© Carole Kanchier, PhD

How Do You Manage #Conflict?

How to you handle disagreements at work?

Do you:

1. Satisfy your own needs at the expense of others (Compete)?

2. Identify concerns of both parties and explore resolutions that would satisfy both (Collaborate)?

3. Settle on a solution that partially satisfies both party’s concerns (Compromise)?

4. Evade unpleasant issues (Avoid)?

5. Satisfy the other person’s concern at the expense of your own (Accommodate)? 

6. Use varied approaches depending on the situation (Integrate)?

Surveys show that supervisors spend about one-quarter to one-third of their time handling conflicts. Disagreements occur over resources, policies, complaints, rule enforcement and resentments.

Many people don’t know how to manage conflict positively. Poorly practiced, conflict may result in hurt and defensiveness. Because people have to work with certain colleagues every day, they don’t want to harm relationships. Therefore, they tend to avoid or settle disputes too quickly.

Meaningful conflict management is crucial for healthy organizational and individual growth. Disagreements often result in a more thorough study of options and better decisions and direction.

Managing conflict

There is no best way to handle conflict, and there are varied conflict resolution models. The following five conflict management modes, developed by Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann, can be highly effective when used in the right circumstances and applied skillfully.

Each style has advantages and disadvantages. Your effectiveness in managing disputes depends on knowing when to use each approach, and having the skills to perform them well. Acquire a few new behavioral skills each month.

— Competing.  You want to win, assert your position. You try to satisfy your own concerns at the expense of others.

Benefits of this model include a quick victory or decision, protection of your interests, and the ability to test assumptions.  Disadvantages include stressed work relationships, suboptimal decisions, decreased motivation, and possible deadlock.

Use competing sparingly. Compete on vital issues when you know you’re right, when decisive action is required immediately, or when you’re under attack.

Set and adhere to rules of fairness for everybody. Be respectful, tough-minded, persuasive and credible. Gather necessary information, explain your motives and appeal to shared concerns. Stick to the issue. Listen and respond. Don’t threaten or impose a decision.

— Collaborating.  You try to find a position that would fully satisfy your own and the other’s concerns. This win-win strategy moves you toward an integrated solution.

Benefits of collaboration include innovative, high quality solutions, enhanced communication and learning, commitment, and strengthened relationships. Disadvantages include expending time and energy, and the possibility of offending or being exploited.

Collaborate on important issues. Pool resources when you want to integrate ideas from diverse perspectives, require commitment, or want to develop a relationship.

Study issues first. Build trust and foster a climate of openness to new ideas. Clarify and share concerns. Use “we” language, and focus on the benefits of a solution. Brainstorm resolutions and select the one most acceptable to both parties. Be firm when necessary.

— Compromising. Compromising is about both giving and receiving. There is no clear winner or loser, but rather both gains and losses for each party.

Advantages of compromising include pragmatism, speed and expediency, maintenance of relationships, and fairness. Disadvantages include partially sacrificed concerns, suboptimal solutions and superficial understanding of the situation.

Try not to compromise on vital issues. Take turns bearing small costs.  Settle on important issues when you need a temporary solution, when assertiveness would harm a relationship, or when competing or collaborating have failed.

Evaluate the facts of your situation objectively. Insist on fairness up front. Suggest compromises without appearing weak. Ensure partial concessions are reciprocated.

— Avoiding. You try not to engage in a conflict issue.  In this lose-lose approach, you sidestep the conflict without trying to satisfy either party’s concerns.

Advantages of this strategy include reduction of stress by avoiding unpleasant tasks or people, evading the possibility of “rocking the boat,” and gaining time for preparation of another strategy. Costs may include resentment of ignored people, delays which may cost more time and negative energy, and deterioration of communication and decision-making.

Try not to avoid people, even those you dislike.  Evade unimportant issues, those you can’t win, are too sensitive, or may be symptoms of other problems.

Give reasons for avoidance. When postponing, set a time. Don’t personalize the issue, blame, or become angry or evasive. Give the other person the benefit of the doubt, and use humor to diffuse tension

— Accommodating. You neglect or sacrifice your own concerns in favor of the other party.

Benefits of this mode include maintaining or building goodwill by helping the other, and cutting losses to move forward. Disadvantages include sacrificing your interests, loss of motivation or respect, and exploitation from others.

Don’t fall into a pattern of appeasement.  Make small sacrifices when it’s important to others or to clean up hard feelings. Concede gracefully when you are overruled or losing.

Explain, but don’t defend your position. When satisfying a complaint, accept anger but not abuse. Listen, apologize, and make reparations when appropriate.

Remember, you have choices in conflict. You can steer conflicts in different directions by choosing diverse strategies. Give yourself time to think about which technique would be most beneficial in the particular situation.

Author: Dr. Carole Kanchier, registered psychologist, coach, newspaper/digital columnist, speaker and author of award-winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life offers interviews and consultations: https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963

Contact: carole@daretochange.com; https:// www.questersdaretochange.com/blog

Questers Dare to Change shows how to reassess life career goals and plan for success.

© Carole Kanchier, PhD  carole@daretochange.com                                                                

 What skills will be required to succeed in the next decade?

The relentless drive toward increased productivity, lower production costs, electronic intelligence, and computerized business solutions are affecting every job and industry.

People can’t compete with electronic solutions in achieving productivity objectives. Offshoring and downsizing are just temporary steps on the way to massive global change, say authorities.

So what can you do? One possibility is to change your mindset, and prepare for and create jobs requiring mental and social interaction skills that can’t be easily automated. Skills for tomorrow, called “hyper-human,” “meta”, or “ultra” skills, include  research, critical thinking, problem solving, intuition, leadership, and creativity.  Consider the following:

Do you use your imagination to find new ways of performing something? Do you create new options to revitalize your life? Or, do you like the status quo, prefer tried and true ways of doing things?

Creativity is a quality we’re all born with but may have forgotten how to access. It involves creating something new (a product, solution, work of art) that has some value or usefulness. It includes both originality and functionality.

Test your creativity

Answer “yes” or “no:”

1. I like trying new things.

2. When in a group, I rarely offer suggestions.

3. I like participating in intense discussions.

4. If I inherited my parent’s home, I’d keep it the same.

5. I often question things most people take for granted.

8. I like a peaceful life with a dependable routine.

7. I often have ideas about how improvements could be made at work.

8.  I’d terminate a relationship my family disapproved of.

9. I’d like to celebrate my next birthday by going somewhere new.

10. I prefer activities I know I will enjoy to those I have not tried.

Scoring: One for each “yes” to odd-numbered statements, and each “no” to even-numbered ones. Add your points.

8 or higher: You’re an innovator. You embrace change and use your imagination to find new ways of doing things.  You’re complex, self accepting, independent, intuitive, and see many sides of a problem.

4-7:  You may enjoy creating in your personal life but dislike change in your work routine. Or, the opposite could be true. To enhance creativity, try suggestions below.

3 or lower: You enjoy the status quo, dislike change. If you’re happy, don’t change. If you want to release your creative potential, read on.

Tips for strengthening creativity

— Use “Hurricane Thinking.” Suppose you had to give a talk about Cape Cod. First, write Cape Cod in the center of a paper and circle it. This is the eye of the hurricane. Then write the first thoughts that come to mind. Place these around the eye of the hurricane. Jot related ideas close to the parent thoughts. Draw lines to connect related ideas. Should a completely unrelated association come to mind, record it on the opposite corner of the page. If this related idea produces offspring, record these. Continue this process until the page is filled with major points swirling around the calm of Cape Cod.

Let your mind roam. Record all ideas. Don’t evaluate them. Then organize your thoughts and research their feasibility.  Extend hurricane thinking to all life components.  Attend to those “crazy” ideas that could be the spark of genius.

— Make friends with your inner child. List things parents warned you about. Examine attitudes and beliefs you developed as a result of these teachings. Do admonitions like “Never question authority,” “Boys don’t cry,” apply today? Examining long-held beliefs opens you up to new ways of seeing things.

— Draw or “Doodle.”  Write a question that clearly states what you want to know. Underneath it, draw whatever flows though your hands. Use your intuitive skills to interpret the meaning and symbols in the drawing.  Note the sequence of steps and your thoughts and feelings as you study the drawing.

— Play mental games like “what if….” These require a willingness to think freely, so don’t close doors on ideas. Resist  thinking, “Don’t be silly!” or “That’s stupid.”

— Lose yourself in an enjoyable activity. Exercise, sew, paint, sing, dance, write, start a scrapbook or photo album. Focus on the activity.

— Devise your own ways of freeing creativity.  Relax. Give the process time. Here are suggestions:

– Ask your dreams for answers to a question before going to sleep.

– Meditate, journal, relax in nature.

– Change routines, for example, write with your non-dominant hand.

– Play the devil’s advocate at a business meeting.

– Take a course on a topic you’ve always wanted to try.

– Have a backwards day, beginning by having dinner for breakfast.

– Ask a child an open-ended question, for instance, “What do you think …”

– Cook with spices you’ve never used.

– Have a costume party where each guest plays the part of a character from a book, movie, the media, or other realm.

Award winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life, offers additional suggestions for strengthening creativithy. https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963 

Check audible Questers: https://www.audible.com/pd/Questers-Dare-to-Change-Your-Job-and-Life-Audiobook/B07VZNKGJF?asin=B07VZNKGJF&ipRedirectOverride=true&overrideBaseCountry=true&pf_rd_p=34883c04-32e5-4474-a65d-0ba68f4635d3&pf_rd_r=TN801GRP49AWQSSYMDYC1

Author Bio: Carole Kanchier, PhD, is an internationally recognized newspaper/digital columnist, registered psychologist, coach and author of Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life.  Carole Kanchier has taught at University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz, University of Alberta, and other institutions of higher learning. Dr. Kanchier is known for her pioneering, interdisciplinary approach to human potential.

Carole Kanchier is available for consultations and interviews. Her team will be delighted to send a complementary PDF of Questers Dare to Change.

Contact: carole@questersdaretochange.com; www.questersdaretochange.com

Questers Dare to Change shows how to reevaluate personal and professional goals and plan for success.

© Carole Kanchier, PhD

“May peace be with you”, is a traditional Jewish and Arabic greeting or way of wishing people well. The greeting is now used by varied people living in numerous communities across the globe.

Cultivating Peace

With an unprecedented backdrop of a global pandemic, economic collapse, and civil unrest, we need to address basic human needs, values, relationships, and stewardship of our planet. Below are some ways of cultivating peace that other professionals have shared in the literature.

1. Commit to cultivating peace.

2. Choose a career that enables you to do good things for others and the planet.

3. Serve on committees and task forces that work to make your neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces safe.

4. When you see someone in trouble, whether lost, confused, upset, or has fallen, provide help.

5. Show children how to be kind to animals, and vulnerable people – the homeless, those with physical or cognitive disabilities, older people, and anyone else that appears different to the child.

6. Speak out against prejudice and discrimination when you see it.

7. Celebrate successes made by others in the quest for peace and nonviolence.

8. When you feel angry, count to ten before saying anything. Then, ask yourself what response will be best for the greater good.

9. Feel compassion for a person who has hurt your feelings, realizing that the person may be struggling with private issues.

10. If you are a member of a religious community, ask how you can get more involved in promoting peace through its programs and ministries.

11. Volunteer to work for a non profit community group that promotes peaceful events.

12. Look people in the eye and smile when you pass them on the street. Better yet, say, “Hello!”

13. Become trained in mental health and first aid so you can respond to people in distress.  

14. Believe that there is still an abundance of good in this world.

15. Share the forgoing with others, and ask friends and colleagues to add suggestions.

Award winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life, offers additional suggestions for living a harmonious life. https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963

Check audible Questers: https://www.audible.com/pd/Questers-Dare-to-Change-Your-Job-and-Life-Audiobook/B07VZNKGJF?asin=B07VZNKGJF&ipRedirectOverride=true&overrideBaseCountry=true&pf_rd_p=34883c04-32e5-4474-a65d-0ba68f4635d3&pf_rd_r=TN801GRP49AWQSSYMDYC1

Author Bio: Carole Kanchier, PhD, is an internationally recognized newspaper/digital columnist, registered psychologist, coach and author of Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life.  Carole Kanchier has taught at University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz, University of Alberta, and other institutions of higher learning. Dr. Kanchier is known for her pioneering, interdisciplinary approach to human potential.

Carole Kanchier is available for consultations and interviews. Her team will be delighted to send a complementary PDF of Questers Dare to Change.

Contact: carole@questersdaretochange.com; www.questersdaretochange.com

© Carole Kanchier, PhD

Do you look on the bright side of life and anticipate good fortune and success? Or do you feel that you are missing something when it comes to good luck and fortune?

Do you have winning traits?

1. I expect to win

2. I often follow my intuition.

3. I see the bright side of a problem.

4. I seize opportunities in unexpected situations.

5. I’m open to new opportunities.

6. I’m optimistic.

7. I take steps to improve my life.

8. I live in the present.

9. I’m usually relaxed.

10. I’m open-minded.

SCORING: Add your responses. The higher your score, the luckier you perceive yourself to be. You probably create your own good fortune, expect to win, are alert to new opportunities, and do what it takes to improve your life.

Tips for Creating Luck

– Review the fortunate experiences you’ve had over the past five years, and note when you’ve had good luck. List people, circumstances, and resources that influenced your luck. Talk to others about their good luck, and identify what they did to facilitate good fortune.

Develop a success journal.  Write down your successes weekly. Note the role luck played in achieving them, and the strategies you used to influence your luck.

– Be flexible, open to new experiences. Recognize opportunities and take advantage of them. Perceive patterns, and make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas, objects or events. View commonplace things in new ways.

Take advantage of unexpected good fortunes. Don’t procrastinate. The window of opportunity may not last long. 

– Dare to risk.  Every new venture has an element of risk. You can’t grow and succeed without stretching, risking. Explore new opportunities. Don’t fear mistakes. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”  Decide whether you could live with the worst scenario, or take steps to reduce the chance of it happening.

Look upon something new, different, or unknown as exciting — an opportunity to challenge yourself and to grow. If you don’t try, how will you ever find out if you can do it?

– Set goals, and develop an action plan. Break the goal down into small steps. Every day do at least one activity related to achieving it. Know resources that can help you attain the goal. Work hard. Focus. Expect success.

Build strong networks to exchange ideas and offer assistance. Opportunities to create chance experiences are greater with a strong network of contacts and resources. Attend professional and community meetings. Plan to meet at least two new people at each new gathering. Take the initiative. Follow up and show appreciation for help and contacts.

– Challenge assumptions.  Examine your belief system. Question why things are done certain ways. Challenge conventional truths and the status quo. Seek new alternatives in developing problem resolutions.

– Prepare for, and welcome the unexpected. Recognize opportunities that might have eluded you previously. Believe in your ability to create luck.

Award winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life, offers numerous other suggestions for creating luck. https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963

Check audible edition: htps://www.audible.com/pd/Questers-Dare-to-Change-Your-Job-and-Life-Audiobook/B07VZNKGJF?asin=B07VZNKGJF&ipRedirectOverride=true&overrideBaseCountry=true&pf_rd_p=34883c04-32e5-4474-a65d-0ba68f4635d3&pf_rd_r=TN801GRP49AWQSSYMDYC1

Carole Kanchier is available for consultations and interviews.

Carole Kanchier, PhD carole@questersdaretochange.com; www.questersdaretochange.com

Dr. Carole Kanchier, career and personal growth specialist, is a registered psychologist, coach, speaker, teacher and author of Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life.

In the movie, “Star Wars,” Obi Wan-Kenobi gave Luke Skywalker a sword that seemed to have magical powers. The sword was useless to Luke when he lacked confidence in his abilities. But when Luke realized that he had the magical powers within to create his own perception of reality, he wielded the sword with confidence and accuracy.

Do you believe you have control over your life career?

 Indicate T or F.

1. I didn’t get the position because I didn’t prepare for the interview.

2. When I trust my judgment I make wrong decisions.

3. I can solve most of my problems.

4. I’m often a victim of circumstance.

5. I can get any job I want if it’s congruent with my personal qualities and I persist in pursuing it.

6. I’m too old to go back to school.

7. I can learn new skills if I try.

8. I avoid challenges.

9. If I studied hard at school, I got good grades.

10. I don’t perform well under stress.

Scoring; One for each T for odd numbered statements, and one for each F for even numbered ones. Add scores. The higher your score the more you believe you have control over your life. You assume responsibility for your ideas, subsequent actions and consequences.

Take charge

To start taking more control of your career, confront self-limiting beliefs, thoughts, words and behaviors. Pay attention to your language patterns. They influence your conception of reality and affirm your inherent personal power.

Look at the speech patterns below that express dependence and helplessness or independence and control. Choose those that demonstrate choice and responsibility.

– Differentiate between knowing and imagining.

You haven’t given your supervisor a report that was due three days ago. You say to yourself, “He stressed how important it was to submit it on time. He’ll be furious.” How does your internal dialogue continue?

a. “I wonder how I can slip it on his desk without seeing him?”

b. “I don’t really know he’ll be furious. … I’m imagining this. What really happens may be different.”

c. “I’ll take my lumps. I’m late.”

If you chose b you distinguished between knowing with imagining. We can make educated guesses about peoples’ future behaviors based on past experience. But we can also scare ourselves by imagining a negative scenario and convincing ourselves it will occur. Don’t live in a world of untested assumptions. Look for and expect positive outcomes.

– Differentiate between can’t (inability) and won’t (emotional choice).

As you’re finishing work, a colleague invites you to discuss a new job opportunity. You say, “I’d like to but I have to participate at the meeting. Thanks anyway.” When he leaves, you talk to yourself.

a. “I don’t have to go to that meeting. I’m choosing to go even though I’d rather find out about that job.”

b. “Rats, another stupid session when there’s no time to get anything accomplished.”

c. “I have so many clerical tasks to complete that I never have time to look after my career development.”

In selecting a, you’re choosing to affirm that you have a choice, even when you select the same option. We often choose to do things because of the negative consequences of not doing them (getting fired if we don’t choose to work). However, this is still a choice.

When you say, “I choose to,” new options may become apparent. For example, instead of staying in a job you dislike, you can choose to look for another job in the same or different organization, return to school or establish your own business.

– Restructure negative beliefs. Write down all negative thoughts you had within the past day. Rephrase these to make them more positive and to illustrate personal control. For example, if you said, “I’ll never find a job because I’m too old.” Restructure this, “I have the experience, skills, maturity, confidence creativity and persistence to find the position I want.”

Don’t be a prisoner of false beliefs. Ideas don’t come from mysterious external powers.  Rather, your language, thoughts and speech habits express an image of dependence and helplessness or responsibility and power. Empower yourself by selecting language that illustrates personal control.

Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life shows how to take control of your life career https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963

Check audible edition: htps://www.audible.com/pd/Questers-Dare-to-Change-Your-Job-and-Life-Audiobook/B07VZNKGJF?asin=B07VZNKGJF&ipRedirectOverride=true&overrideBaseCountry=true&pf_rd_p=34883c04-32e5-4474-a65d-0ba68f4635d3&pf_rd_r=TN801GRP49AWQSSYMDYC1

Carole Kanchier, PhD carole@daretochange.com; carole@questersdaretochange.com; http://www.questersdaretochange.com/blog

Dr. Kanchier is available for consultations and interviews.

About the Author: Carole Kanchier, PhD, is an internationally recognized newspaper/ digital columnist, registered psychologist and author of Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life. Dr. Kanchier has taught at University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz and University of Alberta and other institutions of higher learning. Dr. Kanchier is known for her pioneering, interdisciplinary approach to human potential.

Questers Dare to Change redefines careers and work, and shows how to navigate lifelong career decisions! 

© Carole Kanchier, PhD

Self talk can boost you up or take you down. Athletes use positive self-talk to reach their personal bests. Some people use negative self-talk to justify the ruts they find themselves in. Mike and Eugene are examples. 

Eugene, an engineer with an aerospace firm that was terminating workers, kept telling himself and others that he was going to lose his job. Mike, on the other hand, researched options and sent updated resumes to potential employers. Eugene lost his job. Mike was offered a job the day he received his pink slip. When Eugene learned to restructure his thoughts, and updated skills he attained his desired position.

Several other people who learned the power of positive self-talk are described in award-winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963 

Pay attention to your “‘self-talk” – the conversation you have in your head about yourself and the world around you. Is your self-talk positive, growth-oriented, or negative, constraining?

What does this quiz say about you?
Answer “yes” or “no.”

1. I learn from my mistakes.
2. I’m too old to compete with younger job applicants.
3. I know and accept myself.
4. I prefer the tried and true ways of doing things.
5. Career success is defined personally.
6. I do what I “should” rather than what I want.
7. I welcome criticism as a way to grow.
8. I won’t consider relocating for an attractive job elsewhere.
9. My successes are the result of hard work, determination, some ability.
10. I’ll accept a promotion to a job I don’t like for money or prestige.
11. My job gives my life meaning and direction.
12. I’m looking forward to retirement so that I can do what I want.
13. I ‘m flexible, self reliant, optimistic.
14. Career success means having social standing, money to buy good things.
15. I’ll take a salary cut to further my career.

Scoring: 1 point for each “yes” to odd numbered statements, and each “no” to even numbered ones. The higher your score, the more you possess positive, growth-oriented attitudes. 6 or less suggests you could benefit from positive self-talk.

Self-Talk Tips

– Reevaluate your definition of career advancement. View career growth as a lifelong process of personal and professional development — a continuing quest to maintain harmony between who you are and what you do.

– Know yourself and options. Identify skills, major accomplishments, needs, purpose and other attributes. Explore options that are compatible with your personal characteristics. Specify your ideal job; include field or industry, title, tasks, type of company and location. Don’t choose an occupation because experts predict it will be in demand or to please others. Select one congruent with personal qualities. If you follow your heart instead of “shoulds,” money may be a by-product.

– Restructure your thinking to that of creating a job rather than applying for one. Re-evaluate your career goals periodically. Modify these as you learn more about yourself and your changing environment. Embrace and grow with change.

– Continue to learn. Welcome opportunities to discover new technologies and enhance transferable skills, such as computer literacy and verbal communication.

– Think out of the box. Develop and use intuition. Take quiet time daily to tune into your inner self. Meditate on an object like  a candle flame or mantra. Ask dreams for direction before falling asleep sleep. Keep a journal. Communicate with nature.

Create a vision board with pictures of your self living your desired lifestyle.  Affirmations can keep you motivated to attain your goal. Bring your desired goal into the present and fully, emotionally and believe it exists today!

– Enhancer optimism. Believe good things will happen. Every time you hear your inner voice criticize, stop and think of something positive to say such as “I’m making progress.” Write down things you like about yourself such as “I’m flexible and creative.”  Post the list where you see it often.

– Exhibit flexibility and resilience. If you’ve been blocked from attaining a desired career goal, investigate other ways of achieving it.

View risk taking as a learning opportunity. Start with small risks in daily activities. Then proceed to more challenging ones. Think of an important risk you’d like to take. What’s the worst thing that would happen if it turned out badly? Where could you get information and support to make the goal less risky? Break the goal into small steps. When can you take the first step?

– Live in the present. Don’t worry about what might happen. Depersonalize failure. View setbacks as learning experiences. Persist.  Have faith you’ll achieve your goal.

– Be the best you can be. Thank the universe regularly for the positive energy you have to share with others to make the world a better place. You can only receive something positive when you give something positive.

Strengthen other Quester traits such as confidence, creativity, growth, independence and self discipline, described in Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/15084089

Check audio edition; https://www.audible.com/pd/Questers-Dare-to-Change-Your-Job-and-Life-Audiobook/B07VZNKGJF?asin=B07VZNKGJF&ipRedirectOverride=true&overrideBaseCountry=true&pf_rd_p=34883c04-32e5-4474-a65d-0ba68f4635d3&pf_rd_r=TN801GRP49AWQSSYMDYC1

Author Bio: Carole Kanchier, PhD, is an internationally recognized newspaper/digital columnist, registered psychologist and author of the award-winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life and the forthcoming Arouse the Force Within You!  Carole Kanchier has taught at University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz and University of Alberta, and other institutions of higher learning. Dr. Kanchier is known for her pioneering, interdisciplinary approach to human potential. www.questersdaretochange.com

Carole Kanchier, PhD

Use Mind Power to Attain Desired Goals

Can we create our own reality? Can thoughts, meditation, visualization, faith and intentions help us achieve desired career goals?

Research suggests that our mind can influence our physical reality. When the body is in peak condition and the trained mind is completely focused, an individual can achieve the extraordinary.

Athletes, who do mental training along with actual practice, show greater improvement than those who only do physical training. Tiger Woods mentally pictures his golf ball rolling into the hole. World class figure skaters mentally rehearse their routines.

Moreover, ordinary people have learned to shrink or eliminate tumors and undergo surgery without medication using similar techniques.

Some use mind power to achieve desired career goals. Barbara, a former Silicon Valley technical writer, imagined herself tending her herb garden and teaching in Hawaii. She’s currently living her dream.

You too can train your mind to achieve desired career — and life goals.

You are the director of your life. You create your own life script by your mental attitude, the thoughts you think.  Mind has unlimited potential, but like other muscles, it has to be built up.

You need to practice mind building skills such as relaxing, breathing, meditating and visualizing desired outcomes. You must also have faith that you’ll achieve your goal and work hard.

Your subconscious mind holds the key to your potential. It takes orders from your conscious mind. To strengthen your mind power, learn through relaxation and meditation exercises to slow your brain wave frequencies at the alpha or subconscious level to seven to 14 cycles per second (the conscious mind functions at 15 or higher cycles per second). Then practice techniques such as visualizing outcomes and stating affirmations to help you achieve desired goals.

Goal attainment strategies

1. Write your goal and deadline. Have a clear, precise picture of your desired outcome. Ensure your goal is consistent with your purpose. Write a paragraph indicating why you want this goal. Include all the benefits to yourself and others. INTEND to achieve your goal.

2. Practice imagery daily. Imagine yourself living your goal today. Do this in a relaxed state, when your mind is at the alpha level. Visualize your goal clearly; include details. Don’t limit yourself by thinking about money, responsibilities or other externals. Hold your desired outcome firmly in your mind.

Experience achieving your goal. Notice how it feels, smells, sounds and looks. If you find this difficult, make a collage or take a photograph depicting your goal.

3. Identify barriers that may hinder you from reaching your goal. Write down how you can overcome these obstacles. Include all the people, groups, resources, personal strengths, and tools that can help you overcome obstacles.

4. Develop an action plan. Every day do at least one activity that will lead you to your goal. Use a daily organizer to plan activities.

Focus on your goal. Concentration is like a lazer beam that cuts through obstacles. Work hard. All your activities should lead to your goal. Ask yourself, “Is what I am doing  moving me closer to my goal?” Turn down promotions if they’re not compatible with your goal.

Consider failure a learning experience as you move toward your goal.

5. Have faith you’ll attain your goal. Faith consist of desire, belief and expectancy. Desire is the initial motivation, the force that pushes you towards your goals. Belief is what sustains you between desire and expectancy. Expect to achieve your goal.

Avoid negativity. Think and talk about things you want, not those you don’t want. Eliminate negative thoughts and feelings such as such stress, worry, hate or anger.  Replace negative thoughts with positive statements or pictures.  Avoid phrases such as, “I can’t.”

If there is the slightest hesitancy in your mind, you’ll not achieve your outcome. You’ll also fail if you try too hard because this suggests you have doubts.

6. Develop a support group. Meet often to review your progress and to get encouragement and suggestions. Avoid negative people

7. Keep your mind, body and spirit in top working order.  If you use you’re mind you’ll get what you want. Make sure you know what you want.

Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life by Carole Kanchier provides additional tips to clarify and attain desired goals. https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963

Check audible version: Questers-Dare-to-Change-Your-Job-and-Life-Audiobook/B07VZNKGJF?asin=B07VZNKGJF&ipRedirectOverride=true&overrideBaseCountry=true&pf_rd_p=34883c04-32e5-4474-a65d-0ba68f4635d3&pf_rd_r=TN801GRP49AWQSSYMDYC1

Please review sample book chapters: http://www.questersdaretochange.com/book/excerpts/ and

Carole’s blogs: http://www.questersdaretochange.com/blog

Author Bio: Carole Kanchier, PhD, is an internationally recognized newspaper/digital columnist, educator, speaker, registered psychologist/coach, and author of the award-winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life and the forthcoming Arouse the Force Within You!  Dr. Kanchier has taught at University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz and University of Alberta, and other institutions of higher learning. Carole Kanchier is known for her pioneering, interdisciplinary approach to human potential. Contact Carole: carole@questersdaretochange.com; www.questersdaretochange.com

3 Tips for Adapting to Chaos

– Guide your own career. Expect change. Look for opportunities to initiate change. Small changes can bring big effects. If you’re unhappy with your job, consider taking a break. Study travel, or work- or part-time in another field.

– Know how to transfer strengths. Skills and knowledge used in one industry can be applied others. For example, skills required for customer service positions such as problem solving and interpersonal skills can be applied to sales and management jobs.

– Clarify and pursue purpose. This is your compass which will guide you through chaos. When you’re in touch with the real you and live out who you believe you are, you’ll have you a sense of direction, inner peace and satisfaction. You’ll be in harmony with changes occurring in the universal system.

– Re-evaluate your definition of career success.  View career growth as a lifelong process of personal and professional development – a continuing quest to maintain harmony between who you are and what you do.

Periodically re-assess life career goals.  In addition to purpose, pay attention to skill development, needs and values as well as changes occurring in work and other environments. As you continue to make job and other moves, you’ll experience uncertainty and the corresponding need for support experienced in earlier moves. Therefore, maintain and build yournetwork, and develop meaningful, supportive relationships.

– Cultivate and use intuition. Intuitive skills help you manage ambiguous circumstances and hazy objectives. Practice relaxation daily to slow your mind and listen to inner signals. Meditate. Ask your dreams for direction before going to sleep. Keep a journal. Pray. Communicate with nature.

– Maintain flexibility. Continue building skills and knowledge.  Learn how to learn. Focus on learning and experimenting with something new rather than previously mastered tasks.

Develop the will to risk. Think of opportunities you’ll miss if you don’t try. Ask, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Then decide whether you could live with the worst scenario or take steps to reduce the chances of it happening.

– Use positive terms to describe chaos. These include innovating, adapting, exploring, expanding, changing.

– Prepare for and welcome the unexpected. Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life offers additional tips fordealing with chaos.

Author Bio: Carole Kanchier, PhD, is an internationally recognized newspaper/digital columnist, registered psychologist, coach and author of award winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life.  Kanchier has taught at University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz, University of Alberta, and other institutions of higher learning, and consulted with varied organizations. Dr. Kanchier is known for her pioneering, interdisciplinary approach to human potential.

Contact: carole@daretochange.com; carole@questersdaretochange.com; www.questersdaretochange.com

Paperback edition of Questers: https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963

Check audible edition: htps://www.audible.com/pd/Questers-Dare-to-Change-Your-Job-and-Life-Audiobook/B07VZNKGJF?asin=B07VZNKGJF&ipRedirectOverride=true&overrideBaseCountry=true&pf_rd_p=34883c04-32e5-4474-a65d-0ba68f4635d3&pf_rd_r=TN801GRP49AWQSSYMDYC1

© Carole Kanchier, PhD

APRIL 6, 2020

Use Chaos Theory to Manage Change

 Questers Dare to Change Shows How

How can events in Brazil – or anywhere else – affect how you do your job today and even whether you’ll have that job tomorrow?

Sometimes, things appear to come “out of the blue.” Do you know someone who has been downsized – not for the first time, but for the second, or third?  What about the Corona virus? How did this global pandemic begin?

Productive employees may be dismissed as a result of being caught in a wave of change. These workers are often experiencing the effects of disorder common to large natural systems. Indeed, economic systems are natural systems. They are susceptible not only to large, immediate fluctuations, but to distant and small changes.

We look for causes and find none because the relationships do not have one-to-one patterns. Instead, they’re understood using the insights of chaos theory. Chaos theory is attributed to meteorologist, Edward Lorenz. The most frequently used metaphor Lorenz used to explain the theory is that the butterfly fluttering its wings in the Amazon rain forest can cause a storm in distant places such as Vancouver.

Just as that Brazilian event can bring rain or sunshine to your day, so can distant events bring changes to your work. Fluctuations in China’s economy, the war in Iraq, or almost any other event will sooner or later affect the work of people faraway from that event.

Chaos theory explains how a rainforest achieves stability and balance without anybody programming what grows where and why. It shows that the wild chaos of the rainforest, with no imposed control, manages to succeed as a “happy” rainforest – unless interfered with by humankind. 

Chaos theory defines a new attitude. It enables scientists to understand the wholeness of their subject rather than smaller subsections. It demonstrates we’re all part of a complex system in which anything affects everything. A universal tendency of complex systems is to create order within themselves.

That’s what your life career is like. Why notuse insights gained from chaos theory to prepare for unexpected changes? Award- winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life, by Carole Kanchier, shows how Questers manage chaos.

Adapting to chaos

– Guide your own career. Expect change. No matter how secure you feel, circumstances may change. Look for opportunities to initiate change. Small changes can bring big effects. If you’re unhappy with your job, consider taking a break. Study travel, or work- or part-time in another field. Consider similar options if unemployed. Unexpected opportunities may arise.

– Know how to transfer strengths. Skills and knowledge used in one industry can be applied others. For example, skills required for customer service positions such as problem solving and interpersonal skills can be applied to sales and management jobs.

– Clarify and pursue purpose. This is your compass which will guide you through chaos. When you’re in touch with the real you and live out who you believe you are, you’ll have you a sense of direction, inner peace and satisfaction. You’ll be in harmony with changes occurring in the universal system.

– Re-evaluate your definition of career success.  View career growth as a lifelong process of personal and professional development – a continuing quest to maintain harmony between who you are and what you do.

Periodically re-assess life career goals.  In addition to purpose, pay attention to skill development, needs and values as well as changes occurring in work and other environments. As you continue to make job and other moves, you’ll experience uncertainty and the corresponding need for support experienced in earlier moves. Therefore, maintain and build yournetwork, and develop meaningful, supportive relationships.

– Cultivate and use intuition. Intuitive skills help you manage ambiguous circumstances and hazy objectives. Practice relaxation daily to slow your mind and listen to inner signals. Meditate. Ask your dreams for direction before going to sleep. Keep a journal. Pray. Communicate with nature.

– Maintain flexibility. Continue building skills and knowledge.  Learn how to learn. Focus on learning and experimenting with something new rather than previously mastered tasks.

Develop the will to risk. Think of opportunities you’ll miss if you don’t try. Ask, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Then decide whether you could live with the worst scenario or take steps to reduce the chances of it happening.

– Use positive terms to describe chaos. These include innovating, adapting, exploring, expanding, changing.

– Prepare for and welcome the unexpected. Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life offers additional tips fordealing with chaos.

Author Bio: Carole Kanchier, PhD, is an internationally recognized newspaper/digital columnist, registered psychologist, coach and author of award winning, Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life.  Kanchier has taught at University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz, University of Alberta, and other institutions of higher learning, and consulted with varied organizations. Dr. Kanchier is known for her pioneering, interdisciplinary approach to human potential.

Contact: carole@daretochange.com; carole@questersdaretochange.com; www.questersdaretochange.com

Paperback edition of Questers: https://www.amazon.com/Questers-Dare-Change-Your-Life/dp/1508408963

Check audible edition: htps://www.audible.com/pd/Questers-Dare-to-Change-Your-Job-and-Life-Audiobook/B07VZNKGJF?asin=B07VZNKGJF&ipRedirectOverride=true&overrideBaseCountry=true&pf_rd_p=34883c04-32e5-4474-a65d-0ba68f4635d3&pf_rd_r=TN801GRP49AWQSSYMDYC1