7 Steps to Exude Positivity

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by Chasity Kuttrus

Nobody likes negativity. It creeps into the work place, poisons teams and exhausts even the most patient of colleagues, bosses and employees. On the flip side, positive people are nice to be around, they raise spirits and morale and make more of an impact on the work place environment than you may realize.

It’s not easy to be positive all the time. But with a little self-awareness, you can face the day with an upbeat, “can do” attitude.

Here are 7 ways to leverage your “Inner Positive Energy” every single day….

1. Make it your business to know your colleagues’ strengths. By taking a minute to pinpoint the talents of your teammates, you automatically develop a more positive attitude towards them. Plus, this makes it easier for you to understand how to best work with them for best results. And, when it’s natural and appropriate, give your colleagues props for their talents. They’ll remember it.

2. Practice gratitude. Spending time counting your blessings is a focused exercise in positive thinking.

3. Smile. You’ll be amazed what this can do for yourself and those around you. And, it’s super easy.

4. Be honest and true.Too much CYA’ing is stressful. Stress leads to negative emotions. Be upfront, forthcoming and honest in all you do and you’ll steer clear of this trap.

5. Know what you bring to the table. Every now and then stop a moment and consider your own strengths and talents. We don’t do this enough for ourselves. If you feel positive about yourself, your attitude spills over into all areas of your life.

6. Avoid gossip. You will never, ever be or feel positive after engaging in petty talk about other colleagues.

7. Work on continuous improvement. Learning new things, practicing new habits and taking action helps you avoid feeling stagnant. Being stagnant breeds negativity.

Just like negativity has a way of snowballing, positive people influence those around them. Develop a positive attitude and then keep an eye on your colleagues….you might just inspire them be more positive too!

Seven Signs It’s Time to Make a Change at Work

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By Chasity Kuttrus

If you haven’t been feeling quite “right” with your current job then you might be ready for a change. Effective change can be small…or it can be a complete overhaul. Change might mean talking with your boss about new responsibilities, breathing new life into your current job, going for a promotion or possibly leaving your company altogether. The important thing is to recognize when you need change.

Here are 7 signs that you’re probably ready to make some adjustments in your work life.

Major Procrastination – Everyone procrastinates a little bit but if it’s becoming a big problem for you and you’re having trouble getting anything significant started, you may be in need of some change.

Bringing it Home With You – When you’re not happy at work and you come home and take it out on your husband and kids…you need to take some action, fast. If your job is making you miserable, and it’s spilling over into your personal life, take a closer look at what’s happening at work and see what you can do to improve the situation.

Boredom – If you’re bored, you need to spice it up. The good news is this isn’t too hard. Talk with your boss, do some research, see if there are parts of your job that you would like to expand upon and parts that make you yawn. Who knows, you may be able to delegate those things you get bored with.

Stressful Competition – When competition at work is no longer “healthy competition,” and you’re expending all your energy trying to one up others (or keep them from one upping you) then it’s time to make a change.

Letting Others Dictate Your Career Path – Even entry-level employees should be driving their own careers. If you feel like you are no longer in control of your own career destiny then figure out a way to get back in control.

Apathy – This one is extremely dangerous. If you don’t care about your work, your company, your colleagues or your industry, then do yourself (and everyone else!) a favor and make some major changes to reignite your your interest….or find something else that you do care about.

Unclear Path to Success – Do you know what you’re working towards? Do you know what success looks like for you and how you’re going to get there? If not, you need spend some time figuring this out. Talk with your boss, hire a coach, do anything to help you set goals and strategies for meeting (and hopefully exceeding) them.

Change doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, most of the time it’s good. But we all get set in our ways and change requires effort, so often we just continue with the way things are. Look out for signs you need to adjust and shake things up a bit…you’ll be much happier in the long run.

25 Ways to Simplify Your Life

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by Chasity Kuttrus

Does it ever seem like your life gets more complicated by the day? With so
many messages, offers and obligations coming our way it’s easy to feel
overwhelmed. But you need to simplify in order to clear the clutter away to
reveal what’s truly important. Here are 25 ways to simplify your life at
work and at home.

1. Remember who is most important to you and make sure they know it,
everyday!

2. If you start reading a book and you don’t like it….put it down and
start something else. And don’t feel guilty!

3. End relationships that require a lot of work…but with very little return.

4. Reduce (or eliminate) the number of rewards programs you’re enrolled
in. Only keep the ones you know for sure you’ll get a return on.

5. Resign from outside commitments you don’t feel 100% passionate
about.

6. Clean out your closets.

7. Create a master password list.

8. Know when to ask for help.

9. Hire someone to help you clean your house. Or, if that’s not
possible, get yourself on a basic cleaning schedule.

10. Stop drinking pop.

11. Don’t collect catalogs. Do you ever really read them?

12. Find a really great calendar system for work and home….and use it.

13. Mind your own business. Don’t gossip. It’s unproductive, takes up
time and breeds more.

14. Exercise. It helps clear your mind, keeps you healthy and fit into
your clothes better (which helps avoid getting dressed dilemmas!)

15. Keep your hair appointments.

16. Start – and end – meetings and appointments on time. Getting backed
up messes up your whole day.

17. Don’t dwell on mistakes – move on.

18. Limit your Facebook time.

19. Gas up your car when you still have 1/4 a tank left…not when it’s on “Empty.”

20. Plan your meals for the week.

21. Delete emails and documents you don’t need…or can get from someone else if you do need them later.

22. Drink your coffee black.

23. Focus on one thing at a time.

24. Get serious about purging. Throw unimportant “stuff” away.

25. Breathe!

10 Ways to Make an Impression at Work

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With a little effort, it's not difficult to stand out among your peers.

by Chasity Kuttrus

Most women who get ahead do so because they go the extra mile. They are deliberate in their actions and activities and they stand out from other employees.

But how do they do that? Actually it’s not that difficult. In fact, it requires no extra skill sets, training or talents. Just a little bit of awareness and effort can go a long way.

Here are 10 easy ways to set yourself apart from your peers and make an impression on everyone around you.

1. Meet deadlines consistently. And if you can’t, let people know as far in advance as possible. Build a reputation for being reliable.

2. Make others look good. Pay someone a compliment in front of her boss. Give credit where credit’s due. Help put others’ good work in the forefront. People will remember this.

3. Take responsibility. Don’t throw people under the bus. You may think you’re saving your own behind….but at what cost? People don’t respect people who let others take the fall for them.

4. Be positive. Do I need to expand on this? Positive people are just more appealing and easier to be around. Period.

5. Respect people’s time. Don’t keep people waiting – whether it’s your boss, a client or even an intern – their time is just as valuable as yours. Start and end meetings on time. Give people plenty of notice when you need something from them.

6. Be polite. Say the magic words – “please” and “thank you.” There is nothing worse than someone who conveys an aura of entitlement….or rudeness. Show your appreciation in all circumstances.

7. Help others. When you have the time, help other people. They won’t forget it.

8. Do what you say you’re going to do…..and then exceed expectations. Don’t overpromise. It’s better to set expectations a little low and then consistently go above and beyond them. Become known as someone who always goes the extra mile.

9. Be organized. When you’re organized, you’re on top of things. And it shows. Establish foolproof systems for keeping things straight and then use them. If you need to do an organization system overhaul, it’s worth taking a day or two to do so. You’ll see immediate results and you’ll be amazed what a stress buster it can be.

10. Know how to do simple tasks. Even if you have an administrative assistant, learn how to do basic things that are critical to your job, like access the company server, change your voicemail message or enter data into a spreadsheet. This way, you are never at a loss if your admin is out of the office or unavailable.

The workplace is a complicated environment. It’s easy to get sucked into the politics and believe that’s where you need to focus to get ahead. No matter what point you are in your career, keep your eyes focused forward and consistently practice the strategies above and I promise, you’ll be leaps and bounds beyond most of your peers.

Five Success Factors For Working Moms

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Columbus, Ohio, my hometown, was recently named Forbes Magazine’s best places to live for working mothers. The criteria included critical things like higher salaries for women, shorter commute times, the number of women owned businesses, among other things. You can read the entire article here.

I feel very fortunate to live in a city that boasts a culture that embraces and supports work-life balance and I, for one, have benefited from Columbus’ attributes.

But, at the end of the day, what matters most is your attitude and the steps you take to make working and parenting work for you. No matter what city you live in, here are five keys to success as a working mom.

1. Figure out a system for meals. This is one of the biggest stress points for
all moms, working or not. Plan ahead, freeze things, order take out once a week – whatever you need to do to remove some of the pressure of feeding your family.

2. Get someone to help you clean the house. Even if it’s only once a
month, try getting some help. If you have someone already, you know what a blessing it is. If you don’t, you are going to be surprised how much stress it can remove.

3. Make time for you. Oh, boy. This one is hard. You’re probably the last one you take care of and you get the leftover energy and focus. First, work out regularly and make it a priority. Then, on top of that, find an hour or two of completely “you” time each week. Read a book, go for a massage, just relax, alone.

4. Don’t let being a mom interfere with being a good employee. When you’re at work, you need to work. Being a working mom doesn’t give you special privileges at work; you still need to get the job done on time and done well. However, if you make sure to deliver on your work commitments consistently and reliably, when you do find yourself needing to leave early or a little extra time on a project, you’ve built enough credibility that it won’t be an issue to your boss or your colleagues.

5. Find an after school solution for kid pick-up/homework. Again, this is a really important item and one that will create an enormous amount of stress if not
addressed. After school programs, shared baby sitters and more can help reduce anxiety over after school time.

Being a working mom isn’t easy. Here’s to all of you out there juggling career and family and here’s to cities like Columbus that are making things a little easier for us.

Being a Mom May Make Marissa Mayer More Effective

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By Chasity Kuttrus

Yahoo's new CEO, Marissa Mayer

Yahoo's new CEO, Marissa Mayer

There was interesting news in the corporate world this week. Yahoo! announced that it has hired Marissa Mayer, a former Google executive, as their new CEO. She’s tasked with leading the technology company into new territories. Well, that’s incredible news…..a new female CEO taking the reins!

But wait one minute… here’s the real news; she’s pregnant! What does all this say about Yahoo? Well, in Marissa’s own words: “They showed their evolved thinking.”

Yes, they did. And I’m guessing when push came to shove, someone recognized and pointed out what I believe to be true: many working mothers possess a certain extra motivation and drive that can make them extremely effective in high level executive roles.

Really?

Yes. Any working professional will tell you that if you surround yourself with the right people and the right tools, your job becomes much easier. The successful working moms that I know seem to have some sort of “work-life integration.” They have surrounded themselves with good people who support them at work. And they’ve done the same thing for their home life. They have support and help with their children, their homes, their grocery shopping, their housecleaning, and so on. They know when they get home they don’t want to spend time doing the laundry; they want quality time with their kids. True, not every working person has this luxury but I’m sure that Marissa does.

While Marissa has stated that she’ll be working through her maternity leave, no doubt she’ll have plenty of help on all fronts.

What good can come of this?

If she is successful and Yahoo! is successful, she will be the new “case study,” demonstrating how women can manage it all…with some good quality support. And, I believe that many women, when they are their busiest, with the most demanding schedules and the most important decisions to be made, thrive.

Why?

In a nutshell, because they have no time for nonsense. Sometimes leaders can wait too long for answers…and to make decisions. For Marissa and for all working moms, every second, every minute matters. I doubt she will allow a whole lot of politics, hot air or pettiness in her ranks, because she simply doesn’t have the time.

This built-in, mandatory hyper focus that many working moms employ may well be Marissa’s secret to success.

What’s your reaction to the news? Are you like Yahoo and “evolved” in your thinking? Are you Marissa’s greatest supporter? Or are you her greatest critic? Personally, I want nothing more than Marissa to be wildly successful. She has a lot of women cheering her on. Taking on the Chief Executive position is a bold, courageous step in anyone’s career. She’s doing it at a time in her life when she has some serious competing demands. While there are very few examples out there, I want my own daughter to know that she can be a CEO AND A MOM. One does not exclude the other.

8 Things a Dad Can Give His Daughter

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8 Things a Dad Can Give His Daughter
by Chasity Kuttrus

It’s Father’s Day and what a great opportunity to celebrate all the wonderful men in our world!

While my role is to elevate, develop and promote women in the workforce, let’s face it ladies – we won’t get ahead without the support of amazing men!

Ernst & Young recently put together a compelling article about how women who have a male “sponsor” significantly increase their likelihood of getting ahead in the work force.

With all the social media, technology and communication outlets that create self-image issues with our young girls, they need all the support we can give them.

My personal belief is that it starts at home. Young girls need a lot of positive support and reinforcement and it begins with Mom and Dad. I want nothing more than our Katie to have an incredibly confident, happy life and this is on my mind all the time!

Today and every day, I’d like to celebrate the guy who taught me some fundamental things that have stayed with me forever. Here’s to my incredible dad! And here’s to all the dads out there including Katie’s dad….my husband, Jack.

Fathers, teach your daughter these 8 things and she will love you forever!

1. She is a part of something bigger…she is Family!
Let her know you will always lover her and love her mother. Having a strong family unit creates the daily confidence she needs. Model the loving marriage you want her to have someday. Have fun!

2. She is Unique….and she is Amazing!
Tell her this regularly. Affirm it. Believe it. Let her know that her natural beauty is all the attractiveness she’ll ever need. Remind her that you love her exactly the way she is. Tell her over and over and over: it’s not okay to be like “someone else.”

3. She is Interesting!
Teach her to be intrigued by other places, people and things. When she is excited about something new, you must show interest and excitement. My dad loves the world and traveling and guess what? So do I! Live life fully!

4. She is Thoughtful…she is Respectful!
Yes, you need to help your daughter be confident and independent, but let her be respectful of others and of those who are not like her. She needs to learn to treat everyone with dignity – the military, teachers, neighbors, her parents! This gift of reinforcement has helped me a great deal in life. Experience everything.

5. She is Beautiful!
Show her examples of beautiful. Being attractive is being authentic. Young women that wear clothes that are revealing are crying out for attention. Teach your daughter that there are boundaries to what is acceptable and what is not.

6. She is Smart…she is Financially Independent!
Let your daughter figure out how to live on her own. What a wonderful sense of self confidence that will give her. This is liberating. My dad taught me early on how to live on a budget. He shared with me that debt is dangerous. He showed me the basics of how to manage my money and ways to save. I still give myself an allowance every week and when it’s gone….it’s gone!

7. She is Content!
Teach her to be content. Don’t let her fall victim to hyper-consumerism. It is a path she won’t like. Recognize “enough.” Give generously. This understanding comes from home. Be giving.

8. She is Your Love….Forever!
Guys come and go but your daddy will always love you. Above all else, show that your love is unconditional. You may not always like your little girls’ behavior, decisions and outcomes, but you will always love her! Make sure above all else, she knows this.

Thanks, Daddy. I know you love me forever!

Woman of the Week – Christie Angel

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Christie Angel

Christie Angel

Christie Angel

My Current Job/Company:
Vice President – Sean P. Dunn & Associates

My Birthdate:
02.4.64

My Work:
I am a government and community relations professional working with a broad range of clients from around the city and state to achieve their legislative and community goals.

My Passion:
My family, my community, my friends and my dog, Betty .

My Family:
Otto (my husband) and our very cute dog, Betty.

My Heroes:
My parents and the late Jerry Hammond. They taught me a great deal about community service.

My Escape:
Any place that I can unplug from technology and unwind with my friends and family.

My Pet Peeve:
People who see the glass half empty, as opposed to seeing it half full.

My Indulgence:
A day at the spa.

My Roots:
Steeped in community and public service with a love for Columbus.

My Future:
Full of possibilities, laughter and happiness.

My Love:
My family, friends and community.

My Movie:
I am a movie buff—political thrillers and bio pics are my favorites.

My Quote on Life:
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

My Accessory:
Unique pieces of jewelry—necklaces and bracelets.

My Advice to Young Women:
Get involved in your community, find your passion, and choose your friends wisely.

How I Balance it All:
I work hard to create a schedule that gives me quality time in the office and doesn’t keep me out in meetings every second of the day, every day of the week. (In my business this is very common.) When possible, I take time in the mornings to walk the dog, read the paper, and have a great cup of coffee with my husband. It is a great way to start the day.

Choosing the Right Type of Team

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Megan Kilgoreby Megan Kilgore

The word “team” can elicit a wide range of responses; some people thrive on human collaboration and ping-ponging ideas, while others shudder at the thought of time spent in groups.  Many companies, however, advocate teamwork.  And they should.  Team collaboration can produce quick work by allowing multiple voices at the table, each representing their unit’s respective needs, resulting in jointly agreed upon decisions or actions.  In highly successful teams, both individual performance and company performance can be elevated.

Not all teams are the same, however.  As a leader, it’s important to recognize what type of team you need.  I like to focus on three types of human collaboration:  workgroups, teams, and virtuoso teams.  None are necessarily more important than the other, but they do each provide their own unique set of pros and cons.

Workgroups are the most basic form.  They’re what we’re most familiar with in the course of daily business.  Workgroups will typically have one evident leader; there will be standard, perhaps long-term, meetings with discussion, decisions, and action plans.  Have you been asked to serve on an advisory committee?  Chances are that was a workgroup.  Many governmental councils or company committees can be considered workgroups.  What separates them from the other levels is their focus on individualistic work production.  Individuals will be primarily focused on meeting their own goals and will fail to consider the overall picture of the corporation or enhance the work production of others outside of their own unit.  Workgroups are often composed of individuals who are simply available versus those who may be best for the job.

To elevate to team status, a group must begin to produce collaborative and mutually beneficial work products.  Group members, many of whom will be specially picked to fulfill certain roles, will begin listening to one another.  Success is not measured by individual gains, but rather group members will recognize their role in supporting the total company.  There will be blurred leadership roles as many strong and talented voices will want to assist in guiding the team towards its goals.  The tone and feel to the meetings should also be enhanced; unlike rudimentary workgroups, teams will begin to synthesize and lively, but respectful, discussions will result.  Teams will naturally limit themselves to goal execution and will not look towards new ventures.

Virtuoso teams are a special kind of group ideally convened to tackle big challenges.  Unlike teams, they look beyond simple goal execution and search for one-of-a-kind ideas with big results.  The term, coined by well-known business scholars Bill Fischer and Andy Boynton, describes a team comprised of elite experts, all of whom bring high levels of experience, ambition, intensity, and fast-paced ideas to the table.  The difference between virtuoso teams and the others is that of timing, group composition, and personality.  Virtuoso teams are best utilized for short, term-limited projects as the amount of energy and focus required by the team can quickly result in burnout. Group members are chosen because they’re the best in their fields and their combination of pride, skill, and desire make them willing to take on a large challenge. Because of this, the group personality is often conflicting, given the amount of talent and ego in the room, but such outspoken opinions will quickly morph into a single-minded focus as team members begin to sync around the goal and share identity.  Results will often be extraordinary.

As leaders, consider the talents each type of group offers to your organization’s needs.  For tasks focused on reviewing an entity’s budget, a workgroup may be best.  Want to determine how best to launch a new digital media division?  A team is likely the best solution.  But if you need to accomplish enormous goals and transcend your industry’s “normal,” a virtuoso team is the way to go.

Megan is the Assistant City Auditor for the City of Columbus. Learn more about Megan by visiting her Woman of the Week profile!

The Art of Assertiveness

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Anyone – male or female – can benefit from a few lessons in being assertive. But as women, we need to learn a few more nuances in order to be effectively assertive.

In her article, The Fine Art of Female Assertiveness,, Marcia Reynolds shares her own experiences learning this “art,” and some tips you can give your female leaders to strike that balance between being assertive and being considered aggressive and pushy.