1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: new world of work, where location and hours are more 4 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to plan 5 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 1: your fourth quarter strategy. Whatever the year has looked like 6 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: so far, and let's just say it might have been challenging, 7 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: you can do a lot with a concentrated fourth quarter push. 8 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: I'm first publishing this episode on September thirtieth. For many 9 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: of us, twenty twenty has been quite a year. It 10 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,839 Speaker 1: is now three quarters done. A lot of people have 11 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: asked whether the year can be over with already, But 12 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: it is a shame to wish time away. Life is 13 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: limited as it is. Wishing time away is such a 14 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: miserable bargain. Better to make the most of the time 15 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: we have. The good news is that whatever the first 16 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 1: part of this year has looked like, professionally or personally, 17 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 1: there is still enough time to rescue the narrative. Three 18 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: months is enough to do grand things. The key is 19 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: to choose a limited number of things that really matter 20 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: and then go all in on getting them done. For instance, 21 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: maybe your business, like so many businesses, has seen clients 22 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: disappear or revenues drop. By focusing your fourth quarter on 23 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: finding new clients or suggesting projects to existing clients that 24 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: meet their new needs, you could quite likely end the 25 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: year with some big wins. This is great for an 26 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: annual review. Stuff that happens in October tends to seem 27 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: bigger than stuff that happens in February. But it's also 28 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: good for one's sanity. Everyone loves success. Or maybe you've 29 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: needed to make a career pivot. If you've decided to 30 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: go back to school, the next three months are an 31 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: opportunity to choose a program and apply. Maybe you'd be 32 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: able to start and Jaimanuary if not before. If you 33 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: want to learn a new skill, plenty of programs take 34 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: a few weekends or a couple nights a week for 35 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: a month or so. My ten year old actually got 36 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: his SCOPA certification this year doing a weekend program earlier 37 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: in the year, some coursework, and a weekend program this fall. 38 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: You could learn first aid, or how to do certain 39 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: repair jobs, or just about anything you can think of. 40 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: You can also take any extra capacity you might have 41 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: if work is slow, and put it towards starting an 42 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: internal networking or resource group. How about a support group 43 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: for parents or for people with your particular background. You 44 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: could schedule a series of lunchtime sessions and virtual networking 45 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: groups and end the year with a far more robust 46 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: network and cement your reputation as a leader. If you'd 47 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: like to be promoted next year, that's a great thing 48 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,679 Speaker 1: for people to be thinking this year. Of course, you 49 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 1: can create a fourth quarter strategy at home too. Maybe 50 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: you decide to eat healthier lunches for the next ninety days. 51 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:05,119 Speaker 1: You commit to getting ten thousand steps on five days 52 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: a week for the next three months. You commit to 53 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: calling a particular family member every week. All of these 54 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: will create a lot of positive change. Really, it can 55 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: be anything, but choosing something that matters to you and 56 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: doing it consistently for the next ninety days will lead 57 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: to something. I can't say for sure what life surprises us. 58 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: Sometimes twenty twenty has definitely taught us that, But it 59 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: will lead to something, and of such serendipity comes success. 60 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: In the meantime, This is Laura, thanks for listening, and 61 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:51,839 Speaker 1: here's to succeeding in the New Corner Office. The New 62 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: Corner Office is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts, 63 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 64 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.