I recently did an interview with Karl Staib who has a great website and blog titled “Work Happy Now!” Here’s some of the interview:
You want that promotion? You need to wow your employer.
You want to land that client? You need to impress them.
That’s why I asked Frances Cole Jones for an interview. I read her book “The Wow Factor,” and I knew that a podcast would be a good resource for people who want to get an edge up on their career.
I’m going to be honest. You can skip over some of the chapters. There is one on proper hygiene that most people don’t need to read, but this is easy to do since the chapters are so short. You can pick and choose what you need.
My favorite part of the book is the last third. She has so many good ideas that will help you improve your life. You won’t be disappointed.
Self Acceptance
You’ll love the section on self acceptance. Frances really breaks it down. We try to keep improving so much that we sometimes forget to enjoy where we are.
You have probably improved a lot in these past five years, but you don’t always take time to acknowledge it. This self acceptance can bring happiness into your working life, more than any promotion ever could.
6 Layers of Why
The book also talks about getting to the heart of a problem. The only way to do this is to ask “why” 6 times. No more, no less. It helps an individual understand what they are really trying to accomplish.
If you don’t know why you are doing what you are doing, then I guarantee your career will flounder. You must find the why behind your effort so you can steer your energy to accomplish your goals.
Plan for Courage
I’ve talked about the value of confidence at work. Without confidence, you will be too afraid to tackle the type of work that will wow your boss or clients.
The best way to plan for courage is to create lists. You probably create a list for projects all the time, but do you ever think about creating a “to do” list for things that make you happy? If you are working on a stressful project, make sure you add fifteen minutes to take a break and play a game on your phone or take a walk around the building. When you add fun stuff to your list, you will keep your stress level tolerable and your confidence high. You’ll find the courage to tackle tough projects.
