Meet with yourself once each week to evaluate your performance. I recommend doing this by writing two reports. The first is a candid evaluation of what you accomplished during previous week. The second is a description of your plans for coming week. Your plans should include your goals, actions, and priorities.

The first time that you write these reports, write an evaluation of what you have done so far. Describe results that this effort has produced. And compare these results with what you wanted to have.

Next, map out a realistic plan for next week based on achievable goals. For example, you could set goals for number of people you will call, number of networking meetings you will attend, and research you will conduct.

In coming weeks, compare results that you obtained during previous week with goals that you set. For example, if you planned to attend twelve networking meetings and you attended only two, you should a) explain why this happened and b) plan actions that will correct such a difference. You should also analyze why you missed your goal because this provides insights on what you need to do differently. For example, your goal may have been set too high. Or maybe you could car pool with a friend who is also looking for a job.

Finding a job is a full time job. Work through it with a plan and support of a good boss (yourself).

Partners, Competition and Internal Efficiency: Managing conflict in a modern organization has an amazing number of ties to central themes of Zen, “Art of War” and book of change (Tao de Ching).They are all about understanding yourself, your organization, your strengths, weaknesses and synergizing with others to achieve positive outcomes. Collectively these things have a direct correlation to an annual company S.W.O.T review (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). Furthermore, these attributes and approaches mimic an employee’s annual performance review. In Applied Zen workshops we go through approaches to company S.W.O.T. which include: company self analysis, analyzing competition, and partnering for best case strategic outcomes.

All above methods (old and new) are about changing base behavior, beliefs and approaches. These are core values, and are far more important than putting band-aids on problems, or approaching things with simply a behavior change. In regard to ancient philosophies, they of course must be interpreted, and applied, using case studies in a context that matches modern corporate world – but lessons are most definitely there!

Continuing to train ones skills and undergo development both in-house and outside your company is essential.

As ancient samurai saying says: “Continually sharpen sword or it will go blunt!”

By Jason Armstrong, Ph.D. Copyright 2005.