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“Creating Successful Leaders”

March 25, 2020 Better Personal Branding to Land a Promotion

Business woman at meeting
Image by Anastasia Gepp from Pixabay

If you’re looking to land a promotion, it’s a good idea to start with YOU. At the end of the day, the decision makers will dole out promotions to people and personalities they like, in addition to recognizing accomplishments. You’ll want to stand out (in a good way!) and be consistent in your behavior. You’ll want to build and master your personal brand.

How do you develop a personal brand that will help you stand out?

Start with thinking about your end goals. Where do you want to be? What skills and personal attributes do you need to get you there? These are the building blocks of your personal brand.

Once you have your big-picture goals identified, consider how you’ll need to act and what you’ll need to accomplish in a realistic sense. What will your day-to-day look like? Your actions matter, and they are the most important part of your personal brand.

Your appearance and your words pale in comparison to what you DO. You might be the sharpest dresser in the office, but if you fail to turn in your work on time, you’ll be perceived in a negative light.

So what does make a quality brand? What are some of the factors you can put into place to elevate your personal brand in the eyes of others?

Consider these four…

1. Be authentic

As you begin developing your personal brand, being authentic should be your number one priority. Others can see right through a faux personality. Let your best self shine!

2. Check your ego

As much as you’d like to take credit for the success of an entire project, be sure to give credit where credit is due. Acknowledge the achievements of your team members and be sure to tell them you appreciate their contributions.

Additionally, keep in mind that your ideas are not the only ideas. Build a positive personal brand by being inclusive of others and open to their thoughts and opinions.

3. Genuinely care about others

Whether co-workers or clients, make sure you consistently pause and consider others. What are their needs? How can you best help them? Listen carefully to others’ concerns and frustrations, as well as positive experiences. Constantly ask questions and begin to develop an understanding of those with whom you work (be they your customers, team members, or boss).

4. Be bold with your ideas

Individuals are more likely to be successful if they are innovators. If you have a bold new idea, talk about it! Create action. Present your idea to your boss and ask permission to pursue it. This kind of bold, self-starter behavior is what many bosses look for when considering who to promote. Just make sure to present your ideas in a respectful way that opens the door to a discourse…not a “my way or the highway” speech.

5. Focus on the day-to-day

How you act, what you say, and what you do every day can either build or detract from your personal brand. Don’t underestimate the importance of your daily interactions. Your consistent, positive presence is important for building and maintaining your brand.

Make sure your daily actions are, in general, supporting your big-picture goals. If you’d like to, for example, rise to a leadership position, think about how your typical to-do list offers opportunities to achieve that goal. What can you do to put your big-picture goals in the center of your day?

As you work on building your personal brand, remember: success doesn’t usually come over night. Focus on small actions and interactions. Everything matters.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
NOW LIVE: CHECK OUT MARGARET’S NEW ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

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March 18, 2020 Write Your Own Job Description (a story + a lesson)

Hand writing in notebook near laptop and phone

Years ago, I sat with a group of co-workers, listening to our CEO as he described his goals and visions for our company’s future. It was clear he was excited about what was ahead, and he succeeded in drumming up excitement in all of us, too. As I listened, I began to picture myself in a leadership role, helping the company get to where we wanted to go. I could see myself spearheading projects and guiding a team. The thought got me so excited, that I left the meeting with fire under my feet, ready to take action!

The only problem was…the CEO hadn’t discussed any practical implementation for his plan. He did not go into many details, and it was unclear who was going to lead his initiatives and, more importantly, how.

So, I decided to write my own job description. I laid out my responsibilities—precisely the work that was needed to bring the CEO’s goals to fruition. The job fit me to a tee, and I was excited about the possibilities, but then…that negative gremlin on my shoulder began to speak.

It told me I couldn’t do it.

It told me my plan was silly, and no one would listen to me.

It said I would be foolish to show my dream job description to anyone.

So, I put the piece of paper in my drawer and I didn’t show a soul.

Not long after that, one of my co-workers was given a job that would directly fulfill the CEO’s requests. MY job. His responsibilities almost directly mirrored the ones I had laid out in my job description.

Shocked (and more than a little annoyed with myself!), I decided to show my mock job description to my boss. I explained what it was, and handed it over. After he read it, he looked at me and said, “I had no idea, Margaret. I didn’t know your ambitions so closely aligned to this job.”

But it was too late to change things. The job had been created and awarded to someone else, and I was left with only a valuable lesson:

Visualize the career you want and take control of it.

Write out your dream job description, and then let your boss in on your plans. Don’t keep your ambitions a secret. Share your goals, and create a road map for how to get there.

Asking for what you want is never easy, but it is absolutely critical if you want to get to where you’d like to go. Be true to yourself and candid about your goals. This openness and honesty will be worth it in the long run.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
NOW LIVE: CHECK OUT MARGARET’S NEW ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

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March 11, 2020 Making a Career Goal “Tree”

Mossy trees on hill

In my last post, I discussed the fact that many people’s career paths are not straight and linear. We don’t necessarily “climb the ladder” anymore. Instead, many modern careers resemble a lattice or a tree—branched out and spreading in many different directions. While some may think such a career lacks focus, I would argue that it makes people more well-rounded and gives them a wealth of experiences.

But, how can you possibly map out your goals if your path isn’t straight and linear?

Start by assessing where you are today and where you’d like to be within a few years. Think big-picture. What, ideally, would you like to be doing? What kind of role or roles? What responsibilities? How much money would you like to be making?

Once you have your big picture goal in mind, start thinking about different skills and experiences you will need to get there. Think of these like the branches of a tree, shooting out from the main trunk. To get to where you’d ultimately like to go, you might need to improve your grasp of PowerPoint or become a better public speaker or learn a new type of accounting software. List all the different things you need to learn or experience that will help guide you to your big-picture goal.

Then, break down those items into smaller branches. For instance, if you’d like to become a better public speaker, what do you have to do? Do you need to take classes? Practice in front of a group? Take improv classes? Join Toastmasters? List each of these smaller steps, then add them to your career goal tree.

Remember: Build some flexibility into your plan. It’s possible you’re missing a crucial “branch,” and will need to add it to your tree later. Leave some blank areas in your plan, and fill them in if you happen to get additional insight from others or realize you’re neglecting a certain area.

When you’ve filled out your career goal tree, share it with your boss. [NOTE: This might go with out saying, BUT only share your plan with your boss if your ultimate goal involves your current company.] Explain the different steps you’d like to take to reach your destination, and demonstrate that you’re committed to getting there.

On a personal note, I would be blown away if one of my team members presented such a comprehensive and thoughtful plan to me. This type of visual helps create a fuller, richer picture of what someone needs to do to navigate from Point A to Point B. It’s much more than “I’d like to become a team leader next year.” It’s a well-thought-out plan on how to get there.

If you have any questions about creating your own tree-like career map, please do not hesitate to ask. Let’s get you to where you’d like to be, one branch at a time!

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
NOW LIVE: CHECK OUT MARGARET’S NEW ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

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