Acts of Balance » Uncategorized

To Over-Service Or Not to Over-Service? Business Leaders Ask The Question

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:28:30 +0000

At a recent meeting of my PR Mastermind Group, a think-tank for PR executives, the discussion turned to doing more with less, in terms of how to service clients during these touch economic times.

How do you prioritize? When do you say “no?”

This becomes particularly difficult when you get caught up in “over-servicing” a client ““ doing more than is required or agreed upon for the price you negotiated ““ and then come to the point where you have to push back.

“We over-service like crazy because we want the please the client, but it’s not sustainable,” one agency pro remarked.

These are situations where you run up against your budget and, while there are times you can exceed that budget, there are times when you just can’t, particularly with a smaller staff. Discussing the situation with the client becomes necessary, and sometimes difficult.

“In our agency we over-service by nature,” said another participant. “We don’t pay attention to timesheets. Then we have to push back and we say it will cost you X more, and then they push back. It was very awkward. They’re used to you always saying ‘yes’.”

Another PR pro said her agency doesn’t over-service much, but expectations do creep up. Extra work is determined on a case-by-case basis and seen as a bonus for the client.

Setting expectations up front can be a difficult task. There’s always more you can do, so where do you stop? Do you let a client leave because you can’t go over budget? Do you not pursue a lead for that reason? Because of the economy, it’s a little more appropriate to stop and talk about money with a client now when you get to that point.

Establishing parameters can help. The mentality of “we’re your partner” makes a huge difference. “You need to establish parameters. We’re not just “˜vendors’ ,” commented another participant.

“It’s a very important paradigm shift to not just think of yourself as just a vendor. They’re hiring you because of the value you add. You’re not just “˜doers’.”

“But the flow of money goes only one way, and money has become a much bigger issue with the economy the way it is. A year from now if the economy is better and clients have more money, how does the conversation change?”

One agency PR pro said the way the agency handles projects is different now because of the economy; efforts are shortened, and smaller. When things get better, they will have time to build more. “We’re doing a lot of over-servicing. We’re watching them lose their budgets. We can only go so far so long. You have to prepare to say no’.”

“Time spent over-servicing is time not spent being out there getting more business,” said another participant.

The group agreed that things have gotten somewhat better over the past year. Last year it was “grab and go”. This year things are starting to get back to where they were, though there’s still quite a ways to go. You can see the difference now in terms of sheer volume, and the fact that there are more agencies bidding for business.

“A few months back we were so busy. We’re getting better at “˜pruning’,” said another participant.”We have a good pipeline but you have to pick and chose.”

“When you have a client who understands what you do, it makes a difference,” said another participant. “You have to sell your clients on the value of PR. Here’s what will happen if you don’t !”

SO, how are you going to change the conversation with your clients? What can you differently starting now to create better boundaries (but not barriers:)? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

ITâ€™S ALL IN THE RIGHT QUESTION: CREATING A SHIFT IN OUR THINKING IN THE NEW YEAR

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 22:26:19 +0000

“When are you going to start living your dreams?,” asks Ryan Bingham (played by George Clooney) in the new movie, “Up in The Air.” Bingham, who is a corporate axe-man, asks the question of a guy he has just fired. The fired executive smiles, knowingly, as he realizes that the time has come — and that, at last, he may have a shot at living the life he had only imagined.

It was the right question, at the right time, asked in the right way.

The right question can make your head hurt. Why is that?

When we ask ourselves questions, we ask the same kind of questions — resulting in the same kind of answers. And , so, we are stuck, and then usually stay stuck — stuck in our old patterns, and our old way of doing things. Stuck in mediocrity. Stuck in the cycle of stuckness. Unless we ask ourselves new kinds of questions, we can’t seem to break the pattern of our responses — and the quicksand thickens.

My coach asks me questions that can leave me dumbstruck, sometimes generating an audible groan or whimper, like that of my dog, Bueller, when he knows he has misbehaved. It is an “oh, I wish you hadn’t asked that” groan, because it is exactly where I need to “go” — it is the unexamined which needs examining. It is the line of questioning destined to uncover my gremlins and fears, my assumptions and limiting beliefs — those thoughts that hold me back.

Albert Einstein said: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” What this means is that a shift needs to happen. We need to see things from a different perspective.

A coach helps clients see things from a different view to create a necessary shift in order to find the answer or solution. It is a little like rewiring the brain..and our brains often need rewiring. Asking these kinds of questions can also create an energy shift, moving an individual into a higher level of conscious energy and positive possibilities.

So what are the elements of a good question? (now, that is a good question!)

These are questions designed to elicit the other person’s point of view. Open-ended (Who, what, when, where, why and how) questions that genuinely invite open sharing and begin with phrases such as:

How does that affect…?
What did you notice about…?
What were our expectations when…?

Stay away from questions that can be answered “yes” or “no.”

A few examples of a good question:

When are you at your best?
What would you be able to do if you had no fear?
How do you express your gifts?
What is your purpose?
What are your core values?
What would be the best thing that could happen by “saying no?”

Or the question that motivated me to pursue my ambition of starting my own business, “what would your life look like if you stopped playing small?”

So, consider surrounding yourself with people who ask you those open-ended questions, those empowering, powerful questions that get your mind really working. Maybe it is a coach, maybe it is a good friend or another supporter, someone who will suspend judgement and compel you to think in a new way – a way that will create new energy to take different and more positive action.

And try to be that person who asks these kinds of powerful questions – what a gift you can give to others in your life. The gift of curiousity and caring…and empowerment.

And how do we, as listeners, learn to listen between the lines when receiving the answer…well, that will be the subject for some future article.

MediaBistro Interview

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:58:46 +0000

Enjoy this video of my presentation at Mediabistro's August 4th Career Circus in NYC: "Optimize Your Career Search"

Enjoy this video of my presentation at Mediabistro's August 4th Career Circus in NYC: "Optimize Your Career Search"

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:11:50 +0000

Watch it here.

STAND OUT IN YOUR CAREER: An 8-Point Program for People Who Want to Rise to the Top, Tuesday, July 28, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

admin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:14:51 +0000

PRESENTED BY ACTS OF BALANCE AND CAREER INTERVENTION “¨IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

Tuesday, ,July 28, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Join career/business coaches Alan Cohen and Allan Fried for an engaging — and informative — evening, sure to leave participants energized, enlightened and filled with possibility as they pursue greater career satisfaction.”¨

113 West 60th Street 12th Floor (Please have a photo ID)
“¨$10 Fordham students/alumni and NY Business School Clubs;
$20 General Public
Pre-Registration Required: http://www.careerintervention.com/workshop

New York City is the most competitive city in the world and a rather challenging (and often unwelcoming) place for those with small dreams or unclear goals. Whether they be students, executives, doctors or actors, thousands of ambitious, success-minded people eagerly flock to “The City That Never Sleeps” with every intention of rising to the top of their respective field. But if one hopes to succeed in such a competitive and often chaotic environment, it takes more than just smarts and skills; it takes the outlook, attitude, and the game plan of a winner.

Talk to someone who has achieved greatness in their field (Lance Armstrong, Oprah Winfrey or Steve Jobs, for ex.) and you’ll notice that they don’t devote a lot of time to discussing their strengths, technical knowledge, or even how smart they are. They will, however, talk about the need to engage the mind, body and spirit in the quest for excellence.
This program provides concrete, easy-to-implement steps, actions and strategies that will enable you to hurdle psychological obstacles and break through personal barriers — regardless of your particular career focus — and quickly set yourself apart from the competition.

PRESENTERS”¨
Alan Cohen, MBA and certified professional career and leadership coach, has more than 25 years of experience in business, with a specific expertise in the areas of public relations, marketing, human resources, training, and development. As the President of ACTS OF BALANCE COACHING (www.actsofbalance.com), a NY-based firm, Mr. Cohen helps executives navigate the changes in their respective businesses, and works with them on achieving greater professional success and fullï¬lment.
Most recently, Mr. Cohen served as the Director of Communications for the Broadway League. In addition, he was Director of Corporate Training and Development for Scholastic Inc., the international children’s media company, as well as the company’s director of publicity, where he served as a member of the marketing team on the enormously successful Harry Potter book series.
Mr. Cohen received his professional coach training from iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching), an organization for which he also serves as an Associate Coach Trainer. He works closely with the Public Relations Society of America, Media Bistro, F.I.T., and The Ladders.com, the Web’s premier job-seeking site (through which he offers interview-prep coaching, webinars and seminars). Mr. Cohen holds a BA in English and Theater from Connecticut College, and an MBA from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business.

Allan Fried is a New York City based career coach (www.careerintervention.com) specializing in helping accomplished professionals generate (and demand) better compensation for doing the work they love. He has been described by his clients as “talented, Zen-like, and passionate” and they attribute their many successes to his intuitive ability to help them both discover and leverage their natural strengths.
Prior to becoming a coach, Mr. Fried spent almost 20 years as an executive and entrepreneur in the music business, quickly working his way through the ranks to the position of Vice President International at record label BMG, where he guided the careers of multi-platinum recording artists. Sensing rapid changes in technology, he joined the pioneering digital entertainment company Knitmedia as COO before launching his own entertainment marketing firm. Mr. Fried received his coach training from NYU’s Coach Training Program and Coachville’s Graduate School of Coaching, where he is also an instructor. He holds a BA from the University of Maryland.

Why I Coach PR People

admin — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:36:49 +0000

As a certified executive leadership coach, working with many public relations executives and owners of small public relations firms, I can relate to the challenges faced by professionals in the industry today.

Before becoming a coach I was a PR practitioner for over 20 years, both on the agency and client side, which allowed me the opportunity to work on dozens of high profile campaigns — from Harry Potter to the Broadway stagehand’s strike — or in other words, from pure fantasy to harsh reality. I got into PR because my Dad was a publicist..yes, I wanted to be a publicist when I grew up (!). I thought it was glamorous, creative, exciting..would allow me to merge my interest in writing, with my love of theater and the arts (I really wanted to be an arts publicist, and I did get my wish!).

So, for many years, I enjoyed great success as a publicist, working in the arts, corporate sponsorship and with large media organizations, and for much of the time it was a great deal of fun..but then something changed. I started to feel burned out, drained of creativity and passion, no longer excited about the business that I loved so much years earlier. It had all become “same old, same old.” After 25 years of being in PR, what I decided I REALLY wanted to do was provide support to those in the business, and be the mentor and coach that I always wished that I had.

As a coach, I help PR executives stay at the top of their game and navigate the ever- changing landscape of their industries. I advise them on how to become more effective in business planning, budgeting and goal setting and turning around those difficult situations that may be placing a drain on inspiration, productivity and resourcefulness. I help PR execs bring out their most authentic selves and to be more creative and ultimately, more successful.

I help them focus on on their particular version of “the big picture” so that they can achieve whatever it is they’re striving for.

Coaching has many applications. Here are some good examples…

- leadership development
- on-boarding new staff
- team building
- communications skills (brainstorming, networking, pitching clients and press, integrating social media into the workplace)
- getting clear on goals and developing strategy

- enhancing skills and creativity
- work/life balance and time management
- how to leave the “crisis” in “crisis communications” in the office
- dealing with difficult bosses, staff and clients – including the challenges that arise with Gen X, Y, “Millennials” and Boomers in the same office

Other examples include:

- improving personal and business relationships
- resolving ethical issues
- creating a personal vision for your life and career
- stress management

PR is a great profession…but it doesn’t have to be SO hard…I’m here to help.

CAREER FREEDOM: ESCAPE FROM THE RAT RACE June 23, NYC, 6:30-9:00

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:14:18 +0000

CAREER FREEDOM:”¨ESCAPE FROM THE RAT RACE

When: Tuesday, June 23 2009 6:30 – 9:00PM”¨

Where: Fordham University, Lincoln Center Campus. 12th Floor

Have you ever wondered why you were put on this planet? What your calling is? What is the career you would feel passionate about? You are not alone. More people than ever are strugling with these questions.

There is no reason to feel anxiety, frustrated, or stuck.

We have all met those people that love their work. They don’t even notice the difference between Wednesday or Saturday. This is not because they are workaholics, their careers are so aligned with who they are, it is effortless.

How would it impact your life overall, if you never felt like you are working?

Allan Fried and Alan Cohen, two of New York’s leading career coaches, have joined to create a workshop that will help you do just that.

During this engaging and hands on two-hour workshop you will have

0.A clear definition of what career freedom means to you.

0.Common myths about the rat race, why people stay stuck in it, and steps to get out.

0.Reasons why these people find their careers so inspiring.

0.Ways to stay in action even when you feel like quitting.

0.Specific techniques for starting the transition, once you know what you want to do.

0.A new sense of optimism and energy about your career and life.

We will stay around after the seminar as long as they will let us, and give FREE Laser Coaching Sessions to deal with your most urgent issues. (Laser Coaching is a brief highly focused coaching session that cuts right to the chase, so you can move into immediate action.)

As an added bonus all participants are invited to a free exclusive telecass, where we will answer any questions that have come up for you, once you have put what you learned into practice.

Who should come to this workshop?

0.Individuals that are currently in a job they can’t stand and believe they are trapped.

0.Individuals who are tired of complainging about their work situation and are ready to take action.

0.Individuals who have lost their job and want to use it as an opportunity to springboard into somethhing new or different.

0.Individuals who are in a career they like and feel low on energy. You know you are not achieving anywhere near your potential.

0.Individuals who achieved significant success and are asking “Is this all there is?”

By now you are wondering what’s the catch. This must cost $100 or more.

Our goal is to help as many people as we can. We want to make coaching affordable and accessible to give everyone the chance to feel passionate about their work. Imagine how different the world would be, if everyone woke up eager to go to work.

Thist is why we are virutally giving this workshop away.

$10 For NYBSC/Fordham Students and Alumni”¨$20 General Admission.

Don’t forget about these additional bonuses:

0.Free Laser Coaching.

0.Conference Call Follow Up.

0.7 Power Steps you can take to bring you career freedom.

PRESENTED BY”¨ ACTS OF BALANCE AND CAREER INTERVENTION “¨IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

Advance Registration Required: www.careerintervention.com/workshop

ICF Credential

admin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:09:41 +0000

I am pleased to announce that today I received the proud distinction of being an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation, adding to my Certified Professional Coach credential. This designation ensures the highest standards for the coaching profession set out by the ICF.

Public Relations Society of America Counselors Academy

I just returned from California where I participated in the PRSA Counselors Academy conference. I was so proud to be a part of this event, which brought together thought leaders from around the world, who are leading the public relations industry. Talk about a group that is really seizing opportunities amidst this challenging economy! I look forward to serving the public relations industry, as both an executive coach, as well as p.r. advisor to small businesses

June/July Career Workshops

admin — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:35:20 +0000

Workshop Registration
CAREER WORKSHOPS PRESENTED BY ACTS OF BALANCE AND CAREER INTERVENTION
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FORDHAM UNIVERSITY

CAREER FREEDOM:ESCAPE FROM THE RAT RACE
Tuesday, June 23, 6:30-9:00 pm
Networking 9:00-9:30 pm

Fordham University
Lincoln Center Campus
113 West 60th Street 12th Floor
(Please have a photo ID)
$10 NYBSC/Fordham Students-Alumni/$20 General Public
Advance Registration Required: www.careerintervention.com/workshop

Are you ready for your dream job?
Do you want to get out of your own way?
Have you been thinking about making a move but not taken any action?
If you feel stuck in your career, and are ready to do what you were put on this planet to do !!then this workshop is for you!

Define success on your terms
Uncover some of the obstacles and challenges that may be in your way, including your thinking about what is truly possible for yourself.
Create your vision of career freedom

SEIZING CAREER OPPORTUNITY:STAND OUT IN THE CROWD

Take Charge of Your Career and Turn Challenge into Opportunity.
Tuesday, June 28, 6:30-9:00 pm
Networking 9:00-9:30 pm

Fordham University
Lincoln Center Campus
113 West 60th Street 12th Floor
(Please have a photo ID)
$10 NYBSC/Fordham Students-Alumni/$20 General Public

Advance Registration Required: www.careerintervention.com/workshop

Whether you’re currently in transition, looking to make a move to a similar or different industry, or wanting to move ahead in your current position, this workshop will prove invaluable.
Develop your personal brand.
Uncover the opportunities you’ve been missing.
Discover how challenges and obstacles may be your greatest opportunities.
Leave with actions you can take that will move you in the direction of your dreams.

Join career coaches Allan Fried and Alan Cohen for these engaging workshops; they share many of the same tools and methods they use in their practices with their private clients.

Coach Alan Cohen Featured in STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE, April 12, 2009

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:43:14 +0000

As recession deepens, career coach Alan Cohen’s business remains strong
by Michael J. Fressola/Staten Island AWE
Sunday April 12, 2009, 1:00 PM

Photo courtesy of Alan Cohen
Alan Cohen on your life’s work: “Deep inside, you know what you want to do.”

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Ex-public relations man Alan Cohen has had such interesting jobs — at Scholastic Books, he was publicity chief just as Harry Potter was materializing — he’d like to see workplace satisfaction become epidemic.

Today, the former Staten Islander is the principal of Acts of Balance, which sounds like a high-wire academy, not a jobs program. He’s become a career coach.

What that entails, according to www.actsofbalance.com, “is not unlike having a personal trainer or an athletic coach … transformational, but in a business and personal sense.”

Cohen grew up in West Brighton, graduated from Susan Wagner High School in 1979 and studied English and theater at Connecticut College.

Afterward, he worked for the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut. Back in the city, he moved into upscale PR, with companies like Rogers and Cowan and Robinson Lerer Montgomery (where he worked on AOL’s “Find A Job” service).

He obtained his career-coaching credentials at the Institute for Professional Empowerment Coaching, based in Shewsbury, N.J., and launched Acts of Balance last year. Last week, he conceded the obvious. The downturn has been good for business.

Q. With unemployment skyrocketing, business must be good?
A. Now more than ever there is a need for coaching. The world is suffering from a real identity crisis, with people defining themselves by what they do — then losing their jobs and feeling that they have no identify.

We are not our jobs. Our jobs ideally are one way of expressing our purpose.

My business is strong right now, with lots of professionals seeking coaching to help them get energized, focused and motivated, and to create opportunities for themselves.

I want my clients to be a cause of the turnaround, not an effect of the crisis.

Q. Do you actually find work/new careers for clients, or is it a matter of motivating/helping them to do it themselves?
A. My job as a coach is to help motivate my clients to envision the kind of life that they want to have for themselves, and the career that will help them be most satisfied.

Deep within them, they all know what they want to do — the answers are there — it is just a matter of focusing them. You want to challenge the client and get out of their own way.

Many have blocks, self-limiting beliefs and assumptions that impede them from going after their dreams. I help remove the blocks and set them into positive action.

Q. Say someone purchases your guidance, but it quickly becomes apparent that his/her dreams are crazy or far-fetched. How do you handle it?
A. Generally, if someone is thinking about something, it is achievable. If it weren’t possible, they probably would never have thought of it — my clients are high-functioning professionals who are very rational.

Rarely has anyone brought something to me that seemed crazy or far-fetched. My job as a coach is to challenge them about why they want what they think they want, and to help them create a plan to get there.

Often, that means doing some assessment work around values, wants vs. needs. Often the goal is really the feeling that they think they will achieve by getting a certain job, or having a certain experience.

Q. Baby Boomers are notorious for reinventing themselves late in the game. What portion of your clientele are Boomers (age 45 to 63)?
A. Yes, indeed, most of my clients fall into that age range. They are the “cultural creatives,” who really see the value of having a coach.

With all of my clients, I employ the Core Energy Coaching Process, which is uniquely constructed by iPEC, the Institute for Professional Empowerment Coaching.

It is a breakthrough intervention that is primarily employed by trained professionals for the purpose of assisting others to achieve extraordinary results in their businesses and in their lives.

Q. Publishing, car sales, real estate, banking, auto industry: Droves of people in these lines of work could be shopping any minute now for a new way to make a living. Your advice?
A. Stay focused, look for opportunity, learn new skills; this is just a bump in the road. Be a part of the solution. Stay out of your head, and keep active. Preparation is key — this too shall pass!

Q. In your world, where careers are paramount, is “retirement” the dirtiest of dirty words?
A. If you love what you do, why retire? Most people only think about retirement because they come from a belief that work has to be difficult — then they actualize that belief. My job is to help people have career freedom, by doing what they love, and excelling at whatever it is.

Alan Cohen will help lead a workshop, “Winning Your Career Game: The New Rules,” April 20 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at TRS Inc., 44 E. 32nd St., 11th floor, Manhattan. Register ($20) by visitingwww.careerintervention.com/win.