Competitive Edge – Page 5 – TOOLS EVERYONE CAN USE …

Solving your problems …

March 26, 2023March 26, 2023 Paul Wagenaar

This post is a little different.

Looking for work is a challenging experience. I am looking for an opportunity.

I don’t expect anyone to hire me because they “feel bad for my situation,” I intend to find an organization that believes what I have to offer can solve their problems and help them achieve their goals.

I have learned that it doesn’t matter how a person has gotten to be where they are, as much as it matters what they are doing to move forward.

I want to reach out to everyone I know and who knows me to offer my unique skillset, experiences, and intrinsic abilities to make a difference.

Success is often found in small details

March 12, 2023March 12, 2023 Paul Wagenaar

Often lost in everything that is written or said about great leadership are small, but very important attributes. Leadership is about building relationships with people, gaining willing cooperation, consistency, and thoughtfulness. Please take a few minutes, read this post, share the points, and add anything that you think is missing.

keeping a job – a short guide to standing out

February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 Paul Wagenaar

I have been helped by some tremendous people throughout my career. To be able to pay back those people who took a chance on me, who mentored me, and who saw something in me worth saving and developing, is the primary reason I started doing these posts.

Who Does What

February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 Paul Wagenaar

People have questions. New people to your organizations and even existing staff have questions. Some are complex and some are very basic. Often times the people who know the answers aren’t available. Struggling and not knowing causes stress and frustration. Consider creating a simple tool, a “Who Does What” tool.

Learning to notice the signs.

January 9, 2023January 9, 2023 Paul Wagenaar

Just about three years ago I lost my job. At the time my friends, family and co-workers all said it was the best thing that could have happened to me. They saw the signs that I couldn’t or wouldn’t see. As usual, lol, they were right.

Please take a few moments, and read this post, maybe it will help you or someone you know.

Having a Positive Influence

December 4, 2022December 4, 2022 Paul Wagenaar

Do you remember a time when your life changed? We all have key days or experiences that fundamentally change our path through the maze of opportunities and challenges.

For me professionally, it was an eight-week course on “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” The course was provided as I approached a precipice in my career and not only saved me from myself but laid the groundwork for the success that I have achieved since; professionally, academically, and with great lessons in my personal life.

Lessons Learned.

November 27, 2022November 28, 2022 Paul Wagenaar

I am currently a Project Manager. I have been other things, a consultant, retail executive, a motivational speaker, and more besides.
As a project manager, we record “lessons learned” so we might avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Using that principle, I am sharing some of my “lessons learned,” to help you or someone you know. Some you might have read before; some might be new. Please add your own in the comments.

Revisiting Leadership

October 16, 2022October 16, 2022 Paul Wagenaar

Effective leadership is not easy. An effective leader is always learning, always reinventing themselves, and always adapting their skills and approach to the current environment. To be successful, effective leaders cannot be entrenched they must constantly look at different perspectives and be aware of their blind spots.

Effective leaders never forget that leadership isn’t about them, it is about the people they lead. They are facilitators, they empower, and they are whatever the situation, their organization, and most importantly what their people need them to be.

10 Warning Signs Your Meetings are in Trouble.

October 4, 2022October 4, 2022 Paul Wagenaar

We have all experienced them.
The kind of meeting where the clock, if it seems to move at all crawls at a glacial pace. Far from being productive, the attendees have long since stopped paying attention and only want to find an escape so they can get some real work done.

Ineffective meetings frustrate everyone, the people attending them and the people running them.

The first step to resolution is to recognize the warning signs and then start today rectifying the situation.