Pawandeep sahni
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Can't Afford a Coach? Hire Your Friend
One of the greatest assets of working with a coach is being kept accountable for the goals you've set. Now may not be the right time for you to shell out for a costly coach. Instead, ask a friend or coworker to help you keep your promises to yourself. They may not bring professional expertise, but they can help harness your own motivation and keep you disciplined. Share your goals and plans for reaching them. Ask your "coach" to regularly check in on your progress and make sure you're meeting milestones. Want to thank your volunteer coach? Offer to play the same role for her. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Grownups Need Recess, Too," posted by Stew Friedman.
How to Recover From Your Mistakes
Making mistakes is inevitable — what counts is how you handle them. Some very public mistakes (see Tom Daschle's failure to pay taxes) have demonstrated the power of an apology to make amends and restore reputations. Here's how to recover from a mistake, gracefully.
- Own up. Don't use phrases that sound like doublespeak, "I apologize if I hurt anyone." Be explicit and truthful about what you did wrong.
- Make things right. Find out what you can do to remedy the mistake, whether it's repairing hurt feelings or working harder to undo the damage.
- Don't make a scene. An apology is not an excuse for a stump speech. Make your apology and get out of the spotlight. Demonstrate that you are ready to move on.
- Prevent mistakes in the first place. Think about how your actions and decisions will be perceived. Forethought and caution can stop mistakes before they happen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)