR INNER STRENGTH in the face of adversity.  May the Spirit be with you all.

T oo often we

H eal ourselves without paying

A ttention.

N ow we can pause because we

K now our forefathers

S et aside this day.  It’s

G ood to be grateful.

I t reminds us all what we endured this year.

V ery generous people helped many of us

I n our time of

N eed, in ways too numerous to mention.

G iving thanks in whatever way we can choose, helps us feel

     good too.©

“Jo Ann” M. Radja,Career Management Coach & Change Agent

 

 

Labor Day 2013

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                          Labor we perform is

                          Appreciated and celebrated

                          By our Bosses

                          On this day in the USA.   It

                          Reminds us of what we give back to our community.

                          Dependability, timeliness and a job well done

                          Are a few values we give our employer/company.

                         Yes, we’re happy to be given a day off to take a break.

© “Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach and Change Agent

Thanks to all of you for reading this Blog and my other Social Media posts.  Have a great Labor Day!