What To Ask Yourself Before You Quit Your Job

Can I see myself as the boss?

It’s Wednesday afternoon. You’re exhausted, you miss your family and if you never see another email from your boss again it would be too soon. Suddenly you’re wearing your Quitting Goggles and everything seems unbearable; your coworkers, your lackluster job description, even the carpeting in your office building strikes a bad chord with you.

If the grass is always greener on the other side, Quitting Goggles manage to make it even greener. You may not be sure how you got here, but here you are wanting to quit; wanting to find something better, more challenging, with a better office environment and a more inspirational boss.  Your dream job is out there, you just know it.

Before you start contemplating your exciting and bold exit strategy, lower those goggles for just a second and ask yourself these questions.

Can I effectively address these issues with my boss first?

If you feel your skills aren’t being utilized to their full potential, speak up. It’s very possible your boss will happily find something more challenging for you to contribute to the team. Be sure you chose the right time to speak up and offer to take on a specific task.

Can I see myself as the boss?

If you revel in the idea of taking over for your boss someday, or filling another advanced role within the company, you can lessen your haste to leave. If your current job title isn’t fulfilling but there’s room to grow, this is good news. Take your newfound desire for something better and apply it toward landing an internal position that will better suit your needs.  Start building a relationship with HR and others of influence in the company.

Do I have a financial backup plan?

Job hunting is exhausting. Yes, more exhausting than your Wednesday afternoon in the office. It’s also challenging and could take some time. If you don’t have a financial plan or adequate savings to support yourself in the interim, don’t be so quick to pack up your desk.

What are my other options?

In addition to financial planning, you should have a plan of action for finding your next job. Do you want to do the same job just for someone else? Do you want an entirely new position? Do you want to start over in a new industry? Find out where your anxiety is coming from and that will help lead you in the right direction; either back to your desk or out the door.

If your job is causing you debilitating stress, not meeting your financial needs or making you feel undervalued, you should consider taking action. The action could be as simple as assessing the causes of your career anxiety, asking for a raise or taking on more challenging responsibilities. Or it could mean it’s time to move on to greener pastures. Either way the process requires some thought and planning, so don’t make a hasty decision.

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Do you need help assessing your career anxiety or improving your relationship with your boss? My executive coaching services can help you hone your communication skills and clearly define your goals and objectives.

How to Increase Your Job Visibility

Pat yourself on the back.

You might agree that to ensure job security, you need outstanding job visibility.  Making it clear to your managers that you’re a valuable asset to the team can go a long way to securing a promotion to the next level.  But that begs the question: how do I stand out at work?

Increasing your job visibility may seem difficult and overwhelming but results will come by taking a series of small steps.

  • Ask for more responsibility, challenging assignments and leadership roles on team projects. Propose specific suggestions on ways the team can improve and then offer your personal strengths as contributions.
  • Pat yourself on the back. If you did great work individually, share it with your boss. If a customer expressed great satisfaction with you, share it. If you contributed greatly to a successful team effort, share that group success too.
  • Take initiative. Asking for challenging assignments is good, but finding a niche and filling it conscientiously shows built-in leadership. You’ll want to be careful not to step on anyone’s toes but if you see an opportunity to show independent problem solving, take it.
  •  Keep honing your skills, even if the job doesn’t require them. Well-rounded thinking is crucial to problem solving and creativity – Thomas Edison didn’t create the light bulb by staring at a candle.
  • Make yourself memorable when meeting others within the company, including upper management. Be well spoken, positive and knowledgeable while showing respect and appreciation for the others in the room.
  • Get involved on high-profile projects and accounts. If an opportunity arises for you to contribute to a VIP client, offer your assistance. A job well done on an important case will give you name recognition with management.
  • Request an opportunity to attend seminars and training sessions. Your boss will appreciate your enthusiasm and willingness to learn and then when you return, you can pass along your newfound information by holding your own training sessions for coworkers.

Being noticed at work is an important component of career success with great potential payoffs. When you take initiative, show interest and leadership and are able to toot your own horn, you become a memorable part of you work environment which can get you climbing to the top in no time.

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Do you need help increasing job visibility or improving your relationship with your boss? My executive coaching services can help you hone your communication skills and clearly define your goals and objectives.

Horrible Bosses: How to Cope

 

Learn the boundaries

There are many different types of bosses; the neglecter, the micromanager, the bully who doesn’t care much about what you have to say. Let’s face it, some people don’t handle positions of power well and that leaves you in quite the predicament.

It’s an impossible feat to change someone else and what if, as much as you might want to, you can’t leave your job. Maybe you need the financial stability, it’s a short commute or you have your sights set on the corner office and no one will stand in your way. A boss with a bad attitude can be hard to handle but you can conquer the challenge by trying a few new things.

  1. Learn the boundaries

With a boss that’s hard to work for, it’s important that you quickly learn what to do and, more importantly, what not to do.  Find out early what the expectations are from your peers or by direct discussion with your boss regarding preferred communication method, timing and amount of detail desired. The sooner you learn and adapt to these boundaries, the less friction you’ll have to fight off.

  1. Discuss performance measurements

Open and effective communication can help ease some tension if you both set clear parameters for performance expectations. Ask for specific objectives and targets, in addition to the availability of resources.  Even if he or she comes to you later with contradictory and negative feedback, at least you know you’ve done what was expected of you.

  1. Offer the benefit of the doubt

Your boss may seem like a no-good menace to your office life but challenge yourself to be the bigger person. When he or she is right about something, it’s okay to admit it. If they have one good point amid countless bad ones, appreciate the good one. If you focus your energy on the positive and perhaps even show some respect for your boss’ successes, you may actually start to see improved behavior on their end. At least, toward you.

  1. Carry your evidence

It may seem may seem like a bold move to offer statistics that contradict your boss’ claims, but there may come a time when it’s necessary for survival. If your boss is hounding you relentlessly, threatening your job or escalating their complaints to upper management, use your evidence. Start a “hero” file filled with specific accomplishments and emails from satisfied clients.  Are you fulfilling your share of the orders? Is your customer satisfaction impeccable? Is your task completion better than you’re being accused of? You’ve already established your clear work performance measurements so if they’re not giving you due credit, direct their attention to Exhibit A.

  1. Be strong

Your boss’ bad behavior toward you is not personal. It’s important to remind yourself that their shortcomings are about them, not you. Don’t stumble over yourself to win them over because you likely never will, which will cause you more anxiety, self-doubt and decreased work performance. Make your priority your job; happy customers, completed tasks, impressive sales, satisfied coworkers.

Working for someone that’s rough around the edges can be draining. But there are steps you can take to take back some control. A horrible boss doesn’t necessarily have to send you running for the unemployment line; execute patience, strength and open communication and you might find yourself facing success.

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Do you need help assessing your career anxiety or improving your relationship with your boss? My executive coaching services can help you hone your communication skills and clearly define your goals and objectives.

Why Dress Codes Work and How To Establish The Rules

Create an Environment of Professionalism

Dress codes in the office are not uncommon.  Establishing wardrobe guidelines is a simple and effective way to shape your company’s image which projects onto you, your business partners and your customers.

While the definition of “appropriate dress” may depend on the nature of your industry, the fact remains that what you wear sends a message about your commitment and professionalism. Here are some ways you can begin to construct and implement guidelines.

Establish Clear Expectations

A known and easily identifiable cause of career stress is job ambiguity, and yes, that trickles down to wardrobe. If your office tends to lean casually on the day-to-day but you prefer employees spruce it up for business meetings, it’s important that you establish that guideline outright. Make clear what is appropriate and what is inappropriate. Sharing a written policy will eliminate guessing games about what it will take for employees fit in around the office.

Create an Environment of Professionalism

Appropriate dress is most commonly associated with first impressions and overall perception of professionalism.  You want your company to stand out as distinct and trustworthy and the way your employees are presented carries that message.

Beyond first impressions, studies have shown inappropriate dress can dampen productivity as well as create an office distraction. Don’t let these minor intrusions negatively impact your company’s performance.

Lead By Example

To support the clear boundaries and expectations you’ve outlined, it’s important you act the part. As an employer, you may face pushback from employees who will argue their right to dress and groom as they deem appropriate. That’s one reason it’s important for you to set the tone. Lead by example and dress by your own standards. If you raise the bar with your own actions, it will be difficult for your reports to ignore.

Here are some other items to consider while developing your company’s dress code:

  • Seek employee input to ensure the general consensus is that your rules are fair. This might also decrease the policy pushback you receive once enforced.
  • Keep restraints reasonable and in line with industry standards, not your own personal preferences.
  • Keep the policy simple and to the point. Anything overly complicated will make it difficult to understand and comply.
  • Ensure you’re not treating one gender, religion, race or individual less favorably than the rest.
  • Allow a reasonable frame of time for employees to execute final changes.

A dress code doesn’t have to be complex or strict, but setting guidelines for appropriate appearances in the office will help everyone. Giving your employees an opportunity to clearly understand your expectations while leading by example will positively mold your company’s image in the eyes of current and future customers.

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Do you need to set policy around dress codes or other initiatives? My executive coaching services can help you hone your message and set clear guidelines to achieve your goals and objectives.

How To Keep Your Employees Motivated

Don’t Hog the Credit

If you’re running a business or managing a team, you undoubtedly have plenty to keep you busy. Competition, consumer needs and P&L’s are all important, but so is employee retention. Guiding office morale directly impacts your bottom line and company productivity. Here are a few ways to keep your employees motivated, loyal and productive.

  1. It’s Simple: Be Kind

They say you catch more flies with honey than vinegar and being in a position of power doesn’t make that any less true. People need respect, whether they work above you, with you or below you. Use polite language and be respectful of their time to cultivate a welcoming and positive environment.

  1. Don’t Hog the Credit

Positive reinforcement is great encouragement. Never let a job well done slip by without a pat on the back or even public recognition every now and again. Team work is important and encouraging individual contributions can enhance the overall process and, even better, the output.

  1. Offer Job-Retention Incentives

This includes everything from bonuses to amenities, perks and benefits. Sure, not every company can afford Google-level amenities; opening a gym or daycare center in your office might be a stretch. But financial incentives, casual Fridays, extra-curricular social events and midday complimentary snacks to keep office energy high are small steps that can improve morale.

  1. Keep Communication Flowing 

Communication is a key foundation to any relationship; business relationships are no exception. Engaging with each employee to keep the lines of communication open both ways is vital to successful interaction. It is your job to be consistently transparent about performance expectations so that everyone knows what is expected. Another important step is making sure your employees feel comfortable coming to you to discuss their career goals and concerns.

  1. Encourage Fun

What’s that saying about all work and no play? While it’s necessary to establish boundaries, making work fun can get the creative juices flowing. Productivity is known to spike when people are enjoying themselves.

Motivating your employees keeps them happy and less inclined to leave. Happy employees stay busy. Give your team gifts of acknowledgment, appreciation and freedom and you’ll get that back tenfold in productivity. And don’t forget: never under estimate the power of a 3pm snack cart rolling past your desk.

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Do you want to motivate and lead your staff more effectively? My executive coaching services can help you hone your leadership skills and clearly define your goals and objectives.