Lately, I've been hearing heard a common theme among many of the senior leaders I coach. They are tired, frustrated, overwhelmed, and overworked. Maybe it’s the time of year, but many of these leaders feel they have little control over how they spend and manage their time since they are regularly responding to “urgent requests” from their executive leadership team.
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And, more often than not, these requests are not something they can delegate to their direct reports. As you may be able to understand, they are in fire-fighting mode more often than they want (or need) to be.
So, what can you do to stop the feeling of overwhelm, which leads to the tiredness and frustration? Do you stand up to your boss?
How To Respectfully Stand Up To Your Boss
There are two things you can do to alleviate this situation. First, you must prioritize. Clearly, there are only 24 hours in a day, so you have to be the leader who knows what the priorities are and decide what truly is urgent and what can wait for another time.
Chances are you effectively prioritize for your team, so why not do this for yourself as well. Yes, I know… your boss called and has a new urgent priority that now sits with the four other urgent tasks you were already working on, right? Not everything can be top priority urgent and something must fall below the most urgent of all the urgent priorities.
As the leader you must decide what must shift to make time for the new priority so everything can be done in a quality manner. This often means you need to pushback, which is the second thing you can do to alleviate the sense of overwhelm.
Yes, I said you must pushback on your boss (or whomever is handing out the urgent requests). I know that pushing back on someone at a higher level is not always an easy thing to do. It’s not always easy to confront your boss (or anyone at a higher level than you) when they assign you additional work or a new project; however, continuous urgent requests not only impact your ability to get work completed but also complete it in a quality fashion. So pushing back is often a necessity.
There are three things that you can do to effectively push back on your boss (or whomever is continuing to add urgent tasks to your list).
Choose Your Approach Based On The Person
Are they data-driven? Getting excessive pressures from their leadership? Dealing with their individual set of unrealistic requests? Knowing these things will help you know the best way to approach them.
Next, Use This Knowledge When You Approach Them
For example, if your boss loves data, present him or her with data that supports your need to challenge what he or she is requesting. At the same time, if they are getting excessive pressures from their leadership, present an alternative solution.
For example, perhaps your boss has given you the urgent task of investigating a customer issue. The time it will take for you or your team to handle this will remove resources from another strategic priority your team is working. While you share data that reinforces your limited resources, you can also present an alternative shift in your teams priorities that supports the latest request from your boss, or, ask your boss if the latest request can wait, based on the other urgent priorities your team is working.
The idea is to continue to show support for what your boss needs while at the same time remaining true to what you and your team can realistically accomplish.
Finally, Get Their Perspective While Holding Your Ground
After you present the facts to your boss, allow him or her to share their viewpoint on what you've presented. Often times it will take you pushing back a few times before they are able to see your perspective. Remember, they are also dealing with their own feelings of overwhelm so their initial reaction to your confrontation may simply be an acknowledgement but not a shift in the request. That’s why it’s important for you to hold your ground.
If you don’t and continue to take on more and more, eventually something will give and slip through the cracks. Too many times, it’s you and your own physical or emotional health that suffers because you didn't pull in the reigns. As great a leader as you are, you are not supernatural (and neither is your boss).
Keep things in perspective and remember that success does not happen if you are buried under a pile of folders feeling exhausted, frustrated, and overwhelmed. Prioritize and push back to prevent this situation. By consistently doing this, eventually you begin to see your way out from beneath that never-ending list of urgent priorities.
This month’s development tip: Review the current “urgent priorities” on your “to do” list. Is this a manageable/doable list? If not, take the suggestions above and begin prioritizing and pushing back so you can regain control over your time and tasks.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
Are you terrified of screwing up a job interview? Does the thought of writing a cover letter horrify you? Are you scared to network with others? What do you even say, anyway? If you're struggling to overcome your job search fears, this live event is for you.
We get it. Looking for work can be scary, especially if you’ve been at it for a long time and haven’t gotten any results.
Understanding which fears are getting in the way and how to overcome them will make all the difference. Sometimes you might not be aware of which obstacle is getting in the way of your goals. If you want to overcome these fears once and for all, we invite you to join us!
In this training, you’ll learn how to:
Utilize strategies for coping with your job search fears
Be confident in your job search—from writing your resume to networking
Face your fears and move forward
Join our CEO, J.T. O'Donnell, and Director of Training Development & Coaching, Christina Burgio, for this live event on Wednesday, October 5th at 12 pm ET.
CAN'T ATTEND LIVE? That's okay. You'll have access to the recording and the workbook after the session!
True or false? Recruiters don't read cover letters.
Most people may think this is true, but guess what? They're wrong!
Recruiters do, in fact, read the good cover letters.
So, what does that tell us? If most people don't hear back from recruiters, and recruiters only read good cover letters, that means a majority of cover letters aren't written well and, therefore, don't stand out to them.
That may be hard to hear, but it's the truth.
CRITICAL Cover Letter Mistakes
Often, there's WAY too much "blah, blah, blah" and "brag, brag, brag" going on in a cover letter. If you write a cover letter that only focuses on how great you are, recruiters are going to toss it.
Why? Because it's exactly like all the other cover letters they've read.
Think about it. Why should they think you're incredible when they've read hundreds of other cover letters saying other people are incredible, too?
If you want to stand out in the hiring process, you MUST have an attention-grabbing cover letter. This an important tool to have, and one that shouldn't be glossed over. In some cases, your cover letter can hold more power than your resume. That's huge, right?
Getting Personal On Your Cover Letter
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Because the cover letter holds so much power, you need to know how to write one that stands out from the rest. One way to do that is to show a personal connection with the employer.
So, how exactly do you do that?
You can explain how you learned that what they do is special. Showing them that you personally connect with their brand will make you memorable.
Another thing you can do is tell them what it was like the first time you used their product or service. That also shows recruiters that you understand the company and that you believe in what they do.
Lastly, you can tell them about an overall life experience that helps you feel connected to their tribe. This shows that your values and beliefs align with theirs.
The big fact here is that the more personal the cover letter, the better! When you have a cover letter that really has recruiters at "hello," you know you have their heart AND their mind engaged.
Creating That Crucial Connection
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The reason you want to get personal in your cover letter is because you want to create an emotional connection with a recruiter. Once you establish that connection, you're not just a piece of paper anymore.
This is what we at Work It Daily call a disruptive cover letter. Why? Because it disrupts the reader and gets them to snap out of autopilot mode and really think about who you are as a candidate.
The First Step When Writing A Disruptive Cover Letter
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The first thing you need to do is watch a quick video tutorial on how to write this kind of cover letter. You're going to want to see specific examples so that you know how you should be writing them.
Step 2: Fill Out A Simple Template
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You'll have a template that tells you where the beginning, middle, and end of your cover letter are, and what content should be where. This gives you a great foundation for how to fill out a cover letter properly.
Step 3: Submit That Cover Letter For Review
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Once you're done with your amazing cover letter, have someone review it.
It's always good to have a second set of eyes on this, especially someone who understands cover letters, recruiters, and the hiring process. This person should be checking grammar, spelling, etc.
So, when all is said and done, how long should it take you to craft a disruptive cover letter? The average time is between one and two hours. That may seem like a lot of time, but think of it this way: once you've built a cover letter you know will grab a recruiter's attention, you'll be able to use that cover letter format for other job opportunities. You'll just have to tweak the content in your disruptive cover letter here and there to match the company and job you're applying to.
Does The Disruptive Cover Letter REALLY Work?
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Here at Work It Daily, we know these disruptive cover letters work. We've seen hundreds of our clients write KILLER cover letters and get calls for their dream jobs!
So, wouldn't learning how to write your own disruptive cover letter be good for your career? If so, how much would it be worth?
All of us at Work It Daily personally believe that it's priceless.
Owning your career change or job search process is a powerful thing, and we believe you can take control of that process and do incredible things.
Need more help writing a disruptive cover letter recruiters will love?
Let's face it: job search can be challenging, and staying motivated during a frustrating job search can seem impossible sometimes. However, it's critical that you stay positive. Otherwise, you risk falling into a downward spiral, which will only make things worse.
So, how can you get past your job search struggles?
Here are some tips for staying motivated during a frustrating job search:
1. Find Things You Can Get Excited About
What gets you excited? Think about your hobbies and interests. What do you do for fun in your life? Make sure you dedicate at least one day a week to doing what you love. This will help you get your mind off of the negative and focus on the things you enjoy.
Looking for a job shouldn't take up all of your time. By customizing your resume for each position you apply for and writing disruptive cover letters, you won't need to spend hours a day sending your job applications to a dozen different employers. Two or three will do.
For a strategic job search, quality is always better than quantity. It also means you'll stay motivated, won't get burnt out, and still have time to do the things you love to do. Balance is key!
2. Surround Yourself With People Who Inspire You
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When you're feeling down in the dumps, it's important to surround yourself with positivity. Make an effort to meet up with positive influences in your life—your family, friends, significant other, and mentors. These people will help you stay on track.
Also, surround yourself with your "virtual mentors," people who inspire you from afar. Whether they're celebrities, successful business people, or authors, keep them "nearby." Read their books or showcase their inspirational quotes. A little inspiration can go a long way.
3. Help Others
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Helping makes us feel good! If you're feeling bad about yourself, see how you can help someone else. Volunteer. Pay it forward. Give back somehow. This will recharge you and get you in a good mood.
Another way to help others is to provide value to your professional network, whether on LinkedIn or in person. Share articles, videos, or podcasts you find inspirational, informative, and insightful. Offer to help your connections in any way you can. Chances are, they will be more than happy to return the favor, and may refer you to an open position at their company.
Never help anyone with the expectation of receiving something in return, though! If helping others keeps you motivated and makes you feel grateful for what you do have, don't stop doing it while looking for a job.
4. Get Some Exercise
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You've got to expel that negative energy! Make sure you take time to exercise daily. Take a walk. Go for a run. Do yoga. Lift weights. Just get GOING! Exercising equal endorphins and endorphins make you happy.
Not having structure can make your life seem unstable. Create a plan for your week on Sunday nights. Have a schedule and stick to it. If you like to-do lists, write one of those too.
You'll feel accomplished at the end of the week when you look back and see everything you got done while making time for yourself and prioritizing your career as well as your physical and mental well-being.
Staying motivated during a frustrating job search isn't easy. We hope these tips will help you find the motivation to not only land your next job but also improve your career.
When everything feels overwhelming, just remember to work it daily! Small, consistent actions can make a big difference. Good luck out there.
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