Helene Lerner's Blog, page 200

Small Business, Big Impact

It’s National Small Business Week! When it comes to business, we often think on a macro scale, of huge corporations and political regulations beyond our control. But making positive change in business is as much about improving the local community as it is about lobbying for national issues.

From left: Mark Jaffe, Jeffrey Carr, Karin Abarbanel, Buck Buchanan.

Last Tuesday, I attended the Hartford’s press conference and panel, "Taking the Pulse of Small Business." One of the panelists was Buck Buchanan, the owner of Lumpy’s Ice Cream in Wake Forest, NC. While Buck may not be a high-profile politician or a Fortune 500 CEO, the fact that he created seven new jobs by opening a store had a tangible and immediate impact on his community. Buck also demonstrates his commitment to ethical business practices by buying products made in America. Off the clock, he encourages his teenage daughter to pursue her dreams—ice cream-related or otherwise.

Another panelist was Karin Abarbanel, the co-author of Birthing the Elephant. Karin shared with the audience that female-owned businesses employ over 13,000,000 people in the United States. Clearly, women play an important role in the business world, and their voice is one that needs to be heard by major decision-makers. By using her knowledge to inspire other female entrepreneurs, Karin is also doing her part to effect change.

No matter who you are or how “small” your business is, you can always make a difference. Therefore, it is important that we support those just getting started. Small business owners can benefit from education and assistance on everything from managing time and money to filling out forms, and fortunately, there is local help available.  Groups like SCORE offer mentorship and support to small business owners, providing the resources needed not only to survive, but to thrive.

Happy Small Business Week! Let yourself be inspired by the spirit of these and other entrepreneurs.

Dare to Reflect: Be the Change

From our office windows in New York City, we can see small tugboats traveling the waters of the East River. They have always amazed me.  When I was a little girl, I remember reading stories about their power. They are tiny compared to the barges they move.  

Tugboats remind me of the power we all have.  One person has the ability to make a big difference in the world. All we need is intent, passion, and the courage to act.

What big changes will you make in your life and in the lives of others? Be a part of the change we need to see in the world.

 

 

Be the change we need to see in the world

Outside our office window is the East River in NYC.  We can see small tugboats traveling the waters, and they have always amazed me.  When I was a little girl, I remember reading stories about their power. They are tiny compared to the barges they move.  

They remind me of the power we all have.  One person has the ability to make a big difference in the world. And all that is needed is intent, passion and the courage to act.

What big changes will you make in your life, and the lives of others? Be part of the change we need to see in the world.

 

 

Live Long, Get Your Healthy On

Every approach to healthy living boils down to the same basic principles: eat well and move your body. While this advice seems straightforward enough, it can be tough to put into practice in college, where all-nighters and frat parties can make Natural Light seem like a far more appealing option than natural foods. In honor of Women's Health Month, we asked young women how they're doing good for their bodies as well as their minds—and with answers ranging from self-defense classes to frozen yogurt, you're sure to find one that speaks to you.

Whether you're heading into exams, already out for the summer, or long past graduation, there's no time like the present to incorporate one of these healthy habits into your routine. Live long, get your healthy on!

—Video by Amy Stringer

Dare to Listen: Road Bliss Playlist

Say goodbye to road rage and hello to road bliss. Whether commuting means battling gridlock on the highway, battling the masses on public transportation, or battling the elements on a daily stroll, time spent in transit should allow you to decompress as you transition from work to home. Shake up a dull commute by adding a new soundtrack. Here are our picks—feel free to share additional suggestions on our Facebook page!

The Weepies, "All This Beauty." Don't let the band's name fool you. While indie-folk darlings The Weepies often fingerpick their way through melancholia and unrequited love, this particular tune offers an upbeat reminder of the finer things in life, from sunrises to chocolate cake. It's true—there is life outside your office walls. Now hop to it!

Keane, "Better Than This." We call work "the daily grind" for a reason, but a long-term plateau demands a musical kick in the pants. If you constantly leave the office feeling drained and defeated, give Keane's electro-rock pep talk a spin. Then take a peek at our tips for pulling yourself out of a work-related slump.

Gloriana, "Wild At Heart." Just because you're an alleged grownup with a full-time job doesn't mean you don't still harbor the soul of a rebellious teenager. Country fans, channel your younger selves (or just your escapist fantasies) with this spirited anthem. Go ahead, whip your hair back and forth. We know you've still got it in you.

The Beach Boys, "Wouldn't It Be Nice." Wouldn't it be nice if we could all work from the comfort of our beds? Maybe some days, but look on the bright side—work-life boundaries are significantly easier to maintain with a physical office space. We dare you not to bop your head along with this sunny classic. You're plotting a getaway already, aren't you?

Wiz Khalifa, "Work Hard, Play Hard." Aw, yeah. Wiz clearly has a mind on happy hour, but even if a home-cooked meal or an episode of The Voice is your idea of a weeknight party, getting there is ten times more satisfying with a throbbing bass and a self-congratulatory hook. Remember—you work hard for your money. Now use it to create a life you love!

—Emma Aubry Roberts

Career Coach: A Hard Look at Soft Skills

What we call "work" has as much to do with the way we treat our coworkers as our actual job responsibilities. Your professional relationships determine which assignments you get, how your performance is evaluated, and whether or not you secure that upcoming promotion. To be a star at work requires both technical skills and people skills, and unfortunately, many tend to overestimate the importance of the former. Your “hard” skills might get you in the door, but your “soft” skills will determine how long you stay—how high you rise while there. Keep the following in mind to play well with others at work.

Show them some love. Psychologist and philosopher William James once said, "The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated." You may or may not agree with James, but don’t underestimate the power of a sincere compliment or display of gratitude for a job well done.

Cut them some slack. One coworker never shuts up. Another refuses to acknowledge your presence. You can’t change a person, but you can try to find at least one good quality and focus on that. Keep in mind that you never know what a person is dealing with (either on or off the clock) that might shed some light on their behavior.

Give them a helping hand. You’re good at what you do—now do good with what you know. Support and mentor those around you, especially those with less experience. If a coworker is falling behind, help him or her catch up. If you don’t lend a helping hand, he or she might never get one (not to mention that you can never have too much good will).

Even if you are darned good at what you do, you'd be wise not to take your “soft” skills for granted. You don’t work in isolation, so take a good hard look at the way you interact with others during the workday. After all, you have to play well in order to work well!

—Alan Allard, Career Coach

Dare to Know: Michelle Raimo Kouyate Works Hard, Plays Hard

We're all familiar with the deceptively simple adage, "Do what you love; love what you do," but when was the last time you spent your Saturday night writing performance reviews just for kicks? For Michelle Raimo Kouyate, the President of Production for Sony Pictures Animation, the line between “work” and “play” is about as blurry as they come. “I still see movies for pleasure all the time!” enthuses the production powerhouse, who has made a career of workshopping films from Chocolat to The Smurfs 2. “I actually pride myself on the fact that I can turn off the hyperanalyzing executive switch and let myself be enveloped by the experience.”

Michelle is no one-note wonder, however: “I am so lucky that I love what I do, but family life is incredibly important to me. In fact, I’m a little bit of a soccer mom,” she shares conspiratorially, citing her seven-year-old son as her primary hobby outside of work. And don’t even try to tell Michelle that her rich home life - part of which unfolds at her family’s vacation home in West Africa - needs come at the expense of her career. “I think spending time with my family actually makes me better at my job,” she muses. “There’s no need for me to be working to the exclusion of all else.” Just goes to show that a woman successfully juggling work and life doesn't only exist in the movies.

—Emma Aubry Roberts

Career Coach: You Are Always Right

Think of a goal you set for yourself sometime in the past: to learn a new skill, to go back to school, to lose weight, to get a new job, to increase your income, to be happier. Did you succeed? The odds are good that if you expected success, you achieved your goal, while if you expected failure, you didn’t. Think about it—how many people who start a diet or exercise regime would bet $1,000 on their long-term success? Not many. Most would be afraid of losing their money, because deep down, we don’t really expect to finish what we start.

With that in mind, consider something you have been wanting to change about your life, but haven’t. Why haven’t you started, or why are you struggling? Well, do you believe you will succeed? Your answer is most likely “no” or “I don’t know” (and that last answer is really the same as the first). It’s not that you have to believe in yourself one hundred percent of the time—we all have doubts, especially when the going gets tough. But you have to believe in yourself enough of the time that the scales are tipped in your favor, because what you believe is (almost) always right. Subconsciously, you will set out to transform your expectations into reality.

Now apply this to your career. Are you too young? Too old? Good enough? Smart enough? Capable enough? Do you have the right education? The right connections? Do you have what it takes? Is it too late for you? Is the economy too bad? Will you succeed, or will you fail? Whatever you believe about all of the above, Henry Ford said it best: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right.”

Are you expecting better, or more of the same? Are you in control of your life and career, or are you just reacting to the conditions around you? If you don’t like your answers to these questions, you can always change them. Transforming your beliefs about yourself won’t happen by accident, but it is possible. Changing your mindset will change everything in your life. Now the question is: Do you believe you can go from “I can’t” to “I can”? 

—Alan Allard, Career Coach

The Gift of Self-Love

I think the greatest gift we can give ourselves is self-love. We often nurture others, both at work and at home—but do we regularly put ourselves top of the list?

Isn't it time we mother ourselves? Do this by asking yourself the following questions:

How am I special? What makes me unique?

How do I show up for my life daily?

How can I practice self-appreciation?

Now, take a look in the mirror. Look deeply into your eyes.  Experience the soul of a magnificent woman: YOU.

Happy Mother's Day!

Give yourself the gift of self-love this Mother's Day

I think the greatest gift we can give ourselves is self-love. We nurture everyone else, at work and at home, but do we, on a regular basis, put ourselves top of the list?

Isn't it time we mother ourselves? Do this by asking yourself the following questions:

How am I special? What makes me unique?

How do I show up for my life daily?

How can I practice self-appreciation more?

Now, take a look in the mirror. Look deeply into your eyes.  Experience the soul of a magnificent woman, YOU.

Happy Mother's Day!