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janhoistad@drjanhoistad.com

Coaching Helps to Evaluate the Next Stage of Your Career

  These past few years have catapulted some personal and professional lives forward. Yours may have been one of them. Especially if you were in the right industry at the right time. Or if you were lean, mean, and agile. Maybe you took the time to explore or add on a new skill that's paying off now, post-pandemic. You may even have have been one of the fortunates if your position was indispensable to the company. You'd have been a lucky one—staying on securely in the midst of other's cutbacks. Working from home (WFH) may have been seamless for you and your employer or your business. It was comfortable for many. Unless they shared a small space with mates and kids schooling on zoom. Pets roaming in and out. Yet many professionals and families settled in and are now weighing the consequences of employers reinstating back to the office or hybrid schedules. This shuffle is disrupting what may have become comfortable. Or you may be part of The Great Resignation 2021 an example of which is a record 4.4 million Americans who quit their jobs in September 2021. The trend continued through 2022 with another record 4.2 million voluntarily resigned in November 2022—millions more than anything ever seen before. With a backdrop of market slump and recession talk going on all that year.  This chart of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights a continuing trend.   With fewer workers across many industries, the trend toward negotiating a high wage and [...]

Learn How to Face Demands of Responding to Life & Business Stages Together

All businesses and all individuals grow through natural stages of development over the course of a lifetime. Or they stagnate. They cease to grow. Growth spurts and developmental transitions naturally occur approximately every 7–10 years for individuals. Businesses also go through transitions and developmental stages when they grow from start-up through expansion. In business these stages are often marked by additional products, enlarged customer reach, and of course  increased revenues. Having a smooth functioning culture with happy employees who have the support they require to do their job and the resources for their personal and professional development all begins at the top—it starts with the leadership. For business owners and business partners, having a long-view toward future transition out of the company or sale of the business puts markers for growth into perspective. Business Partners Need to Learn How to Face Demands of Responding to Life & Business Stages Together When business partners are aware of these long-term objectives—and their partnering relationship is solid—communicating through growth stages and transitions, providing access to resources for individual development, and other cultural values, naturally go hand-in-hand with productivity expectations and profit markers. Even though it's a necessary and natural part of growth, transitioning into the next stage always provokes some discomfort, and even anxiety about the changes to come. Some owners are more sensitive to changes on the horizon, expect and anticipate them, and plan ahead. Others are heads-down focused on the day-to-day demands. These heads-down types are often blindsided by the new [...]

2 Steps to Create Security When Itching To Leave Your Job

This article is Part 2 of two articles to provide practical, down-to-earth suggestions to accelerate you as you explore changes on your work-life path - and two steps to get from here to there. STEP ONE - Clear the Clutter STEP TWO - Get Practical Financially In Part 1 of this two-part series, Success Tips to Leave a Company + Design a More Purposeful Work Life, we decided it doesn’t matter WHY you want or need to leave your current position or company. It may be simply Feeling your particular company or corporate environment isn’t a life-giving, vibrant or creative match for you. Needing to design a whole life, not just a work-life; your work is your life but right now it’s not a reflection of “you.” Being unchallenged or bored; It’s just time and something has to change. Having a great idea that you’d love to devote your time and energy to getting off the ground. Wanting to not wake up 3 or 5 or 10 years from now feeling regretful. All are great reasons to pay attention and begin to create time, space and action steps to figure out your next life and work iteration. It's not a great time to be impulsive. If you're not going to be impulsive, the question becomes: Where Do I Start?       Start with a combo of excitement and exploration.           Back this up with practical  financial security. Then give yourself some space to think openly as you explore. [...]

Suggestions to Eliminate Disruptions So You Can Run a Successful Business Out of Your Home

  This is an article with practical suggestions for the HOME-BASED Business Owner, or any of you considering running your business from home. Just Because I’m Home Doesn’t Mean I’m Not Working 12 Tips to Train YOURSELF to run a successful business from home Running a successful business from home is a continual work in progress. Not only organizing your space but then there's setting boundaries for your mate, kids, maybe pets, and delivery people, as well as setting work-life balance limits for yourself.  I used to do all my paperwork, writing, and coaching phone calls from home. Then I'd schedule clients in person and them at another co-working location. Separating locations helped me to focus on each type of task—the business of running a successful business at home versus time with clients focused on their needs. Then there was the pandemic. Like you, I brought my enterprise home full-time. Together business owners and families pivoted and we are all now well versed in running successful businesses from home. Some more smoothly than others. As the world opens up again, some workers really do want to go back to the office because of the stressors caused by disturbances at home. While these owners really do love their mate, their kiddos, and their pets, managing it all can be overwhelming. In 2020, the SBA noted that about half of all small businesses were home-based out of 31.7 million. Surprisingly, 3rd Quarter 2020 also yielded the start of more new businesses than [...]

Are Your Finances in Order to Give You Career Freedom?

If you've followed me on social media or my blog, you know by now that I'm a total advocate for self-reflection in life—especially during Choice Points and transitions. My desire is for you to achieve you goals and dreams. Meaning you must soul search to uncover what those desires are. With help if needed. The next step is assessing your personal foundation—that's family, friends, home, interests, and anything else that makes you feel safe, secure, vibrant and alive. It's impossible to be creative or to explore new ideas, new options when you are feeling anxious or afraid. If perchance unhappiness in your work-life is happening, chances are there's fear, anxiety, self-judgment or blame, maybe anger or lack of confidence. So you really need to know who and what are on your team and supporting you to figure this next life step out. And, your finances are a part of that security and foundation. To some of you knowing your finances is a no-brainer and it's all at your finger tips. But you'd be surprised (or maybe not!) at the huge numbers of people who tell me they don't think about it (head-in-sand) or they leave it to a mate or expect parents to simply bail them out or fund them as needed. My years of experience partnering with people to help them achieve their dreams consistently comes back to finances being bedrock if you are going to  make any career development plan, career change, or career transition. Your Financial Short [...]

Owners and Partners: Facing Challenges of Leading Through Business Growth

All businesses and all individuals grow through natural stages of development over the course of a lifetime. Or they stagnate. They cease to grow. Natural growth spurts and transitions occur approximately every 7 –10 years for individuals; every so many millions in profit for business. This article speaks directly to business owners and partners who face the challenges of leading through business growth. Having a smooth functioning culture with happy employees who have support and resources for their personal and professional development starts at the top. For owners and business partners, a long-view toward future transition or sale puts markers for growth into perspective. When business partners are aware of these long-term objectives—and their partnering relationship is solid—communicating through growth stages and transitions, providing access to resources for individual development, and other cultural values naturally goes hand-in-hand with productivity expectations and profit markers.   Each stage of business growth brings many changes. Managing the transition and being prepared for different responses to the change requires leadership clarity, confidence and communication that frames employee response. Focusing on the desired outcome is key. Facing and Managing Challenges of Leading Through Each Stage of Business Growth Transitioning through stages provokes the need for change. Some owners are sensitive to changes on the horizon, anticipate, and plan ahead. Others are heads-down focused on the day-to-day demands. Such owners are often blindsided by unexpected needs. Individuals and relationships are strained. In business, with so much on the line, change requires understanding, negotiation, new [...]

7 Tips When You Resent Being in the Lead with a Colleague, Employee, or Mate

  Ridding yourself of resentment of being in the lead means taking responsibility for your role in the ongoing dynamic,  then taking action to make positive change.  Try these 7 tips and let me know how it goes! Are you in a relationship where you secretly wish or overtly want another person to take the lead sometimes?  Do you find yourself thinking “I always have to…” or “He never does…” or “She never brings up…”? Whether at work or at home, some people have a tendency to let resentment about taking the lead build up.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.  You can take that step to rid yourself of resenting being in the lead by encouraging others to participate and by asking for what you want…..after all, your colleagues, boss, employee, or partner can’t read your mind!  Here are some tips on taking the lead on banishing resentment and sharing the load: Specify What You Want Evaluate where you want the other person to take the lead?  On the job maybe you find yourself heading up every meeting when there are others who share responsibility?  Or perhaps at home you continually wish that your partner would decide where to go on “date night” and not always leave it up to you?  Make your list so you clarify what it is you want.  Be concrete in your request. You are asking for specific behavioral change. Clarify Territory Take a look at your list and make certain that you [...]

When Men Don’t Fully Engage, It Deprives the Women In Your Life of Growth

No matter how successful you are in your leadership, or in your business or career, many men still cringe when it comes to talking to the woman (or women) in their life, about making a change that would please them. Especially if that change would meet their own needs--needs for understanding, support, intimacy, closeness, or just plain picking up a consistent mess. While culture is changing, we can blame this on socialization and a bit of nature. Do any of the following statements resonate with you when it comes to your wife, girlfriend, daughters or your mother – even though you are a grown man?  Or maybe they remind you of your female boss or workmates. You want to please the woman in your life; sometimes you feel like you don’t know how. You sometimes feel like she doesn’t acknowledge what you contribute to your relationship and the family. You want her to be happy; when she’s unhappy it makes you feel helpless or shut down. You wish she’d let you know when she’s unhappy about something else in her life versus when she’s unhappy with you; you wish she’d do more things to make herself happy. You want her to simply tell you what she wants or likes – because you can’t read her mind or when she does tell you what she wants it sounds too vague or global and you’d like more concrete requests. If I were showing these statements to a roomful of men, you’d see [...]

10 Ways to Cope with Transitions You Don’t Choose—In Your Business, Career or Life

Transitions are often stressful. Especially when it's not fully your decision. Like losing a job or promotion. They're also a choice point. So if you're facing a tough challenge, consider the following. 1. Take an honest look at yourself. What are your strengths, weaknesses, skills? How did those influence—positively or negatively—the change you are facing? 2. Step up your self-care. Major changes are physically and emotionally taxing. You need self-care now more than ever. 3. Engage your curiosity. What went wrong, or right? What could you have done better? What worked really well? What can you let go of. 4. Focus on what you want, and less on what you don’t want. Keep your eye on the prize. What do you want to take with you into your future? 5. Find support. Since your transition may affect your family as well, it may be wise to seek the outside support of friends or professionals. 6. Work on your thoughts. Mindfulness is key. Calm your fears and reinforce your sense of hope and happiness. 7. Reassure (or avoid for a time) those who are threatened by, or jealous of, the changes to come. 8. Create your own rite of passage. Ceremony and ritual help with all transitions. 9. Let go of how things were “supposed to be” and accept “how things are.” Find appreciation for what is. 10. Keep things in perspective. Or try on a new perspective. So you don’t get stuck.   Remember, the only constant is change.   [...]

Do You Fight It or Stand Still When You Feel Discontent at Work?

DJHP /Careers 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. Standing Still Brings Self-Awareness Instead of exiting a job dramatically, 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 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 are right for you. If you scramble and make change in a state of anxiety or desperation, the chances of your new life or work being truly satisfying are slim. If you make a desperate move it's like treading water or losing ground. Instead, thoughtfully create steps that actually lead where you want to go. If you do nothing, you’ll be right where you are now. Standing Still is taking a breath, taking discontent as an opportunity to become more self-aware. I have 4 suggestions outlined below for how to navigate [...]

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