Establishing and Maintaining Leader Behavior – Part 2 of 2

Posted on July 26, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

 

  • If you feel you are spending more time trying to improve weaknesses than building on your strengths, change your developmental objectives, your supervisor, or your job.
  • If your company retains external coaches to assist employees, ask if they would be willing to provide such coaching at your level.
  • If your organization does not retain outside coaches at your level, consider retaining an outside coach on your own.
  • If you work for a supervisor who is not interested in coaching or giving you the feedback you need, consider seeking a new position within the company where you can work for manager who is interested in doing this.

If you’re not getting enough opportunities for growth and advancement:

  • Master the job you have now, first and foremost. Remember that fortune favors those who do a brilliant job today.
  • If you are in the wrong job, change to the right one. Love what you do – which means figuring out who you are in terms of talents, interests, values, and motivations.
  • Know how the money flows through the organization, what factors cause profit and loss, and what part of that you can help control.
  • When no promotional options seem open, seek lateral or cross-functional assignments, or create a job that meets unmet company needs and makes use of your talents.
  • Seek continual learning via formal and informal means.
  • Familiarize yourself with the career paths of those in positions to which you aspire. Solicit their advice, get realistic overviews of their jobs, and ask them to be a mentor to you.
  • If a position you desire is not currently available, seek mini-assignments that will help prepare you and try-out pieces of the desired job.
  • Seek new challenges and satisfying activities in your current job before pursuing other opportunities.
  • Communicate your aspirations, talents, ideas, and plans to your manager so he or she can provide appropriate feedback, coaching, or sponsorship.
  • Re-energize your career by acting like an entrepreneur. Start a new service or line of business for the company.
  • Before deciding to leave the company, communicate to your manager or a trusted mentor the source of your career frustration.

If you feel your contributions are not sufficiently valued and recognized:

  • Ask your manager to define what results are required for excellence in your job.
  • Ask yourself if you are willing to work hard and pay the price to achieve those results.
  • Ask what criteria determine bonuses and raises.
  • Ask yourself if you are willing to put more of your pay at risk, to be paid bonuses based on achieving targeted results – rather than just getting annual pay raises.
  • Compete against yourself to achieve key results, not against your peers.
  • Ask what new skills would make you more valuable to the organization.
  • Tell your manager exactly how you prefer to be recognized for your contributions.
  • Sit-in on a sales call with a satisfied customer to better understand the value of your job.
  • Present a cost-benefit analysis to your manager, making the case for purchasing resources you believe you need.
  • Don’t wait for your manager to ask for your input – give him or her the benefit of your views and ideas at appropriate times.

If you’re feeling stressed and overworked:

  • Understand that each of us has the freedom to choose how we respond to stressful events. Train yourself to become more conscious of, and accountable for, making those choices.
  • Organize the work to be done the day before. Sort your in-basket according to priority and work on high-priority items first.
  • Establish specific times of the day to review e-mail and voicemail.
  • Let go of the need for perfection. Very few things in business really have to be done perfectly.
  • Take all the vacation you have coming to you. Reserve those days on your calendar as far in advance as possible.
  • Don’t try to do two or three things at the same time. Chronic multi-tasking takes a toll.
  • Don’t bring work home with you every night. Instead, stay later or go in earlier occasionally.
  • Let voicemail answer your phone when you are extremely busy and don’t want to be distracted.
  • Block-out your calendar ahead of time to make sure you will have the uninterrupted time you need to finish a large project or complete several smaller tasks.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask coworkers for help when you are trying to handle heavy workloads.
  • Take breaks to clear your mind and relax for a few minutes at a time. Go outside for fresh air if you can.
  • Take lunch out of the office whenever you can, or just go for a lunchtime walk.
  • Delegate more.
  • Create a morning ritual, such as quiet meditation or reading time, which can set the tone for your entire day.
  • Block-out your calendar days before it starts to fill-up to ensure that you have the time needed between appointments – or to work on important projects uninterrupted.
  • Exercise every day if possible.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for flex-time, part-time work, job-sharing, or other family-friendly conditions if it can help to make your life less complicated and less stressful.
  • Seek more sources of gratification besides your job – pursue a new hobby (or an old one), spend more time with friends and family, take more vacation days, travel more often, or treat yourself to a massage – whatever works to give you more balance.
  • If you are in the wrong job or working for a manager who cranks up your stress levels, create a plan to change your situation and start working your plan today.
  • Get enough sleep.

If you feel senior managers don’t have enough trust and confidence in you:

  • Speak-up in meetings and express your convictions firmly.
  • When a leader or manager puts confidence in you by giving you the freedom to do your job without constant supervision, be prepared to take the initiative.
  • Show that you are interested in having an “ownership mentality.” Learn how the business makes money and what you can do to help make it more profitable.
  • Earn your company’s trust by constantly looking for ways to meet customers’ needs, or by improving your own skills so that managers will trust you to handle new challenges.
  • Give new leaders the benefit of the doubt. Allow them time to communicate and begin to execute their new vision before judging it to be unworthy.

 

To read the entire article, click here.

 

Click here to watch helpful career success videos!

Establishing and Maintaining Leader Behavior – Part 1 of 2

Posted on July 24, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

Are you a leader?

A leader generates his or her own opportunities. Leaders don’t whine and complain about the lack of opportunities to develop their careers. They CREATE opportunities – regardless of their current situation, regardless of their current boss, regardless of obstacles that may seem to stand in the way of developing their full potential.

The following information is adapted from The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It's Too Late, by Leigh Branham, AMACOM, New York, 2005. When I read this piece, I was impressed – so impressed, in fact, that I decided to share it with you as the Feature Article in this issue of Your Career Advocate!

I hope you will get as much out of the following material as I did. These strategies are empowering and practical – and if you actually implement them, you will find that they work. Enjoy!

If you’re not getting enough feedback and coaching:

  • Whenever you believe you are not receiving the feedback and coaching you need, ask for it.
  • If you find you are reluctant to seek feedback, start by asking those with whom you feel most comfortable.
  • Develop the habit of asking for feedback from peers, customers, direct reports, coworkers, and anyone with whom you might interact – not just the boss.
  • If you receive feedback that is too general or difficult to understand, ask for specific examples.
  • If you have never been invited to write your own performance objectives or self-assessments, ask to do so.
  • If you are not comfortable with your performance objectives or appraisal results, speak-up. Try to reach a satisfactory mutual understanding with your supervisor.
  • If you feel that changes in external circumstances have necessitated changes in your objectives, request a meeting with your supervisor to rewrite the objectives.
  • If your company makes 360 degree feedback assessments available, consider asking if you can participate in the process.
  • Ask whether your company provides off-the-shelf personality and work-style inventories, employee development planning guides, or competency assessments you can take.

 

To read the entire article, click here.

 

Click here to watch helpful career success videos!

Q & A With Ford R. Myers – Part 2 of 2

Posted on July 19, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

Q: What's the one job-hunting secret you share with clients that may not be widely known?
A: The biggest secret I share with my clients is this: "the best way to get a new job is to never look for a job." At first glance, this statement may be a bit perplexing. What does it mean? To be blunt about it, nobody likes a job-seeker! Job-seekers are needy and annoying. They take advantage of people's time. Sometimes, job-seekers are even thought-of as "unemployed losers." Of course, none of these perceptions is generally true. What's the solution? I teach my clients to never think, act or talk like a typical job-seeker! Instead, I show them how to behave and speak like an expert, a consultant, a problem-solver. Everyone loves these kinds of folks because they add value, address challenges and bring resolution. Here's the bottom line: candidates should not look for companies to "give them a job." Instead, the enlightened candidate should seek-out opportunities to solve problems and create value. Once the candidate demonstrates his or her ability to get the to heart of a business issue and provide tangible solutions, the job is pretty much "in the bag."
Q: What's the best way for job-seekers to figure out what career will give them the greatest happiness?
A: It is my belief that candidates jump too quickly into the job search; and that they should spend a lot more time and energy on self-assessment. What's the point of embarking on an arduous journey, if you don't have a specific destination or know why you're departing in the first place? With this I mind, I administer several profiles with every client. The first two are "formal" career assessments (the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory). The other one is an "informal" assessment that I have developed over the past 15 years (the Career Analysis Profile). Using these three tools in combination has proved to be very powerful and effective for my clients. But the one that seems to have the most impact is the Career Analysis Profile. It's extremely gratifying to help a client get in touch with their core motivators and "drivers" – often for the first time since early childhood. Building upon the information revealed by this profile, we can develop a career path and job search strategy that moves the client toward the right opportunity for the right reasons!
Q: What's the biggest mistake job-seekers make that your advice could correct or prevent?
A: In my opinion, the biggest mistake a job-seeker can make is accepting an offer for the wrong reasons! In my practice, many new clients have said that they've been in their job for only three or six months, and that they're already miserable. In most cases, these individuals conducted an excellent search. They worked hard, produced outstanding results, and may even have received multiple offers. But then they sabotaged themselves "unconsciously" by taking the wrong job for the wrong reasons. What kinds of reasons? It could be … for the highest salary, or because the office was close to their home, or because they fell in love with the company's product, or even because the company had an on-site gym. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear in these cases: the person missed two essential steps: (1) To get absolutely clear, in advance, about their top professional and personal criteria for selecting a job; and (2) To commit 100 percent to those criteria, and "hold true to them" when the time came to accept the job offer. When candidates do follow these two essential steps, they avoid being "seduced" by superficial factors. Instead, they dramatically increase their chance of loving the new job; and they ensure that the position will be a great fit. And "fit" is what it's all about!

To read the entire article, click here.

 

Click here to watch helpful career success videos!

Q & A With Ford R. Myers – Part 1 of 2

Posted on July 17, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

Quintessential Careers is a popular career advice and job-search web site (www.quintcareers.com). They sometimes ask noted career experts five questions related to their expertise, and then publish the interview in QuintZine (www.quintcareers.com/QuintZine), their biweekly career newsletter. I was fortunate to be selected for this honor. Below is the content of the interview I recently did with Quintessential Careers. I hope you will find the information helpful and interesting!

Q: You state in an article on your web site that "80 percent of the outcome of your negotiation will be determined by your attitude and assumptions about this subject." Can you elaborate on this statement?
A: On the subject of compensation negotiation, I provide every consulting client with a list of "21 Rules Of The Game." In a sense, negotiation really is like a game – and of course it's nearly impossible to win at any game if you don't know the rules! Imagine two different candidates, equally qualified and interviewing for similar jobs, getting very different outcomes. Why? All else being equal, it's because they "come into the conversation" with different sets of attitudes and assumptions. Over the years, experience has shown that clients can improve the results of their compensation negotiations up to 80 percent by learning and practicing these "Rules Of The Game" – and therefore, by changing their attitudes and assumptions about the negotiation process. This shift opens up a new world of possibilities for clients, and allows them to achieve compensation levels they never thought possible.
Q: Can you explain what you mean by the "real value of an offer?"
A: Many candidates react too quickly when they receive an initial compensation offer. They tend to hear only the salary figure and make a judgment based solely on that, without waiting to hear all the other elements of the compensation package. So, I teach clients to patiently go through the entire offer and consider all the factors before making a decision or attempting to negotiate. For example, a manager who is used to earning an $80,000 salary with minimal financial incentives or benefits might reject a salary offer of only $72,000 as being much too low. But if she were to wait and listen the full scope of the offer, she might learn that the total compensation package (including such things as bonuses, stock grants, premium benefits, and financial potential) would put her far beyond the compensation she is used to. That's what I call the "real value of an offer." I teach every client how to "negotiate like a pro," but it's important to know when to start negotiating; and to know from what level you're actually negotiating.

To read the entire article, click here.

 

Click here to watch helpful career success videos!

10 Challenges Senior Executives Face in the Job Search – Part 2 of 2

Posted on July 12, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

 

#4 – MAINTAINING HIGH COMPENSATION

  • Difficult at all times, but especially tough in a bad economy
  • May be a threat to other senior employees

SOLUTIONS:

  • Be prepared (job-seekers’ toolkit!)
  • Be sure you talk to the right people, i.e., the ultimate decision makers
  • Research the target company and talk to contacts for compensation information
  • Collect data on actual salary ranges for the type of position you are seeking (salary web sites, industry journals, directories, etc.)
  • Do financial planning, including diversifying and developing other income streams
  • Seek flexible financial arrangements, such as an equity position, bonus income, or employment contract with bigger upside
  • Assume a “partnering” attitude rather than a “take control” attitude
  • Be realistic about what you NEED vs. what you WANT
  • Downshift your lifestyle to take the pressure off

#5 – REACHING THE APPROPRIATE CONTACTS

  • Higher barrier of entry; difficult to get through senior executives’ gatekeepers
  • Human Resources is of little or no help

SOLUTIONS:

  • Join and participate in executive networking programs, boards of directors, and venture capital groups
  • Leverage relationships with search firms and other career contacts
  • Use your senior-level references and referrals
  • Focus on solutions and the added value you offer
  • Call-in favors and get help from senior-level friends and colleagues
  • Talk to hiring managers about ways you can help them reach THEIR business goals; positions are oftencreated at this level
  • Develop a “Proposal for Service” and quantify the real value of your contributions

#6 – JOBS FILLED INTERNALLY AT HIGH LEVELS

  • Staff members have been “paying dues” for years at the company, and are already in line to get the top job
  • Company does not want to take a risk bringing an outsider into such an important position
  • Company does not want to spend the money to conduct a search for an outside senior executive

SOLUTIONS:

  • Explain how being from the outside can be a strength; you can “broaden the gene pool”
  • Focus on companies that are open to bringing in outside management, and that have done it successfully before
  • Target troubled companies that might need your fresh perspective and specialized skills
  • Leverage your professional referrals and contacts
  • Research the internal structure of a company to determine how to best position yourself

#7 – THERE’S MORE COMPETITION AT THE TOP

  • High-level job openings often get national exposure
  • The more desirable the position, the more people are fighting for it
  • There is only ONE President or CEO (and perhaps only FIVE Senior VPs, etc.)
  • Leverage your professional referrals and contacts 
  • In a tough economy, top people "stay put," so turnover is slower

SOLUTIONS:

  • Research a company’s culture and weaknesses; understand BOTH and sell to the company’s needs
  • Be totally prepared. Sell yourself HARDER (job-seekers' toolkit, accomplishment stories, etc.)
  • Do more networking with your “centers of influence”
  • Learn how to “rise above the crowd” and get an edge

#8 – AGE!

  • Perceived as being too old, “washed-up” or “over the hill”
  • This concern can be expressed in many ways (i.e., “you’re overqualified”). Listen and watch carefully for the clues!

SOLUTIONS:

  • Refocus the employer on your qualifications, proven results, industry contacts, and experience – not age
  • Identify REAL issue underneath the age concern
  • Know the culture of the company: if no one there is over 40, don’t try to get hired at 64!
  • Target smaller companies that might appreciate your experience, contacts and credibility
  • Maintain/demonstrate your health, vitality, energy, and enthusiasm
  • Avoid “the R word” (retirement)
  • Be “tech-savvy,” up-to-date and informed about your industry 
  • Convey your intention and commitment to stay at the company long-term

#9 – LOCKED IN PARADIGM (of being The Boss)

  • Losing a job at this level can be devastating (“the bigger they are, the harder they fall”)
  • Feeling “invulnerable” on the job ("layoffs won’t affect me; I am IN CHARGE!")
  • Don’t feel comfortable asking for help
  • Have been isolated and “cocooned” or “coddled” for too long
  • Hidden fear that maybe you really CAN'T hack it on the outside (been at same company/job so long)

SOLUTIONS:

  • Get over the DENIAL, “roll up your sleeves” and get busy
  • Do market testing to assess the real worth of your qualifications
  • Engage the services of a professional Career Consultant to get you on track and keep you accountable
  • Prepare a great portfolio of job-seeking tools
  • Pull your head “out of the sand” and deal with the reality of the situation
  • Rely on the ability and intelligence that got you to the top in the first place
  • Seek-out support as needed

#10 – PERCEPTION OF OTHERS

  • Your failure seems greater – because you were higher up on the corporate ladder
  • Not being taken seriously as a job candidate (“she doesn't really need to work”)
  • Others project their own fears onto you, so they feel threatened
  • Others are in denial, not believing that your crisis is real
  • People act like you’re “contagious” (if YOU lost YOUR job, then no one is safe!)

SOLUTIONS:

  • Tell the story about your departure from the company (get comfortable with it)
  • Let everyone know that you’re OK with the situation
  • Gently “straighten people out” regarding your real situation (push back)
  • Be genuine, humble, relaxed, and real
  • Demonstrate positive attitude, faith, and perseverance in the search
  • Tell friends and family how their reactions affect you (positively or negatively)

By gaining a better understanding of the special challenges they face, and implementing the solutions outlined above, my senior-level clients have dramatically improved their job search results and significantly decreased their levels of anxiety and frustration. More importantly, they have all landed wonderful, new jobs!

To read the entire article, click here.

 

Click here to watch helpful career success videos!

10 Challenges Senior Executives Face in the Job Search – Part 1 of 2

Posted on July 10, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

Over the years, I have worked with hundreds of key executives – CEOs, Partners, COOs, Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, and so on. Top business professionals like these present unique challenges to the Career Consultant, because they face unique challenges in their own transitions! Specializing in working with this clientele, I have identified 10 distinct issues that senior executives usually confront with when conducting a job search – and I have developed practical solutions for each one of them:

#1 – EGO

  • Loss of self-esteem, identity, self-worth, and self-concept
  • Embarrassment, shame, and “tarnished” image
  • Loss of control; feeling “out of control”
  • Used to making BIG decisions and having MAJOR impact

SOLUTIONS:

  • Keep your “usual life” going (family activities, volunteer, sports, hobbies, etc.)
  • Develop/recognize your worth OUTSIDE of the job
  • Be open to learning new things and taking small risks
  • Recognize the value and power of “baby steps” (doing the right things over and over)
  • Ask for support!

#2 – NO RESOURCES/SUPPORT/INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Not accustomed to doing all the day-to-day administrative tasks yourself
  • Lack some basic habits for details and logistics; organization of tasks, etc.
  • Technology impaired
  • Must think of everything/burdened with time-consuming planning and activities that used to be handled by support personnel

SOLUTIONS:

  • Get over it and get busy
  • Learn new behaviors and technical skills
  • Leverage technology and basic organizational tools
  • Respect and value the small tasks that support the whole process
  • Possibly hire someone to assist part-time, or get a volunteer to help with some tasks (friend, family member, etc.)

#3 – HIGH-END JOBS HARD TO FIND OR TO DUPLICATE

  • Search takes longer, and frustration can be greater
  • Simply less opportunities at this level; sometimes only one or two appropriate positions open in the entire country

SOLUTIONS:

  • Expand your scope, consider being more flexible, and possibly relocate
  • Consider taking a short-term step back in order to eventually move ahead
  • Explore consulting or starting/buying a business
  • Be more creative in developing your Target Company List and personal marketing plan

To read the entire article, click here.

 

Click here to watch helpful career success videos!

Only Five Interview Questions – Part 2 of 2

Posted on July 6, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

 

No. 2: Why do you want to work here?

This question seeks to determine if you know anything about the job and company. The goal here is to connect your talents, contributions and attributes to the employer’s needs, problems and challenges. You can only do this if you’ve done your homework, and have gathered all the necessary research. The best way to respond is to tell several relevant Accomplishment Stories that prove you have the right kind of experience for the job.

No. 3: What’s wrong with you?

Of course, the interviewer will not actually use these words. She might couch the question in more polite terms, but what she is actually trying to find out is why you’re unemployed, or underemployed, or why you’ve had so many jobs, etc. As the candidate, you need to acknowledge these sorts of career challenges in advance; then prepare and practice your responses. Your answers must be worded in such a way that they are fully positive, and elicit the responses you desire.

No. 4: What are your salary expectations?

When it comes to “the salary question,” you want the other guy to make the first move. Do thorough research in advance to determine what the likely salary range is. Make it clear that the job is not all about pay. Say that you’d be happy to discuss compensation once a mutual interest has been established, and get back to discussing your relevant accomplishments. Tell the interviewer that you want the opportunity, and that you expect the company will make a fair salary offer. This doesn’t mean you will necessarily accept that offer, but it means they will have to “draw” first. Once you receive the initial offer, always negotiate up from there.

No. 5: Don’t call us, we’ll call you.

Take an active stance, not a passive one. Be sure to discuss “next steps” before you leave the interview. Ask the interviewer directly how your qualifications compare to those of the other candidates. Display your excitement about the job and the challenges it poses. Let the interviewer know how and when you’ll be back in touch. Don’t leave all the power in the hands of the interviewer; this should be a mutual decision-making process.

Since almost every interview question is a variation of the themes listed above, there’s no need to worry about the hundreds of questions you MIGHT be asked. If you go into the interview focused on addressing just these five basic areas, you’ll feel more confident and less overwhelmed.

The more practiced and articulate you are in responding to these five items, the better chance you’ll have of landing the job. But even if you don’t get the offer, you’ll still be well-prepared for the NEXT interview!

To read the entire article, click here.

 

Click here to watch helpful career success videos!

Only Five Interview Questions – Part 1 of 2

Posted on July 3, 2012 | Posted in Articles