Newsletter 4 - 29th December 2003

Mind Tools Essential Skills for an Excellent Career! Newsletter 4, December 2003 This is the newsletter for www.mindtools.com. You have received this newsletter because you have subscribed to our opt-in newsletter. This newsletter is published by James Manktelow of Mind Tools Ltd. To contact us, please email newsletter@mindtools.com.

As the New Year approaches, we at Mind Tools are turning our thoughts to New Year resolutions. As ever, the change of the year is a great time to take stock and focus on what we want to achieve during the year ahead.

Assuming that you are thinking along similar lines, this is an ideal time to review what you’ve learned about yourself and your career in the past year, and to set the objectives that will power your success in the year ahead.

This newsletter points you towards some of the Mind Tools resources that help you with this. Firstly we help you assess where you are, and then we look at setting goals for the future.

Taking Stock...

A good starting point is to conduct a SWOT Analysis on your current position. This will help you identify the strengths you must use to full effect, the weaknesses you must neutralize, the opportunities open to you, and the threats you must counter. This helps you identify the things you must do and the skills you must acquire in the year ahead.

Visit http://www.mindtools.com/swot.html to find out more.

Exploring The Options Open to You...

Depending on how much you enjoy your job, you may be exploring more fundamental questions.

If you are asking yourself whether you are in the right career, then try taking the MAPP assessment at http://www.mindtools.com/rs/mapp.

This Mind Tools partner offers a free career assessment that helps you identify the jobs you are most suited to. It also offers a range of powerful paid services that help you explore your choice in depth.

Alternatively, if you feel that you should be enjoying your job but stress is an issue, take a look at our Stress Management Masterclass at http://www.mindtools.com/StressManagementMasterclass.

Moving Forward With Goal Setting...

Once you have taken stock of where you are, you are well-placed to look to the future.

Our Goal Setting page gives you a useful framework for thinking through the things that are important to you in your life. It then shows you how to set the goals that will power you towards the achievement of your ambitions. You can see more on Goal Setting at http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html.

Success Studios, another long-term Mind Tools partner, use a computer-based approach to goal setting. This offers the additional advantage of integrating your goals with your To Do Lists and diary. This keeps your goals fresh, visible, and fully-integrated with your time management system. You can download a trial version of Success Studios’ GoalPro system from the following URL: http://www.mindtools.com/rs/goalpro.

More Mind Tools In The New Year...

That’s it for this newsletter. I’m pleased to announce that we’re being joined by Kellie Fowler as our newsletter editor in the next issue, as we start issuing the newsletter on a monthly basis.

Look out for new Mind Tools content and products during the year with new sections in the pipline on communication skills, leadership and career planning. As ever, these will be focused on helping you achieve career excellence.

Until then, best wishes, happy goal setting, and have a great 2004!

James

James Manktelow

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