Woo Your Wife (Your Boss, Your Family)

3 Ways to Solve Problems

If there is one thing we all have in common, it is problems. Problems with work, family, finances, friends, career… there seems to be a never ending supply of them. Solving other people’s problems always seems easier than solving our own. Hence, I have a career. Here are 3 of my personal secrets for solving other people`s problems to help you solve yours.

1.  Listen. Just like I listen first to what people are saying and let them talk themselves out, listen to your own self talk. What are the particular verbs you are using to describe your problem? If you are saying to yourself `I hate this.` , remember that `hate` is a powerful emotion and will colour your judgement. If your self talk is, `It confuses me to…` think of why you are confused which is usually from not understanding something. Go back and learn what you need to know so the confusion is lessened.

2.  Come up with more than one alternative option. If you only see 2 options like the tide is in or the tide is out, you have not thought through the problem. The tide is only `in` 2 times a day for one minute each time. The rest of the time the tide is coming in or going out. Problems need more than the obvious in or out, high or low, buy or sell solutions. When you think of at least 5 viable options, now you understand the problem well enough to start to take action or make a recommendation.

3. Take action based upon your gut, not long deliberation or relying on massive detail. Harvard Business Review reported how decisions based upon a gut feeling were better than those based upon mulling over reams of data. Further, decisions are better when there is only a limited amount of information. The more detailed and trivial the information, the more likely we are to focus on the wrong thing. Finally, those who sleep on the decision let their subconscious minds work on it and that is where the creativity happens. The conscious mind possesses very little creativity.

Solving your problems in life still will not be easy. These three tools, however, will better equip you for tackling the next problem to arise. `Hmmm… eat Chinese or Italian for lunch.`

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Got comments or questions about how to solve problems? Just leave your comments here.

Career Success : The Four Compass Points for Raising Your Career

Michael Podolinsky, trainer and certified speaking professional of Podolinsky International shares with Human Resources on what he feels are the four key “compass points” that can help you achieve success in your career.

Are you working a job, or building a career? Anyone (and most everyone) can work a job. I had my first `job` when I was 14-years-old scrubbing and waxing floors, setting up tables, sweeping and washing windows. I started a sales CAREER at age 20 and have built that career up ever since. Yup, as a speaker, trainer and coach, I am in sales. I not only have to sell my clients on using our services, but also `sell` ideas to audiences all the time.

Here are 3 Sure Fire LAWs to Build Your Career.

1) Learn it. We loose information and facts from our lives at an amazing rate. Better than 90% of the bombardment of information thrown at us is totally lost. Of that 10% we `perceive`, we are lucky to retain 10% in 2 weeks time. Either go for a larger volume of information to `learn` (very low likelihood of success) or be more selective in what you expose yourself to daily. Turn down the `noise` and turn up the good stuff. Mute commercials and talk to your spouse. Read that good book and toss the tabloid. Use your laptop on the bus and stop staring at the bus adverts.

Better yet, study one aspect of your business or industry for one hour every day and in 5 years, you will be the world’s leading expert and then EVERYONE will want you because you are the leading authority in the world.

Learn someone else`s job at work. Learn another product in your product line. Learn about a competitor. Learn how to walk better. Learn how to speak better. Learn it. Learn it. Learn it.

2) Ask it. My dad always encouraged me to ask more questions. My Karate instructor reinforced it. Looking back, I still never asked enough questions. Now, when I am attending a seminar, I ALWAYS and SHAMELESSLY ask a TON of questions.

For your career, ask your boss what you need to advance. Ask the most successful person you know what she or he would do in your place. Ask your family if they want to support you in your next career move (which may require sacrifice on their parts as well) Be like a 4-year-old, `Why?`, `Why?`, `Why?` Ask it.

3) Work it. Apollo 13 quote, `Work the problem.` Work the team. Work yourself. Get up an hour earlier and work it. Get to work 1 hour earlier and get a jump on the day. Take lunch away from your desk but alone with your laptop and work it. Work Saturday mornings to get ahead. Yes rest. Yes play hard. Yes have quality `down time.` But make sure you work it. Notice I did not say `Busy it`. Work it.

Not the sum total of possibilities… just 3 quick LAWs. I’d give you 50, but I’m Working it.

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Never work a job. Losers do that much. Instead, develop and advance your career. A career is of your making and a long term project. Here are 3 simple ways to advance your career.

1.  Look long term. Think, `The day I retire, from what position should I retire?`What are you doing now to prepare yourself for that post? What will you need to learn? With whom will you need to affiliate? Lay out a plan and do NOW that which will get you there.

2.  Be likeable. Not everyone you work with must like you. But, being likeable will make it easier for you to build alliances with the people who can propel your career forward. How to be likeable? Smile more. Complain less. Ask more questions. Talk less and listen more. Laugh at their jokes. Offer help more than advice.

3.  Be flexible. As a lad I liked to write, speak and be creative. Being flexible and seeing every job along the way as a chance to grow, I discovered this career at 27. Almost a quarter century later and 25,000 KMs from where I started, I love my career more every day. No organisation, position or title is a career. Your career is developed over time and makes you, TAKES YOU to where you want to grow in life.

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