Work Teams with Different Personality Types

There they were – 8 people in one place.

They were all different…very different. But…that’s a good thing.

It was last week in Nebraska that I met these folks. They own a medium-sized agricultural business. And…they are very successful….

But – there are times when they irritate each other. The detailed folks get frustrated with one of the bosses who relate to them in general terms. The flexible, spontaneous team members get tired of feeling restricted to a tight structure. Sometimes, the Introverts don’t say anything when they are frustrated…they just let the Extroverts talk.

So how do the owners of this business make it all work?

Well….it’s a process. It’s a process that’s sometimes difficult…but it’s worth it in the end.

And…we are helping them in this process.

We did a first in a series of team-building workshops for this client. First, we took them through the basics of personality and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. At the end of the first session, they learned their personality ‘type’.

Later, we’ll take them through more workshops to help apply the personality principles of personality and really take to heart what the strengths of their own personality type are.

Then, we’ll help them recognize and appreciate the strengths of those that are different than they are.

Will it be difficult? Yes

But…it will be worth it.

Interested in our team-building workshops? Give us a call at 785-979-0381 or email me at brent@leadershipequip.com

Helping Others in Your Career

It was late at night in Warsaw, Poland. I was catching the last bus that would take me home for the evening. And suddenly…there she was…asking me for help…

I’d been living in Eastern Europe only a couple of months. I’d moved to that part of the world to change careers. I was working as an English Teacher in Ukraine, but I worked part-time as an agriculture consultant in Poland.

I’d been studying Russian and I knew the basics. But…she was speaking to me in Polish. How the heck was I supposed to respond?

‘She’ was a German Grandmother. She couldn’t see well enough to see the bus schedule…and she was asking me for help.

So here I am…literally a ‘baby’ in the culture. I knew a few phrases. I felt helpless enough in the culture…no less having to help someone else.

There are times when I want to help someone…but just don’t feel capable of doing it. And tonight…was one of those nights. Too many times, I have said ‘Sorry, I don’t speak the language’, and have moved on.

But something was different that night. I really felt like I needed to try…I needed to reach out to this lady.

I switched from English to Russian and sure enough…she spoke some Russian. I was able to communicate which bus she needed in broken Russian. Just so happens…it was the same bus that I was traveling on, and she was getting off at the same exact spot that I was.

On the bus ride, she told me a bit of her story. I couldn’t understand everything…but I understood parts. She was on her way to visit her family who lived here in Warsaw. She told me how something had happened inside her head, and she couldn’t think or see very well now. She told me quite a bit of her story. And…it was intriguing. So intriguing that I was captured by it the entire to the bus stop.

Have you ever had the opportunity to help someone in a tough spot? Maybe it’s a colleague. Maybe it’s your boss. Maybe it’s someone you don’t even like.

Take the risk…step out in faith and help someone…even if you don’t feel ‘qualified’ to do so. You’ll be surprised at just how gratifying it can be.

Choose Your Business Partners Wisely!

I just spent 3 days with one of my business partners. It was a great time…as friends…and in planning our business.

Ever think of starting your own business with partners?

A word of caution: be careful in who you choose

In our career coaching and web-product business, we connect with…and serve…a certain type of people. People who want to make a change in their careers…but they aren’t sure how.

My friend and business partner Lewis Pulley has a real heart for people. He’s empathetic and he really ‘connects’ well with people with his wit, his knowledge, and his sense of humor. He’s been an ideal partner for us for the last 2 years.

The thing is…I’ve known him about 12 years now. I knew what his values are. I knew what his experience was. I knew what he thought was ethical or unethical.

Are you considering choosing a business partner?

If so…choose wisely!!!

Pursuing Meaningful Work – Sasha in Ukraine

We met through my Facebook Fan Page. He’s a friend of a friend of a friend.

But, he’s been listening to our podcasts…reading our blog…and has been actively engaging with us. We definitely wanted to meet him. And…it turns out…he wanted to meet us as well.

Aleksandr Svintsitsky is who I’m speaking about. Otherwise known as Sasha.

Sasha has a great story. He’s working for a good company and has good colleagues. He enjoys his work.

But…God has planted something inside of him…something that he’s recognized from a young age. Sasha wants to run his own business.

And…he has started that business and is already successful. I saw the fire and excitement in his eyes as he described it to me. We stood under a ledge there in Kyiv and watched the rain pour as he told me about his business…his faith…his family.

If Sasha can start a business, why can’t you? There’s plenty of excuses not to. But…there’s plenty of reasons to take the leap of faith…and do it.

Stay tuned for more stories about Sasha in the future. We are going to follow him and learn more about his business and his faith in the months to come…

Taking Risks in Your Career

Have you ever thought about taking a major risk in your career?

We’ve got a career coaching client who’s right on the edge of making a big decision. It’s a hard decision. It’s risky. It’s potentially life-changing.

Have you ever taken a big risk in your career?

As you are reading this, I’m in Ukraine for a few days. A few years back…I took the leap off the corporate ladder and moved to Ukraine to teach English.

Was it risky? Of course.

But…the dividends have paid many times over…in many different ways.

I made lifetime friends. I made a ton of new business contacts. I made progress on my finances. Eventually…after I got back to the U.S…the international experience made me more marketable.

What risk do you need to take today? What’s stopping you?

You might be surprised at just how much a risk now could be rewarded in the future

Is Self-Employment Too Risky?

Many folks around the world are starting their own businesses.

Graphic designers, Virtual Assistants, Business Consultants, and many others…now offer their services globally through modern technology.

But isn’t owning your own business risky??

Yes, but this risk can pay off…

We’ve hired ‘free-lancers’ or ‘self-employed’ folks several times to help with our business. But recently, we decided to hire a free-lancer, a Virtual Assistant, for 15 hours a week. This was a big step for us. This was a risk for us.

But…this risk paid off. Our VA is doing quality work and really helping us to grow our business to be more profitable and more efficient.

There’s a very cool benefit for the free-lancers as well. It’s higher risk for them as well, but potentially higher return.

For example our VA Jeffrey will tell his story of becoming a free-lancer in our ‘Meaningful Work Interview’ podcast that will post this Saturday. As a free-lancer, Jeffrey was able to make enough money to pay off his mortgage in 6 months. In his previous job, it would have taken more than 6 years.

Is it higher risk to be self-employed? Possibly.

But the risk is well worth the return…

Pursuing Meaningful Work – Across Cultures

I’m excited.

Why? Because I’ll return to Ukraine later this week.

Ukraine is a place that will always be near to my heart. I lived there for 4 years. Four years of exploring – geographically, relationally, vocationally.

I return to Ukraine on a regular basis now to help others wrestle with their calling….and discover their vocation.

But…I’m not alone in this quest. We have 2 partners that work with us in Ukraine. They live there full-time. They work among the Ukrainians day in and day out…and fully engage with and participate in the culture daily. They can connect with the people there in a way that I can’t…since I’m so far separated geographically.

We are ‘ramping up’ for more business in Ukraine. I’m excited about what these partners have done…and will be doing in the future. They have a passion for people. A passion for helping people grow. A passion for helping others discover their calling.

On July 14 in Kyiv, we’ll conduct the ‘Pursuing Your Calling’ workshop. If you’re in Ukraine and want to attend, please let me know. Contact me at brent@leadershipequip.com.

We’ll also be releasing several podcasts from our time in Ukraine. We’ll have interviews with those that have found or created meaningful work.

Stay tuned…more stories about ‘Pursuing Meaningful Work’…across cultures…

Pursuing Meaningful Work – Tough Interview Questions

Recently, we conducted a poll on LinkedIn about tough interview questions.

Here’s the poll questions:

‘What interview question do you fear most?’

What are your salary expectations?

What are your weaknesses?

Tell us about yourself?

Why are you leaving your current company?

Here’s the results:

The percentage to the right shows which questions people thought were the most difficult.
What are your salary expectations? 35%
What are your weaknesses? 35%
Tell us about yourself 15%
Why leave your current company? 15%

It’s interesting that there are some gender differences in the poll as well.

For example, women didn’t mind answering the weakness question. But, none of the men polled wanted to answer this question.

How can this information help you?

For starters, know that these and other questions will be asked in your next interview.

Here’s some tips for preparing for that interview:

1. Print out a list of potential interview questions (for ours click under ‘Resources’ tab above to download and print the free list).

2. Write out your answers.

3. Practice speaking your answers (first to yourself, then to others)

4. Don’t memorize your answers – just become very familiar with and polished in how you present them.

With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to answer these tough questions and impress your interviewer. And…you’ll increase your chances of actually getting the job

Pursuing Meaningful Life – A Passion to Engage Across Cultures

I love to engage with people across cultures.

The love started years ago.

My first trip was to England. It was a ‘soft’ transition from the U.S. culture to the British culture. I loved meeting new people, laughing about differences in culture and language, and just enjoyed my cross-cultural experience.

My second trip was to Ukraine (in 1994) and wasn’t quite so soft It kicked my butt. I was there for part of the summer…and had to leave early because of an unfriendly virus

But – somehow…Ukraine ‘got me’. I fell in love with the culture and the people. And…I couldn’t stay away. I returned to Ukraine a few times through the years, then ended up moving to Ukraine to live there for several years.

In addition to that time in Ukraine, I’ve had jobs where I’ve worked all across Eastern Europe, Western Europe, South America, and Asia.

I just can’t get enough of crossing cultures. I’m ‘addicted’ to it. People will say ‘do that while you can…you won’t be able to do it later!’ But…I’d love to prove those people wrong. I love crossing cultures so much…that I want to do it until the day I die.

This summer, I’ll get the joy of traveling to Ukraine again for a few days. I’m looking forward to being in Kyiv and Lviv between July 10-16.

Then – in September, my wife and I will spend several days in Bulgaria. We’ll help with a conference for young business professionals who are seeking to find their place in the world….to make their mark on the world. We’ll help them to recognize God’s call in their lives…and to live it out in the business world.

How about you…do you like crossing cultures? Are you thinking of traveling or working across cultures? It’s so enriching…so fulfilling. If you haven’t considered it….do so. You won’t regret it.

Want to meet up with us on our trips to Eastern Europe in the coming months? We’d love to meet you and hear your story of how you are pursuing meaningful life and meaningful work. Send us an email at brent@leadershipequip.com….and we’ll set up a time to see you.

Looking for The ‘Perfect’ Job

We work with a lot of folks that are unsatisfied with their work.

And – that’s ok…that’s why we are in business.

But…sometimes…people are out to find that ‘perfect’ job. With the perfect boss. With the perfect salary. With the perfect hours. I hate to be the one to spoil it for you – but it just doesn’t exist.

There are good jobs and there are bad jobs.

There are jobs that are a good ‘fit’ for you…and others that aren’t.

Do you know which jobs are or aren’t a good fit?

If not, it’s time to find out.

Spend time reflecting on what you are most passionate about. Spend time finding out ‘what makes you tick’. Spend time researching which careers fit your personality type.

There may not be a perfect job out there. But, doing these things will prepare you to find that good ‘fit’ when it comes along.

Research shows that people live happier, more fulfilled lives that enjoy their work.

Next Page »