By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
As a follow up to Leadership Development: Integrity - Is Doing Right Really High Risk?, today I'd like to share with you two true stories of people who were involved in car accidents in the parking lots where they worked. There are a number of similarities in the circumstances, though the actions of both drivers after the accident and the consequences were strikingly different.
In both cases the driver hit a parked car, one while attempting to leave the lot and the other when entering the lot. Both drivers weren't sure what to do next and so found a place to park and when back in.
In the first accident "Bob" went about his work as usual. Entered the building, passed security and went to work. In the second case, "Tom", after parking when to get information about the car he hit because he didn't have a pen and paper at the time. However by the time he got there, the car was gone. He went in to the building and reported to security that he had hit a car and done some damage but was unsure of the details of the car. Tom left his name and number.
Bob's day started off ok until the police showed up. Someone had reported seeing Bob hit the car and drive away and was able to report his license plate number. When the police showed up to Bob's desk they asked "Did anything unusual happen this morning?" Bob replied with a simple "No". After asking a few more times, the police asked if Bob had any trouble parking that morning. Again, Bob replied "No." At that point Bob was arrested.
Tom went two days before he received a call from one of the senior vice presidents of the company he worked for, a division head, asking Tom to come to his office. Tom didn't know what it was about and went to the office. The SVP said, "I understand you hit a car in the parking lot a couple of days ago. Do you know what kind of car it was?" Tom described what he remembered and where the car was parked. The SVP said, "Yes, that was my car." Tom started to get nervous. The SVP then told Tom the damage was $500, and asked if he could pay it. Tom said, "Yes, of course I'll pay it."
Bob and Tom handled their similar situations very differently. In each case, how they responded spoke volumes about their leadership and their personal integrity. Bob was afraid of admitting his mistake, even when it became obvious that others knew about it. Tom could probably have gotten away with it, yet did what was right, and legally required, as best he could.
Within two days Bob was fired. The reason - the repeated ethical lapses could not be tolerated by someone in his position. The lies undermined the trust of the leaders in his area to trust him with sensitive information. It was too bad because they would have been understanding about a car accident. These things happen. Repeatedly lying to the police, as well as failing to report the accident to security and his supervisor showed a profound lack of judgment and leadership.
Tom, on-the-other-hand, gained the respect of the SVP and was called upon to take on roles of responsibility. The SVP tore up his check after receiving it. He wanted to see if Tom would keep his word. The SVP knew the payment was a bigger sacrifice for Tom than it would be for him. However he learned something valuable about someone on his staff. Someone he knew he could count on when the going got tough.
One of the key differences between Bob and Tom is the habit of personal integrity that each one developed through their lifetimes of experience. In Bob's case, he always chose the "easy" way out, avoiding conflict, covering things up. In Tom's case he made little decisions all the time and owned up to them when they didn't work. As a result, it was much easier for Tom to own up to what happened. And, in this case, we can see the bigger risk is in failing to maintain your integrity.
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
In order to create your professional success you need to have a clear understanding of your skills and how strong each of your skills are. While most people have a sense of what their strengths and weaknesses are they usually only have a general, vague sense. Taking the time to actually list your skills and honestly rate yourself will provide you with additional clarity.
Why is additional clarity about your skills important? Additional clarity allows you to:
- Focus your career development on your strengths
- Effectively communicate your strengths to employers and clients
- Further develop and clarify your personal brand
The mistake most people make is underestimating the power of the clarity you gain from this listing and evaluating your skills. You may perceive there is little gain because this exercise is a small simple step. However, the return to doing this exercise is very high (watch one of my favorite videos on achievement below).
How to do your Skills Inventory and Assessment
- Make a list of your skills on a piece of paper or the software of your choice.
- Define, on a scale from 1 to 10, what someone with a 1 and someone with a 10 in that skill looks like.
- Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 for each skill.
It's that simple. The more clear and precise you are the greater the benefit you'll get. Now, Watch this short video on what the benefit you can get from make a small change by "turning up the heat" just a little.
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
One of the biggest challenges leader face is when to stand up for what's right, even if it might cost their job. The news is filled with leaders who pass the buck, turn a blind eye or even try to cover up their own mistakes. This happens to leaders at all levels of an organization, including individual contributors. There is often the fear that choosing to do what's right is more risky than pretending nothing is wrong or justifying why what we know is wrong is ok.
Do I tell the client or my boss that the numbers I gave her are off by a little bit? Do I shred these documents? When the investigator asks me if I saw something do I say “no”? If I see something wrong happening do I just tell someone in a higher position and let it go?
Plain and simply though, people who engage in behavior of choosing the “easy” route over doing what’s right are not leaders, even if they are in a leadership role. Being a leader everyone is watching you to be a role model and to set a standard. If the leader let's deficiencies or improper behavior to continue, some will follow suite and others will get disengaged because they see honesty and integrity don't matter.
Leaders usually fail to take action because they fear the consequences of both "What if I'm right?" and "What if I'm wrong?" Could I get fired? Will I alienate someone? Will I create an uncomfortable or awkward situation for myself?
The child sex abuse case of one of Penn State's assistant football coach's is an unfortunate example of failed leadership and integrity. Former Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno had been given knowledge of the abuse and while he did report it to his superior, he never showed the follow up leadership one would expect from a leader of his caliber. While we may never know what went through his mind, we can guess based on his actions that he felt the risk of taking more action was worse than the risk of taking action for him. The risk to the boys didn't factor in. The risk to Penn State's reputation may was probably considered only partly with the conclusion that it was better to try to hide it than reveal it. Then, when the scandal broke, the university Trustees quickly came to the conclusion that Coach Paterno lose his job.
Do you want to lose your job because you didn’t stand up for what was right? How would you feel if you lost your job because you stood up for what was right? Which choice would make you more employable in the future?
As part of your leadership development program in You, Inc make sure you spend time thinking and practicing integrity.
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
On Wednesday we talked about how changing your perspective from being an employee to being a business partner or startup could transform your work life (see Career Development: The Power of Perspective for You, Inc). Over the weekend explore how you can change your perspective to see yourself as a business partner or startup with the firm that pays your salary. If you have time consider both perspectives.
Pay attention to your responses. Do these suggestions seem unreasonable? Silly? Empowering? Ask yourself "Why do I feel that way?" Am I holding myself back from success because of some limiting belief I have or assumption about how work should be?
A change in perspective can result in greater job satisfaction, personal satisfaction, colleague engagement and as a result greater career success.
Our point here is that the work world is changing and much of what you've been taught or even experienced is no longer true. To be successful you need to change your perspective too.
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
Do you remember the story of the blind men and the elephant? Each man was touching a different part of the elephant - the trunk, tail, ears, leg- and so described what they were touching completely differently. None of them had the full picture or perspective and so they could not tell they were touching an elephant.
The same is true of our careers. We see only the side that we do from out perspective. There are powerful shifts in your perspective that occur with you start to think of yourself as a business. One of the first that occurs is a shift from having and employee-employer relationship to one of either business partners or start up and investor. How you look at yourself has tremendous sway over your success. Take a moment for yourself and think about the difference in each of these types of relationships. Can you see yourself in as a business partner or startup looking for investment with the company you currently work for? Which of these three perspectives seem more empowering to you? How do you resist some perspectives and move towards others?
Here are a few of my thoughts when I think of each of these perspectives. Pay attention to your own as they are most relevant to you.
Employer-Employee
I have a boss who tells me what to do. The company sets policies and I’m either happy with them or not. But there’s not much I can do to change them. I apply for a job and hope they pick me. If I don’t like what’s happening I’ll just quit. As an employee I hope the company will take care of me. I need to prove myself as smarter as or better than everyone else to get the job.
Business Partners
Let’s see if we can find a mutually beneficial way to work together. I have some skills you need and you have some resources I need. Let’s find a fair way share knowledge and resources and make some money together. I need to show that we can create success together if this partnership will work. I also need to understand the value my partner brings and that I bring to my partner. If the relationship will benefit us both then we will move forward together, if not we will go our separate ways and find the right partner for each of us.
Startup-Investor
I have this great idea I’d like to put into practice. Let me share it with you and see if you agree and would be willing to support me by investing. As an investor, I believe in your idea and want to help you be successful so that I get a return on my investment. Is this the right investor for you? Are you the right project for the investor?
What do you notice about each of these perspectives? Which one would you rather be part of?
When you treat yourself as your own business you change your perspective in how you present yourself to others. Your self-confidence and self-esteem increase. You take ownership and pride in your work. You move to a path of empowerment and success.
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
Do you believe the old adage in "The Survival of the Fittest" of "The Strongest Survive?" Are you working longer hours to prove your value? Are you focusing your career attention on gaining more expertise? Working harder? Getting better and better at what you do?
These ideas are all based off an incorrect popular interpretation of Darwinism, and they are just as wrong for biological survival as they are for your career to survive let alone thrive. The true secret to success is: Adaptability.
Even in the world of evolutionary Darwinism, it is those who are able to adapt to a changing environment who are able to survive the best. In fact, the faster the environment is changing, the better off those are who can change and adapt. Strength, power, and intelligence have their place and can certainly be beneficial in stable times. When the world is not changing around you and you know what you can depend on, those who excel in a particular area will rise to the top. However, that can change. Quickly.
If you don't believe me, take a look at the dinosaurs. They were unquestionably the most powerful creatures on the Earth. However, once the environment changed they were unable to adapt. They were so specialized in surviving and thriving in a particular environment that when the world changed around them they couldn't change. Other creatures were either better suited to the new environment or were better able to adapt. The dinosaurs are extinct now and other creatures are surviving and thriving.
Is Your Career On A Path To Extinction, Surviving or Thriving?
Our world is changing at an increasing fast pace. Technology is evolving so rapidly it's impossible to predict what technology we'll be using in just a few years. Some technologies breakthrough to the consumer market so fast they are almost universally adopted within a few years. Sure there was years of work behind their development, but most of us don't see that and plan for that in our careers. A great example is the iPad and how it has transformed the ability of people to do work in certain fields.
It's not just high tech that's changing, entire economies, financial systems, agriculture, political systems, they're all changing faster and faster. So what does this mean for your long term career? You need to be adaptable. You need to become comfortable with change and, in fact, embrace change. You don't need to guess where the world is going, that's usually a losing bet whether you are buying stocks, a lottery ticket or predicting your career. You need to learn how to be adaptable, comfortable with change, and be creative to keep finding you new niche and value proposition.
Enjoy this video for a taste of the change we're experiencing. It's a updated version of the famous "Shift Happens" or "Did You Know" video.
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
In order to advance in your career or move to a better job you need to develop and enhance your skills - technical skills and soft skills. Personal Development and Professional Development are the drivers of your ongoing career development. Every time you enhance your skills it is like receiving a capital infusion into your business, the business of You, Inc. In fact, in today's fast changing world you need to be constantly learning something new just to keep up!
Think about something as mundane as your cell phone. How have cell phones evolved over the last few years as smart phones became increasingly popular and are now the standard? Now think about your job. What has changed over the last few years? Are you an old school phone in a smart phone world in your career? Are you looking ahead to see where you want your career to go?
This weekend make a list of the skills you need or want to develop so that you can get the job you want or do even better at the job you currently have.
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
At this time of year many companies are going through their annual review process, deciding on salary increases, bonuses and promotions. This process is often mysterious for both those making the decisions and those for whom the decisions are being made. Regardless of which side of the decision you are on, there are two key points to be looking for or developing when considering a promotion:
- Adding more value to the company by your labor and leveraging others
- Behaving like someone in the role you are aspiring to
These two points should be in the forefront of your mind when developing your career strategy and professional development program. When are promoted, you should be providing more value to the company. The value you provide your company need to be greater that the costs associated with you (your salary, benefits, office space, etc). As you get promoted the more value (monetary and non-monetary) is expected of you.
Whether you are preparing yourself for a promotion pay attention to what other people are
What is a promotion all about? Have you really thought about it? A promotion is more than getting a new job title and higher salary. A promotion is about moving from one job to another job, typically in the same or a similar area. Remember:
A Promotion Is Like Getting a New Job
And what should you expect with a new job? New responsibilities. Delegating old responsibilities. A change in the work you are doing. More focus on management and leadership and less on task execution.
Think about your strategy for getting promoted in a way similar to a job search. Think about what is necessary to do the new job you want. List out what your skills and qualities are that would help you be successful in the new position. Identify where you many not yet have the right skills and work on developing those skills. Demonstrate that you can do the job and you have the right presence for the job -increasingly important as you move up the corporate ladder.
For a light hearted look at how to get promoted, enjoy this 2 minute clip from The Life of Tim:
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
Today we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the U.S. Dr. King means many different things to people and today I'd like to honor his life by sharing how you too can use the same tool he used to change the course of history. Successful leaders have a clear and compelling vision statement that motivates others to action.
You've undoubtedly heard Dr. King's "I Have A Dream Speech", and today I'm asking you to listen to it in a different way. Look at speech as a vision statement, something everyone should have in order to be successful. Let's start with defining what a vision statement is about:
Your vision is how the world looks as a result of the work you do in your life. Your vision is bigger than you and requires other people to help you achieve that vision.
Your vision is about the result of your efforts every day, not the tasks themselves. Sometimes you'll hear people share their visions when asked "What do you do?" You might hear something like "I'm helping create a world where families can develop a financially secure future" instead of "I'm a financial planner". When you know your vision you will feel more energized about the work you do. Combine your vision with your leadership and you start to make your vision a reality. The most successful and happy people have clear visions and then lead others to help them come true. It doesn't matter whether your vision is technology, food, finance or human rights. It is about having the vision and then the leadership to make it happen.
With this context in mind, read the words excerpted from of Dr. King's speech. Think about what has happened in America since this speech. When Dr. King gave this speech it was unimaginable that an African American could be President of the United States. And while there are still problems with race relations in America, think about how far things have come. How closer we are to Dr. King's vision. Watch the video (at the bottom of the page) as well to see the power of it all come together.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
What do you think? How much of Dr. King's vision has become reality? How about your vision? Do you know your vision? What are you doing to make your vision a reality?
For more information on Visions see these articles:
Friday's Rocket Fuel: Vision Your Success
Leadership Development: 5 Tips For Maintaining Your Vision
By Larry Boyer, Career Coach & Personal Branding Strategist
This weekend perform a quick check in on your personal brand. If you're not sure what your personal brand is or you'd like to do a more in-depth assessment the 360° Reach Personal Branding Assessment might be right for you. For a quick check as yourself these questions, and write down the answers:
- How do I want other people to see and experience me? Think about your personality, professionalism, style, clothing, mannerisms, way of speaking, etc.
- Where am I doing well at projecting myself in these ways?
- Where am projecting a different image?
- What is one action I can take to project the image I want in an area where I current am not?
Have fun with this. Any small change is progress. Of course, the more effort you put into it the better the results!