Tag Archives: support

Lessons From History’s Greatest Leaders

lessons_from_history's_greatest_teams_webAs the saying goes, “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” This idea suggests that it’s important to study history’s greatest leaders and the traits that made them successful so you can avoid mistakes and become a strong leader.

Throughout history, great leaders like Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela have overcome challenges, built great teams, and inspired radical changes that benefited the world.

And, here’s the good news – you can learn their secrets.

Most great leaders share common traits that helped them lead vast armies, inspire new movements, and cultivate world-changing ideas. These leaders weren’t born with a magical leadership gene – they had to develop those important habits and learn new ways to succeed.

Here’s a look at five of history’s greatest leaders and what we can learn from them.

  1. Nelson Mandela: Sacrifice and Humility – Nelson Mandela is the epitome of humble sacrifice. He often taught forgiveness over revenge, and was committed to peace and justice, even after being imprisoned for 30 years in South Africa. He went on to become the first South African president elected in a democratic process. His lesson? Sometimes you must sacrifice comfort and stability to accomplish your goals.
  2. Rosa Parks: Bravery and Determination – Look no further than American civil rights warrior Rosa Parks to see bravery and determination at work. Parks is best known for refusing to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, AL. That one act of bravery and determination helped inspire the civil rights movement in America. Her lesson? Stand your ground and fight for causes and purposes that are important to you and your team.
  3. Sun Tzu: Observe and Adapt – Sun Tzu, who wrote “The Art of War” in 500 B.C. China, said that a leader must learn to adapt to any situation, and observation was the first step in adapting. He said war leaders should observe the enemy, terrain, wildlife, and soldiers in order to create the best plan of attack. What can we learn from him? Study your workplace, home, friends, competitors, and environment to create the best plan for success.
  4. Alexander the Great: Encourage and Support – Alexander the Great was one of history’s most famous warriors. His secret was to regularly encourage and single out soldiers for special attention for acts of bravery. He listened to the advice of his generals and common soldiers. He listened to and rewarded even those considered inconsequential. His lesson to us? Support, recognize, and encourage your team, and they will bend over backward to continue to succeed.
  5. Abraham Lincoln: Never Give Up – The great president Abraham Lincoln was defeated more than seven times before being elected as president. He could have given up, but he kept going and kept trying. He also faced ruthless opposition to many of the choices he made as president, but he never backed down from decisions he felt were right. His lesson? Never, ever stop trying. Failure is inevitable, but true leaders get back up and keep fighting for their passion and their dreams.

Do you have any personal heroes from history? What lessons did you learn from them? Share with us in the comments section below.


Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

A Guide to Declaring Freedom From Your Job

break_free_quit_job_webOf course, we all want to find that perfect job that makes us happy, pays the bills, and offers a lifetime’s worth of job security. Unfortunately, those jobs are often hard to find. Author Seth Godin explains that there is a difference between a “dip” and a “cul-de-sac” when it comes to your job. Dips are really difficult periods of time that are full of opportunity to be the best. Cul-de-sacs, on the other hand, are periods where repeated effort and time only lead you back to the same spot.

If you’re struggling with your current job and it doesn’t seem like anything you try is going to make it better, consider the following tips on recognizing when it’s time to move on and break free from your job.

Assess your on-the-job happiness.
It’s important to find enjoyment out of what you do. Feeling accomplished when you complete a project or knowing that your work is benefiting someone else can help you stay happy on the job. But, if you’re not experiencing those feelings, it may be time to cut ties. If you absolutely dread going to work, so much so that you’re sick or find yourself depressed, do what’s best for you and try to find a job that will make you much happier.

Recognize your worth.
When it comes to proper recognition at work, there are a few ways you may be getting the short end of the stick. If you find out your employer is paying you far less than the market rate for your job, and professional discussions about raises and promotions aren’t resulting in any adjustments to your pay, there’s a good chance your current employer isn’t going to offer you more pay any time soon. If that’s important to you, you may want to shop around for other work.

Determine your supervisor’s level of support.
Likewise, feeling recognized by your supervisor is important to your overall job satisfaction. If you run into challenges at work, does your supervisor support you? Do you feel comfortable telling them about your challenges? According to Dale Austin, director of the Career Development Center at Hope College, “If you’re constantly experiencing problems with your manager, it might be a signal to look elsewhere.”

Evaluate your career path.
Do you have a set path for your career? Is advancement in a company a high priority for your work life? If you have big plans to move up in the company but there is little chance of advancement, it may be time to reconsider your position. Even if you love where you work, you may be missing opportunities to grow your skills if you’re stuck in the same role. “After you’ve learned all you can in your position, it is best to move on to a place that offers a clear path to work your way up,” said Chaz Pitts-Kyser, author of Careeranista: The Woman’s Guide to Success After College.

Go out on a positive note.
If you decide that breaking free from your job is the best step for your career, there are right and wrong ways to quit. Offering your workplace a two-week notice is customary, so try to give your supervisor advance notice that you plan to leave. You may need to train your replacement or tidy up loose ends on projects. Also, make sure you tell your supervisor that you’ve decided to resign before you tell anyone else. You don’t want your boss hearing the news from a gossip chain instead of directly from you. Remember to be thankful for the job and express gratitude to your employer, even if you’re excited to be leaving. You may have gained skills, experience, or friendships that will last far beyond the job, so be grateful for the things that did go well.

Before you decide it’s time to quit, try resolving your issues with your supervisor first. If pay is an issue, talk about your salary openly with your boss. If you feel stressed about your workload or a particular project, co-worker, or other workplace issue, go to your supervisor or the Human Resources department to let them know. If you can’t reach a resolution, or if you find the job just isn’t the right fit for your career path, it may be time to move on.

How did you know it was time to break free from a job? Let us know in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Feel Appreciated at Work

Appreciation at WorkDid you know that the first Friday in March was National Employee Appreciation Day? There may be several people with employers who took the special holiday to focus on employee appreciation. But, there are probably just as many, if not more, who never even knew the day existed.

The workplace can feel like a thankless place at times with shortening deadlines and increasing stress levels. So, what do you do the other 364 days of the year when it’s not Employee Appreciation Day? Here are some things you can do to feel a little more gratitude from co-workers and managers at a hectic workplace.

Appreciate Others
Many times, our interactions with other people can be boiled down to the famous line from the Beatles song “The End” that says, “And in the end, the love you take
is equal to the love you make.”

Basically, if you want to feel appreciated, try showing gratitude and giving out compliments to others. It might feel weird and out of place, but if you can influence your work culture with positive words, the appreciation will come back to you. Besides, doesn’t it feel good to make others feel good, too?

Take a Compliment
While complimenting and encouraging others is a great start to creating an environment of appreciation, you’re going to need to leave a little bit of modesty at the door. That means, you’ll need to be able to accept the compliments as much as you give them.

If you shrug off or deflect honest gratitude toward yourself, you could be discouraging others from showing their appreciation. If you just reply with “Just doing my job” or “It was nothing” you’re not giving co-workers or managers a reason to repeat the same gestures.

Toot Your Own Horn
If you want to talk to your manager about their lack of appreciation for your work, you might not get the results you are looking for with a negative attitude of, “I don’t feel appreciated for what I do.” Instead, create a positive environment by finding ways of making your boss aware of your accomplishments. Find clever ways of promoting yourself that aren’t blatantly directed toward yourself.

Focus on your accomplishments that have directly benefited your employer. What did you do to bring in more customers or clients? Did you do something that positively affected the company’s bottom line?

Respect the Routine
Sometimes you feel like there aren’t opportunities to demonstrate your good works when doing your job is business as usual. There might not be a negative standard to compare your greatness to. You don’t have to reinvent your place or role in the grand scheme of work, but little things like maintaining a positive attitude can quickly gain the attention of your co-workers and managers. They will know when you gave your workday 100% and will begin to wonder what your secret is.

Just because your employer may have skipped out on Employee Appreciation Day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reward yourself. If you follow these guidelines, you can take pride in knowing that a job done well doesn’t go unnoticed.

Want to Know How to Get Others to Support Your Idea?

supportidea_march2013_webSo you’ve got a great idea, a wonderful plan to act on and, you’re on your way to success. But you can’t do it alone. You’re going to need the support and approval of your manager and colleagues. Here are some tips for getting the help you need.

Making an Idea a Reality
While your experiences can result in great ideas, it’s best not to work in a vacuum. It will be easier to get others to support and take action on your idea if they can be involved early in the process. This can be as simple as asking for advice and feedback on your idea from a few peers and a mentor, or as formal as holding a brainstorming session to explore your idea and possible alternatives. Perhaps your idea won’t be the final solution, but it could be the catalyst to coming up with the perfect plan. Be open to letting others take hold of your idea and contributing to the overall success.

Gaining Your Manager’s Support
Often working on the front line can give you the experiences and perspective to come up with a great idea. Whether it’s a new product, process, or growth strategy, knowing how to effectively pitch your idea to your manager and leadership team can make all the difference. When sharing your idea, be respectful of the processes currently in place and the people managing those processes. If your idea addresses a challenge or focuses on the technology of the future, make sure you don’t dwell on the shortcomings you see in the current situation or process. Remember that your leadership team has invested time and talent into taking the business to this point. It’s key to demonstrate how your idea builds on their successful history.

Including Your Team
When it comes time to put your plan into action, recognize the impact it can have on your teammates. If your idea leads to a change in processes or implementation of new technology, try not to take it personal if there are some bumps along the way. Additionally, as others help implement your idea there could be changes to your plan. It’s important to stay focused on the overall success of the business without getting caught up in the details. And while celebrating your accomplishment is certainly deserved, don’t keep the spotlight on yourself. Share your success with your co-workers, those who helped formulate the plan, and those who put it into action. Remember, “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Do you have a great story to share on how one of your big ideas came to life? Include it in the comments section.