Aim Higher: The podcast with purpose Skip Prichard

As you know, I believe very strongly in the power of motivation, the importance of planning, and the role that a positive attitude plays in our success. So, if you—like so many people—start your Mondays with fear, loathing, and a sigh of resignation, guess what? It's time to cut that out. How you start your week will have a huge impact on how it ends. So, it’s time to give Mondays the love they deserve, plan for how you can start your week with positive energy and move forward with intention.  

This week on "Aim Higher,” my panel and I talk about how to be successful during the critical, initial phase of a new job, new department, or new manager. Drew Bordas, Tammi Spayde, and Brian Berry bring up dozens of great pointers on the subject. Not only have they had to be the new person in some high-level roles, but they’ve managed many people through the process. If you want a crash course in how to land on your feet, make a great first impression, and get moving quickly in a new situation, this is the episode for you. 

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t thought about “reinventing” themselves. That desire can be pushed on us by an unexpected job loss, or we may want to proactively reach for a new dream. The bad news is that it’s hard to reinvent yourself without a plan. The good news is that my guest this week, Richard Bliss, can help you make that plan. Richard has worked in the military, in executive marketing roles, and as an author, speaker, and LinkedIn expert. We discuss how he’s reinvented himself—and how he analyzed that process so that he can help others accomplish extraordinary, new things. 

In previous episodes of “Aim Higher,” we discussed how to leave a job well, and how, as a manager, you can deal with someone who doesn’t. This week, based on a listener’s request (“for a friend...”), we’ll tackle the thorny problem of how to recover from a bad exit that you now regret. I share 7 tips that can get you through this difficult moment, using it to grow and rebuild trust. It’s always better not to burn bridges. But if you do, don’t despair—bridges can be rebuilt.  

We’ve talked before on “Aim Higher” about the importance of leaving a job with grace and positivity. A move made for the right reasons shouldn’t create friction or enmity, even if the change brings challenges. However, as a leader and manager, you will at some point need to deal with staff whose exit behavior is less than exemplary. How do you handle “bad good-byes" without making the situation worse? If you prepare for this eventuality—and I’ll give you seven areas to consider—you can turn many of these situations around, earning gratitude from the outgoing employee and better results for your organization. It’s not easy, but it can be done.  

It’s “mailbag” time again! I love these episodes, as they give us a chance to hear about what’s top-of-mind for our listeners. This week, my panel of experts addresses a variety of questions, including how to keep up with the amazing pace of change in technology, managing remote teams, and how to quantify a vague “transformation” project assignment. I’m sure that at least one of these will resonate with you, and I hope you’ll give us a listen.