4 ways to promote positivity

When it comes to the job hunt, a daily dose of motivation can give us the boost we need to go the extra mile. Whether it’s a simple affirmation, or a reminder to be proud of our accomplishments, finding and spreading inspiration can help ground us and build confidence. No one knows that better than Stacey Stratton, president of True Talent Group, a staffing and recruitment agency based in Edina, Minnesota. We teamed up with Stacey to learn about spreading motivation among modern job seekers.

Stacey is well aware that her clients can be understandably anxious. “Changing jobs is one of the most important things you’ll do,” she said, “it’s your livelihood.” That being said, she’s aware she needs to be sensitive of what people are feeling during this type of transition. She said sharing inspiring messages “really brought me into the head of the job seeker and our client,” explaining that it made her want to go even further to inspire confidence in her clients.

Getting into the headspace of her clients also led Stacey to wonder about the aspirations of her own employees. “This experience challenged me to task my staff with coming up with their top 5 goals for the future,” she said. True Talent is able to match the correct people with the right job because they work hard to understand exactly what clients want, and the same principle held true in her own office. “In doing this we learned a lot from each other and are a better team because of it,” Stacey said.

Most of the time when we don’t feel motivated or optimistic, it’s because we’ve forgotten how capable we are. “In my work, I do a lot of coaching and consulting and I find oftentimes my clients don’t give themselves enough credit for all they have accomplished,” says Stacey. “In this hectic world, it’s really important to stop and celebrate the little things, whether it’s a new win, learning a skill, a positive conversation, promotion, rocking a presentation or sometimes even just making it through a tough day.” For Stacey, being on the outside of her clients’ past experiences gives her a unique view of their assets they may not be able to see themselves.

Stacey works hard to ensure her clients never forget the little things by sending lots of inspirational cards, posts and messages to help them keep their dreams in view. Working on this project made her rediscover how “just the littlest note can change someone’s mood, day or path in life … I bought three cards today, in fact, because I remembered the power these small phrases have, and if I can change one life, or mood, that’s amazing.”

The thing about spreading positivity is that once we see what a big impact just a kind word can have, it’s hard to stop encouraging others. “I’m even more motivated now to help my clients achieve their goals and success,” said Stacey. “In fact, I’m going to send them a pack of Post-it® Notes!”