Taproot

Decide Upon Your Dreams and Goals

“Calling: to summon a career or pursuit; to awaken; to invoke as from Heaven; a claim on a person’s time or life.”

Have you ever encountered times in your life when you were not able to develop goals that were motivating and inspiring enough to set you in motion towards accomplishing them?  Times when you couldn’t (or wouldn’t) take the time to even sit down and start writing them, regardless of how far-fetched they seemed?  Did you ever think that maybe that was because you did not or have not found a “calling” in your life.  Have you ever really asked yourself what it is that you were truly meant to do? What you really want to do? Your true passion? “What am I supposed to do…now?”

“Callings” as they are often referred, are often misunderstood. They can create the urge to do something significant in life – to contribute in ways that benefit others and in so doing, enhance the world in some way.  I have often heard a calling being called an “Epiphany”; when something or ‘someone’ sends us a message to make a significant detour in our life, often taking us to places or doing things we would only dream about. I know what a calling is not; it is not a lightning bolt from the sky.

I know what a calling can be: it can (and often is) a divine inspiration received in the most unlikely place and at the most unexpected time; serendipity; synchronicity; a “calling” can be a vision seen in a dream; an idea or suggestion planted by a friend or associate; a chance meeting with a stranger who inspires us to do more and to be more than we really are; or greater still for me, meeting and/or connecting with seven surviving family members whose fathers, (13 total) perished in the plane crash 4 May 1970 in which I was the sole survivor. The connections span from May 1970 until the most recent email, “out of the proverbial blue” late October 2012. “Amazing Grace” indeed!

Callings can be the proverbial “knock on the door” and if we open it, our life may detour to places we only dreamed about and doing things we never risked to imagine.

A calling may require a transition in career, or take a person much deeper into whatever roles they already have – turning doctors into healers, insurance salesman into advisers in financial security, business people into entrepreneurs, university professors into men of God, and plane crash and burn survivors into speakers, authors and writers (40 plus years ago, who would’ve thunk it, EH?).

“People go from thinking about making a living through their profession to thinking about giving back to the world through the positive impact their profession can make,” said John Schuster, author of “Answering Your Call.”

Personal tragedy and the innate desire to overcome adversity can also be a great internal motivator to inspire people to, “Pass the salt and make a difference in everything they do.” And in so doing, their Purpose (Mission) in life is to make every person they meet and every place they visit a teeny-weeny better from them having been there.

How do you discover your personal calling? Geez, I thought you’d never ‘ask.’

Some people just seem to have a genetic aptitude, talent or predisposition so obvious that their answer to their calling is to develop that talent, aptitude or predisposition to its fullest extent.  Such was the case of Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, Billy Graham and many others throughout history.

Other people have had a clear sense of a calling since their youth. They are drawn into pursuing a dream and rise above their circumstances to make that dream a reality.

“Circumstances don’t determine a man; they reveal him.”

Most of us, through trial and error, discover that we possess a certain knack or ability for things.  We encounter challenges in life that intrigue us and roles that absorb us.  In turn, we make a choice and then commitments to give it our best and to not let anyone or anything stop us from accomplishing our dream, our “calling.” This process is not as visible and is less obvious to others. That’s because motivation is internal and results, however measured, are external.  An important key in life is to strive for excellence and not perfection; excellence (quality), is sequential, that is, it is inside-out, not outside-in.

“In the stew of everyday problems and ordinary life tasks, we gain opportunities to do something about them.  This, combined with the cultivation of our talents as we discover them, helps us arrive at our calling,” Schuster said. “They may not win us trophies, yet make all the difference to society and ourselves when we make the decision to do something worthwhile,” he added.

I have discovered many times that what we do is not nearly as important as why we chose to do it.  When we do something with an open mind and an open heart, the knowledge that we have contributed positively to our family, friends and the larger community as whole, has its own rewards and “trophies.”

Discovering your calling could require that you set aside a quiet time in your busy routine and learn to listen to your inner self.  Being quiet and introspective helps us to relax, refresh and re-focus on those things (and people) that are truly important and deserve our time and energy.  There are also occasions when the best action is no action and knowing when to take no action comes with experience and time. Make time to take the time.

“Epiphany.” A revelatory manifestation of a divine being; a spiritual event in which the essence of a given object of manifestation appears to the subject as in a sudden flash of recognition.

Perhaps the answer will come in the form of a gentle nudge or a “sudden flash” that tells you to take a different direction in your work, in your life or both. It may also come in the form of a suggestion or ‘hint’ from a spouse or friend. The important thing is to learn to pay attention to these messages no matter how subtle, and objectively weigh their merits.  The source(s) of the ‘nudge’ is often a good indication that it has merit.

Perhaps a sense of guilt will emerge when you think about your favorite hobby — telling you that time would be better spent with your children and becoming an even better parent.

You have to learn to block out society’s urgings to listen to your soul, your “second-self’s” urgings.  I know from many personal experiences that prayer works; we must, however be careful for what we pray because we just might get it!  Our mind is, after all a computer, Positive in, positive out. “Garbage in, garbage out.”

Here are some questions Schuster offers to help you. I have added a few of my own, too:

• Have you gone against popular opinion?

• Pursued a hobby others thought odd?

• Looked for the depth dimensions of your ordinary job with its ordinary routines?

• Asked:  What does it mean to take the kids to school, to write this report, to analyze this budget, to meet this customer?  How can I make this significant?

• How is your ordinary life laced with meaning, if cultivated?

• Made a decision to “pass the salt and make a difference” in your personal life? Your professional career?

• What makes you really happy? Content?

• Are you at peace with yourself?

• What is the one thing you’ve meant to do but have always put it off?

• When was the last time you stopped to watch a butterfly? Hummingbird? Geese in flight? Listen to the rain? Feel snow crunch under foot? Air after a rain? Smell of your mother’s hair? A baby’s breath?  Given a hug? Get a hug? The examples are endless.

Even in my wildest imaginations, especially while in the Burn Unit 40 years ago, did I ever imagine that I’d be blessed to travel and invited to speak to so many different organizations, meet so many wonderful people and have so many quality friends. To write and have four books published and write for five newsletters, too.

All of my invitations have been wonderful, enjoyable and are the “Chocolate Fudge Sundae” of my life, topped with plenty of whipped cream and crushed peanuts.

The ‘cherry’ on my “Life’s Sundae,” is the invitations to address Senior Midshipmen at the US Naval Academy and Cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point. For me, it doesn’t get any better than that! My eternal “Thanks” to all of you who played a role in all of my invitations.

So, why wait? There is no time like the present to get started. What’s in your “Bucket List?”  Dreaming about a calling is just the beginning of the journey.  Remember, a dream is just a dream; but a plan is a dream with goals and timelines. Oh…one other wish from me to you…God Bless you!  We make our own luck.

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This article was written by and published with permission from “Captain George” J. Burk, USAF, (Ret), plane crash and burn survivor. motivational speaker, writer and author.  Learn more on his website:  http://www.georgeburk.com/

Welcome back to the top 5 résumé mistakes series.  So far we’ve talked about two common résumé mistakes:

1) starting a résumé with an objective statement; and

2) revealing too much information about your personal life.

Time to add this mistake to the list:  Mistake #3 – proofreading your own work.

I admit that I waited until the last possible second to write this tip because every time I write anything about proofreading, I make a mistake that gets caught by my readers.  Even word nerds and grammar geeks like me will blunder when proofing our own work.  Everyone needs a proofreader for something important like a résumé.

Ask for help!  A different set of eyes will spot common errors that the spell checker won’t catch, like:

Missing words. Sometimes we so familiar with what we are writing that our brains fill in words that aren’t really on the page. Sometimes get so familiar with what we are writing that our brains fill in words that aren’t really on the page. Sometimes we get so familiar with what we are writing that our brains fill in words that aren’t really on the page.  You get the picture.

Words that sound the same but are spelled differently. Did you ever write their when you meant to write there … or maybe you meant they’re.  Do you wonder who’s (or is it whose?) affected (or is that effected?).   (Learn more about homonyms).

Misplaced apostrophes. An employer will overlook a careless comma or two, but start misplacing apostrophes, and they’ll wonder if you really know what you’re talking about.  (Learn more about apostrophes).

The difference between the almost right word & the right word
is really a large matter –
it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.
~ Mark Twain

Make sure you are not the only one who has proofread your résumé before it’s sent out.

See you next week for top resume mistake #4.

Last week, we talked about Résumé Mistake #1:  Starting a résumé with an objective statement.

Today we are going to talk about Mistake #2:   TMI, (“Too Much Information”). I’m referring to revealing information on your résumé that pertains to what you do when you are not at work and who you do it with.

Hobbies

Some people think that listing a hobby makes them look more interesting.  Others believe that listing hobbies may strike a chord with the person doing the hiring and give them an edge. However, employers know that in your free time, you do other things besides work whether you list it or not, and it is unlikely that an employer is going to hire you based on your cool hobbies if you are not qualified. Hobbies are something that take up valuable real estate on your résumé as well as time during the interview that could be used to show why you really are qualified.

The only exception I can think of is if your hobby shows that you have a desirable character trait or skill needed for the job.  For example, if you are a marathon runner, that may indicate perseverance.   If you are a published writer, it may indicate a valued skill that may be transferable to the position.

There may very well be an opportunity to bring up a hobby during an interview without listing it on your resume – if you see a golf trophy in the employer’s office you could mention that you enjoy golf while you are walking with him from his office back to HR, but don’t make it the focus.  Focus on how well you can do the job.

Information about Your Family

It is not necessary to disclose your marital status, children or household members on a resume.  If you do, a hiring manager may start making assumptions (like, “someone single with small children may be unavailable to commit to odd hours,” “someone who is caring for an elderly parent may be burned out,” “someone who is engaged may not want to travel when planning a wedding”).  Human beings have all kinds of opinions, no matter how well they’ve been trained by HR.  You should be the one figuring out how to manage your personal life successfully – don’t let your potential employer make an assumption about it that may keep you from getting the interview.

Be warned, an employer can find out volumes about your family situation if they stumble upon your Facebook.  It is always a good idea to keep privacy controls on your social media accounts when you are seeking a new position so that you control the information released to those outside of your family and friends circle.

Other information you should keep off your resume include your age, religion, political identity and, so long as your doctor has cleared you to work, your health status.

The key thing to remember is to use the space on your resume for information that qualifies you for the job.  You are not writing a resume to make friends, you are writing it to get an interview.

Next week we’ll talk about Resume Mistake #3 of 5:  Proofreading your own resume.

Whether you are looking for a new position or not, having an updated résumé is always a good idea.  You never know when an unexpected opportunity may land in your lap (or an unexpected company closing or layoff may occur).

This is the first tip of five in a weekly series of top résumé mistakes to avoid.

Mistake #1:  Starting a Résumé with an Objective Statement. Sorry, it’s not about you.  Your potential employer doesn’t really care that you are seeking:

…  a challenging position that provides growth and advancement
where I can utilize my education and experience as well as my excellent interpersonal skills.

And yet, I see this type of general objective statement all of the time.  Yawn.  What your employer *does* care about is how you are going to fulfill what *they* want.

Instead of an objective statement, write a summary statement that shows how perfect you are for the position.  State as concisely as you can the specific expertise you have that will solve the specific problems that the employer considers a priority:

Reliability Engineer with 20 years of experience managing teams of 5 – 20 and budgets of $150K to $2 million for oil and gas companies.  Recipient of 2011 global leadership award for implementing strategies that saved the company $1.5 million worldwide.

Notice a statement like this shows:  who you are, for how long, how many people you’ve been responsible for, how much money you’ve managed, what field you’ve worked in and what you’ve been recognized for … all in two sentences!  Now the employer can see how important you can be to his company and will be intrigued enough to read on.

This is just one of a few simple, small tweaks you can make to your résumé to make it stand out in a big way.  Next Monday we’ll talk about overcoming Mistake #2:  TMI

Ever begin packing for your business trip, vowing to save that $25 bag checking fee, then get so fed up with packing that you check a bag anyway? Before you shell out that unnecessary cash, check out these three thrifty packing tips you can use at the Global TapRooT® Summit next February!

1. Be Prepared.

-Make sure you bring your cell phones, laptops, cameras, tablets, and any other electronics you’ll need. Don’t forget your chargers.

-Consider stowing these handy travel items to help you in a pinch: Sewing kit, stain remover pen, duct tape, lint roller, baby wipes, power strip, and wrinkle remover spray.

-Remember the 3-1-1 rule for flying with liquids, gels, and creams in your carry-on: Each bottle must be 3 ounces or less, and all bottles must fit into a quart-sized plastic Zip bag.

-Make your laptop easy to remove from your bag; you’ll have to at airport security.

2. Keep it Simple.

-We don’t require a dress code for the Summit. Many people wear jeans. You’ll probably be comfortable in business casual attire: Khakis or black pants and a button-down shirt.

-Choose versatile items you can wear twice such as white shirts, black pants, and dark jeans.

-Roll up items you know won’t wrinkle much, like synthetic fabrics and jeans.

-Pack large items first, then fill in the gaps with smaller things like socks.

-Put items you’d like to protect from wrinkling in a dry cleaning bag in your suitcase. They’ll slide around a bit and won’t stay in one place log enough to get wrinkles.

3. Leave Room for Fun.

-In the past we’ve had a costume theme for our reception. This year we’re nixing the costumes so you can enjoy the Vegas nightlife afterward. We’re planning on schmoozing at the Flamingo’s Margaritaville so feel free to relax and wear your Hawaiian shirt, or come in whatever attire you’d like.

-Leave about ¼ of your bag free for souvenirs and course materials. But remember, the 3-1-1 Rule applies to all liquids, from salsa to snow globes, so choose your souvenirs sparingly.

-If you’re not too specific about what you use, consider leaving most of your toiletries at home. Bring only what the hotel doesn’t provide (like toothpaste, and shaving cream).

-Wear your bulkiest items on the plane, like your coat and chunky shoes.

While you’re flying to the Summit February 29-March 2 you’ll be able to rest easy and gear up for the fun and enriching days ahead. You’ll know your carry-on’s with you, and you have 25 extra bucks in your pocket to spend on enjoying Vegas!

Photo Courtesy of…

“Hi, my name is Megan, and I’m a perfectionist.”

Perfectionism is a problem on the job because at some point or another, we have to produce results. Whether it’s the investigation itself or your report, your detail-oriented mind, which is why you were hired and why you’re great at your job, can keep your focus on each tiny detail. This holds you back from getting things done.

I’m going to tell you something you may not want to hear: Perfectionists are some of the biggest procrastinators.

In a recent article Dorothy Crenshaw of Crenshaw Communications, Inc. advises that we take a step back. Reminding us that “perfect is overrated”, she doles out six bits of advice on how to cut perfectionism and procrastination, getting our work done:

1. “Quantify the improvement likely to come from your efforts.” Is another hour going to improve your report by 40%? Keep working. By 10%? Maybe it’s time to ask yourself if there’s something more important to prioritize.
2. “Get fresh eyes on the situation.” We’ve talked about this before, with proofreading, but it’s a great idea with anything. If you’re stuck on a detail at work just consult with a colleague and get a quick second opinion. The added perspective may be just what you need.
3. “Focus on the objective, not just the product.” When I get immersed in a project all I can see is what’s in front of me. Literally, 12 inches away from my face. What’s the goal of your report? Are you trying to convince your boss to implement corrective actions? If you think about why, it’ll help fill in the blanks of how.
4. “Start in the middle.” I used this tactic when writing this blog post. Some sections just seem to click better than others. If your report’s got you stuck, go to a more straightforward section, like the events of the incident. This can re-focus your mind on the task and get you back into the report.
5. “Set small goals.” A week in which you only get one section done per day is more productive than a week in which you try (and fail) to make time to write the whole report at once.  Just say, “Today is my Incident Description day”, and get moving!
6. “Ask yourself, ‘How important will this be in one year?’” Chances are, your report is an essential document. But when you’re performing an investigation or writing your report, there are a lot of smaller priorities that should make you ask this question.  It’s impossible to pour all your efforts into every project. Focus on the big ones, and give due (but smaller amounts) of time to the lesser items.

Although perfectionism is often praised in the workplace, there’s a time and a place for it. When perfectionism overtakes your ability to do your job, it’s time to breathe and look at your project from a different angle. Then just jump in, always knowing you can correct and proofread your report later.

Success in a job and in life requires more than just doing it well. It also requires that you have confidence in yourself. That confidence comes from your life’s experiences and strength of character and your knowledge, skills and abilities. Here are a few tips to help you enhance your positive mindset.

Shape it.

An iron will, a positive can-do spirit and attitude, not skill sets alone, will set a person apart from the crowd.

Paul Stoltz and James Reed said in “Put Your Mindset to Work” that 96% of top employers worldwide say they’d hire a person with the desired mindset over one with perfect qualifications. Ninety-one percent of them also said they would promote; 81% would grant pay raises and 68% would retain people with that positive, can-do spirit and attitude. When Stoltz and Reed asked the top employers whether a person with the right mindset develops the perfect skill set or vice versa, 98% picked the former.

“Ability has nothing to do with opportunity.” ~ Napoleon Bonaparte, French emperor

Develop perseverance. Develop it, nurture it and enhance it.  Resilience, intensity and tenacity will help you take on the world and overcome just about anything you can imagine and even a few of life’s challenges you can’t imagine. True grit will help you improve in the workplace and in your personal endeavors, as well. The latter point is, of course, the most vital because everywhere you go, there you are. You take everything about you … with you.

“Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.” ~ Bill Russell, basketball player

Broaden the horizon. Commit and enroll yourself to understand and demonstrate a big picture (strategic) perspective of your position and your organization.  Make education a continuous process by reading books and on line material to help you grasp the scope and direction of your industry. Broaden your horizon by reading books and other materials outside your professional realm and comfort zone. Read books on poetry, history, faith and spirituality. Tim Sanders, author of “Today We Are Rich: Harnessing the Power of Total Confidence” agrees and suggests to, “Read one book a month that improves your ability to lead your organization or perform in your role.”  He also alludes to Napoleon Hill’s classic, “Think and Grow Rich,” which promotes brainstorming sessions to enhance specialized knowledge. Enhance your competence by learning everything about your role and the roles of others around you. In many careers, military, fire and law enforcement, to name a few, this philosophy can save a life…yours and others.

Believe you’re good. If you don’t, who will? What your mind conceives and believes, you can achieve. The faith that you can accomplish just about anything you set your mind to accomplish, coupled with your self-confidence, is rocket fuel to the mind. Then all your mind needs is a match. Success builds success and so do failures. Like the Earth’s magnetic core, our mind’s a magnetic core, too. When we experience success, our internal magnetic core (values), our competence, courage, compassion(love), integrity, duty, honor and perseverance is made stronger and more resilient with ‘pennies,’ ‘nickels’ and ‘dimes.’ However, when we experience failure and overcome adversity and choose to learn and grow, our internal magnetic core (values) are strengthened and thickened with ‘half-dollars’ and ‘silver dollars.’ A belief that you’re good is self-confidence, NOT arrogance and conceit and that you’re beyond reproach.

Rehearse before the spotlight’s focused on you.  Don’t hurry through your briefing or power point presentation. Know your material and your audience! Have a dry-run with a mock audience that knows to ask relevant questions. The self-assured people I know are often calm, persuasive, innovative, not frightened to take calculated risks and have a strong sense of humor. They are open, human and vulnerable and take what they do quite seriously but never take themselves too seriously. According to Sanders, “Research indicates that confidence is as important as experience for leaders of all types.”

“Happiness is the absence of the striving for happiness.” ~ Zhuangzi, philosopher

Play well with others. No matter how good you are in your job or how good you THINK you are, if you demean people, talk down and embarrass them in the process the cost in terms of lost productivity, morale and potential customers is large. Similarly, if you think and behave in the same manner in your personal life, you’ll have some acquaintances but few true friends. That doesn’t equate to a list of positive references. If “Yes, he was employed here” is the only testimonial your employer provides on a referral application, the time to take a long and objective look in the mirror and an attitude adjustment is long overdue.

“I don’t let my mouth say nothin’ my head can’t stand.” ~ Louis Armstrong, musician

Challenge yourself. When you become a mentor to others, it can be up uplifting and personally rewarding. This process can help free you of old ways of thinking and break some paradigms. It can also increase your value to the organization. When you mentor others you are a mentor to yourself, too.

Share the positive vibes. When you arrive at work, don’t instinctively dive into your email, relevant news reports or answer phone calls. Take some time and inject more enthusiasm into your staff. According to Sanders, one way to do this is to change some of your phraseology. How? Change the internal script and the words you use. Ask, “What’s the good word today” instead of “how’s it going?”  Similarly, when you meet with your team(s) or project partners, “Begin with an emphasis of what’s going right,” Sanders said.

Feed your mind properly. Be just as aware of what you allow into your mind as the food you put into your body.  Negative-minded people and words they use; a constant focus on bad news and the repetition that often follows, your mind will eventually fill with negative thoughts, emotions and uncertainty. To the best of your ability, choose to hire and socialize with upbeat, positive minded people who have shared values, vision, purpose and goals. When you hire and associate with depressants, negative-minded, self-absorbed, over-indulgent people, their attitudes and behaviors are contagious.

“So far God, I’ve done all right. I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, self-absorbed or over-indulgent. But, in a few minutes…I’m going to get out of bed and I’m going to need a lot more help. Thank you.” ~ George’s Prayer at web site

We have two colons: one is in our gut. It’s our biological immune system. We ARE what we eat. The other colon is between our ears. It’s our mind, memory and attitude. When we fill it with good ‘food’, positive affirmations and positive images, good things will happen. I know because it’s worked for me!

“If I’d known how old I was going to be I’d have taken better care of myself.” ~ Adolph Zukor, movie mogul

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This article was reprinted with permission from the author, “Captain George” J. Burk, USAF (Ret).  Captain Burk is a Vietnam veteran, plane crash & burn survivor, author & writer.  Learn more about Captain Burk on his website:  http://www.georgeburk.com.

Sticking to the old “one slide per minute” rule? It may be ruining your presentations.

In a recent article Brad Phillips, president of Phillips Media Relations, tells us that this ‘one slide per minute’ rule gives presenters an excuse to pack their slides with too much information.

This either causes you to read the slide verbatim (in essence, inviting your audience to a nap), or it forces your audience to read your slide while you’re saying something different. The latter option prevents your audience from hearing what you have to say and completely understanding you.

What does Phillips recommend we do? When you create each slide, ask yourself three questions:

1. “Does this slide visually represent what I’m saying verbally?”

Use compelling visuals, rather than droning bullet lists, to illustrate your point.

2. “Is this slide intended to help me remember what to say next, or for the audience to better understand the concept I’m trying to explain?”

Think about your audience, not yourself when you create slides.

3. “Do I need to have a slide at all?”

You may express your point more effectively simply with a verbal explanation than with an unnecessary slide.

Learn more about report writing, creating your presentation, and presenting to management here on our blog.

Image courtesy of andertoons.com

Here are a couple great career development resources posted here on the Root Cause Analysis blog that you may have missed:

Management Presentations – 3 Design Essentials: Make sure your visual aids have relevant content, readable text, and professional graphics and you’ll wow your management (Read post).

Practice, Prepare, and Present to Management: Once you’ve created a professional, streamlined management presentation, you need to get ready for the meeting and practice, prepare, and finally present (Read post).

Earn CEUs at the Global TapRooT® Summit!  You may document the terrific training and facilitation you receive during the Summit and apply those credits toward your professional development training program. By attending all the sessions in your selected track, you will earn 2.0 CEUs.

Additionally, several of the pre-Summit courses being held on February 27 and 28, 2012 are also worth CEUs. Both the 2-Day Incident Investigator Course and the 2-day Equifactor® Equipment Troubleshooting Course are worth 1.6 CEUs. By attending one of these pre-Summit courses, and then receiving the outstanding training offered during the Summit, you have the opportunity to earn a total of 3.6 CEUs.

REGISTER today and earn CEU Credits toward your professional development in February 2012!

Are you finished conducting your TapRooT® Investigation, and wading through the marshes of report writing and proofreading? Don’t make a mistake like the one in this photo. Take a look at these 10 proofreading tips that will help you write a professional, thorough investigation report.

1.)  Rest. You’ve been working those cogs and pistons in your head to conduct your investigation and write your report. Once it’s finished, set your report aside until tomorrow to proofread. If there’s no time for that, grab a cup of coffee and come back to it in 15 minutes. You’ll catch more errors and see it with fresh eyes.

2.)  Print it out. We read differently on the screen than on paper, so you’re likely to catch more errors this way.

3.)  Concentrate. Close your door, turn off your e-mail notifications, and silence that cell phone, if only for 30 minutes. You’ll be able to focus on each detail of your report and proofread much more thoroughly.

4.)  Read it aloud, Read it backward, and Read it multiple times. All these will prevent your eyes from correcting and missing errors on the page, and help you catch your errors more effectively.

5.)  Check your facts. Don’t forget the numbers in your charts and graphs, too.

6.)  Use spell-check, dictionary, and online grammar resources if you’re not sure about a rule. Don’t fully rely on your spell-check, however; it doesn’t catch homonyms such as there, their, and they’re. Try MerriamWebster.com, EnglishGrammar.org, and Purdue’s Online Writing Lab.

7.)  Know thyself. Find out your most frequent errors, and create your own proofreading checklist that reflects these and other important details. Remember grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typographical errors.

8.)  Eliminate unnecessary words or information. Example: “The choice of exogenous variables in relation to multi-collinearity is contingent upon the derivations of certain multiple correlation coefficients.” vs. “Supply determines demand.” (Courtesy of Purdue’s Online Writing Lab.)

9.)  Keep your audience in mind. Read through your report, putting yourself in your reader’s shoes. Use appropriate tone, vocabulary, and formatting so your audience will understand exactly what you’re communicating.

10.)  Peer Edit. There’s no way you can catch everything. Ask your most honest, detail-oriented peer to proofread your report. Don’t take offense when he finds mistakes; you’ll thank him for not letting you turn in your report to the “Unclear Regulatory Commission!”

Use these 10 tips and you’ll never submit a rough, unprofessional investigation report again. Learn how to conduct an investigation at one of our TapRooT® Courses!

Photo Courtesy of AP Photo/News & Record, Joseph Rodriguez.

Picture this:  you’re sitting around the conference room table and everyone is expressing an opinion on an important business matter.  Common ground and a consensus needs to be reached but the more the matter is discussed, the tighter each individual clings to his or her own position.  Why is this happening?  Because people will naturally defend their individual positions and disregard contrary information!

How can this be avoided?  When there is an important matter to be discussed, make sure the meeting facilitator presents all the facts before opening the matter up for discussion.  Many times meetings are conducted the opposite way — with everyone chiming in before there is a clear picture of what the matter really is.

The decision will be the right one if the group hears all the details first and no one has to “save face” by pushing for a decision that is not the right one for the company.

Do you feel there are two or three employees who dominate every meeting?  Are eye rolls a common workout routine at your company  meetings? Oh … wait, maybe eyes aren’t rolling. Because. They. Are. Shut.  Everyone is lulled to sleep by the familiar sound of the same voices over and over and over …

Don’t let your next meeting sound like this Charlie Brown classroom scene:

http://soundfxnow.com/soundfx/CharlieBrownTeacherVoice.mp3

Meeting facilitators can encourage more balanced participation among the staff.  Here are four simple ways to conduct a more productive meeting:

1.  Encourage active listening. Open the meeting by setting simple ground rules, that one person speak at a time, and that each speaker proceeds uninterrupted until he or she is finished speaking.

2.  Make eye contact with each speaker, and address each speaker by name. “Thank you for your input, Debbie.”  “David, did you have something to add?”

3.  Watch body language around the table. Being aware of non-verbal communication is a simple way to identify employees who want to participate, but feel frustrated because they keep getting cut off.

4.  Remain neutral until all points are presented. Providing feedback after each person speaks may intimidate others from speaking.  You may miss some very good ideas if you don’t wait until everyone has a chance to speak.

Encouraging balanced participation at meetings builds morale, a spirit of cooperation and gives those who aren’t naturally outspoken an opportunity to contribute to the good of the company.  Practicing these skills will help you become a valued and respected meeting facilitator.

We’ve come full circle on this career development series, Work-Life Balance:  The Great Oxymoron, and now it’s time to put it all together.

We’ve learned “the great oxymoron” is the mindset that happiness is achieved when there is a perfect balance of work and life.  Healthy life balance involves so much more, like attention to physical wellness, emotional wellness, finances, relationships and spirituality.

All of these major areas of life, including career, work together for the good of all, and if there is a deficiency in one area, career development will suffer from it.  Zig Ziglar said, “I believe that being successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life. You can’t truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles.”

This week, we are focusing on the last major area of life:  careers.  To develop a good career development strategy, it’s important to first identify your passions and skills. This opens and focuses your mind to finding fulfilling work that fits your needs.

At the 2009 and 2010 TapRooT® Summit, Dave Janney led an excellent best practice session to help attendees develop a successful career plan.  This presentation included:

• Obstacles to goal setting

• Four steps to managing goals successfully

• Defining your perfect job

• An exercise to find your strengths

• Understanding where you should focus your efforts

• Identifying job targets

• Recognizing transferable skills

• Performing a gap analysis

View a copy of the presentation below:

What_is_your_career_plan

This is a valuable resource for making a career plan because:

• Goal setting is more effective than sitting around waiting for a lucky break.

• Defining and visualizing your perfect job is more effective than hoping your next job will be a perfect fit.

• Understanding your strengths is more effective than allowing yourself to be placed in a position that you can’t do well.

Life is easier when we are working a job we not only love but can feel pride and accomplishment performing.  Work-Life balance isn’t better time management, it’s making better choices in every area of life and enjoying those choices.

Attention to career development is the final piece of the stress-free life balance puzzle we’ve been putting together the past seven weeks.  Take a few minutes to update your intentions in career development on your life balance chart (from Week One) and make them happen, for yourself and for all of the important people in your life.  Best wishes for an amazing journey!

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Barb Phillips is the Editorial Director at System Improvements, Inc. and is a Certified Professional Coach.

Welcome to week six of seven of the Work-Life Balance series.  So far we’ve covered:  1) Setting Intentions for Life Balance and Measuring Progress, 2) Optimizing Physical Wellness, 3) Strengthening Personal Relationships, 4) Creating a Deeper Spiritual Life and 5) Emotional Wellness.

This week’s topic is finances.  When you look at it on paper, managing finances is easy.  I mean, it boils down to three simple categories:

1.  Managing money that comes in (addition);

2.  Managing money that goes out (subtraction); and

3.  Managing savings/investments (a hopeful multiplication).

But for most of us, managing money is much more than a simple math equation.

Fortunately, there are many great resources for getting finances on track ranging from Dave Ramsey’s baby steps to hiring a certified financial planner.

The focus of this column is to examine finances within the context of life balance, i.e., how finances relate to the areas of life we’ve been discussing – spirituality, relationships, careers, emotional wellness and physical wellness.  Knowing how each area relates to another helps us to recognize where to make positive changes so they all work together for good:

Spirituality: There are many forms of spiritual abundance including love, gratitude, appreciation of nature, freedom and purpose.  Have you become disconnected from the spiritual things that money can’t buy?  If our deepest needs are not met, there will never be enough money to satisfy that deficit.

Relationships: Finances can make or break a couple.  Dreams and goals should not only be shared but also achieved as a team.  Have you developed a plan to eliminate debt with your partner? Does your partner know what you spend money on?  Do you agree to save money every payday for emergencies?  Making good financial decisions jointly is critical in sustaining a healthy, long-term relationship.

Career: Many people live in bondage to a job because they can’t afford to leave it.  What would you do today if money wasn’t the goal?  Are you working in a career that makes you happy, something that you are passionate about or are you working in a career only because it provides enough money to cover your bills?  Becoming debt free gives you unlimited choices for how you can spend your time.

Emotional Wellness: Closely held beliefs and emotions influence our financial success.   A belief formed in childhood that you will never be financially prosperous can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Stress, depression, fear and anxiety are toxic emotions that keep us from thinking clearly.  Emotional well-being is essential for making positive, life-changing financial decisions.

Physical Wellness: Medical bills are the #1 reason for personal bankruptcy.  Surprisingly, a 2007 Harvard study indicated that 78% of bankruptcy filers had medical insurance at the start of their illnesses.  Do you have enough money to care for your family if you became so ill that you couldn’t work for six months?  Returning to work after a serious illness because you need the money (as opposed to returning to work because you have had time to heal) sets yourself up for another catastrophic medical illness.

Dan Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness, wrote that multimillionaires from the Forbes 400 list aren’t much happier than the average person.  In his book, he emphasizes that once basic human needs are met, more money doesn’t equal more happiness.  However, many people believe, live and work as though more money is the answer to all of their problems.

Examine your life balance chart and evaluate how finances are affecting your spiritual life, relationships, career, emotional wellness and physical wellness.  Set some intentions this week that will strengthen your finances, and you will continue to experience a positive ripple effect in the other core areas of your life for improved life balance.

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Barb Phillips is the Editorial Director at System Improvements, Inc. and is a Certified Professional Coach.  Next week we’ll focus on the last topic in this series:  Careers.

View past columns in this series:

Setting Intentions for Life Balance and Measuring Progress

Optimizing Physical Wellness

Strengthening Personal Relationships

Creating a Deeper Spiritual Life

Improving Emotional Wellness