Power Up Your Attitude

Welcome to the New Year! 2009!

I am excited to start the New Year as a contributing author and administrative subject matter expert to OfficeArrow. I am impressed with the work the OfficeArrow team is doing and pleased to see they provide administrative professionals with some of the best tools available to create the career they desire. I am excited about their mission and proud to be a ‘partner' in their success.

A New Year is always a breath of fresh air. It gives people a renewed spirit, hope for a better future, and a chance to refocus and set new goals. This particular January is different from previous years as we are starting out with many challenges as a country and globally. Because of that, many individuals are beginning the year with some anxiety about their job or finances. Over the holidays, I talked to people who have told me they had to get a second job or give up the career they loved to get a job where they could make money. For people fortunate enough to have a job, they are challenged with more work and less people or a decrease in their pay.

For this reason, I have selected an excerpt on attitude from my new book (release date 2/01/09) called Underneath It All . . . Postgraduate Level Revelations Lift Administrative Assistants to New Heights. No one has learned the importance of attitude more than I have over the past 18 months while helping my husband battle pancreatic cancer. Prior to this life-changing event, I had intentions of writing another book for assistants because my previous book, Become an Inner Circle Assistant, had been (and still is) a huge success. I began to put my thoughts on paper only to find out soon after that my husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I immediately stopped all thoughts about the book being born. Then, after months of growing in ways I never imagined, I decided to move forward with Underneath It All. This book is quite different - in a very good way - because I am different.

While Underneath It All is specifically written for administrative professionals, it is a book for anyone who wants to live a life of significance. My main goal with this book was to intimately share with administrative professionals the bottom line to achieving success and maintaining a competitive edge in a worthwhile career. I explore in-depth topics ranging from "I'm My Own Career Manager" to "The Anatomy of a Strategic Partnership", "The Fine Art of Persuasion", "Earning Your Rightful Place on the Executive Team" to something brand new - a chapter written specifically to managers on how to maximize their assistants' talents, called "Dear Manager."

So, let's get back to Power Up Your Attitude!

[An excerpt from "Underneath It All . . . Postgraduate Level Revelations Lift Administrative Assistants to New Heights."]

Regardless of our individual circumstances, we all have one thing in common - we choose our attitude. That is great news because it means we can change it any time. If we feel the urge to get upset at someone, we can say to ourselves, "That's not going to help the situation any. I am going to stop, think, and then speak."

Our attitudes are delicate and fragile. If we do not take care of them, we are sure to feel the effects--everything from the quality of our work decreasing to fading relationships. Did you know that a person's attitude also affects their health and even longevity?

• "Stress can ravage the body, unless the mind says no. A positive outlook can reduce the impact of stress on health." (USA Today)
• "Take this to heart: Happy people live longer than dour fuddy-duddies." (USA Today)
• "Optimists keep smiling. A study published by Mayo Clinic found that people who have optimistic outlooks live longer and healthier lives than their pessimistic counterparts." (mayohealth.org)
• "The power of positive thinking. Decades of research by Gallup has suggested that increasing positive emotions can expand a person's lifespan by as much as 10 years." (Real Simple)

The challenge people face with attitude is they read books, listen to CDs, and motivational speakers on the subject but have a difficult time truly implementing it. That is because motivation is an inside job. It isn't something that happens to us; we have to create it. So what can you do?

Combat negativity

Listen to what you're saying to yourself. Instead of saying, "Nothing seems to be going right today," mentally rephrase it to; "Wow, I'm really being challenged today to think creatively." You are in control of your own thinking. You can change that old record and stop feeling like a victim. You can get support from family and friends, but you ultimately have to take responsibility for your own attitude. Your sister may tell you that you look happy in the company photograph but if you tell yourself ... "happy" helps her avoid telling me that I gained weight! -- you sabotage a compliment. Don't.

Set goals and make a specific plan for your career

When you measure progress you feel in-control. If your company offers continuing education opportunities, for example, when you complete two out of four successfully; "notify" yourself that you're half way through the program. The proverbial glass is half-full and not half-empty. Most importantly, this is a solid achievement - one that is easily measured so you can hardly argue the point.

Don't belittle your job or employer.

Work provides you with a purpose, challenges you, puts food on your table, enables growth, and stimulates your thinking. Look at work as a gift. Be happy you have a job. It may not be ideal, but let's be realistic, no job is ideal. If you aren't feeling energy from your work, maybe it's because you aren't putting creative, positive energy into it.

Develop a strong and diverse support system at work

It's fun and comfortable to be with people who are just like us. However, it is equally important to develop strong relationships with people who aren't just like you, especially in an era when teamwork is critical to the success of a company. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Start meeting people who are unique both in position and personality. Develop cross-functional relationships.

Make the Right Choice

Life will always throw challenges at you. There will always be a "Nancy Negative" or "Don Dragon" trying to upset your attitude. You can make the decision every morning that you will face whatever comes your way with poise and tact.

And there's more. . .

• Take control of your life and your actions.
• Make time for introspection.
• Develop a high tolerance for change.
• Focus on today and do the best you can in each moment.
• When you can't control the external climate, control the internal climate.
• De-clutter your life. Maybe there is too much going on.

To view the full Table of Contents for "Underneath it All," click here.

Exclusive deal for OfficeArrow members: "Underneath it All" is not yet available for sale. But you can order your copy today and receive $3 off the retail price of US $19.95. PLUS, if you order by February 1, Joan will autograph your book for you!

Click here to order online now. 

You can also place your order via fax, mail or email. Print the form here.