Book Review: How To Keep Your Cool If You Lose Your Job

I finished "How To Keep Your Cool If You Lose Your Job" by Kathryn Jackson really quickly as I found it hard to put down. It is a book full of lots of tips, info, insight and advice AND it is also a workbook. As you read it you do the exercises and come out the other end with new direction, enthusiasm and clarity about your future work. It has lots of great real life stories from people that have been made redundant - how they felt, what they had to deal with and how they made it into an amazing opportunity. Many said they are glad they got made redundant as it totally changed their life for the better. As a career coach, Kathryn knows all the right questions to ask and these are included in tonnes of exercises in the book. This book very very clearly answers the "what next" those made redundant often feel. It includes everything you could, should and can do to ensure you end up in a role you adore. Kathryn outlines everything relevant in todays job market - including the recession (she even highlights which industries always survive during such a time). She talks about 'self talk' - keeping your head and being positive as redundancy can be really tough on your self esteem, family and lifestyle. There are also heaps of CV and interview tips. I really liked the exercise that gets you to look at the personal qualities a job requires then gets you to list your 'evidence' of having this quality. It will give any job applicant huge confidence. I'd say this book is a must read for people that have been made redundant, people in jobs they dont like, people that have no idea what they want for their career and of course other career coaches. You can buy it here http://www.homebizbuzz.co.nz/shop/product_info.php?products_id=530 or at Paper Plus.

10 questions to ask during exit interviews

1. What has working here taught you? (professionally/personally/about life and work?)
2. What things/issues/problems are you thrilled to be leaving behind?
3. If you were the boss here what would you change?
4. How do you see morale amongst the team? Do people like working here?
5. What has been the best thing that has happened to you in your time here?
6. What has been the worst thing that has happened to you in your time here?
7. How would you describe your immediate manager?
8. How would you describe the senior management team?
9. How would you describe the workplace culture here?
10. If a close friend asked you to describe your time here, what would you say?

10 (not so normal) questions to ask new staff

1. What things do you like to do to ensure you have fun at work?
2. Can you give an example of a time you have felt most connected to your team mates?
3. Can you tell me about the best boss you’ve ever had and what made them so?
4. What good stuff have you heard about working here?
5. What bad stuff have you heard about working here?
6. What crazy things can you do that you could teach the team (Juggle? Do headstands? Swear in French?)
7. How do you love to be thanked for extra hard work? (Bottle of wine? Lotto ticket? Chocolates? Boss shouting coffee?)
8. If you are having a flat/tired/off day at work, what do you do to get yourself on track? How can I help?
9. What is your bliss? (Mountain biking? Holidaying somewhere exotic? Reading? Sitting in your fave café?)
10. Who do you most admire and why?

Life changing questions

Questions are powerful. They get your thinking on the right track. They bring to attention things you had not before considered. They open your eyes and help you start to consider new realities. Some great questions I read on a blog recently are:

*Is what you’re doing RIGHT NOW consistent with your #1 goal?
*If everybody did exactly what you said, what would the world look like?
*What personal skills have you not tapped into yet to build your business and/or add value to your customers?

The Boss Benchmark is also full of questions. It is the pondering of those questions that can help you become an amazing boss. Some from the book are:
*What is most important in your role as a boss?
*What is it about you that makes you really worthy of being looked up to?
*What do you need to improve on? Where are your skills lacking?
*Where do you rate on the kindness/courtesy scale when stressed?
*What are your values? What are your personal standards?
*Are you an asshole?
*How often do you stretch your ‘know it all’ muscles?
*What are the positive and negative stressful influences in your workplace?
*What small stuff should you be sweating?
*What questions do you really need to ask staff?
*What issues in your workplace are you trying to pretend don’t exist?
*How much gossip goes on at your workplace and why?
*In what areas are you hesitating to give staff responsibility and control? What is this costing you?

Take the time to ponder your answers to these questions, you may be shocked what you learn about yourself and how you can grow.