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!
Approach Work Conflict with a Coaching Mindset
Most of us have experienced an uncomfortable situation at work with a colleague that resulted in a conflict, heightened emotions, or ideological differences. While some conflict averse individuals use avoidance to sweep problems under the rug, that technique does not solve the issue and often results in festering and rumination that can be emotionally debilitating. […]
Should We Fist Bump, Bow, or Shake Hands?
After the long pandemic hiatus from in-person gatherings, I recently attended a few professional events with people in attendance at large venues. It was delightful to see colleagues face-to-face whom I had only communicated with via Zoom after almost 2 years. Some people I met in-person for the very first time since our entire professional […]
Delegation is a Must for Effective Leaders
Are you are buried at work, putting in long hours with no end in sight? Chances are you are not working effectively as a leader because you have failed to delegate tasks that your team members are hungry to get a piece of. The Harvard Business Review posted a blog in July about the power […]
Four Simple Tools for Success
So many people ask me about the magic bullet for job search or career growth success. If it were that simple we’d be at 0% unemployment and everyone would be incredibly satisfied with their careers. The good news is that the keys to success are very simple concepts that anyone can apply if they accept […]
Has the Wind Been Knocked Out of You From a Job Loss?
Losing a job can be an emotionally debilitating experience and a severe blow to the ego. For some, it’s like having the wind knocked out of you when the loss was completely unexpected. In this economy downsizing, budget cuts, and reduction in force are common so more people than ever have experienced a job loss. […]
Build Relationships – Get Promoted
Charlotte Beers stressed the importance of professional relationship building and maintenance in her keynote at the Invent Your Future Conference for women which I spoke at last month. Quite often people think promotion and career growth predictors are based on competence, intelligence, or even exceptional strategy or visioning within an organization. While these can play […]
Lose the Obnoxious Roommate in Your Head
I read a piece about Arianna Huffington recently where she discussed how women have to redefine success and power. Think about it – Arianna turned a blog into a multi-million dollar media empire in only a few short years. Some thought her idea would never stick and she herself admits to many career hurdles throughout […]
I’d Rather Be in Charge
This blog title resonates so clearly for many of us and happens to be the title of Charlotte Beers’ new book. Former Chairman and CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide. Charlotte was a keynote speaker at the first annual Midwest Invent Your Future Women’s Conference last month. Wicked smart, full of moxie, and extraordinary life […]
Invent Your Future Women Rocked Indianapolis
It was the brainchild of my friend and mentor, Deborah Collins Stephens and it took 3 years from our first Starbucks meeting to produce the first ever Midwest Invent Your Future Conference for Women on June 19, 2012 in Indianapolis. Mounting an all-day professional conference for women was a herculean task that kept a steering […]
Cummins Recognized as a Top Place to Work
I fully believe in the career development principle that when you find an organization that honors your professional values you will be gratified on the job. Cummins, a global company widely regarded for their rapidly growing innovation has just been recognized as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in IT in 2012 by […]
How to Navigate Your Way Abroad
In my musical career I traveled and worked abroad quite a bit and I was forever grateful to the locals who helped me learn the social norms and etiquette nuances of each region. From the British women who taught me how important it was to honor “tea time” to the German gentleman who in no […]
Harness The Power of Leadership Language
The language you use determines the respect, credibility, and power you command in the workplace. Influence expert, Karen Keller, PhD shares valuable wisdom about how women unknowingly use language that undermines their power and she provides solutions about how to change these habits for the better. According to Dr. Keller, women need to make a […]
