There’s nothing really “lucky” about Luck!

Life experiences can be really tough at times. Take job search, career development or trying to grow your business as examples. For those of us who have firsthand experience in these adventures, this is a gross understatement. Cold-calling, networking, spending weekends at the office, earnestly looking for opportunities and challenges can make for some tough sledding! Add to this the fact that, at some level, it appears to be nothing more than an incredibly cruel numbers game. Keep plugging away until all of the stars line up, the Heavenly Bodies are in alignment, and you have success.

How can we promote serendipity (pleasant, unexpected surprises)? It would be nice if we could engage “Lady Luck” in this process, perhaps reducing some of the wear and tear on our psyches and increasing the likelihood of success before we run out of money, positive attitude, energy, or all three! Well, I have some good news – A British psychologist, Dr. Richard Wiseman, did research on the “luck” phenomena and developed a program to “improve your luck,” as described in his excellent book The Luck Factor – Changing Your Luck, Changing Your Life: Four Essential Principles. He presents some practical guidelines to improve your luck and experience Serendipity – better represented as realized opportunity – in all you do. By the way, there are 12 corollaries to his four key traits that are very helpful as well, but you’ll have to get the book to learn about them!

Let’s consider the four key traits of “lucky” people, as defined by the good Doctor, with an eye towards how they can be applied to our daily activities..

1.   Lucky people maximize the results of chance opportunities. As a matter of fact, they even create them.

Everywhere you are, everyone you meet, every situation you encounter has potential. Bumping into an old friend at the grocery store, enhancing your use of Twitter, etc., or chatting with an acquaintance in the dentist’s waiting room could be your introduction to a totally new network of people and ideas. You can even create more of these activities by increasing your interaction with others at your place of worship, your neighborhood, LinkedIn groups, summer barbecues, etc. Be sure to hone your networking skills, however, or you are more likely to create an island for yourself where all those around you give you a wide berth to avoid being harassed. Learn to ask questions and be honestly interested in their answers. Lucky people aren’t all that lucky. They just have more opportunities for something to happen than most. Make those opportunities for yourself.

2.   Lucky people listen to their intuition as well as to their logic.

The mind is not only a terrible thing to waste, it is also a terrible guide if you base your actions only on what “makes sense.” Wiseman found that lucky people were more open to hunches, more likely to listen to their “gut” as well as their reason. Be sure you don’t experience “paralysis by analysis” or make the “perfect the enemy of the good.” I like to call this my “Why Not?” Principle ™. If you don’t have an iron-clad reason not to move ahead, take another step. The world is full of individuals who engaged their intuition as well as their intellect, moving into new and at times uncertain, if not terrifying, territory to discover exciting opportunities. These actions, by the way, may not have been as much based on a logical analysis of the facts as they were founded on hunches. Lucky people will listen to their hunches as well as their logic, exposing themselves to opportunities that Mr. Spock would have never considered.

3.   Lucky people have an expectation that things will work out. They cultivate a positive attitude.

It can be quite sad but is inexorably true. You can get up in the morning and decide you’ll have an unproductive, frustrating, nothing-but-trouble-day and everything that comes your way will affirm your opinion. Interestingly enough, if you decide to have a better day, not perfect but productive and opportunistic, the very same situations can provide some alternatives, suggest options, create opportunities. Does this mean that all you have to do is be positive and magic takes place? Nope, not even close! It does, however, mean that cultivating a positive attitude (called “Learned Optimism” by Dr. Martin Seligman in his book of the same name) can allow you to see situations that Eeyore would never identify. Look for the best in things.

4.   Lucky people, when faced with negative situations, find ways to turn them into positive results.

Bad situations frequently have good alternatives hidden within them. The loss of a job or a key promotion may free you up to consider a career change or an adjusted business plan. When you don’t win, you can use the experience to be better prepared next time. Pay attention to your progress, even if you have not yet reached your goal. Dr. Seligman claims that you can acquire this ability if (like many of us) you are not born with it. He says that, just as individuals can develop Learned Helplessness (in other words, there is no sense in doing anything, it will fail anyway) they can acquire Learned Optimism (seeing the opportunity in unfortunate events).

In investigating the personality traits of “lucky” people, Dr. Wiseman found these three constants: luckier people are more extroverted (they interact with others constantly), less neurotic (they don’t let things get to them) and more open (they allow themselves to think “outside of the box”).

Start developing these traits and you may find yourself becoming one of those “lucky stiffs.”

NETWORKING!!!! Do I HAVE TO?!

Sorry for YELLING in all caps, but I have heard this phrase too many times to ignore it. Here are some corollaries:

“What if I don’t KNOW anyone!?”

“I don’t know what to say!”

“Is it really necessary?”

“I HATE it! My experience should speak for itself!”

We constantly read about networking. It’s the secret to cracking into the “Hidden Job Market” (whatever that is!). Yet most of us don’t have a clue how to do it. What’s more, the vast majority of us are likely to be either frightened or disgusted by the thought of “influence peddling” to get what we really want and deserve – an opportunity to do a good job, have a career for a fair wage.

Why do most of us find networking so awful? Is there a networking secret, a clandestine handshake that one can learn to open the door to Career Nirvana?

No, not really. There are, however, some significant misunderstandings and misapplications of this unfairly maligned process that need to be addressed before I move on to the how-to portion of our little discussion. I like to call them Networking Myths.

Networking Myth #1

Networking is dead. People have been using it for so long that no one has time to talk to anyone anymore. They know you’re looking for a job or a killer lead and don’t have one for you. Go away!

Nope, networking isn’t dead. If it doesn’t work, it may be that you don’t understand the very nature of the networking process. To be sure, there are people out there who have abused the process, wasting others’ time and manipulating relationships to get what they want, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t network both effectively and professionally.

Networking Myth #2

Networking is telling everyone, everywhere, all the time, that you need a job or a new career. Don’t stop until someone gives in and hires you. The more people that know you are out of work or dissatisfied with your career, the higher the likelihood that someone will help you.

Wrong again! Telling everyone you need a new job is a good way to start a career as a hermit. Most people will not be aware of opportunities right away and are likely to feel that they are “put upon” to help you. What is more, they may actually feel that they can “catch” your unhappy (un- or under-)employment status. It’s much more effective (and positive) to seek information and advice instead of job leads.

Networking Myth #3

Networking is pretending to be interested in people until they like you, then going for the vocational jugular. Ask them for a job while you have them warmed up.

Oh, please – people are smarter than that! Individuals who try to practice this mangled type of networking will soon be “blacklisted” by every potential networkee out there. A genuine desire to learn from others is the only way to make networking work for you.

Networking Myth #4

Networking is the ultimate answer. It’s not what you know, it’s WHOM you know.

Wrong again! Although extraordinarily effective, networking is only a part of the employment search process. It’s a very important part, to be sure, and something that should command a large percentage of your time. The what / who you know issue is an important one. If you have nothing to offer, and know everyone out there, you are likely to remain dead in the water. Conversely, if you are rich with knowledge and ability and are a complete unknown, you will also be vocationally adrift. Networking allows you to create the “positive visibility” you need to discover and identify opportunities.

Networking Myth #5

You need to have killer contacts, people in the corridors of power with whom you are on a first-name basis to be an effective networker.

Sorry, not true. My experience has shown that the most effective networking contacts are frequently NOT first generation contacts (the first person you talk to), but typically referrals from that contact or people that you you’ve not talked to in some time. My clients have also found that many of their best results come from people who would not appear to be at the top of the corporate ladder, people “in the trenches.” This is not to say that networking with movers and shakers is a waste of time, but that effective networking with all sizes and shapes of people from diverse walks of life has the potential to yield extraordinary results.

Networking Myth #6

Networking is a means to an end. Once you have a job, you can cut out all of this networking nonsense.

Try again! Networking, the exchange of ideas and opinions, the give and take of sharing perspectives, should be a lifelong endeavor. Developing and growing your network throughout your work and life (networking does not have to relate only to employment) will continue to enrich you personally and professionally, while providing opportunities for you to help others.

The Key to Effective Networking

Give and take. Listen and talk. Any networking session you leave without offering something in return is not a good one. Phone calls and e-mails also count, by the way. Building relationships through constantly cultivating and expanding your network not only allows you to stay plugged into the world of work and beyond, it provides opportunities for you to give back to your networkees (and others) in appreciation for all of the help that you’ve received.

So, GET NETWORKING! (Yes, I AM yelling again!)

Having Bad “Luck?” Try This Approach.

Life experiences can be really tough at times. Take job search, career development or trying to grow your business as examples. For those of us who have firsthand experience in these adventures, this is a gross understatement. Cold-calling, networking, spending weekends at the office, earnestly looking for opportunities and challenges can make for some tough sledding! Add to this the fact that, at some level, it appears to be nothing more than an incredibly cruel numbers game. Keep plugging away until all of the stars line up, the Heavenly Bodies are in alignment, and you have success.

How can we promote serendipity (pleasant, unexpected surprises)? It would be nice if we could engage “Lady Luck” in this process, perhaps reducing some of the wear and tear on our psyches and increasing the likelihood of success before we run out of money, positive attitude, energy, or all three! Well, I have some good news – A British psychologist, Dr. Richard Wiseman, did research on the “luck” phenomena and developed a program to “improve your luck,” as described in his excellent book The Luck Factor – Changing Your Luck, Changing Your Life: Four Essential Principles. He presents some practical guidelines to improve your luck and experience Serendipity – better represented as realized opportunity – in all you do. By the way, there are 12 corollaries to his four key traits that are very helpful as well, but you’ll have to get the book to learn about them!

Let’s consider the four key traits of “lucky” people, as defined by the good Doctor, with an eye towards how they can be applied to our daily activities..

1.   Lucky people maximize the results of chance opportunities. As a matter of fact, they even create them.

Everywhere you are, everyone you meet, every situation you encounter has potential. Bumping into an old friend at the grocery store, enhancing your use of Twitter, etc., or chatting with an acquaintance in the dentist’s waiting room could be your introduction to a totally new network of people and ideas. You can even create more of these activities by increasing your interaction with others at your place of worship, your neighborhood, LinkedIn groups, summer barbecues, etc. Be sure to hone your networking skills, however, or you are more likely to create an island for yourself where all those around you give you a wide berth to avoid being harassed. Learn to ask questions and be honestly interested in their answers. Lucky people aren’t all that lucky. They just have more opportunities for something to happen than most. Make those opportunities for yourself.

2.   Lucky people listen to their intuition as well as to their logic.

The mind is not only a terrible thing to waste, it is also a terrible guide if you base your actions only on what “makes sense.” Wiseman found that lucky people were more open to hunches, more likely to listen to their “gut” as well as their reason. Be sure you don’t experience “paralysis by analysis” or make the “perfect the enemy of the good.” I like to call this my “Why Not?” Principle ™. If you don’t have an iron-clad reason not to move ahead, take another step. The world is full of individuals who engaged their intuition as well as their intellect, moving into new and at times uncertain, if not terrifying, territory to discover exciting opportunities. These actions, by the way, may not have been as much based on a logical analysis of the facts as they were founded on hunches. Lucky people will listen to their hunches as well as their logic, exposing themselves to opportunities that Mr. Spock would have never considered.

3.   Lucky people have an expectation that things will work out. They cultivate a positive attitude.

It can be quite sad but is inexorably true. You can get up in the morning and decide you’ll have an unproductive, frustrating, nothing-but-trouble-day and everything that comes your way will affirm your opinion. Interestingly enough, if you decide to have a better day, not perfect but productive and opportunistic, the very same situations can provide some alternatives, suggest options, create opportunities. Does this mean that all you have to do is be positive and magic takes place? Nope, not even close! It does, however, mean that cultivating a positive attitude (called “Learned Optimism” by Dr. Martin Seligman in his book of the same name) can allow you to see situations that Eeyore would never identify. Look for the best in things.

4.   Lucky people, when faced with negative situations, find ways to turn them into positive results.

Bad situations frequently have good alternatives hidden within them. The loss of a job or a key promotion may free you up to consider a career change or an adjusted business plan. When you don’t win, you can use the experience to be better prepared next time. Pay attention to your progress, even if you have not yet reached your goal. Dr. Seligman claims that you can acquire this ability if (like many of us) you are not born with it. He says that, just as individuals can develop Learned Helplessness (in other words, there is no sense in doing anything, it will fail anyway) they can acquire Learned Optimism (seeing the opportunity in unfortunate events).

In investigating the personality traits of “lucky” people, Dr. Wiseman found these three constants: luckier people are more extraverted (they interact with others constantly), less neurotic (they don’t let things get to them) and more open (they allow themselves to think “outside of the box”).

Start developing these traits and you may find yourself becoming one of those “lucky stiffs.”

Unprecedented? “You keep using that word…”

As we are confronted almost daily with a word that many have grown tired of hearing – UNPRECEDENTED, I find myself recalling the wisdom of Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride – “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Whether you are in agreement with the application of this dreaded adjective or not, New Year’s is a traditional time to take stock and make decisions.

Please know that I am not opposed to using any New Year, even as 2023 bears down on us, as a time to make positive changes. The intent of my humble musings is to encourage commitment to action, regardless of the date on the calendar.

Allow me to share an insight from an earlier career working in fitness centers, both as a sales consultant and a trainer. The die-hard “gym rats” (not a term of derision, to my way of thinking) always dreaded the first couple of months of the New Year. Scores of “newbies” would descend on the equipment, monopolizing the machines while grunting and groaning in search of that elusive, fit individual hiding deep within them. By mid-February, however, most of the smoke had cleared, and we were back to the “old faithful” regulars at the gym.

This fanaticism is rampant in the ads on TV, radio, and the blogs/tweets/updates on the Internet. Lose weight, transform your business, embrace success, take charge, be all you can be, etc., etc., etc. And you are all but guaranteed success in any of your endeavors as, after all, it is the New Year! It’s all New! You can have a Fresh Start! It has to work, right?!

Well, yes and no. Bless those dear souls who, with all the integrity and resolve they can muster, make these Resolutions. I recall a post from someone just before the arrival of the new year that noted they had 2 days left to achieve the results they had committed to 363 days before! Well-intentioned, yet not likely to be realized in the next 48 hours!

So, you may well ask, what’s my point?! Simply this: To borrow a well-known (and perhaps, somewhat worn out) phrase, “Just Do It!” Start it right away, whether in the shadow of the New Year’s fireworks, the excitement of upcoming pring blossoms, the oppressive heat of the dog days of summer or the grey skies in the dead of winter. Yes, even while experiencing these “unprecedented” times! To quote the title of one of my favorite books by Barbara Sher, “It’s Only Too Late If You Don’t Start Now!”

And, once you’ve started, stay with it! I remember a Nike™ T-shirt emblazoned with this pithy phrase – “Just Doing It.” Two steps forward and one step back (the way I typically advance) is still a net gain of one step. Remember that success is more often the result of “grit” than anything else (another favorite blog of mine on what I call the “secret sauce for success”).

Make your resolution, whenever and however you can and, once you have done so, whether these times are unprecedented or not, get caught “JUST DOING IT!”

Optimism and My Grandma Lucy

The best path is always the positive one. I owe the following parable to my dear Grandma Lucy Matilda Rhoads Davis. She’s in Heaven now, but thoughts of her always bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. Here it is…

Old Saidie, an aged widow in a sleepy little town, always had a nice thing to say about everyone she met. She didn’t seem to have a negative bone in her body, and was consistently able to point out the good side of people.

Well, the town drunk died. This ne’er do well had never held a job in his life. His entire existence consisted of scaring toddlers, taking advantage of others or bumming money for cigarettes and alcohol. As he had finally passed away, the entire town showed up at the funeral, if only to find out what Saidie would have to say about a man who seemed to be totally lacking any good qualities in his entire life.

As Saidie shuffled up to the casket, one brave soul called out, “Hey, Saidie! What did you think of Mr. Johnson?!

Without missing a beat, Saidie smiled and exclaimed, “Oh, couldn’t he whistle?!”

Let’s be more like Saidie, finding and celebrating the Best that’s around us. We just have to pay attention to find it!

Thanks, Grandma Lucy!

It’s Columbo Time Again (or…Still!)

It’s sad how so few have ever experienced the classic detective show “Columbo,” starring Peter Falk. If this show is unfamiliar to you (or even if you have a faint recollection of this gem), you would do well to find it in some streaming service and start to benefit from his inimitable style. Allow me to give a short introduction.

I can see him now. Rumpled raincoat, stub of a cigar, tousled hair and knitted brow, driving around in his old Peugeot looking befuddled. Yet, from 1971 to 1978, in 55 episodes and 14 specials, Columbo always seemed to crack the case wide open. What in the world, you may say, does this have to do with me and my career development?

Quite a bit. Let me introduce you to what I like to call the “Columbo style” of careering – four key principles that you can apply to increase your opportunity for success.

Columbo always had insight into what was really happening.

If you recall, the episodes started by showing us “who done it,” someone who had carefully prepared an airtight alibi. No one thought that person could have possibly committed the dastardly deed. No one, that is, but Lieutenant Columbo. Somehow or another, he seemed to have an inside track on the events before him.

You also have insights. You know that many of the better opportunities are hidden from public view, will never be acknowledged in the traditional market (Internet, newspapers, recruiters, etc.). You also know that contact with others to seek information, advice and referral can be a powerful and highly successful way to tap into this hidden market. Furthermore, you know that most of the individuals you network with are inclined to feel that the only way they can help you is to either provide you with the Lead of a Lifetime, or hire you themselves. If they can do neither, they feel that they have nothing to offer. You, however, understand that through networking with others, they can become more informed about you and your interests and can begin to connect the dots between your skills and abilities and opportunities they may encounter in their work and life. Not to mention what you can learn from them!

Columbo never tipped his hat on this insight.

He never barged right into the obvious “Where were you on the night of . . .?” questions. He often spent considerable time talking around the issues at hand, to the point of having conversations that seemed totally unrelated to what was really important. One of his typical questions, “What did you pay for those shoes?” even became a famous catchphrase for comedians and impersonators, even though he uttered it only once.

How does this relate to your career development? Just because you understand more about the process of networking than your contacts doesn’t mean you should approach them that way. For example, you should not start out by saying something like “I know you think the only way to help me is to offer me a job, but I know that you’ll come up with contacts, advice and insights that you’re unaware of that will really help me.” Such a lead-in is a recipe for failure. You want to start with friendly, conversational topics that tap into the individual’s interests and activities, then move on into seeking his or her perspective on things. I have a solid article on this very topic called “PowerNetworking Questions” you may want to read.

Columbo was willing to be confused to get the answers he needed.

As a matter of fact, more often than not he appeared to be totally perplexed. Of course, that gave the criminal false confidence that this disheveled character was no threat at all, a misinterpretation that the lieutenant used to his advantage every week!

You need to be confused, too. As a matter of fact, you are confused, whether you believe it or not. According to Barbara Sher in Live the Life You Love, most people are natural problem-solvers, relishing the opportunity to figure things out, give advice and share their perspective. You can use this “I don’t know what I am doing” technique to admit to your contact that you are not sure what your next steps should be, wonder if your resume represents you properly, are not at all sure you are identifying the best fit for your skills, etc. Most individuals will rise to the occasion of your “confusion” and provide assistance.

Columbo was always seeking to “put two and two together.”

As he managed to extract the facts from the criminal, he took full advantage of these gems to bring the offender to justice.

The application? OK, I admit that you’re not trying to catch a murderer or throw the keys away on a blackmailer, but you are seeking to get the key information necessary to take action towards a meaningful, satisfying career. That is where you need to be constantly investigating, considering and applying what you learn as well as continually tapping into the people and resources that are all around you to be successful in your career development.

Skip the raincoat. Forget the cigar. Comb your hair. But stay confused!

It worked for Lieutenant Columbo!

Failing Forward…

Ready to increase your vocabulary (as in Readers’ Digest’s “Increase Your Word Power”)? Here’s a great addition to your career “toolbox: – COUNTERFACTUAL (n): a conditional statement the first clause of which expresses something contrary to fact, as “If I had known.”.

In his excellent book If Only: How to Turn Regret into Opportunity, Neil Roese describes the two directions which counterfactual thinking can take, explaining why the Bronze Medal Winner at the Olympics is happier than the Silver Medal recipient. Even though Silver is #2 in the world in their sport, they focus up to missing the Gold while the Bronze recipient focuses downward to see what they have accomplished (“I almost didn’t medal!”).

Here’s the Career Application: this “downward” thinking causes the “Bronze Medal careerists” to be better equipped to learn, to develop insights, to challenge themselves to greater accomplishments, while the “Silver Medalist” (without the benefit of downward counterfactual thinking) may find themselves in a self-defeating “woulda, coulda, shoulda” spiral.

Let’s close with a few timely quotes on Failure:

“There are defeats that carry with them the radiant promise of coming victory.” – F.W. Boreham

“We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing. “ – Robert E. Lee

“Failure is always an option.” – Adam Savage, Mythbuster

“Make excellent mistakes.” – Dan Pink (via Johnny Bunko)

So, the next time you “fail,” think downward!

Spring has Sprung! Mystery Gardening(tm) and Careers

According to my yard (AND the dandelions!), Spring is now here. Let’s talk Mystery Gardening(tm)!

I have had myriad conversations with clients, friends, peers, etc. about the seeming lack of progress often present in job search and career development. In ruminating on this ever-present phenomenon, I realized that thinking about the process in gardening terms may help resolve this frustrating conundrum.

Allow me, dear reader, to suggest some insights by introducing my Career Development Parable of Mystery Gardening™. Basically, here’s how it works:

Let’s suppose you go to the local garden store to buy some packets of seed for planting. On the shelf, you discover some discounted containers. The packets are very inexpensive, primarily because they’re old and the labels fell off a long time ago. Oh well, the price is right, so you decide to give them a try. You have very little to lose, after all!

When you arrive home, you dig a furrow in the ground, guessing how deep to go and how far apart to place each seed (you have no clear instructions, remember?). You then cover them up and give them some water (guessing again).

You follow this procedure for each of the packets of “mystery seeds” that you have purchased.

So, what do you have? You don’t really know! Here is what I can say so far about your Mystery Garden(tm):

• You don’t know if anything will come up at all.
• You don’t know how long it will take if something does manage to push its way up towards the sunlight.
• You are unsure if anything you planted will turn into something you’ll like.
• It’s likely that some of the seeds are completely inert, providing no results at all.
• Some may have a longer germination period and may appear to be dead but are just working their way towards the surface under their own time frame (a time frame that is frequently not yours!).
• Some of the seeds may produce plants that hold no interest to you.
• And, some of them may actually give you excellent results!

Personally, I’m not really much of a gardener, but here is something I do know: if you simply dump the seeds on the ground and walk away, you’re guaranteeing little or no success. Yet, if you take the time to care for these “mystery seeds” by planting, weeding, cultivating, and watering, sooner or later something will show up!

In a real sense, this entire process is quite similar to your career development. As you start to plant “seeds” through your various techniques (networking, sidebar conversations, social media, research, kibitzing, etc.), you have little or no idea WHAT is going to happen, IF it is going to happen or WHEN it may happen!

You do, however, know three things:

1) You’re “planting seeds” of opportunity

2) These “seeds” need to be cultivated.

3) Sooner or later, something will come up!

Oh, there is one more thing you should be aware of: if you fail to “cultivate” these “seeds” through continued activity and follow-up, even continuing to add “seeds” to your Mystery Garden(tm), your chance of being able to “pick” the best plants from your vocational harvest is significantly reduced.

The moral of this little parable: Start planting, keep planting, watering and cultivating and don’t stop. It’s the only way to get your best “harvest”!

A Contrarian View of New Year Resolutions…

As we are confronted almost daily with a word that many have grown tired of hearing – UNPRECEDENTED, I find myself recalling the wisdom of Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride – “You keeping using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Whether you are in agreement with the application of this dreaded adjective or not, New Year’s is a traditional time to take stock and make decisions.

Please know that I am not opposed to using any New Year, even as 2022, bears down on us, as a time to make positive changes. The intent of my humble musings is to encourage commitment to action, regardless of the date on the calendar.

Allow me to share an insight from an earlier career working in fitness centers, both as a sales consultant and a trainer. The die-hard “gym rats” (not a term of derision, to my way of thinking) always dreaded the first couple of months of the New Year. Scores of “newbies” would descend on the equipment, monopolizing the machines while grunting and groaning in search of that elusive, fit individual hiding deep within them. By the end of February, however, most of the smoke had cleared, and we were back to the “old faithful” regulars at the gym.

This fanaticism is rampant in the ads on TV, radio, and the blogs/tweets/updates on the Internet. Lose weight, transform your business, embrace success, take charge, be all you can be, etc., etc., etc. And you are all but guaranteed success in any of your endeavors as, after all, it is the New Year! It’s all New! You can have a Fresh Start! It has to work, right?!

Well, yes and no. Bless those dear souls who, with all the integrity and resolve they can muster, make these Resolutions. I recall a tweet from someone just before the arrival of the new year that noted they had 2 days left to achieve the results they had committed to 363 days before! Well-intentioned, yet not likely to be realized in the next 48 hours!

So, you may well ask, what’s my point?! Simply this: To borrow a well-known phrase from Madison Avenue, “Just Do It!” Start it right away, whether in the shadow of the New Year’s fireworks, the excitement of spring blossoms, the oppressive heat of the dog days of summer or the grey skies in the dead of winter. Yes, even while experiencing these “unprecedented” times! To quote the title of one of my favorite books by Barbara Sher, “It’s Only Too Late If You Don’t Start Now!”

And, once you’ve started, stay with it! I remember a Nike™ T-shirt emblazoned with this pithy phrase – “Just Doing It.” Two steps forward and one step back (the way I typically advance) is still a net gain of one step. Remember that success is more often the result of “grit” than anything else (another favorite blog of mine on what I call the “secret sauce for success”).

Make your resolution, whenever and however you can and, once you have done so, whether these times are unprecedented or not, get caught “JUST DOING IT!”

Frosty Networking…

As the holiday season bears down on us all, the pressing questions for the job hunter/careerist are: Should I take a break? Is anything really going to happen in the job market before the New Year? Don’t I deserve a respite from this brutal process and relax by the fire with eggnog?

Well, YES and NO. To be sure, taking some time during the holidays to enjoy the delights of the season and appreciate those around you is an excellent idea. This is certainly NOT the time to pull out the plastic and run up a tab with the retail industry, but having a sensible, enjoyable holiday time with family and friends is something you DO deserve.

That being said, please allow me to make a case for maintaining a certain level of activity between now and the waning din of the noisemakers on the first day of the New Year.

1. There is no better time to network.

The holidays represent an extraordinary number of opportunities to see and be seen by family, friends and folks from all over. It would be foolish to not consider all of this “face time” as a resource to increase what I like to term “Positive Visibility.” Please understand the importance of your attitude and approach, however. Nothing can put the damper on a festive gathering more quickly than someone who is pumping the crowd for job leads, seeks to opine on their sad employment situation, or who has the “deer in the headlights” look of someone whose career is stalled! Be sure to focus your contact with others in a positive manner, seeking information, advice and referral to investigate and consider alternatives. Remember that most individuals truly would like to help, but are at a loss on how to be of assistance. Allow them the luxury of simply giving advice rather than 1) feeling pressed to deliver that killer contact for you or 2) staring through you to someone, anyone on the other side of the room. My experience has been that, in such cases, most people will choose Door Number 2!

An additional word of warning: be sure that your solicitation of “next step” options and advice is not the first question on your list, nor is it the only item of conversation. Ease into these topics. Ask how they are doing, what is new in their lives. Show honest, genuine interest and concern for them as people, not as networking contacts. Also, help them realize that you are in the investigation mode, not desperate for a pay stub or a lead to that next great promotion.

2. Many decision makers are at home, not on the road.

One of the challenges of job search and networking is navigating through the maze of individuals who need to participate in any decisions being made. In mid-August, for example, it is often difficult to get the right people in the same room (or even in the same state) long enough to give their opinions, since Smitty is at Myrtle Beach and Ms. Jones just left for New England. This is not as true during the holidays!

Indeed, many people will be staying nearer to home, traveling less and becoming more accessible. This is certainly true in the present world events! Although staffing issues may not be at the top of the holiday list, there are still decisions being made, perhaps even more quickly due to the availability of decision-makers. In addition, the end of the year is often the time when budgets are being reviewed and finalized, and new business plans are starting to take shape. Remember: The best time to get connected is always the present!

3. Your competition may be reduced.

This is one of my personal favorites! Many of your fellow careerists may decide that this is simply not the time to think career at all (for all of the reasons we recounted earlier) and mothball their power suits until the New Year. As a result, there is high potential that your competition will dwindle. Why not take advantage of this “thinning of the field” to forge ahead? As others decide not to take any action until early next year, your well-placed voicemail, LinkedIn update, tweet or short e-mail may improve your standing. In addition, it’s much more effective to maintain a level of activity than attempting to ramp up again on January 2nd!

4. Most individuals are more open to being helpful at this time.

Admittedly, this will not always be the case. Certainly I would not recommend an intense networking contact at the checkout counter on Christmas Eve! It is true, however, that many are more full of the “milk of human kindness,” more willing to share and provide honest insights and assistance to a well-placed question or request. Particularly when you engage them as someone seeking to learn from them, not press them for “answers” to your career issues.

5. Pace yourself!

Now that I’ve made my unassailable arguments for burning up the snow-covered pavement with your career development, I want to introduce the other side of the issue – we ARE in the Holidays! Be sure to take time to care for you and yours, to be thankful for what you do have, to count your blessings. And perhaps, even sip a flagon of eggnog at least once in front of a crackling fire! Sounds good, doesn’t it?!

Happy Holidays and best wishes to you and yours!