Posts Tagged "work"
Is Work-Life Balance Really a Woman’s Issue? “Most business people want to keep people wanting more money to buy more things…”
When people go to work, they shouldn’t have to leave their hearts at home – Betty Bender The simple eloquence of a few words is often the most powerful way to describe a complex situation. As I reflected on the recent torrent of stories about the “war on women,” this quote came to mind, not because it is the antithesis of conservatives’ views, and increasingly their legislative bills, rather because it goes straight to the heart of what they most fear—a shift away the almighty dollar as the demarcation of accomplishment to a more balanced perspective on what constitutes success. The early 20th Century move to keep women from vibrant contribution outside the...
Read MoreNeed a Job? Three Steps to Take Now
The fact that millions of Americans are unemployed or underemployed is not news. Although we seem to be engaged in Einstein’s infamous trap of ‘doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.’ Policy makers are debating how to entice businesses into hiring more people and the unemployed are angry and frustrated over the lack of available positions. Nearing record-breaking unemployment rates, perhaps it is time to consider a different route to finding meaningful, satisfying, and rewarding work in people’s lives. As we’ve discussed here before, creating jobs won’t help our economy. If you are looking for a job, or know someone who...
Read MoreRecession-Proof Your Job Through the Leadership Choice
By: Kathleen Schafer, Founder of Leadership Connection MYTH: My job security is determined by other people deciding my value; after all, someone else will decide to hire, pay and promote me. If you place your economic survival in others’ hands you will forever be in a position of weakness and vulnerability—leaving you feeling afraid. While you may not go to work everyday feeling the need to hide under your desk, a general sense of fear or unease will keep you from fully expressing yourself and hold you back from working with vigor because you never know how others will respond. By living this myth, you have entered a vicious cycle that keeps you from being your best...
Read MoreWhat to Do When You Are Unsure of What to Do
How often do you ask yourself, ‘Is this what I’m supposed to be doing with my life?’ You are not alone. Successful people ask themselves this question consistently and use the answer as a benchmark for growth. Checking to make sure you are doing what you feel you are supposed to be doing is a way of validating your life has meaning and purpose. Psychologists use the term “existential crisis” to describe the paralysis that can occur if someone doesn’t like the answer to this basic question. While that can sound a bit disconcerting, the Chinese symbol for crisis reminds us that it has two components: danger and opportunity. The danger is that by...
Read MoreChanging the Picture
By: Kathleen Schafer, Founder-Leadership Connection One of the ways I know when issues people are facing become commonplace is when I hear the challenge being articulated a number of different ways. We read stories about the “enthusiasm gap” among various parts of the electorate. My foreign-born friends tell me about the “stale energy” they feel when visiting the US and how other parts of the world, particularly Asia, are the new vibrant spots. My neighbors bemoan the lack of community and how difficult it is to get people involved in addressing local issues. My clients feel at a loss at how to create meaningful and professionally...
Read MoreThe Challenge of Choice
Share By: Kathleen Schafer, Founder-Leadership Connection During coaching, certain preconceived notions emerge around the issues that keep people from becoming all they can be. An idea that usually comes up early in the coaching process is the long-held belief that work is something you do to earn money while doing what you are good at and what you enjoy is reserved for leisure time. Living life through the paradigm of improperly defined work is one of the main things keeping people from great success and even greater happiness. Looking at the history of the western world, when people left the farm for the factory, their day-to-day efforts moved from sustaining self...
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