It could be right around the corner: an occasion that puts you in the spotlight. How will you handle it?
Career coaches say that before it happens, know that it probably will, sometime in the not-too-distant future. But if you always expect the unexpected, that act alone will increase your confidence and resilience.
When you are called upon, the worst thing you can do is to become too stunned to respond. At RHR International in Wood Dale, Ill., they recommend stilling that internal voice that says you can’t handle it. Be ready to “step up to the plate” with confidence.
It helps to anticipate a surprise spotlight. One manager quoted in The Wall Street Journal takes the time to consider that various things could occur. She comes up with a dozen or two fast ideas for the one she selects. The ideas are put on sticky notes, stuck on a wall, then repositioned in the order she would present them. It’s a starting point.
Unanticipated spotlights often occur during meetings. If it happens to you, career coaches say you should take deep breaths, compose your thoughts, restate the question, and use humor to defuse tension. Above all, avoid blurting out the first thing that comes to mind.
In spite of planning, some people just don’t do well in unexpected situations. Some coaches recommend acting lessons. But being on guard and prepared would probably work better.

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If your child injures someone or damages property, will you have to pay the bills? Will the court order it to be debited out of your checking or savings account?
Or maybe it will happen as it did in the case of a boy who thought he was an artist and spray painted the sides of office buildings. His parents were ordered by the court to work with him to repaint the walls. And they had to buy the paint.
Parental liability laws have been passed in 29 states and the District of Columbia. In California, parents can be fined or jailed for allowing children to participate in gangs. Wisconsin requires parents to pay child support when their under-age kids have babies. In Florida, parents can serve jail time if their child hurts another with a gun.
Parental liability laws have been passed to reduce juvenile crime and to compensate victims.
Take steps to keep your family out of trouble.
* Let kids know that if they harm a person or his property, not only will their allowance cease, but you might have to pay a lot of money to the people they hurt. The American Bar Association’s public education division has age-appropriate material about how laws work. Visit abanet.org/publicized.
* Take your kids to visit the court so they can see what happens to young adults guilty of injury, property damage, or drunk driving.
* Supervise. Courts are stern with parents for not knowing what their son or daughter is doing. In Arkansas, Kentucky, and Ohio, parents of chronic school skippers can be fined or jailed.
What to do if it happens: If it’s very serious, call a lawyer. If not, try to negotiate with the injured party. If the injury or damage was accidental, it could be covered by homeowner’s insurance.

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Enrollment in online universities is growing every year
State universities are taking advantage of their traditional benefit: quality education at affordable prices. They are attracting a nontraditional student body: online learners who often live out of state.
While enrollment at higher-education colleges and universities is not growing, enrollment in online programs is skyrocketing. One student at the University of Massachusetts says he takes courses from its regular faculty, gets lots of feedback, and develops friendships with classmates. He contributes to online class discussions after his children go to bed at night.
At UMass, enrollment has quadrupled to 9,200 students since 2001. Most are working adults between the ages of 25 and 50, and 30 percent are from out of state.
Tuition is slightly higher than on-campus programs because Web-based courses aren’t subsidized. On-line students pay $670 a credit toward a master’s degree in business administration. Many schools charge less, but UMass says it emphasizes quality.
According to the Alfred Sloan Foundation, 51 percent of public colleges offer online degree programs in business. Students are generally held to the same admissions standards as on-campus students who enter with some college background. They are judged mostly on their college grades and their work experience. Applicants for graduate degrees, such as MBAs, may need to take the standardized tests for such programs.
At the University of Illinois in Springfield, 92 percent of students complete their courses, close to the 94 percent retention rate for on-campus students.

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Being truly dedicated to your work is a plus no matter what your position may be. For some, however, dedication can become addiction.
It’s a fact of life that high earners work more than 50 hours a week. They are defined as people age 25 to 34 who earn $75,000 a year, or people age 35 and older with higher earnings.
Some workers at various levels work 60 hours a week. They’re on cellphones 24/7, no longer enjoy social activities, are the last to leave the office, and their families are left out of their lives.
The situation has generated support groups in cities such as Minneapolis and Denver. Work addicts share stories about how their addiction has damaged their health, destroyed relationships, and hurt spouses and children.
There have always been workaholics, but technology has vastly increased their numbers. They will even work from the shower or bath. They always focus on the next goal and worry they will fail if they don’t keep it up.
About 10 percent are working 80 hours a week, according to a study reported in the Harvard Business Review. Workaholics don’t get enough sleep, rarely exercise, tend to overeat, and may drink too much alcohol.
To curb the constant activity, these people must acknowledge the problem and realize they are a victim of their work, rather than the master of it.
They should establish specific times and days when they will not work.
It helps to have a co-worker force them to leave work at a certain time.

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The hazard is stress, but it’s not the work-a-day kind you had before you were promoted to a new job or started a new business.
Almost one out of five business leaders said in a recent survey that their “most challenging” life event was a promotion. It was so scary they ranked it above life-changing events like the death of a loved one or a divorce.
A promotion can shake your confidence for several reasons:
* You were not actually prepared for this particular job. To get support, have a meeting with the person who moved you up. Say you are pleased and excited about the new opportunity, but in order to live up to expectations you will need help in some areas. Be specific.
* It’s important to recognize the trade-offs of moving up and deal with them. You lose the comfort of a familiar role, and you may think you have inadequacies that could be revealed.
* You’ll also have to deal with a certain degree of guilt, says author Kerry Sulkowicz. Writing in Business Week, he says the promotion means you’ve defeated other contenders.
* If you stay in the same area, old friends might now report to you. The relationship changes, and you will feel a little lonely in your new responsibilities.
These feelings will pass over time. Before that happens, you may want to share them with an external confidant, a former colleague, or a professional.
Be sure to recognize your feelings. And you should realize from the start that you don’t know all you need to know about the new position.

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