WELCOME NEW YEAR & HOLIDAYS.

It is time - 2 months to go.  We are now officially in November, and December is just around the corner.  I recently watched this video about Finishing Strong in any endeavor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syIm5MHG4O4 and felt the message was solid and clear. When we start something, start a search, a commitment, a focal point, a client relationship, do we finish strong? With all the challenges of 2013, and with a New Year and the Holidays before us, how truly grateful are we?  Do we let the negativity of others swarm our staffing desk?  Do we let the challenges of work and home life overwhelm us?  This video is powerful as it has several stories and quotes.  They amaze me while one listens to the song "Eye of the Tiger" which gets me pumped up to make more calls, rally my recruiting prowess and get my fills and offers no matter what it takes.  Here are the stories the video highlights and some quotes:

1.  "Life is 10 Percent what you make it, and 90 percent how you take it" - Irving Berlin.

2.  The question is posed "How will you take it"? and "How will you respond to the challenge before you?"

3.  One way only to Finish strong.

4.  "Most of us have far more courage than we ever dreamed we possessed." - Dale Carnegie

5.  Bethany Hamilton - a Professional Surfer at age 13 was attacked by a shark and lost her arm, 6 months later she was back at her sport that she loved.  She was named 2004 ESPN Comeback Athlete of the Year.

6.  Ray Kroc - Founder of McDonalds - had Diabetes, he lost his gall bladder and thyroid gland but at the age of 52 went on to found a powerhouse company and had grit and determination.

7.  "To accomplish Great Things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." - Anatole France

8.  Wilma Rudolph - the first American Woman to win 3 gold medals in one single Olympics had to overcome not walking with braces.  Determined she became a distance runner in spite of her challenges.

9.  A great golfer had both of his legs crushed in a vicious car accident, yet, even with difficulty walking, and after 16 months would win the US Open and go on to win 5 more major championships.  Golfer Ben Hogan finished strong.

10.  "How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game.....whether you are a winner or loser." - Lou Holtz

11.  Olympic Gymnast Paul Homm - fell in one of his routines, but seemingly knocked down rose back up and delivered a near flawless and perfect horse routine, winning the All Around Men's Gymnastics Gold Medal by 1 tenth of a point.  

12.  "It's not what happens to you but how you react to it that matters." - Epictetus

Special Thanks to www.simpletruths.com for their recruiting inspiration from the above video.

As I look at what is ahead in the next 2 months I can see a busy schedule unlike any I have before encountered in my career.  2 straight months of holidays, requirements that need filling, special holiday challenges, and folks looking at metrics to determine how those roles may be filled, or my wife looking at the clock wondering when I'll be home for the holiday matters.  It is here I am reflective, how do I get to my goal of the hires, keep multiple balls in the air, please demanding clients, experience end of year scenarios, and where these folks see their unique situation, only to have the recruiter trying to battle many fronts for productivity to maintain the commitment to greatness irregardless of what challenges may arise.

It is here one must respond with full energy, full speed ahead, finishing strong, finishing commitments, knowing when to push back, and when to maintain documentation, focus, and client accountability as well as your own.  2013 has been one of those years that was unpredictable.  There were moments I knew I needed to realign something, but yet in spite of that, I have built a reputation of dependability, whereby strength is a watchword and passion point where trust needs to be established and kept.

The challenges of 2013 can enable grander outcomes, only if one finishes the year strong, no matter what endeavor is being taken.  It had been my hope that November and December would slow a bit allowing some time to refocus and recommit.  But alas, business had other plans.  

Therefore it is vital to remain steadfast and focused on good outcomes.  I can sense that my commitment to finish strong also needs a foundation of success, whereby I can be responsive, patient, client focused.  Kaizen principles or continuous improvement steps, are key to staffing success, as one learns how a similar set of circumstances from one's reference point may transpire.  

Learning real time, and taking accountability for strengths, and important focal points for career development will lay the foundation to finish strong.

The biggest key is to find the points of pain and push forward to finish strong by helping others find their way.  Vital concerns are timeliness, partner assistance, and strength of knowledge.  Making the most of each fill and hire, digging out 3-5 more calls and doing so before lunch, with a firm commitment to make the fills happen.  Sourcing a few more candidates, with intent to build enough of a pipeline that manager can also be successful with a more diverse pool, and then making offers that lead to great career outcomes.  It is there that success lies in the candidate engagement cycle.

The power of knowing what and how to put your full effort behind is key as well as targeting one's audience, and keeping all free flowing ideas going to the forefront.  It is here that staffing success gets derived from, and it's a place I deeply enjoy.  Passion, Grit, Determination, the 3 core ingredients to a good staffing outcome.  All based on hope and knowledge of candidate's feedback.  

It is also a time of reflection and self dedication, where every day can count, where thankfulness, gratefulness, and inward commitment to staffing, work/home life, and one's focus can come to the forefront.  It is this that will take the moments that can inspire and fulfill to new heights.  It is in being busy, that one finds one's own "Finishing Strong" fire hidden inside, when it appears life is throwing everything and the kitchen sink at you.  Perhaps, these final 2 months one can be GREAT and AWE-INSPIRING to arrive at a goal that sets you apart, and makes your staffing desk shine with productivity and results.  That's what staffing is all about - making great matches, and making managers love the partnership, and praise the effort.  Nothing could be more fulfilling than that.

And if you happen to be in Salt Lake City at an ADP complex one day, you may find a recruiter by the name of Mike watching a video to start my day, about finishing strong.  

Until next year - make the last few weeks of 2013 great to remember and then have your goals set real time to "Finish Strong".  That's what it will take to succeed in life and business.  And I wouldn't have it any other way - FINISH STRONG in the final waning months of 2013.

This post is of my own creation, and I am solely responsible for it's content, it in no way represents the views, or opinions of ADP in any way.