Career Coaching: How To Use The Power Of Negative Thinking - By: Ramon Greenwood

Wise careerists recognize the power of positive thinking.
At the same time, they act on the principle that that powerful force must be leavened with a generous dose of negative thinking for the level of performance required to achieve career goals.

Job Tips: Planning The Company Picnic

Consider this scenario to illustrate the point:

Your boss asks you to plan the company picnic for employees and their families. This is a chance to display your skills in organizing and executing a project.

You pick the location. You line up a caterer to provide a delicious barbeque with all the trimmings. You plan entertainment, including clowns for the kids and games for all ages.

You are ready to submit your plans to the boss, but hold up. You are out on a limb if you don't have answers for such negative questions as these: What if it rains that day? Have you lined up an alternate site? What will you do about warding off pests such as ants and mosquitoes? Have you planned for first aid kits? Have you designated someone to take your place if you are sick the day of the big event?

They Didn't Plan On Hitting An Iceberg

Before the Titanic's maiden voyage a nervous passenger asked the captain, "Is this ship really unsinkable?The captain, full of positive thinking, declared, "God himself could not sink this ship."

Positive thinkers all, the owners had provided lifeboats for less than half of the approximately 2,200 passengers. Only 705 persons reached lifeboats and survived the frigid waters of the oceans when the Titanic crashed into a huge iceberg and sank.

It was regrettable that no one leavened all that blind confidence with some negative thinking.

The Truths Of Murphy's Law

There are more values than a bit of irony and hearty chuckles to be found in Murphy's Laws.

• If anything can go wrong, it will.

• Everything takes longer to accomplish than you first imagine.

• Everything is more difficult to accomplish than you anticipate.

• Everything costs more than you expect.

Six Critical Questions Lead To Successful Projects

Wise careerists ask the following six basic questions when they are planning to take on a new project.

1. What can go wrong?

2. What must I do to keep my project from jumping the track?

3. If, despite my best efforts, my project does derail what will I do to straighten out the wreckage and minimize the losses?

4. Is the potential reward from the project worth the risk?

5. Can I afford the losses?

6. If I lose, how will it affect my other projects and my career?

Certainly, you must believe that you will be successful with your projects and your career. And you will work hard to make it happen. But always be prepared to answer this question, "What if I hit an iceberg?"

About the Author

To get more common sense career advice on how to advance your career during tough times, sign up at http://www.CommonSenseAtWork.com for a free subscription to Ramon Greenwood's widely read e-newsletter and participate in his blog. He coaches from a successful career as Senior VP at American Express, author of career-related books, and a senior executive/consultant in Fortune 500 companies.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Ramon-Greenwood/63326

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