Sparkin Search

Problem Solver Must Have? Positive Psychology

Published January 21, 2021 | By Stuart Parkin

New Year. New goals. New mindset?

Some of you will know that I published a book mid December, ‘Discovering Hope.’ Inspired by my conversations with all of you, repeatedly I listened to the challenges you face, caused either by too much work or too little and/or caused by virtual working, I felt I had to do more/try and help and share the collective thinking I’ve accrued through first hand experience through my career.

Systemic pressure can wear any of us down and ultimately, it will impact how we show up and professionally, it can negatively impact the quality of our thinking/solution delivery. This is a real issue if you’re paid by an employer/client’s to provide solutions!

What’s Needed?

The way to keep your job (and sanity) will derive from focusing on what you can control in your life (at and away from work) versus everything else happening out there!

‘Discovering Hope’ includes many techniques I use to keep a positive/can do mentality. These ideas have sustained me working in what has been a brutal environment as a headhunter and coach. The point is, whether we know it or not, even positive people need to work at staying positive.Positivity comes from taking a number of daily proactive actions, these the book focuses on.

We’re all ‘hoping’ for more normal times, the point is, hope alone doesn’t cut it, take proactive ‘action’ in any situation and you will feel empowered if not, better than you did!

For more detail on how to purchase a book reviewed as a ‘book of positivity,’ and for fresh weekly ideas go to, www.discoveringhopebook.com

Positive Start to 2021 – Taking the pressure off for a moment. A number of you have already got proactive and I’m pleased to say the market outlook feels that way too. In the first weeks of 2021, I’ve had many more employers wanting to talk with me about you!

Positive and hopeful years ahead, to all of you.

Stuart

”Discovering Hope’

www.discoveringhopebook.com – Maintaining a positive mental outlook. What’s the optimal way?

Amazon – amzn.to/3c6WCAf (Kindle $4.99)

http://amzn.to/3c6WCAf

Barnes & Noble – bit.ly/3qKXYoe (Paperback $6.99)

http://bit.ly/3qKXYoe

Job Opportunities 1/25/21

If you know of anyone looking for full time or part time work, some of the below opportunities are full time and some temp to perm.

1. BO/NY/CH – Director Data/CRM Strategy – >200K.creative a

2. NY/AT – Director Integrated Strategy – >170K creative a

3. SF – Director Strategy, Btob focus – >180K – creative a

4. Nashville – VP Integrated Planning – >200+ – media/pr

5. NY EVP Strategy – >250 – pr

Past Newsletters

1. Effective stress management. How? – http://bit.ly/3aDNjnI

2. Trusted advisor status. How to attain it? – http://bit.ly/3qLE1gV

3. Biased Thinking – The anti strategist – http://bit.ly/3pcU4UI

Posted in Adaptability, Soft Skills

Discovering Hope

Published December 18, 2020 | By Stuart Parkin

Particularly in 2020, how often do you hear people talk about hope and being hopeful or not. We all want things to be better, to be normal again but while hope is key for all of us, being hopeful is far from a passive exercise.
Published December 9th, ‘Discovering Hope,’ is a small book, full of practical ideas and actions which we can all take both to rediscover and maintain a more hopeful outlook. Enjoy
www.discoveringhopebook.com
(Available in the UK from Amazon, Waterstones and other leading retailers and the U.S from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, amongst others.)
#discoveringhopebook #proactive #takingaction

Posted in Soft Skills, Work Life Balance

Holiday Reflection/Planning Ahead

Published December 1, 2020 | By Stuart Parkin

n my last newsletter I wrote about the myriad career possiblities for strategic problem solvers.There are many ex-agency planners I could cite as examples who set up their own business, moved to a consultancy or have taken a dream job on the client-side. Trajectory and success varies, but you don’t ever fail by consciously assessing your circumstances and concluding that your effectivenss and sanity require you pursue not simply a job, but a reinvention or calling. This is a perfect time of the year to reflect and get inspired, with that in mind:

A shout out to those that seek to inspire others, both within and outside advertising, a few of them listed below.

Reading:

‘How not to plan.’ Les Binet

‘Strategy is your words.’ Mark Pollard

‘The art of inspiring anybody.’ Michael Fanuele –

‘The art and science of modern account planning.’ – Leslie Bielby

‘The creative curve.’ Allen Gannett –

‘The obstacle is the way.’ Ryan Holiday – I think is a great read for all problem-solvers.)

‘Discovering Hope’ Stuart Parkin – Yours truly, on positivity.

All the best,

Stuart

Job Opportunities: If you know anyone looking for full time work:

1.SF, director level, creative agency, BtoB, >180K

2.NY, director, research/innovation, product strategist,>200k

3.NY, director, pr/strategy focused, integrated, >200k

Past newsletters that got plenty of interest.

Links that may be of interest.

Posted in Career Optimization, Work Life Balance

More Learning, Money, Opportunity, Fun – What is Key?

Published October 13, 2020 | By Stuart Parkin

Personal and organisational success is directly related to the extent of training, formal employee reviews and on-going developmental feedback. The cold stark reality, there is very little formal training, performance reviews often delayed if they happen at all, which makes the manager we have and their desire and ability to develop others, key for our progression. Yet, as Brian Souza’s ‘The Weekly Coaching Conversation’ highlights, sub-par employee peformance is due primarily due to a lack of coaching/developmental feedback.. Categorizing managers: ‘Micromanager’, ‘Do-it-all’ manager (don’t trust team) ‘Nice guy/lady’ manager (care more about being liked than constructively directing) and Coach manager, (the one you might want to pursue) seek for personal and/or professional reasons, to develop others.

If you want to grow, if you want to be considered for the best opportunities, then when looking for an internal move or pursuing a new job, seek out the ‘Coach boss.’ I think this is particularly true for those starting out in the business, with relatively less experience and definitely, if you have to work from home.

Posted in Career Optimization, Soft Skills, Work Life Balance

The Future for Strategic Planning Careers is Positive

Published September 24, 2020 | By Stuart Parkin

COVID-19 has brought to the fore an emphasis on cash flow and short term results. In such times, those that can sell and those that understand consumers, aka strategic planners, see their stock rise significantly and this will carry forward post COVID.

The crisis has accelerated the use by client and agency alike of digital tools. The great thing about digital initiatives is that they are easily trackable. The brilliant thing about this combined trackability with qualitative understanding, is that brands have a powerful ability to impact sales.

Post COVID-19 one lasting impact will be a continued realignment to short term sales initiatives. That said, the smart clients and brands will demand big picture/longer term creative thinking. They will insist that a strategic vision for building brands aligns with and optimises short term marketing efforts and that the team ‘thinks like a brand but act like a retailer.’

Career Options For Strategists Are Greater Than Ever

I’m often nervously asked by planners/strategists where else beyond the agency they could work. Fifteen years ago the options were much more limited primarily to research agency or freelance. Today after so many years of strategists being hired, the pathway to client-side is much smoother. Similarly the pathway to brand consultancies, PR, innovation, media and ‘big tech’ are well worn. There are also opportunities working with big consultancies although they have been heading to the agency world, so perhaps no move necessary! Not to overstate the obvious, any business that needs to understand it’s consumers can use a strategist. The one caveat to all this positivity, the more integrated (qual+quant’) the strategist, the greater the opportunties.

Happy to discuss,

Stuart

Some past newsletters that got plenty of interest.

Humor and Brand Building – bit.ly/3iNjNzK

Impostor Syndrome – bit.ly/3k6P1D2