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One Simple Way To Align With The 26% of Engaged Workers In The US

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

By now you may have heard that there was a recent Gallup study that revealed that more than 70% of workers are disengaged in US companies.  Amazing – right?  But if you work in America, you may not find it surprising at all.  In fact, you might even relate.

The report shows that feedback, recognition and friendship are among the drivers that can help employees engage.  Is it any surprise that what these 3 things have in common is  they provide possible “evidence” that our unique contributions have a positive impact for others.  Of course feedback may include the negatives as well as the positives, but more and more evidence is tilting the scales in favor of focus on strengths vs. weaknesses – and employers are responding to this perspective.

You can read the full report here.

As a former head of HR and an HR professional for 20 years I have noticed for years that a commonality among engaged, valued employees is that they have a internal sense of confidence that what they offer to others has a positive impact.  Beyond a confidence of what they can do, they also have an innate interest in giving their best to others – no matter what they are up against, with or without a dangling “carrot” promising a company reward.

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Want to feel more well-rested? Spend more time awake!

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

When I decided to write a book I was really confused about what I could do to prepare for this creative process to happen.

Although I have written lots of content, training programs, policies, letters, processes – blah, blah, blah… writing a book was definitely something different.  I felt that I needed to create a space for “creativity” to flow through me.  I am much more used to welcoming “analysis” to come through me.

I decided I would invite meditation into my life to quiet my mind in a way that would allow for inspiration and messages to come through me.  I knew that meditation was a process that would have to evolve organically for me – I could never pressure myself into a process of quieting my mind – not easy for me!  So I decided that I was going to allow my meditation process to unfold in its own way.

I knew that in making a big decision – like to write a book – I would needed to examine the incongruencies I had in my life – the kind that would work counter-productively to writing a book.  Of course, there would be habits I could give up in order to make the book happen more easily.  For one thing, I committed to giving up my love for completing one thing before starting another.  

I did this to allow inspirational disruptions throughout my day which I would stop what I was doing to capture any thoughts that came to me – I would record messages on my phone while shampoo was in my hair, I would pull the car over to write things down on a napkin or piece of paper – whatever it took.  I decided that the book was really about what I would get from these moments of inspiration vs. a message that I wanted to get out there.  I would allow what I want to say to be shared in my blog series and what I got from my meditations and inspiration received during daily mundane events in life to be shared in my book.

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A lot can change in a matter of days if you know what you want

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

Late last year I made a decision that I was going to write a book.  At the time, I was writing 2 things – 1 was my group Success Readiness Bootcamp TM and Workbook for Students (and another track for Adults) and the other was Powerful Connections Made Easy TM – a tele-training course and workbook that will be released later this year.

The Bootcamp I wrote on my own and the Powerful Connections Made Easy tele-training course and workbook was co-authored with a partner Aprille Trupiano, International Expert on Leadership, who is in St. Louis, MO.  

I completed the first draft of both by Christmas of 2011 (with just enough time to pull a holiday together for my 2 young children).  As soon as I put my first drafts of both projects to rest, I blinked my eyes and found the holidays were over and I was about 10 pounds heavier.

Writing can be lonely business – good thing I like to be alone!  But when I work I go into a trance-like state and don’t come up for air (or obviously exercise – thus the 10 pound gain!), until I feel that my message is out and that the work to make it understandable is done.  I did this about 3 nano-seconds before Christmas and I was so happy – I felt such a sense of accomplishment and I was looking forward to running with my two new “babies” in January (I haven’t lost all the “baby weight” just yet – but I am a better and wiser woman because of it  ;-).

So you can imagine how surprised I was when in the final days of 2011 the notion hit me to write a book.  My keypad wasn’t even cold yet!

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Balance, balance, balance – “Blend” your values

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

I recently figured out a way to “blend” two of my values.  This was inspired by my life long quest for balance.  If you are like me, you too cram too many things into a 16 hour window each day (sometimes for me it’s a 20 hour window).  But if you also value sleep like I do (man, oh, man – I do like my sleep!), then you must get creative about how you accomplish all the things that matter to you – so I seek to “blend”.  What do I mean by “blending” my values?  Let me share with you a recent real-life success story about blending my values…

Well – I have (as you do too), values in my life – things that I hold near and dear to my heart and/or purpose on this planet.

One of those things is being a Mom.  My value statement for being a Mom is:

“When my life is ideal, I am a loving, kind Mother who serves my children like they are a priority and matter at set times of the day and when they call upon me for assistance no matter what else is going on at the time or regardless of how I might feel.  This or something better!  I make choices that favor my values.”

One of my other values is leading a healthy lifestyle – that includes exercising.

Many of you know, especially if you are parents of younger children, that it can be challenging for these two values to co-exist harmoniously.

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Share your commitment to learning on job interviews.

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

A great follow-up for our previous blog “Why education matters”.  Being able to authentically share your interest and desire to keep learning matters on job interviews.  Check out this article from Harvard Business Review

http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2011/03/where-will-you-be-in-five-year.html

Want conviction? Profoundly help others

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

Welcome to our 4th and final week  continuing on our topic of  “4 key distinctions that matter for finding career happiness.”

Let’s recap.  There are 4 things I want you to master in order to fully manifest the 3 C’s of career happiness (clarity, confidence and conviction).  Our first distinction was get comfortable making choices, our second was get courageous and our third was get committed to on-going education.  Remember, you are never really “out of school” – formal education and training should never stop.  Hopefully you selected a career and industry that are good matches for your abilities and interests so regular doses of  the latest information and the opportunity to connect with your peers should be nourishing to your soul – if they aren’t – HELLO – you may be in the wrong job/field (call us immediately before reading any further so you can get the help you need to find a career that excites you).

Last week we talked about needing to demonstrate your affiliation to OTHERS in your profession.  I shared that affiliation matters and one of the best way to show that you have the opportunity to be socially connected to your professional network is through pursuing continuing education (plus it helps you stay on top of the latest knowledge and developments in your field).

Going after continuing education and training is where you FIND your career and industry affiliations – the top talent in your field – the “who’s who” that YOU WANT TO BE CONNECTED to.  But how do you turn the illusion of being connected to these folks (it’s really just an illusion because your just hanging out in the same places they hang out), into a reality?

Welcome to the 4th distinction – PROFOUNDLY HELP OTHERS.

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Why courage matters for finding career happiness

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

Welcome to week 2 – continuing on our topic of “4 key distinctions that matter for finding career happiness”.  Of course, these are key only after you obtain the ‘3C’s’ – clarity, confidence and conviction.

Clarity – UNDERSTAND what your natural talents and abilities are, where they are needed, why they are needed, and why you encountered past successes and obstacles.

Confidence – OWN YOUR CHOICE to use your natural talents and abilities or to cultivate new talents and abilities with or without concerted effort.

Conviction – ACT CONTINUOUSLY to pursue roles that utilize your natural talents and abilities and communicate your aspirations in a manner that earns respect.

Our first distinction was getting comfortable making choices.  Did you clarify what your relationship to the concept “choices” is for you?  Making choices and accepting your choices is a key distinction to be in touch with – it can lead to a significant breakthrough that may enable you to find happiness in a career choice.  Getting clear about a career path (both short-term and long-term planning), can ease “choice discomfort” .

This week we explore why courage (feeling afraid but moving forward anyway), matters and how to get courageous.

Do you have the courage to make changes from time to time in your career?  We all know when we have overstayed our welcome when we are a guest – the same holds true for jobs and careers.

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Career Choice is a Process…It doesn’t happen overnight

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

Many of us may have thought (or still think) – “if I could just find my calling”.  Wouldn’t that be nice??  One day (ideally before we invest in education or training beyond high school), we get a phone call from the universe and a sweet voice whispers to us the ideal, attainable career.  The one that makes us happy, contributes to others, earns us great money, and allows us all the free time we desire.  As we all know, it just doesn’t work that way for most of us.  Plus – we are deceived by thinking there is that one great job and we just need to figure out what it is.  The truth is there are many great jobs and careers for each of us.  The way you discover your potential career journey is by obtaining the “3 C’s” – Clarity, Confidence and Conviction.

Clarity – Is understanding – what your natural talents and abilities are, where they are needed, why they are needed, and why you encountered past successes and obstacles.

It all begins with understanding yourself first.  Highly successful people know what they do best, find ways to incorporate what they do best into their life and careers, and keep on learning.  It’s a continuous journey.

Confidence – Is owning – your choice to use your natural talents and abilities or to cultivate new talents and abilities with or without concerted effort.

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Astrology by Edgar Cayce

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

“Astrology is a fact, in most instances. But astrological aspects are but signs, symbols. No influence is of greater value or of greater help than the will of an individual … Do not attempt to be guided by, but use the astrological influences as the means to meet or to overcome the faults and failures, or to minimize the faults and to magnify the virtues in self.” – Edgar Cayce

Why I would wear a scarf in hot weather

By Gina Calvano | Leave a Comment

I will be attending the Shine conference in Las Vegas, NV this November so I decided I wanted something indigo to wear to the event.  My journey took me into the scarf section of a well known department store and there I notice a salesperson working nearby helping others on their fashion journey and straightening merchandise.  There were also about 5 other people in the small section buying much more fun, fashion trendy scarves and belts.  

I approached a table that had about 100 cashmere scarves in every color you can imagine and there I found it – the perfect color indigo.  I pull it out of about 10 other shades of blue and try it on.  The salesperson immediately comes over to me and comments that this color is perfect for me – I didn’t see it that way but it was nice to hear.  “Oh, you think…” I politely replied and she said “the second you put it on I just felt there was something about it that was right for you – like you were meant for that color”.  Wow, I thought, either the salesperson is definitely in the right profession or I guess I am supposed to have this scarf even though I did not want to pay $100 for a scarf even if it was the perfect color.  

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