Interesting links
Here are some interesting links for you! Enjoy your stay :)Pages
- About Karen
- Blog
- Business Etiquette
- Career Coaching
- Career Development
- Client List
- Contact
- Decision-Making Exercise
- Etiquette
- Five Top Networking Gremlins and How to Reframe
- For Media
- For Meeting Planners
- Forgiveness is for You!
- Help Wanted
- Help Wanted Free Excerpts
- Help Wanted Successful Subscription
- High School
- Home
- In The News
- Karen’s Blog
- Outplacement
- Outplacement
- Resources
- Speaking
- Testimonials
Categories
Archive
- December 2024
- November 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- March 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- March 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- September 2021
- April 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- October 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- May 2019
- February 2019
- September 2018
- August 2018
- May 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
Letting Go and Creating Space
Sometimes we need to let go and create space for new positive directions in our lives. Equally as important as New Year’s intentions or resolutions is processing the past year. In that spirit, I am sharing two personal messages that I hope can inspire and support you.
I unexpectedly wrote the Creating Space poem (that follows) in 2002 at a Benedictine monastery following the death of my mother and loss of a job the year before. This year I was invited to give a New Year’s Day message at Unity Center of Pittsburgh where I was a member for a few years. The invitation was prompted by my newsletter/blog this year: Letting Go. If you would like a little more inspiration to begin the new year, CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO. If you would like to skip to my message, go to minute 33 of the video. The message includes a brief reflective writing exercise and invitation to release and let go of something from 2022; as I have invited job loss outplacement workshop clients in the past, tear up that sheet of paper, maybe stomp on it, before throwing it in the garbage. Or as I invite in the video, safely burn it. HERE IS A LINK TO A CHANT my friends and I have used for end-of-year letting go rituals for decades; you can simply listen to it and add your own word of what you wish to let go of.
I affirm for you good health, peace, and prosperity for 2023.
Creating Space
May we release our unneeded “stuff” to the universe,
that which fills our closets,
clutters our minds,
distracts our souls,
invades our dreams,
That which is from the past,
another time,
other circumstances,
distant people,
far away places.
May we release our unwanted stuff to the universe,
to create sacred space for new experiences,
loving people,
interesting places,
fresh ideas.
Gracious Spirit, may you help us to
open our hearts,
refresh our minds,
renew our bodies,
nurture our souls,
To receive all that is in our greatest good.
©Karen Litzinger, 2002. All rights reserved. Permission given to share with this credit and live link where applicable.
Podcast Guest of Jeff Altman – Roller Coaster Job Search and Kindness
What fun being a guest on Jeff Altman’s podcast featuring my book, Help Wanted: An A to Z Guide to Cope with the Ups and Downs of the Job Search. Jeff is a highly accomplished career coach and founder of JobSearchTV.com on YouTube where you can find many great job search podcasts. He’s known as The Big Game Hunter from his recruiting days seeking out top talent.
Please do check out Jeff’s great offerings! I was so busy with my Virtual Job Club Tour in the fall that I missed the release of my podcast. So even if you’ve heard me or know what my book is all about, please CLICK HERE to the video and maybe another of Jeff’s links in this article. If your prefer, here is the transcript link instead. We all know how important clicks are in search engine optimization, SEO, and I’d like to support Jeff for the kindness he showed me. Plus, surely you know someone in or thinking about the job search who can benefit from wise counsel, so please consider clicking and sharing! I want to give a special shout out to Jeff’s services on Leadership Coaching and Executive Coaching. Actually, I’ve had a hard time finding people who do Executive Coaching not sponsored by the employer, so I’m excited to refer Jeff to you and some of my future clients!
Kindness Reminders
What was so fun about Jeff’s podcast (besides him) is that he randomly picked and read excerpts from my book and then asked me to comment. One of the topics he opened to was Kindness. With the winter holidays’ emphasis on giving, I encourage us to give one of the most important gifts, kindness. It doesn’t cost anything and just take a few seconds. Kindness might just be a smile or silent blessing to someone you pass on the street or a thank you to a customer service employee. Or maybe a gift of services to a relative, or a monetary contribution to a person or organization in need. May this reminder of kindness warm your heart and holiday spirit.
Kindness Excerpt from My Book
“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”
Fred Rogers
Kindness softens our edges. Although we may feel most in need of kindness during the job search, we are well-served to extend it.
Sometimes we can feel we are being treated unkindly in the job search. We may be not hearing back in a timely way after an interview or from a networking lead. People have busy schedules and competing needs. Give them the benefit of the doubt, and you’ll likely feel better. The alternative may be bitterness, which will not help in the job search.
Beyond the search, spread kindness wherever you can. Because of the stressful job search journey, you may know more than others the benefit of a smile, an encouraging word, or extra effort. Sharing kindness from your heart can help your soul and may even attract kindness towards you.
I extend kindness to others as I would like to receive it.
Bullied in the Workplace? Here’s Help!
When I received the article link to the Harvard Business Review article on bullying, it reminded me that I wanted to address this topic since I saw a fabulous presentation by Janet Glover-Kerkvliet at the Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association through her role at the Workplace Bullying Institute. My notes are long since lost, but what I most remember and advise clients routinely is that the situation will most likely not change. The best recourse is to cut losses and start networking and looking for a new job.
The Harvard Business Review article noted that 48.6 million Americans or about 30% of the workforce are being bullied at work. Bullying has a significant impact not only psychologically, but physically, socially, economically and even organizationally, such as lost productivity, increased healthcare costs and turnover and replacement costs.
From the program and the Workplace Bullying Institute site, I’ve been most struck by:
Errors in Traditional Advice –
-Confronting the bully – It’s natural to think you should do this, but usually it doesn’t work and the bully has the power of surprise.
-Tell the bully’s boss – This person will not stop it because they likely know about the bully and condone or ignore the behavior, or they may be afraid of the bully.
-Tell Human Resources – HR is a management support function and not in a role to advocate. Even if a well-meaning HR person wanted to help, they usually do not have the clout to affect behavior, especially with higher-level managers. The Workplace Bullying Institute advises to tell HR last.
How to Take Action –
-Don’t delay action from paralysis, shame, hoping the bully will stop, or waiting until an investigation by HR or a law firm is over which can take months. Cut losses and start the healing process.
-Recognize and name the bullying early. Listen to your gut and perspectives of friends and family.
-Spend time quality time with people who can validate who you were before the bullying to help you counter shame.
-Find a mental health professional with expertise in trauma.
-Document specific situations, dates, places and who was present. Ask colleagues “Did you hear that?” Asking “Has it ever happened to you?” can help break the silence.
-Connect with an attorney to explore legal options. This can be difficult in that bullying is not illegal, but sometimes is connected to discrimination issues.
-If you want to go public, do so with the highest ranking neutral upper-level manager. Assemble cost data to show a business reason to address bullying. Rehearse and focus on facts, not emotions.
-Be prepared to be fired for speaking out. Keep contacts and projects organized and accessible at home as permitted since terminations for employees are often immediate.
-Begin networking and looking for another job to be happier and healthier.
The Workplace Bullying Institute has a plethora or resources for organizations wishing to prevent and intervene with bullying behavior and training for professionals of all backgrounds including in the mental health, HR, legal, and education fields.
The Workplace Bullying Institute has a special comprehensive section called Help for Bullied People, with sections including:
I hope these insights help many people whether you are being bullied, know a victim, or can help someone personally or professionally who is being bullied.
Since the message that most resonated is that the bully will not change, please know I am here to help with action steps of networking and looking for a new job.