Career Coaching

Managing Transitions and William Bridges

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I love my “Managing Transitions” book by William Bridges. In the first two chapters he highlights some things he thinks are important to tackle early in a transition process. Bridges presented these recommendations as part of a case study on customer service. Although your specific situation may be somewhat different, I think the principles still apply.

Figure out exactly how individuals’ behavior and attitudes will have to change to make teams work. To deal successfully with transition, you have to determine precisely what changes in their existing behavior and attitudes people will have to make. It isn’t enough to tell them they have to work as a team.

Analyze who stands to lose something under the new system. You can’t grasp the new thing until you’ve let go of the old thing. It’s this process of letting go that people resist, not the change itself. You have to understand the pattern of loss to deal with resistance or even sabotage.

“Sell” the problem that is the reason for the change. Most leaders put 10% of their energy into selling the problem and 90% into selling the solution to the problem. People aren’t in the market for solutions to problems they don’t see, acknowledge, and understand.

Put team members in contact with disgruntled clients, either by phone or in person. Let them see the problem firsthand. (Again, this was relevant to the case study.) This is part of selling the problem. If you are the only one with first-hand experience of the problem, it is going to remain your problem. The key is to make it everyone’s problem.

Talk to individuals. Ask what kinds of problems they are having with “teaming.” When an organization is having trouble with change, managers usually say they know what is wrong. But the truth is that often they don’t. They imagine that everyone sees things as they do, or they make assumptions about others that are untrue.

Talk about transition and what it does to people. Offer leaders training on how to manage people in transition. Everyone can benefit from understanding transition. A coordinator will deal with subordinates better if he or she understands what they are going through. If they understand what transition feels like, team members will feel more confident that they haven’t taken a wrong turn. They’ll also see that some of their problems come from the transition process and not from the details of the change.

Start holding regular team meetings. Even before you can change the space to fit the new teams, you can start building the new identity by having those groups meet regularly. The plan had been to hold meetings every two weeks. Bridges immediately changed that: the teams met for 10 minutes every morning for the first two months. This frequent clustering helped override old habits and self-images and built the new relationships that teamwork requires.

Bridges follows with four more categories of specific tasks:

  • Those that are important but require more planning
  • Those that may be beneficial depending on how they are implemented
  • Those that are not very important and may even be a waste of time, and
  • Those that should be avoided at all costs.

“The first task of change management is to understand the desired outcome and how to get there. The first task of transition management is to convince people to leave home, to leave what is comfortable and known. You’ll save yourself a lot of grief if you remember that.”

 

 

Change Management

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Change is omnipresent in our daily lives.  Every year companies initiate thousands of changes. Statistics show that between 50% – 75% of those changes do not produce the expected results. Research points to several reasons for this. The top reasons are:

  • Lack of Executive Leadership or buy-in surrounding the change
  • Lack of proper planning or funds
  • Employee Resistance.

Often, people resist change based on their perceptions of four factors
identified by William Bridges as C.U.S.P. factors:

Control:  How much control do people feel they have over the current situation?

Understanding:  Do the people involved understand specifically what is happening and why, in language and terms that are meaningful to them?

Support:  Do people feel they have the emotional and practical support necessary to help them get through what they are experiencing?

Purpose:  Do people feel they have a purpose in the current change that gives meaning to what they are doing and feeling?

William Bridges, in Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, discusses the idea that successful changes are accomplished by managing the transitions that people must go through. He draws a distinction between “change” and “transition” as illustrated below:

Change

  • Situational
  • Physical
  • External
  • Set time frame
 Transition

  • Psychological
  • Emotional
  • Internal
  • Variable time frame

Transition is the process people go through when adjusting to a change in their lives. There are three phases of transition that must be managed to be able to positively function within the new environment.

Ending

Whenever a change takes place, people lose something. They may lose power, relationships, familiar surroundings, a process they were comfortable with, anything that they had an emotional attachment to. To effectively manage the transition, it is necessary to identify who is “losing” what and acknowledge the loss.

The Neutral Zone

 Between the place where the old ways are over but the new ways haven’t quite settled in is the Neutral Zone. People in the Neutral Zone don’t really know what to do. Processes, both new and old, might get dropped. Customer service might go down due to confusion over procedures. To effectively manage the transition, it is necessary to communicate, over and over and over, what part people should be playing, how the change is progressing, and what is over.

However, the Neutral Zone isn’t all “life in limbo.” The Neutral Zone is where the most creative energy lies. During this phase, people are better able to come up with new ways of doing things. Given proper encouragement and authority to innovate, people in the Neutral Zone can really add value to the company.

The New Beginning

When the change finally kicks in and people have accepted the “new order” they have reached the New Beginning. In this phase, the new processes and procedures start to “feel right.”

Change is going to happen whether we like it or not, so why not be a little more thoughtful about the process.  I highly recommend reading William Bridges’ work and trying some of the strategies he suggests.  Change is inevitable but how we react to the transition is up to each of us.

Learning Plans are the Road Map for Employee Development

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Every road trip starts with a good map.  Whether electronic or an old-fashioned paper map, good upfront planning allows for a more successful outcome (including seeing all the famed attractions) or in other words, potentially a trip of a lifetime.

So, imagine a world where your employees know exactly what they are good at, what they need to work on and what tools to ensnare on their path to self-development.  It is possible, with some upfront planning and targeted conversations throughout the year, coupled with a detailed document called a Learning Plan.  I am a strong proponent of the almighty (and highly underutilized) Learning Plan.  Learning Plans are the customized, individualized road map for your employees to ensure they are aware of what skills they need to develop AND a defined path on how to achieve those skills.

Your Learning Plan should contain a minimum of three things:

  • Learning Objectives
  • Strategies and Resources
  • Evaluation.

Essentially ask the employee to document answers to these three questions: “What do I need to learn?”  “How am I going to learn it?” and “How will I know that I learned it?”  Allow the employee to search for resources internally and externally.  Suggest a mix of self-paced seminars, courses and learning situations to develop the identified weak skill.

For example, let’s say you have an employee that needs to develop their communication skills.  You might have an internal training session on that specific topic.  Or perhaps this employee would be better served learning and practicing communication skills with an outside resource.  Or maybe signing up for a group that meets weekly is a better fit.  Perhaps there is another employee that has honed their communication skills to perfection and could provide guidance to this employee lacking in communication skills.  Whatever the resource, let the employee figure out the best fit.  But guide the employee with resources they might not be aware of.  There is no one path to reach the desired destination; allow the available resources and best fit to define the route.

No one likes to search aimlessly for the correct exit or next tourist destination, so provide a road map so that your employees can reach skill nirvana while dealing with the day-to-day challenges of completing their job tasks.  The employee benefits from better self-esteem and higher productivity, the company benefits from employees that feel nurtured and supported and ultimately everyone reaches the intended destination in a more more effective, positive manner.

Working Effectively with the Harsh, Direct Communicator

Posted on by Seniye Groff

We’ve all worked with them-the direct, sometimes even harsh, communicator.  The hairs on the back of your neck stand erect, every time you think about walking into their office to share information, ask a question or give a status update.  And although it is difficult to not take it personally, there are some specific strategies you can take to make the communication, and the relationship, an effective one.

It’s Not About You

The first thing to understand is that the direct, harsh communicator in your workplace is not directing their communication style just at you.  Direct communication is a style of communication, which   according to Myers Briggs, is one of the three styles:  Aggressive, Passive and Assertive. (http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/sba/comm_style.htm).  Typically, a direct communicator is all about the task at hand.  They see something that needs to get done and their incredible sense of urgency is focused on that only—not the people-side of the task, but just getting the task taken care of.  This sense of urgency is coupled with their need for speed.  In other words, they see a task, want it taken care of immediately and feel compelled to address it quickly and efficiently which means directly, and sometimes, even harshly.  So really it is not about you, the receiver, it is about getting the task off the “to do” list.

The Mindset

Another item to consider is the intercultural norms and rules in your organization.  Culture simply refers to “the way we do things around here”.  Does the culture of your workplace value the direct communication style?  Is it all about the task first and people second?  Does your workplace focus on crucial, life-dependent issues that require quick, rapid-fire communication?  Once you consider the culture and norms of your workplace, it will give you a better understanding of why the direct communicator communicates the way that they do, so don’t be offended, instead ask, “How can I help?”

The Approach

The preparation for communicating with the direct, harsh communicator is to formulate ahead of time with a single sentence headline.  For example, “We have to get an answer on the budget by Friday.” Then break down any further information into three buckets, “More specifically, there are three things I need.”  This methodology sets the stage in a direct, matter-of-fact, task-oriented style.

The direct communicator also appreciates the niceties are kept to a minimum.  Although, the initial reaction to this type of communicator, is to “kill them with kindness”, this approach will only annoy the heck out of them!  So, when e-mailing, give a greeting or nicety only once-either at the beginning or end but not both.  And when face-to-face, always ask, “Do you have a minute?”  This allows the receiver, to stop what they are doing, and truly focus on what you have to say.

It is important, that you also stay warm and lighthearted.  While definitely not easy, laugh at their insults.  Try to remember, it really is nothing about you as a person, just this person’s need to get the task completed.  Even though you are laughing at the insult, it does not mean you are a “second class citizen” so act and carry yourself as their peer—a confidante, an ally.  There is no need to grovel but don’t be sensitive either in your response communication or your nonverbal communication.  Keep it professional and the communication fact-based.

Give Feedback

If you are lucky enough to be able to give the direct, harsh communicator some feedback there are some definite tips to ensure the conversation is meaningful and helpful.  Let them know that people are afraid to talk to them.  Certainly, no one wants others to fear them but sometimes, someone just needs to know this tidbit of information so that they adjust their communication style.  Let them know that there are some very specific behaviors they could change including smiling once in a while and waiting to respond until the other person completes their thoughts.  Also, saying, “I would love to hear what you have to say first” is an effective way for the person to demonstrate that they want to listen and are open to other ideas.

Certainly an unintended consequence of direct, harsh communication is that people could be unwilling to share their ideas and comments.  This unwillingness can have drastic results for an organization that must change and grow to stay competitive in today’s marketplace.  Commit to letting the person know when they demonstrate the desired behavior or the offending behavior so that the communicator can catch themselves before repeating the undesired behavior.

Conclusion

At first glance, a harsh direct communicator may be your worst nightmare in the office, but with a little strategizing and some concrete actions, you can have effective dialogue with this type of communicator.  Put away the emotions and the automatic reflex to react or be hurt by the harsh, direct communication and understand that the communication is a result of the need for speed and task management and not an attack on you as a person.  And if you are lucky enough to be able to give feedback to this person, you might even earn some accolades in the end.

 

Winning Client Communications

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Nope. Not gonna do it. I don’t think that’s a good idea. I know what I’m talking about-I’m the ID. The course will be late and I’m not sure when it’s going to be ready—I can’t commit to a date.  Would you say these things to a client? Never. How would you react if someone said these to you? Not positively.

Knowing what to say, and how to say it, to a client determines the relationship you will have with the client. And hopefully you’ll read this before the client falls in the no-longer-a-client category. Picking the right words, tone and timing in discussions with clients will enable you to develop and build a strong, supportive and mutually respectful professional relationship.

Most client communication will be handled by the Project Manager. There will be instances, however, where the ID will communicate and problem solve with the client directly. Following are examples of situations when an ID’s persuasive communication skills are important.

Declining a Client’s Request

Telling a client the change he’s making to a storyboard or the course that is not in the interest of the learner is a delicate and challenging situation. Some tips to follow:

  • Understand and be prepared to discuss consequences of the proposed changes/actions.
  • Do this only after you are certain the request is improper or not appropriate. Have a validated reason for not making the change, not just that you don’t like it.
  • Be specific. Offer examples of other instances for support of your argument.
  • Focus on the positive, such as how the experience for the user will be enhanced by your recommendation or idea.
  • Compromise with the client and never tell him “no.” There are always alternatives.

Scenario: A client provides an audio track for the course and it is too long. You fear that the length will provide the learner with a negative experience and not support the learning objectives.

 I’ve been listening to the audio provided for the course. From the learners perspective I believe it may not be the most effective option we have.
Receptive client: Why would this be a problem for the learner? [Explain]  What suggestions do you have? [Provide alternatives] Not receptive client: Well, that’s just what we’re going to use.
  ID response: In our research we have discovered …[validate your point and concern]
   

Apologizing to a Client for your Own Mistake

We all make mistakes—we’re human. Taking ownership of that mistake and correcting it is the next step.

  • Be honest and apologetic. Discuss the proposed solution as soon as possible.
  • Understand how the mistake happened anyway. Was there a breakdown in communication? Process? This will help avoid the mistake in the future and help in answering the client’s questions. Offer a realistic solution to meet the client’s needs and approval.
  • Discuss the situation immediately after the mistake is discovered. Procrastinating increases the opportunity for someone else to slip and have the client find out from someone other than you.

Scenario: You did not incorporate some particular product specifications into a course that the client was adamant about. You discover this just as the storyboard is sent to the client for review.  You decide to call the client immediately to make her aware of the situation.

I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but there is an error in the storyboard you are about to review. I did not incorporate the new product specs into the course. Frankly, I put the information in another folder and forgot to refer back to it. I apologize.
Receptive client: Thank you for your honesty. I appreciate you telling me what happened before I discovered it on my own. Now, how are you going to fix it? [Offer plan] Not receptive client: This is ridiculous. I told you several times this information had to be in the course. This mistake will throw the whole project off base now.

 
  ID response: I truly am sorry. It certainly was not my intent to have the project go askew like this. Please let me fix the situation immediately.

Still not receptive: Nope. This is a dire mistake. I can’t afford to have this course launch late.

ID response: Our great working relationship is important. What will it take to rebuild it?
   

Explaining a Delay to a Client

Our goal is to never miss a deadline. But try as we might, it does happen. Deliverable delays are costly. Not only can they be financially costly for you and the client, but they can be professionally costly. It is not an option to miss a deadline due to our own devices. This may hinder any future client business development. When you do miss a deadline, keep the following in mind:

  • Know the client may be mad or frustrated at the situation. Be prepared to remain calm.
  • Be prepared to give a summary of the problem and have a plan for completion.
  • Let the client know there is a delay as soon as possible. Let them know the new completion date, too.
  • Allow the client to vent frustration or anger. Be sure to accept total responsibility while noting any circumstances beyond your control. Offer a solution. Let the client speak last-this will help him save face and feel like he was in control of the conversation.

Scenario: Before going home one night you forget to check a storyboard to allow QA to edit the document. The storyboard is due back to you by EOD the following day so it can get to production. You are not available to check the storyboard in when QA calls you in the morning. This causes a delay of one whole day.

There is going to be a delay in getting the storyboard to production. It did not make it through our editing process in time and will not get to the graphic department until a day late. This may delay the launch of the course.
Receptive client: Well I’m sorry this happened. I trust that you will do what you can to make up lost time? Not receptive client: I only had this one day to review the SB and now that it’s pushed back a day it messes up my schedule. This is not ok and I’m not going to pay for it.

 
  ID response: I understand your frustration. I do apologize for the delay and will do what I can to make up the delay to you.

 

Conversation tips:

  • Ask questions-lots of them. Doing so demonstrates continued customer support and involvement, interactive feedback, and opportunities for the client to tell you what he wants.
  • The more you know about your client’s wants, needs, style the better the chance at providing an initial deliverable that meets his needs.
  • Prepare for calls/meetings in advance so you do not forget anything.
  • Ask open-ended question to define needs/wants/preferences of the client. This also gets the client to invest time and effort in the process, increasing his stake in the partnership and end product.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask a client for a favor, such as speeding up their review of a document. Explain how the favor will benefit you. This gives the client an idea of how much he can help you. Express gratitude.
  • When extending a deadline: realize that the client will probably be upset if you call and say you are going to miss a deadline. Give as much advance warning as possible to allow for schedule adjustments. Do not offer any excuses. Instead, explain what you are offering in return. A course requiring fewer launch issues? Better usability? Accurate translation and course delivery? Use language of negotiation and not crisis language. Examples of negotiation language include:

Aware                                     Investigate

Better                                     Caution

Careful                                   Expedite

Modify                                   Possible

Resources                             Reschedule

Answer with what you can do, not what you cannot do.

What other strategies have worked for you?

Resources:

Lifescripts: What to Say to Get What You Want in Life’s Toughest Situations, Stephen Pollan

How To Say it at Work, Jack Griffin

 

Returning to Work After a Break

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Since I have school-age children I meet many moms that decided to take a break from their “career track” to stay home with their children.  As our children have gotten older, I find myself working with many of these moms as they consider returning to work after their extended break.  I recently attended a session by Carol Fishman Cohen on this very topic and learned some great ideas to use as I coach and write resumes for these moms interested in returning to work.

Cohen’s 2007 book, “Back on the Career Track” and her website offers tons of advice, tips and resources.  There are a few nuggets that I found especially helpful.

  1.  It is critical how you tell your story.  Even while staying at home, moms have tons of accomplishments that can be framed to success in the workplace.  Figure out your accomplishments, write them down and practice presenting them in a success-driven way.
  2. Be energetic and enthusiastic about your time out of the workplace, as well as, returning to the workplace.
  3. Volunteer at a professional work group event, ideally in a sector you are interested in working in.
  4. Determine what has transpired in your target industry.  Get training so that your skills are on par with other candidates.
  5. There is nothing wrong with taking a position that is below the level you were before you took your hiatus.  Cohen even suggests a “returnship”, which means even choosing an internship to test the waters of your career search.
  6. Don’t forget your network.  LinkedIn helps you connect with peers from previous companies you worked at and alumni groups.
  7. Prepare for how an outside-the-home job will effect your family, home and other obligations.  Consider how you can re-work your routine, enlist your kids to take on more responsibility and offload menial tasks to a paid option.
  8. Make sure your technology skills are up to snuff and prepare for a workplace where your boss might now be younger than you.

Just like any after school event or family vacation, returning to work requires thoughtful planning and detailed execution.  Don’t forget to update your resume (or have a professional do it), create or update your LinkedIn profile and even complete an assessment or two to determine what a viable path might be as you re-enter the workplace.  Good luck!

The Power of LinkedIn

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Almost everyone in the professional world is familiar with and uses LinkedIn (at least I hope so!).  I was recently updating my profile and noticed a few new things I could do and thought I would share.

  1. There is now a headline area.  Oftentimes, it is just a person’s job title, but you can actually write an attention-grabbing line.  If done correctly, a reader can immediately figure out what you are passionate about or where you add value.  Pretty cool.
  2. A background photo can now be added.  So in addition to a profile photo (head shot) you can add a background picture.  Again using this feature, is a great way to tell the recruiter or who ever is viewing your profile, what you are all about or passionate about.
  3. In the experience section, you can add a link to the employer’s site.  This can add credibility.
  4. Make sure you add your volunteer experience (this is not a new feature) but show’s the world you are a well-rounded individual.
  5. Under Interests, there are some features including Pulse, Companies, Slide Share, Online Learning and Groups.  Some of this I am using and some I am still exploring.  It’s pretty robust!

What features of LinkedIn do you use?

Change Management Starts with You!

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Why is it that change is so difficult for people to master?  I believe that change is about loss of control.  Same old, same old creates a comfortable blanket of habit.  Habit allows us to operate on “auto pilot”.  So how can companies help employees with the control loss?  Lots!  Some of my ideas include:

  • Communicate early and often!  You truly cannot over communicate.  Use a variety of methods: open forums. newsletters, games etc.
  • Consider asking a group of employees what some obstacles might be, and then create an FAQs page addressing each of those questions.  And continue to update the list when real-time questions occur.
  • Make change part of the fabric of your company’s culture.  Discuss change openly and even create fun events around little change.  This arms your employees with practice before big, important change really happens.
  • Create a pilot group and have them involved in all aspects of the upcoming change.  They can alert management to items that were missed or not considered and they will become your change advocates down the road.
  • Execute well.  There is nothing worse than poor delivery to hinder momentum for your organizational change.

What have you seen in your workplace that helped change happen successfully or likewise, a dud?  Let me know!

The Art of Feedback

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I recently designed and delivered a session on giving and receiving feedback.  It is truly remarkable that people cringe at the suggestion of giving feedback.  Feedback is a critical skill for success.  In sports there is constant feedback: the score, how the ball was hit, whether you returned the serve.  In business, feedback is equally as important because it allows you to stay in business, show a profit and create an environment where employees and colleagues are an asset to the business.

Even when feedback is constructive it can be difficult to hear and some people will be reluctant to agree improvement is needed.  Yet constructive feedback is a valuable “gift” to help people improve and grow.  If feedback is given with care, it is more likely to be truly heard and acted on.

If you focus the feedback on the behavior and not the person, you are likely to maintain the person’s self-esteem.  A person should not leave the feedback meeting feeling “beat up” but rather focused on the behavior that needs correction and a plan on how to correct it most effectively.

Remember the 80 / 20 rule and focus on affirming even small successes.  Give specific (behavior based) examples of the factors that contributed to the feedback.  Make sure the timing is appropriate to give and receive feedback.

For example, “Mike I just listened to your call with Mr. Jones. (Timely)  You did a nice job of listening to his complaint in its entirety and then repeating back to him what you thought his issue concerned.”  (Behavior based).

It is important to be specific.  For example, avoid saying things like, “You need to be more talkative in meetings.” It’s too ambiguous and can be interpreted in a lot of  ways.

Say something specific and positive pointed at the task you want accomplished, such as, “You’re smart. I want to hear at least one opinion from you in every meeting we’re in together going forward.”

Specific Steps for Success:

Step 1: State the constructive purpose of your feedback.

State your purpose briefly by indicating what you’d like to cover and why it’s important.

Example: “I have a concern about…”

“I feel I need to let you know…”

“I want to discuss….”

“I have some thoughts about…”

Step 2: Describe specifically what you have observed.  Focus on behavior rather than the person. Define the impact.

Have a certain event or action in mind and be able to say when and where it happened, who was involved, and what the results were. Stick to what you personally observed and don’t try to speak for others. Avoid talking vaguely about what the person “always” or “usually” does.

Avoid “You” statements

  • “You did this” versus “this is what I observed”
  • “You should not have done that” versus “Here’s how I think…”
  • “You must be crazy” versus “it is important we talk about this”
  • “I feel frustrated when you do not get your reports to me on time” versus “I feel frustrated when I do not have the reports on time for the 2:00 meeting” (shows impact of behavior)

Example: “You demonstrate a high degree of confidence when you answer customer questions about registration procedures “, versus, “Your communication skills are good.” Or “You are really great at that.”

Example: “You talked a lot during the staff meeting, which prevented me from getting to some of the main points,” rather than “You talk too much.”

Step 3: Describe your reactions. 

Explain the consequences of the other person’s behavior and how you feel about it.

Example: “The team member looked embarrassed and I felt uncomfortable about seeing the episode.” “Shouting at our team members is not acceptable behavior in this department.”

Step 4: Give the other person an opportunity to respond.

Remain silent and meet the other person’s eye, indicating that you are waiting for answer. If the person hesitates to respond, ask an open ended question.

Example: “What do you think?”

“What is your view of this situation?”

“What is your reaction to this?”

“What are your thoughts?”

Step 5: Offer specific suggestions.

Whenever possible make your suggestions helpful by including practical, feasible examples.

Example: “Alison, I sometimes write myself notes or put up signs to remind myself to do something.”

“Sara, rather than telling Matt that you’re not interested in all the details, you might try asking him specific questions about the information you are most interested in.”

Receiving Feedback

  • Listen without getting hooked.  Let the person say their entire thought without interrupting them.
  • Ask for clarification.  Ask for specific examples so that you know exactly what the employee is saying.
  • Separate your feeling from the facts or specific behavior.  It is difficult to hear that we are not perfect.  Remember the employee is not saying you are a bad person, just that the particular behavior is not effective for them.
  • Summarize what you heard.  Repeat the feedback to ensure you understood what they were saying.
  • Ask for advice.  A great question to ask is “if you were me, how would you handle this situation?”
  • Thank the person.  Remember, feedback is a gift.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I have been working with several people lately that want to make a change in their careers but don’t really know where to begin.  I have a few recommendations:

  1. Know your strengths.  Definitely take stock in what you are good at.  Not what you “think” you are good at, but skills that you have received positive feedback on.
  2. Know your weaknesses.  I know, so much more difficult.  And don’t give yourself the “pat” assessment that you don’t like conflict or something similar.  You need to be really specific with yourself.
  3. Know your value system.  In other words, what can you absolutely tolerate and not tolerate in a career, workplace, co-workers etc.  For example, if you know that being in an environment where you are not at a computer all day is paramount then don’t even think about taking a job where computer tasks are part of the major responsibilities.
  4. Once you know who you are (and  I mean really be honest with yourself) you can begin to identify transferable skills that are used from one job to another.
  5. Richard Bolles has written a workbook that can help you get started.  The book is loaded with practical exercises to help get you started on your journey to finding yourself, your skills and ultimately, happiness.