I feel incredibly fortunate to be at the forefront of change, working with a diverse spectrum of leaders, business owners and career shifters who are breaking through old paradigms to create new ways of being in the world. While there is crisis in our world, there are equally powerful forces for positive change. When we dare to actualize our dreams, the impact ripples to unimagined places.

Living your dream is not for the faint of heart, however. It’s so easy for ingrained belief systems, personal and communal, to come out with gun-slinging fury, terrorizing our heart into submission and clouding our dreams with shadows of doubt. As the pressure for success, acceptance, and accomplishment bear down, your mind can begin to throw all sorts of doubts your way.

Some of the questions that I’ve heard surfacing are:

• “Can I build my practice without succumbing to the selling tactics everyone is pushing?”
• “Is it really okay to say I want more, when so many people are struggling?”
• “Fun and work were never words that went together in my family…can I really do that?”
• “My rates are higher than others; do I lower them to stay competitive?”

These questions are quite common and normal. The challenge is that they come up at the most inopportune moments: when you’re about to call back a potential client, write a grant, or craft a speech to present to a conference. In times of uncertainty, your best friend is often your gut, your intuition, your sixth sense. I have found with my clients that the courage to move forward comes when they couple their intuition with a clear sense of their strengths and challenges.

To overcome the nay-saying of the mind, we need only to remind ourselves of the firm foundation upon which our dreams are based. Here are some ways to deal with the doubts and connect more effectively from the strength of your conviction:

1. As soon as the critic creeps in, STOP. Take a time out.
Even when the deadline is looming—especially when the deadline is looming—it’s important not to let the nagging thoughts get under your skin. Once they catch hold, they will wreak havoc with your clarity and confidence. Before they start to control you, take a moment to re-ground yourself and reinvest in your purpose.

2. Name your strengths.
To put your focus back on succeeding, take time to name your unique strengths. Remember specific times when you succeeded because of these strengths, however small the successes might seem. (You might find it helpful to write them down.)

Examples:

~~~ During a meeting, I interrupted the flow and spoke with candor. It felt like we were off track and I wanted to solidify a point of few. Afterwards the staff thanked me for so effectively spotlighting the issue.

~~~ When the new clients came to see me, my intuition said, just listen. After booking their next session, they both commented on how comforting it was to be held in such a gentle yet powerful way.

~~~ When I felt it was appropriate to talk about fees, I said to my potential client, “Would this be a good time to talk about the budget?” She said, “That’s great. I was just thinking that myself.”

The more ways you can identify how your intuition effectively supported your strengths, the more confident you will be using it again and again.

3. Name your challenges.
Knowing your challenges minimizes the opportunities for your mind to sabotage your actions. When we slide into the land of doubt, our challenges seem to rear up and take full focus. By identifying your challenges, you can create systems to focus on your strengths and enhance the trust in your intuition.

Some might be:

~~~ Fundraising: When I call for donor support, I feel like I’m intruding on their life and I freeze. When I ask them, “Is this a good time?” before I start the conversation, I am more at ease and attuned to what they are saying.

Why is this so important? When you take full advantage of your strengths and account for your challenges, you become far more effective with significantly less effort (and uncertainty). When you cultivate ease and confidence in your life, trusting your intuition comes naturally.

4. Refocus your attention.
As you take a fresh look at your grant, your meeting, or your introduction, ask yourself, “Can I engage more fully from my strengths? How might I more respectfully honor my challenges so that I can lead from my best, most authentic and powerful self?”

As you trust your intuition more and connect from your strengths, you might be amazed by how much easier your work becomes. Or perhaps you’ll wake up to the realization that you’ve been living or working in a way that dishonors who you really are inside. As I mentioned in the beginning, living in your power takes courage and conviction, faith and purpose. When you honor those, get ready…life will take on a whole new meaning.

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Carolyn Campbell has more than 30 years’ experience working with non-profit and for-profit businesses. In creative and connecting ways, Carolyn melds her expertise in community outreach, education and business development to help clients expand their reach and increase their impact…using their unique approach to life. Her areas of specialty include leadership, visioning, outreach and community building.

This is a great question. Generic resumes and cover letters are far too common. If you are a job seeker, you know all too well how tough today’s job market can seem. The people who are succeeding at getting ‘good’ jobs are looking at the process more like building a business.

Here are a few tips:

1. Apply for positions that you are passionate about. Without a doubt, it can be disheartening to apply for jobs and not get them. However, I find that when you hone your focus and build your confidence in going after what truly excites you, the process of finding a job is more engaging and the results far more positive.

2. Communicate your passion! Whether writing a cover letter or speaking in person, demonstrate your passion and your interest. I am often stunned by the lack of enthusiasm I see in cover letters. In a competitive market, employers have lots of folks to choose from. Think about this from their perspective. Who would you hire: the well-qualified person who views the position as just another ‘job’, or the person who is invested in the work and needs a little bit of training?

3. Ask for help. Most good jobs are found through contacts and referrals. For many, asking for help can be a delicate encounter. If you know people in the field you are interested in, talk with them candidly about your search. Before talking with them, identify why they are a good connection. What do you appreciate about them? Use that appreciation to reinforce your connection with them. If they recommend a company or organization, ask who they suggest you talk to and ask if you can mention that they referred you. Remember, when someone refers you, they are putting their reputation on the line. Make sure you thank them—regardless of the outcome.

4. Be able to specifically name what you are looking for. People want to help. To do that, they need you to be as specific as possible. For example, “I’m looking for consulting opportunities” is vague. “I’m looking for leadership consulting opportunities with progressive technology companies” lets them know exactly what you have in mind. I suggest creating a few specific descriptions so that you can adapt to the various communities/friends and colleagues you meet.

5. Tailor your resume. I’m surprised by how many people send a ‘stock’ resume to all prospective clients or employers. You need to demonstrate your value for them, so take a wee bit of extra time and tailor your resume to suit their needs. I suggest beginning by making a ‘master’ resume with all your qualifications and experience…just so you can lay out your ‘bragging rights’. Then, when you craft a resume for a company, check out their website and use language relevant to their needs. Choose the skills from your master resume that best feature what they’re looking for. Yes, without a doubt this takes more time. (For more info on resumes, click here.)

6. Personalize your cover letter. As with your resume, personalize your cover letter to address the specific needs of the company. Make sure that you demonstrate your expertise by minimizing the “I” statements and highlighting how your skills relate to their needs. (For more tips on writing cover letters, click here.)

Taking a bit of time up front can set the stage for an effective and productive search. The key is balance—being clear about what you are looking for and then taking the time to understand their needs and sharing how your skills will help them.

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Carolyn Campbell has more than 30 years’ experience working with non-profit and for-profit businesses. In creative and connecting ways, Carolyn melds her expertise in community outreach, education and business development to help clients expand their reach and increase their impact…using their unique approach to life. Her areas of specialty include leadership, visioning, outreach and community building.

By Carolyn Campbell

Many businesses and organizations that downsized are now feeling the strain and hiring again. Many individuals who put off Self care are reaching out and seeking services that will help them get back on track.

The good news: The number of exciting opportunities for job seekers, consultants, and self-employed service providers is steadily increasing.

The challenge: Many people are trying too hard to please their prospective employer or client by presenting an overly-polite attitude of accommodation, rather than creating a relationship of equality and shared mission. Curiously, this is the worst time to be too nice.

Why?

People want to make sure they spend their dollars wisely. They want to ensure that the person they hire (in whatever form) will truly serve them. When people are too ‘nice’, it doesn’t generate confidence and trust in their ability to lead, assess or assert when needed.

Whether we know it or not, we associate overly nice with compliant. When someone seems eager to “go along” and politely agree, it gives the impression that he or she will be reluctant to address important questions or challenges or provide substantive, valuable contributions.

The business world is steadily moving away from the hierarchical corporate model. Everyone within an organization or in a business relationship can play an innovative role in contributing to change and growth. What’s important (whether you are applying for a position or offering your services) is that you demonstrate your ability to understand a need and offer potential solutions. The challenge for many—both career seekers and business owners—is that they are still mired in employee mind.

What is ‘employee mind’?

‘Employee mind’ is the value system that tells us to hold a careful, cautious position and convey an obedient attitude. We display employee mind when we politely agree with others then figure out how to accommodate their position. I’ve noticed that most cover letters, consulting inquiries and preliminary consultations are far too polite and, well, nice.

When I asked a client about her cover letter, she commented, “I don’t want to not ‘fit’ what they’re looking for, so instead I stay vague and timid.” As we began to compose a more assertive, ‘bragging’ version, she exclaimed, “I can’t write this! They’ll think I’m nuts.”

Ah! When I hear the words, “They’ll think I’m nuts”, I know that we are about to take on some core beliefs.

“Hmmm…” was my response. “Which version is most honest about what you really want?” A few days later I received her rewrite. Eureka! She wrote with clarity and conviction and engaged them with her keen perceptions and interest. Within a day she received a response from the department manager wanting to arrange an interview.

My client was stunned. Her response: “Wow! This is so much easier than being so nice.”

We have been so conditioned to beat around the bush and be ‘nice’ that being direct and transparent is a refreshing change for all concerned. And not to worry—I’m not suggesting that you change your personality. Not at all. In fact, I find that people who have been ‘nice’ because they believed they had to be are really relieved to find a different way. The starting place is owning what you do and why you do it—not being afraid to claim your strengths, and also not being afraid to say if something isn’t a good fit (rather than attempting to mold every response to accommodate the other person).

Whether you are a career seeker or a business owner (or, well, anyone), if you aren’t getting the work (or the ‘gigs’) you want, you might ask yourself,

Where am I:

I’ve found that once overly ‘nice’ people step into their personal truth and leadership, they are some of the best connectors! Their achievements begin to soar. And they always say…really, it’s so easy.

Yes. It is.

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Carolyn Campbell has more than 30 years’ experience working with non-profit and for-profit businesses. In creative and connecting ways, Carolyn melds her expertise in community outreach, education and business development to help clients expand their reach and increase their impact…using their unique approach to life. Her areas of specialty include leadership, visioning, outreach and community building.

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Each social media platform has its benefits. LinkedIn is a great place for consultants, career seekers and those who work within that professional community. I especially like that LinkedIn can be quite professional while also being personable.

If you use social media or other electronic means of connecting, regardless of the format (website, blog, vlog, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.), it is important to ask yourself the following questions:

• What do I want to achieve?
• What is the best medium to do so?
• Is this a good way to connect with my community?
• What effort am I willing to put into it?

If you are going to use any social media platform, allow yourself to be fully ‘seen’. Ask for recommendations from people who’ve experienced your work. When I go to hire someone, I always check out what people have to say about them. And, if their recommendations reflect a cross-section of people, I gain greater appreciation for their work.

If you are asking for recommendations from clients, remember…it needs to be okay for them to say yes, no or something else. Some people may not feel comfortable giving you a recommendation even if they think the world of your work. (For example, I have clients who can’t write me a recommendation because they don’t want their boss or clients to know they’re in a transition.) You’ll want to craft your use of this medium to reflect this.

One of the features I like most about LinkedIn is that you don’t have to constantly add notes and updates to keep your page looking “fresh”. Like many folks, I don’t have a lot of time to send out tweets or daily updates. And, as with other social media, LinkedIn does have a ‘wall’ on which to post comments and updates.

Everyone has a different approach to social media and mine is this: I link with people and organizations I respect that serve a similar mission. I can vouch for everyone in my network and am proud to share the page with them. What I notice is that all too often people have tons of ‘connections’ with few recommendations. I have seen many folks with a wealth of connections have no success, while others with relatively few have great success.

What’s the difference? No matter how technical our society becomes, nothing—absolutely nothing—compares to good, old-fashioned relationship building.

If you decide to use LinkedIn, I suggest taking time to review the LinkedIn tutorials that are easily found on Google. Here are a few tips from me as well:

1. Remember: this is a professional forum. Consider how you want to be perceived and create your profile with pride in yourself, your work and your vision.
2. Create a Word document with all your information (bios, work summaries, etc.). If you use other social media sites, it makes the process so much easier.
3. Request recommendations from people you respect and who can articulately express the value and impact of your work. (I personally like to have a cross-section of recommendations so that people can see the diversity of my clients.)
4. Identify 10 organizations you want to work for. See if any of your contacts know people there or know people who know people there. Where appropriate, ask them for “introductions”.
5. Search for people in your region that work in the industry you are pursuing. This may give you an idea of who is hiring people like you.
6. Search for people you went to school with whom you respected. You might be amazed at the common links you still have.
7. And remember…please remember—create respectful relationships!

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Carolyn Campbell has more than 30 years’ experience working with non-profit and for-profit businesses. In creative and connecting ways, Carolyn melds her expertise in community outreach, education and business development to help clients expand their reach and increase their impact…using their unique approach to life. Her areas of specialty include leadership, visioning, outreach and community building.

Wednesday, August 25, 7-9 PM
Cost: $35-45 (self-selected fee)

DO YOU:

• Want to more fully create the life you love?
• Want a soul-full way to fully trust your inner wisdom?
• Desire to enhance your connection with others?
• Seek ways to fully honor yourself and take action?
• Need a bit of support to get you there?

During this experiential, leadership-oriented workshop, you’ll get to the heart of your desire, access your unique leadership style, and identify purposeful actions to achieve your goals.

To learn more about Fertile Ground Vision Cards, click here.

For more information, contact Carolyn or call 503-493-9497.

Self-Select Options

1 – $35.00 2 – $40.00 3 – $45.00

September 16-18, 2010
Cost: $450 – 600 (self-selected fee). Includes meals, workbook and pre-workshop coaching session.

THIS HANDS-ON WORKSHOP IS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE COMMITTED TO LIVING THEIR VISION.

This relaxed yet focused weekend will help you:

• Clarify your mission & purpose
• Hone your vision
• Strengthen your personal conviction
• Focus your direction
• Lead & succeed
• Do it your way!

ATTENTION: This workshop is designed specifically for folks who are ready: ready to own…ready to connect…ready to ACT with clarity, connection and purpose.

THE WEEKEND IS A BLEND OF:
Tool building ** Focused direction ** Mindful intention ** Action

Workshop Self-Select Options

1 – $600.00 2 – $575.00 3 – $550.00 4 – $500.00 5 – $450.00

Manifesting: hogwash or hogwild?
Or perhaps, simply creating your life…your style, your way. Here’s how it’s done:

STEP ONE: Learn and commit to the most important rule: Break or bend any rule contrary to your heart and soul truth.

STEP TWO: Imagine your life as fun. Here we go, already breaking the ‘rules’—you remember, the rules you learned about how homework is called homework because it’s work, and you’ll have to enter the ‘real’ world where work is work, so get used to it. In the world of manifesting, you gotta let go of those!

Truth: if you really honor yourself and your style, building your business can be fun. Having an awesome career does happen! Finding a partner, yes, that too can be fun. Perhaps not jumping-up-and-down, ‘party’ fun, but your own unique form of fun—enjoying the way you walk through life.

If you’re thinking that this is when I’m going to proclaim some woo-woo hogwash about how the ‘right attitude’ makes things magically happen, not to worry. Not so. Well, other than this fact: when you connect from a personally inspired place, it inspires others, and, if you do nothing more than get sincerely curious about others, you’ll be amazed by what might occur…which IS kind of magical. Ah, but I digress.

STEP THREE: Now let’s get into the thick of it. Step number three is about the “S” word. You know, that thing you’re never supposed to be. Yes, my friends, I’m going to stick my neck out and say it…Selfish. I am not interested in creating a culture of greedy, uncaring people. Yet far too many people ‘sacrifice’ their core desires in order to ‘fit in’, ‘be normal’, ‘not rock the boat”…(fill in your own version).

Have you noticed yet that every stage incorporates step number one—breaking or bending every rule that does not honor your heart passion and soul desire?

Back to step three. Write down, maybe for 10 days, what really inspires you and perhaps what has inspired you for years although you never took action. Before you begin, here’s a little heads-up: If your first dream is to sit on the beach all day, no worries. That’s just because you’re fed up and exhausted from doing a job, or life, you don’t like.

As you note what inspires you, notice all the rules running through your mind. They might be “I can’t do THAT”, “Who would ever hire me to do THAT”, or “I’m being too picky”.

Get ready—if you really let go and write down your ‘kooky’ ideas, it’s going to feel weird. And you’re going to think, “Wow, I’m weird!” Bravo, you get an “A” for actually stating your dreams!

Interestingly, once you allow your Self to create a life that enriches you, you will start being in the world in a far more giving way. Sound like a lot of hooey? Well, it’s not. When our core needs aren’t met, it’s hard to truly give to others. [Unless, of course, you live to be a martyr, and in that case I’d suggest going to beingamartyr.com for how tos. (Hmmm, I just looked it up and found out that the domain name is for sale…if you want to start a martyr business, it’s all yours!)]

STEP FOUR: For those of you more interested in creating a life and career that inspires you, our next step is to focus on who you want to work or be with.

Yup. If you haven’t guessed it yet, one of the main reasons people don’t manifest is that it takes time and focus. It is much easier to be at the whim of life and a victim of circumstance.

If you get stuck here, remember that you’re not alone. Most people were never given the tools to know what they really want. Ever wonder why so many successful people are a bit ‘off’? They were often the ones who couldn’t color inside the lines. They may have found themselves in the principal’s office more than others in their class. Or maybe not in school at all. Some had ‘learning challenges’ and had to make their own way. Or, like Bill Gates, they were itching to create their own thing and dropped out of college to get started. I would never disparage teachers—they truly are doing the best they can with the resources at hand… BUT…if you want to manifest your life, there is no better teacher than you to tell you how!

So, don’t stress. Or do, if it makes you feel better. Living out the heart of your truth and the soul of your desire takes practice and courage!

STEP FIVE: Get out in the world and connect with curious intention and visionary purpose.

Sound highfalutin? Well, it should. I call this SPOT & CONNECT. So often we are awash in the world, moving through our days in a haze as we try our best to ‘sell’ ourselves, our products or our abilities. I refer to this as the scattershot approach to life—if you just tell enough people, or send out enough letters, or post your work and yourself on enough social networking sites, something is bound to happen. Oh, how networking and “business” meetings doth make me shiver!

I want to yell, “Stop the chatter! Choose. Connect. Get curious.” Take time to look into the world and see who is on a common path…both personally and professionally. Then, reach out. Build connections. In Joy. In Purpose.

One final rule-breaking, mind-challenging tip. As you begin to manifest, it’s okay and, in fact, important, to fail. Holy moley, yes, I did just say the “f” word. You will stumble. You will flail. You will indeed fail. So get ready to laugh, cry, grumble…whatever you need to do to shake it off. Then get back up. Take a moment to assess what you learned. What part of the steps above did you forget to honor? Then step again.

No magic. Just truth, intention and connection. So simple.
And yet, some of the most challenging work you may ever do.

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Carolyn Campbell has more than 30 years’ experience working with non-profit and for-profit businesses. In creative and connecting ways, Carolyn melds her expertise in community outreach, education and business development to help clients expand their reach and increase their impact…using their unique approach to life. Her areas of specialty include leadership, visioning, outreach and community building.

The Corporation for National & Community Service released its annual report showing that volunteer rates are on the rise! This is big news. Americans responded to the worst economic downturn since WWII by reaching out to help their neighbors and their communities. Although many analysts expected to see the country’s crime rate rise dramatically and the spirit of unity fade, Americans instead posted the highest volunteer involvement recorded since 2003. More than 63 million Americans volunteered in 2009, an increase of almost 1.6 million. Volunteer service in 2009 was valued at more than $169 billion.

HandsOn Network is a nationwide organization that links volunteers with opportunities. Check them out if you have a bit of time to share!

In response to some common questions I receive from readers, I’m trying out a new segment for the newsletter. I’d love your thoughts and questions.

This Month: Yelp! Help!

A number of folks have come to me recently with a Yelp! quandary. In the age of online social networking, there are more opportunities than ever for clients to spread the word about you and your work. It used to be said that if someone likes your work, they’ll tell three people, and if they are dissatisfied, they’ll tell seven. With the advent of online review sites, they can now tell thousands.

So, what do you do if you get a bad ‘review’ from someone?

1. Plan ahead. If you are an advocate of social networking and review sites, be proactive. Ask people who have expressed immense satisfaction with your work to post a review on the sites your clients tend to visit.

2. Handling a ‘bad’ review. If others have posted positive reviews on the site, begin by taking a breath. Remember, it’s just another perspective. Here are a couple things you can do.

• Ask a few people to write you a review, especially if you don’t have any already. I worked with a printer who got a ‘bad’ review. When I read the review, it wasn’t nearly as bad as he thought. And it was easy to remedy the situation because so many folks love his work! If you have cultivated a community of clients, they want to help you succeed.
• Don’t send out a client-wide S.O.S. You don’t want to call attention to the issue. Instead, ask a couple people who you respect to write a review.
• Don’t publicly defend your position by posting your own response to the negative review. It’s far better to have others speak on your behalf without mentioning the other review.

3. What should you do about the person who wrote the review?

• Leaving things alone may be the best solution. You may choose to call them and have a conversation. This is up to you. Sometimes, this can really help re-establish respect. In other situations, it could fan the flames of discontent.
• Most important, step back as you read the review. Is there any truth in the comments? Think about what you can learn from the situation. Is there anything you would do differently in the future? I had a client, who, after some reflection, sent a letter to the person who posted a negative review thanking them for their candor and inviting a conversation. The person then added a new review and eventually became a client again. The power of candor and transparency is quite astounding.

Just remember, no matter how you choose to respond, you are in the relationship business. How are you enriching that in all your connections?