Category: Business

Be careful who you send your resume to!

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Building Relationships, Business Ethics, Business networking, Career coaching, International Business, LinkedIn, New Business Development, Online Networking, Online Security, Professional Networking, Social media networking

 

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Anne-Maria Yritys 2017. All rights reserved.

I recently received an e-mail from a New York-based executive search firm with a note that they received my details by an outside talent source firm, stating that they are looking to fill C-level positions for one of their client´s recent acquisitions, and if I possibly would be interested in learning more. 

Since the e-mail was sent to one of my many e-mail addresses, and not my primary e-mail, it took me a week before I even noticed it. Instead of sending them my resume and based upon my earlier experiences, I sent a response by e-mail asking them if they could give me details about the talent sourcing firm that had referred me, who their client is, and where these roles would geographically be located. Within only a few hours they got back to me, per e-mail, stating that they cannot give any details about their client until a non disclosure agreement has been signed.
As a response, I sent them the links to my website, my LinkedIn and Twitter profiles with a brief note that they can find my resume there. I have grown aware of recruiting firms and headhunters collecting people´s CV´s and resumes, many of whom lack the effort of doing their job well, i.e. fail in ever getting back to their customer/s. Be really careful/selective about who you send your CV/resume/other personal data to, since many recruitment firms seem only to be interested in gathering people´s personal data rather than actually having a purpose of really filling out a position. Which is why I am, these days, extremely selective about sending out my CV/resume to anyone, if at all!
I know loads of professionals in the headhunting/recruitment industry and have inside information. With the professional networks that I have online, I could even start my own headhunting/recruiting firm but quite honestly, I have seen too much in order to be willing to do so.
In Finland, most jobs get filled either through sourcing internal candidates or by other means, rather than through online/offline announcements. Most of the work announcements online and offline have mainly a purpose of serving the recruitment firm as an advertisement. In Finland, the vast majority of all roles are filled in other ways than sourcing candidates through job announcements. In Finland there is also a legislation that says that recruitment firms cannot keep applicants data for no more than six months in their data bank, but who checks this?
Moreover, referring to the New York-based executive search firm that approached me, I have gathered many experiences in dealing with professionals from around the world, including New York. Many of those that I have dealt with from New York seem to use an elbow tactic, so if you ever deal with them in business, make sure that THEY first deliver their part of the possible deal, before doing anything for them.
Further on, in 2015, I was contacted by a NY based recruitment industry startup on LinkedIn. They basically had an expectation of me to a) make PR for them for free b) find a way of transferring my LinkedIn data (the professional details of 30.000 individuals) to their database, sending me a non disclosure contract trying to offer me WARRANTS as a payment. I was smart enough to consult an international lawyer at that stage. Shortly after having installed their software on my computer, it broke down. I still have no idea why, but I suspect it happened due to their software. I never found out, just brought my broken laptop to recycling and bought a new one. I also blocked these people from my personal online networks. Whether they installed a virus/malware through their software on my computer is still unclear to me.
Be really careful about what you do online, and who you trust. It is not paranoia to use common sense in business. I have personally learned some very valuable lessons through my online business activities.
Anne-Maria Yritys 2017. All rights reserved.

Online Navigation and Creating an Online Strategy

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, Digital Marketing, Online Strategy, Uncategorized

“Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time”.

(George Bernard Shaw)

As an avid user of online services and of certain social media sites I have learned a few things about online navigation. 

I have written a few times about how to save precious time and energy, and how not to get stuck within the online world. Believe me, I am writing from experience, and learning from it, every single day. 

Let´s get straight to the point, just to save your time and energy: 

Create yourself/your brand/your firm a clear social media/online strategy. This includes at least a definition and response to the following questions: 

– Who am I representing? Am I representing myself? How am I representing myself? As an entrepreneur, or as an employee? Or am I representing a brand/company/startup? 

– What am I representing? Am I representing myself, and my services? Or am I representing someone else´s service/s and/or product/s?

– Which social media sites will I use, and why? It is very important to choose the correct media in order to save time and money. You won´t want to waste time, money, or energy on sites that are useless to you. One option is of course to create your own social media platform, and as I have noticed, new social media platforms are being created every day, in almost every single corner of the world.

– How much time/effort am I willing to spend for these social media sites? How much time can I afford to spend online?

– Do I need to do everything on my own, or will I hire someone (a social media company or an entrepreneur) to do it for me/for my company?

– What is my target market/customer segment? Why? 

– What is the best way to approach the target segment/the target customer? 

– What are my core competencies? How do I differentiate myself/my firm from others? 

– How do I measure the efficiency of my/my company´s online presence? Do I/the company need to invest time/money in some other kind of advertising, or is digital presence enough?

This is an insight into the online world, where new jobs, trends, sites, and markets are constantly emerging. It can be somewhat overwhelming, which is another reason for organizing yourself online, defining the amount of time you are willing to spend online, and the most important: being selective regarding your online presence. 

“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results”.

(Winston Churchill)

How Do You Know where Your Limits are?

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, Digital Marketing, Leadership, Life Coaching, Online Strategy

Have you ever thought that it does not matter if you try, since one person cannot make a difference in society (or in anything)? At some stage in our life we probably all do, hesitating, and wondering if continuing with our efforts is worthwhile. Admit it. The difference here, in becoming really successful, is to believe, and never to give up on our dreams, whatever comes our way, and no matter how big the obstacles sometimes may seem. After all, frictions and hardships usually are a sign of us doing something correct. 

“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them”.
(Bruce Lee)

Do you know where your limits are? Have you ever challenged yourself into pushing those limits further? Do you have any limits at all? Or do you always give up, listening to that voice inside your head whispering “oh no, don´t do it – you´ll never make it anyway, it is not worth giving a try”. 

The next time you have an inner or outer conflict – try to calm down, be objective, and analyze where that feeling comes from. Yes, feeling. 

We have only one sense, the sense of feeling. All other senses are different forms of the same sense: to see, hear, touch, smell or taste IS to feel. Therefore, all senses lead to feeling. 

Our basic feelings are: 

-Complacency/pleasure

-Fear

-Anger

-Disgust

-Sorrow

-Astonishment 

(Kymäläinen, M. University of Tampere. 9.9.2014).
 

It is all right to have different kinds of feelings, and the easiest way of coping with them is to accept them as a part of our everyday lives. How we handle our feelings is another thing, and it does make a difference whether we focus more on the positive, or the negative ones. 

As the old Cherokee legend where a grandfather teaches his grandson an important life lesson says:

“The grandfather explains to the young boy about the battle we all have going on inside of us.

Grandfather: “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ that live inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ‘Which wolf wins?’

The old Cherokee replied simply, “The one you feed.”

I found an interesting article about this in The Huffington Post (Andrea Wachter: “Which Wolf are You Feeding?” Quoted 10.9.2014). You may want to read it. 

Every single day I get inspired by many different people, acquaintances, friends, or complete strangers. 

Planning my first official half marathon, I have been reading articles and sites about running, and came across a site about ultra runners. Ultra runs are all runs that are longer than a marathon (42,195 km), the shortest of which is 30 miles (48,280 km). The longest ultra runs can be thousands of kilometers and last for several months.

A Norwegian ultra runner, Mensen Ernst (1795-1843), earned his living by running across the world from one city to another, sometimes betting about the time, and other times delivering letters. He was a celebrity known as the “King of Running”.

His first long run was 116 km, from London to Portsmouth, in nine hours, where after he became even more famous by running 240 km from London to Liverpool in 32 hours. He became such a well-known runner that even kings paid to just in order to see him running. In 1832, he ran from Paris to Moscow, 2.500 km in 14 days, running 178 km per day.

What is the lesson behind this story?

That we all should become ultra runners?

Of course not. 

This story, along with the story about the two wolves, is just to remind us about how we can make a difference in our own lives, and even in whole societies, with the right attitude and by being passionate about what we do. 

What is your dream? What are you passionate about?

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the start to change the world”. 

(Harriet Tubman)

What Makes Someone Successful?

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, Digital Marketing, Leadership, Life Coaching, Online Strategy, Thought Leadership

People sometimes ask me about the secret behind my success. Me? Successful? Wow, thank you for your confidence. I bet we all have admirers, people who respect and value what we do, and some people who would like to be like us. Many of us love inspirational quotes, sayings that have a positive impact upon our thoughts. Here are some of my favorite quotes about success: 

“Success comes to those who dedicate everything to their passion in life. To be successful, it is also very important to be humble and never let fame or money travel to your head”.

(A.R. Rahman)

“Success is not a destination, but the road that you’re on. Being successful means that you’re working hard and walking your walk every day. You can only live your dream by working hard towards it. That’s living your dream”.

(Marlon Wayans)

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will”.

(Vince Lombardi)

Further on, Elite Daily has listed 10 traits of extremely successful people (as follows): 

– Successful people work very hard

– Successful people are very curious, and always eager to learn

– Successful people network

– Successful people always work on themselves

– Successful people are extraordinarily creative

– Successful people are self-reliant and take responsibility 

– Successful people are relaxed and keep their perspective

– Successful people live in the present moment

– Successful people respond instantly

– Successful people never quit 

(EliteDaily.com. The 10 Traits of Extremely Successful People. Quoted 8.9.2014).

From my perspective, success is ALWAYS a personal experience. When you focus on your own thing, and doing what feels right to you, you will feel a whole lot more successful than following in someone else´s footsteps. Believe me, find your life purpose, and follow your passion, and you will feel successful. 

Why is it so important to listen to your inner guidance? 

When you listen to your inner voice, intuition, instead of focusing on external issues in order to just have a lot of “bling, bling” in your life, you will feel grateful instead of empty. 

There is no one single recipe for success, but here is some further advice: 

– Always have a goal in mind, but also remember to enjoy the journey on the path of your life destiny. 

– Stay true to yourself, but always respect (and listen to) others.  

– Be prepared for failures as well, since they are a part of your success. Success is often 99 % perspiration and 1 % inspiration. 

– When you study other successful people, try to see behind the facade. We often do not realize how much effort these people have put into becoming so successful. Success does not come over night, although it sometimes may seem so. 

Many blessings to you on your successful life journey. 

“For a successful entrepreneur it can mean extreme wealth. But with extreme wealth comes extreme responsibility. And the responsibility for me is to invest in creating new businesses, create jobs, employ people, and to put money aside to tackle issues where we can make a difference”.

(Richard Branson)

Slow Down and Breathe

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, Digital Marketing, Life Coaching, Online Strategy, Thought Leadership

The old saying “Rome was not built in one day” actually means that all things take time to create, and great things like the city of Rome take a very long time. Therefore, we should not expect to accomplish something or achieve success immediately. Having patience is extremely important. 

Is time man-made? 

Some arguments about time: 

– Time is the ongoing sequence of events taking place, including the past, present and future.

– Time is measured using seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries, and light years. 

– From the age of Newton up until Einstein, time was considered to be absolute and to flow equably. In his special theory of relativity, Einstein postulated the constancy and finiteness of the speed of light, showing that there is a requirement for distances to appear compressed and time intervals appear lengthened. (andersoninstitute.com. Definition of Time. Quoted 13.8.2014).

– The concept of time, including daytime and nighttime, has always existed.  

– Time is made up of motion and distance, both of which are illusions since the physical world is not real. 

– Time in terms of a clock itself is not only unreal, but unhealthy. Natural time (tide moving in and out, the wax and wane of the moon, sunrise and set, etc.) is normal, but cannot actually be made to fit a clock anyway.  

What do you think about these arguments/definitions?

The next time you feel irritated or under pressure due to time-related matters, ask yourself how significant the issue is in terms of years, decades, centuries, or even light years. Also think about, and get familiar with, how time is being valued in cultures other than your own.

Admitted – there are many situations in life and work places that require immediate attention, and fast reaction (at least in the Western World). For example, think about acute emergencies, crisis situations, catastrophes, where fast and professional procedure in managing the situation is of out most importance. 

A few years ago I read a book called “In Praise of Slowness – Challenging the Cult of Speed”, written by Carl Honoré. (http://www.carlhonore.com/books/in-praise-of-slowness/)

The book is about the world being stuck in fast-forward, and about the rise of a Slow Movement. 

Description of the Slow Movement by C. Honoré: 

“The Slow Movement is a cultural revolution against the notion that faster is always better. The Slow philosophy is not about doing everything at a snail’s pace. It’s about seeking to do everything at the right speed. Savoring the hours and minutes rather than just counting them. Doing everything as well as possible, instead of as fast as possible. It’s about quality over quantity in everything from work to food to parenting”.

According to the philosophy, we need a Slow Movement because ever since everything has been getting faster, we now seem to be addicted to speed, where each moment of the day is like a race against the clock. Many of us live in a road runner culture which has gone so far that it is visible in what should be the most important asset of our personal lives: our HEALTH.

Signs of accelerated speed: 

– Courses in Speed Yoga and Speed Meditation are available these days.

– Many of us are trying to hurry up relationships by connecting with as many people as possible, and forgetting about the quality while focusing on quantity.

– Speed Dating, where singles spend three minutes with a high number of other singles choosing who could be a suitable romantic partner.

– Constant busyness: it is culturally accepted and seen as a positive sign that you are busy.

Symptoms of living too fast: 

– Constant tiredness.

– Feeling like a robot accomplishing tasks and just getting through things on your To-Do list without really being engaged in what you do.

– Feeling of racing through your life instead of living it.

– Getting frustrated and annoyed if things do not happen instantly or in the way/at the speed you want them to happen.

(carlhonore.com. Quoted 13.8.2014).

If you recognize these signs and symptoms in your life:

Some benefits of slowing down: 

– Positive physiological reactions 

– Increased productivity.

– You start seeing the wood for the trees (instead of living like a robot, you will find what is purposeful and what is not so important).

– Quality becomes more important than quantity.

– The term “life in years” becomes more important. Living a life filled with meaningfulness and joy is important. 

– Instead of seeking merely external pleasures, it is possible to find internal peace. 

– You radiating internal peace and well-being will have positive influence on everything.

 “When you slow down, step back a moment and put things in perspective, 

you can then move on with more efficiency.” 

(Doc Childre)

 

Why is The Balance Between Giving and Taking so Important?

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, Digital Marketing, Life Coaching, Online Strategy, Thought Leadership

What are the proportions of giving and taking in your life? 

Take some time to reflect upon each and one of your relationships, do some notes if necessary, and think about the results. What do you see?

Are you predominantly a giver? Or a taker? 

Don’t worry if you are out of balance in giving and taking – there are ways of correcting the situation. Focus on what is purposeful, listen to your intuition, and first then decide, whether continuing the giving is the right thing to do (this means, if you are in a situation where you are constantly giving without getting anything in return). 

As in Chinese philosophy, giving and taking need to be in balance in order to create harmony. 

We need to value oppositions and contrary forces, since: 

– There is no light without darkness

– There is no high without any low

– There is no hot without any cold

– There is no masculinity without femininity

– There is no ying without the yang

– There is no ebb without any flood

However, we also need to be aware of the fact that the world is not only black and white, but a colorful place with as many perspectives upon life as there are people. More than seven billion people on Earth, and there is no one exactly identical to you. We are all unique; something worth thinking about the next time you might not be feeling happy about yourself. 

As a giver, as you probably are if you are reading this, just think about what a wonderful quality it is. Giving, and being a giver, has been proven to increase the level of satisfaction in a person’s life. Think about a situation where you have helped someone out, or given them something without asking for anything in return. How did that make you feel? 

Being a giver is extremely good for your health, and for building successful relationships. Through giving and being generous, you can win people’s hearts. 

It is also important to keep in mind the limits for your giving, and who you are giving to: 

– What is the purpose of your giving?  

– Is this particular giving worthwhile?

– Do(es) this person/these persons/community deserve your continuous giving? 

– Do you receive anything in return for your sacrifices? 

– If you give in a relationship, but never receive anything in return, could you by chance redirect your energy towards something more lucrative? 

Giving is more important than taking, but in order to live a perfectly balanced life you, as a giver, must be open to receiving as well.

 “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier”.

(Mother Teresa)

The following video by Give and Take- author Adam Grant gives us further insight into what it means to be a giver in a long-term perspective: 

http://bit.ly/Givegivegive

 

 

 

 

 

77 Ways of Expressing Appreciation (and saying thank you)

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, Digital Marketing, Life Coaching, Online Strategy, Thought Leadership

“Someday when scientists discover the center of the universe, many people are going to be disappointed to find out it isn´t them”. 

(Witty Unknown)

By shifting the focus from ourselves towards other people, and by expressing appreciation even in the toughest moments, we can be certain of a positive, or at least neutral, outcome in any relationship. Why not try it out sometime? Politeness does not cost us anything. 

Quoting Dr. Wayne W. Dyer: 

“Let go of your ego’s need to be right. When you’re in the middle of an argument, ask yourself: Do I want to be right or be happy? When you choose the joyous, loving, spiritual mode, your connection to intention is strengthened”.

How do you express your gratitude to people in your life? 

Do you think thankfulness is a waste of time or do you praise even the negativity surrounding you, transferring it into positivity with your personal attitude? 

77 Ways of Expressing Appreciation and saying thank you: 

1. Thanks a ton!

2. Thank you. 

3. Wow, thank you! 

4. You are amazing! 

5. You made my day! 

6. What you did was extraordinary. 

7. Thank you for being a source of inspiration. 

8. You, my friend, are a star!

9. I could never have done this without you.

10. Universe wouldn´t be the same without you.

11. Heaven must have sent you.

12. You, my dear, are an Angel upon Earth!

13. You taught me a wonderful lesson.

14. Thank you for being my teacher.

15. You have helped me become a better person.

16. You should become nominated for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

17. Your Aura is spreading light even in the darkest of hours.

18. You are the Zen Master of my life.

19. Has anyone ever said you are a Genius?

20. You are the Master of the Universe. 

21. You definitely bring out the best in others.

22. You rock!

23. In your presence, even faded flowers come alive.

24. You make the world go round.

25. You make the world a beautiful place to be.

26. Your smile is contagious.

27. In your presence, breathing is easy.

28. Teşekkürler.

29. I owe you.

30. Someday, I hope to become as great as you are.

31. I am not flattering you, I am just being honest: you are fantastic!

32. I am proud to have you as my friend/partner/colleague…

33. Kiitos!

34. You are completing me/our team/the Earth…

35. Mahalo nui.

36. You opened my eyes, thank you.

37. شكراً

38. I am deeply indebted to you.

39. Gratias tibi ago.

40. Your invaluable contribution is very highly appreciated.

41. I want to express my heartfelt acknowledgement for your contribution.

42. How do you exercise that kindness muscle of yours?

43. You are a life-buoy!

44. Tack!

45. Even the greatest philanthropists would turn pale alongside of you.

46. May I become a member of your fan club?

47. It takes pressure to create a diamond like you.

48. You´ve probably worked hard to become the diamond you are today.

49. What is the secret behind your success? 

50. Asante sana.

51. You are one of a kind.

52.  I´d be happy to know the recipe behind your uniqueness.

53. Mange tak.

54. What kind of a DNA does it take to produce someone like you?

55. Danke sehr!

56. Köszönöm szépen! 

57. Kia ora.

58. Ευχαριστώ. 

59. Merci mille fois!

60. ឣរគុណ

61. Muchas gracias. 

62. Dankjewel!

63. 谢谢

64. Takk fyrir!

65. спасибо! 

66.  Takk skal du ha!

67. Grazie mille!

68. Words are not enough to express my gratitude.

69. Muito obrigada/o!

70. Дзякую вам.

71. You can also send a thank you card, a flower, or what is appropriate.

72. Terima kasih banyak.

73. Thank you for kicking my butt!

74. If you cannot think of anything to say, just smile.

75. If you, for some reason, are incapable of smiling, give the person a hug instead.

76. Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow. Thank you for sharing joy!

77. You must be one of the new miracles of the world!

Now it´s your turn! Think about different ways of thanking someone, and showing appreciation. I am sure you can come up with some pretty creative ideas. Imagination is allowed. 

Namaste. 

Global Finland – How Can a Global Climate Catastrophe Be Avoided?

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, CSR, Digital Marketing, Global Economics, Responsible Investing, Thought Leadership

Global Finland, communication unit for development of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, arranged a summer school day in Pori on July 16th, 2014. 

Pori Theatre

 

Agenda of the day: 

10-10:15 a.m. Opening

Minister for International Development Pekka Haavisto and rap artist Signmark

10:15-11:15 a.m. Can Climate Catastrophe Be Avoided?

Rachel Kyte, The World Bank

Jukka Uosukainen, UNEP

Kaisa Kosunen, Greenpeace

11:20-12:00 Workshops

1) Why is democracy needed? Demo

2) Human rights and taxes in developing countries – The ABC of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). SASK and FinnWatch. 

3) The World Post 2015. UNA of Finland and UN Youth of Finland. 

12:00-13:00 Lunch

13:00-13:25 A World of Conflicts – Is Peace a Utopian Dream?

Minister for International Development Pekka Haavisto

13:30-14:45 Workshops

1) Somalia/Finn Church Aid actalliance

2) Syria and exile/Red Cross Finland

3) Middle East/CMI (Crisis Management Initiative/Martti Ahtisaari Centre)

15:00-16:30 New Challenges of Finland´s Foreign Policy

Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja,

Minister for International Development Pekka Haavisto, 

Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Leena Toivakka, and 

Researcher Hiski Haukkala. The discussion was lead by Press Counsellor Leena Brandt. 

Can Climate Catastrophe Be Avoided?

Notes taken based upon the discussion: 

– In terms of Climate Technology, a positive signal is that technologies are available, although we are running out of time.

– The public sectors and governments must take the initiative, but of course also the private sector and corporations need to take action.

– A New Green Economy (renewable energy sources) is emerging, and the time of negotiations is hectic at the UNEP which is also serving developing countries, and (thanks to which) whole new bodies have been found in order to accelerate development.

– Implementation must be taken care of quickly, all over the world, since we are running out of time. 

– Climate change has to be fought against in order to assure prosperity for everyone.

– In the past 20 years, remarkable improvements have been made in terms of pollution control (see e.g. OzonAction Programme). 

– Incentives must be taken in the economy, both on macro and micro levels. Currently not even the G20 discuss the topic enough. The IMF and finance ministers of the world do discuss to some extent, although not enough. 

– NGO ́s need to create change and pressure. 

– The coal boom of China is coming to an end faster than thought since people understand their need of clean air.

– The trends of alternative energy sources are amazing, and costs are coming down fast. The amount of wind energy worldwide has tripled in a short period of time, and solar energy is now used tenfold. 

– Paris 2015 deal? => End of fossil fuel era? The breakthrough of renewables is now unstoppable. 

– Consumers can create pressure by expressing their opinions, and providing politicians with constructive feedback. Networks can be helpful when communicating needs. There are many ways of influencing.

– There are many new faces in the climate scene throughout societies. 

– Change can be made visible through education. Long-term decisions need to be made NOW. Children can also teach their parents e.g. in terms of recycling. Students change their own schools and universities through demanding renewables.

– Correct choices must be made in politics, although e.g. in Finland there are not so many environmentalists in the parliament. However, more and more climate groups exist on a national level and people are more busy acting than debating. 

– EU 2030: More radical actions needed. 

– Business coalitions (e.g. Richard Branson ́s coalition of companies). 

Pori, Finland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Makes Some Worth Millions?

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, Digital Marketing, Life Coaching, Online Strategy

How far are you willing to go in pursuing the career of your dreams? Or in being successful? 

If you have seen Clint Eastwood´s movie “Million Dollar Baby”, you know what I mean. In the film, Maggie (Hillary Swank) is determined to succeed as a female boxer, and ends up breaking her neck in a million dollar match against the WBA women´s welterweight champion.

She dedicates her entire young life into becoming something extraordinary, and ends up with losing it all, including the most important: her health.

Abandoned and exploited even by her own family, the only one standing by her side until the end is her coach and trainer Frankie, who never leaves her side.

In the film, Maggie claims having reached everything she ever wanted. Perhaps that´s true for her, but would you be willing to risk it all, including your life, for the thought of fast money, fame, and suddenly being a falling star? 

Or do you prefer leading a stable and enjoyable life, with all pieces of your life in perfect balance, and no need to fight? 

Lessons from “Million Dollar Baby”: 

1) Working hard will help you reach your goals

2) Risk-taking can be very rewarding

3) You can achieve anything you set your mind (and body) into

4) Focusing too much on your career can lead to suffering in other parts of your life

5) Don´t risk your health when pursuing your goals! It is the most important you have, after all.

 

Picking Yourself Up And Dusting Yourself Off

by Anne-Maria Yritys, posted in Business, Change Management, Leadership, Life Coaching, Online Strategy

What makes someone a skillful leader? And who is qualified to be a leader? 

The response to the second question is easy, but the first one requires a bit more of reflection. In my opinion, the list is never-ending, and a great leader never ceases to develop him or her.  

Some important skills for any leader: 

HUMANITY

Any leader needs to remember that we are all equal on this planet, despite of our backgrounds.

HUMILITY

Leadership is not about position – it´s about character. 

ACCOUNTABILITY

Keep your promises and don´t let people down. 

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

This is perhaps one of the most difficult of all including not only language and speaking skills, but also other means of communications such as writing, reading, and listening skills + gestures and expressions.

DECISIVENESS

Sometimes decision-making takes time, but please don´t let it take forever! Sometimes a bad decision is better than no decision at all. 

TEAM-BUILDING SKILLS 

Team-building is necessary because no one of us can survive alone, nor do all the work by ourselves. 

TEAM WORKING SKILLS

The team is only as strong as its weakest link so make sure to empower all your team members.

Team work is key to success.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

This is probably one of the most important. Take time to develop your emotional intelligence – it is possible.

CAPABILITY OF WORKING ALONE

Ok, team work is important, but you also need to be capable of working in solitude.

EMPATHY

You don´t have to carry all the problems of the world, some empathy won´t harm you either.

SENSE OF HUMOR

Life is not always easy so a good proportion of humor and an ability to laugh at yourself and your mistakes is important when coping in different kinds of circumstances.

ABILITY TO PRIORITIZE

Work first, then the fun.

FLEXIBILITY

Many unexpected things may happen so be prepared for obstacles.

OPENNESS

If you are not open-minded, how can you see all the possibilities in front of you?

ANALYTICAL SKILLS

The more complex the business, the more important to know how to analyze.

RELIABILITY

Stick to your deadlines!

SELF-DISCIPLINE

Learn to lead yourself before leading others.

GOOD MANNERS

A “thank you” does not cost you anything.

SENSE OF MORAL/ETHICS

Great leaders do the right things.

OPTIMISM

Essential if you want to thrive.

REALISM

Understanding the hard facts.

CULTURAL AWARENESS

If you´re into international/global business, it is important to know the etiquette and the customs of the country in question.

NEGOTIATION SKILLS

Essential in order to reach your goals.

CREATIVITY

Sometimes, creativity is the only way forward. If opportunity does not knock, build a door!

ACTIVITY

Great leaders don´t wait for things to happen. They make things happen! 

RESILIENCE

Things may sometimes be difficult and life provides many kinds of obstacles on our paths, but great leaders never give up.

EMBRACING FAILURE

We all make mistakes and fail sometimes, but great leaders pick themselves and their teams up and dust themselves off.

PASSION

A great leader has a passion for everything he or she does. 

HUNGER FOR SUCCESS

Together with passion, a great leader is hungry for success and wants to achieve what´s important to him/her. 

In times of adversity, listening to a good song can be helpful in cheering yourself up: 

http://bit.ly/pickyourselfup

Lyrics for “Pick Yourself Up” (Original: Nat King Cole)

“Pick yourself up,
Take a deep breath,
Dust yourself off.
And start all over again

Nothing’s impossible, I have found
For when my chin is on the ground
I pick myself up, dust myself off
And start all over again

Don’t lose your confidence if you slip
Be grateful for a pleasant trip
And pick yourself up, dust yourself off
And start all over again

Work like a soul inspired
Until the battle of the day is won
You may be sick and tired
But you’ll be a man, my son

Will you remember the famous men
Who had to fall to rise again?

So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
And start it all over again

Work like a soul inspired
Till the battle of the day is won
You may be sick and tired
But you’ll be a man, my son

Will you remember the famous men
Who had to fall to rise again?

So take a deep breath,
Pick yourself up,
Dust yourself off,
And start all over again”