Can Chatting with Your Boss Help You Succeed in Career Planning?

When speaking of networking, perhaps you would instantly imagine talking to other professionals during conferences and other meetups or formal events. But did you know that your workplace also offers an excellent opportunity for networking? Yes, you can expand your network inside your office, provided that you talk to the right people. As a matter of fact, career experts even say that if you have never tried to have a chat with your boss, you are definitely missing out on a huge and significant career opportunity.

Why Do You Need to Talk to Your Boss?

Relationships are key to a successful career, and communication is a main ingredient in building good relationships. When you talk to your boss and engage him or her in your plans and ideas, you make them feel like they are important to the success of the team, and that you value their opinion. This is a great way to establish trust between you and your boss.

Tips for Talking with Your Boss

1. It isn’t a good idea to schedule a meeting with your boss at the beginning or end of the day.

Your boss is always busy in the morning as he or she is trying to finish the most important tasks for the day, and at the end of the day, your boss is just like you who can’t wait to leave the office. And so, the best time to schedule a meeting would be anywhere between before and after lunch.

2. Keep the meeting short (30 minutes is ideal).

Your boss has tons of things to do, so you don’t want to be the reason he or she will not be able to accomplish work on time. Besides, 30 minutes is enough to have a meaningful and engaging conversation with your boss.

3. Talk about common interests not related to work.

One effective way of building a good relationship with your boss is to engage him or her in a conversation about their personal interests. If you love sports and your boss does too, then this topic should give you a common ground which you can both talk enthusiastically about.

4. Be more of a listener rather than a speaker.

Being a willing listener is a good trait when you’re trying to build a good relationship with someone, especially your superiors. By asking smart questions, you can make your boss feel knowledgeable, smart, and important. This could then be his or her reason to like you. You may even seek advice from your boss regarding how you should deal with certain work issues you are facing.

Networking is about meeting and building connections with people who may eventually help you out with your career planning, and this is the reason why you should make an effort to spend time and have good conversations with your boss from time to time.

Business Coach Tips - 5 Steps to Take Before Terminating an Employee

Terminating an employee on an impulse may not be a good move for your business. If you want to reduce your liability, there has to be a fair and practical process to terminate an employee. Besides, it’s always good to give your workers enough time to be better, and tools that will help them get to where you want them to be.

However, when you are left with no other choice but to terminate a worker, the best thing you can do is follow a certain discipline process so that your termination will be performance-based.

Take note of the following before you decide to get rid of an employee:

1. Documentation is vital.

Unless you write things down, the other party may argue those things didn’t happen. You may even use a notebook to write down informal conversations, and it will be considered a form of documentation.

2. Communicate expectations clearly.

Every job needs to have a job description, which your employees may refer to in order to understand the functions and responsibilities of their role on your team. The worst thing you can do is assume that your employees understand everything they need to know about their jobs. Also, when roles are clearly defined and relayed, it becomes much easier to pinpoint and address problems.

3. Offer to coach.

Existing and new employees need to be coached. Coaching is an informal method of providing feedback to the performance of an employee. It is important for your employees to receive feedback from you so that they will know how they are doing in their jobs before you even consider terminating them or giving them any disciplinary action.

4. Create a performance improvement plan.

Through coaching or even a performance review, you will be able to see if there are concerns with the performance of your employees that need to be addressed. A performance improvement plan indicates specifically what the problem areas are, and it also provides detailed goals when such areas are corrected. Typically, a verbal counseling is the better way to do this, especially if the issues that need attention include communication issues, attendance, and other behavioral concerns.

5. Terminate employment when all else fails.

If you think you’ve done everything in your power to help your employee improve his or her performance, but no change has taken place, then the only option you have is to terminate his or her employment. It is important, however, that by this point, you have clearly documented what the issues are, and what you have done to address them.

Any business coach would tell you that when you implement performance-based terminations, they will not come as a surprise to your employees. This process will also spare you from worrying about your liability, or even the feeling of guilt because you know you’ve given your employee too many chances to be better, but they didn’t.

Career Planning: 5 Ways You Are Making Your Coworkers Hate You

It is said that doing great in your job can easily earn you the respect of your coworkers, and the management as well. But oftentimes, respect is not enough to give you the advancement in your job and career that you want. In reality, you need to be liked by the people you work for and work with.

It is for that reason that you have to make an effort to be friendly and courteous to every person in the workplace. Also, it is important that you not make yourself someone others will get annoyed with and hated.

The following are the possible reasons you could get your coworkers to dislike you, which you should also avoid if you want to keep a good image at work:

1. You suck at email.

Everyone nowadays is expected to know how to use email. But knowing how to send an email is just not enough; more importantly, you need to know and practice email etiquette. This means that you should NOT use the ‘urgent’ indicator all the time, use unfathomable subject lines, or write very long and useless messages. Do your own research so you could learn what the Do’s and Don’ts are in sending emails.

2. You have an overly decorated cubicle.

There is nothing wrong with making your workspace comfortable, but make sure that you keep it looking professional and formal. You want people in the workplace to respect and like you as a professional, and not for the cute decors you have on your desk and everywhere in your cube.

3. You’re a dirty eater.

It is common for employees to eat at their desks because they are too busy to even go to the cafeteria to eat lunch. But when you eat at your desk, don’t forget that you are eating with your coworkers around you. Thus, you shouldn’t forget your table manners. In most surveys of what annoying habits workers hate about their cubemates, ‘loud chewing’ is always one of the answers that come up.

4. You are a slob.

Another thing that will automatically make your colleagues hate you is being a slob. Take a look at your desk. Is it messy? Do you throw smelly garbage into the trash can near your other coworkers? Do you leave coffee cups and other dirty dishes in the office sink? Just because nobody is talking to you about your mess doesn’t mean nobody notices how untidy you are.

5. You let everyone know how much you know.

It’s okay to be good at something, especially if you have the skills and experience to prove that you are good, but there are times when you don’t need to tell people you know something. Nobody likes someone who’s a ‘know-it-all’.

If you want to advance in your career planning, you’ve got to make people like you, and you can do this by not doing or being any of the things mentioned above.

Life Coaching: Reasons You Should Not Be a Workaholic

If you are someone who’s crazily driven to be successful, well, you’re definitely not alone. Many of us would do everything and whatever it takes to achieve all their goals in life, particularly in their careers. There is actually nothing wrong with taking your work or career seriously. Work can be very exciting, rewarding, and fun. But of course, it is important to realize also that there is more to life than just work. You should remember that relaxing is not a luxury, but rather a necessity, and and stress is a major problem. Work only becomes a problem when it starts to take over your life and causes problems with your health, relationships and happiness. And when it does, it’s so important that you take a step back and find a way to put your life together again.

There is not one solution to stop being a workaholic, but there are things you should realize that can help you deal with this problem.

Being overly achievement-motivated is not good, simply because too much of something is not good.

Achievements are good, and you should be proud of them. It is only natural that you be proud of everything you've achieved in life. But remember that this isn't the only thing that should motivate you.

So what could be the right motivation? Well, it could be doing the things you are passionate about, doing exciting things, or simply being with the people you love.

Identify the 5 things that make you really happy - at least one should be a person, and the rest should not be related to work. Awareness of this will help you keep the balance in your life.

You can’t and shouldn't be a workaholic.

A workaholic is someone who overdoes his or her work. They spend long hours with work, they are obsessed with it, and they can’t stop working even on holidays, weekends, and even at night. If you see yourself like this, you may need some help. You may have to reach out to your loved ones, or even a therapist. Take note that this isn't something you should be ashamed of. This is a necessity. You've got to realize that you can’t spend all your life trying to be the best in your field, because at the end of the day, your life shouldn't be all about work. You live to enjoy life itself, and it means building good relationships, experiencing great things, exploring different places, and just doing what your makes your heart happy.

Sadly, many of us tend to take for granted the importance of keeping their work-life balance. When your work starts to take over your life, you may look at yourself as a very successful person, but in reality, you are losing the essence of life. So don't wait for it to happen; take to a life coaching expert and let someone help you get back your precious life.

How Could Doing Something You Hate Be Good for Your Career Planning?

It goes without saying that keeping employees motivated should be a manager’s or a business owner’s top priority if they want their business to succeed. Having motivated employees who look forward to being at work every single day is such a luxury as it is an essential factor for success.


So how do you motivate your employees, and how do you keep them that way? Do you always need to offer them a raise so they will remain committed to their jobs? Well, giving financial rewards is good, but it isn’t the only way you can make them happy. 

Here are two very simple methods that have worked for so many managers and company owners:


Always lead by example.

You should lead by example or with your actions, and not just words. If you always come to work with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, your employees will naturally do the same. Take note also that you should do this not only during meetings, but on a daily basis. When you send emails, interact with your people, and even when you talk to them on the phone; make sure you show how glad you are to be working with them. Remember that how you allow yourself to be seen will greatly affect how motivated they become as well.

Pay attention to what your employees really want.


Find a way to know what your employees really want in life, and be the instrument that will allow them to get it. 

This may seem overwhelming to you, considering the fact that all your employees want different things, and that you also have a life of your own that you need to focus on. But well, you’ve got to understand that when your employees feel your sincerity and willingness to help them have a better life, they will be more invested in you and your company as well.

People have different things that motivate them, but what most of us have in common is our desire to have a better life, and to become a better individual. This is something you can do for your employees, and it is by providing them with ways by which they can learn and develop further.


Conclusion – Money is not the only thing that drives motivation!


As any business consultant would put it, it is wrong to believe that your employees just need your money, and that money is enough to make them happy at work. People do what they do for a variety of reasons. The only way you could know and understand what drives them is to listen. As the leader, you should find a way to reach out to them so you could know what it is that will make them work with commitment and passion.

Career Coaching: Is It Good to Get a Transition Job?

Getting a survival job is almost always a good decision whether you have just graduated from college or you’ve just quit a dead-end job. You have to be a bit cautious, however, because although transition jobs are careers in themselves also, it may not be the suitable job for you in the long term. Read on to get some ideas on how you should decide when it comes to transitioning.

What Are Your Priorities?

The best way to start your planning is to come up with a list that details all your priorities and rank them according to their importance or urgency perhaps. Once your list is ready, the next thing you should think about is the timescale.

What is it that you need right now?

MONEY

In terms of how many hours you should work, it actually depends on whether you need the money to survive or to save. If you are saving for something big and important, it might be necessary for you to work longer hours. It would help if you could cut back on your daily expenses as well. Always have a goal and a realistic timeframe.

Meanwhile, if you’re just waiting for a new job opportunity, working part-time may be ideal. This way, you will still have time to focus on your preparations for your job search. This will prevent you from wasting precious time and will allow you to easily grab a good employment opportunity that may come your way.

TIME

Many of us need time to figure out what to do next. This is very common among those who decided to quit their jobs to find something more meaningful and fulfilling. If you are in this situation, a part-time position would be best. If a flexible full-time position is available, you might as well grab it then. What’s important is that you have the time to go to job interviews and other things required for your job application.

How Can You Keep Motivated?

One of the challenges of getting a transition job is that it could easily make you feel as if you are wasting your time. This is the result of knowing that your job is not what you want yourself to have in the future. But you should not let this attitude rule you. When you keep on thinking of your job this way, it will reflect on your performance. It is also unfair to your employer who is paying you for your services.

If you feel you need expert guidance on this matter, taking on a career coaching program may be suitable. Your career coach will help you figure out what you want to happen in your career, and he or she will equip you with the knowledge and skills that will enable you to achieve all your career goals.