Posts in Meandering Genius

Scenario Planning for Alien Abduction

Business Coaching Business Consulting Meandering Genius Strategic Planning

What if aliens teleported away all your employees?

Obviously, this isn’t realistic, but scenario planning can be a crucial benefit for your organization.

Looking at some of the challenges you currently face, such as have one person that handles a crucial job, or having limited access to people who can do important work that your company does. It’s situations like these that lend themselves to scenario planning.

In the example of someone one deep in a critical position, your scenario could be that that individual just got hit by the “lottery bus.” It’s great to take that concept and put it in front of your executive team. This allows them to really think about what they need to do to protect themselves from failure if something like that were to happen.

A lot of times businesses don’t think about what could happen, and these are the kind of things that really bite them in the butt when they do happen. Often, it’s things that were fine when you started business but now are making your life difficult.

Thinking about these scenarios is very helpful from a planning perspective. Make sure that you keep scenario planning realistic (i.e., not aliens stealing employees). I encourage you to add it to your business planning.

Struggling With Social?

Blogging Business Coaching Meandering Genius Performance Measurement Start-up Saturday Strategic Communication

Using social media for business? Struggling?

Who doesn’t?

We all can’t be like Gary Vaynerchuk and Neil Patel Digital overnight. But here are some simple rules to help you.

1. Video & Imagery is King! Sharing Sucks! All social media platforms want original content on their site…not shared from another site. Videos (Live #1) are top and then pictures (post the picture first) are second.

2. Engagement keeps it alive! Getting people to Like, Comment, & Share pushes your post into other’s feeds, so you reach an audience you’re not connected with. I had a simple update post that went viral because of this and had over 41K views on LinkedIn.

3. Connection Power works! Obviously, the more people that are connected to you and follow you, the more people see what you post. Connection can be through Business Pages and Groups too. Always be building your connections.

4. Recency Importance! Always try to post when YOUR audience is reading their news feed. It’s more likely to be seen. The longer it’s out there, the less people will see it.

5. Monitor your performance! Pay attention to anything that the platform will provide you with as performance metrics. Watch what works and doesn’t work.

Do you have another suggestion? Comment below 🔊👇

Frustrated with the Hiring Process?

Business Coaching Leadership Meandering Genius Performance Measurement Process Improvement

As a professional coach and mentor I often work with people who are trying to find a job in the corporate world. They are often frustrated with the hiring process and struggle.

One of the most frustrating things is being declined without even a phone call.

Here’s some situational advice…

Large companies often post jobs externally and internally at the same time. However, they will often look at internal candidates first before they look at external. If they find someone that fits internally, they will hire them first.

If you are looking for jobs on search engines, like indeed and LinkedIn, chances are that job has been posted for a while and the company paid to expand the search. People who have a job alert set up with that company posted long before you did.

The most important thing in job hunting is to create and leverage a network in the companies you want to work for. If you don’t have strong, personal connections then you are fighting with those that do.

Not tailoring your resume? Shame on you! You have to adjust your resume for every job. Make it easy for recruiters and boolean search engines to pick your resume out of the stack.

Finding a job is a full time job in itself. Align yourself with an expert who has successfully sat on the job search side and hiring side. Hiring is a process…once you understand it, you can beat it and not let it beat you!

Facebook and Instagram Password Snafu

Business Coaching In Your Face Friday Leadership Meandering Genius Performance Measurement Process Improvement Strategic Planning

Looks like it’s time to change your Facebook and Instagram passwords … again!

It’s all over the news this morning!!! Facebook confirmed yesterday, that it stored “hundreds of millions” of account passwords in plaintext FOR YEARS!!!

The discovery was made in January as part of a routine security review. Facebook said, “None of the passwords were visible to anyone outside Facebook.” Facebook admitted the security lapse, after they discovered passwords were accessible to approximately 2,000 engineers and developers.

“This caught our attention because our login systems are designed to mask passwords using techniques that make them unreadable,” said Canahuati, in the recent announcement. “We have found no evidence to date that anyone internally abused or improperly accessed them.”

Facebook said it will notify hundreds of millions of Facebook and Instagram of the exposure.

Recommendation: Change your passwords now!

Thinking About the …verts

Business Coaching Life Meandering Genius Stuff Thoughtful Thursday

On Thursdays, I always like to expand my mind by exploring interesting thoughts. Most people know what an Introvert and Extrovert are. Most people think, if you’re an Introvert, you’re shy, and, if you’re an Extrovert, your outgoing.

Studies have shown that is not necessarily true. See, what you’re seeing are behavior traits that someone on the extreme spectrums might exhibit, but not necessarily true of either type. In fact, what has been learned is that what these terms really mean, is where you derive your energy from.

Introverts draw energy from within and being around others and interacting can drain their energy. They often need to go home and relax with a good book, music, or a hobby to recharge.

Extroverts are kind of like energy vampires. Although they don’t bite anyone, they draw their energy from crowds and interaction. Thus, they always seem to be the life of the party.

For years, I would score as an Introvert. I took the personality tests many times over the years and until about 1995 or so, I was an Introvert. Even as a kid I was considered shy.

Can we change?

I started to realize how I acted in group situations. I was the person in the corner of the room that had his arms crossed and a “don’t come near me” look on my face. I probably kept people at bay with my posture and look because I subconsciously knew the interaction drained me. The thing is, I was beginning to not like that in me. I wanted to be more engaged and didn’t really understand why people wouldn’t talk to me like they interacted with others.

I learned one thing…smile!

I know it seems silly, but I stopped being that standoffish guy in the corner with a “don’t you dare” look on his face, and I started smiling. Smiling made all the difference in the world! People approached me! People talked to me!

Today, I test as an Extrovert all the time. And a strong ‘E’ too. However, I’ll tell people I’m just a Closet Introvert. I’m slow to respond in discussion situations (until you get me going). Introverts tend to think about what they’re going to say before they say it, whereas an Extrovert verbalizes their thoughts as they work through them. I can be very Introverted in that manner. Also, I tend to enjoy group interaction, although it can take me a little to build up steam to interact. However, I find it can be relatively draining afterward. This is especially true of teaching and speaking situations. Odd, because I love doing both nowadays!

Lately, the terms Ambivert and Omnivert have started to appear. An Ambivert is someone that exhibits both traits of Introvert and Extrovert — perhaps this might be me? An Omnivert is someone that normally acts one way — introverted or extroverted — but will act in the total opposite manner when in stressful or special situations. That friend that always hangs out and parties as an Extrovert, but then totally disappear as an Introvert when they start dating — they might be an Omnivert.

All of these observations are very interesting.

Do you know what you have tested out as?

Do you agree with your personality result?

Do you exhibit any of the Ambivert or Omnivert traits?

Things that make you go, “hmmm,” on a Thoughtful Thursday!

You Need A Career Coach

Business Coaching Business Consulting Meandering Genius Promotion Tuesday
Out of work and struggling to find a job?

Looking for another job, but still working today?

You’re not alone these days. The job market has improved and people are finding it harder and harder to even get a response from companies when they post for jobs.

Let’s face it, getting a new job is a fulltime job, especially when you’re currently out of work.

As a Coach that specializes in this area, these are the things I tell my clients to consider:

🔭 Research. You have to research all the companies you are interested and the types of jobs they offer. This will give you an idea of levels, requirements, and opportunities. When I look, I tailor every resume to the job. This means fully understanding their mission, vision, culture, and the challenges they might be facing.

🚧 Construct. You need to build your “resume fodder” that best displays your talents and work history. You create a general resume and additional material to use for responding to each requisition individually. Spent a long time in one job or had a period out of work? Consider a Functional Resume over Chronological — I spent 21 years in the Air Force and it was easier to depict my capabilities functionally than chronologically when I retired from active duty.

☎️ Network. Establish at least one strong face-to-face connection in each of the companies that you’re interested in applying with.  You need to leverage this internal connection every time you apply for a job with that company. My first job, out of the Air Force, happened because someone put my resume in the system — I didn’t even apply! These people can get you in front of hiring managers, tell you about jobs that haven’t even been posted, and possibly can get you details about the job and challenges that area of the company is facing.

💻 Respond.  You need to have alerts set up with companies you like and you need to be on jobs systems like Indeed (#1), LinkedIn (need a Premium account), Glassdoor, etc. every day! As soon as a job is posted that you like, do two things: 1) Tailor your resume and apply immediately. 2) Contact your contact(s) in the company with the job requisition you applied for and a copy of the resume–they can probably figure out who the hiring manager is. In my last company, three times I sponsored someone for a job and they never showed up in front of the hiring manager. Because I had referred them, they did a by-name request and pulled the person into the interview process — all three were hired!

🗣 Interview. All too often, people who get to the interview stage, blow it! If you make it this far, now you are only competing with an average of two to eight people. This is your opportunity. You need to be fully prepared and practiced or you will not perform well. As a hiring manager for years, I’ve seen it all — even one interview where a fellow interviewer was drawing a train going off the tracks on his interview sheet. Each job has it’s own best approach, and you have to plan for it.

🎀 Follow-up. With ever interview, you need to “tie a bow on it.” At the end of the interview, if you want the job, Say It! Few people ask for the job in the interview. After the interview is over, follow-up via email and/or LinkedIn with a thank you…even of you don’t want this job. I’ve had interviews for jobs where I really wasn’t interested or the best fit. However, that didn’t mean I wasn’t a good fit for another opportunity they hadn’t even posted yet! Also, thank the Recruiter that worked with you. They know about all the job openings and might “keep you warm on the stove” if you’re someone they like.

If you’re struggling with finding that next job, consider hiring a career coach. Someone that has been on both sides of the hiring aisle and can really help you. Typically, for normal business professional positions, a coach costs about $100 to $200 an hour and will charge an hour or two of work on your resume. Executive hiring coaches typically charge up to ten times this. Mainly because the salary range and bonus/benefit structure is so much more lucrative. They also have a network and connections that make them very effective.

If you’re looking for a career coach, I work with people mainly looking for business professional and Director / Manager positions. I’m very successful at working with these people to get them hired.

Check out my pages on LinkedIn or Facebook: Crosscutter Enterprises or www.crossctr.com for more information.

Networking With Your Chamber

Business Coaching Business Consulting Meandering Genius Take A Leap Wednesday Tips

On this Take A Leap Hump Day, let’s talk about getting out and #networking with your local #chamber.

If you have a #business and you don’t belong to at least one #chamberofcommerce in your area.. shame! The #benefits from a chamber greatly outweigh the costs…if you use them.

Over the last two years, I’ve (as Crosscutter Enterprises) supported my local chamber’s #strategic #planning. One of the things we uncovered is that #businesses that belong and are active in the chamber #stayinbusiness.

#Active, meaning you attend events and #engage with other businesses in your area. Every chamber holds events, like breakfasts, lunches, or evening #mixers, annual events, #ribboncuttings for new businesses, and #educational activities. These provide you the opportunity to #network with other businesses.

Running our #equestrian #business (Fine Print Farms), we joined and got involved with the chamber. Our ribbon cutting/open house was attended by about 150 people! I attend nearly every monthly #membermixer and have gone to several ribbon cutting events. Our business has become a recognized location in the city.

If you want to be #successfulinbusiness, join your local chamber and attend their #networkingevents.

#success #incubator #coach #consultant

Your Number One Motivation

Business Coaching Business Consulting Leadership Meandering Genius Motivational Monday Organizational Commitment

What is your number one #motivation?

Personally, I am most #motivated by helping others achieve #successes that they weren’t able to achieve themselves.

Being a #success #incubator sometimes means that someone’s success isn’t always easily attributed to you. A few months ago, some people I worked with started talking about building a #consulting approach to their work.

A year prior to that, I had led our team down that journey…moving from an #intakementality to a #consultingmentality (finding and creating the work ourselves). Someone I worked with asked me if it bothered me that someone was taking credit for my ideas and efforts without attributing me for the effort.

I wasn’t bothered at all.

See, it was #motivating to me to see them moving in a #positivedirection. I know and they know where they got the #idea…it’s not necessary for everyone to know.

Recently, I was telling someone that very few people will take the time to #recognize people publicly for what they’ve done. On #socialmedia, few will write a #review or #recommendation, even when you do a great job.

It’s important to be able to pull #motivation out of something #extrinsically versus feeding off the #intrinsic parts of it.

So, what #motivates you?

Blogging Success Ideas

Blogging Business Coaching Business Consulting Innovation Life Performance Measurement Success Sunday Tips

Are you a #blogger or interested in social media #blogging? Let’s take this Sunday to discuss some Blogging #Success Ideas…please add your own ideas in the comments below 👇

#1 Always load a #video or #picture first. That way, if you use a link, like www.johnknotts-author.com in your post, it won’t automatically create an image link. Posts with videos and pictures get more #visibility with #socialmedia #algorithms.

#2 #Connect #engaging people to your #blog with the @ sign. When posting on your personal profile, your can connect people you respect, like @Matt Scherer, @Pat Whitty, @Joseph Toomer, and @Steve Taubman, this post pops up in their notifications. If they’re engaging in social media, they’ll chime in. You can also #connect business pages like Crosscutter Enterprises and Microsoft to drive people to a page. If posting on your Business Page, it is harder to take people.

#3 #Hashtag strategies work well–really well on #LinkedIn. You put them at the bottom, but you can also tag them right in the #post. They create search links that can connect like material. Use them wisely.

#4 Provide a #calltoaction in your post. Ask #readers to do something, like add their ideas, #like and #share, click the link, etc.

#5 LinkedIn only gives you 1,300 characters … use them wisely. Facebook, however, give you tons of room. However, make sure you make the post enagaging at the start of it’s long so people will click the #readmore link.

Your turn, go…

#incubators #business #mentoring #coaching