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Tips for Attracting, Retaining and Growing Your Millennial Workforce

August 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Terri Klass, Judy Lindenberger and Jean-Baptiste Marchais

"Millenials at work"Part two of Next Generation: What They Want and Need from the Workplace

  • Articulate your employer brand – communicate internally and externally what it means to work for your organization

  • Have a clear statement about corporate responsibility – make this part of your employer brand and be committed to deliver the promise

  • Think creatively about how technology can be used to engage Millennials e.g. avatars, internal networking sites, etc.

  • Create an on-boarding experience for Millennials that helps them learn your company culture

  • Be crystal clear about company policies such as social media

  • Set clear performance expectations and explain why something needs to be done

  • Use e-mail and voicemail as primary tools when you cannot meet face-to-face

  • Don’t force utilization of the chain of command

  • Don’t talk down to them – they will resent it

  • Provide them with feedback – early and often

  • Hold them accountable and let them know when they have screwed up

  • Tell them what they do well

  • Judge them by what they accomplish rather than the number of hours they put in

  • Encourage them to share their ideas with you

  • Listen

  • Invest in personal development and training – explore coaching/mentoring programs
  • Provide variety and fresh challenges – consider promoting cycles of experience in other parts of the organization
  • Teach your Millennials to become problem solvers
  • Tell stories, share your wisdom, or teach them something you wish you would have known when you were their age
  • Think creatively about reward strategies and what motivates Millennials. For example, is it time to shift from cash bonuses and cars to other things?

A Millennial case study:

Jennifer, a recent college graduate, is bright and hardworking. She has been working in a marketing department with a consumer products organization for about a year. Although she likes her job, she does not enjoy doing anything that she considers menial. She was planning on bringing this up to her boss at her annual performance review this week but was blown away when her boss told her that she had some areas that she needed to improve. She is upset because she wished she knew about her weaker performance areas earlier. She thinks that her boss has not done a good job of providing her with useful feedback to grow. Even though the market is tough, Jennifer thinks she should look for another job. She talks to her parents and friends about her concerns and starts to do online research about other marketing positions. In a few weeks, she sets up interviews with other organizations and takes off several days to go on interviews. Her boss calls her in and gives her a warning about taking so much time off. Jennifer is angry that her boss gave her a warning. She accepts a new job she was offered and hands in her resignation the following day.

What could Jennifer’s boss have done differently in managing and coaching her Millennial employee, Jennifer? Jennifer’s boss needed to provide more frequent feedback to Jennifer and be clear from the start about what areas she needed to work on. Her boss should never have saved up all the performance issues for the annual review. Her boss could have gotten input from Jennifer about her ideas regarding her job responsibilities and encouraged Jennifer to find a mentor. Her boss should have set a meeting up for follow up after the review.

What could have helped Jennifer? She needs to understand that all jobs have both interesting and menial components to them. She needs to learn not to overreact to a negative performance review and look at it as an opportunity to grow in her job. She could have set up a series of follow-up meetings with her boss and sought coaching from more experienced co-workers.

Organizations today need to understand and support each generation. Providing training on the differences between the generations will reduce conflict and improve communication and interaction. Offering mentoring programs will help grow all of your employees. Don’t delay. Your success depends on it.

For more information, contact Judy Lindenberger at info@lindenbergergroup or Terri Klass at terri@terriklassconsulting.com.

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The Reinvention of Self and Living Life On Purpose

August 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

"Reinventinn and finding Purpose: Boomer Generation"by Christine Laureano

There comes a time in life when the same old way of doing things just doesn’t suffice. Its’ like the saying about, well, getting off the pot!

Reinvention doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, choice, many sleepless nights and conversations with your girlfriends. And then when you’re ready to get serious, you take action.

I know, I know, I hear you. You’ve been there, you’ve tried and you’re still in the same place – and not living close to your dreams.

This is where reinvention takes a turn. It has little to do with sharing conversations with your girlfriends. Though they say they have your best interest at heart, they’ll try to talk you out of living your dream. Why? Because they’re scared that they won’t be able to follow in your footsteps. Doubt and fear rushes in and the holding pattern continues.

It also has little to do with having tried before, spending sleepless night lying in the darkness, tears streaming down your face and praying to God for help to get you out of this mess.

Ok, here’s the turn. That stuff is all good, and by the way God/Spirit/Universe heard you in those dark moments, but were you listening for the answer?

What I’ve learned in my “reinvention” is that it all begins from where you are today – right now. Because what you wanted in the past probably isn’t what you want today. We have lived our lives not really knowing what we want. We think we know, but it actually turns out that what we thought we wanted was really someone else’s dream, somewhat else’s desire, someone else’s want.

The reinvention of self is about knowing exactly what you want – YOU, not your kids, not your spouse, not your mom or dad. It isn’t easy, believe me. I’ve been stuck there too until I let loose, thought outside the box and began to dream big.

The second part of the reinvention of self is to bring your life into purpose. Remember those tearful nights praying to God? Remember when I asked, are you listening for the answer? What happens in moments of despair and sadness it that we pour our hearts out, promising we’ll do anything to have things change. The next morning, in the light of day we begin the negotiation. We will do what it takes as long as “I’m not uncomfortable”, “as long as I don’t have to do work”, “as long as it’s easy and I can do it between my shows.”

When you are creating your life ON Purpose, listening for the answers means there is no negotiating and waiting for the answer to come “the way you want it.” This is the most difficult for people because it does mean change. It isn’t always easy, but it is always in the best interest of living ON Purpose. Listen for the subtle messages and insights. When synchronicity happens, know that is part of your answer.

Start to “feel” your way through your life rather than always being in “thinking” mode. When you connect with the way you feel, you are connecting with your heart. When you connect with your heart, you connect with your soul. And, when you connect with your soul you begin to uncover the deeper meaning to your life, you uncover your purpose. When you hit gold like this, you shine! You radiate your passion, you radiate your purpose and you become attractive. People can’t help connecting with you because there is an energy that draws them to you!

THAT is living life ON Purpose.

Reinvention will always be interesting. You will always have great stories. And, as you listen to the insights you will live your life ON Purpose.

Business Mentor, ON Purpose Living Coach and Visionary Leader, Christine Laureano collaborates with motivated, soul-inspired women to find the soul of their business and bring life to their brilliant ideas! She shows women how to connect with their core purpose in life so they can confidently build the business want and live their lives ON Purpose. Learn more at www.ChristineLaureano.com

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Next Generation Leaders: What They Want and Need from the Workplace

August 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

mentoring millennialsBy Terri Klass, Judy Lindenberger and Jean-Baptiste Marchais

Have you ever wondered what makes the Millennials tick? So did we, so in the fall of 2011, we interviewed Millennials and their managers to learn more about this generation. Because many of our clients struggle with how to best integrate Millennials into the workplace, we interviewed Millennials and their managers through face to face and telephone interviews. The people we interviewed came from a variety of organizations and industries, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small companies. The survey spanned different industries including the drug industry, engineering, biotechnology and financial services.

Just who are the Millennials?

Born between the years of 1977 – 1997, the Millennials are the youngest generation to enter the workplace. Millennials grew up with school shootings, terrorist attacks, AIDS, the Exxon Valdez spill and the Internet which influenced their view of the world. As children, they experienced everyone getting awards for playing sports and went to school at a time when gold stars were handed out freely. As a result, Millennials want frequent feedback. Millennials grew up with Baby Boomer parents, many who are self-professed workaholics, and therefore desire more work/life balance than their parents had.

They are resourceful and able to multi-task. They can Google, email and write a report at the same time; they can comfortably find information through the Internet. They work well in team environments and are comfortable speaking up. They also want to make an immediate impact in their jobs and move up quickly.

According to the managers who we spoke with, their Millennial employees are energetic and creative. They also are flexible, technology-savvy, resourceful, can retrieve information quickly and efficiently, and are open minded. Millennial employees are not afraid of discovering new things; they want to learn and are eager to try something new.

What Do They Want?

Millennials report that they have a great vision of the world. They consider the world as something positive with a lot of opportunities. Millennials told us things like, “The world has endless possibilities” and “There are so many things to learn and to be exposed to and not enough time to do everything”.

Their attraction to fast-paced environments and their self-confidence allows them to handle multiple tasks without a problem. However, it is important to find a balance regarding workload. Too much of a workload could turn them off, not enough could reduce their enthusiasm. Also, workplace flexibility is a benefit that Millennials value. We heard comments like, “I usually work eleven hours a day but I am satisfied by the fact that my boss doesn’t demand a strict 9 – 5schedule.”

One thing that stood out is that many of the Millennials we spoke to are interested in working for an employer whose corporate ethics match their own. We heard comments like, “I want to work for a company that has the same values that I do.” and, “I would like to work in a company helps the world and uses green technologies”.

What Frustrates Them?

Something we heard over and over again in talking with the Millennials we interviewed is that they want to hear the truth from their bosses, they want feedback and they want it right away. One Millennial commented, “I want honesty, respect, open communication, to be informed constantly, and to learn my manager’s expectations.”

The time to leverage the talents and welcome the Millennials into organizations is now. More experienced workers are rapidly nearing retirement age and their accumulated wisdom and expertise could soon be walking out the door. In addition, Millennials are actively asking for more training, coaching and mentoring opportunities. Bringing together older workers’ experience and Millennials’ creativity can lead to groundbreaking innovations. Here are a few ways to provide mentoring for Millennials:

Create an open mentoring culture where people learn from each other in a wide variety of formal and informal relationships.

Use technology to help people sign up and get connected.

What Gets in the Way?

Managers tell us that Millennials prefer communicating through e-mail; they do not like face to face meetings as much. Millennials tend to lose concentration easily because of technologies, spending time checking texts, e-mails, etc. One manager told us, “They are distracted by technologies and social media.”

Millennials may choose the fastest path to the solution and think they deserve to be promoted quickly. The energy and enthusiasm they can generate can be considered a challenge by their managers. One manager said, “They are highly ambitious, but they have short term goals. They want to reach management quickly and need to be managed very carefully with career paths that keep them from jumping to other companies.”

They are inexperienced at understanding the complexity of politics and process, underestimate them and focus on the short term. A manager said, “They need to understand company policies and work within them as opposed to making up their own rules.” A Millennial said, “I want to understand and manage politics and learn effective project management strategies.”

What do Managers Need to Know to Support and Help Them Develop?

Millennials have a real desire to learn and grow, which is advantageous to organizations because as Baby Boomers and others retire from the workplace there will be a need for Millennials to take over leadership positions more quickly than generations before them. There’s a perfect match between the Millennials’ desire to make an immediate contribution, to be leaders, and to learn and grow in their organizations, and the need for them to quickly take over leadership roles. This means that frequent performance appraisals, mentoring programs, coaching and training will be essential for growing and sustaining leaders. A Millennial said, “I want to know when my manager is happy with the work that is done and if he is expecting more.” Another commented, “I want the opportunity to shadow others and learn about areas outside my scope of responsibility.”

How Can Human Resources Support These Emerging Leaders?

As Millennials move into management and leadership positions, we predict that there will be an emphasis on them asking others for their opinions as opposed to “it’s my way or the highway”. There will be respect for different points of view and different opinions. There will be greater teamwork, a lot of creativity and a lot of having fun as well as working hard.

For more information, contact Judy Lindenberger at info@lindenbergergroup or Terri Klass at terri@terriklassconsulting.com.

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A Bittersweet Parting

July 2, 2012 By 1 Comment

A “Short Story” By D. R. Hamilton

One spring I was called back to Edinburgh for training and the date happened to coincide with my manager’s birthday. Naturally we planned a celebration, but what thrilled me more was that I would meet Mac’s three grown children- a physician and two attorneys. Mac had made no secret of the fact that we were seeing each other and that he found me attractive and interesting.

I was finishing university and working part-time in a pub on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile when I met Mac. It happened that every afternoon this tall distinguished gentleman in his early 80’s would stop in for his customary whiskey after leaving the office. He was well over 6’ tall, solidly built, and his arresting shock of silver grey hair gave him the appearance of an aging lion. Mac was in the real estate investment business and when he understood that I was an American, he plied me with all sorts of questions about US land values. What I didn’t know, I made up. We became friends and I looked forward to his silver pennant sailing through our doors in mid afternoon.

Eventually I did graduate. But before I could make further plans, Mac offered me a job as his North American agent. I’d live and work on the east coast returning to Scotland several times a year for instruction and planning. I felt genuine affection for him as I would for a father.

Mac would make occasional trips to the US, and I’d usually meet him in New York City. Naturally it was not all work and we frequently found ourselves as dinner companions with occasional visits to the opera or symphony which we both enjoyed. I grew to enjoy his company as the reality of our status as employer and employee faded.

By the time I reached 50 years old, I thought I had the world and my place in it all figured out. Now, as I sat across the table from Mac, 30 years my senior, I realized how much I didn’t know. My life experience, sheltered and a little impoverished, seemed a poor comparison to the richly embroidered fabric of his. As a boy, he had helped his father rescue British troops from that terrible debacle at Dunkirk. As a young man, he became a local Laird, building roads and schools for his tenants. He founded and ran several businesses including a whiskey distillery.

He rose above the tragedy of loosing two wives and now seemed at peace with the world. He was such a contrast with the men in my age bracket that I had known. These men were fixated on the latest pill, what the government owed them, the ingratitude of their children and their latest pain. Mac was dynamic. He talked about his latest business plan, the charity that he was supporting, the upcoming symphony, the accomplishments of his 3 adult children and even his latest fly fishing victory. I was falling for this man’s charms and it was going much farther that filial piety.

I noticed that habit and tradition play a big part in a man of this vintage. He always wore a tie, sometimes carried a stick and gloves, and he had a vast collection of hats. On his first trip to New York City, we spent half a day going to every liquor store in midtown to find the exact same single malt whiskey that he drank back home.

“Its nae ‘at Ah hae th’ taste fur the whiskey Lass, but th’ bottle looks sae braw oan th’ table”, he said in his thick brogue.

Once at the symphony as the lights went low, he slipped his hand over mine in my lap. We held hands and he caressed my leg. When the lights came up, I was astonished to see my hose in tatters. It seems his rhinestone cuff links that he always wore had lost a stone, and the setting had snagged and torn my hose. Rhinestone cufflinks-the only flaw I saw in this man.

He was a gallant in the old world sense. When he was with me I felt like a queen. Opening doors and taking my arm came naturally to him. On one occasion we were walking down a city street at night past a group of young toughs in a doorway.

“Hey girl, I got somethin for ya that ole dude don’t have”. Mac sprang at their leader like a tiger. His huge gnarled fist smashed down on the man’s head and literally floored him. Mac took my arm and we strolled off down the street.

“Them ‘at dornt respect their elders will damn well respect their betters” was his only response. I was ashamed to have been frightened, but to see this 80 Year-old guy spring to my defense without a moment’s hesitation. I had turned the corner. I loved this man.

Naturally intimacy eventually entered our relationship. I had felt like a spinster for so long I hardly recognized the feelings. But it was different now. The old athletic lust to satisfy ourselves was gone, replaced by the desire to pleasure our partner. Pleasure was pleasure and the young had no exclusive hold on it. I did learn however, to start early in the evening.

I arrived in Edinburgh for his birthday a day early and spent my time getting my hair styled into the usual layered bob, my nails done and even a trip to the spa for exfoliation. I selected a long red plaid skirt, black turtleneck sweater, and elegant black leather boots- just the thing for a daytime affair at a Scottish manor house in the country. Mac picked me up at the little B & B where I usually stay, and we were off to the countryside. The house at the end of a little country lane overlooking the Firth of Forth was at least 200 years old. Its grey stone walls and tiny crenellated windows gave no clue that little children once played in its shadows, and I was about to meet them.

We swept into a baronial entrance hall to meet the children before a cracking fire that made the stone walls dance a lively jig. The young man was tall and craggy like his father, excepting that his arresting shock of hair was coal black. The elder daughter was tall, slim and elegant, and wore a royal blue velvet skirt that added to her regal appearance.

Surprisingly, the younger daughter was a petite blond who wore a hacking jacket and riding breeches. After the usual paternal greetings, Mac put his arm around my waist to introduce me.

Nothing could have prepared me for the icy reception I received. They offered their hand without an embrace. Their eyes were cold and penetrating and they made no effort to engage me in conversation. Dinner was more of the same. I had overstepped some boundary and my mind raced to identify the problem. I excused myself as early as I possibly could and Mac drove me back home. He was silent and clearly as troubled and bewildered as I.

I guess I figured it out on the plane returning to the US. The children viewed me as an adventuress out to get the old man’s money. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. Marriage would have been so obvious an attempt to enrich myself that I never could have followed through with it. I would have been content to have Mac for the few times a year that we could be together and from all he said, that was his intention as well.

Still the children were troubled and I know this weighed on his heart. I felt I had no right to come between this man and his children at this stage in his life. We would have to end our affair- and that’s exactly what we did.

Some will argue that love should triumph, that the children were selfish, and an old man’s happiness should be paramount. But society judges differently. This man and his family by blood were the most important. I had the good sense to realize that – or perhaps I loved him enough to give him up

 

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Investing 101 After the Age of 50

July 2, 2012 By 2 Comments

Investing your money after 50What you need to know..

By Dr. Eva Mor – Author of “Making the Golden Years Golden”

One of the biggest worries that one over the age of 50 has is what to do with his money, where to invest. Very few of us have the luxury of retiring without any worries.

There are thousands of stocks and dozens of ways to invest. We all want our money to last forever, or at least as long as we need it. We want our money to grow every year, and make a decent percentage yield. And of course, we want steady income.

Now that we know what we want, it is very important to know what we do not want. It is desirable that we do all that is possible in to shy away from losses and trouble.

1) We do not want to invest in a single stock that fluctuates sharply up or down every day. The potential of loss is high and it is not in our favor.

2) We want to stay away from high fees and high commissions; 2 percent or higher are too much.

3) If a broker or financial advisor promises 20 percent or more profit on an annual basis, please show him the door.

4) We do not want to time the market. Investments in the market should be for at least five consecutive years.

5) Do not put everything in one basket. Investments should be diversified in a few options.

6) Private company bonds offer high yields, but they can be too risky.

The key to receive interest/income every single year is based on diversification. It is a good idea for one to invest 40-50 percent of their portfolio in fixed income and the rest in equities.

On the fixed income portion, one should have a mix that includes banks CDs, bonds, annuities (proceed with caution, ask all the questions), Zero coupons bonds, or other investments. The fixed income segment will increase in value about 3-5 percent a year guaranteed.

On the equities portion one should invest in the broad market ETFs index funds. (Exchange Traded-Funds, with very low commissions or expense) Buy a few of the ETFs to cover most of the market.

Here are a few sample ETFs that cover broad segments of the market:

iShares: Spider S&P 500 (Amex SPY). Dow Diamonds ETF (Amex: DIA)

iShares: RUSSELL 2000 Idx (NYSE ARCA:IWM. Midcap SPDR trust; 1 (Amex MDY)

iShares: S&P SC 600 Idx. Powershares: QQQ Trust (NASDAQ GM:QQQ).

The equities above will generate between 5 and15 percent a year on average during the course of five to 10 years. The combination between the fixed income (3-5 percent) and the equities (5 to 15 percent) will generate about 7 percent every year.

It is recommended at the age of 60 to reduce equity holdings by 10 percent every five years and shift it to the fix income portion of your investment.

Warning: Please do not check the market every day. It is in constant flux, and sometimes drops considerable for a short period of time. You will be discouraged and upset if you take a daily approach.

We recommend checking the results by quarters, not daily or a monthly. You are in it for the long haul. The method represented will give you peace of mind; after the first purchases, sit and relax; your next move will be months from now. Let the money work for you. With some patience, you’ll see great results.

To maximize profits one should evaluate the equity portion of the portfolio once a year. Consult with a broker and/or financial advisor to check if there is a need to shift money from one ETF to another.

There are certain years that the large caps (blue chips) such as S&P 500 do better and some years the small ETFs perform better.

When investing for your retirement while you are still working, you can be a little bolder. But when investing after you actually retire, it is wise to be more conservative.

I think it will be wise to repeat that you should be careful. The baby boomers and their parents make a good target for all kinds of schemes, such as annuities that are unsuitable for the seniors, as well as ones with over-hyped investment returns. Be careful and suspicious of any sales pitch that promises unrealistic returns, such as 12 percent or higher.

Before signing up with a broker, check their background, for which you can use the Finra’s Broker Check tool (www.finra.org) . If there any disciplinary actions taken against the broker or if she or he has been moving from one financial institution to another frequently, it should raise a red flag.

Open an account with a reputable and independent financial institution, and never write your investment check to an individual – always write it to the financial institution.

All investment decisions should be made without pressure. When I meet a broker for investment, I never have my checks with me. I go home, think it over, and talk it over with my kids, my husband and my financial adviser. If the broker pressures me to make the decision right there, because the deal will not be there the next day, I walk away from the “deal” as well as the broker.

For more info log onto: www.goldenyearsgolden.com

 

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MENOPAUSAL WOMEN SWEATING SLEEPLESSNESS

June 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

"woman resting"New Survey Has “Eye Opening” Information on Effect of Missed Sleep

Menopausal and perimenopausal sleep issues are affecting women more forcefully and at an earlier age than commonly believed. A full 80% of women ages 35-44 and 65% of those ages 45-54 identifying as perimenopausal or menopausal have experienced sleeplessness that diminishes their quality of life—often caused by night sweats and/or hot flashes that disrupt sleep or inability to fall asleep —according to a survey commissioned by New & Improved Estroven Nighttime®, a safe, multi-symptom menopause relief product that’s now available in retailers nationwide.*†

Occasional sleeplessness is a hallmark of menopause, and the survey’s findings highlight how women entering perimenopause may be most vulnerable to sleep disruption and its associated side effects. Sleep loss has left nearly half of all menopausal women “exhausted,” and 65% feeling “irritable” or “not like themselves.”†

Missing this amount of sleep has consequences beyond just feeling tired, with 57% of women ages 35-44 reported feeling “emotional and overwhelmed,” and 62% of the same group saying that menopausal exhaustion made them too exhausted to spend time with friends and family. Nearly one in three women surveyed said that sleep loss negatively affected their sex and professional lives.†

“We know that sleeplessness is one of the most prevalent and bothersome symptoms for perimenopausal and menopausal women, and this survey highlights just how debilitating that sleep loss can be,” said April Mills, Senior Brand Manager, Menopause at i-Health, the makers of Estroven. “We are finding that women are really suffering when they consistently miss sleep. Fortunately, our reformulated Estroven Nighttime goes beyond reducing hot flashes and night sweats to help provide relief from occasional sleeplessness—making it easier for these women to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.”

New & Improved Estroven Nighttime now contains Melatonin, a clinically proven ingredient found in sleep aids which helps women fall asleep easier, in addition to clinically-proven soy isoflavones to more effectively reduce night sweats and hot flashes.*

To create a community for peri/menopausal women that addresses these distressing symptoms and helps them feel like themselves again, the makers of Estroven have instituted the “Good Sleep Challenge,” encouraging women to try New & Improved Estroven Nighttime for three months, share their progress toward a more restful night’s sleep and automatically be entered for a chance to win a dream spa getaway valued at $5,000. Those who participate will receive a $5 coupon good on their next purchase of Estroven Nighttime (approximately a 50% value). The Good Sleep Challenge was created to empower women by providing a place to connect and encourage one another, share valuable sleep tips and expound on their experiences during this ever-changing time, woman-to-woman. For more information, visit www.estroven.com/challenge.

†Survey Methodology:

This survey was conducted online within the United States by ORC International on behalf of Estroven from April 26th to May 1st, 2012 among 493 U.S. women ages 18 and older who self-identified as perimenopausal or menopausal. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

Established in 1997, Estroven is the leading dietary supplement brand addressing the symptoms of menopause. Holding the #1 market share position in the U.S., only Estroven has a full line of products that provide safe, multi-symptom menopause relief so women can feel like themselves again.* Each product contains naturally sourced ingredients that go beyond hot flashes and night sweats to relieve another bothersome symptom, i.e., irritability, sleep, energy, memory and concentration issues.* Chosen by nearly a million women for menopause relief each year, Estroven is distributed by i-Health, Inc., of Cromwell, CT.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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Coffee, Tea or Me?

December 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

"Coffee, tea or me?By Marcia Barhydt

My title refers to my career as a flight attendant - wonderful years in my life, during which I saw the world, married, had two children, divorced, kept flying. Finally, when flying was just too physically painful to continue, I obtained a position in the airline’s catering office.

This job opened my eyes to a whole new world. I had never operated a computer, had really never worked in an office before and I certainly didn’t have much confidence that I could do a good job. But, in spite of my doubts, I did a very good job because I so loved what I was doing. That took me to the end of my 32 airline years. And that’s when the real changesbegan…

When I decided to retire and start my own company, I must admit I had no idea what I was undertaking. I’d barely worked in the business world, let alone run my own business. But by finding courses to help with the basics of entrepreneurship, I struggled ahead.

I gathered up all my nerve and dived into something new. It was terrifying, but you never know what you can accomplish until you try. When you have a passion for your business, your passion will make you excel almost automatically.

Here are some lessons I learned along the way. 

Be prepared to change. 
I had decided that my business should be about Customer Service (something I really knew well from my airline days) and I soon decided to be a trainer. I spent three months writing my own training programs and then I began to try to sell my programs to prospective clients. Yikes! What an eye-opener! After the first round of turn-downs, I was a little less bright-eyed and bushy-tailed; after the second round I was questioning my ability and after the third round I was almost hostile to the prospects – which isn’t the best attitude to have when selling!

This new life as an entrepreneur was a huge change for me – I had never worked harder for less money, longer hours and more worry. And with no results!

When one method of attack didn’t work, I tried a new method – but I had the tenacity to keep trying until I found the method that works for me.

I stopped cold-calling and started networking. Networking became my salvation, both of my sanity and of my success. And it was something I loved doing. In hindsight, I realize that at first I didn’t choose networking groups that were really right for me. But I learned to recognize when a group wasn’t working for me and moved on to a new group that would be a better fit.

Listen to the advice of others
Listen to others when they make suggestions. Theirideas are gifts. One woman I met suggested that Iwrite and weave my airline stories into my training programs. Well I did, and amazingly it worked, peopleloved these stories. I never thought my new direction would include writing, but I was flexible enough to give it a try and it was very successful.

About the author: At 64, Marcia Barhydt started writing for women over 50. In addition to her column for WE Magazine for Women, Women of a Certain Age, Marcia is a regular contributor to Kalon Women, BoomerCafe and Women’s Post.

Marcia’s new book, Celebrate Age! is a collection of her thoughts, rants, raves and wisdoms learned after 50. For more information on Marcia, visit Visit www.willowtree.ca

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A New Standard in Senior Fitness: Resistance Chair Training

December 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
"daily workout by older woman"

Photo by Steve Pepple on Flickr

With the skyrocketing costs of health care, baby boomers are not only turning to a healthier diet, but recognizing physical exercise as a way to stay fit and battle the debilitating illnesses that come with age. More specifically, participation in both aerobic and resistance training is now a key component for senior well-being.

Research has shown that significant muscle loss occurs during the aging process. In a study by Nutrition Action, within two months of resistance training, subjects between the ages of 50 and 85 increased their strength by 40 percent and reversed two decades of typical muscle loss.

 

As a senior myself, I participate in aerobic and anaerobic exercise through resistance training and road biking. I know that the debilitations of age can be positively affected through exercise. As a consequence, three years ago I started my own senior fitness training business, Fitness Senior Style, LLC. My clients range from relatively healthy seniors to those who exhibit various health challenges, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, strokes and dementia. I visit my clients in their homes and bring specialized equipment to exercise them for strength, balance and cognitive fitness.

 

After considerable research, the specialized equipment that my company utilizes is the Resistance Chair by VQ ActionCare, an at-home seated fitness and rehabilitation system. The Resistance Chair is specifically designed for mature adults to increase mobility, strengthen muscles, improve balance and achieve all-around better health. Traveling to and from client homes was made less intensive by the versatility and portability of the Resistance Chair.

 

I meet with more than 20 clients each week, all with specific needs to address. Although my clients range in fitness, the average workout is one hour and is dedicated to Resistance Chair training, focusing on two main areas of improvement: balance and strength. The Resistance Chair works well with clients living with health challenges, as well as seniors that simply wish to get back into shape. Clients adapt easily to the Resistance Chair during training and enjoy using it, as they see and feel the effects it has on their fitness and bodies.

 

Today, senior fitness and health awareness is on the rise, and there are a significant number of seniors who wish to regain their health, stay independent, reduce dependence on medication, and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. I encourage seniors to join me on the quest to gain back a healthy lifestyle and spread the message that it’s not too late for anyone to get fit again. Seniors can initiate a healthy lifestyle right this very minute, in the comfort of their own home. Here are a few tips to begin in-home resistance training for all types of seniors:

 

Exercise 1:

Facing the back of a chair with both hands lightly holding onto the chair’s back, rise up on your toes as if reaching for a top shelf in your kitchen. Then lower until your heel touches the floor. Perform this exercise for ten repetitions, rest, and then perform once again.

 

 

Exercise 2:

Standing sideways to the chair, place your closest hand lightly upon the chair’s back. Slowly raise your foot by bending the knee until your foot is two inches off the floor. Hold to a count of 5 to 10. Lower your leg and duplicate the movement with your other foot. Repeat raising and alternating both feet five times. Rest and then perform once again.

Exercise 3:

Standing sideways to the chair, place your closest hand lightly upon the chair’s back. Slowly raise your knee until your thigh is parallel with the floor. Hold to a count of 5 to 10. Lower your leg and duplicate the movement with your other knee. Repeat raising and alternating both knees five times. Rest and then perform once again.

By Richard Portugal of Fitness Senior Style, http://fitnessseniorstyle.com/. Richard may be contacted at (201)937-4722 or via email at Richard@fitnessseniorstyle.com. For more information on VQ ActionCare’s Resistance Chair, visit www.vqactioncare.com or www.BuyResistanceChair.com.

 

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Give Your Time Freely to Others and You all Benefit

October 27, 2011 By 1 Comment

Baby Boomers and Seniors (or women of any age) can benefit from the advice in this article:

The way we act"Give your time freely to others and you all benefit" and react to our business contacts should be no different from the way we do to our friends and family. Generosity in business, just like in life, it will come back to you. Run your business with the morals and ethics that you run your personal life.

I was anxious to become part of some of the groups I joined and volunteering was just a natural extension. Volunteering has led to some good business contacts and even a couple of new clients, but the main reason for volunteering is that we all need to give back to the community that supports us.

Take time to mentor others – I don’t mean coaching for money, but simply mentoring to be of help. During my company’s five years, I’ve met many women who were just starting out. And I’ve eagerly supplied them with contacts and resources that might help them. Mentoring is a warm fuzzy – you feel good doing it and if you enrich your colleagues, they’ll always remember your kindness.

It’s also important to do freebies – whether this involves a product or a service. Freebies are especially important if they expose you to a new group of prospects, but because it’s a generous thing to do, even groups who can’t afford you will benefit and they’ll be so very grateful of your generosity.

Keep your competition close – close enough to make them your allies When you meet another person whose company
supplies the same products or services as you, don’t think of her as a threat. Remember always that you’re the only one who has your own personal style. Others might have the same product, but they don’t have the same product with your special twist. And becoming close with your competition can result in a joint endeavor that would benefit both of you.
Often, you can help your competition by taking over her excess business from time to time. And you’ll both always have a wonderful commonality to help you discuss and plan future activities.

Build a support network.  One of the biggest changes that have occurred in my life as an entrepreneur is going from being a very social person, constantly in the public eye, to becoming a home-based business owner. The perils of being home-based are vast, primarily because of your isolation. You sit there in front of your computer and discover you have little idea of how others are managing.

I found that changing lifestyles from social to private was a huge adjustment. I felt I was on totally new ground without many resources to help myself along the way. This may happen to you also – know that thisstage will pass and you’ll learn how to adapt a new lifestyle that includes who you were with who you are now.

When I’d been in business for about six months, I started to run into a funk – a period lacking in confidence of my ability. ‘What am I doing here?’ became my mantra, followed quickly by ‘Whatever made me think I could make a success at this?’ and ending with the terror of ‘What if they find out how inept I am?’ This was not just a temporary attack – I’d often not even turn my computer on for two weeks. And I’d continue to spiral down the vortex of self-pity and self-doubt. Then I connected with two women who supported and encouraged me. One always managed to give me a pep talk about my abilities to prosper, which led me back to my computer and to my efforts to run my company.

Eventually, after quite a few talks from her, I became able to give those pep talks to myself and the more I did, the less often it was needed. The other, one of the most nurturing women I know, whenever I had a small victory, would always say “Good for you – I knew you’d do well at that.” After a while, I started to believe her and then believe in myself.

Form a mastermind group. These two women are now very close friends and we’ve now formed a kind of mastermind of three. We meet monthly for lunch and we each take our turn talking about the past month’s challenges and upcoming plans and hopes. We each give honest feedback and suggestions to each other and we value each other’s advice so much simply because we trust each other so much. When you form a mastermind group, only do it with women you admire, trust and feel totally comfortable. Share everything with them – your good moments as well as your bad ones and really listen to their advice. Their caring will guarantee suggestions that will benefit you.

I was unaccustomed to relying on others for support and advice. It was a massive shift in approach and attitude for me. When I did learn to accept other’s advice, my life was suddenly easier, partly because I felt so much less alone.

Note from editor: if you are a boomer woman or senior woman and have not had the experience of being a mentor or having one, now is the perfect time to begin! It’s never too late to be what you are destined to become!

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Two Peas in a Pod

October 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

"Woman and her dog"By Maryann Apostle

I have often heard that dogs and their owners resemble each other.  The question is did the dog resemble the human when it was first acquired or does this phenomena happen as time goes by?  Married couples often start to look like each other as time goes by, so why not dogs and their owners also?  Of course most people will deny that they look like either their spouse or their dog, but I have seen plenty of pictures of both human couples and dogs and their owners and have definitely noticed that an awful lot of them do look alike.

There was actually a study that appeared in the journal, Psychological Science, based on research from the University of California by Nicholas Christenfeld and Michael Roy.  They established that when people select a dog, “they try to find one that resembles them to some degree and, when they get a purebred, they get what they desire”. “When you pick a purebred, you pick it specifically because of how it’s going to look as a grown-up,” said Nicholas Cristenfeld, UCSD professor of psychology and co-author of the study, which appears in the current issue of Psychological Science.

This brings up another question – do dogs mimic the personality traits of their owners?

There is a theory that the longer the animal has been with its owner, the more likely it has picked up their characteristics.  Prof. Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertfordshire did a survey and asked 2,500 people about the characters of both themselves and their pets.  The result of this survey was that many pet owners stated they often acted like their pet and shared many of the same qualities, such as contentment, brainpower, self-reliance and a sense of humor.

In England there was a charity dog show which held a competition to pick the dog most like its owner, with one of the prizes going to both the owner and the dog with the most beautiful pair of legs.  There is also a store in London where an owner and dog can find matching outfits.  This may be carrying things a bit too far but some people firmly believe in the old motto, “love me, love my dog”.

I have not heard anything about cats either resembling their owners or even looking like them, but I have a cat that does look a lot like Donald Trump – he has the same color hair and also the same tough look on his face.  He also likes to hiss at people.

I’m just hoping that no one will get the bright idea to have plastic surgery in order to make them look like their pet.  Although, I do remember hearing about a woman who was known as the cat lady, she had so much plastic surgery that she did start to look like a cat (but not a cute one).

Pets do so much to enhance our lives that it’s no wonder animal lovers are such a devoted group.

 

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