Headlines got you worried?

Hello Friends,

I received something today in my inbox that I had to share immediately. So many of my clients have been anxious (to say the least) with regards to the market and their company/business/family. For them hiring a coach to assist in moving forward, shifting momentum and setting in place solid growth strategies, while being full supported, has been key in these times. For those of you who haven't made that step, I thought this article was worth sharing to help put things in a different perspective, take it from the negative and get into action. That is the key.

From the desk of Robyn Grenspan, Editor-in-Chief of ExecuNet:

Step away from the headlines. There’s been no escaping the dominant stories of financial turmoil, which has injected insecurity into workers in nearly every sector. The VIX Index, which measures market volatility or "fear," hit its highest level since it started tracking in 1990, surpassing spikes from 9/11.

Many of us live at the intersections between Wall Street and Main Street, and even though the aftershocks will resonate for a while, the near long-term outlook is fairly decent. ExecuNet’s very recent Recruiter Confidence Index, a confirmed leading indicator of projected executive recruitment activity, is still around 50 percent, with some expected shakiness in the last quarter of 2008, but the first half of 2009 holds greater promise. Executive search firm Korn/Ferry International echoes that sentiment, forecasting demand for senior-level and higher educated talent.

There are some self-directed activities to help mitigate the anxiety or aid job search: Turn off the news channels and get outside to network. ExecuNet holds face-to-face networking meetings in roughly 50 markets every month where you can build connections, get expert and peer guidance, and exchange leads. If you prefer something less structured, organize your own small group to meet for coffee and support.

If jobs in your industry are evaporating, prepare for transition by becoming a student of one of the growth sectors: healthcare, energy/utilities, life sciences, high-tech and business services. Join a professional association, read the trade journals, immerse yourself in the language, network to leaders in that industry, and identify your transferrable skills. It will take some time to make the industry switch, but there are countless examples of executives who have successfully shifted, as evidenced by ExecuNet members who have been sharing their successful strategies with us in our General Management Roundtable group.

Shared from ExecuNet

Coaching Exercise:

1. What do you recognize about yourself in this article?
   
   
2. How much time a day are you spending reading the headlines, checking the market, talking about your portfolio? How is that action supporting business growth and ROI?
   
   
3. What one action can you do to produce greater results today than you did yesterday?
   
   
4. How many self-directed activities will you begin doing to mitigate the problems and fears?
   
   
5. Will you check out networking groups, associations, roundtable discussions in your area that support growth so that, you begin to be in action for moving ahead?