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janhoistad@drjanhoistad.com

About Dr. Jan Hoistad

Dr. Jan Hoistad is a coaching partner who helps you clarify your goals, develop your skillset, and harness your strengths so you navigate your career and business growth with confidence. As an executive, career professional or business owner, having a supportive, strategic coach and consultant who empowers you to confidently clarify and achieve your desired outcomes is invaluable. Coaching helps you work more productively and lead more effectively. While Dr. Hoistad cannot promise to remove outside demands, she can help you prioritize, set goals and strategies so you and your team function at peak performance. ♦ Executive Coaching, Leadership Coaching, and Business Consulting. Develop awareness of how your decisions affect other areas, your people and your future goals. Fully aligned, make decisions for best possible outcomes. ♦ Partnership Coaching for business owners, partners, teams, entrepreneurs, dual-career couples and couples in business together. Become fully aligned so you work together better, achieving business objectives. ♦ Career Coaching for individual professionals and dual-career couples. At all stages of development; during times of transition; when considering a relocation; when desiring to integrate personal life goals with your career. With her unique “Big Picture” perspective, Dr. Jan partners with you as you transition through choice points in your career and business life. Her focus is on helping you clarify what you want, identify what’s in the way, and strategize a step-by-step plan so you achieve your goals. Dr. Jan brings her expertise in human development, system dynamics, entrepreneurship, business growth, partnering, communication and creativity to her clients who become catalysts for change in their businesses, careers, and personal lives. She has helped numerous professionals, business owners, and teams achieve ambitious career and business goals, healthy relationships, and a greater quality of work and life. “When an experienced professional incorporates Dr. Jan’s coaching and consulting solutions, you can almost feel their body relax. They become excited again. More hopeful, they remember what they love about their work as, together, we turn burdens into doable strategies that achieve their future goals.” -Dr. Jan Hoistad
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Follow These Steps to Write an Amazing Cover Letter

DJHP /Careers Name that Scenario! Picture this. You walk into the coffee shop. You see the perfect table. There is an outlet nearby so you can plug in your computer. Your bag is down… That is YOUR table. It also doesn’t hurt that there is a little eye candy to your left. You order your latte/Americano/cold press, or whatever you’re drinking these days and you open your laptop. And you’re off! Google is always a safe place to start. Then a sudden fear comes over you as you realize the only friend is the coffee cup sitting at your table. You take a deep breath and begin… Well, if you guessed Job Searching, you got it right! Whether it happened like that, or a different way, the point is, it is grueling but necessary. I was in this spot not so long ago. After getting countless rejection emails and a lot of nothing, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I’m going to enhance my resume and perfect my cover letter. I didn’t even know what the purpose of a cover letter was until recently. Someone very wise told me to think about my resume as factual, professional and informational and to think of a cover letter as a way to show personality. Although I understand what that means NOW, I had to do a lot of research to understand where to start. I did a lot of research and came across “Cover Letters are Hard to Write [...]

4 Secrets to Successful Work-Life Change

DJHP / Careers The direction and force of nature is continuous growth. So change is a natural part of life to be embraced. Otherwise, it's like living life with your head in the sand. Whenever a change is desired–in work or life–shifts in attitude and behavior are demanded of you to grow. Choosing to rise to the occasion, to learn from your experiences develops inner strength, character and greater capacity for what life brings. These are qualities of leaders in work and life. Facing Change People seldom seek change when things are going well. Seeking to grow during these times is then a choice versus a push. Because the force of nature is all about growth, if we are not doing so, circumstances will arise to create discontent or circumstances leading to eventual change–desired, planned for or not. So the internal or external circumstances leading to the desire for work-life change are less important than how you approach it. You might as well embrace it. Listening to the Discontent Instead of exiting a job dramatically with a bang, seeking a promotion with lots of over-zealous activity, or starting a new venture flailing about trying everything that the media says you should do, I’m advising what I call ”standing still.” Standing Still is taking a breath, taking the discontent as opportunity. It's an opportunity to become more self-aware so you assess fully, listen to what the discontent is telling you and then, from that centered place opening to new possibilities that [...]

Stacking the Deck for Success: How Business Can Learn from the Medical Residency Training Model

DJHP /Leaders As roughly one-third of Boomers prepare to exit the workforce, companies are fast becoming aware of need for next generation of workers: Millennials. In fact, an estimated 86 million of them will be part of the workforce by 2020. That’s 40 percent of the total working population. This impacts both business and education alike. We’re working harder and faster than ever to figure out effective ways to educate and train this new batch of workers in the skills necessary for tomorrow’s workforce. Working closely with educational systems is important to develop long-term strategies, but what do we do in the interim? How do we ensure that we’re meeting the demands placed on businesses by the ever-changing marketplace. For the near future, what you can do is develop one strong solid part of your strategy to create a learning environment and consider the medical school residency model — which is education by apprenticeship — as an approach. Core Characteristics of the Apprenticeship Model TV shows like Code Black or the early days of Grey’s Anatomy capture some of this model. In the “emergency room setting,” they role-play a culture in which medical residents and doctors are all working from the same values and intent toward the same outcome. They’re individually and collectively: Hell-bent on learning, intense growth, and teamwork.Continuously reminded — implicitly and explicitly — of their higher purpose. They know their work matters.Given the tools, structure, and support around each task.Know that wisdom and experience is responsible for [...]

7 Tips for Creating Relevant Content

Marketing is a huge part of any business. Content is a key issue that takes time to craft and perfect. Dana offers some great advice for creating content that is relevant for your people. Content is king. As cliché as this may sound, there’s still a lot of truth in these three little words — even more so now with all the changes to Google’s algorithms. But in the rush to generate content, we often fail to question its relevancy. For today’s marketing efforts to work, content must be relevant. It must add value. It must get folks talking. It must be so good that it needs to be shared. If content isn’t compelling, it does nothing for your position in the market. In fact, just creating content for content’s sake can damage your credibility. Tip 1: Focus on consumers. When creating content, keep the audience experience in mind. It should be something consumers want to read, something they want to watch or hear. Try to address their needs. And take the time to interact with them.Tip 2: Optimize content. While the focus is always on relevancy, don’t go throwing SEO out the window. Content must be searchable if it’s ever to be read. Define your keywords and use them in the copy as well as the title and URL.Tip 3: Align content with goals. Sounds obvious, right? But people still create content that doesn’t quite match their objectives. And this idea goes deeper than just generating leads or landing sales. It’s about image, [...]

How To Survive Living Together, When You Want A Divorce

In difficult economic times, many couples feel stuck - living under the same roof while separating or actively pursuing a divorce. This article is about managing a difficult living situation while awaiting finalization of your divorce. You're stuck living together because: You don’t have the finances to pursue a divorce or to even live in separate dwellings. You and your mate don't get along but you both care about the kids. You both want them 50/50%. Behind the scenes it's a battle between you. It's going to require some professionals to help you resolve your childcare options. Neither of you is willing to go til the settlement is final. You don’t want to leave because your mate has been untrustworthy with the finances in the past and you don’t know if s/he’ll be fair if you move out now. You're upside down in your mortgage or one of you lost your job. You both know the economy has to turn around before the family will be stable enough to withstand two households. You don't know what you will be able to afford or how the finances will shake out once the divorce is final - so you feel you have to stay in the house together til then. What should you do? What are you options and how should you proceed? Here are some tips to guide your actions:   Decide Living Arrangements As Quickly and Equitably As Possible Whether you decide to live on separate floors in the same house or [...]

Seeking the Feedback You Need

DJHP /Careers As a Millennial, I’m quite familiar with all of the characteristics that make up a “Millennial.” There are hundreds and hundreds of articles that categorize, compartmentalize, and classify Millennials. Although I do not agree with every single thing that’s printed about us, one topic that consistently comes up is the need for feedback, and it really rings true. Specifically speaking, I’ve had a number of jobs where the level of feedback ranged from zero to 100 — 100 being that everything I did was nitpicked and critiqued. Although I crave feedback and thrive in environments where feedback is fairly consistent (and constructive, I should add), I’m here to tell you that you can’t always get what you want and to offer some suggestions or techniques that may help the situation. Here are a few suggestions that I’ve found useful: Ask for the feedback. The first place to start is to just ask for it. This is my biggest mistake. I’ve been in positions where I wanted feedback and was frustrated for not getting it. The problem wasn’t that my superiors didn’t have any; it was that they didn’t know I was open to it. Consider asking for a bi-monthly 10-minute meeting to discuss progress, answer any questions, and catch up. Seek feedback elsewhere. It may be difficult to get specific feedback about your position from others outside of the environment, but having a friend, mentor, or even just someone to talk things out can very helpful. Use these [...]

Why Career Coaching is Important in Today’s Economy?

This was first published in 2000, but the principles remain the same today. Not so very long ago, Time Magazine published an article entitled “Play of the Day - Fostering employee loyalty in a tight labor market, companies are offering workers personal coaches as tools to help them thrive." The article describes how companies, many of them FORTUNE 500’s, such as IBM, Dow Chemical, Glaxo Welcome, Marriott International, and others including Eastman Kodak, Abbott Laboratories World Wide and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, all have found the merits of hiring career and executive coaches to help their employees discover what it takes to make them content in the workplace. When this article was originally published, the economy was booming with no signs of slowing down, and they reasoned that offering coaching to your employees was a good thing to help retain them in an employee driven marketplace – if they are happier, hopefully they will stay. “Companies also see it as a way to help valued employees evolve in a swiftly changing business environment.” (Time, 9/25/00, p. B27) Just 5 months later, we might characterize the business sphere as more “unknown”, definitely rocky, with analysts walking the fence not knowing whether to predict stability in the near future or more economic difficulties throughout months to come. Companies are feeling the domino effect of slowing sales and revenues, a growing number are choosing to layoff a first round of workers as everyone tightens their belts. There is an atmosphere of taking [...]

Simplifying Communication: Have a Conversation!

In business or networking meetings, at the office, and with your mate, family, or friends, we all know that communication is a powerful tool. We also know what it feels like to be tongue-tied, or unable to find appropriate words for a situation, or to be nervous about talking because we don't know how another person will react or what the outcome or consequence might be. Yet everyone can become an expert in communication if they take the time. To remove the anxiety or stage performance, think about it like having a good conversation. To feel more successful in all your relationships, and to have more vitality—maybe even fun together—learn to become effective in all your conversations. Whether you are having a conversation with your partner, your kids, a close friend, or someone at the office try these tips and keep refining them as you strive towards better communication: Show Interest. Actively listen to the other person. This is 75% of all great communication. Put your ego, your thoughts off to the side and focus on listening to the other person as though you have never heard them before, rather than making assumptions about what they might say. 2. Take Turns. No one is listening when two people are talking at the same time. Know that you can also have a time to be listened to if both of you want to have a good relationship. Also know that if you are not given an opportunity to talk it probably [...]

Appropriate Referrals To An Outside Therapist In Collaborative Divorce

While I no longer serve as a Neutral Coach in Collaborative Divorce situations, and while this is not the only form of divorce you should check out if you are contemplating a separation, a Collaborative approach is intended to help the parties negotiate and work out what they need and want in the divorce and in life going forward. Couples and Collaborative Divorce Collaborative Divorce is a team effort in which a divorcing couple agrees to hire and work together with a team of Collaborative Divorce specialists, in order to settle the specifics of their divorce—typically living arrangements, finances, and care of children. They agree in writing, in a team meeting to never go to court. Instead they arrive at agreements and settle differences together. * They choose to approach divorce this way for the sake of their family well being, including long term emotional well-being. Two Main Goals of Collaborative Divorce Collaborative Divorce is focused on two main goals: To help the couple arrive at mutually satisfying, win/win agreements that will sustain all family members as they move forward, and To make an often devastating life transition more constructive and even healing for the entire family. The Typical Collaborative Team In Collaborative Divorce, the couple makes all their decisions together with the assistance of the experts they choose to hire. Because of this, the composition of teams may look slightly different depending on the particular couple and the specific agreements or settlements they wish to achieve. However, a typical [...]

Transitions in Difficult Times: 7 Steps to Ground Yourself and Guide Others to “Transition Up” vs. Giving Up

DJHP Leaders / Careers /Transitions Transitions imposed from the outside can make you feel dis-empowered, out of control, anxious; even fearful, as many have experienced thousand-fold in light of recent national events. Pair that with everyday demands of business: higher, faster productivity, often coupled with fewer resources. How do you step up to meet these business, career and life transition demands? Transitions in Perspective Transitions are naturally stressful. While there may be some excitement brought about by anticipated change, more often than not, career, business and life transitions stir anxiety. It’s the unknown. Humans don’t respond especially well to the unknown, preferring to be in charge, imagining some sense of predictability and control. There are three forces pressing on you during times of transition—to a greater or lesser degree. Right now it’s to a greater degree, and shows no sign of decreasing. First is your inner, personal response to a change. Sometimes tumultuous and hopefully private, then tempered with wisdom and experience. Next there’s the larger societal, communal response, quite abuzz right now. Some people are acting out the shadow side of the culture as others search for greater wisdom to make meaning, and take action. Finally, there are the varied responses of the people around you. Those you impact. Those you love at home; those you lead, work with and have expectations of at the office. Those three factors increase your stress potential and require a thoughtful, well-contained response. You are at the center. Start there. How do you [...]

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