Category Archives: Personal Branding
April 27, 2016 The New Leadership Imperative (on Bill George and Authenticity)
The last time I heard Bill George speak, he said something I’ll never forget:
“It’s the last three feet—The distance between you and the customer. Unless you’re a good person, you cannot be a great leader. The longest journey I’ve ever known is the path between my heart and my head.”
If you ever get the chance to hear Bill George speak, I highly recommend it. He is an inspirational and dynamic speaker with a clear message: In order to be a great leader, you need to be authentic.
Bill George is the former CEO of Medtronic and a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School, where he has teaches leadership. His book, Discover Your True North, is all about becoming an authentic leader by following your own internal compass.
Why is authenticity a crucial part of great leadership?
Because authenticity leads to trust and trust should be the foundation of any organization. If the leadership is trustworthy and transparent, then employees will feel comfortable and secure in the company. If not, employees will constantly feel on-edge or left in the dark.
Authentic leaders keep open doors and open lines of communication because they have nothing to hide. They make others feel at-ease because they do not have hidden agendas or motives.
And, authentic leadership does something else: It helps the leader. If you, as a leader, do your best to be transparent, candid, and true to yourself, you’ll walk through every day with a clear conscience, knowing that you are trying to be the best version of yourself. Your interactions will become more natural and you’ll find that others will open up to you easily.
In my book, The Ten Minute Leadership Challenge, I discuss authenticity at length, including strategies to become a more authentic leader. But I want to hear from you. What do you do to put your genuine self forward? What challenges do you face in becoming the authentic leader you’d like to be? Leave me a comment or contact me with a personal message.
Start embracing authentic leadership today!
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: become an authentic leader, benefits of authenticity, Bill George authenticity, career coach Margaret Smith, genuine leadership, open communication in leadership, the authentic leader, transparent leadership, UXL career coaching
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Leadership, Personal Branding, Thrive at Work
January 13, 2016 Selling Your “Wow” Factor
The other day I ran into a former colleague of mine who recently made a pretty big career transition. When I asked her what the main contributing factor to her success was, she told me it was her ability to put herself out there and sell her strengths to potential employers. Here was someone who had no experience in her newly chosen field, but was able to easily snag a job.
I know, selling yourself sounds intimidating, right? But in today’s workplace, you have to be able to peddle what you preach. As Liz Ryan, CEO and Founder of Human Workplace, says, “You’re going to sell yourself over and over during your career, and you’re going to sell your ideas, too. You sell yourself every day on the job — not just when you’re job-hunting. Your boss and the rest of the people you work with don’t form an initial opinion of you and leave it at that. You sell yourself in every interaction.”
This may seem challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few tips to help you successfully sell your “wow” factor:
Be a Storyteller:
Think up 3 stories that showcase your key strengths and make them authentic to you. Who knows the topic of you better than YOU? For example, let’s say your strengths are in collaboration, communication and creativity. These can be pretty broad statements alone, so weave some intimate stories that prove you have these skills. And don’t shy away from personal as well as professional accomplishments. Training for and completing a marathon can be just as important as implementing a new process at the office in showcasing your talents.
Practice Your Stories:
Get out there and meet people! This is a great way to practice telling your personal story. The more you do this the more confident you will be and the easier it will be to stand out from the competition.
Be a Good Listener Too:
When you are selling your brand, make sure you keep the audience in mind. Remember that you are trying to fill a need. “Good selling requires listening and aligning yourself with another person’s needs,” says Ryan.
You don’t have to be afraid to market yourself with poise. Being genuine will go a long way with any interaction. With a little self-reflection and practice, you can have your “wow” factor and sell it too.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: be a good listener, be a storyteller, career coach Margaret Smith, how to network, Improve Personal Branding, peddle what you preach, sell your story, selling your skills, selling your wow factor
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Communication, Personal Branding, Thrive at Work, Transitions
December 16, 2015 Little Affirmations: 10 Ways to Brighten Your Life Every Day
If you are constantly exposed to negative comments or pessimistic outlooks, that will begin to eat away at you over time. The same is true (in the opposite sense) with affirmations. If you surround yourself with daily affirmations and positive perspectives, you’ll be more likely to see the sunny side of life. How do you fill your life with light and optimism? Here are 10 quick ideas:
ONE:
Change your passwords on all your devices to something positive and uplifting (this is a trick that tennis great Serena Williams uses)
TWO:
Follow Twitter feeds that give you daily positive messages (like @Life_Affirming or @affirmationlove)
THREE:
Put a sign with a positive message over your work desk
FOUR:
Tape a fun affirmation to your mirror (i.e. “Hey good lookin’!” or “My, what a beautiful soul you have!”)
FIVE:
Read a book with a positive message. Check out Louise Griffith’s book, You Are Worth It.
SIX:
Follow an “Inspirational Quotes” board on Pinterest
SEVEN:
Write in a gratitude journal. If you’d like some guidance with getting started, take a look at this post on gratitude.
EIGHT:
Practice confronting your negative self-talk. When a pessimistic thought pops into your head, acknowledge it and firmly tell it to go away. Replace that negative thought with a positive one.
NINE:
Lift up others. A sunny attitude is contagious–when you empower and affirm those around you, that positivity will circle back to you.
TEN:
Wake up with a smile! Set your alarm to play your favorite song and see how it energizes your morning.
BONUS: Surround yourself with uplifting friends. If you find that someone is constantly dragging you down, it may be time to distance yourself from that individual.
Have fun with these little, daily affirmations! Change your attitude; change your life.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: 10 ways to brighten your life every day, affirm your life, banish negativity, career affirmation, career coach Margaret Smith, career optimism, little affirmations, make your life shine, optimism, Personal Growth, positive messages, positivity
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