David Lanham’s Post

When I was 24 years old I began working at UPS as a package handler for $11/hour. The shift was from 4am-8am. I needed a part time role outside of “traditional" business hours that would allow me the flexibility to continue pursuing my dream, while bringing me in some money so I could support myself. Nearing the conclusion of my first week on the job, the building supervisor approached and asked if I’d like to advance. He shared that they had been impressed with my work ethic, etc., and that the week following they would have me organizing the truck for the drivers (the next step up), and then indicated they’d have me training on a truck (to be a driver) within two months. The salary? $65,000-$70,000 (from what I recall), plus great benefits. For context, when he approached with that offer I was dead broke. And had no benefits. I had resigned from my “career” the year prior to pursue my dream of being a motivational speaker, but it hadn’t been working out the way I envisioned. I was in significant debt and that salary would have certainly changed things. Those closest to me at the time all advised I do it. So, I said yes. But I knew in my heart it wasn’t right. So in just the second week on the job, I resigned. Although that role wasn’t the last of the different jobs that I would need to take on to keep my dream alive, I learned a valuable lesson in that moment; that being: we must have the courage to choose the path that feels right for us, not the one that is popular. Taking that job would have undoubtedly lessened my financial pressures and stress. I would have likely had better relationships and had more time to do what society may deem as “normal” (e.g. take vacations, go out to dinner, start a family, etc.). Yet, I chose the unconventional path (again!) and continued in pursuit of my dream. And as Robert Frost is so famously quoted as saying: “that has made all the difference.” Making decisions that go against the grain is not easy. But when you believe in something strongly enough, you don’t need easy. You just need possible. Be courageous enough today to make the decision that is right for you! #quotes #inspiration #motivation #journey #yourpath #mindfuljourney #mondaymotivation #keynotespeaker #dream

Just trust me you’ll be fine ✨🫶🏼 Nora is 7 months old today which….blows me away! She is learning and growing everyday! And with each new milestone I’m growing as well. Being laid off at 5 weeks postpartum with no severance or insurance continuation was a huge shock…but it turned out ✨just fine✨ In the moment I wasn’t sure how we would survive and truthfully it’s been a huge adjustment but I’m so thankful for our families & friends who have supported us on this journey. Here are some things I’ve learned in the last 7 months: 1️⃣ People will actually relate to you better if your honest about the difficulties in life. Everyone has them. 2️⃣ Being a new parent isn’t all that expensive. The money you save on going out covers your cost of formula & diapers. 3️⃣ Let them. Toxic employers, will stay toxic. Let them talk. Be true to yourself and rise above it. 4️⃣ Advocate for yourself. As an HR leader I was constantly advocating for the betterment of others but often struggled to advocate for myself. But NOBODY has your back like you do. 5️⃣ Accept Help. It’s hard to do but your people want to show up for you…so let them help. 6️⃣ Boundaries aren’t lazy. Actually it’s extremely time consuming and takes effort to set boundaries but they’re important. And finally… 7️⃣ Everything can change in an instant. No job is secure. No plans are in stone. You can be the most prepared, type A, spreadsheet planner and life can throw you for a loop. #layoff #laidoff #peopleandculture #hrhiring

Thanks to everyone for the supportive comments on the back of my redundancy post this week. I’ve also had a few folk DM me to chat about their own situation. Whilst we all have different needs, wants and circumstance, I try to give some perspective on how they might handle the situation. So much of handling redundancy is grounded in how you mentally reframe the situation to empower yourself. One thing we can all do is reach out to others to ask for help or just a listening ear. Redundancy is not linked to your own self-worth or a reflection of your talents, skills or attitude. Yes it sucks. But so does ceding control to external factors. Think about what is with your control and make a difference there. These positive steps will compound over time. Do not get desperate. Get creative. Stay positive. And don’t be afraid to ask for help, advice or a favour. But don’t rely on your network to go do the work for you. You’ve got this 👊

Don't do it- Counteroffers almost (99% of the time) do not work out! Are there stories of success, Sure! Are there stories over and over again where the money didn't fix the original reason you started looking...Yup!! If you'd like to read the articles I send to all of my candidates on why counter offers are typically not a good idea- comment w/ your email and I'll be happy to share! #knowyourworth #gtrcorp #gtrcorp

Sometimes a picture is worth a 1000 words when it comes to #militarytransition. After you have an initial chuckle, let's go a few layers deeper and talk about the impact to #servicemembers and #employers. At PreVeteran, we talk about this all the time but it's worth mentioning again. The military and private sector environments are FUNDAMENTALLY different. Through intentional training when one enters and remains in the military, the service member's thinking and decision making is optimized for that military environment—NOT the private sector environment. ⬛ Stated more simply, when it comes to private sector employment, service members are the square peg trying to fit into the round hole. ❌ Not recognizing this reality, the existing transition program of record, TAP, becomes the hammer trying to drive the service member into the private sector environment, as-is. Not surprisingly, this comes at a cost to the service member and the employer. Consequences to the service member (not all inclusive): 1️⃣ It doesn't feel very good 2️⃣ It creates a lot of individual and familial discord and stress 3️⃣ Job hopping because core gaps were not filled (i.e. the service member did not work on themselves to align to what the private sector wants and needs) Consequences to the employer (not all inclusive): 1️⃣ An employee who is not at all familiar with the private sector employment environment, and as a result, will be a flight risk 2️⃣ An employee who does not understand how their role aids the profit-making enterprise 3️⃣ An employee who will unknowingly recall and apply military behaviors within the private sector environment, which will disrupt teams Here's the thing, this is how things have been since 1991...BUT IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE THIS WAY NOW. Our PreVeteran programs are intentionally created to help the service member work on themselves and begin shaping themselves for private sector employment 18 months before departure from the military. It all begins with our 5-Week Employment Prep Course (EPC). The next cohort starts on 27 May (link in the first comment)...hope to see you there. 😎 BTW, did I miss anything or do you have anything to add? Let's hear it. 📣 📣 Aaron, Joe, Shawnda, Nicholas, Bill, 🎣Sara, Erik, Bobby, Vic, Matt, Matt, Michelle, Jennifer, Jack, Justin, José, Dixon, Ryan, Craig, Ceir, Joseph, Bob, Jesse, Steve, Lea, Nicholas, Paul, Jonny

My client Grayson was unceremoniously laid off back in January. I reached out to him right away, offering as much free career support as he needed. And I’m so glad that he took me up on it. Grayson’s job wasn’t just a job—it was his calling. He’s one of those rare people who always knew what he wanted to be when he grew up (how!?), so his role and industry are all tied up with his identity and personal mission. Losing the job felt like losing a part of himself. We talked about his options for moving ahead, his mindset, how to frame being laid off. We talked through negotiating the salary for a job he didn’t really want but that would have offered needed stability. And finally we talked about moving through the interview process for the job he really wanted—the dream job he got, just last week. I wasn’t the only person who reached out to Grayson with help. As soon as the news of his company’s closing hit, a local leader in his industry who we’ll call Tate sent him a text that essentially said: “I just heard, and I’m so sorry. When you’re ready and if you want it, I’m here to help.” Over the last several months, Grayson took him up on it. They met for coffee to strategize and talk through opportunities. When Tate offered to put in a good word with the hiring manager for the dream job, Grayson was glad to accept his help. Grayson told me that his experience this year changed his approach to receiving help with his professional path. In the past, he tried to go it alone for some of the common reasons I hear from my clients: ➡️ The all-American need to be self-sufficient. What kind of person am I if I can’t handle it myself? ➡️ The need to look polished, to not appear weak or unsure. What will it say about me if I reach out and admit I need help? What will others think of me? ➡️ The need to avoid inconveniencing others, not wanting to be a burden, even when they offer their support. Who am I to be getting help from this person who is so busy and important and has their own stuff going on? ➡️ The need to keep the score even. How will I pay this person back for their help? Grayson says that now he realizes that he’s built a solid body of work and a professional reputation. He hadn’t really seen how it all added up before. But when people came forward offering help, he realized that it was because of the track record and good will he’s built and earned. In a way, receiving this kind of support was a professional milestone—not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. It was an opportunity to recognize all that he’s built in his career to date. Learning to gracefully receive help from others is a needed professional skill—it can also be humbling, vulnerable, scary, and courageous. Here are 5 Ways to Receive Career Support with Grace: https://lnkd.in/eyUAfuCx

Aroha to anyone facing redundancy in these tough times. Do I have a story for you. I've written about my five (yes, FIVE) redundancies this week for The Listener. There's lessons in there for management, some of whom did their (sad) job well, and some of whom behaved appallingly. There's also some advice for those who are going through this for the first, or second (surely not fifth? 😁) time. I only had a few hundred words to work with but there's so much more.. and it's such a timely subject that I'm even offering it as a keynote or after-dinner speech. In the meantime, have a read about how you can keep your sanity, and rise stronger than ever. https://lnkd.in/gFuqJ3TA

This is my, "I told you so look." See, what had happened was.... 1. One of my clients was laid off and got a severance. I told her to take 2 months off instead of worrying about getting another job immediately. Hellloooooo... 👉🏾👉🏾Severance package. She engaged in my self-care recipe and after two months, she was rehired by the SAME company at a higher level and a raise. 2. I told another client to quit her job because she couldn't disengage from her habit of overworking (this is rare for me, but she has the resources to do so). She took 2 months FMLA instead of quitting. She engaged in my self-care recipe and was promoted while on leave. 🥳🥳 I CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP! What's the common denominator? Both of them were stressed out and unavailable for their husbands and children. When they got their houses in order, God released the next level. 🤔 Lesson... God will release the next level to you if you take care of YOURSELF - FIRST!! Get my self-care recipe in my Forbes featured article using the Visit My Website link above 👆🏾 😀 Love, Christy 💙 #careers #management #future #professionalwomen #entrepreneurship #thevisionfinder

Quitting a career to stay home with the kids can bring unexpected challenges and rewards. In this insightful piece, Marie Holmes shares the stories of modern stay-at-home moms, debunking the June Cleaver myth and revealing the complex reality of balancing personal and professional identities. Maternal ambivalence allows mothers to experience a full range of emotions while knowing they are still great moms. Let's discuss. https://ow.ly/9YTV50Scp4L