In This Issue

News from Joan (right)

Bully Bosses(below)

Quotes for the Month

Job Seeking Tips: Cover Letter Tips

Quick Links

News from Joan!

Summer Pickings — If you live in the Houston area, blueberries and peaches will be ready for picking in the next week or two. The season lasts for about three weeks so get out your calendar and plan a trip to one of the local orchards. Here are two of my favorites.

Chmielewski’s — Blueberries should be good through the first two to three weeks in June. Blueberries are $3.00 a pound. The farm is open for pickers on Saturday and Sunday from 7 A.M. to 2 P.M.
Call for more information 281-304-0554 or check their website

E and B Orchards — Peaches, Nectarines, and Blackberries Call for fruit availability at 979-826-6303. Only peaches are available now, but check their website for updates.

Tiger Woods has a coach.
So do many successful executives.
How about you?


What clients say about Joan

"Dear Joan,
I want to thank you for your insight this morning. It has made a huge difference for me. I am confident and now taking charge of my “new” responsibilities. I needed to do an about face! Thank you so much for telling me the truth!
—J.S., Director of Corporate Accounting"

Schedule a FREE no obligation consultation TODAY! Call 281 293-8864 or email me.

Click here to learn more about Joan’s services!

Bully Bosses

Over the last year I have had an amazing number of new clients who have been fired, have left jobs, or want to leave jobs because of bully bosses. In 20 years of coaching and 20 plus years in corporate America, I have not heard so many complaints in such a short time. Bullies have always existed, but something has happened to allow an explosion of these events to occur across industry lines.

Recently, the Supreme Court heard two EEOC cases where the subject of the suits was retaliation for reporting the abuse. The situation has reached such heights that 11 states are currently considering legislation that would give victims of abuse in the workplace the right to sue for damages.

Bully bosses are often high-driver personalities who are convinced that they are right and that they are so valuable that no one and no behavior issues can stop them. Bullying has been described as over-controlling, micromanaging, and displaying contempt for others, often by verbal abuse and exploitation. The bully constantly puts others down with snide remarks or harsh and unfair criticism. They don't just differ with others; they differ contemptuously, questioning the person’s competence and commitment, and humiliating them in front of others, as well as behind their backs.

The result of this kind of treatment, focused on even one employee, causes de-motivation of the whole staff including fear of taking initiative, which interferes with a company's ability to generate better products and processes. It destroys trust and consequently destroys any effort to build team work within a group. Turnover rises dramatically and is costly to companies, especially where high technical, management and people skills are required.

Often a high-performance individual contributor is promoted into a management position without the tools and training in interpersonal skills, psychology, and professional management that are necessary to be truly successful. They may succeed for a time until their behavior alienates so many people that he or she becomes a liability to the company. Unfortunately, by this time, valuable productivity and many good employees have been lost.

As an executive coach, I have been asked to work with and try to turn around some of these bully bosses and I would have to say that results are mixed. I always tell the client company that for any hope of positive results they have to lay it on the line with the bully that his or her job is in jeopardy and the company must be willing to fire the person if the bully is unwilling or unable to change his or her behavior. In several cases, positive change has not been possible and as the person’s coach, I have been able to help them see that the current situation is not fixable and prepare them to move on.

In other cases where the person is open and willing to learn new, more effective ways to work with and relate to their staff, it has been a wonderful collaboration of learning, strategizing, awakening, noticing, and practicing new behaviors. Those successes are sweet in deed for the company, the boss, and myself.

Need to talk about dealing with difficult people at work? Schedule a FREE no-obligation consultation 281 293-8864 or email me: joan@bolmer.com

If you have a bully boss, the real life story of the “Rager Boss” may be helpful. In this case, the employee, along with my coaching, was actually able to turn the boss around.

The Bully at Work: What You Can Do to Stop the Hurt and Reclaim Your Dignity on the Job (Paperback) by Gary Namie

For more information about all things having to do with bullying in the workplace,http://www.bullyfreeworkplace.org/

Quotes for the Month

”Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does, the better.”
—Andre Gide , French critic, essayist, and novelist (1869 - 1951)

”A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.”
—Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)

”I happen to feel that the degree of a person's intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting attitudes she can bring to bear on the same topic.”
—Lisa Alther, Kinflicks, 1975

“So divinely is the world organized that every one of us, in our place and time, is in balance with everything else.”
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German dramatist, novelist, poet, and scientist (1749 - 1832)

Job Seeking Tips: Cover Letter Tips

By Jimmy Sweeney, President of CareerJimmy and author of the new, Amazing Cover Letters Creator.

The best cover letters are “one-page wonders.” Why? Because they suit today's busy employers who are already overloaded and often overwhelmed.

The best way to catch their attention is to “be brief-and be gone.” Leave them wanting more so they'll call you for an interview, which is just what you hope for. Write a letter that makes your point about the job you want, displays your enthusiasm, and clearly asks for the opportunity to meet in person.

Put these seven secrets of a short-and-sweet cover letter into practice and get your phone ringing next week:
1. Write a cover letter that fits on one page - MAX - three paragraphs total!
2. Give your letter plenty of “white space” by creating generous margins and double spacing between paragraphs.
3. Use bullets and numbered lists when appropriate. This allows for easy scanning.
4. Start the first sentence of each paragraph with bold-faced type to draw in the reader.
5. Create paragraphs with three to four well-written sentences each. Convey your passion and enthusiasm to be interviewed for the position being offered.
6. Print out the completed letter and scan it for that “easy on the eyes” appearance. Remember, less is more.
7. Clearly and directly ask for the opportunity to be interviewed!

There you have it! Seven cover letter secrets that will land you more job interviews and hopefully the job you've been searching for.
Jimmy Sweeney

If you want to power up your resume, job search and interview skills, give me a call at 281-293-8864 or email me at joan@bolmer.com for a free consultation.

If you live in Houston, Texas, ask to be put on the monthly job listings from
Paula J. Marion, CPC, Marion Staffing Solutions 713-534-1855; 713-208-9313 pmarion@houston.rr.com

Quick Links

Quality Self Care

Clean Sweep Program (free)
The Clean Sweep Program is a 100-point checklist that reveals how responsible and together a person is in four areas of their life. Clients report that as they increase their score, that their life becomes easier, they have fewer problems, they are less reactive, they are more creative, and they feel better about themselves and others.
Clean Sweep is a great starting point for your complementary coaching session. Schedule a time today 281 293-8864 or email joan@bolmer.com

Inspired Leadership

Favorite Resource Links

Happy Summer!
Check out Joan's paintings and notecards.

Bird Bath