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Uncategorized / 6.25.2021 / No Comment

Transition Time: Virtual to In-Office to Hybrid—How to Navigate the Landscape Successfully

Remember the term “new normal”? That seems like ages ago, and now we find ourselves faced with another pivot and a new catchphrase with “returning to normal.” Our work lives are about to change again with a shift back to the way things were—or are they? How is this all playing out in your organization? My conversations with various CEOs and managers have given me great insight on this topic.

When we finally settled into a work from home routine, we discovered there were certain benefits. Do we really want to go back to the way it was? There’s a mixed bag of answers, but what is clear is a new way of thinking about what our working atmosphere looks like.

For those enjoying the work from home option, the good news is my research has told me some organizations are adapting to a hybrid schedule – home 3 days, in the office 2 days or something of that nature. This appeals to many as it gives us the uninterrupted space of a home office and enough face to face time with our colleagues. Navigating all this can prove to be a challenge for the organization, but it’s also an opportunity for a major win in terms of productivity, happy employees, and even offering a creative solution to new employees.

Managers have communicated to me they can easily identify productivity—or lack thereof—in various work from home arrangements after watching this model in action for over a year. Employees have reported improved productivity from their home office, and are taking this positivity and asking for more flexibility. Savvy organizations will capitalize on this if it’s feasible; in the cases where it’s not, the challenge is to get employees back in the routines that were disrupted over a year ago. The art of crafting this balancing act is not lost on CEOs and managers that I’ve spoken to.

LinkedIn is referring to this as #thebigshift and even inviting its members to write posts on the matter. There is much to be learned here. Here’s some things we may want to consider as we all undergo #thebigshift.

Meetings: We all have many, but now is the time to discern which ones can continue to be handled by Zoom, Teams, etc., and which ones really need that face-to-face interaction. Choosing carefully, we can maximize the positive energy of those high level meetings and bring back the sense of working as a team in person where the enthusiasm is contagious and the positive vibes flow. Designing a hybrid meeting schedule can create an atmosphere that works for all.

Routine tasks: Delineating the tedious yet necessary routine tasks are perfect for the home office environment. Depending on what those are and how often they occur, they can be scaffolded into the base of continuing to work from home.

Staff events and meetings: Whether they occur weekly or monthly, the gathering of our colleagues is an opportunity to capitalize on teamwork. Can you mix it up a bit? For example, if they are weekly, can they be rotated that every other is in the office? This psychologically drives accountability, knowing the expectation is to meet twice a month in person, looking their best and showing up with responsibilities met. If once a week gives the inspiration an organization is looking for, go for that. Managers know how to best engage with their employees.

Reviews: Absolutely something you’d want to do in person. It’s that time of the year where performance is reviewed and both employee and manager should look at things objectively, including their work surroundings. Really listen to how employees feel about working in the office versus at home versus a hybrid situation. There is valuable insight to be gleaned from these conversations.

Onboarding: As your organization brings on new members, they may be looking for flexible career solutions. Using our experience in navigating work from home circumstances, we may find that a no or low cost benefit to offer new members of the team. Having a clear plan of however much or little flexibility can be offered is a great thing for prospects to know going in. Management can clearly lay out expectations which may be very attractive to an employee. Recruiters can advertise flexibility as an added benefit.

Finally, if you need all employees back in the office full time, consider ways to put a positive spin on this—it’s less isolating and gives an opportunity to engage in person deal with important matters immediately. Perhaps plan a treat for your employees with some breakfast or lunch brought in for their first day back. Enlist your human resources department to offer some training on adjusting their work schedule back to what it once was. Make it exciting, as if they are coming into a brand new job with lots of opportunity ahead of them. Supporting each other emotionally as well as professionally will go far in helping everyone adjust.

Meanwhile, all of these changes may have led managers to realize they need to create and fill some new positions. If that’s the case, I can help you with your recruitment efforts in this new landscape of working.

If you need assistance in navigating these waters, please contact Marshall at marshall@mbrownassociates.com   

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career success, Success, telecommute, Thrive in 2021, work from home / 2.8.2021 / No Comment

Socially Distant But Working Together

We’re now on our second month into a new year; however, many things don’t feel “new,” especially when it comes to our work environment. Are you still working virtually? What have you learned over the last 10 months? Are we better equipped to go back into an office setting, or has our “new normal” become how we wish to work?

According to FlexJobs, A Gartner survey of company leaders found that 80% plan to allow employees to work remotely at least part of the time after the pandemic, and 47% will allow employees to work from home full-time. In a PwC survey of 669 CEOs, 78% agree that remote collaboration is here to stay for the long-term.

So, is this a good thing or a less than desirable side effect of the pandemic?

It turns out that in general, managers are discovering that their employees are just as productive—if not more—working remotely. However, this begs the question of how workplace relationships are adapting. Sure, there’s wonderful technology to help us, but have we lost the human connection? If so, what does that mean for our careers and the organizations we work for?

Having to adapt so quickly to such a major change was a challenge for many. When the dust settled, some surprising information came to light:

Remote workers are 35 to 40 percent more productive than those in-office.

Remote workers express greater job satisfaction (57 to 50 percent) versus in-office employees.

What are some reasons for these positive changes?

  • Fewer interruptions
  • More focused time
  • Quieter work environment
  • More comfortable workspace
  • Not being involved in office politics

All of that makes sense, right? But how do we really feel about not being able to pop into our colleagues’ offices when we need to? Do we miss the interaction, having lunch together, participating in in-person meetings? Does it really make a difference?

When handled efficiently, most feel it does not make a difference. Having regularly scheduled team meetings or check-ins with managers goes a long way in keeping momentum going, projects being completed on time, and general accountability in place.

These positives are what long-term remote workers and entrepreneurs have known for a long time. A little flexibility lends itself to a more dedicated worker, and the routine of going to the office doesn’t necessarily make for a more productive environment. I can’t think of a single person who misses office politics, sitting in traffic, or constant interruptions.

Is it the wave of the future? Perhaps. Can something better for humankind be done with these office buildings? Possibly. Can we keep perfecting the virtual environment and the remote interactions with our colleagues? Time will tell.

We’re interested to know about your experience working virtually. Would you be happy to continue doing so, or you are waiting patiently for the day when you can return to your workplace? If you would like to explore this or any other concept about your working environment through the coaching process, please visit my website at: www.mbrownassociates.com

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2021 Goals, Career, career resources, Job Search, Job Search Strategies, Quick Tips / 1.6.2021 / No Comment

An In-Depth Look at LinkedIn for 2021

Although 2020 has brought so many changes, LinkedIn continues to be the largest online business networking platform and a top influencer in how we leverage and advance our careers. Learning how to negotiate the ins and outs of this powerful social media tool is to everyone’s advantage. Here’s 9 Top Strategies for Diving Deep into LinkedIn:

Create a profile with a professional photo and pertinent details. It might seem obvious, but attention to detail is important when looking to network and make significant career connections. Be succinct in your accomplishments and don’t forget to include your efforts at volunteerism. The goal is a well-rounded profile, just as when you’re applying for a new position. Think of LinkedIn as your online resume.

Make meaningful connections. The first connections are the obvious ones, but then what? Browse your connections’ connections to see if there are any that may be an acquaintance, and think about adding those. Don’t send blind connection requests—include a brief message of how you have a mutual connection, etc. As you start to build your network, requests will organically come to you. You’ll be surprised how it grows!

Post regularly. Creating meaningful content that is of interest to others (that they in turn may share) is key to broadening your LinkedIn presence. Also, be sure to share articles you find interesting. This is another method of organically growing your network.

Ask some colleagues for recommendations. Having a balanced number (not one or two, but not necessarily dozens, either) of well-written recommendations are a plus to those looking at your profile. They can often lead to new opportunities when making connections.

Always keep an eye on career trends and available positions. You may be perfectly happy on your career trajectory, but don’t underestimate the power of keeping an eye on that Job section of LinkedIn. Why? Because it allows you to keep up with industry trends, see who’s hiring and how they may be expanding positions in their organization, and keeps you up to date with the key words, phrases, and HR terminology that’s in the forefront.

If you are unemployed, it is especially important to look on LinkedIn as much as you would any other source for potential jobs. The advantage here is that LinkedIn is built on people and connections, rather than sending a blind resume to an email box of the HR Department. Be sure your profile is ultra professional, and you may choose to tactfully state that you are looking for an opportunity in your field. Let a few key connections know you are searching for that next opportunity as they may know of a possibility or be able to introduce you to some of their key connections or a great recruiter.

Use Company Profiles to your advantage. Read about companies you are interested in and/or are highly regarded in your field. You can also search to see if you have any connections at a particular company. Continuous learning will pay off, if not immediately, but in the future. You never know when an opportunity will present itself, and having knowledge of your desired company is always beneficial.

Follow influencers in your field and join LinkedIn groups of like-minded individuals. We know that many experts and those at the top of their field do not accept invites for connection; you may wonder how you can form a relationship despite this brick wall. Mutual connections are of course important, but so is joining groups that those people may have started or are actively involved in. Just keep connecting, and even though the connection that was your goal may not transpire, you’ll be sure to meet many interesting and influential people along the way.

If you’re recruiting for a position, check out Recruiter and Recruiter Lite. It’s an excellent option to make connections and meet new prospective candidates and there are free trial versions. The search capability is excellent, and again, you’ll meet people who may keep you in mind for the future.

If you are unemployed (or as I like to say “between successes”), it is especially important to look on LinkedIn as much as you would any other source for potential jobs. As with anything else, you’ll get out of LinkedIn what you put into it. Remember that networking in a professional atmosphere is as key as in a more personal, social arena. Spend some time on this network, and you’ll be certain to reap the rewards!

I wish you a very prosperous 2021! As always, I’m available to assist you in your journey. For more information on my coaching services, visit my website at www.mbrownassociates.com.

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2021 Goals, According to Marshall, Achieving Goals, career resources, career success, creativity, Law of Attraction, Personal Development, Success, Thrive in 2021, Unleashing Potential, vision / 12.16.2020 / No Comment

A New Year is Ahead – What’s Your Vision?

There’s something special about the end of one year and beginning of another. It’s not unlike a fresh start or that “new car smell” so to speak. We’re presented with the opportunity to map where we’ve been, where we stand, and where we’re going. There are many tools to accomplish this, but the classic Vision Board is one of the best. My blog today focuses on making vision boards work for you—and there’s no better time than the start of a fresh new year!

What is a Vision Board?

By definition, a vision board is a methodology to create a visual representation of one’s goals, based on the theory that physically seeing this repeatedly helps bring motivation, direction, and unleashes possibility. It’s a powerful tool that reinforces the theory that our thoughts are powerful and visualization of achieving goals is part of achieving them. Athletes, for example, can draw on the power of vision boarding to manifest their goals. Entrepreneurs also find value in this tool as a way to chart their business aspirations. You’ve heard the adage, “Energy goes where attention flows,” right? This is the premise in a nutshell.

How and why do they work?

We all know we can train our minds; the brain itself, though, is more malleable then we might imagine. We can in fact train our brains for success using tools such as a vision board. Our brain has this ability due to process called neuroplasticity, which is the ability to learn, adapt, and in essence rewire itself. It’s what allows people to recover from traumatic injuries. Surely, if it’s powerful enough to do that, our brain can help us reach our goals, right?

Aside from the scientific point of view, the simple concept that vision boards are a tool to unleash our potential is one that we can utilize, be it for career, self-improvement, or personal goals.

Who needs a Vision Board?

We can all benefit from a vision board, whether you’re a student, an entrepreneur, a manager, or brand new to the job market. Everyone can use one in their personal life in regard to relationships, aspirations, self-improvement, etc. The possibilities are limitless.

Creating your Vision Board

You’ve decided to create one – now what? The first step is to do a lot of introspection and self-reflection. What goal(s) are you striving for? What dreams do you wish to bring to reality? There are plenty of helpful free worksheets to help this process along.

Next, decide if you will create a physical or digital vision board—or both. How do you respond best to visualization? By being able to look at, touch, and see a physical product? Or, does a phone or laptop background speak to you? Perhaps, if you decide to create a physical vision board, you can take a photo for your phone and laptop backgrounds. There are also apps for this purpose. Remember, the more you see it, the more it ingrains into that malleable brain of yours.

You’ll want to draw from variety of images that are powerful to you—people that are important, places you love, and words that inspire you to achieve goals. It can be physical things such as a cottage at the beach or a classic car, and it can be images of how you want to make a difference in your community, or a comfortable life with less stress. It can and should be a little snapshot of your desires in relation to your goals, and it doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Words and images cut from a magazine work just fine. Maybe there’s some original artwork you can add, or photography. It’s really only limited by your imagination. Think postcards of a favorite destination, your favorite quote, a graphic depicting your goal. It’s those images and words that speak to you and create a spark when you see them that’s important.

My Vision Board is assembled—now what?

The key is to place your vision board where you can see it daily. One good suggestion is to look at it twice a day, perhaps at the beginning and end of your day, for that visualization reinforcement it’s intended to create. By your desk in your home office or by your bed are two good places to place it. If it’s a background on your phone, you’re seeing it many times per day. Whatever works for you and keeps those goals top of mind is an individual preference—just make sure you’re viewing it regularly.

Should I update my Vision Board?

In short, yes; goals can change and circumstances can shift our plans. The idea is not to give up on your original goals, but to be fluid and recognize when things have taken a different direction. Let’s face it, sometimes we make powerful changes in our life’s journey that will serve us better, and it’s important to include these on your vision board. They are easy to change—paste on a new picture, remove what is no longer a goal, and reset your intentions as needed.

Free Tools for Vision Boards

Check out these great resources and remember, as with anything, the key is getting started and focusing. Take the time to do this during the holiday season as we approach 2021 – you’ll be glad you made this wise investment in yourself!

31 Free Vision Board Printables to Inspire Your Dreams

Jack Canfield’s Vision Board App

41 Career Vision Board Labels

Create a Virtual Digital Board with PicMonkey

And in full disclosure, creating vision boards has been a very powerful tool for me as well as my clients. It really helps to keep us focused! I encourage you to try it and let me know what you discover!

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish my readers a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year! For more information on my services, visit my website at: http://mbrownassociates.com/

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add skills and knowledge, Career, career resources, career success, Networking, Quick Tips, Success, telecommute / 12.8.2020 / No Comment

Career Development Strategies During COVID-19

Entering the last month of 2020, we have a great deal to reflect back on, particularly when it comes to our careers. The changes in how we successfully navigate the workplace have been vast, and for now, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive end to our new way of working. That said, we still need to consider developing our career amongst these unique circumstances. Today we’ll discuss some ways we can accomplish that, despite the current climate.

Even though we’ve been caught up in the seemingly endless virtual meetings, we need to take time to evaluate not just how we’re working, but look at our current performance and future goals. It may seem counterintuitive at the present time when some days it may seem all we can do to accomplish our norm, but the time is right to do a lot of introspection. How has working from home affected your performance? Did you acquire new leadership skills or become more self-reliant in your home office? No longer surrounded by the office noise, have you discovered that you really love what you do—or discovered that it’s time to change directions? It’s just you working away solo now—you can be honest with yourself. Express your feelings by journaling or whatever notetaking system works best for you.

Self-study

Once you’ve laid your thoughts out, it’s time to formulate a plan which includes the necessary education and certifications. To that end, you may not be aware of how many free or low-cost opportunities are at your disposal. Let’s take a look at some resources:

Certifications You Can Obtain for Free! From AES Certification to Project Management, check out these great ideas: https://www.jobscan.co/blog/5-certifications-add-resume-free/

Recent College Graduate? Check out Handshake, a job portal that has become a leading community for those early in their career: https://joinhandshake.com/

Continue to Build Your Tribe: Take advantage of the virtual meetings to introduce yourself with a brief “elevator speech” if you will, and actively engage with other meeting/event participants. Pay special attention to opportunities to share contact information. Check out some of these great apps to make your virtual business card:

HiHello: https://www.hihello.me/

Haystack: https://thehaystackapp.com/

Inigo: https://inigoapp.com/

Managing Your Mind: The very habit of practicing mindfulness is a deliberate action, and one that can not only help us through current career challenges, but in our personal development as well. Here’s a mindfulness quiz that can help you evaluate where you are in the mindfulness sphere. After your score is tabulated, a list of valuable recommendations are given. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/mindfulness

Learn, grow, and document: Be proactive and go a step above and beyond (perhaps use that time was formerly spent commuting). Use tools like Google Drive, Evernote, etc. to document what you have done in the way of continued development so they are easily accessible for future reference. In the event you’re asked to perform a self-evaluation, you’ll have this information at hand. As far as sourcing the courses, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and other major players. Here’s some interesting alternatives:

A Collection from The Muse – 41 Free Classes from Various Sources: https://www.themuse.com/advice/43-classes-you-can-take-right-now-to-advance-your-career-and-theyre-free

Free Professional Development Courses: https://www.futurelearn.com/subjects/business-and-management-courses/professional-development

500 Free Learning Resources for Nonprofit Professionals: https://www.nonprofitready.org/

Performance Assessments

Another method that can be utilized is the 360-degree Performance Review, which can be adapted to the remote office situation. This is where the employee, managers, subordinates, and a cross-section of peers perform a review, as well as extending this to outside sources such as vendors, associated companies in different cities, etc. In the remote situation, this is a great tool to assess communication, conflict resolution, and interpersonal skills. Communication can be a bit off kilter in our virtual world, and this assessment reinforces its importance. There are a variety of tools that can be utilized including Doodle or Survey Monkey polls, or even the poll feature in Zoom. Managers can take the existing performance evaluations and with some creativity adapt them to the remote learning environment. With continuous improvement in mind, this exercise is extremely valuable.

Continuous Improvement of Soft Skills

Now more than ever, we need to master our soft skills so that we can communicate effectively from a distance. Problem solving is paramount, and being able to devise adaptable solutions allows the team to flourish. Strong flexibility and adaptability skills will serve us well during the pandemic and going forward in our careers. We had to switch gears so fast with the onset of the pandemic that we just did whatever we needed to do to get our work done; now we can refine processes such as responding to new challenges, continuous learning, and even some novel improvisation when things in our virtual world don’t go as planned. By encouraging employees to stretch their creativity and step outside their comfort zone, you may find a plethora of great ideas to strengthen the sense of community while accomplishing goals.

There is so much to be learned from the times we are faced with in regard to continuous career development. If you’d like to speak with Marshall about coaching services, please contact him at 202-669-2065. Visit the website for more information, and follow us on our social channels. www.mbrownassociates.com.

Wishing you a healthy, safe and successful new year!

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Career, career success, Networking, Quick Tips, telecommute, Uncategorized, work from home / 11.19.2020 / No Comment

What Has COVID-19 Taught Us About Our Careers?

This year has brought changes to all our careers; the way we work, interact with others, and manage to stay connected.  Challenges usually bring learning opportunities, and today we’re examining what COVID-19 has taught us in regard to our careers.

We have become more adaptable: Flexibility and the ability to adapt to ever-changing situations is the name of the game in 2020. As the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and it’s never been more true.  Recognize your ability to create strategies to help yourself, your colleagues, and your family, and share those ideas freely.

There’s a new humanity:  Remember the old joke that no absence was excusable, save for your own funeral (if you gave proper notice)? Things are different now, and the fact that families work and learn differently has given us the opportunity to see each other as people, not just well-dressed colleagues who occupy

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business, Career, career resources, Quick Tips, Success, telecommute, work from home / 11.4.2020 / No Comment

Juggling Work and Home Life During COVID-19: 10 Tips and Resources

It’s another Monday morning. For the home-based employee, it’s another week of working virtually. Another week of trying to juggle kids, our career, and perhaps a barking dog or curious cat while we’re maintaining a professional atmosphere in which to complete our work. Your home isn’t designed to be an office, but overall, you’re managing fairly well.

A PwC survey in June found that 44% of employers felt employees were more productive working at home during the pandemic, vs. 31% who believed they were less productive and 25% who felt work output was roughly the same. How would you categorize yourself?

There are many factors at play here to be your most productive. The key is in planning as much as you possibly can, and this means as a family. Women are particularly stressed and job statistics show they are increasingly leaving their jobs to provide childcare and assist with virtual learning. For single parents, the stress is even greater as there’s no partner to balance things out.

However, the world keeps churning. Bosses still expect top quality work and the same dedication they were accustomed to pre-COVID-19. Is this possible, you ask?

Yes, in fact, it is. It just takes a lot of creativity.

Consider:

According to a Gallop poll, 1 in 4 adults is working entirely from home. Statistics vary, but approximately 50 percent of students are participating solely in online learning, with the remainder in some sort of hybrid arrangement. That’s a lot of people home together all day trying to accomplish what was once done with the support of others in a designated environment. It’s no wonder there’s stress!

We invite you to grab a cup of your favorite coffee or tea and explore these tips and resources:

  • Dual working couples can and should stagger their day. Finding a unique solution that is amenable to your family while meeting your supervisor’s expectations is crucial. Communicate this information to your supervisors and work together to create a realistic plan.
  • Respect each other’s space, both for adults and children. Ensure everyone has the best working and learning environment possible. Take this very seriously to minimize frustration.
  • Outsource what you can afford (grocery delivery, housekeeping, etc.) Consider child care or utilization of a “pod” schooling situation for those days or even a week when you must be in a conference or nonstop meetings. Allow yourself the ability to give proper attention to the task at hand, especially if you are a presenter or you are participating in continuing education.
  • Curb unrealistic expectations and let go of perfection. If the laundry is a bit piled up or the grass needs mowing, don’t be so hard on yourself. It will get done. You need less stress, not more. Prioritize.
  • Demonstrate compassion for others and practice understanding. We’re all in this together. Be creative in solutions to help each other during this challenging time.
  • Practice your best self-care. We all know what we need—proper sleep, exercise, eating right. We also intuitively know what makes us feel our best on a very specific level. Whether it’s yoga, walks in nature, reading for an hour each day, taking particular supplements, or sticking to a certain nutrition, continue to make that activity a priority. As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Take care of yourself both emotionally and physically.
  • Set boundaries. Turn that laptop off and put the phone up for a bit. Resist the urge to check emails during family time. If you’re fortunate enough to have a home office, shut the door when the workday is complete. Learn to say no, and stick to it. Prioritizing will bring clarity to the things that can be postponed or even eliminated from daily life right now. Saying no tends to make us feel guilty, but for our own mental and physical wellbeing, it’s a necessity. Make your decisions and stick to them.
  • Have a plan for emergencies such as sick children or your own need for a sick or personal day off. Have a plan for when (not if) your internet has an issue or there are other technology issues. We all run into this from time to time. How can we adapt and pivot and still get our work done?
  • Remember to advocate for yourself. This is something that a virus can’t diminish. Maybe you were in line for a promotion earlier in the year, or you were facing a particular challenge. Again, communication is key to allow your supervisor to see that you haven’t missed a beat and you’re ready to tackle anything from a promotion to advancing your skills to dealing with sensitive issues with coworkers.
  • Recognize that this is temporary. Institute practices that will help you look back and remember how your family conquered this challenge successfully.

Ten Resources to Navigate our COVID-19 World:

What are your favorite tips for juggling work and home life during COVID-19? Please share in the comments. We’d love to hear your insight!

Coaching can play a part in helping you identify, think through, and put sound practices into place. If you’d like more information on our services, please visit www.mbrownassociates.com and follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarshallBrownAssociates. Interested in making an appointment? Call Marshall at 202.669.2065

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business, Career / 10.22.2020 / No Comment

Networking During COVID-19

COVID-19 has interrupted our lives for months now. We’ve had to pivot our careers a bit and employ some changes in how we carry out our daily work. However, one common denominator still exists—we need to network and continue to build professional connections.

Gone were the days of those in-person events; the socials, networking breakfasts, lunch and learn—all of it needed to be accomplished in a new way. The good news is, it’s still possible to network, and maybe even be more productive in doing so.

Korn Ferry reports this sobering stat: until COVID-19, event planners were putting together more than 5,200 meetings a day, each with more than 10 attendees. COVID-19 brought that to a grinding halt.

Where is the good news in all of this, you ask? Finding positive aspects to our seemingly defunct networking life allows us to realize there’s one big savings, and that is time. The time you used sitting in traffic, looking for a parking space, driving from one spot to another can be worked more effectively into our day, thanks to modern technology.

We are of course talking about all the internet platforms we’ve become so familiar with in the last months. Zoom, WebEx, GoToMeeting, and the like. We were familiar with them before, but now as we become seasoned users, we need to make them work for us the same as any other tool in our career—not for convenience sake, but to actually help expand our network and strengthen those valuable connections we’ve already built. Here are some ideas to utilize our home/remote office space and those in-person conferencing tools into a valuable resource for networking:

Use the video chat feature, not just the audio. Striving to make a great first impression still applies, even from our home office. Have a good background/divider or suitable green screen, dress in your normal business attire, and be ready to meet existing and potential new colleagues with a smile and air of professionalism, just as you would in person. Considering all the stress COVID-19 has brought about, we need to keep our meetings positive and make good connections that will serve us in the future—not connections fraught with despair because we’ve recently lost a job or are frustrated dealing with the pandemic upheaval. Keeping a spirit of true collaboration and offering to help others is essential.

Join in on career fairs and preorganized networking opportunities. Hosts of these events are getting creative, including having a “map” of booths or presenters that you can click on, which will take you to Zoom or a similar platform. Roll with the creative ideas and put them into practice. Some have found that partaking in a “virtual coffee break” is even beneficial. Gather together some colleagues who have commonalities and see if there’s a chance to forge more connections within your network.

Utilize the obvious built-in icebreaker—COVID-19. Taking genuine interest in how people are doing and pivoting their work life is both a chance for them to share their experience, and you may even learn some great tips, too. Most importantly, it affords us the opportunity to share human experience.

Focus on your connection. After brief introductions, pivot the conversation to your new contact and learn about them. They will remember this, and you never know when an opportunity may come along that they would consider you a good fit for.

Be patient and remember everyone’s life has been upended. A colleague may not return a call or email as quickly as they normally would. Maybe it’s difficult to find a good time to meet. Be mindful that they are enduring challenges themselves. Give them a reasonable time to respond before giving a gentle nudge.

Polish up your professional and personal online presence. It’s all about putting your best foot forward professionally. Think about it – what do we do when we want more information? We look a person or organization up online. Make your profiles ones you’d want others to be pleased to see.

The most important takeaway is that we keep an open mind and turn the challenges of COVID-19 into new possibilities. One constant that will always remain is the need to network and develop relationships—we just need to engage in new strategies to accomplish this.

For more information on connecting with Marshall Brown, please email info@mbrownassociates.com and visit our website at www.mbrownassociates.com

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Coaching / 10.6.2020 / No Comment

Benefits of Team Coaching

We’ve heard about teams in the workplace for a long time. Odds are, you’ve been on one or perhaps even led one—but why are they essential? How can they be more productive? How do team leaders break down walls and get the team moving efficiently toward the same goal?

Today we’ll take a look at the benefits of team coaching, why it’s important, and how to use it most effectively.

At their core, the methods to be employed are at their root very straightforward:

  • Agree on expectations and acceptable behaviors
  • Agreed set of team goals
  • Create an environment of transparency
  • Linking team goals to organizational goals for overall success
  • Reflection on how the team is progressing toward goals and employ constructive criticism among the team

The Institute of Coaching, McLean, Affiliate of Harvard Medical School cites the following benefits of team/organizational coaching: Organizational coaching aims at fostering positive, systemic transformation within organizations. It is frequently used to help organizations achieve strategic objectives, enhance leadership capability, and create culture change. Broader organizational needs are placed front and center, and the coaching is used to scale-up change across the enterprise. While there is overlap, this broader focus is in contrast to executive or leadership coaching which targets the individual’s development needs and more typically comprises standalone engagements. 

To apply this method, let’s take it from the top. A project has been identified in upper management or key players in the organization. There are thoughts as to who should lead this initiative. Who would be a strong team leader who can take members of this team and collaborate with them to reach the goals?

Potential team members are identified. They are invited and gather for their first meeting. Be it in person or virtual, this is the time to lay groundwork and see how the puzzle pieces fit together. It’s the planning stage, the discovery stage, and the stage at which the best possible human capital are introduced to the concept.

As time moves on, the team may experience pitfalls. There may be personality and work style clashes, journeys down the rabbit hole that accomplish little to nothing, or perhaps even a path laid out that seems disjointed. Your team has splintered just when you need them solidly cohesive, even despite good intentions. Now what?

This is where coaching on a team level can be particularly beneficial—and could be avoided with the implementation of a team coach from the start. The key is to allow a coach to instill what a “team” really is and how to work within those parameters. An effective team coach can assist the team in navigating the course in an effective way that leads to positive outcomes.

As such, the team itself has to be open to an outside perspective. Resistance can and will emerge. Pivoting that resistance into cohesiveness is a special talent, and one that an effective coach embodies.

Remember: As coaching in itself is an art, the expansion into team coaching incorporates the challenge of creating a team that will maximize performance with an eye towards meeting organizational goals. Thus, successful team coaching leads to sustainable success in reaching long-term goals.

For more information about how Marshall Brown and Associates can support your team, please feel free to phone 202.669.2065 or email info@mbrownassociates.com

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ace an interview, Interview / 8.28.2020 / No Comment

Top Virtual Interviewing Tips from a Career Coach

 

The COVID pandemic has changed many things in our world, including the way we work and interview for our next position. Currently, most interviews are held virtually. In order to make interviewing in this climate a success, we’re sharing some tips to help you make the best presentation.

The “first round” of your interview may consist of a phone call. Here are some tips for making the most of that opportunity:

  • Be prompt for your interview time.
  • Find a space to converse that is free of background noise.
  • Allow the interviewer to lay out the groundwork of the interview and be mindful of following their lead.
  • Your tone of voice should be professional. Enunciate well. Remember, since the other party cannot see you, the tone in your voice is heavily weighed.

Subsequent rounds of interviewing will most likely take place via video such as Zoom or GoToMeeting, etc. In addition to the above, here’s some special consideration for video interviews:

  • Make sure you will be presenting yourself as you would for an in-person interview. Dress appropriately and accessorize as you normally would when wanting to make a great first impression.
  • Be sure you are conducting the video interview in a quiet space with no background noise or distractions and strong internet connection.
  • Sit straight and exhibit appropriate body language.
  • Proper lighting is essential. Sit in front of window or light source, not behind.  Consider videoing yourself as a test run. That way, you can check the lighting, background setting, proper volume settings, and your appearance on camera.
  • Shut down other programs on your computer before logging into your interview. You won’t want any beeps or notification noises coming through.
  • Be prepared to have appropriate workspace that you can show/describe to the interviewer. They will want to know you have a professional workspace within your home if you will be a in work from home position.
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