206| What Is Self Awareness and Why Is It Important

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Topics/Questions discussed:

How can someone in an entry level role recognize that they might need to help their leader to become more of a coach?

What is a good way to go about changing the structure of a helpful 1:1?

What can you do if you are trying to make changes to your 1:1 structure and it’s not going well?

What other advice or guidance do you have to help someone who wants to grow?

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Key Points:

• Importance of knowing your boss's expectations, especially if aiming for growth or leadership.
• Metrics such as customer satisfaction, quality scores, attendance, and meeting punctuality can be key.
• Tailor your approach to meet your leader's priorities.
• Ask your leader what they need from you today to endorse your future growth.
• Use the Career Growth Guide (in show notes) for career roadmap and growth tips.

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Here's the link to grab the digital download for the Ultimate Career Growth Workbook

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Episode Highlights

• Networking and Personal Growth:

  • Grace shares her journey of starting to post on LinkedIn despite feeling unprepared initially.
  • Nichole emphasizes the importance of networking and supportive connections in personal and professional growth.

• Overcoming Fear and Taking Action:

  • Grace emphasizes the significance of pushing past fear by simply taking action, even if it's starting with small steps.
  • Both hosts discuss how supportive networks contribute to building confidence and making strides in their careers.

• Challenging Self-Limiting Beliefs:

  • The conversation revolves around challenging self-limiting beliefs, encouraging listeners to question why they delay their aspirations.
  • They discuss the need to challenge one's own beliefs and surround oneself with supportive people to move forward.

• Benefits of Taking Risks:

  • Grace shares her experience of stepping into roles she felt unprepared for initially and the growth that came from embracing these challenges.
  • The conversation delves into how the discomfort of uncertainty can lead to personal and professional growth.

• Transition into Leadership and Self-Reflection:

  • Grace recounts her transition from an individual contributor to a leadership role and the challenges she faced, particularly around uncertainty and self-doubt.
  • Both hosts discuss the importance of self-reflection in career progression and the necessity of balancing feedback-seeking behavior with confidence in leadership roles.

This week Nichole shares an episode where she was a guest on The Thinking Project Podcast, hosted by Dalton Jensen. 

Key Takeaways:

1. Common Leadership Pitfalls:

   • A good boss avoids deflecting blame and takes ownership of team success.
   • They actively engage in one-on-one meetings and recognize their importance for team growth.
   • Avoid making quick assumptions and judgments about team members. Encourage diverse opinions.

2. Promoting High Performers:

   • Promoting the highest-performing employees is not always the best decision. They might lack people management skills.
   • Being an excellent individual contributor does not guarantee leadership potential. Leadership requires caring about others' success.

3. Being Authentic as a Leader:

   • Leaders should avoid pretending to be someone they're not in pursuit of success.
   • It's essential to be your authentic self while still refining your leadership skills to adapt to your environment.

4. Importance of Soft Skills:

   • Developing soft skills is crucial for successful leadership. Start with self-awareness to understand your impact on others.
   • Building individual relationships and caring about team members' lives outside of work fosters trust and psychological safety.

5. The Value of Empathy:

   • Empathy is a key element of great leadership. It involves genuinely caring about your team members' success and well-being.
   • Leaders should strive to understand their team's challenges and actively support them.

Challenging Work Environments:

• It's vital for leaders to acknowledge that the environment can sometimes restrict open communication and empathy.
• Organizations should encourage leadership that promotes caring and connection within teams, even outside of the workplace.

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1: Deciding on Your Career Path

• Nichole reflects on her own experience working for a well-established company and the importance of considering long-term growth.
• Discusses her transition to a startup, which proved to be a better fit for her career goals.
• Advises listeners to think carefully about the company they work for, even in entry-level positions.

2: Learning About Leadership Roles

• Nichole shares her experience about not fully understanding what her team leader's role involved before her promotion.
• Emphasizes the importance of asking questions and gaining a clear understanding of the responsibilities of the next level of leadership.
• Mentions the significance of offering to take on tasks to support the team leader, demonstrating initiative and creating a mutually beneficial relationship.

3: Networking for Success

• Nichole discusses her early experiences with networking and the realization that she needed a more intentional approach.
• Encourages listeners to seek guidance from mentors and ask questions about the career path and skills they should be focusing on.
• Stresses the value of building meaningful relationships with the right people who can guide them towards their goals.

4: Tracking Achievements

• Nichole talks about the benefits of maintaining a work journal to track progress and achievements.
• Encourages the use of electronic tools, calendars, or handwritten notes to document accomplishments consistently.
• Shares how she believes that documenting achievements would have boosted her confidence and preparation for interviews.

5: The Role of Mentors

• Nichole expresses her wish for a more structured mentoring relationship when she was starting her leadership journey.
• Discusses the importance of having an external mentor who can provide neutral guidance and support.
• Highlights the challenge of building trust in internal relationships and the benefits of a mentor outside of the workplace.

It's not about how long you've been doing something, but when you maintain that commitment, especially when life throws you off course.

Episode Highlights

• Consistency in All Aspects of Life: Consistency is a fundamental element in your work life, home life, hobbies, passions, and relationships. It's a universal principle that applies to all areas of your life.

• The Challenge of Consistency: There are moments when maintaining consistency becomes challenging. It can feel mundane, and you might not immediately see the benefits. This is particularly true in today's instant-gratification world. However, remember that consistency pays off over time, much like going to the gym or eating healthier.

• Thinking About Your Future Self: Consider your future self and what you want to achieve. Instead of focusing solely on your career or job titles, think about how you want to interact with others, build your personal brand, and show up in various aspects of your life.

• Overcoming Confidence Issues: Transitioning into a new role can be tough, especially if you're lacking confidence. Consistency may feel harder when it's not a built-in routine or habit. It's crucial to keep putting in the effort, even when you're unsure of the outcomes.

• Nichole's Experience: Nichole shares her personal experience of taking a break from posting episodes on her podcast for a month. Life got hectic, but she realized the importance of consistency in helping others through her content. She got back on track, determined to maintain the consistency she once had.

• Setting Your Priorities: Reflect on what areas of your life you want to be more consistent in. It's easy to push things off until "later," but that can turn into weeks, months, or even years of procrastination. Think about where you want to be a year from now, not just in terms of your career but in your daily routine and consistent effort.

• Embracing Imperfection: Remember that we're all a work in progress, and it's okay not to be on top of everything all the time. Give yourself grace, especially during the holiday season.

• Saying Yes and Setting Boundaries: Think about what you want to commit to and where you need to establish boundaries. Consistency is about finding the right balance and making it work for you personally.

Conclusion

Consistency is a powerful tool that can shape your future. It's not about how long you've been doing something but when you maintain that commitment, even when it's challenging. Think about your future self and what you want to achieve, and don't be too hard on yourself. Remember, it's a journey, and we're all a work in progress.

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In this episode of the Future Female Leaders podcast, host Nichole Harrop interviews Cecily Jorgensen, a marketing professional who shares her journey of transitioning from a background in vocal performance to a successful career in marketing. Cecily highlights her professional growth, personal interests, and how her passion for leadership drives her.

Cecily began her career with aspirations of becoming a local performer but transitioned into an office job to contribute to her family's financial goals. She quickly adapted to different roles within the company, moving from an executive assistant to content marketing manager and eventually working in customer success. Her ability to excel in these roles allowed her to demonstrate her competence and led to more responsibilities.

She emphasizes the importance of learning the core responsibilities of your job quickly, which can set you apart and lead to additional opportunities. Building connections with colleagues, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and finding solutions to their pain points can help you stand out and gain their respect.

Cecily also shares her journey into office politics and how she learned to navigate it. Recognizing that not everyone has the same goals, Cecily advises others to listen to their intuition and be assertive when needed. She emphasizes that being bold and proactive has been instrumental in her professional growth.

Both Nichole and Cecily agree on the significance of fostering meaningful connections in the workplace and how these connections can enhance your experience and drive success. They encourage leaders to actively support and create environments where employee engagement and connection are valued.

Originally, Cecily had her sights set on a career in local performance. However, her family's financial goals led her to an office job. In this new environment, she quickly adapted to various roles, progressing from an executive assistant to a content marketing manager, and eventually, working in customer success. Her knack for excelling in these positions showcased her competence, opening doors to more significant responsibilities.

One key takeaway from Cecily's journey is the importance of swiftly mastering the core responsibilities of your role. This proficiency can set you apart and result in additional opportunities. Building strong connections with colleagues, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and actively finding solutions to their pain points can help you stand out and earn their respect.

Cecily also shares insights into navigating office politics. She learned to recognize that not everyone shares the same goals, emphasizing the significance of listening to your intuition and asserting yourself when necessary. Her success in the corporate world has been underpinned by her bold and proactive approach.

In summary, Cecily Jorgensen's story is an inspiring example of how someone with a background in a completely different field can successfully transition into a career in marketing and climb the corporate ladder by embracing opportunities, learning quickly, and navigating office politics with assertiveness and resilience.

The episode underscores the importance of building connections, solving problems, and recognizing your own potential for growth, regardless of your initial career aspirations. Cecily's journey serves as a reminder that, with determination and adaptability, it's possible to excel in leadership roles and make a significant impact in your chosen field.

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Check out Elizabeth Tidwell's website MyClubRed.com

1. The Power of Cycle-Aware Scheduling:Dashboard

• Nichole talks about her approach to scheduling tasks based on her menstrual cycle, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and proactive planning.
• The conversation touches on the shift from a reactive to a proactive mindset, giving control back to women.

2. Understanding Your Menstrual Seasons:

• Elizabeth introduces the concept of the Inner Seasons framework, a recent development that correlates menstrual phases with the four natural seasons.
• The Winter Phase: Menstruation - A time of hibernation and low energy, perfect for rest and introspection.
• The Spring Phase: Rising Estrogen - A period of optimism and new beginnings, ideal for initiating projects.
• The Summer Phase: Ovulation - High energy, increased sociality, and peak attractiveness, often referred to as the "Beyonce hormone."
• The Autumn Phase: Luteal Phase - A time for coziness, introspection, and preparation, offering a keen eye for detail.

3. Embracing Cycle-Aware Empowerment:

• Nichole reflects on the empowering nature of cycle awareness, highlighting her personal experiences at events.
• She discusses communicating her energy levels to others, including male colleagues, without explicitly mentioning her menstrual cycle.
• The duo explores how this awareness can influence decision-making, particularly avoiding significant life choices during the fall phase.

4. Breaking the Consistency Myth:

• The conversation revolves around how societal expectations, especially in the workplace, have led women to believe they should perform consistently like the sun or a male hormonal pattern, despite natural cyclical changes.
• Elizabeth highlights the importance of awareness in building self-compassion and understanding that it's not an individual problem but a shared experience.

5. Navigating Your Inner Autumn:

• Elizabeth sheds light on the often overlooked and misunderstood inner autumn phase of the menstrual cycle, characterized by heightened critical thinking.
• She explains that while the inner autumn is excellent at identifying problems, it struggles to find solutions. This phase often leads to extreme and impractical solutions.
• The discussion encourages embracing the inner autumn's role as a superpower for evaluation, providing valuable insights even if the delivery might be less polished.

6. Utilizing Cycle-Aware Productivity:

• Nichole and Elizabeth discuss practical ways to work with your menstrual cycle, such as shifting tasks to align with your energy levels.
• Elizabeth highlights the efficiency gained when tasks match your cycle phases, even if full scheduling around the cycle isn't always possible.
• They emphasize the importance of recognizing the bare minimum expectations at work and having open conversations with leaders about energy fluctuations.

7. Overcoming Challenges:

• Both share personal experiences of navigating the challenges of work expectations during different cycle phases, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and communication.
• The conversation stresses the value of understanding your unique cycle patterns and learning to adapt to them effectively.

In conclusion, this episode advocates for menstrual cycle awareness as a tool for self-compassion, improved productivity, and effective communication in personal and professional settings. By embracing the natural ebb and flow of their cycles, women can achieve a healthier work-life balance and contribute to more inclusive and empathetic workplaces.

Get Caitlin's book The Productivity Roadmap at www.deardreamer.com 

Join Nichole's free community for career growth here.

Top Productivity Hacks for Busy Women:

a. Knowing Your Why:

• Caitlin stresses the significance of having a purpose and a driving motivation (your "why") for being productive.
• Encourages asking questions to uncover what lights you up and keeps you motivated.

b. Creating a Life Vision:

• Caitlin explains the concept of a life vision, which is a detailed and vivid description of how you want your life to be.
• Encourages dreaming big and incorporating specific details into your vision.

c. Developing Systems:

• Caitlin emphasizes the importance of establishing systems, routines, and habits to manage tasks efficiently.
• Suggests delegating tasks and seeking help to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
• Caitlin shares examples of how she delegates tasks to others, including family members.

d. Effective Planning:

• Caitlin discusses the power of planning in boosting productivity.
• Recommends using a planner to outline daily and weekly tasks, focusing on the most important actions.
• Highlights the flexibility required in planning and adjusting as needed.

Takeaways:

• The importance of having a strong "why" and a clear life vision to drive productivity.
• The value of creating effective systems, routines, and habits to manage tasks.
• The transformative impact of planning and time management on productivity and overall well-being.

www.nicholeharrop.com