Category Archives: Job Skills

Meeting Agendas

Meeting Agendas: Gaining Control Through Preparation

Interviewing, Job Skills, Leadership, Quotes, Success

Meeting Agendas can empower you to set and control the purpose of a meeting as well as the agreements reached during the meeting.

Are you tired of meetings that accomplish nothing? These lessons from sales training might help.

Case Study

During lunch, a field sales manager of a major consumer goods company told me about an experience he had had during a day in the field with his company’s chief executive officer. He said that he went through the day will a well-planned series of meetings. Each meeting was important to the success of the company’s brands. And he felt that his day was a success.

However, the CEO showed him how he could have made each meeting more successful by entering the meeting with a prepared agenda.  He pointed to instances of the meetings getting off track and failing to obtain commitments that were there for the asking.

Preparation for a Sales Call

In my training at a major consumer products company, I learned how to plan a sales call. The night before, I would create a presentation for each call. The presentation included the objective of the call, the benefits to the buyer, and the quantities of products I planned to sell. Interwoven into the agenda were possible objections I might anticipate from the buyer and how I would handle them.

A Status Board as a Meeting Agenda

When I entered the recruiting industry, I first worked for a search firm that had a former pharmaceutical industry executive as CEO.  The only thing that he asked of us recruiters is that we sit down at the beginning of every day and go over a single sheet that contained a list of search assignments and prospects, code the status of the assignments, and update that sheet every day. From there he asked to see a copy of the sheet at the end of every week.

Each morning, we recruiters met to review our “Status Boards,” which were the agenda for the meeting.

In having us create this simple “Status Board,” the CEO established more than a plan. He created an agenda for our daily activity. We not only had to present the names of the hiring companies and the name of the applicants; we had to state our progress in the process. For potential candidates, we put no number after their name. If a candidate agreed to an interview with a company, we put a “1” beside the name of that candidate. When we had a candidate scheduled for an interview, we put a “2” beside the applicant’s name. A “3” meant that the candidate had an offer.  A “4” meant the candidate had accepted the offer.

What this CEO accomplished was to require each recruiter to know the details and progress of each search assignment. He called this sheet a “Status Board.” Implicit in this activity is that this CEO laid out the details of an agenda that kept us recruiters on track and kept him informed.

Meeting Agendas Across all Industries.

So began my practice of having an agenda for my daily activities.  I add to my agenda as new events arise. Again, this agenda is more detailed than scheduling a task. The agenda contains the objective, progress, and completion of the task.

A second example, is how I manage visit to the doctor’s office.  I state the purpose of the visit. Then I add a list of questions I plan to ask. I include a section for next steps. This simple method makes my appointments more meaningful, and I don’t leave the meeting with regrets for not asking the right questions or frustration on over not understanding the next steps.  Therefore, I can then take the steps for more successful action for my health.

Effective Communications 3

Effective Communications: 7 Steps to Being Understood

Job Skills, Leadership, Success

Effective Communications are part of the job for professionals in all types of fields and responsibilities. Here are 7 ideas for communication success.

Headlines

Even when speaking, you will help people understanding you with a headline.  The headline states the topic. “Bill, let’s talk about the plan for this weekend” is a simple sentence that let’s Bill know what you are discussing.

In writing, where you put the headline depends on what you are writing. In a letter or an email, the headline goes in to the subject. In your LinkedIn profile, the headline goes next to your name.  In a resume, the headline can be a short statement below your contact information.

Clear Communication: The Opening Paragraph

For most effective communication, state the purpose of the discussion in the opening paragraph.  Note that the purpose is more than the subject.  The purpose includes the subject and the reason for discussing that subject.  For example,

“So, that we don’t overlook anything, Bill, let’s talk about the plan for this weekend.”

One Subject at a Time

Whether writing or speaking, you will have more success by sticking to one subject at a time.

Busy people tend to look for the point.  Once they find it, their mind is ready take action or to file the information.

Additionally, jumping back and forth on different subjects confuses people.

New Subject Introduction

Sometimes, you need to discuss several subjects in one meeting or correspondence.  When you do, you can help the other person follow your discussion with transitional tools.

In a conversation, you can state that you are moving on to a new subject.

When writing, use subheadings, all caps, bold type, or initial caps at the beginning of each subject.  The switch from normal style to one of these four styles highlights that you are moving on to a new topic or subtopic.

The reader may only have time to scan information.  Your key points stand out in the brief statements that you highlight with subheadings and initial caps.

Transitional Devices

Transitional devices are a bridge to help the reader follow you from one sentence or paragraph to the next.  Additionally, these words or phrases can help your reader know whether you are adding more information on a subject or moving on to a new one.

They are signals to smooth the flow of your message.

Here are some examples.

  1. Write a transitional statement such: “Now I would like to discuss a new subject.”
  2. Use transitional words such as “also, so, for this purpose, later, furthermore.
  3. Time categories help you reader following your message: First, Second, Third, and so forth.
  4. Additionally, bullet points or numbered lists are excellent when making short phrases are statements.

Proofreading

Grammar is as important as content. I carefully proofread what I have written and use word processing software to check for mistakes.  I still make mistakes.  If you see any mistakes in my writing, please let me know.

Vocabulary Development

I make it a habit to look up words I don’t know.  Furthermore, my curiosity prompts me to read articles about new terms.  Today, in this digital world, the flow of information gives me the opportunity to grow professionally and personally.

Here are some examples of new words or topics I have learned in the past 5 to 10 years.

  • “Disruptive” in reference to innovation
  • “Emotional Intelligence“
  • “Mindfulness” in reference to focusing attention on the present moment; also, in reference to breathing meditation

Effective Communications: Conclusion

In conclusion, the formula for saying or writing anything is simple. Start with a headline.  Second, state the subject in the opening sentence.  If you wish to write about multiple topics, just say so clearly in the opening.

Use capital letters, subheadings, and transitional devices to introduce each new subject.

Your listeners and readers will appreciate your effort to communicate effectively.

Furthermore, you will find that people take more action and give you better responses with effective communications.

Action 1

Action: Just Being On Time is Not Enough

Job Skills, Leadership, Success

Action: Just Being on Time is Not Enough. Successful people use their time effectively to accomplish more. ~ www.jaywren.com

Big Projects and Time Management

When going through lengthy periods with big projects, I sometimes push aside the big project to do the things that are easy and pressing.  I let the most pressing tasks take priority over my long-term goals.

When I encounter a rush of pressing issues, I pause.  I take a few slow deep breaths.  A little pause keeps me on track for long-term goals and helps me prioritize pressing issues for the day.

Daily Goals and Productivity

When I get off schedule, my days become less productive. I wander off task.

I click around a couple of websites to stimulate my thinking for new projects.  Then, I check my phone for personal texts. I surf the web for news of current events. Even though I have been very busy, I accomplish little or nothing.

However, I have learned a more effective method to stay on track. I schedule an objective with each activity. The objective creates clarity in going through activities for the day.

Scheduling Activities with Objectives

When I went through sales training, I learned that setting an objective for each sales call increased my productivity on that call.   Step one: I scheduled a sales call. Step two: I added what I plan to accomplish. This second step may sound unnecessary. However, with an objective, I was more thorough and more productive on each call.

Additionally, scheduling an activity and a list of objectives is effective in managing personal matters.  For example, when I have a doctor’s appointment on my schedule, I add the things that I need to discuss with the doctor during my visit. With a list of things to discuss, I cover all the issues I have for the doctor.

In summary, for me, there are at least four benefits to including objectives to my list of things to do.

  1. I don’t overlook important issue.
  2. Stating objectives stimulates creativity.  I awaken my mind to more opportunities.
  3. Each day, I accomplish more.  Over the years, even the little things add up to greater long-term success.
  4. I do one thing at a time.

Status Board 

As I complete tasks, I mark them completed.  At the end of the day, I review the schedule for tasks to reschedule things I have failed to complete.

My schedule is a status board of tasks completed and tasks to act on the next day. With these things completed and rescheduled, I have the confidence of knowing that I will continue to stay on tasks the following day.

Arriving Early

Arriving Early: How a Simple Behavior Makes Life Easy

Job Skills, Leadership, Quotes

Arriving early: How does this simple behavior make life easier for you and the people around you? What does this character trait have to do with success in your job and success in your personal life?

Get there early. You might miss something.  ~ www.jaywren.com

The Freedom from Stress of Arriving Early

When I know that I am going to arrive late, I feel stress all the way to my appointment.  When I am waiting for a person to work on a project, I feel frustrated when.

My Early Lesson

Arriving early is on time.  Arriving on time is late.

When I was sixteen, I started to work for a grocery store. On my third day on the job, I walked in the door at the time to start work.

I felt stressed.  However, I was on time in arriving at the store. Still, I felt uncertain about my situation.  Before going to my work station, I had to go upstairs to the locker area and grab an apron to wear at the cash register.

The store manager stopped me at the cash register and pulled me aside. He told me that the time to be at my work station was the time that my schedule began.  Furthermore, he said that I could never be at the cash register on time without arriving early.

Being Prepared

To start work prepared and stress free, I must arrive early to lay things out and clear my mind.

As a Navy officer, I arrived early to relieve deck officers on bridge watch. The other deck officers did the same thing. We would discuss the status of ship’s operations. Additionally, I asked for information on the plan for ship’s operations for the next hours to come.

This preparation reduced stress.  Additionally, the information I gained from arriving early reduced confusion and mistakes.  I could prepare mentally for the things that I needed to do.  My brain could process decisions that I would have to make before I had to make them.  My confidence and mental clarity increased.  In conclusion, I was far more capable of navigating the ship safely and managing the bridge team for the watch.

Communication Fail

Communication: How Effective People Speak and Write

Job Skills, Leadership, Quotes, Success

Communication:  Effective speaking and writing are part of the job for professionals in all types of fields and responsibilities. Here are some ideas to make your business and personal communications more powerful.

Headlines

Even when speaking, you will help people understanding you with a headline.  The headline states the topic. “Bill, let’s talk about the plan for this weekend” is a simple sentence that let’s Bill know what you are discussing.

In writing, where you put the headline depends on what you are writing. In a letter or an email, the headline goes in to the subject. In your LinkedIn profile, the headline goes next to your name.  In a resume, the headline can be a short statement below your contact information.

Clear Communication: The Opening Paragraph

For most effective communication, state the purpose of the discussion in the opening paragraph.  Note that the purpose is more than the subject.  The purpose includes the subject and the reason for discussing that subject.  For example,

“So, that we don’t overlook anything, Bill, let’s talk about the plan for this weekend.”

One Subject at a Time

Whether writing or speaking, you will have more success by sticking to one subject at a time.

Busy people tend to look for the point.  Once they find it, their mind is ready take action or to file the information.

Additionally, jumping back and forth on different subjects confuses people.

New Subject Introduction

Sometimes, you need to discuss several subjects in one meeting or correspondence.  When you do, you can help the other person follow your discussion with transitional tools.

In a conversation, you can state that you are moving on to a new subject.

When writing, use subheadings, all caps, bold type, or initial caps at the beginning of each subject.  The switch from normal style to one of these four styles highlights that you are moving on to a new topic or subtopic.

The reader may only have time to scan information.  Your key points stand out in the brief statements that you highlight with subheadings and initial caps.

Transitional Devices

Transitional devices are a bridge to help the reader follow you from one sentence or paragraph to the next.  Additionally, these words or phrases can help your reader know whether you are adding more information on a subject or moving on to a new one.

They are signals to smooth the flow of your message.
Here are some examples.

  1. Write a transitional statement such: “Now I would like to discuss a new subject.”
  2. Use transitional words such as “also, so, for this purpose, later, furthermore.
  3. Time categories help you reader following your message: First, Second, Third, and so forth.
  4. Additionally, bullet points or numbered lists are excellent when making short phrases are statements.

Proofreading

Grammar is as important as content. I carefully proofread what I have written and use word processing software to check for mistakes.  I still make mistakes.  If you see any mistakes in my writing, please let me know.

Vocabulary Development

I make it a habit to look up words I don’t know.  Furthermore, my curiosity prompts me to read articles about new terms.  Today, in this digital world, the flow of information gives me the opportunity to grow professionally and personally.

Here are some examples of new words or topics I have learned in the past 5 to 10 years.

“Disruptive” in reference to innovation “Emotional Intelligence” “Mindfulness” in reference to focusing attention on the present moment; also, in reference to breathing meditation

Conclusion

In conclusion, the formula for saying or writing anything is simple. Start with a headline.  Second, state the subject in the opening sentence.  If you wish to write about multiple topics, just say so clearly in the opening.

Use capital letters, subheadings, and transitional devices to introduce each new subject.

Your listeners and readers will appreciate your effort to communicate effectively.

Furthermore, you will find that people take more action and give you better responses with effective communications.

Listening and the Persuasive Power of Asking Questions

Job Skills, Negotiation, Quotes

Listening: What is the role of asking questions and listening in creating cooperation?  Here are examples of how great questions lead you to getting what you want when you understand what other people need.

The most effective people know how to ask great questions and how to learn from listening. ~ www.jaywren.com

In the Workplace, Listening Creates Cooperation

Listening and asking questions helps leaders and the people they lead create greater communications.  Furthermore, this understanding creates greater cooperation in the workplace.

Great Questions Create Great Responses

Learning to ask questions, especially great questions, leads to better understanding.  The most effective people have the patience to ask thoughtful questions about what other people need.

Retail Example

In a retail-selling situation, retail clerks create sales when they help customers find what they want. Using the following example, you can develop these skills into creating cooperation in most situations.

The opening question in retail is “How may I help you?”

The shopper says, “I would like to try on a pair of shoes.”

“Do you have a particular style in mind?”

“Yes, I would like to try this brand of walking shoes?”

“What size would you like to try?”

“Size 8.”

The clerk brings out four pairs.

You try them on and select a pair.

The clerk asks, “May I show you some other shoes?”

“No.”

“Would you like to try some inserts or socks with those shoes.  Our socks are on sale today for $3.00 a pair.”

“I am not interested in the inserts, but I will take four pairs of the socks that are on sale.”

The clerk asks you if you would like to put your payment on the store credit card.

You say, “I don’t have one.”

The clerk asks, “May I sign you up today?  You save 20% on all your purchases.”

Now, you accept the offer and pay for the shoes and socks on the store credit card.

The Result of Great Listening.

You went to the store to buy a pair of shoes and feel as though you just got the bargains of your life. With the help of the clerk, you got the socks on sale and saved an extra 20% on all your purchases.

So, how did the clerk’s listening skills help you as the customer and the retailer?

  1. The store sold you the shoes that you needed.
  2. Additionally, you spent $12.00 on socks.
  3. The store increased the amount you spent during your visit.
  4. When you signed up for the credit card, the store collected marketing data about you and your shopping patterns.
  5. Furthermore, the store sold you on establishing a line of credit for which they may make more money in interest charges.

Listening and Managers

Great managers use the same process for finding solutions.  These managers ask questions and learn from their employees.  At the beginning of a meeting, a manager might ask the team members, “how might we cut our costs.”

The team members begin to answer the question.

Perhaps on a flip chart or a marking board, a manager or an assistant records the responses.

As the meeting proceeds, enough information goes on the list of ideas to start a process.

The manager says, “Today, we have made a good start.  I will send you an email with a list of the things that we discussed today.  When you receive the email, you can begin to prepare for the meeting tomorrow.  You write your answers to these questions.

  1. Which of these ideas is practical for what we do as a company?
  2. On what schedule can we carry out each of these ideas?
  3. What are the risks to our business if we carry out these changes?
  4. What are the gains to our business if we carry out these changes?”

So, begins the process through which great managers direct teams.  The same process would work for any department: selling, marketing, product design, finance, human resources, and so on across a company and so on throughout all of its functions.  The process is simply a series of questions that lead to solutions.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence: 12 Steps to Empowering Your Mind

Job Skills, Leadership, Quotes, Success

Emotional Intelligence:  Learning how to manage emotions is part of growing up.  However, becoming aware that our feelings are making us dumber is not always easy. How do successful people deal with emotions to make better decisions?

Developing Emotional Intelligence

Although it is normal to have emotional highs and lows, successful people separate their emotions from their thinking to make the best decisions.

For example, things look easier and more appealing when we are on an emotional high.  With these feelings, we may overcommit our time and money.

On the other hand, things look more difficult and unpleasant when we are feeling down.  Emotional lows can prevent us from working well with others. Furthermore, when emotional lows shut us down, we can fail to take advantage of opportunities all around us. Our coping skills become less effective.  Our relationships with others become more difficult.

Here are twelve steps that may help.

1. Live in the present moment.

Get out of our head.  Focus on what is in front of us and around us.  This focus enables us to make good decisions and take the best actions.  Leaders live in the world around them and not in the crumbling castles in their head.

2. Let go of Resentments

Ruminating on past wrongs drains our energy.  Furthermore, holding on to resentments create a permanent state of anger.

This anger clutters our mind.  Decisions become more difficult.  Patience and compassion disappear.  We either act out our anger or become passive aggressive.

3. Let go of guilt.

Carrying around guilt lowers our self-esteem confidence. There are only two things you can say about guilt.  Either you were wrong and you will try not to do it again. Or you were not wrong.  Therefore, you are not going to worry about it.

4. Let go of fear.

Fearing the future cripples our mind and imagination.  Many of the things we fear never happen.  

Solutions:  When we are feel resentful, guilty or afraid I take a deep breath.  I step away and take a break.  Often either exercise or rest help me move beyond these feelings.

5. Make new mistakes.

Everyone makes mistakes. Smart people only make a mistake once.

  1. Mistake made.
  2. Lesson learned.
  3. Moved on.

Furthermore, if you never make any mistakes, you have settled in to trod the path paved for you.  You are doing nothing new.  Creativity dies.  Growth stops.  Your career has high walls on either side.  When you reach a cliff in your career, you can’t go further.

Allow yourself opportunities to try to new things.  Furthermore, do not punish yourself for being less than perfect.

6. Focus on the process not the goal.

Create the goal.  Create a plan to reach your goal.  Continually update the plan.

However, the way that things turn out is beyond our control.

For example, a retail goal is to make sales.  A store can plan to increases its sales when it increases the number of shoppers in the store and the amount of time each shopper spends in the store. Retail stores focus on the process of getting and keeping shoppers in their stores.

7. Measure results, adjust, and move on.

Even with a perfect process, stores may miss their sales goals.  Many things are beyond anyone’s control:  the weather, a catastrophic event, a sudden shift in the economy.

Don’t make excuses for missing sales goals.

However, adjust and learn from the experience.  If the weather or a catastrophic event weakens a store’s sales, the store can stay open longer hours when things return to normal.  If the economy is weak, stores can carry a wider assortment of less expensive products.  Stores can change their process.

8. Practice, practice, practice, and continue to practice.

From practice comes powerful instincts and heightened intuition.  Companies teach people and show these people how to practice and improve their skills.  Employees practice new skills.  Furthermore, through practice, they increase their ability to use the skills they already have.  Great performers and athletes practice before, during, and after practice.

The purpose of practice is to raise a skill level.  Yet what really happens is that practice creates instincts and intuition to work at a higher level under pressure. As your skill level rises, you feel less stress.  You perform better and have more confidence.

9. Embrace consistency and assess change.

One of the business clichés is to embrace change. Sometimes change is good.  Sometimes change is way to get lost in the wilderness.

Change can create many feelings.  Positive change lifts our spirit.  Negative or uncertain change is stressful.

One solution is to assess the value of changes.  From there, focus your attention and your effort on positive change.  However, don’t focus on the prospects of change.  Remember, we can’t control the future.

10. Leaders value relationships as much as they value tangible assets.

It is a lot easier to lose a client than to get one.  Pleasing other people may sound shallow, but pleasing other people is the reason for repeat business.

11. Limit your daily activities.

Leaders set priorities based on the things they can get done today.  This process removes anxiety over things beyond their control.  Focusing on today’s priorities empowers the leaders to follow the process from their plan.

12. Hang out with winners.

I need advice from real humans.  It is so easy for me to believe my thinking, because I have always heard it.  When I isolate, I become inefficient.  I spend too much time at my desk.  I overlook deadlines and let important matters go unattended.

Creating Future Leaders

Creating Future Leaders: 4 Steps to Leadership Development

Job Skills, Leadership, Quotes

Creating Future Leaders:  How can companies hire and train future leaders? Here are four steps companies can take to strengthen their leadership for the long term.

The Four Steps to Creating Future Leaders

Creating future leaders is critical to the long-term growth of a company.  ~ www.jaywren.com

  1. Hire for leadership
  2. Establish Authority & Responsibility
  3. Teach for leadership
  4. Increase Responsibility

Hire for Leadership

People in any organizations have specific levels of responsibility.  Some of those people will stay in same job for which the company hires them.

Other people come into a company as developmental candidates.  These people may start in entry-level jobs.  However, the company has a plan to move these people into bigger roles.  Their responsibilities increase as they master each job.

Teach Authority, Responsibility, and Accountability

For new leaders to become successful, they must know their authority.

They must know what they can do.  Additionally, they must know when to notify their supervisors.

Furthermore, they must know their responsibilities.  Knowing the boundaries of their responsibilities makes them more engaged and focused.

Last, future leaders must learn accountability.  They are not only accountability for their own mistakes.  They are accountable for the mistakes of the people under them.

Accountability is a great teacher. ~ www.jaywren.com

Train for Leadership

Authoritative leaders criticize. They control the people who work for them.

Ordering people around teaches them the things what not to do.

However, future leaders must learn more than what not to do.  Mentoring leadership builds confidence and skills in future leaders.  Without this mentoring, a company is not creating future leaders.  It is creating people who follow orders.

Increase Responsibility

For leaders to continue to grow, their responsibility must increase.  Companies promote new leaders into bigger positions.  These positions have a higher pay grade.  Additionally, they have the greater responsibility.

However, companies cannot always promote leaders. But they must keep the leaders growing and engaged.

What companies can do is relieve experienced future leaders of bottom rung responsibilities.  At the same time, companies can give them responsibilities that will prepare them for greater responsibility.

Open-Ended Questions

Open-Ended Questions: Solving Problems and Creating Leadership

Interviewing, Job Skills, Leadership, Quotes

 

Open-Ended Questions: What are they? How do they create opportunities for greater understanding in solving problems and creating leadership?

One of the most important skills in leadership is the ability to answer open-ended questions. ~ www.jaywren.com

Examples of Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions enable a person to give meaningful, well-developed answers.  The person uses knowledge, feelings, creativity, and skills of self-expression.

Furthermore, these questions show how well a person can think . That is, to see not just one solution, but multiple solutions.

Examples:

“What are business problems that you have solved? How did you solve them?”

“What would you do if you never had to work again?”

“Why should I hire you?”

Examples of Closed-End Questions

People use convergent thinking to answer closed-end questions. Additionally, closed-end questions have one answer.

“What color is your car?”
“Blue.”

“How many fish in the bowl?”
“Three.”

“Did you leave at 4:30?”
“Yes.”

The Importance of Developing Skills for Open-Ended Questions

Some brilliant people have very poor skills for answering open-ended questions. They have vast amounts of knowledge.  They know the facts and can solutions.

However, their careers falter, because they cannot express their knowledge and their ideas.

For example, financial executives must have skills to know the accuracy of their calculations.

CFOs must be able to explain to a board what the numbers mean.  Additionally, they must be able discuss how the company got into a financial position and how to manage the company’s finances going forward.

Presentation Skills

The place to start learning how to answer open-ended questions is presentation skills.  Developing these skills with help you do many things.

  • Sell more effectively,
  • Interview more effectively,
  • Become a more effective public speaker,
  • Be a leader in workplace meetings.

In short, you will be more successful when you develop your skills to answer open-ended questions.

In conclusion, here are articles that will help you become more effective in answering open-ended questions.

Career Intelligence

Career Intelligence: Aligning Your Career with Your Brain

Job Skills, Quotes, Success

Career Intelligence:  Aligning your career with the way your brain works will increase your ability to excel in the workplace.

How can you shape your career around the way that you are smart?

What Kind of Solutions Come Easy for You?

Creating a career that matches the way you think can empower you for success.  To understand how your brain works, consider these two types of problem solving.

Convergent Thinking

Some people have terrific skills at solving problems with only one answer.

2 + 2 =?

The only answer is 4.

When people solve this type of problem, they are using convergent intelligence.  Their reasoning converges or comes together to settle on this one answer.

Divergent Thinking

Divergent thinking skills enables people to see multiple solutions to the same problem.

For example, many people climb a mountain by following a well-marked path.  This is the path everyone sees and the only path most people try to find.

However, other people can see multiple paths for climbing the same mountain.  These people not only discover new paths.  They discover new things along the way.

What Type of Problems Do You Like to Solve?

If you like to solve problems with convergent thinking, developing skills for solving those types of problems should be enjoyable for you.

On the other hand, some industries rely heavily on creative solutions.  For example, inventors and innovators are examples of people who have success with divergent thinking.

When to Use Both Ways of Thinking

If you are starting a company, you may have to solve problems as well as seek solutions. You are alone or have a small staff.

For example, website development is a combination of technology and art.  You have the skills to put together the website.  You also have the skills to create a compelling look for your website.

However, as your company grows, you can outsource jobs that are challenge your patience.  Furthermore, you can become more successful working in the areas where your attention goes first.

When are You Most Effective?

Some people are naturally more gifted to think convergently.  These people learn quickly and can apply what they learn to solving problems

Other people are more gifted to think divergently.  With less knowledge than convergent thinkers, the people see options intuitively.  They excel in helping companies find new ways to succeed in failing conditions.

Career Intelligence

Finding jobs where you can use your career intelligence most effectively will help you become more successful.

Developing skills in areas of both convergent and divergent thinking will help you throughout your career.

However, working the area you most enjoy will increase your drive to get to work and complete tasks.