YET, is a Very Powerful Word.

I have been listening very carefully to people talk about their talents and skills as they seek employment and its interesting to hear how often people sell themselves short time after time, after time, after time. "No-one will want me, I haven't got...". "I can't apply for that, they want..." "Oh no, I couldn't go for that one I don't have..." You could fill in the blanks with anything that comes to mind. I have heard them all before. This business of selling themselves short is even more noticeable when they read job postings and find they can 'only' meet 90% of the requirements. "Oh too bad" they say, "They want...and I can't do that piece." I remind them time and again, that the list of requirements is simply an employers 'wish list', and that their other qualities will outweigh the lack of one skill so they should go ahead and apply. The fear of a missing skill is like an anchor holding them back from pursuing their dream job so it's at that moment I talk to them about the power of the word 'YET' to get them to take a chance on the job they really want. When people tell me they can't do something, before they get a chance to continue, I jump in and say 'YET'. Maybe you can't do it now but with some knowledge, training and effort you will. I believe in you and you should too. Then I tell them about the time I learned to lay pipe throughout a seven acre farm when I had no money and I needed a reliable water supply. I tell them about the time I was asked to talk to a group of teachers when I was terrified of public speaking, and when I learned to drive an ancient tractor without brakes because there was no-one else to do it. In each of those situations it would have been easier to say "NO" but instead I gave myself my own pep talk! You haven't done it so far but you probably could if you put some effort into it are you going to give it a whirl? Like you and everyone else I know, I was not confident doing many things at one time. I became able and more confident because I believed in the word 'YET'. When I am asked if I can do something I always reply honestly. "No, I am not able to do that yet, but with some information and time I believe I will. Did you notice how there was no pause between my honest "NO" and my belief that I could in time. Did you notice how 'YET' is a wonderful bridging word? Remember this, 'YET' is a very powerful word. It shows you have faith in yourself, it shows a commitment to keep on learning and it tells the person some interesting things about your attitude - that you are willing to apply yourself to figure it out. When you use 'yet' in your response you are demonstrating some very valuable traits. A positive perspective, a 'can do' attitude and a degree of courage. So next time you see an opportunity and you are missing an element, say< "I can't yet, but I will soon." You will be amazed how much more energized and positive you will feel.

Endings and Beginnings My daughter Robyn Hughes, is about to start her last day at Royal Roads University and I have been invited to watch the soon-to-graduate students' end of year presentations. On Wednesday her life will be different. No more classes, no more team meetings, no more assignments and no more late night crunches to get an important project in her profs hands by the deadline. Wednesday will be the beginning of a brand new chapter filled with cover letters, resume updates, interviews and hopefully a rewarding and satisfying new career will be started. As I ponder on my daughter's experience I am reminded of how we all have to cope with change in our lives. Some of those changes may have been self-initiated, leading us forward to new careers, new cities and new employers, while others may have been thrust upon us, caught us off guard, maybe even created a serious jolt to our well-ordered lives. But you've heard it before...change is the only real constant in our lives so I say, the sooner we all come to terms with it the better. Some people (me included) enjoy change. We thrive on absorbing something new, meeting new people, taking on new projects, saying goodbye to work that's no longer stimulating and drawing out our best skills. Change that's self-initiated is, to some extent under our control and we can chart the path we want to follow, even though there might be some nasty surprises we could not have anticipated. (read about that in my latest book "Living in Paradise".) But what about the change that's thrust upon us - the change that leaps out and grabs you by the ankles and threatens to roll you in the dust. That's the change that call for courage, tenacity and reserves stored from the past. Its the unanticipated shift from our well planned life that threatens and needs to be managed. I find that when I am faced with some change I find unpleasant and distasteful it's best to ponder on past changes I viewed in the same light and to reflect on whether in hindsight they were really as bad as I thought they were going to be. In most cases what I had anticipated as a negative soon became a positive - once I allowed myself time to adapt. That's when emotions surface and most often 'fear' kicks in to dominate our minds. Thoughts rush through our heads and the worries start to surface. "Will I be able to cope?" "Will the new boss appreciate my work?" "Will the new project show up my weaknesses?" "How can I get out of this?" Looking back helps. really. Trust me on this. Try this technique. I give myself a 'pep' talk when I step out of the shower in the morning. I look in the mirror and say to myself. "Hello champion of surviving and thriving on change. Look at what you have done so far. You are ready to take this on. Go get 'em gal!" When I look back at past challenges and reflect on who I am today I know that the skills and talents I bring to my clients now are because I learned much from the changes both planned and unanticipated, positive and negative, swift and long drawn out. Each change added to my character and helped me become the Management Consultant I am today - far better able to help organizations and their employees deal with changes they need to make in order to be successful. Want to read my book 'Living in Paradise'? Email me at heatherconsults@shaw.ca to get a signed copy.