How is getting a job similar to getting a new client or contract?

The other day I shared a model I’ve been using with clients to help them get clear and communicate simply and powerfully. I call it my Model for Business Storytelling. It was linked to and rerun in it’s entirety in a post where the author illustrated how to use the model (with modifications) for job/resume story tellling.

I liked the idea so much I decided to invite Paul Anderson from Prolango to join me to facilitate a social conversation about how to get a job or a new client now- Here is the MP3 recording of our conversation

And here are those two links; A Model For Business Storytelling and Job/Resume Storytellling.

After talking with Paul this morning. I hit up a few of my favorite bloggers, one of which is Chris Brogan. His post today was titled, “We could do so much more…” Near the end of the post Brogan questioned the same behavior Paul described during our conversation. Seems that us humans focus too much on ourselves when we are with others and too little on our strategies and life impact when we are alone…

I couldn’t help but shake my head this morning and think, “I can do better…” The trick is to master both the ability to develop one’s personal strategy and ability to self reflect with one’s ability to forget oneself and engage deeply in understanding and relating with others. The challenge it appears, is to do both well and to then harmonize and prioritize them depending on the moment.

Perhaps we’ve got it all backwards? Perhaps we fear being selfish or overly indulgent and so we under invest in designing and developing our life and career strategies. We invest in developing plans for most everything but what about us- who we are , what matters to us, what we want to do, why and where we are going?

The irony of this is after under focusing and under investing in the development of our personal development, life and career strategies we over focus and over invest in talking about ourselves when we are with others. It’s crazy really, isn’t it?

It’s like us humans have it backwards.

Hmm.

I work with leaders to help them get clear and engage powerfully and simply. You can’t positively impact others and develop meaningful relationships if you don’t develop strong interpersonal communication skills, if you aren’t awake , if you are in denial about your impact on others or if you just don’t care.

Step back and ask yourself, can I do better?

How much time are you investing in becoming crystal clear as to what you want, your values, how you want to live? How clear are you on the big questions- of life and how does this inform your career strategy, professional development, business decisions, relationships and health?

Now how good are you at stepping out of your shoes when you are with others? How selfless are you? How intent are you at seeking to understand rather than be understood? How good of a listener are you? Do you care? What is your intent when you are with others? What’s your impact, the effect of your being on others? How good are you at asking questions, listening, pacing the conversation, embracing others. How good are you at relationships? What is the evidence that bears witness to this?

I can do better. Can you?

And what part do you need to improve on? Focusing on your self, getting clear as to your life and career strategy or seeking to understand others rather than be understood, getting to know others as well as they know you and developing deep, powerful relationships?

Want to land that job? Take your life, career to the next level? Get some new clients …perhaps it’s time to look at both your strategy and your ability to relate in a deep and powerful manner!

Feel free to Call Paul; 425) 405-0224 or me at 425 218 5864 if you want to continue the conversation!

Pam Hoelzle