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Listen to your intuition
Your own intuition: your best career coach
Learn more about coaching
yourself or coaching
others with intuition.
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Recently someone asked me, "What coaching tools do you
use?"
"Tools?" I asked, bewildered. "I avoid tests
and assessments."
"No," she explained. "Listening skills?"
Well, I suppose I listen -- but I mostly listen to my own
intuition.
Since I derive most of my life lessons from reading murder
mysteries, I am reminded of a recent book by Marcia Muller:
Listen to the silence. The heroine, Sharon McCone, turns her
prodigious investigative talent to researching her own background.
As she interviews family members, her significant other, also
a heavy-duty detective, says, "Listen to the silence."
He meant, "When someone answers a question, don't just
listen to what's said. Listen for the pauses, the silences
in what they say."
As I listen to clients, I've decided that we need to listen
to the messages sent by our bodies, our friends and family,
and what some would call "the universe" -- our environment.
As business people, we need to listen to our customers. We
need to listen with great skepticism to advice.
While this idea may seem a little woo-wooish, here's an example.
A self-proclaimed marketing guru visited my site recently.
"You need help, desperately," she said. "What's
that picture on top of each page? Get rid of it!"
I didn't listen. I chose to listen to customers who write
almost every day, saying, "I love your site," and,
"Great picture of a highway."
One day I applied for an affiliate program with a noted web
designer -- someone who's often chosen to serve as a judge
for web awards and contests.
"Interesting site," she said.
"Gee," I said, "everybody loves my site except
designers and marketers."
"Ignore them," she said. "Your site's just
fine. I should know."
This validation (vindication?) is rare, but reminded me that
the best support systems encourage us to listen to our own
world -- not their words. If you're researching a new career,
and you get only negative messages, you need to pay attention.
Considering a move to a new location and find yourself feeling
like, "I don't belong here?" Going to a big job
interview and feeling that everything you say is coming out
all wrong? Well, there's a reason.
There are only a few times to heed well-meaning advice. When
Tony Soprano says, "This game isn't for you," pay
attention. When the police officer says, "Slow it down,"
that's a good idea too. But most of the time, listen for subtle
messages from whatever crosses your path.
That's your
own intuitive code. And don't let any words get in the
way of the real message.
| Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. is an author, career coach, and
speaker. She works with mid-career professionals who want to make a fast
move to career freedom. Visit her site http://www.movinglady.com
or call 505-534-4294. |
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