by Martha Karimi | Apr 4, 2020 | Thoughts on Team
Suddenly have to adopt a home office set-up?
Don’t panic. There are simple, proven and effective ways to gel into this new world of work, that we anticipated will one day catch up with us.
We have compiled for you 10 short chapters in an e-book that take you through step by step approaches of identifying if your work qualifies as a work from home option, how to manage distractions, stay connected and energized as well as how to manage relationships with your boss and employees virtually.
We assure you: These are not theories! You will find a collection of interviews from our team and network of working professionals who have worked from home successfully for a long time.
We hope the tips and experiences shared will be valuable to you as you figure out how to restructure work and stay connected and productive in these times. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a manager or an employee there is something in here for you!
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by Martha Karimi | Mar 23, 2020 | Career Happiness, Mapping and Transition
Ok guys, how did you get into the career you are into today?
Although rarely admitted, one of the underlying reasons that people end up in careers that are misaligned to their true selves lies in the fact that our careers are often imposed on us by our guardians, and/or though sometimes rebellious we still manage to succumb to family pressure because that line of work is “marketable” or “it runs in the family”.
Feeling like you belong in the above categories? Don’t worry! Today, there are numerous tools that can help you start gaining clarity to guide your career decisions. We found some to kick you off!
* Sparketype is a self-discovery tool that helps you understand what keeps you in flow. You can then use this information to explore the right jobs/tasks for you. More details here
* In his popular TED talk – Start with Why; Simon Sinek expounds the importance of asking yourself the question; WHY? In his case studies; he shows how important it is for you to feel connected to what you do and how this inspires others. Listen and reflect discover what really matters for you!
* Want to learn more about your personal preferences and tap into these to add value to your team? What gives you energy? Understand how you make decisions? Take the classic Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Assessment here today and start your journey to self-discovery!
And of course, if you want in-depth analysis and support in figuring out your career direction, feel free to talk to us today! Wondering what to do with your career? Halla at happycareers@edgeperformance.co.ke
by Martha Karimi | Oct 15, 2019 | Career Happiness, Happy Workplaces, Self discovery, Succeeding where you are
Hey there, how are you feeling about your work today?
Does achieving work satisfaction keep you awake at night? Start by figuring out what tasks give you energy and which ones drain you.
Your STAR Tasks
You love these tasks! You want more! You wish work was only these tasks for the rest of your life.
- Work feels effortless
- You approach every task with excitement
- You want to keep going on and on
- Quick results, high levels of productivity
- You are confident you can deliver with your eyes closed
- You are confident you can find solutions for challenges that arise
- Where did time go? Is your everyday slogan
- You learning fast,
- You love trying out new skills and approaches seemingly by auto-pilot.
Your JUST OK Tasks
You can handle these but just up to a certain amount. You don’t mind them too much.
- You are just comfortable, but not overly excited.
- Sometimes tasks are boring yes
- You feel ok to jump into these tasks but given a chance choice, you possibly wouldn’t
- You deliver just good enough work unless you put conscious effort into going the extra mile
- If you take on more of this work, you start feeling drained
- You are ok to learn new skills, in this area but would rather choose something else
- You often need a motivation boost, to get going
Your DRAINER Tasks
You dread them. You want to disappear or call for sick leave. You hack them or not, either way, you hate them. You wish there was a way out.
- In another life, you would be doing anything else but this
- You are always tired after this type of work
- You remain unenthusiastic about the tasks, and need to really psyche yourself for the task or find a higher purpose to get it done
- Tasks take forever to complete
- After 1 task, you need an hour break
- If someone takes these tasks from you, you jump around like a 5-year-old
- Work just feels like a punishment, you can’t relate how other people enjoy what they do
- Learning any new skill, makes you feel incapable
How is work feeling lately? Getting your JD 70% aligned to tasks that give you energy is a key ingredient for career satisfaction and happiness.
Our Career Happiness Diagnostics Tool coupled with our Right Job For You Assessment, does the magic in helping you figure your first steps for alignment.
Let’s start talking!
by Martha Karimi | Oct 15, 2019 | Career Happiness, Happy Workplaces, Self discovery, Succeeding where you are
Don’t know what you are really good at? Try this simple activity over the next few days. Probably one of the most powerful things, I have ever done.
- Make a list of 3-4 close friends from different circles. Spiritual, party/drinking buddies, workplace best buddy, former best boss/colleague, one hater who pretends to be a friend, and so on
- Send them these reflection questions, asking for genuine feedback. What am I really good at/what comes naturally to me? What is the one thing, if I did better or developed muscle for, I would be an even more awesome individual? What do you think is holding me back from my highest potential?
- Take them out for a coffee and just listen. Listen. Just Listen.
- Consolidate everything, let it marinate, watch it sink in. Then make a start, stop continue plan.
- Implement your plan and watch the magic happen
by Martha Karimi | Oct 3, 2019 | Career Happiness, Job hunting
Job hunting is quite a tasking experience and in order to increase your chances of landing your dream job, you need to build a network of professionals, among them, being recruiters.
And as with all relationships, communication is key! See a sample below of how to communicate with a recruiter.
How you communicate can leave a lasting impression on a recruiter and also the value you bring increases the chances of them contacting you should they get a future opportunity.
Your relationship with a recruiter needs to be professional but also genuine in your interaction.
And obviously shouldn’t feel overbearing.
