2012 Top Ten Professional Resolutions

2012 is no longer just an action movie or a looming prophecy, it is about to become reality. This is the time of year when we ponder changes and eagerly welcome a fresh, new start. Resolutions need not always be of a personal nature. In the spirit of building relationships and making connections, Escoe Bliss has decided to share our top ten goals for 2012.

If you know Escoe Bliss, you know we love grammar! This list of resolutions is derived from some etymological fun surrounding the historical origin of ‘en'. 'En' is of Greek origin, meaning: in, into, inside, inwards. 

 So without further ado, here are:

The Top Ten Professional Resolutions to Ring "En" Your New Year! 

1. Envision: to picture mentally; especially some future event or events "As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe it one hundred percent." - David Hockney, Artist, Designer, Photographer
   Making resolutions is your first step to envisioning success in 2012, but you need to get behind them and make them real. Write your resolutions down. Review your goals on a regular basis in order to keep them fresh and stay motivated. Set realistic expectations; expecting too much, too quick is counterproductive and will only breed frustration.
2. Engage: to occupy the attention or efforts of (a person or persons)
   With all of the advancements in social media, engaging your clients, business partners, and prospects has never been easier and more affordable. You may need to take a little time to educate yourself about what are the most useful and appropriate social media tools for your business, but the resources are out there. With little time you can easily communicate with your audience and increase brand strength. Social media gives you an opportunity to share and initiate discussion with your followers and form a relationship with them. The relationship you build will foster customer loyalty and business success.
3. Enhance: to raise to a higher degree or to raise the value of
   An easy way to enhance your business in 2012 is to take a look at your brand statement or elevator speech. Have you re-evaluated these recently? Business is a changing entity and the message about your mission and services needs to continually evolve. For more information, great tips, useful links on composing a stellar elevator speech read our November Communication Corner.
4. Enrich: to add greater value or significance to
   Our own Jolynn Atkins, VP of Strategic Operations and Consulting Solutions, stands by the belief that she is forever a student of life. Make it your mission to continually to enrich your mind, skill set, and desires. Membership and active involvement in professional organizations is a wonderful way to stay knowledgeable about the latest developments in your industry while building your professional network. 
5. Enlighten: Illumine, edify, teach, inform
   Lead by example in 2012. Each of us bring unique talents to our offices and the best way to foster growth is to share what we know. If you're an executive, consider becoming a mentor to a fresh face in your field. Not only will you teach them invaluable lessons, but you will probably learn a thing or two as well. A mentoring relationship is a beautiful thing, because it is a mutually beneficial relationship. If on the other hand you are new to a field, don't be shy about approaching someone you admire and asking them for their guidance. Often we don't realize how much we have to contribute until someone asks us to share. Asking an experienced associate for their insight will both flatter and motivate them.
6. Enable: to make ready; equip (often used in combination)
   If you're going to have a successful year, you need to be equipped with the right tools and the only way to truly improve is by taking an honest look at our weaknesses. Regular feedback and constructive criticism both motivate and teach us how to be more effective employees, leaders, and coworkers. Return on Recognition® Program (ROR) is a new web based tool that revolutionizes the world of employee performance assessments. ROR® is a coaching system intended to encourage increased employee performance and engagement through positive, ongoing communication and recognition.
   Take advantage of the exlusive Insider ROR® offer. Email Regina Gormanly to get your copy.
7. Encourage: to inspire courage, hope, or spirit
   Corporate responsibility is crucial to your business and society as a whole. As you begin the year assess your company's level of involvement in your community. Do you have a charity of choice? If you do, is your relationship with them vibrant? Reach out to their community or corporate relations team member to find out if your organization can help with any current and crucial needs. Make sure  you are communicating your support and advocacy to your clients, partners, and employees. Hope is contagious and carries with it wonderful side effects such as customer loyalty, brand recognition, and increased employee morale.
8. Endure: to hold out against; sustain without impairment or yielding; undergo
   Our country was formed by groups of people looking for solutions in hard times. Perseverance is in our blood and it's the back bone of our culture. During difficult economic times like these we need to hold fast to the simple practices that have proven themselves invaluable throughout history. In 2012, hard work, respect, and responsible spending are the keys to weathering this economic storm. Keep your business practices honest and use your budget intelligently. This will help your business fiscally and project a responsible image to your clients, which will encourage their loyalty and repeat business.
9. Ensure: to secure or guarantee
   Guarantee yourself, your brand, and possibly your company that this will be a year of growth and profitability. Secure a prominent position in your market by using economical tools and concentrating on retention (of valuable employees and customers).  Sheryl Crowe states in her song Soak Up the Sun, "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got." Often there is considerable potential and value surrounding us and the key to maximizing results is appreciating what we already have. Frequent communication and exclusive offers are a great way to retain existing clients (see Resolution 1, Engage). Opportunities for education and advancement are great retention tools for high-performing employees (See Resolutions 5 and 6, Enlighten and Enable). There are also a wide selection of affordable corporate training tools and software programs available. Ask Escoe Bliss how our highly qualified e-learning professionals can help with your next internal training project.
10. Enjoy! to experience with joy; take pleasure in
    Armed with your resolutions for 2012, you are a professional force to be reckoned with! The only remaining token of advice is, "the more the merrier!" Share, share, share with your colleagues, family and friends, and superiors and staff. A well trained soldier has a good shot at success, but a well trained army can't lose. Once you begin working in unison with others on these professional resolutions, you will begin to see the benefits for your office, brand, and community. Leaving you with the fun part; lots of reasons to celebrate!

Communication Corner: Elevator Speech

Why do many people have what seems to be an irrational fear of elevators? Perhaps it's due to the inevitable relinquishment of control upon entering. You push the button for your floor, but what's to stop others from commandeering your vertical mode of transportation and introducing several other floors? Your trip is now lengthened and taking you to places you didn't intend.

If life gives you a bunch of lemons, what are you supposed to do? That's right, make lemonade. Likewise, you shouldn't let a packed elevator turn you into a sourpuss. A well-prepared elevator speech can give you the upper hand if you choose to seize the opportunity to promote your company or personal brand.

Topic: Elevator Speech
Origins: The term is most likely American due to the usage of 'elevator' as opposed to 'lift'. An exact date or time period of origin for its usage is relatively unknown. Entrepreneurs compose a pitch that sums up their product in a concise, yet enticing manner. The objective is to grab the interest of a potential investor or client in just a short elevator ride. It is an important tool that describes the unique aspects of a brand while accentuating its beneficial uses for the audience. A successful elevator pitch should leave the listener intrigued and wanting to learn more.

Today's Term: A good elevator speech is something that any forward-thinking company or individual should have prepared. Salesmen and inventors may have crafted the art, but this is a tool that can cultivate growth for the presently employed as well as the job seeker. Consider someone who has been with a company for a year or two and unexpectedly they find themselves sharing an elevator with the CEO or standing next to the Chairman of the Board on a lunch line. What's more beneficial for them, small talk about the weather, or a strong, brief statement about their personal contribution to thier department supplemented by intriguing facts about a current project they are working on? In order to excel you need to be prepared to be your own promoter. Take the time. Sum up the unique accomplishments and characteristics that make you valuable. Be proud. Tell others why you deserve to be where you are and then intrigue them with where you are going. Do it right and by the time you wrap up your speech, they will want to come along with you.
Common Uses: Networking events, career fairs, industry-related conventions, company events, performance assessments
Examples: Some great tips and samples from Microsoft, A strong example and a weak example, An interesting new swing on the idea: Twitpitch

Communication Corner: Icebreakers

Topic: Icebreakers

The Origin: Icebreakers have a long legacy of aiding business processes. The original 'icebreakers' were boats called Kochi that were used in freezing waters for the purpose of keeping trade routes open during the coldest times of year. These large ice-breaking ships were used by the Russians in the Arctic Seas during the 11^th century as tools to literally keep trade routes navigable and business flowing.

Today's Term: Communication begins by someone stepping up and 'breaking the ice.' The ice metaphorically speaking is the silence that we experience when we find ourselves in new social situations. Without someone or something to break the ice,  we would be be stuck in a frozen mass and connections would not be made, ideas would not be generated, and business would stagnate. Communication icebreakers of today serve the same purpose as the original ice-breaking boats from hundreds of years ago. When icebreakers are used at networking events, through sales calls, and for initiating strategic partnerships they open up trade and keep business moving forward.

Common Uses: Team-building exercises, networking, business development, and social interactions.

Examples: 

http://www.icebreakerfun.com/icebreakergamesforsmallgroups.html

http://humanresources.about.com/od/icebreakers/Ice_Breakers_Energizers_and_Activities.htm

 

Building Up Your Community: A Building Block for Your Career

Community - noun

1. a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.
2. a locality inhabited by such a group.
3. a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually prec. by the): the business community; the community of scholars.
4. a group of associated nations sharing common interests or a common heritage: the community of Western Europe.

No matter how you describe it, define it, or say it, we all are part of one, a community. Whether you're employed or in search of your new career, becoming part of community is a great way to learn from others, establish new relationships, and give to or for others. In a previous blog on defining a job search strategy, http://bit.ly/9TVa0y, we noted the importance of not only social networking but actual face to face networking. SO if you are going to network, why not choose a group or cause that you are passionate about and have an opportunity to give back to your local community?

Last week, I had the opportunity to do just that! Escoe Bliss is a member of the California Staffing Professionals (CSP) http://www.cspnet.org/, a non-profit membership organization which provides products and services to its members within the staffing services industry. CSP successfully influenced the passage of several state assembly bills that deregulated employer-paid agencies to the less restrictive control of local statutes, eliminating the Bureau of Employment Agencies. It fought oppressive I-9 requirements. It confronted the Legislature, protesting unfair competition by a publicly funded entity. On a turnaround trip with my CSP community from all over including, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, and areas of Northern California, I had the pleasure of going to the state capitol to discuss with our legislators how we can and need to get the unemployed in California back to work. It was most impressive the way the legislators and staff set aside time to listen to our concerns and ideas. They even took time for a quick photo opp! (see photo below with Assemblyman Chris Norby)

Another stellar example: I recently learned of a story about an unemployed office administrator who is currently offering freelancing services and time for a veterinary office. I was so moved when she shared the reason behind it. This kind-hearted vet was by her side when her 14 year old border collie was having health challenges and even made house calls. When the office administrator was given the opportunity to return the favor, she didn't even blink and jumped at the chance.

Just to demonstrate how volunteering can not only fulfill a giant need in your community but lead to a personal story in your job search strategy, we have another example for you. Escoe Bliss' Regina Gormanly was a personal shopper at the Men's Day of Self Esteem for Working Wardrobes last fall. On this day she was partnered with another energetic volunteer. After getting to know each other, they were both in awe that Escoe Bliss' capabilities and her skill set were a match! She was a freelance Instructional Designer looking for a new contract. Regina introduced her to me and the rest is history! The Instructional Design consultant is now on a 12 month contract with our client.

Whether it is my recent experience to Sacramento, a personal experience of your own, or story shared about a perfect stranger helping someone they never met, hopefully you will be inspired. There is so much value and importance in finding a network and engaging in an activity that cannot only bring you and others joy, but be a step in the right direction of finding a new career or contract.

We are always looking for ways to build our community and volunteer. If you have an organization that you are passionate about please feel free to share in the comments section below.