layoffs | Bigg Success

Tag Archive: layoffs

What is Your Thing?

Written on April 23, 2009 by George Krueger & Mary-Lynn Foster in Personal Branding

Today we introduced a new segment on The Bigg Success Show – Tutors on TV. You really might enjoy listening because we can’t fully replicate the experience in text!

___

Hear George & Mary-Lynn introduce the fun sounder for "Tutors On TV" on The Bigg Success Show! Click the purple player: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

___

One of our favorite TV shows is How I Met Your Mother. On a recent episode, two of the characters, Barney and Marshall, were discussing that there could be more layoffs at the bank at which they both work.

Barney says he’s not worried about it because he has too much on them. But Marshall is worried.

Barney tells Marshall he needs a “thing” – something that makes him fun and well-liked. Barney points out the guy in Account Services who’s known as “The Food Guy.” There’s “Fantasy Guy”, “YouTube – Clip Guy”, and even creepy “Back Rub Guy.”

After several attempts, Marshall came up with “Sports Guy” – he ran the fantasy sports league at the office.

Although this is a comical way at looking at how to stand out, it probably isn’t going to help you keep your job. But there’s an underlying lesson that will help you build your personal brand.

A memorable characteristic

Our friend, Jay Ehret, The Marketing Guy, recently left a great comment on a show we did about personal branding. We said it was important to have a consistent persona. Jay added that it was also crucial to have at least one memorable characteristic.

___

george People tell me all the time that they love my laugh. It’s funny – I don’t know how to develop a good laugh. But I know when I hear anyone in my family laugh, I get a kick out of it. I guess I’m lucky enough to share the same genes.

___

marylynn George’s laugh makes people feel good. And he has a natural ability to make them laugh. People love that about him.

___

So what about you makes you stand out? For what do people remember you? What’s your thing? It can be as simple as a handshake. You may be sincerely likable. There are a lot of possibilities.

Beyond personality

___

marylynn But it goes beyond personal characteristics. It’s also about what you’re really good at. I think I’m pretty good at audio production. I have experience, but also a real passion for it.

___

george People often comment about the production quality of The Bigg Success Show. I tell them Mary-Lynn gets all the credit for that. For example, she created the fun sound effect for our show today as well as all the sound you ever hear on our show.

___

You may be the go-to person or the connector – you’ve got a great Rolodex. You may be the person who can lead people others can’t. Once again, there are a lot of places to find your thing.

___

Would you like more tips and tools to live your life on your own terms? Subscribe to the Bigg Success Weekly – it’s FREE!

___

Finding your thing

We think you often find your thing where your passions meet your proficiencies. What do you love? What are you really good at? They’re not always the same, but they often are.

If you’re a really humble person, it may be hard to think about what your thing is. But fortunately, there’s a really good solution …

Ask!

Ask your family, friends, and closest associates what they think that thing is for you.

A bigg request

We want to do more segments of Tutors on TV. We’d love it if you help us out. Have you learned a thing or two from a TV show?

Please share that with us by leaving a comment below, calling us at 888.455.BIGG or sending us an e-mail at bigginfo@biggsuccess.com.

We thank Jay for sharing his fantastic insight with us. And we thank you so much for reading our post today.

Please join us next time when talk about sharing toys. Until then, here’s to your bigg success!

Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes.

Subscribe to the Bigg Success feed.

Direct link to The Bigg Success Show audio file:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/biggsuccess/00379-042309.mp3

Related posts

For What Will You Be Famous?

Getting The Credit You Deserve

Your Potential Power

(Image in today's post by lilie)

2 Comments

How to Turn Down a Promotion

Written on April 17, 2009 by George Krueger & Mary-Lynn Foster in Uncategorized

Bigg success is life on your own terms. Last time, we talked about how to use the five elements of bigg success to determine if a promotion is right for you.

A lot of people are afraid to turn down a promotion even in the best of times. Now there is even more pressure with the tight job market.

___

Hear George & Mary-Lynn discuss the 5-steps to turn down a promotion on The Bigg Success Show! Click the purple player: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

___

There may be fear that you’ll become more expendable if you turn down a promotion. You’ll be more likely to be let go should another round of layoffs occur. In some business cultures, this attitude is more pervasive than others.

You may fear that you’ll never be offered another opportunity – that passing up this promotion means that you’re not interested in moving up. You may be interested in getting promoted, but this just isn’t the right time for you.

You may even be concerned that it will change how your boss treats you in your current job. You worry that it will change the attitude your boss has about you.

A graceful decline

You want to live your life on your own terms. If that means this opportunity isn’t right, then you need to find a way to gracefully decline it.

You still want to be viewed as a team player. You don’t want to put your current job or standing in the company at risk. Of course, there’s no guarantee of that, whether or not you accept the promotion.

So let’s talk about your strategy. How should you proceed?

Genuinely thank them for offering you the position

It is an honor and you should treat it as such even if it’s not right for you. Express that to them.

Respect the agenda of your boss

While you’ve thought about your terms and determined this wasn’t a good fit, obviously your boss thinks it is – that’s his or her terms. Be respectful of those terms and try to help your boss fulfill them. How?

Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t do

For example, perhaps you’re willing to accept some additional responsibilities while they train the replacement. You’re willing to take these duties on in the short run; you just don’t want to do it for any lengthy period of time.

Point how it benefits them to keep you where you’re at

For example, your current position may really play to your strengths. You know your job well and you believe you can make a more significant impact by staying put.

Quickly follow up with one or two specific examples

How have you made a difference recently? By helping your boss see how you help the company where you’re at, he or she is more likely to agree that it’s a good idea to keep you there.

Now obviously, this is going to be a very important conversation. So before you sit down with your boss …

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Practice with your significant other or a friend. Practice in front of a mirror. Practice until these five steps and the words you will say are clearly mapped out in your mind.

Life on your own terms is important. It’s also important to help the key people around you live their lives on their own terms. That’s bigg success!

___