Coping Strategies for Hard Times
Monday, June 1st, 2009The economic meltdown is old news. The decay of the housing industry has been talked to death. Sometimes life is just hard, so what are we supposed to do? How can we move from whining and victimhood to coping, achieving and succeeding?
First, beef up your communication skills. In order to get what you need in life you must be able to express yourself. Great communication skills are what help you ace job interviews, meet interesting people and sell yourself and your ideas. Employers expect you to be able to talk to customers, solve problems without resorting to slang or vulgarity and write up readable reports. Potential mates (or dates) want someone who listens attentively and responds empathetically.
Nurture your relationships, both personal and professional. We all need moral support to deal with hard times. In addition, solid supportive relationships help us move on to new challenges-mastermind groups are an excellent example of this. Resist the urge to fold in on yourself when you suffer a setback. If you lose your job, your business fails or your marriage is in trouble, now is not the time to cut yourself off from the world and just “stew.” Try to invest in relationships for their own sake. Don’t be tempted to size people up in terms of potential client leads or what they can do for you.
If you own a business increase your commitment to customer service. It’s easier and cheaper to keep a current customer satisfied than to go harvest a new one from the universe. Hard times make people second guess their spending decisions and hold tight to their money. You need to be offering clear value. Answer your emails promptly; phone messages too. Don’t let complaints go unattended. Think about going the extra mile and adding value. Reward customers who give you referrals with product or coupons.
For those times between jobs — concentrate on becoming more well-rounded. Lots of employment agencies tell the unemployed to look at the job search as a full-time job. The problem is that the more narrow your focus in life, i.e. getting a new job, the less interesting you become and therefore less desirable as an employee. If you haven’t read a book, been to a social engagement of any kind or done any exercise you are going to arrive at your next job interview a boring, stressed out and tired person. This is hardly the kind of candidate that screams “Hire me, I’m the best.”
When the going gets tough-the smart get social. Good communication skills and solid relationships will help you to weather the hard times ahead. Continuous self improvement can make the difference between getting ahead and getting left behind.
Karen Southall Watts is an entrepreneurship and management trainer. Karen travels all over the country to teach workshops to new business owners and leaders. Over the years Karen has expanded her work to include lifestyle coaching and communications training. You can reach Karen at http://www.karensouthallwatts.com
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