Creating a “No Excuse Zone” around YOU Professional Development Series

Below is Part 2 of a 3-Part article designed to help IT and database professionals stay on top of their game in an ever-changing trade. Part 1 highlighted some IT scenarios. In this part 2, we will take a closer look.

Part 3 offers several steps toward creating „No Excuse Zones” in our home, office and thinking. For more examples that fit your specific work environment, please feel free to contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info.

We all have “excuses‟ as part of our normal, default speaking and thinking patterns. It’s normal. It’s human. We often entertain ourselves with stories of how we got to where we “don‟t want to be.”  We do not readily acknowledge these stories as „excuses‟ or blaming something or someone external to ourselves for our predicament; we‟re simply ‘explaining’ ourselves. But the longer we stay in the ‘explaining’ stage of the current situation; the longer we are stalled and not making forward progress.

 

Let’s look closer:

My task was to contact 3 hospitals to collect meaningful metrics on these five database features. Only one hospital has responded on only one database features. I am late with this project and don’t know how to proceed.

Our developer had not been keeping his team and stakeholders involved in his progress. He had been struggling with the 3 hospitals without conveying the obstacles he was encountering. He allowed the deadline to pass without a word of status. He was nervous and ashamed about his lack of progress on this task. Continue reading

How to Transition From a Consultant Job Back Into Corporate

 

Laura Lee Rose is the Corporate Exiting Strategest for blooming entrepreneurs.
Laura helps others to easily transition into their next chapter whether it’s the next ladder of success within their corporate environment or into the entrepreneurial playground.

To sign-up for these tools, subscribe at  http://eepurl.com/gGZtP

 

 

Side note: When re-entering into the corporate environment from either a consultant or previous entrepreneurial position, I highly recommend targeting executive or skip-level positions. Do not focus on corporate positions that are merely lateral role to your previous corporate position. The experience that you gained as a consultant or entrepreneur is equivalent to executive, director or VP status. Please don’t sabotage yourself by aiming too low.

How to Handle Multiple and Unclear Job Directives

Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose – Corporate Exit Strategist for the blooming entrepreneur – and I am a business and life coach that specializes in Time Management, Project management training and work-life balance strategies.  Today we are sharing tips on how to handle multiple (and often conflicting) directives from various clients, managers and stakeholders.

Whether we are in the corporate environment or starting our own small business, we have competing resources for our attention, skills and talents.  How can we not only professionally handle these multiple and unclear job directives, but use these opportunities to propel us forward faster?

Step 1) Acknowledge and congratulate ourselves for being in demand. Because we are valuable in our field of choice, people do come to us for our advice and coaching.  We don’t want to stop this trend.  We don’t want to resent the people that value and need us.  We just want to take better advantage of this great phenomenon.   You need to create a daily schedule that allows you to get important work done and handle the expected interruptions.  Although you don’t’ know exactly what will interrupt you, you know that you will be interrupted.  Therefore, the intelligent thing to do is to schedule and integrate interruption time into your daily schedule.

Corporate Exit Strategy Series: Handling Multiple Directives

Whether we are in the corporate environment or starting our own small business, we have competing resources for our attention, skills and talents. How can we not only professionally handle these multiple and unclear job directives, but use these opportunities to propel us forward faster?

Tune in to the video below for suggestions you can put into practice starting today…

 

 

Laura Lee Rose is the Corporate Exiting Strategest for blooming entrepreneurs.
Laura helps others to easily transition into their next chapter whether it’s the next ladder of success within their corporate environment or into the entrepreneurial playground.

To sign-up for these tools, subscribe at  http://eepurl.com/gGZtP

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Creating a “No Excuse Zone” around your Home, Office and in your Thoughts

Below is Part 1 of a 3-Part article designed to help IT and database professionals stay on top of their game in an ever-changing  trade.  Part 1 and 2 describe examples of how we inadvertently make excuses for our lack of progress in certain areas of our careers.

Part 3 offers several steps toward creating “No Excuse Zones” in our home, office and thinking. For more examples that fit your specific work environment, please feel free to contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info.

Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose – Corporate Exit Strategist for the blooming entrepreneur – and I am a business and life coach that specializes in Time Management, Project management training and work-life balance strategies.  Over the recent weeks, I have met with several clients who got trapped in the ‘blame game’.  Oh, I’m not saying they were intentionally blaming other people or external circumstances for their current situation.  But they were relinquishing responsibility and ownership to feel better about their current lack of progress.  Therefore, today I am introducing the idea of creating “No Excuse Zones” in your home, work and life.

We all have ‘excuses’ as part of our normal, default speaking and thinking patterns.  It’s normal.  It’s human.  We often entertain ourselves with stories of how we got to where we ‘don’t want to be’.  We do not readily acknowledge these stories as ‘excuses’ or blaming something or someone external to ourselves for our predicament; we’re simply ‘explaining’ ourselves.  But the longer we stay in the ‘explaining’ stage of the current situation; the longer we are stalled and not making forward progress.

 

Thinking Like the Owner: Using Speaking Engagements

This is part 3 in a 3-part series.

Laura Lee Rose, who is a business coach and corporate exit strategist, shares how testers, developers and project managers can think like an entrepreneur in their current corporate position. She explains how “thinking like the owner” paves the way for advancement within the company and beyond.

 

In my recent interview with SSWUG.ORG’s Stephen Wynkoop regarding ‘thinking like an entrepreneur, in any position’, I had several viewers ask me for additional examples to illustrate points that were made.

Let’s play with these three typical development scenarios.
1) There is an unhappy client that you are working with in regards to a reported defect in your code area.
2) There is a happy client after you have delivered a fix in a quick and professional manner.
3) You have been using speaking engagements to gather sales leads.

Previously we explored scenario #1: Unhappy Client and scenario #2:  Happy Client.   Today we will explore scenario #3: Using Speaking Engagements. Continue reading

Thinking Like the Owner Sets You Apart: Part 2

This is part 2 in a 3-part series.

Laura Lee Rose, who is a business coach and corporate exit strategist, shares how testers, developers and project managers can think like an entrepreneur in their current corporate position.  She explains how “thinking like the owner” paves the way for advancement within the company and beyond.

In my recent interview with SSWUG.ORG’s Stephen Wynkoop regarding ‘thinking like an entrepreneur, in any position’, I had several viewers ask me for additional examples to illustrate points that were made.

Let’s play with these three typical development scenarios.
1)    There is an unhappy client that you are working with in regards to a reported defect in your code area.
2)    There is a happy client after you have delivered a fix in a quick and professional manner.
3)    You have been using speaking engagements to gather sales leads.

 

Last week we explored scenario #1:  Unhappy Client.  Today we will explore scenario #2:  Happy Client.

Happy client

Every one encounters enthusiastic and happy clients from time to time.  We could meet them at a beta release, trade show, technical expo and speaking engagements.  We could meet them simply on the phone while we are downloading a “just in time” customized enhancement for them.  Whenever we meet them, take that extra step to think like the owner.

Taking that extra step and thinking like an entrepreneur: At this point, share information that your marketing team is looking for client stories on how our product was able to solve their issues.  Ask your happy client if they would be interested in sharing their story, advice or comments.  Most happy clients are open to sharing their success stories with others.  It’s just that it never occurs to them to offer.“What if they say ‘NO’?”  So what?  You are no worse off than if you didn’t ask.  And allowing them to give an anonymous testimonial or success story often resolves any official objections.

Next time we’ll explore scenario #3.

Defragmentation Isn’t Just for Computers

 

The video below is part of the Professional Development Series by Laura Lee Rose.

 

 

If you are interested in more detailed professional coaching or a professional coach to help you stay on target with those goals, please consider one-on-one coaching sessions to propel you forward faster.   Simply send an email indicating your interest to: LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

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Corporate Exiting Strategies for blooming entrepreneurs.
Helping others to easily transition into their next chapter whether it’s the next ladder of success within their corporate environment or into the entrepreneurial playground.

Thinking Like the Owner Sets You Apart

By Laura Rose

Laura Lee Rose, who is a business coach and corporate exit strategist, shares how testers, developers and project managers can think like an entrepreneur in their current corporate position.  She explains how “thinking like the owner” paves the way for advancement within the company and beyond.

 

In my recent interview with SSWUG.ORG’s Stephen Wynkoop regarding ‘thinking like an entrepreneur, in any position’, I had several viewers ask me for additional examples to illustrate points that were made.

Over the course of the next week, we’re going to explore three typical development scenarios:

1)    There is an unhappy client that you are working with in regards to a reported defect in your code area.
2)    There is a happy client after you have delivered a fix in a quick and professional manner.
3)    You have been using speaking engagements to gather sales leads.

 

In today’s post we’ll play with scenario #1:  Unhappy Client

The primary goal of our clients is to “get their job done” accurately, efficiently and effectively.  Toward that goal, the customer isn’t necessarily to use our product the way it was designed to be used; but to use it as they see fit to accomplish their task.  So, sometimes the way our product was designed and the way the client chooses to use it do not match.  When this happens, defects are logged and unhappy customers are created.  This is the nature of our industry.  It’s not a big deal.

Normally when we meet with an unhappy client, we thank them for pointing out the hole in our design.  We acknowledge upfront that we didn’t foresee that the product could be used in this fashion.  And we compliment them on their ability to see beyond the conventional use.

Taking that extra step and thinking like an entrepreneur:  At this point, share with your client the opportunity for them to be a part of an elite group of design partners.  This is a group of hand-picked, insightful individuals that has access to early prototypes and requirement reviews.  This group is considered part of your design group.  As such, they have access to early releases of your alpha and beta releases.  They are part of regular focus groups, usability studies and have regular meetings with your business analysts and marketing teams.

 

Ask this client if they would like more information about this elite group.  Your “unhappy client” will be thrilled to be considered an expert in this field and a candidate for this program.

“But we don’t have a Design Partner Program!”   So what?  When you pitch the idea to your manager and executives, you will have several clients already to participate.

Next time we’ll take a look at scenario #2.

Put the Spark Back Into Your Career

Corporate Exiting Strategies for blooming entrepreneurs.
Helping others to easily transition into their next chapter whether it’s the next ladder of success within their corporate environment or into the entrepreneurial playground.

To sign-up for these tools, subscribe at  http://eepurl.com/gGZtP

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