Effective communication is the key to success!

I often get asked about what I think it takes to be successful in business, and in life. I have often heard answers such as a sense of humour, determination, and flexibility. But, as I reflect on past issues and successes, and my personal and professional long term relationships, I have to say my key to success is effective communication! Tons and tons of communication, in various types and forms, with constant feedback, is the key to all successful relationships.

Over the years of placing and hiring thousands of people, I have learned a lot about expectations, and communicating them clearly is rule # 1. If people don’t know what is expected of them, how can they succeed? I completely believe in job descriptions, as long as they are accurate and comprehensive enough for employees to know what the objective of the job is and what it takes to do it right.

If two parties do not agree to something but take the time to discuss it, the issue may be solvable. But, if they do not communicate effectively, nothing will change or one will choose to leave. Issues and misunderstandings will occur, but how someone decides to work through the problem is the key. Marriages and family relations are like that. The more communication, the better! Many people were taught to keep their feelings to themselves, keep their emotions under wraps, and to not talk about family matters, but that creates tension that does not have an outlet. Other people are taught to communicate passionately, whether in conflict or in love, and I believe those relationships are stronger than those which are generally silent.

Workplaces are similar to family dynamics; people need to be social in some way, they need to be appreciated and understood, and certainly they need an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about their work. I know for a fact, that if someone does not feel comfortable communicating with a manager or co-workers, they will spill their guts to someone else, perhaps another employer or competitor.

There are many communication styles and personality types, but that is irrelevant. The style, as long as it is respectful, doesn’t matter. The ability to communicate, however, does matter. Employees want to be heard and want a vehicle to communicate with each other and with their bosses. Spouses need to communicate what is working or not working for them, and then need to listen to their partners. Everyone needs to be able to share what they want or don’t want, how they feel or don’t feel, and what their expectations are, as they see it. That is the sort of open communication that will lead to a successful life!

Think twice before you toss

Our fast moving world has created a society of acceptable impatience. Technology is changing so fast that instant updates and upgrades are the new norm. We get frustrated and stressed out if we don’t have instant access to anything we want within seconds of asking. We expect the next version of everything, faster than it can be created. We buy, we toss, we buy more and toss again, so quickly that new becomes yesterday’s news.

Job seekers want to click, search, and apply for jobs without effort, from the comfort of their homes. They expect to find the right job fit within a day or two. They even start to consider themselves unemployable if they search online for a few minutes, send out some resumes, and do not get a reply or job offer by the next day! Hiring authorities are also impatient. Resumes are tossed if there is any kind of gap or missing information, let alone a spelling error. Managers expect to be able to post a job, screen candidates, and hire the perfect person within a day or two of posting!

Many employees are not thinking twice about quitting their jobs, because they will just get another one, with a quick search and apply. And many employers are letting employees go if they do not appear to be the perfect fit, because they can be replaced with a quick online job posting.

We are quick to get rid of relationships if they are not perfect. Why work at something, when there are other relationships available through a click or two? Our communities are merging human needs and desires with super fast changing information, which is readily available and gives immediate gratification. All this is resulting in a world of impatient people with often unrealistic expectations.

I hope we do find a way to instil patience as a needed quality or trait going forward, so our throw away society will start to think twice before throwing out important and meaningful relationships, careers, and events!

15 years in a box

My mother recently gave me a box with pictures and items from me growing up from 0-15 years old. When I was a small child, I dreamed of being a teacher, like my mother, or a flight attendant, even though I had never been on a plane at that time. I thought it was interesting that even at the young age of 4 or 5, I was deciding what career I would go into. I don’t think anyone ever thought of being a recruiter at that age, but the job did exist back then. My chosen industry has been around since the 1920’s! But we seem to fall into our careers, rather than plan for them as a kindergarten student. Looking through this box of personal treasures, I started to think about life cycles, and although we often hear about the seven year itch or decades at a time, we rarely hear about 15 year cycles.

0-15 we figure out if we are social or introverted, we do what we are told but try to be as independent as possible. We go to the schools that we have to, most likely close to home, and we get to know our neighborhood. We dream of being teachers or flight attendants, firemen or police officers, astronauts or the prime minister! The next cycle of 15-30 is perhaps about reality setting in, with some stupid but maybe fun mistakes. We pick our careers or jobs, educate (or attempt to) ourselves in the career paths we chose, usually with some guidance from parents or mentors. Most people learn about love and dating during this cycle. Driver’s licenses, and for some, marriage licenses come in this cycle, along with a true sense of freedom and perhaps even some travel. Now the 30-45 cycle, this cycle goes by faster than lightening! Work, careers, homes, relationships, children, debt, credit, goals, discussions around futures, planning, and maybe more travel, but with very little discretionary cash! Then it’s 45-60! I’ve just started this cycle. So far, a little slower than the rest, pictures become more important, families start to grow up, career becomes second nature, wisdom is obvious, and life is becoming too short. More freedom to do what is most important, money should be easier to work with, more planning, everything becomes about the future, about the people close by, what and who deserves our time and space, and making wiser decisions around lifestyles and matters of importance.

What’s ahead for 60-75? I don’t know. My 15 years at a time in a box currently only goes up to 45.5 for me, and 51 for my husband. But as I look at my first 15 years in a box, and think about my career plans then, I am beginning to dream and hope for my last 15-30 years, and what I might want to do then? Open an ice cream shop, perhaps? I will probably have grandchildren by then, who will want to hear stories about my years in several boxes, and my children will be asking for career and family advice. I will have tons of time to do that, while I scoop double chocolate mint ice cream into sugar cones!