Greater Milwaukee Jobs

2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • November 5, 2015 "I love what I do!" Of course, that already is apparent. I can't even count how many times I have heard people say that "when you love your job, you never work a day." But study after study shows most employees are disengaged or flat-out miserable at work. In fact, fewer than half of Ameri- can workers are satisfied with their jobs, according to a 2014 survey from the Conference Board, a not-for-profit eco- nomic research institute. Most of us work out of necessity and don't have the time or the opportunity to go chasing after "passion." But that may change going forward as more and more workers seek to feel fulfilled. In a recent TEDx talk, branding strategist Terri Trespicio spoke about the pressure for people to find their passions and the cottage industry that has sprung up to help them. But identifying a passion isn't enough, she said. To be successful, people also need to execute on their inter- ests. Solve your own biggest problems and your passion will emerge. "You don't follow passion. Your passion follows you." The current generation enters the workforce strug- gling over whether to take a stable job that may or may not bring satisfaction, or craft a career around an interest that might not immediately be profitable. This dilemma is especially vexing for a gener- ation that places high value on work with positive social impact. While her millennial peers are figuring it out, Katlyn Grasso, 22, is pursuing her passion. Grasso is the founder and CEO of GenHERation, a female empowerment network for high school girls that includes a summer leadership series, webisodes, an online website and participation in an anti-bullying campaign. Grasso launched her busi- ness with a $150,000 grant from University of Pennsylva- nia to develop innovative proj- ects that have the potential to change the world. "I knew I had to live my passion every day and no matter what it took, I would find ways to fund it," she said. "In the beginning it's about building something great and figuring out how to make it sustain- able. Then, whether you are making a million dollars or Passion . . . from page 1 A publication of Conley Media Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2004 by Conley Media, LLC Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. Call 262-306-5008 for information. Call Center Director: Cindy Shaske 262-306-5016 cshaske@conleynet.com Account Executive: Julie Sears 262-306-5008 jsears@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dan Muckelbauer 262-513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262-513-2690 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS Volume 18 • Number 9 November 5, 2015 To place an ad: Call us at 262-306-5008 or fax us at 262-338-5271 deadline: Noon on Wednesdays see PASSION … page 6 It takes practice to develop a positive outlook & A Q A. Practice can help you shift your initial response to situations to a more positive viewpoint. First of all, think about why you really want to change. Is it to please others? If so, consid- er, at least briefly, whether the perspectives of others are fair in this case. Sometimes people use the "negative" label when uncomfortable realities are raised. On the other hand, I've seen people make good news seem like the sky is falling. Even in the former case, though, a more effective com- munication style will get you further. That said, if the sole motivation for changing is to please others, your odds of success drop dramatically. What are your inner motiva- tions to change? You mention that positive people seem happier – are you unhappy? Or at least less happy than you'd like to be? If so, shifting your perspective could help. Take some time to look back. Have you always had a "glass half empty" viewpoint? If not, think about when and how it changed. Is it consistent across all aspects of your pro- fessional and personal life? If not, consider why you may show up differently in differ- ent settings. Get some feedback from people you trust. It's easy to overreact to offhand com- ments, but understanding whether your style really is having a detrimental impact on yourself or others could be very useful. Then figure out what your goal is. As you teach yourself to find a positive perspective, it's not realistic to think you'll instantly always see (and be able to express) a positive point of view. Also, you want to be sure to be authentic with the people you're around - there isn't anything worse than a phony Pollyanna. In fact, much of your focus will be internal at first. Start by looking back at recent situ- ations, say, a new business challenge that has emerged. Presumably, your reaction was to look at the negative impact. Right now, look at the situa- tion again and make a list of all of the potential positives you can see. Find at least three. Do this over and over.Try it if you go to the grocery store and they're out of the item you wanted. Try it if you're delayed at the airport.There is always a positive spin you can find - make a game out of it. This may feel very artificial at first. Even though you can state a positive, you may not have inner conviction that it's real. My experience is, though, that once you can articulate it, the believing will follow.You can then start expressing the positive view externally. One hint: you may want to give others a heads up about your new approach.That way you'll get support instead of risking incredulous reactions. Thinking positive is a good habit to have, and even if your immediate reactions don't change, you'll be broadening your view of the world. Q. People always ask me why I'm so negative. I have to admit that I tend to be a "glass half empty" person, and also have noticed that people who look on the positive side seem to be happier. What can I do to change? By Liz Reyer Tribune News Service (TNS) Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. Writing a job ad is easy. Just reach for jargon, grab a buzz- word or two, and craft a handful of sentences that says you're a remarkable company seeking an even more remark- able employee. But before you run it by a like-minded peer, through your trusty spell-checker, and out into cyberspace, take a second look at your words to see the "code" a job-seeker may be sensing. Here are some innocent- sounding blurbs that were pulled from some actual job ads: "Are you aggressive and don't mind long hours as long as they lead to big money? Do you like to work hard and play hard? We want to talk to you!" The job-seeker's chances of reading even a single line fur- ther may depend much on his or her gender. Play hard? What does that mean? Does the staff mosey to the bar across the street after work every night for drinks? How about this one: "We're looking for analyti- cal professionals with street smarts to boot. Here, you'll find great career challenges - Careful with those words in job ads By Business Management Daily (TNS) see CAREFUL. . . page 7

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