This Is Not The Career I Ordered™ Blog
Savvy Professional Career Wisdom by Caroline Dowd-Higgins
This is Not the Career I Ordered is read by thousands of careerists around the globe. With savvy tools, inspiration, and resources, this timeless book empowers you to enjoy your career, and love your life!
Thriving Women Leaders: Executive Coaching Forum for Women Leaders in Higher Ed
As a certified executive coach, I have been trained in the stakeholder centered approach for impactful leadership. How are you showing up in your organization? How do others perceive you? Are you willing to get vulnerable, embrace humility, and address your blind spots to honor a growth mindset? It’s essential to bring others into your […]
Can Every Leader Benefit from an Executive Coach?
I attended the Gallup at Work Summit and I was energized by the many sessions focused on coaching. As a certified executive coach, I work with a coach – a few in fact, who help guide me on my career and life journey. My coaches have provided a space with psychological safety and confidentiality to […]
Year End Gratitude: 3 Simple Ideas for Life and Career
To be in a place of gratitude is so good for your heart and soul. In between the eggnog, fruitcake and renditions of Auld Lang Syne, I encourage you to carve out time to appreciate and express gratitude for the people, events, and experiences that have made a difference in your life over the past […]
Give Yourself Two Minutes – Meditate Your Way to Calm
I’ll admit it…I’m a Type A personality—some might even say Type AA. I move at top speed, doing the work I love—coaching, writing, hosting, managing – however, while this boundless energy has been a blessing in my multi-tasking life, it has, at times, been the source of undue stress as well. As a career coach, […]
7 Ways to Improve Your Mood at Work
Jude Bijou, MA, MFT, is a respected psychotherapist, professional educator, and workshop leader who appeared on my show: Your Working Life this season. Her award-winning book is Attitude Reconstruction: A Blueprint for Building a Better Life. I love Jude’s tips about improving your mood at work since we all can relate to needing an attitude adjustment every […]
New on The Job? 5 Strategies to Make a Great First Impression
Changing jobs can be a welcome and exciting transition, but it can be a stressful time as well. A year ago, I had the opportunity to step into a newly created position – becoming Director of Professional Enrichment for the Indiana University Alumni Association – experiencing, once again, what it’s like to be “the new […]
7 Tips To You Put Your Best Speech Forward in Your Career
Over the years, a number of my coaching clients have expressed a desire to improve their public speaking abilities – especially if they’re being called upon to make presentations at work. For many, speaking in front of a live audience is a daunting proposition. Some clients have admitted to feeling like “a deer in the […]
In Praise of the Walking Meeting
I always appreciate a well-run meeting, and, these days, many of the meetings I attend are not only well run, but well-walked too. I’ve recently become a devotee of walking meetings, and I join an ever-growing contingent dedicated to getting up and out of the office to meet on-the-move. Feet First, a website that promotes […]
Got The Sunday Night Career Blues?
The way we feel about our job at any given time can vary depending on a wide array of factors: how a particular project is going; technical issues; how well staff is performing; etc. However, when you have a chronic case of the Sunday Night Blues – dreading the return to work each Monday – […]
Confidence, Courage, and Failure – A Formula for Career Success!
Recently, I spoke at the Indiana Governor’s Conference for Women. It was a day brimming with professional development to empower women to lead and take control of their careers and lives. Confidence was a key theme throughout the day accentuated by the luncheon keynoters Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, co-authors of the best selling book: The […]
10 Ways to Overcome the Career Imposter Syndrome
Joyce Roché has been a trailblazer in the corporate world for 25 years, as Avon’s first African American female vice president; COO of Carson Products Company, now part of L’Oreal; former CEO of the national nonprofit Girls Inc.; and a board member on five Fortune 500 companies. Her book about overcoming impostor syndrome is The […]
Present Ideas to Your Boss With Confidence
Pitching a new idea to your boss does not have to be daunting or intimidating. Some practical tips from eHow magazine will help you on your way and give you the confidence and courage to share your ideas with conviction. Gather information that supports your idea. Find statistics that show the potential success of your […]
The Art of Failure and Why It’s Good for You
Years ago I was in an interview for a big freelance opportunity and my almost future boss asked me – “What was your biggest professional failure?” The question really freaked me out since I did not want to expose my vulnerable side or my true weaknesses. I was trying to land the job and show […]
How to Gain Trust With Your Colleagues
Building and maintaining trust in the workplace is vital to a healthy environment where colleagues feel valued and respected. Attempting to build trust amongst employees has become a major challenge for many organizations and lack of trust often leads to disgruntled colleagues and frequent turn over. Lisa Carver from Associated Content shared these practical tips […]
