Bridges

Edition of 6/5/2008

[Bridges]

If you would like to take advantage of a consultant or executive coach, please email me at robin@coachrobinfogel.com for a complimentary coaching session or visit my website -
www.coachrobinfogel.com

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CAREER TIPS
In May I had the pleasure of speaking at an event sponsored by Rider University and the Greater Mercer Chamber of Commerce called Women in Transition. Some of the participants were women reentering the job market after raising children, others had lost there jobs in this economy. I spoke about a range of things from confidence and networking to functional resumes. Most importantly I said that as with anything it was important not to get overwhelmed - learn to view any transition as an opportunity. I suggested that the participants be sure to identify all their skills, not just those learned on the job but in other aspects of life. I said to network, network, network - that is where opportunity comes from, whether finding a job or increasing your business. And finally to remember that attitude is everything. The thing that will sink any effort be it job hunting or prospecting for new clients, is attitude that is less than positive.

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INSPIRATION
If you haven't heard about Randy Pausch you are missing a treat. The author of the book the "The Last Lecture", Professor Pausch, who is dying of pancreatic cancer, has been interviewed extensively about his amazing journey. The book came out of a lecture he delivered at Carnegie Mellon where he was a professor in the computer science department. He writes that when he was told he only had a few months to live, the lecture was his opportunity to share some life lessons with his 3 young kids. He wanted others to know that they should," always have fun, dream big, ask for what you want, dare to risk, look for the best in everybody, make time for what matters, and let kids be themselves". Check out his website for a truly inspirational story and a great reminder of what really matters. www.randypausch.com

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SETTING PRIORITIES
Hardly a week passes without a client mentioning being stressed and frustrated at their ability to manage their time. The more I've read about the concept of time management the more I've learned that it's not really about time. It's about being clear about priorities. There are some things we know - there's never enough time, bad time management is stressful, and that 80% of our reward comes from 20% of our effort. The time management experts all say the same thing. If you have a plan of what you need to get done today or this week - and it can certainly change - if you are clear about what your priorities are then every item on your to-do list, every call, every email can be filtered through this prism - is this a priority, is this really important?

While doing some research for this newsletter I stumbled across a talk that Professor Randy Pausch delivered at the University of Virginia in November of 2007 - a lecture on time management, a topic he joked that he was an expert in since he has limited time. He started by saying that unlike lots of things, your time is something you can never get back so make a plan and use it wisely.

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For those who ask me what it is that I do, I offer Executive Coaching and Human Resource consulting in the following areas:

-Business Consulting & Executive Coaching - working as an independent sounding board providing advice on staffing issues, developing emerging talent and helping managers sharpen their communication and management skills;

-Career Coaching for career advancement, change or transition;

-Not for Profit Consulting - providing Executive Directors with independent sounding board, consulting on staff issues, board relations and staff development
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FINAL THOUGHT
"If you dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney

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