We are launching the Bold DNA series of strategic career management reports. The reports will include hands-on tools, skill building exercises and strategic content. The first,

All you need to do is sign-up to the Bold Career community and mailing list and the download will be waiting for you. The Report includes 20-pages of thought provoking content on:

• Managing career / job security risk in uncertain economic times
• Enhancing career opportunity

As well as worksheets that lead you through a personal SWOT analysis of your career situation.

I would very much like to have you read it and perhaps take action on some of the Action Ideas and Homework questions presented in the report.

Special Offer: I have made a special offer available only to Report readers. Until January 15, 2009, 15% off any service purchased from Bold Career. That includes full job search / career transition packages, resume writing services, interview coaching, and general career coaching packages. In today’s market, 15% is something to think about. (And you can elect to use your purchase service anytime in 2009, so no rush if you aren’t quite ready.) Again, January 15th is the deadline to take advantage of this offer.

So, please join me to download How to Manage Your Career in Scary Times.

• Relevant and useful for senior career transition issues
• Important strategic advice for managing and developing your career
• And on emerging skills, sweet spots that some readers may want to dive into, or just plain intriguing and interesting (to me) books that I want to share with you.

Here are some strategies that might help:

Prioritize the Season: The first thing to do is decide how important the Holiday season is for you. There are a lot of expectations swirling around the holidays. If it is important, then treat it so. If not, then let go a bit.

Prioritize Socializing: This is prime time for entertaining clients, celebrating with co-workers, and connecting with your network. Try politely deferring the people that can wait until the New Year. Chances are, they will feel equally relieved that they have one less meeting prior to Christmas.

Batch Socializing: Whom can you bring together for one event? Several (non-competing) clients, where you play host and connector? A bunch of colleagues? There is that natural tendency to book 1-1 meeting with people, but see if you can get creative, save time, and in the process, perhaps add some value to the people you bring together.

Be Hyper-Focused: Let’s face it. It is very easy to get distracted over the next few weeks. Get very focused on your most important tasks and responsibilities. Lay out a clear path to get them done, and work the plan.

Book Your Errand Time: You have shopping to do. It is amazing what a couple of hours of focused shopping time can produce, and in particular mid-week. Go out at lunch, or at the end of the day. It can actually be fun.

Plan Your Personal Goals: What do you want the holiday season to look like? Specifically, what do you want to make happen? Book it. Make it happen. Don’t get too ambitious if you don’t have the time, but applying the same business discipline to your household will likely pay dividends.

Set Expectations: Prepare those around you for your offline time. Get done what you need to get done. Communicate your schedule in advance so that colleagues will make allowances. Do not soften it by communicating that you will be checking email during your days off.

Leave Town, or Pretend To: What is it about skiing? If you are heading out of town for a vacation, that distance validates that you are away from the office. Stay at home vacation? You are more at risk? If you aren’t leaving town, use language that makes your holiday time more real.

Be In the Moment: Whether you are taking a week, or just the statutory holidays, be there, in the moment. When it is time to celebrate, celebrate. When it is time to be with your kids, be with your kids. Turn off the Blackberry, forget about work, and don’t feel guilty. You deserve it.

Unfortunately, there are work environments where 24/7 is the rule and you can’t checkout. However, in most cases, based on my experience, executives self-impose 24/7 expectations on themselves.

Where do you fit? Have you earned the right to take care of yourself and your family? The holiday season is actually a good litmus test for how healthy your career situation and position is.

There are a few things going on here. From a “you” perspective, it would be worth investigating what is behind this insecurity, and if there is anything you can do to work through it.

From a role perspective, dissect the executive job you hold and find out what areas, if any, you excel at, are comfortable with, and lastly, which are part of this insecurity. You may find that a significant part of your job is no problem at all for you. If that is the case, then a few avenues might be possible. One, a coach may be able to help you work through the difficult areas. Two, you may be able to renegotiate your role to have it redefined. Of course, that may not be possible, so the last course of action might be to look externally for a role at or around your new level that focuses on those things you are good at and comfortable with.

Now, you asked me a different question. Can you move down a notch and make it work? The good news is that this is a fairly common situation. What makes someone shine at one level may not mean that they are suited to the next level. In particular, when the promotion involves the addition of management responsibilities. I think it can work, but of course, it comes with risks.

Firstly, the success of the transition depends to a large part on you. How you communicate how you feel about moving back to the old role. You could send a message, consciously or not, that you couldn’t hack the senior level. Or, you could send a message that was a positive one instead. “I missed the work of my old job. The executive experience was great, but I discovered that this is the work that I was meant to do. You guys were great to manage, but frankly, I want to get back in the trenches and focus on my strengths.” The difference is moving towards rather than away from something.

Secondly, the culture of your team plays a part. There are some environments where this kind of action would be doomed from the start. However, I think in most teams, it would be workable.

Thirdly, it depends to some extent on who you will report to after you move down. A new boss could make it easy or difficult for you. You will need to manage that relationship closely. If there are early signs that you are going to have a problem, putting yourself on the job market might be a good idea.

A last point. I have seen situations where a new role is defined in this kind of situation. A role that takes advantage of some of your exceptional abilities, while minimizing the weak areas. The fact is, having spent a couple of years in the executive role, you have valuable experience and insight. It could be utilized in a new way, rather than the old way of moving back. It is about discovering role fit. It may not be possible in this situation, but it is a way to go, and may point to a role outside of the organization.

The key thing is to figure out where you will be most fulfilled and personally successful.

How do you join the Bold Career community you ask?

Simple. Use the handy form to create a free member account.

And what is the report about?
Basically, it is some tips and a tool for managing your career, proactively, during scary times. Like what we are facing now. It is worth a read.

I will have it for you this week. Be sure to get on board if you’d like to get a copy for yourself.

I thought I would point you to some articles I published back during the 2005 Holiday season and they are worth revisiting if job / career related issues are on your mind today.

• Career Development During the Holidays Series
• The Social Phase
• The Reflective Phase
• The New Beginnings Phase

We have hired Ian on umpteen occasions to provide one-on-one interview coaching to MBA students in the full and part-time MBA program over the last four years. Ian’s insightful advice and professionalism has helped numerous students on their path to new careers. Ian has also conducted presentations to large groups of MBA students on maximizing their brand and marketing themselves successfully. His presentations are thoughtful, engaging and fun.
- Mary Cowan, MBA Career Manager, Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia

There will be a few hiccups as we roll out…

• New pages
• A Free member’s area
• Client zones
• and more

Also, beginning next week, I will have a special download for you. Some tips on how to weather and thrive in these uncertain economic times.

Until then, thanks for tuning in.

Ian clearly strives for excellence in his dealings with his client base. He has a solid grasp on executive advancement issues and technology and is a very personable coach. His unique gift is his ability to transfer his vast knowledge and insight to another individual with the true spirit of a teacher.
- Anthony Kaul, Founder - HigherBracket.ca 

Ian is that rare combination of talent plus experience that makes someone exceptional at what they do. His coaching has made my goal of shifting business sectors manageable by helping me create a strategic plan based on what he’s seen succeed in the past. And his framework for collecting details on my background was efficient and went well beyond what I was able to offer up through my previous resume and conversations, and also prepared me to talk crisply about my past experience. The copy writing he and his staff did for me is the best I have seen, which resulted in significantly raising the bar for my resume, LinkedIn profile, and bio. The personalized process and results both exceeded my expectations.
- Leon Campise, Entrepreneur in Residence - Research Valley Innovation Center