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FREE Resources
to help you:
1. United States of
America's primary source
on career info:
www.onetcenter.org
2. Wage Estimates Bureau
of Labor and Statistics
3. Organize Your Job
Search - Post a Question
etc.: www.cvtips.com
4. Starting Over After
Divorce:
www.womansdivorce.com
5. Starting Over for
Women:
www.makingbreadmagazine
.com
6. Self Improvement:
www.selfgrowth.com.
7. Job Postings, Resume
Advice and Resources:
www.careerbuiler.com
8. Templates for: business
plans, competitive analysis,
start up costs and more:
www.score.org/business_tool
box.html
9. Federal/Sate/Local
Government jobs:
www.USAJOBS.com
to help you:
1. United States of
America's primary source
on career info:
www.onetcenter.org
2. Wage Estimates Bureau
of Labor and Statistics
3. Organize Your Job
Search - Post a Question
etc.: www.cvtips.com
4. Starting Over After
Divorce:
www.womansdivorce.com
5. Starting Over for
Women:
www.makingbreadmagazine
.com
6. Self Improvement:
www.selfgrowth.com.
7. Job Postings, Resume
Advice and Resources:
www.careerbuiler.com
8. Templates for: business
plans, competitive analysis,
start up costs and more:
www.score.org/business_tool
box.html
9. Federal/Sate/Local
Government jobs:
www.USAJOBS.com
Articles
Surround Yourself With People Who Have
Your Weaknesses as Their Strengths
I have done a number of radio interviews for my new book “Starting Over –
25 Rules When You’ve Bottomed Out” (on Amazon.com) and what strikes
me about people in this economy aside from the fact that they are realizing
unemployment at a staggering high of 10.2%, is that they are indeed
inspired to re-create their lives in spite of great challenge. I applaud this
energy and forward thinking that is indigenous to people today. This is still
an era for hope and dreams. Opportunity still abounds. We are a society
where hard work still pays off if it is channeled in a strategic way. I truly
believe, as I did, that you can become anything you set your mind to – as
long as you are dedicated to two things: 1) you are fearless not reckless,
and 2) you ask questions or figure it out.
I wrote the book to help guide the fearless energy of dedicated people with
answers to the roadblocks that have been keeping them from success.
What I learned from the people I profiled who had overcome immeasurable
odds to realize triumph is that passion for success is not enough. You must
strategize a career move as seriously as you planned a career choice. You
must focus on prescriptive exercises, methods and action steps that will
guide you to a new tomorrow.
Here are some of the tips from my book that helped me go from public
assistance to CEO: Begin with a “Success Sketch” and Hang It Where You
Will See It Everyday, Surround Yourself with People Whose Strengths are
Your Weaknesses and Give Away the Glory, Make Your “Wheel of Fortune”
Spin on Balance, Offer Solutions to Problems – Name the Company’s Pain,
It’s Not Who You Know – It’s Who Knows You, It is Important to Fail Early,
Start Everyday As If It Were the Last Day Before Vacation, and When
Everything is Negotiable Everybody Wins.
Below is an excerpt from “Starting Over” on the Rule: "Surround Yourself
with People Who Have Your weaknesses as Their Strengths and Give the
Glory Away":
Human nature calls us to surround ourselves with people like ourselves.
That’s great if you are talking about with whom you’ll watch the football game
or sit with at the pool. We are comfortable around people like ourselves. But
if you are talking about change that will bring about a greater good for you
and those around you, you need to define your weaknesses and then
surround yourself with people who fill in those gaps. They may not be the
people you call when you want a sympathetic ear. But my guess is that you
will need a sympathetic ear less often if you are successful in what you do
thus leaving more time to be with true friends.
Think about it, if you are wonderfully creative and a risk taker you probably
front run in the innovative aspects of your work and life. But you may not have
clear processes and accountability in line when you are being innovative. As
a matter of fact you probably let things slip through the cracks because you
forget about the details or aren’t even aware that they needed attention.
Surround yourself with people who can help you strike a good balance
between innovation and structure. Often times in a marriage one spouse
will be creative and less structured and they will find a spouse that is more
left brained and organized. A good balance is a bonus.
Or you may be very organized and methodical and are the person that
provides the information needed to make clear and concise decisions. But
the path those decisions lead may not be clear to you. The pitfalls and risks
may seem too great to move forward. If that is the case, surround yourself
with creative energy that is able to articulate the affects of different scenarios.
Let’s assume that you have the right people around you and you are poised
to succeed. Goals need to be defined in order to meet success. You can’t
get somewhere if you don’t know where you are going. Chances are that the
main goal you want to achieve is going to remain your goal unless you can
involve the team in setting and defining the parameters of the goal. If you
engage the team in the goal setting process, they will want to be a part of the
success and work harder toward it. Let them own the rewards of the team’s
success.
Once you reach your team’s goal do you feel as if you have done a great
job? No. The team did a great job. You were simply the leader.
Just because you lead a team does not mean that you solely own the team’s
success. The team owns the success. As a matter of fact, I suggest that
you give away the glory of the success solely to the team. “I want to thank all
of you for the work that you did to make this possible. Your outstanding
dedication to the mission at hand is what made this happen.”
Being able to motivate people is one of the best skills you can have. It will
multiply your effectiveness. It will engage people to buy. It will engage
people to follow you. It will engage people to trust you. It will engage people
to help you. The single best way to motivate people that I know of is to
continue to reinforce their positive contribution by applauding them
personally. Validate their efforts. Giving them the glory is an excellent way to
do this. And do so publicly.
As my former hospital president once told me, “What do you care if others
get the credit? You are measured by what it is that you can accomplish. If
you can motivate others to help you get there, you don’t need the credit. The
results are what matters.”
Surround yourself with people who not only have your weaknesses as their
strengths; surround yourself with people from whom you can learn to be a
better leader.
Rule Break: Employers give personality profile tests to prospective hires in
order to tell their strengths and weaknesses. Interviewees are used to
these tests and know what an employer is looking to see. If you truly want to
get to know someone in any situation, ask him or her open-ended questions
that are behavioral in nature and will give you insight into how they respond
to unanticipated situations. “What was the biggest disappointment in your
life – both personal and professional and how did you deal with it?” “What
was the most gratifying thing that ever happened to you?” “What is the
culture of your corporation?” “What was the best compliment you ever
received?” “What was the worst criticism?”
I applaud you for being dedicated to constantly improving your career and
personal choices. That is what makes you not ordinary but exceptional.
If you feel my book may help you on your journey, you may find it for $10.08
on this page of Amazon.com.
And if you find the book helpful, please feel free to write your comments in
the “Reviews” section of the book's page on Amazon.com. Best wishes for
continued success!
Mary Lee Gannon is a cultural turnaround and leadership expert who went
from being a stay-at-home mother with four children living in an unpalatable
marriage behind the facade of a country club life to the reality of divorce,
homelessness, and welfare. As a national guest speaker she demonstrates
turn-around strategies that transform corporate cultures and took her from an
earning capacity of $27,000 to the president and CEO of a hospital
foundation. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules When You’ve Bottomed
Out” is available in bookstores and on Amazon.com.
Your Weaknesses as Their Strengths
I have done a number of radio interviews for my new book “Starting Over –
25 Rules When You’ve Bottomed Out” (on Amazon.com) and what strikes
me about people in this economy aside from the fact that they are realizing
unemployment at a staggering high of 10.2%, is that they are indeed
inspired to re-create their lives in spite of great challenge. I applaud this
energy and forward thinking that is indigenous to people today. This is still
an era for hope and dreams. Opportunity still abounds. We are a society
where hard work still pays off if it is channeled in a strategic way. I truly
believe, as I did, that you can become anything you set your mind to – as
long as you are dedicated to two things: 1) you are fearless not reckless,
and 2) you ask questions or figure it out.
I wrote the book to help guide the fearless energy of dedicated people with
answers to the roadblocks that have been keeping them from success.
What I learned from the people I profiled who had overcome immeasurable
odds to realize triumph is that passion for success is not enough. You must
strategize a career move as seriously as you planned a career choice. You
must focus on prescriptive exercises, methods and action steps that will
guide you to a new tomorrow.
Here are some of the tips from my book that helped me go from public
assistance to CEO: Begin with a “Success Sketch” and Hang It Where You
Will See It Everyday, Surround Yourself with People Whose Strengths are
Your Weaknesses and Give Away the Glory, Make Your “Wheel of Fortune”
Spin on Balance, Offer Solutions to Problems – Name the Company’s Pain,
It’s Not Who You Know – It’s Who Knows You, It is Important to Fail Early,
Start Everyday As If It Were the Last Day Before Vacation, and When
Everything is Negotiable Everybody Wins.
Below is an excerpt from “Starting Over” on the Rule: "Surround Yourself
with People Who Have Your weaknesses as Their Strengths and Give the
Glory Away":
Human nature calls us to surround ourselves with people like ourselves.
That’s great if you are talking about with whom you’ll watch the football game
or sit with at the pool. We are comfortable around people like ourselves. But
if you are talking about change that will bring about a greater good for you
and those around you, you need to define your weaknesses and then
surround yourself with people who fill in those gaps. They may not be the
people you call when you want a sympathetic ear. But my guess is that you
will need a sympathetic ear less often if you are successful in what you do
thus leaving more time to be with true friends.
Think about it, if you are wonderfully creative and a risk taker you probably
front run in the innovative aspects of your work and life. But you may not have
clear processes and accountability in line when you are being innovative. As
a matter of fact you probably let things slip through the cracks because you
forget about the details or aren’t even aware that they needed attention.
Surround yourself with people who can help you strike a good balance
between innovation and structure. Often times in a marriage one spouse
will be creative and less structured and they will find a spouse that is more
left brained and organized. A good balance is a bonus.
Or you may be very organized and methodical and are the person that
provides the information needed to make clear and concise decisions. But
the path those decisions lead may not be clear to you. The pitfalls and risks
may seem too great to move forward. If that is the case, surround yourself
with creative energy that is able to articulate the affects of different scenarios.
Let’s assume that you have the right people around you and you are poised
to succeed. Goals need to be defined in order to meet success. You can’t
get somewhere if you don’t know where you are going. Chances are that the
main goal you want to achieve is going to remain your goal unless you can
involve the team in setting and defining the parameters of the goal. If you
engage the team in the goal setting process, they will want to be a part of the
success and work harder toward it. Let them own the rewards of the team’s
success.
Once you reach your team’s goal do you feel as if you have done a great
job? No. The team did a great job. You were simply the leader.
Just because you lead a team does not mean that you solely own the team’s
success. The team owns the success. As a matter of fact, I suggest that
you give away the glory of the success solely to the team. “I want to thank all
of you for the work that you did to make this possible. Your outstanding
dedication to the mission at hand is what made this happen.”
Being able to motivate people is one of the best skills you can have. It will
multiply your effectiveness. It will engage people to buy. It will engage
people to follow you. It will engage people to trust you. It will engage people
to help you. The single best way to motivate people that I know of is to
continue to reinforce their positive contribution by applauding them
personally. Validate their efforts. Giving them the glory is an excellent way to
do this. And do so publicly.
As my former hospital president once told me, “What do you care if others
get the credit? You are measured by what it is that you can accomplish. If
you can motivate others to help you get there, you don’t need the credit. The
results are what matters.”
Surround yourself with people who not only have your weaknesses as their
strengths; surround yourself with people from whom you can learn to be a
better leader.
Rule Break: Employers give personality profile tests to prospective hires in
order to tell their strengths and weaknesses. Interviewees are used to
these tests and know what an employer is looking to see. If you truly want to
get to know someone in any situation, ask him or her open-ended questions
that are behavioral in nature and will give you insight into how they respond
to unanticipated situations. “What was the biggest disappointment in your
life – both personal and professional and how did you deal with it?” “What
was the most gratifying thing that ever happened to you?” “What is the
culture of your corporation?” “What was the best compliment you ever
received?” “What was the worst criticism?”
I applaud you for being dedicated to constantly improving your career and
personal choices. That is what makes you not ordinary but exceptional.
If you feel my book may help you on your journey, you may find it for $10.08
on this page of Amazon.com.
And if you find the book helpful, please feel free to write your comments in
the “Reviews” section of the book's page on Amazon.com. Best wishes for
continued success!
Mary Lee Gannon is a cultural turnaround and leadership expert who went
from being a stay-at-home mother with four children living in an unpalatable
marriage behind the facade of a country club life to the reality of divorce,
homelessness, and welfare. As a national guest speaker she demonstrates
turn-around strategies that transform corporate cultures and took her from an
earning capacity of $27,000 to the president and CEO of a hospital
foundation. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules When You’ve Bottomed
Out” is available in bookstores and on Amazon.com.
StartingOverNow.com
Articles
| Mary Lee Gannon is interviewed on Mind Your BIZness |
FREE e-book.
Get Mary Lee's FREE
e-book "Make Your
Wheel of Fortune
Spin on Balance" by
clicking here. Mary Lee
Gannon's work as a
newspaper reporter,
trade association
executive director,
public relations
consultant,
entrepreneur, and
hospital foundation
president and CEO are
the basis for her free
e-newsletter with tips on
"Starting Over."
Get Mary Lee's FREE
e-book "Make Your
Wheel of Fortune
Spin on Balance" by
clicking here. Mary Lee
Gannon's work as a
newspaper reporter,
trade association
executive director,
public relations
consultant,
entrepreneur, and
hospital foundation
president and CEO are
the basis for her free
e-newsletter with tips on
"Starting Over."
People who use the
FREE resources on
this site are:
* Starting over in
their career or
personal life
* Empty nesters
* Entrepreneurs
* Networking
* Job Seekers
* Starting all over
again
* Going through a
divorce
* Looking for career
opportunities
* Seeking FREE
career advice and
education
* Finding mentors
* Setting new life
goals
To chart your road
map to success
click here for FREE
"Worksheets and
Articles."
FREE resources on
this site are:
* Starting over in
their career or
personal life
* Empty nesters
* Entrepreneurs
* Networking
* Job Seekers
* Starting all over
again
* Going through a
divorce
* Looking for career
opportunities
* Seeking FREE
career advice and
education
* Finding mentors
* Setting new life
goals
To chart your road
map to success
click here for FREE
"Worksheets and
Articles."
Mary Lee Gannon's
Book "Starting Over"
is in bookstores now or
can be ordered from
Amazon.com.
Book "Starting Over"
is in bookstores now or
can be ordered from
Amazon.com.
Follow Mary Lee's tips
and information on these
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and information on these
Social Networking sites:
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priorities, family and relationships.
Whether you are an empty nester who is re-entering the workforce, an
entrepreneur who is looking for a way to network, someone who has been
recently laid-off, a person seeking their first job, starting all over, starting a
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career advice and education, or simply someone who is setting new life
goals the FREE worksheets, articles and advice here will help you get to a
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Learn to take your interests and channel them into productive career goals
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advantage of the resources here and continue to develop yourself and grow.
For the FREE StartingOverNow E-newsletter, simply send an email to:
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