“After 20 years in recruiting, successfully building my own firm, then building out a team of hundreds from scratch for a leading dermatology company, I found myself in a timely conversation with Lyn Kleinbach about my next chapter. My kids had just graduated from high school and I was ready to take on more. After discussing a multitude of possibilities, Lyn encouraged me to put my recruiting hat back on and offered me a position at TKG, where I now happily call home.
Little did I know when I met Lyn after work that day, our meeting would lead me to this position. I’ve thought a lot about how that not-so-chance meeting unfolded and what we can all do to prepare for opportunity. Whether you’re someone happily seasoned in your company, looking for a new career, or just beginning to build one, we all have the ability to shift at any point. I thought of some ways (8 of them, to be exact) that actions from my past helped lead me to where I am now. I hope you find them helpful for improving your positive reach in business…and life.
- Foster relationships – It’s important to keep in mind that the people you work with now could be a hiring manager later. When you treat people with kindness and respect, they remember. I love the saying, “people won’t always remember what you do, but they will remember how you made them feel”. You never know when a kindness you bestow today will come back around in your future.
- Do your best work – You may not get it right, and it may not be perfect, but give it your very best. Don’t cut corners and don’t cheat numbers. If you’re in a job you dislike or have a difficult boss, it can be helpful to ask yourself, “How can I be of service today?”, a question that can take the focus off of a hardship where you work right now and move it to making the best of a challenging situation.
- Honesty and integrity – Do the right thing. It sounds so simple, but it isn’t for many. Integrity is not something you talk about; it’s who you are. Be the one people can count on to do the right thing, let them see it in action again and again, and you’ll be the one they come searching for when adding to their team.
- Find the good – It’s so easy to get caught up in negativity, office gossip, or complain when things aren’t going our way. But you have a choice: join in or find something positive to focus on. If we look for the good, we can usually find it. From a career perspective, this is a trait that every hiring manager wants to see.
- Be upbeat and positive – Pay a sincere compliment, offer your help, and show your manager support. Positive people are like magnets to other positive people. The only people that don’t like positive people are negative people, and who wants them around anyway?
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help – This one is hard for a lot of us who feel confident finding the answers and working independently. But people genuinely like to help. Utilize those who know more than you, or who may have been doing it longer. The sooner you get help, the faster you will master your work.
- Get comfortable with the uncomfortable – Anything new is bound to feel uncomfortable. Embrace it; that feeling is temporary. As you move forward, mastering new skills and situations along the way, you’ll be surprised what you can accomplish if you allow yourself the risk. Progress, not perfection.
- Personal development – “If you’re not growing, you’re dying” is a popular saying in the personal development space. It’s easy to get stuck in the same old thoughts and patterns of behavior. But when we are willing to learn new ideas, new worlds of possibility and opportunity open up. Whenever I coach someone who isn’t in the place they want to be, I always ask what they are reading or listening to because what you feed your mind is critical to your success.
I’m now finishing up my third month with TKG, but I knew right away that I had made the right decision. The level of service, attention to detail, professionalism, and the reputation of Lyn and our team continue to impress and inspire me. This small boutique firm delivers big results, has an impeccable reputation, and clients appreciate us. It feels great to be back and I can’t wait to chat with you.” – Sandy Pease