Tag Archives: culture

May your Force Be With You

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Quite sometime ago, Author Michael E. Porter wrote a book entitled, The Five Forces that Shape Industry Competition. The five forces are:

RIVALRY Among Existing Competition

         THREAT of New Entrants

            Bargaining Power with Suppliers

                Bargaining Power with Buyers

                     THREAT of Substitution – Products or Services

I believe each of these five forces lead to coaching experiences.  How do we deal with threats, either perceived or blatant?  How do we deal with rivalries…in a good-natured way…with good sportsmanship…or cutting down your competition for no sound reason?

What do you do for new team members…welcome them…put them through another round of proving themselves…or solicit input to work their strengths and weaknesses into the team matrix?

When a new project is handed to the team, what role, if any, do you play to bargain for a position and why?  Do you bargain for the benefit of your team and the success of the project…or for yourself?

While most of us are not award-winning Olympians, we do share an inner force that moves us to do our best, to receive a paycheck. We deal with issues of rivalry, bargaining power and competition.   May the force within you this week, help you Choose Who You Want to be Known As.  Enjoy your week.

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

The Five Forces That Shape Industry Competition, by Michael E. Porter, Economist Edition (1979).   Reviewed November 11, 2011.

Note: a quick search on Bing.com or Google.com will provide you with a multitude of examples of Mr. Porter’s “Five Forces”.

EGO, EGO[er], EGO[est]

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This past weekend I read a truly forward thinking article on managing your Ego at work.  I would like to share it with you.  It was written by Ms. Christine Latimer*.  Miss Latimer urged that the following ego traits should be left at home:

“The need to be right; A sense of entitlement, or specialness;

Gossip; ‘Yes person’ mentality, not being one’s true self; and

Complaining.”

As a Coach, I believe if any of these traits were left at home, your listening skills would improve; you would practice paying attention to what someone else is saying and, you would allow yourself to be open to other options of thought.

So what really is EGO.  It was an amazing eye-opener to discover Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus** provide over 75 synonyms of the word EGO.  Here are a few to consider this week. EGO is… courage…worth…conscience…thought…pride…essense…self-esteem…attitude…soul…bent…true being…frame of mind…core…innermost being…tendency…stuff…outlook…disposition…sub-conscious.

During the course of this week, consider if your EGO is directing your actions as you Choose Who You Want to Be Known As.  Enjoy your week!

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

* Research Summaries for Business Leaders, August 3, 2012, published by LMK Partners. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
**ego.(n.d.) Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition. Retrieved August 5, 2012, from Thesaurus.com website: http://thesaurus.com/browse/ego. 

Change At Last…

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I always find it refreshing to meet people who are truly happy who they are.  It’s contagious.  It feels good.  You want to stay in that moment.  How are you defined by your good mood at the office, outside of the office, at home or at weekend events?  How often are you defined by your current role in life first, and then by your mood?  How important is it for you to be remembered as being engaging, or someone who left a good impression because of your good mood?

Here’s a sample talk I developed of how you can explain yourself. You may find that by working through this talk, your mood level will rise and your confidence will show through to other people.

Say what you do:  [Your current role];

Say what they get:  [What value is received, whether to a potential employer, a customer, a client, a team member, a colleague, another volunteer, family member, or student]; and

Say what you give:  [what the take away is for the other person].

This is my talk:

Say what you do:  I coach leaders…

Say what they get:  for their self-driven outcomes…

Say what you give: and I provide empathy, trust and honesty.

As you begin the month of August this week, Choose Who You Want to be Known As when you are in a situation to change your mood to increase your good feeling and confidence.  Have a great week!

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

Author:  Ethics to You Too! ™  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171791 07/30/2012

A Phone Call…

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How many times have you made a phone call and discovered how you act in a given situation.  Pleasant and good news calls breeze by.  It’s the phone call that leaves you unsettled, releasing any number of emotions you hadn’t planned on.

Managing yourself is a learning process, whether during your childhood, while in school or in formal training at your place of employment.  The theory behind managing yourself can be described as mindfulness.

—– I am mindful when I listen to what is being said and reply about the issue and not the speaker personally.

—- I am mindful when I treat the other person with respect.

—- I am mindful when I pay attention to the emotions the other person is displaying and acknowledge to that person, what you heard.

……….Listen……….Mindful……….In Control

……….Listen……….Mindful……….How can I help YOU?

……….Listen……….Mindful……….Be Who You Want to be Known As!

Have a good and mindful 2nd week of July.

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

Author:  Ethics to You Too!™ http://www.smashwords/books/view/171791      07/09/12

Do What You Can…

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We were supposed to be at a better place by now and some of us thought we were.  Turn the page, and Summer’s Heat caused violent storms across the U.S.  Very dark, flat and low cloud formations covered the sky resembling ribs of bevelled glass.

Hundreds of thousands of people now without electricity and water.  Homes again destroyed. Yet the spirit of man found solace, and sometimes humor, in doing what you can to get through the day.  Neighbors with chain saws personally cut through large fallen tree limbs to permit traffic to move though the street.

So many tree limbs fell through roofs of homes, or onto cars, whether parked or in motion.  People were unable to move out of harm’s way.  Then the Sun came out.

So we do what we can do.  We help one another.  We clean up.  We prioritize.  We don’t blame.  We take each step to see solutions.  We move forward.  We learn to do without.  We keep our emotions in check because it is easier to do so when the “worst” is over.  We choose to act the way we Want to be Known As.

Kind thoughts to all who are finding courage within themselves this week.  Your far away neighbors are thinking of you.

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent. July 2, 2012

Which Way –Others to You?

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I read a Tweet this week about suggestions that change peoples minds*, and followed up on it.  One of the suggestions talked about the Hawthorne Effect – a famous 1950’s psychological study by Harvard University on whether office lighting had an effect on job productiity.**  Surprisingly, the researchers found out that productivity increased because the workers had the “attention” of management during the Study.

There seems to be so much written today about work engagement*** that Harvard University’s Study seems to have come full circle.  What attention are you given by your boss?  Why do you want attention? What does “attention” mean to you?  Why is it important to you?  When others pay more attention to you, does your motivation increase? Are you more engaged?

Which way does it have to be for you this week. . . attention from others equals greater productivity/engagement for you? Or, are you more attentive to others as You Choose Who You Want to Be Known As?  Either way, enjoy your week.

What Does It Take?

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What does it take?…If we substitute the word “will” for “does” in this Blog’s heading, how is the question changed?  Although I don’t study the origin of words, I believe the question, “What does it take?” is a general question, seeking a general answer.  What will it take? is asking for direct specificity of what it takes, with a sense of determination.

What will it take for YOU this week to complete, to create, to find, to begin…whatever you may want and haven’t gotten to yet.  We are some 10 days to the Summer Solstice, with all its wonderful distractions calling us elsewhere.

So what will it take for you this week to be Who You Want to be Known As.  Enjoy!

Many thanks to all the wonderful people who found value in this Blog over the past five months!       “Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coaching & Change Agent.  06/11/12

Stepping In or Out?

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Have you ever stepped into a situation you knew was a bit unbelievable, yet true?  Recently, I witnessed a situation where someone reached out for a professional.  Although three experts didn’t quite understand what the request for assistance was, each offered to look at the issue.  (It seemed to me, it was similar to taking a car to the repair shop with a noise you heard while driving, yet the mechanic(s) did not.)

The expert who arrived to look at the situation asked when did this happen?  What were you doing when it happened? What did you do when it happened?  Why did you take pictures?  The expert volunteered he had never witnessed a similar situation. Yet, this remaining expert felt the picture did not appear to be a fake.  After some 20 minutes, the expert, quite accidentally, recreated the situation; although alarmed, he found a solution.  So all seemed to be well again.

When you step into a conversation, how far do you go to get a point across?  How long does it take to earn credibility from your peers? … your team members or others?  What type of backup or factual information might you need to be viewed as credible? During this first week of June, as you are “stepping in, or stepping up, or stepping out” of situations, I know you will act as Who You Want to be Known As.

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent   June 4, 2012

Curious to Risk?

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Over the past few days, I had three curious experiences; namely, seeing both pink roses and white roses growing on the same bush, which exceeded my height.  Because of my curiosity, I was able to view a phenomenon of nature.

Curiosity also led me to meet a young entrepreneur and a very educated young woman.  Both women were similar in that they knew who they are and what they want in their careers; yet, they came from different backgrounds.  I acted as a servant leader to one and a customer to the other.  Both of these women taught me something I did not know or was unaware of.

Being curious in the context of taking a risk, whether small or large, is a principle of coaching.  Curiosity allows you to move out of your comfort zone and learn something new about yourself and the world you live in.

As you work in your career this week, consider a situation you have been curious about and take the risk to know Who You Want to be Known As.  Enjoy your week.

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

May 27, 2012

Your Time is Airline Time…

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This morning I read an online article posted by Gregory Karp, Reporter at The Chicago Tribune newspaper.  Karp wrote about a scientist at Fermilab, Jason Steffens.  Steffens studied the efficiency of airline boarding arrangements.*

Airlines provide safety and great customer service by boarding its passengers in a timely way.  They also increase the probability of saving flight air time and fuel, all things being equal.  There are five conventional methods of boarding customers:  Elites, board back to front, windows-middle-aisles method, random boarding and block seat boarding.

I’ve never taken into consideration, as a value choice, what method an airline chooses to board its passengers.  I’ve just considered safety, price, time schedules, baggage claim experience and customer service.  Is an airline’s boarding method important, when choosing as airline?     What value choices do you include in your work that may not be transparent to those around you?  How important is it for your team to agree upon its value choices necessary to complete the project?  What value choice would you like your customers to know you include in your services?

Have a great week as you choose Who You Want to Be Known As!

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coaching & Change Agent 05/21/12

*Reviewed May 21, 2012, Gregory Karp, “Popular Airline Booking Configurations.” The Chicago Tribune Newspaper, originally posted on or about September 22, 2011