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May 17, 2017 “Ask Patrice”

Dear Patrice, I recently worked on a project that had some problems and minor issues. How should I discuss this situation with my boss?



Here’s a three-step process to position yourself and your work in the best possible light moving forward:

1. You should proactively raise the issue FIRST and not wait for your boss to do so. Acknowledge the fact that things should have played out differently but stick to the facts. I have had people literally apologize for things I never knew had occurred, so chances are your supervisor may not know every detail. After the conversation, outline and/or draft a brief summary of the obvious “mistakes” and what you and others will do in the future to prevent it from happening again.

2. Now that you have told your boss what she or he needs to hear, you need to look for the root cause of the problem. Did things not work out according to plan because there was no organization, because things were left until the last minute, or because others dropped the ball? Or was it simply a matter of unclear expectations. For example, you CAN control how long others speak by both advising them well in advance that there is a 5-minute limit but, by also having a “moderator” and process in place to jump in - when they don’t. Your goal is to uncover the real reason things will be different. Remember, the best way to prove this is to not just TELL others what will happen but to SHOW them the next time around.

3. Your ability to bounce back from mistakes and all that life dishes out is all about attitude. Embrace a growth perspective where you seek to learn from everything that happens, especially those things that don’t end up well.

Mistakes happen despite our best laid out plans. This week think of these and other ways to communicate, grow from, and create success from mistakes and mishaps. Remember that life is what happens while we’re making (and hopefully learning from) other plans.

October 1, 2016 The Living on Purpose Career Readiness Challenge . . . 30 Days of Activities, 4 Surprising Posts, 1 Great Sidebar Post on Creating (and not waiting) for Opportunities and 1 Compelling Conversation.


It’s October 1, summer’s over and it’s back to your daily grind. You have exactly 93 days to either start off 2017 with a new job that you love or head into the New Year doing the same old thing. What will you choose? We hope that you are ready, willing and able to make a change and will join us on October 5 when we’ll launch the first Living On Purpose Project 30-Day Career Readiness Challenge. Whether you are looking to change industries, move up in your current career/position; or are planning to switch things up in the near future - this monthly event will help you break the cycle and take concrete steps towards your dream job.

Each week will focus on non-traditional ways to advance your level of career readiness, as well as daily activities that you can do (most in 7 minutes or less) to help practice and master a core key skill. Here’s a sneak peek of what we have planned:

October 5: Seven Surprising Ways to Get LinkedIn to Work for You

Two people join LinkedIn every second. Here are seven surprising ways that people are using LinkedIn as an interactive tool to find job leads, get the attention of recruiters and hiring managers and effectively promote themselves professionally.

October 12: Compelling Conversation with Rachel Piatczyc

Who says that you have to pick just one job or career that you love? This month we’re talking to Rachel Piatczyc who shares her secrets to creating a multi-faceted career. We’re also offering a sidebar post on October 16 about three ways to create and not wait for opportunities.

October 19: Seven Things You Never Imagined Could Help Get You Hired in a Hurry

Tired of sending your resume out with no response? Are you finding that all the traditional ways to find a new job are not working? We’re spilling the tea on seven surprising things that can help you land a job quickly.

October 26: Seven Ways Mind/Body Balance Can Help You Succeed (And Why It’s Not B.S!)

You’re young and healthy and might never believe that stress can be slowing you down and blocking you from the job of your dreams. Mind/Body Balance isn’t hippie, new age stuff, but a proven method to help you make a successful professional transition and sustain an effective long-term life and career.