Take A Risk

     Subject matter experts are known for the prowess in their specific field because they have published research, promoted their findings, served as guest lecturers or led extraordinary efforts. Being the expert is the mantra in today's business world.

What happens if the skills you possess are no longer needed to keep your organization moving forward? How can the organizational freelance remain competitive leveraging the same skills over and over again without any change in talent dynamic?

Sometimes it is a challenge to learn new skills or switch to a new industry because we hold on tight to the main focus of our careers to the point of excluding other opportunities. Some call it refining their skills. Others may perceive it as resistance to change.

When someone offers you the opportunity to work on new projects outside your field of expertise, take the risk and do it. You may learn something new. You may enjoy the challenge of not having all of the answers. In addition, taking a risk on diverse work assignments can also be a catalyst for collaborations with more people outside your immediate team.

There may be some hesitation to taking on an assignment that is not your forte such as the fear of failure. Yet, the risk is worth it for the organizational freelancer to move beyond being perceived as a one-dimensional  business person.

Working on tasks outside your normal comfort level will also broaden your ability to adapt to new teams and business environments. 

Perfection and Inertia Paradox

  

   Do you remember the last time you were assigned a task and how you began the process? Some people are methodical and others just jump into the fray of the work. Yet, some others seek perfection in their work products at every step in the process. This is a good thing if it is a catalyst for change, welcomes input from others and offers the opportunity to achieve tangible outcomes. However, if it creates a barrier to success, it is time to reconsider how to manage your work.

Perfection is something many of us strive for at work. For example, it is an acceptable business practice to check the status of every phase of a project to ensure it meets or exceeds the required project scope. Often, there may such a strong focus on doing the right thing, it may take us off course from achieving the project goal.  Consequently, the Perfection and Inertia Paradox begins.

As a result, inertia sets in and nothing gets accomplished. When an organizational freelancer is so focused on perfection that they do not begin working, it hinders the  ability to meet tangible goals.

Tips to avoid the Perfection and Inertia Paradox:

• Work and communicate with the team often
• Develop a plan that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT)
• Omit group think
• Encourage different opinions
• Use your SWOT analysis to avoid inertia
• Create a project timeline with tangible milestones to keep the project moving forward
• Know the signs of procrastination in your team and yourself
• Check in with the client and communicate outcomes as well as issues at every phase

Prepare for your voice to be heard - Public Speaking

Once upon a time, public speaking opportunities were reserved for people in leadership positions, their staff and speech writers. These roles were designed by a vertical hierarchy where the folks on top always gave the speeches which may have been prepared by speechwriters or the speakers.

Fast forward to 2014 and organizations are no longer top heavy with speeches given by leaders only. Experts exist at all levels of the organizational structure and they may be called upon to provide a briefing based on their skills and talents. This is a great opportunity to break out of one's comfort zone and engage a new task of public speaking.

On occasion, there are barriers to public speaking that may seem like insurmountable challenges that hinder our ability to provide effective message delivery. You can learn to overcome those issues by preparing for your voice to be heard with a few helpful hints.

• Know your topic
• Create a great opening statement 
• Be comfortable in your own voice 
• Project your sound
• Silence the inner critic 
• Become receptive to feedback that will enhance your public speaking skills
• Rehearse your delivery as if you are telling a story to your closet friend or family member to make it more conversational
• Focus your topic
• Avoid tangents
• Solicit feedback 
• Respond to questions effectively and in a timely manner

Initiative, Innovation and Drive, March 2, 2014

Freelance work is a competitive business and it requires the ability to stand out from the rest of the crowd. When you display initiative, innovation and drive it will lead to new endeavors and respect from your peers.

Often, tasks are assigned to us at work and we follow the instructions succinctly to complete the project in a timely manner. Following this type of "straight line process" eliminates the opportunity to be creative and show initiative. Next time you have an opportunity to support organizational goals implement your initiative to get things done in a unique and creative manner.

Innovation is derived from knowing exactly what the client wants and implementing a strategy geared towards success that is results driven. It also means conducting research to understand what worked in the past as well as identify the potential threats and weaknesses that may hinder you during the project. Innovation also means caring about your work product. When developing your strategy, take the time to know the strengths and value-added objectives of your work as well as its impact on the organization at large.

Drive. This one word describes the level of interest, encouragement and passion you have for your work. Avoid doing a sloppy job simply because the work you want to do is not readily available to you at that exact moment. Deliver on your projects so you can begin focusing on the type of work you really want to do. Then, concentrate on the tasks that you are grateful for accomplishing as you channel that positive energy into your organizational freelance opportunities each day.