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You've heard a rumor that there are going to be lay-offs. You are one of the most recent hires, and you think the next lay-off will have your name on the list.

What can you do? Go home and eat chips and salsa and be angry? No! Keep asking yourself why you took this job instead of another one? No!

• Make a list of your strengths and write down why you think you were hired.

• Write a value statement of what you bring to the organization, ex. I help my organization market innovation.

• Include why you and only you can add that kind of value the way you do in your organization.

• Do some brainstorming to uncover a problem that you can solve, or a success idea for your CEO, or senior leader.

• Contact the CEO or person who has the power to lay you off or retain you, and tell them you have an idea that you need to discuss with them right away.

• Present the problem,and how you can solve it or success idea, and your initial plan. If they like the idea and implementation plan, they've view you as invaluable. You have a great chance of getting your name crossed off that lay-off list.

I'm seeing more signs every day that the economy is improving for a lot of people. There are more job openings at different levels.

If you're just starting out, or in a job you don't like, this is the time to get a head start before everyone else is networking and sending resumes.

There are a lot of talented people who want to make career changes or work for organizations that have reputations as being "best place to work." 

Have you developed your strategy to be the only person worth hiring? What are you doing to demonstrate the added value you could bring.

You need to meet and be seen by senior people in your target industry or company. Find out what organizations they belong to and attend one of those meetings. Know who you want to meet in advance and prepare questions so you can interact in a meaningful way and be remembered. 

Before you go, google the industry, organization and  people you want to meet. This will help you develop your game plan and connect on a personal level.

Please send in questions or let me  know how we can help you this month.

In my last entry, I talked about the importance of a mentor. Getting a mentor is the first step, and knowing how to be a mentee is the second step.

Here are four ways to be a good mentee.

1- Know what you want to get out of the mentorship/mentee relationship. The more focused you are on what you need, the easier it will be for a mentor to help you.

2- Be open to new ideas. You may have a vision of what you want and how to get it, but be flexible. Don't be afraid to try other processes, and even adjust your vision.

3- Honor all commitments you make to your mentor. Set up times to to call or meet when you won't have any distractions.

4-Be willing and have the courage to teach your mentor how to help you. This might be the first time that he or she has ever taken on this role.

Do you now or have you ever had a mentor? One of the quickest "legal and ethical," ways to reach your career goals is to have a mentor who can help you develop a career success plan.  

Whether you are new to your organization or have been there for years, it's important to create your own vision of where you want to be in the next 6 months, a year, two years, etc.

Identify a senior leader in your organization who has influence, and demonstrates the skills that you need to  grow your career. Make an appointment to meet with that person. When you meet, discuss your goals, and how you believe you can add value and contribute to the success of the organization. Share information about your strengths, what you've accomplished and where you would like to be in the organization. 

Tell him/her that you would like their help in the form of mentorship. If they agree, set up another meeting where you'll discuss goals, timelines and how you will  work together. 

I'll be writing more about this in future posts.

I'll be glad to answer any questions you have about this process.

Simma

Last night, Women's eNews hosted a gala honoring "21 Leaders for the 21st Century." The honorees were a group of 20 remarkable women and one man, all working towards different causes with one common goal: to empower women. Held at the Jumeirah Essex House in New York City, the energy throughout the room was uplifting as guests applauded the efforts of a truly inspiring group.

Among the honorees was Robin Abrams, whose mission is to inspire women and girls to pursue careers in technology; Andrea Arroyo, a Mexican-American artist, who paints to commemorate the more than 400 women who have gone missing in the Mexican city of Juarez; Kathy Cloninger, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA, who was recognized for her development of the organization's renewed leadership focus; Martha Diaz, whose work with hip-hop culture is aimed towards cultivating the voice of women in a community; Ilene Lang, CEO of Catalyst, who works to build inclusive workplaces for women to minimize the barriers they face in their careers; and Tony Lewis Lee, who is on a mission to change the health profile of pregnant women and their infants.

Each honoree shared the inspiration behind their efforts and pledged to continue on their path towards amplifying the voices and rights of women. Bravo!

Ilene Lang, CEO of Catalyst

Martha Diaz, Creator of Womanhood Learning Project

Girl Scouts, Guests of Kathy Cloninger

One of my first jobs in high school, was standing behind a counter in Bloomingdales selling cards, ribbons, and hair accessories. It was really boring. My supervisor was a woman and her boss was a man. I had no idea how people became supervisors, managers, or even switched departments. When I had the highest sales rate for over four months, I thought that someone would look at my numbers and offer me a better job. Those were the days when I also thought that managers always hired the best candidates, and if you only had 2 years instead of 2 1/2 years of experience like the ad said, you shouldn’t weren’t qualified 

While I was languishing away selling notions behind a counter, waiting to be discovered by management, other women and men were executing plans and getting promoted.  

 It wasn’t  until many years later that I learned three things

1-   there was a game called business,  

2-   strategy was key,

3-   I could play too.

With the help of several mentors, I learned to change how I viewed myself and the world of business.

The key to business success is to be seen and heard as a leader by people in power. Become the go to person for your expertise and what you want to be known for. 

Three elements of being seen and heard:

    a- stop being a well-kept secret in your organization

     b- be seen as a peer and as adding value by people in higher positions than you

     c- Look the part and be ready for the starring role.

 Do you know how you're seen in your organization by senior executives, managers and employees?  Are you doing enough to be seen as a leader or as the expert in your field?

According to the National Institutes of Health, “people who feel more in control at their jobs tend to feel less stressed out.”

While executives and senior leaders have more control of their work, they manage people who feel like they have less control.

Employees in general are feeling more anxious and stressed. They’re worried about lay-offs, wage freezes, and reduction in benefits. If they are in an organization where there has already been a reduction in the workforce, they want to know what will happen in the future plus they may have “survival guilt.”

As an executive, you have to know how to manage your own stress plus lead your employees who may be having a hard time focusing on their work.

As a leader you may feel responsible for your employees and your organization to the detriment of your own health. At the same time you need to be able to look confident and calm so you don’t pass your stress onto everyone else. 

It can become a stress cycle, and negatively impact the business, but there are actions you can take.

 • Learn how to use self-talk to keep yourself focused and prevent or stop negative thinking. Either bring in an outside consultant to teach your employees or use internal resources if available.

• Learn and practice basic stress management exercises that involve breathing in order to relax during the day and recharge your mental, physical and emotional energy. If you appear relaxed it will help your employees.

• Talk to other senior leaders to vent and share best practices for stress solutions.

Having worked with executives for over twenty years, I can tell you that executive stress is real, and you are not alone. Being a stressed out executive is not a reflection on your leadership abilities but not doing anything about it can negatively impact your focus, productivity and profit. Who can afford that?

Meet Simma Lieberman.  She calls herself the inclusionist. She is committed to creating workplaces where people love to do their best work, and customers love to do business.  She will be sharing her thoughts and insights with you through the month of May.

simma [at] simmalieberman [dot] com

No one would argue that we've seen some tough times lately. High unemployment, foreclosures, banks not loaning money...need I say more?

Companies and individuals alike are biding their time, waiting for things to get better.

No big surprise there, has it ever been any different?

Yet, not everybody, company or individual, is playing the waiting game.

Some are actually making some bold decisions and taking prudent risks.

They are the ones that will reap the rewards, bring in the harvest. While most are saying "we can't plant now, it's too risky," some bold souls are plowing new fields now.

The way they see it is that there is so much more land available because so any people are in a wait and see mode. So, while others are waiting, they are planting, watering and nurturing their opportunities.

There's a harvest coming...for some.

How about you?