FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    Contact: John Tschohl
September, 2023                                       (612) 382-5636
                                                                  E-mail: John@servicequality.com
                                                                  Web: www.customer-service.com

Note to Editor: Feel free to use all or parts of this news release. John Tschohl is also available for personal interviews.

THE FACE IN THE MIRROR -
Six Steps to Moving Up
By John Tschohl

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Is it someone who is confident and successful, or is it someone who isn’t happy with work and life? If it’s the latter, how can you change yourself to become the former?

Here are some steps to help you move in a positive direction and improve both your professional life and your personal life.

1. Conduct a self-assessment. Each of us is a work in progress but, if we don’t take the time to critique ourselves and our behaviors, we run the risk of becoming complacent. Scrutinize your work ethic. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What skills and perspectives are you lacking? This can be difficult because we tend to come to our own defenses and make excuses for our actions or inadequacies. A good self-assessment will allow you to measure your progress and compare yourself with yourself—rather than with the success of others.
   
   
2. Set goals. Where would you like to be a year from now? Set goals that are specific, reachable, and tangible and that will move you forward. Make sure each goal is something you are committed to achieving. Make each goal realistic and measurable by assigning a unit of time in which you will achieve it. Those goals will serve as a roadmap to get you from where you are today to where you want to be in the future.
   
   
3. Identify what you must do to achieve your goals. What skills will you need to add to your repertoire in order to improve? Also check your attitude. Are you enthusiastic, helpful, and positive? If not, you’ll need to make some adjustments. Nothing good ever comes to people with negative attitudes. Sharpen your skills and increase your personal motivation. Continuing to learn is one of the most critical things you can do if you want to be successful. Take an online class, read a book on personal development every month, take advantage of tuition reimbursement opportunities, and attend seminars and lectures that relate to your field.
   
   
4. Seek feedback. Constructive feedback enables you to understand what you are doing and how you are doing it. The key is to build a network of people who are more successful than you are. Ask for their input, listen to their advice, and implement their suggestions. Take notes and try to align them with the deficient areas you identified in your self-assessment.
   
   
5. Eliminate self-imposed limitations. They are the biggest barriers to your success. If you think you will fail, you will. Self-imposed imitations can be crippling and can stop you in your tracks. Fear of failure is a major obstacle to embracing your dreams because it prevents you from moving forward. It takes away your power. In order to grow, you must be willing to take chances.
   
   
6. Believe in yourself. You hold the power to your success. Look back at your past achievements with pride—and at future achievements with enthusiasm. Practicing personal affirmations will give you a great boost. Tell yourself that today will be a great day, that you are in control of your life, that you are indispensable and worthy. Tell yourself each day, “I believe in me.”
   
   These six steps will help you swim in the sea of opportunity. They will help to ensure that your dreams become your reality.
   
   

For more information on John Tschohl and the Service Quality Institute, visit
www.customer-service.com.