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Articles from Craig Nathanson | Selfgrowth.com
- The Difference Between “Need” and “Want” - by Submitted on Dec 14, 2004 from Craig NathansonLet’s face it: Most people spend way too much money on things they don’t really need. The more money we make, the more we tend to spend. This endless cycle of materialism has led many people to confuse the word “need” with the word “want.” As in, “we need a big-screen TV for our new home ...
Views: 14659(4 votes) - How to make BIG changes in your life when you are stuck! - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2010 from Craig NathansonWhy big changes are important when feeling stuck Do you feel stuck in your life now? Feeling stuck can be a result of many factors. It can be financial problems, loss of job, loneliness, boredom, or just a sense of angst about your life and direction. It might be that your days are busy, and ...
Views: 11830(2 votes) - The Importance of Self-Awareness - by Submitted on Dec 14, 2009 from Craig NathansonWhat is self-awareness? This is unknown territory for many. In school we are seldom taught to do deep reflection. As we get older and become adults we get caught in the cycle of productivity and consumption. As a result self reflection becomes something to be avoided so as not to slow one ...
Views: 11064(3 votes) - Treating People as Commodities - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2009 from Craig NathansonThe culture treats people as commodities I see it everywhere - people working in jobs which carry little meaning and provide little support for personal development. Worst, the culture treats people as commodities. Performance review systems, manager-employee meetings, and even rewards are ...
Views: 7220(1 vote) - Coaching Vs. Managing - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2010 from Craig NathansonManaging and coaching is different Think of the best coach you ever had, either at work or outside of work. What did the coach do that was effective? How did the coach interact with you? What kinds of things did the coach help you to achieve? Now think of the best manager you ever had at ...
Views: 5576(6 votes) - Ten Steps to Overcome the Fear of Change - by Submitted on May 08, 2009 from Craig NathansonStep One: Envision what you want Making change especially when it comes to your work the fear of change tends to stop us in our tracks. We worry what will happen if we make a mistake or do the wrong thing. It can be the result of not having a clear vision of the desired state. Be clear about ...
Views: 4369 - After 40 is the best time to reassess your life and your work! - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2011 from Craig NathansonThe mid-life crisis occurs for a reason Up until about 40, we spend our lives building, collecting, acquiring. We do our best despite in some cases our upbringing, society pressures and our economic conditions. Around 40, however, life starts to take on new meaning. Usually this is a result ...
Views: 4246(1 vote) - Finding Your Place in the World - by Submitted on Sep 02, 2005 from Craig NathansonFinding Your Place in the World Mid-life is a great time to lean on your dreams This is the fifth article in a ten-part series, based on Craig Nathanson's trademark "Ten P" model for vocational happiness. By Craig Nathanson The Vocational Coach™ Dream, dream, dream I used to daydream a lot ...
Views: 4132 - The Top Ten Ways to Take Positive Risks in your Life! - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2010 from Craig NathansonHere are the top ten ways to take positive risks in your life (And what will happen if you do) 1. Decide what you want and then define and take the biggest risk you can think of which will move you closer to your goal. (Taking action towards doing what you wanto do is not a risk) 2. Make a ...
Views: 3978 - The Best Education For Managers - by Submitted on Sep 05, 2009 from Craig NathansonCrisis in management education There is no consistency today in the way we educate managers. Larger organizations tend to have more comprehensive programs. If we look at the business results of the past year it will show that these programs have not been very successful. In the US over 99.9% ...
Views: 2928 - How do you discover and live your passion? - by Submitted on Nov 07, 2005 from Craig NathansonHow do you discover and live your passion? This is the seventh article in a ten-part series based on Craig Nathanson's trademark "Ten P" model for vocational happiness. By Craig Nathanson The Vocational Coach™ This is a question we all want to answer… …especially in mid-life where ...
Views: 2772 - Happiness and Work - by Submitted on Oct 23, 2009 from Craig NathansonWhat is happiness? In many ways happiness is very subjective and judged differently by each person. My observation is that people are most happy when they feel in control of their life. Much of one’s life occurs at work thus happiness at work is an important factor to consider. Many factors ...
Views: 2700(5 votes) - The Top 10 FATAL Mistakes People Make After Age 40! - by Submitted on Aug 04, 2007 from Craig NathansonMistake # 1: Doing work that brings no joy or happiness Who made up the rule that says work should bring misery. Go ahead and add up the hours of “work” left in your life. Calculate up to the day you stop breathing, not the day you retire. A big number, isn’t it? Now, how will ...
Views: 2687 - Bad vs. Good people? - by Submitted on Jul 21, 2010 from Craig NathansonLabels at work It can be easy as a manager to label people as bad or good performers. This performance labeling tends to be a convenient way to quickly categorize people. It is efficient for human resources. Once labeled, people can be given promotions or demotions, merit or punitive action, ...
Views: 2650 - What is your attitude towards your work? - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2005 from Craig NathansonWhat is your attitude towards your work? The position you take just might mean the difference between fulfillment and misery! This is the sixth article in a ten-part series, based on Craig Nathanson's trademark "Ten P" model for vocational happiness. By Craig Nathanson The Vocational Coach™ ...
Views: 2488 - Work—is more than just a paycheck - by Submitted on Apr 23, 2011 from Craig NathansonWhat does work mean to you? Does your work align with your abilities and deepest interests? Is your work simply a way to earn a living? Do you enjoy your work so much you could do this work forever? Is Monday your best day of the week and Friday the worst because you have to wait until ...
Views: 2394 - The top ten ways to be unhappy at work, especially after 40! - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2009 from Craig NathansonMost people are good at being unhappy at work There are so many people who are already unhappy at their work. So probably I don't need to teach them since they are already so good at this. But for those who want to change bad habits a reminder sometimes is a good idea. 1 Work for JUST the ...
Views: 2240(2 votes) - What causes management problems at work? - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2009 from Craig NathansonWhat causes management problems at work? Anything but a system Many management systems are anything but a system. These organizations are a collection of people, habits, different behaviors and expectations. Management is driven largely by external behavior (The bigger boss) and ...
Views: 2074(1 vote) - Over-emphasis on Reward and Punishment - by Submitted on Sep 23, 2009 from Craig NathansonEmployee recognition Does this sound familiar? It’s a Friday and another day at the office. Today is employee recognition day. As usual once a month the department manager gathers the whole group for a one hour meeting. Employees come to the faceless conference room and await the monthly ...
Views: 2038(1 vote) - Building Better Teams - by Submitted on May 18, 2010 from Craig NathansonWhy many teams don’t work well together Have you ever wondered why the team that you were on didn’t work very well together? Many teams originally were set up to fail. In sports, you build teams from individuals with best achievements. In business, we hear many times, the sports analogy ...
Views: 2005(3 votes) - Bad vs. Good people? - by Submitted on Nov 15, 2009 from Craig NathansonLabels at work It can be easy as a manager to label people as bad or good performers. This performance labeling tends to be a convenient way to quickly categorize people. It is efficient for human resources. Once labeled, people can be given promotions or demotions, merit or punitive action, ...
Views: 1753(1 vote) - Communicating: The Essence of Organizational Success - by Submitted on Apr 25, 2010 from Craig NathansonFailure to communicate Failure in communication is the biggest problem of management. When this occurs, it affects everything. Overall performance of people decreases, goals are not clear, people build incorrect assumptions, and relationships at work suffer. Especially during challenging ...
Views: 1742 - The top ten reasons why YOUR work should be joyful! - by Submitted on Jun 19, 2011 from Craig Nathanson1. Life moves fast and work will consume the majority of your hours in your life. Use them wisely and your life will be fulfilled and meaningful. 2. If you choose work which best fits you, you can generate happiness from your work which can last a lifetime. 3. Your work affects everything else ...
Views: 1630 - Planning as a system - by Submitted on Feb 26, 2010 from Craig NathansonWhat is a system? A system is comprised of many processes. These processes have ins and outs. Processes have starts and stops. They can be mature, or developing. Some of them work smooth and some have multiple broken links. It can be helpful to look upon management work as running a complex ...
Views: 1604(5 votes) - Leadership through Coaching - The Path to Humanistic Management - by Submitted on Nov 23, 2012 from Craig NathansonVision and structure To be a strong leader takes a compelling vision for people. It also requires an ability to set up goals and follow-up on it. In addition to this, to enable great things through people, it takes a softer side, a caring side. That is what you call coaching. Focused on ...
Views: 1592(2 votes) - Why motivating others doesn't work - by Submitted on Jan 09, 2010 from Craig NathansonIncorrect starting point Almost everywhere you turn there seems to be another rewards based incentive program to motivate people. This approach can work short term only for people who don't like their work. But with the time these people will only demand larger rewards to gain the same ...
Views: 1568 - How do you feel about yourself? - by Submitted on Aug 20, 2006 from Craig NathansonFaith Shades did all the right things—all the things society expected. She attended law school, was involved in television and news production and was a top producing real estate agent. Suddenly one day a new perspective emerged about her life and what she really wanted. Today, Faith is the ...
Views: 1540 - Over 40? Out of Work? Make This the Best Time of Your Life! - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2009 from Craig NathansonTake a new approach Right now millions of Americans are either out of work, recently laid off, or afraid of being laid off. There are millions more, who simply work at jobs, which provide no meaning. They work only in order to get a paycheck. Stop feeling sorry for yourself Society ...
Views: 1532(1 vote) - The five biggest myths about work - by Submitted on Sep 26, 2009 from Craig NathansonMyth One: Work leads to retirement This is the biggest myth of all. First of all, most people simply can no longer afford to stop working. Even for those who do stop working soon they find their lives are filled with too much leisure time. Not too long after a feeling of wanting to make a ...
Views: 1501 - Eleven Steps to FINALLY Loving Your Work After Forty - by Submitted on Aug 07, 2009 from Craig NathansonStep One: Envision exactly what would be just perfect for you! Many people stop on this first step by their negativity. But no one is going to do this except you. Take some time and create a picture in your mind of the work which would be just perfect for you. Is it working in the health ...
Views: 1498 - Ten Best Ways to Give Feedback as a Manager and Why! - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2011 from Craig Nathanson1. Give feedback just before the next time the person needs it. (People will not make long term behavior change when evaluated,especially directly after a poor performance) 2. Let people know that you care about them. (When people see that their manager cares, they will be more motivated to ...
Views: 1487 - The Eight best ways to network - by Submitted on May 01, 2012 from Craig Nathanson1. First and most important, decide exactly what you want to do. Many people network with the wrong people because they have not figured out what they want to do. 2. Network with people who are doing exactly what you want to do. Many people waste their time on social networks with people ...
Views: 1481(1 vote) - The importance of joyful work in the second half of life! - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2012 from Craig NathansonThe importance of joyful work Sadly, most people did not learn at school about the importance of enjoying their work, unless a person was fortunate to have had a parent who taught how important it is. Most commonly, the notion of work to most people is the necessity for providing an income ...
Views: 1463 - Summer is over and time for a vocation! - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2010 from Craig NathansonOver 40? Vocation starts now! Well, the summer is finally over, and kids are ready to go back to school. For adults, especially those over 40, this time associates with extra anxiety. Perhaps, you have spent the summer avoiding the most important question you must answer. That’s it. It is ...
Views: 1447 - How to defeat the normal challenges of life! - by Submitted on May 18, 2010 from Craig NathansonStruggling with life transition? This happens to many of us. This can be a result of many factors such as a job loss, a death in the family, a divorce, a financial crisis, or just a sense of feeling empty and unsure what to do next with your life. During this time, it is important to get ...
Views: 1434 - 10 steps to a more fulfilling life after 40! - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2010 from Craig NathansonI get asked a lot what it is like to live a self-described authentic life filled with happiness, joy, fulfillment, and a sense of making a contribution. So with this article I decided to share what I do. Try out these steps for yourself and you will also see an emerging life which works better ...
Views: 1433 - Hiring and Letting Go - by Submitted on Aug 01, 2010 from Craig NathansonWhy hire in the first place? Any employer hires for the same reason, they have a problem which needs to be fixed. When hiring, the best manager looks at three following factors: if the person has the ability to do the role, if the person has motivation to do the role, and if the person fits ...
Views: 1431 - The Top Ten Ways to De-motivate People as a Manager - by Submitted on Nov 04, 2010 from Craig Nathanson1. Micro-manage (People will do exactly what is requested and monitored and no more) 2. Give people challenging assignments when they don’t have the skills for the work (This will lead to burn-out and poor morale after the thrill of the new assignment wears off) 3. Evaluate all work all ...
Views: 1426 - The top ten ways to be happy in your work- FOREVER! - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2010 from Craig Nathanson1. Do what really interests you! (This seems like a simple idea, but many times we do work for many other reasons) 2. Decide for yourself what kind of work best fits you. (There is no shortage of people who will tell you what to do, but this decision should come from you since you will ...
Views: 1424 - Aligning Integrity and Finance - It is Possible - by Submitted on Sep 24, 2010 from Craig NathansonThe most common financial mistakes managers make In many organizations managers are not taught how to manage their budgets. In some cases managers are given budget responsibility but not budget authority. In these organizations it takes 5 levels of signatures to get a few hundred dollars ...
Views: 1368 - Management Through Coaching - by Submitted on May 14, 2011 from Craig NathansonWhat is a management system? The daily life of a manager is complex and requires a combination of skills and approaches. The important thing to remember is that action which a manager takes has a direct relationship to the whole system. When a manager plans a project, it impacts how the ...
Views: 1368 - The new wave - Humanistic Management and why you need to get on board. - by Submitted on May 16, 2012 from Craig NathansonOur economy needs a boost Take a look around and you will see a lackluster economy in many countries around the world. While some of this does have to do with financial crisis, much more has to do with poor management. People come to work with high expectations. In many workplaces adults are ...
Views: 1346 - A new year is the time for a new approach to work - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2010 from Craig NathansonAre you over 40? Good. Then you won't need permission from your parents to read this article. If you are under 40, I give you permission now! I would guess if you are over 40 you have begun to question your life and your work. Good. This is normal and healthy. Perhaps you have also started ...
Views: 1342(1 vote) - How do you find the RIGHT work for you? - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2010 from Craig NathansonLet's start with some definitions First let's define the difference between right work and wrong work. Wrong work is work which you don't enjoy. The work feels stifling and constraining. Having wrong work you don't look forward to going there every day. You secretly hope some crisis occurs so ...
Views: 1337(1 vote) - The Right Work Requires New Action - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2010 from Craig NathansonMeet Kyle Kyle is 42 years old, married with two small children 12 and 10. Kyle has worked the last 16 years in the financial services industry. Through hard work and long hours he is now a director at his firm making $125,000 a year. He leaves his house daily at 6:15 a.m. to get to his ...
Views: 1319(1 vote) - Ask better questions after 40 about your life and work - by Submitted on Oct 03, 2012 from Craig NathansonHow does one ask better questions after 40? This is not an easy task. Normally, by this point of life, we have established our routine of life. We have jobs whether we like them or not and relationships whether we like them or not. As a result of this, to make a big change seems impossible if ...
Views: 1295 - Do you have the perfect work for you? Take the quiz to find out - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2011 from Craig NathansonWhy the search for perfect work is important! First, because no one will ever walk up to you in your current job and ask you! Your family members won’t ask you because change can be threatening. This is a question you must ask yourself. Work impacts our sense of self, our self-esteem and our ...
Views: 1282 - The most important question to ask after forty! - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2011 from Craig NathansonEmpty work Have you ever had work which was empty? Perhaps you were successful as society might view. Perhaps you had a nice job title, made good money, owned lots of material things and even a good family and social life. Yet, deep inside when you went to sleep at night, you felt empty. You ...
Views: 1276 - The Ten Best Ways to Lead through coaching - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2011 from Craig Nathanson1. Ask lots of questions. It worked for Socrates and it can work for you. 2. Have more empathy. Putting yourself in the shoes of a subordinate will change your perspective. 3. Walk around a lot and be more visible. This produces more brief coaching moments which are unplanned and more ...
Views: 1259 - How to have the Right Relationship and the Right work! - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2010 from Craig NathansonThe importance of the RIGHT relationship What happens to you when you have someone close in your life that you love and who loves you? Of course there are children, but in this article I am going to address your special relationship. It could be a spouse, partner, boyfriend, girlfriend or ...
Views: 1248