Tag Archives: networking

5 Self Restraining Tendencies (SRT’s) That Can Hurt You

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We are human and therefore, have idiosyncrasies, nuances and eccentricities that come with our personalities. Many of these unique characteristics position us for survival and success. But some of these peculiarities are counterproductive and are detrimental to our growth. I will call them self restraining tendencies or SRT’s. They are not necessarily life-threatening, but they may serve as impediments to development.

SRT’s are indigenous to human beings. They may be formed by life experiences and thoughts and subsequently create insecurities. They may be pseudo-defense mechanisms to allegedly protect us. SRT’s may be categorized as bad habits that may hold us back, restrict growth or work against us. How do we know we have them? Self assessments and times of reflection can increase self awareness and reveal SRT’s, as we examine our lives and impact on others. Additionally, we may receive the gift of honesty from a friend through candid comments. Constant feedback from co-workers, parents and peers can also be useful by adding to our enlightenment. But, we must be objective, receptive and appreciative of their candor.

5 Self Restraining Tendencies (SRT’s)

  1. Procrastination
  2. Poor communication skills
  3. Negativity mindset
  4. Toxic people skills
  5. Lack of Integrity

1. Procrastination

It is interesting to learn that many people are struggling with procrastination. The act of postponing things until later is not intellectually difficult for people to understand. They know that something should be done immediately and to postpone will have consequences. But, nevertheless, they still will delay until later, that which should be done today.

We recognize that we may not feel like doing something right now or we have awarded a greater priority to something else. If we continue to kick the can down the road or delay the inevitable, we will continue to waste time and effort and increase the amount of stress in our lives.

Lisa was interviewing for a job as a pharmaceutical sales representative. She felt very comfortable with the interview. The interviewer asked her about her number one shortcoming. She responded, “I am a procrastinator. I get things done, but sometimes it takes me a while to get started.” Procrastination was her Self Restraining Tendency, but the interview may not be the right place to disclose this particular self restraining tendency.

2.  Poor communication skills

Communicating is something we do every day. It is the currency by which we interact with people in order to state our ideas, convey instructions and build relationships. Those among us, who communicate effectively, actually have an advantage at school, in our careers and in relationships. If we are hampered by poor communication skills, our effectiveness is restricted. This self restraining tendency, like the others featured in this article, must be identified and corrected.

Poor communication skills could be non verbal or verbal to include written, body language and group presentations. Ask yourself, “Am I plagued by poor communication skills? Are there aspects of my communication ability that are hindering my progress?” Conduct a self-assessment. Diagnose your communication ability to see if there is a deficiency. You may seek to solicit feedback from respected sources and trusted friends and colleagues to see if they can identify areas that require improvement. When the SRT is disclosed, a change management process should be initiated. However, rather than go through multiple steps to change we should go directly from denial to acceptance and put a plan in place to correct the SRT.

3. Negativity Mindset

People who have a negativity mindset are not necessarily the individuals who look at the pros and cons of every situation. I am speaking of the people who like to rain on the parade. When the entire group has decided to move in a positive direction, they are the naysayers who constantly focus on what is or could go wrong. They provide excuses rather than explanations. They seldom do anything but complain without the slightest contribution to positive constructive participation to change anything. 

4. Toxic people skills

The toxic people SRT is different from the poor communication skills mentioned earlier. Individuals prone to this tendency will use power to humiliate and intimidate in order to gain the upper hand or to create an environment of fear.

My son worked for an organization where the new boss actually said, “When I walk into a room I want people to fear me.” He wanted people to be intimidated by his presence. This attitude is supported by language and interactions that cause stress, a lack of trust, poor engagement and ultimately subpar performance. Individuals with toxic people skills may speak about people behind their backs, pit coworkers against each other and generate an atmosphere of tension.

People with toxic people skills may be cursed with the propensity to enter every interaction with a transaction mindset. They are constantly thinking what is in it for them, how can they beat the other person by any means necessary and how it can only help them succeed. This is prevalent in relationships where they only socialize or interact with people who can help them advance their position, today. 

5. Lack of Integrity

People with a lack of integrity are flawed in their relational and work performance. They utilize a winning at all cost or any cost approach to work and relationships. People with this tendency view the rules as an inconvenience, something for weak minded people, to be broken and circumvented whenever possible. Breaking rules is seen as a badge of honor, a necessary evil to give themselves the ultimate advantage toward victory.

Invariably, this SRT will cause the downfall of their career and reputation. Oftentimes, the integrity flaw does not manifest itself until well into a person’s career. Please find below a chart illustrating a natural career growth curve and the various points of indiscretion where a lack of integrity can doom a person’s career.

careergrowth

If a lack of integrity shows itself at the end of someone’s career, a lot of their positive contributions can be discounted and shrouded in suspicion, nullifying their reputation. If a lack of integrity revealed itself early in someone’s career, they may never have the opportunity to make significant positive contributions or to realize the potential present in their talents and abilities.

Ideally, we should establish self restraining orders or SROs for those character traits which are limiting our joy and effectiveness. The five self restraining tendencies listed or others should be addressed if they are a problem for you. They have the capacity to limit your effectiveness and keep you away from realizing your full potential in every segment of your life.

Copyright © 2016 Orlando Ceaser

6 Ways to be discovered at work

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I remember many stories of people being discovered at some point in their career. This language is often associated with artists, entertainers and movie stars. The person or group was performing in a small nightclub and that night, a record producer was in the audience. The young lady was working behind a cosmetic counter and a modeling agent was stunned by her beauty. The painter’s work is shown in an obscure art gallery when seen by a critic. These situations also happen in the business world. A hard-working employee is brought to the attention of an influential manager, who inquires about their performance and subsequently takes them under their wing. A person delivers a presentation and suddenly, upper management is aware of their existence.

Many times, the act of being discovered was portrayed as being lucky, something beyond the individual’s control. However, life and experience teach us, that there are actions a person can take to put them in a position to be discovered. What is the secret to being discovered? What role can you play to ensure it happens to you or your people? Is it a matter of luck or do you play a major role in achieving the dream you deserve.

There are at least six things that an individual can do that will increase the odds of exposure and discovery. They are as follows:

• Professionalism and expertise
• Market yourself to the right people
• Visit places of the powerful and influential
• Ask people to view your work and give feedback
• Acquire an advocate
• Ask for recommendations

Professionalism and expertise

It is correct to assume that working at a very high level and excel at your craft will attract attention. If you are selling more product than your peers, this will eventually be noticed by people in higher levels of authority. If you are generating more ideas, working longer hours, volunteering for leadership roles on major projects, standing out in the crowd by asking pertinent questions, you will be noticed by influential people. Your expertise will lead to higher performance ratings and greater rewards and recognition.

Display character and a positive work ethic. This will draw attention to your career and people who can help you succeed. They will be attracted to your talent and pristine work history.

Market yourself to the right people

Find the people who make the hiring decisions or pull will the purse strings. Create a career plan that includes the components listed below, as tactics in your strategy. Share your success with the right people. Don’t be bashful; let them know how good you are without bragging. Always remember, “Every interaction is an interview.” My coach James Malinchak has a saying that is pertinent here.”ABM, Always Be Marketing.” Look for ways to perform your job and make people aware of your contributions. Be subtle, but effective in sharing your words to key decision-makers. Being discovered is the reward you deserve for hard work and dedicated focus. The right people can place you in a position to maximize your contributions organization. Position yourself so that people in power or those who have hiring authority can see the impact of your work.

Visit places of the powerful and influential

Place yourself in a position where you can be seen and heard by decision-makers. I know people who join groups and associations or volunteered because it placed them in the presence of important people. They were committed to helping others, but doing it in the presence of some of their managers provided an extra incentive. People in power like to align themselves with people with similar interests. Increasing your visibility and participating in similar activities, can accelerate the process of being discovered. This is a prime motivator for people to take up golf, tennis and other athletic activities. The presence of influential people is a lure for being discovered.

Ask people to view your work and give feedback

Many people love to assist someone who are committed to excellence and are anxious to improve. Hard work and dedication to excellence attracts people who want to play a role in your success. By asking people to observe your work and give feedback, it shows that you are open to improve your performance. The rapid implementation of their ideas will show them that you are sincere and respectful of their suggestions.

Acquire an advocate

If you acquire a person who is very interested in your growth and development, they will refer and recommend you to other people. As a matter of fact, they may be so excited about you that they will tell everyone about your potential, your talent and your ambition. If these individuals are highly regarded, their words of praise will help open doors for you. You will be amazed at the number of people that other people know who can benefit your career.

Ask for recommendations

Show your initiative by asking for the names of people who could help you. When you ask for the recommendation, ask them if they can let the other party know they have their support. I heard a statistic on a radio program that 70% of people landing new jobs were due to employee recommendations. If you want to be discovered, if you want people to know who you are and where you, recommendations can help speed along the process. Over time, you will master the skill of being in the right place at the right time, highly skilled and ready to be discovered.

Copyright © 2014 Orlando Ceaser

Success despite Misfortune tellers and Prophets of doom

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You may not have experienced this personally, but you have heard people say they lack confidence because people verbally doubted their ability. Their abilities and value were challenged at an early age. They would never accomplish something. When they were older, they were told they were not qualified to do something or lacked the capacity or skill to achieve an objective. Their failure would be due to their socio-economic status, background, gender, race, culture, appearance or interests. These individuals were devastated and believed the negative remarks, hook line and sinker.

You may share my curiosity about people who go out of their way to predict a negative future about someone. They will not hesitate to tell a person that they will never earn a college degree, get into a particular college or program, and achieve a dream or a job, because of a limited vision of an individual’s potential. These misfortune tellers will frequently volunteer their assessment of a friends potential, as if it was a foregone conclusion. People are told that they will never be a leader, were not bright enough, tall enough, thin enough or good-looking enough to make it in this world.

Lack-of-Vision

I walked into a room of new district managers after a merger. I was struck by the number of individuals present who were never supposed to be promoted. They wore the label of being unfit for management from their previous organization. Hell was to freeze over before some of them became managers. I looked around the room and arrived at the conclusion that the weather forecast for hell called for an ice storm of momentous proportions.

We look at these negative prognosticators, misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers, and wonder;

• Are they clairvoyant, bona fide, certified Palm readers?
• What is their success rate or track record of predicting events?
• Are they famous because of their success with the lottery, betting on horses or investing in the stock market?
• Do they have the best grades in school?
• Are they the highest performers on the job?
• Are they independently wealthy because of their ability to select winners?

The absence of such data, should disqualify people from seeing into your future and making judgments on what you can or will not be able to do. Why should we listen to these questionable, nonsensical projections without proof of their credibility? We seldom subject people to this kind of questioning. We take their word and grant them the influence to affect our lives. I wonder how they would answer these questions. A

Personal achievement and productivity in many segments of our lives are influenced by what people have said about us. The words of misfortune tellers have stunted the professional and personal growth of countless individuals. The words are devastating, but we give them added power by believing the words must be true. This belief increases the predictive power of words uttered by people who are mean-spirited enough to attack our dreams without offering any constructive criticism to help us grow. Their motives should disqualify them for conflict of interest. It may not be that they believed we would, but they wanted us to fail. Somehow our success might make them look bad, as they take it personally.

We have to be careful around misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers. Words have power and should not be used to predict a negative future unless they are used to instruct someone in a positive manner. Granted, some people may have unrealistic expectations of their potential and you may feel it necessary to bring them down to reality. This can be accomplished in a positive manner by directing them to an area where you feel their strengths are more appropriate. This of course should be done if you have the right experience, skills and credentials. If you don’t feel someone can do something and it’s just your opinion, you must evaluate the reason for bursting their balloon. You may need to show wisdom by being silent and keeping your opinions to yourself.

The prophets of doom, live in the world of the worst case scenarios. They can be destructive if they only and always paint a picture of the worst case happening to you. Frequently, they point to personal characteristic or circumstance that you cannot overcome. They can depress you and cause you to give up trying, if they consistently fill your head with negative expectations.

The following chart should be helpful when faced with naysayers who are running around with sharp objects, leaping in the air to burst your balloons. The balloons represent your goals, dreams, positive intentions and lofty expectations.

canbelieve
If people say you can’t do something and you believe them, chances are you will prove them right. You will be discouraged and doubt your ability to go against their predictions. You give them the ability to influence personal perceptions and actions.

If someone says you can’t do something and you do not believe them, you will do everything within your power to prove them wrong. Their perception of you will drive you to higher levels of performance. You ask yourself, what gives them the right to say that about you, they don’t know you. You will show them how wrong they are about you.

If someone says you can do something and their belief is consistent with your perception, you will work in concert with their expectations. Your performance will more than likely be inspired, as you validate your personal convictions.

However, if someone says you can do something and you do not believe them, the result would be as if they said you couldn’t do it. Your lack of confidence and weak belief in yourself would undermine your success. There are instances when someone’s belief in you is greater than your belief in yourself. If they are persistent, you may eventually see what they see in you. It is important for you to keep an open mind and consider them a good judge of character. It is very difficult to achieve something if you do not believe it is possible. If you cannot see yourself performing in a certain role, it is difficult to achieve it or succeed in it.

Your belief system is a central part of performing to meet your expectations. There may be instances where outside forces will try to derail your progress, but a healthy self image, positive encouragement from others and a persistent drive to excel, will work to your advantage. In a competitive world where misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers work to stifle your achievement, you must be vigilant in growing skills, protecting and projecting confidence in your abilities.

Copyright © 2014 Orlando Ceaser

How was the interview? How do you know? Just in time internal feedback

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I spoke to Leslie in spin class. Her daughter had just completed an interview. I asked how the interview went. She said, “The interview went well.” How did she know? What information did she use to support her opinion? Candidates strive hard to interview well and look for signs during the interview to gauge their progress. When the interview is over they walk out with a sinking feeling of regret, exhilaration because they think it went well or a numb, not so sure how it went, sensation. What can they look for during the interview to gauge progress in time to insert a course correction? What can they do to reach a desired outcome, whether it is the next interview or an actual job offer?

The Interviewers Lens

The interviewer knows what they are looking for in a candidate. They have a job description and a set of behaviorally based questions that sort out attributes to match traits, characteristics, competencies or skills required for the job. They also have their interviewing style. When I began interviewing I wanted to make the candidates feel comfortable. My approach was professional and light hearted, designed to put the candidate at ease. They in turn were relaxed and gave me all the information I needed. It dawned on me one day that the candidates were so comfortable they probably felt they nailed the interview and were waiting for the job offer. They were probably confused and devastated when they received the “no interest” letter indicating they would not get the job. I decided to change my style. I became more serious, intense and reduced eye contact. I became more of an interrogator and less of a friend. However, I was still professional and gracious in answering questions. The approach still gave me the information I needed, but left the candidates guessing and less sure of the outcome of the interview.

I interviewed an Emmy award winning producer, who was trying to convince me he wanted a career change for an entry level sales representative position. In the middle of the interview, with my new style, he interrupted my note taking. “How am I doing?” he asked. “Excuse me,” I responded. “I usually can tell how I am doing in an interview. But I have absolutely no clue with you,” he asked in earnest. “That is by design,” I said. “Rather than give you something that you think I like and then get more of that from you; I act in the middle of the road so that I can see the real you, which is actually fairer to you in the long run.” I had landed on a style that worked for me and gave me the opportunity to get the most from the candidate’s background. This also reinforced the notion that candidates were evaluating their progress during the interviews, looking for positive signs of performance.

“Interview in Progress”

Here are a few clues that candidates have used to assess their status in an interview.

• Follow up questions – The interviewer asked for clarification or more detail while seeming interested in their background – If the line of questioning is intense and prolonged the interviewers may not understand their answers or are not getting the information they are looking for.
• Laughter – The candidates may receive laughter or a smile to show they are genuinely pleased with their responses
• Challenging remarks – “You mean to tell me that…. Or are you trying to say………I thought you said…These statements suggest the interviewer wants clarity and consistency.
• Body language – The interviewer may lean forward showing interest, a pleasant look as they write notes after a particular comment
• A short interview – The interviewee can tell if the interviewer is under whelmed when they are given less time than in earlier interviews, less time than the earlier candidate or less time than they were told to expect
• Volunteering information on the next steps in the interviewing process , as well as pointers on how to improve performance in the next round with their company
• Additional rapport building questions and conversations at the end of the interview.
• Introducing prospective employees to other people in their company is often a good sign, especially if accompanied by glowing recommendations

The candidates go through many hours of self-study, organization research and mental preparation for the interview. It is reasonable to seek instant feedback by personally monitoring the interview.” How am I doing?” was a favorite question from Ed Koch, the former Mayor of New York City. The comments above may provide some data on progress, but the following words should also be considered.

• Be true to their interview plan and give it the most factual information possible to answer the questions
• If they are not sure about the question or their response, it is okay to ask for clarification or to ask if their answer addressed the question
• Present a consistent view of who they are and their background
• Be poised and confident, so that when they leave the interview, they will have an accurate picture of them (what they choose to do with that picture is up then)
• Do not take the results of the interview personally. They may have many more interviews before they land a job. They need to be in the right frame of mind for the long haul. Sometimes a strong interview may not land the job. It may take a while to get the right job.

Candidates must prepare extensively for the interview, execute their interview plan, answer the questions succinctly and prepare for the next interview. Invariably, their experiences will align with the right employer and they will be hired for the right assignment. How is the interview going? How do you know? Don’t worry about it. You will ultimately reach your goal. You are one interview closer to your goal. You should get the position, hopefully sooner than later.

Copyright © 2013 Orlando Ceaser

Managing Up – Part 2 (The Manager’s Perspective)

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Double_S-O-B_C

Managers can recount individuals and situations where they felt employees did an excellent job of managing up. The person did not seem manipulative, arrogant or self-centered regarding their career. They demonstrated many of the attributes mentioned earlier in the “Do” category and did not participate in the “Don’t” area at all. Many times they shared similar interests, but were not clones or mini me’s from the Austin Powers movie. They direct reports contained some of the following qualities;

  • Brought something intriguing to the table, with special qualities or contributions
  • Provided information about the job, concerning the workplace and on the industry
  • Reliable and could be counted on to follow through on assignments
  • Performed their jobs well, exceeding expectations
  • Took an interest in the manager’s job
  • Make the manager and the team look good, drawing rave reviews from many in senior leadership
  • Authentic in their approach to the job and their clients
  • Could be trusted to tell the truth regardless of the consequence

The manager is the manager because they like to get things accomplished. They are aware that some people are inauthentic in relating to them. Because the manager has input into hiring, performance reviews, compensation and terminations, employees tend to be guarded even when they have an open door policy. Many employees genuinely stated their opinions and intentions, whereas others are playing games, telling a manager what they think they want to hear, to win praise and recognition.

The Know System™ for decision-making was featured in the book, The Isle of Knowledge (available on http://www.amazon.com). The Isle of Knowledge is a fable set in the South Pacific with the hero on a journey of enlightenment, to better decisions. He is mesmerized by the journey and the inhabitants on his quest to ask the right questions to make better decisions. The Isle of Knowledge contains a methodology to help people manage up in an easy to follow series of questions.

The Know System is based on the word Know. If you use the four letters in the word Know you will have a system to gather information. Take out a sheet of paper or your computer, smart phone or tablet. Write Know at the top of the page or screen. Begin writing the words that come to mind. Be generous with the rules, but only use the letters from Know. You will arrive at the following words that are useful for this exercise;

  • Know, Won, Now, No, On, Own, OK, Ow, Wo, Wok, KO

Know

A skillful employee will start off asking questions to learn about themselves (self-awareness) and their manager. What do they know and what do they need to know? They may use Who, What, Where, Why, When and How to gather the information they need on personal and manager goals, values and interests. Who can give them information on the manager when they are conducting their interviews to learn about the manager’s habits and history?

Won

Self awareness will give them their goals and objectives. If they managed up effectively, what would their world look like? How would they feel, what would they gain from it? How can they make it a win / win where the individual and manager’s goals are reached?

Now

What are they doing now to manage up? Are their techniques the right ones? Are their techniques consistent with their goals? Are there aspects of their performance and personality that are forming a barrier? Are they operating with the right priorities and set of objectives?

No

We recognize there are some things they must remove from their activity list. They must say ‘No” to some things. They cannot say yes to everything and reach their goals. They may reach burnout unless guidelines are put in place. There are sections that are frowned upon by your manager; you may feel it is advantageous to be on the same wavelength. There are procedures you have said yes to that requires a change of heart and direction.

On

You must be on at all times. Authenticity is required as we stated earlier, but you must also be persistent and consistent. When you are on message, on target and on fire, you create a barrier to ward off those elements that try to distract you. There are negative people who will try to bring you down as well as your manager; you need to make sure you don’t inadvertently toss your manager under the bus.

Own

You will be held accountable for your actions. You are responsible for your career and your daily performance. The relationship with the manager is largely up to you. If you adopt this mindset, you will take the necessary steps to make it a success.

OK, Ow & Wo

If you are doing a poor job at managing up, this Ok performance is not satisfactory in the long-term. Jim Collins in his book Good to Great said “Good is the enemy of excellence.’ If good is the enemy, Ok cannot be far behind. The only time Ok is satisfactory is on a checklist. If you have a list of the areas you want to cover, to manage up effectively, OK will work marvelously, as a confirmation that an item is completed.

Ow is the sound we make when we are in pain. Sometimes pain says we are doing the wrong thing or we are doing the thing wrong. Pain also is the discomfort we go through anytime we do something different or we change. Some of the strategies in managing up maybe new and difficult and the awkward nature may seem painful. Soon they will be a part of your repertoire and beneficial in helping you manage up.

Wo is the sound you hear when people want to slow down a horse. This can apply to us, if we are going too fast, implementing too many techniques. You may need to reduce the list to a manageable number of actions and only add when you mastered a few at a time.

Wok

Sometimes you have to stir things up a bit when you institute variety and change. Just because you have always acted a certain way does not mean that you always have to act that way. Variety is the spice of life and makes flexibility a breath of fresh air. Innovative techniques are ways to endear you to a manager and become an indispensable part of her inner circle.

KO

If you are not successful at managing up, it is safe to say, your failure could knock you out of the running for whatever goal you want to accomplish.

Managing up is a skill set that is built on relationships and high performance. You may institute many of these practices and still not be invited into the manager’s inner circle. You may try them and the relationship with your manager is still distant and cold, but it is your responsibility to make every effort to make this work. The manager has a lot of power and influence over many aspects of your career. You can make a difference in showing them you are an indispensable member of the team, who rallies to make them look good, has their back and able to help them achieve their goals and objectives.

www.watchwellinc.com

Copyright © 2013 Orlando Ceaser

Working your way out of a promotion

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Career_in_a_Box[1]He was a tireless worker, delivering results above and beyond the call of duty. He was one of the top sales people; a legend in the sales organization. He boasted about the number of hours spent on the job and the number of customer calls made. He wanted to impress management with his work ethic, unyielding dedication to the job and the company. However, his managers were arriving at a startling conclusion. Whereas, they marveled at his drive, stamina and dedication, they were worried about his self-imposed workload; they could not risk promoting him to be a manager.

Jack thought he was impressing people in power, but he was sabotaging his career. Managers speak about greater production and engagement. He had both of these attributes at very high levels. Prevailing wisdom said, “There is no way we can make him a manager. He would expect others to work as hard as he does. He would kill people or chase them away.”

The management team also thought that it would be hard to replace his production. He was performing the work of two people. He was inadvertently destined to become an “individual contributor,” for as long as he was an employee. The individual contributor label made it virtually impossible for him to shed for it meant he was not seen as management material. Jack was ambitious. This moniker was devastating to him. He tried several tactics to change the reputation he had earned. His strategy was to model his behavior after other hard-working superstars. He had to answer questions, “What was hard work?” and “What was excessive?”

In today’s marketplace, he would not stand out as much, because everyone is being asked to do more with less and to allow their job to encroach upon their personal space. Nonetheless, people are still being denied promotions because of an excessive work ethic and perceived lack of flexibility. The advice received by Jack and others like him can be useful for workaholics and other ambitious employees.

Work / life balance

Convey a balanced life when discussing your home life while at work. If it is appropriate to talk about personal matters, you can disclose information about family activities. Discussion about involvement in school functions or the athletic pursuits of your family are fair game. Information about your hobbies and weekend recreation, as well as religious and community involvement shows you are a well-rounded person. If you are single, you can still demonstrate your interests in extra-work activities, to project someone who is more than an employee.

Employers want people who are dedicated and engaged on the job, but they also want people who have full lives, because in the end they make more productive employees.

Leadership

Individual contributors can demonstrate their leadership skills through their social interactions and civic duties. Discussing these matters at work gives you a chance to showcase leadership skills and instincts. Consulting with your managers about managerial scenarios in your church, associations or civic work can help people become comfortable with your work ethic and empathy for others. You can discuss leadership books and online programs and ask to attend seminars on your own time to project your interest.

Additionally, you may find it prudent to divert some of the effort and energy into projects outside of work to give you a greater sense of purpose and significance. Volunteer activities are useful on your internal and external resume. They also help you expand your social and professional network.

Candid Career Conversations

Career discussions with your manager and mentors will uncover instances of over powering your management with tales of sacrifice to complete a task. It may be wise to tone down some of the stories about late night projects and spending weekends to over produce. The time stamp on e-mail messages may also signal working at unreasonable hours. Allow your record to speak for itself. Even though you may be a workaholic, you do not want to brag about it. People have been known to think, “Why won’t he get a life?” “The job is all he has.” “She doesn’t have a family, so she can afford to give all of her time to work.”

A powerful work ethic is desired in an employee. Management strives to fill their teams with individuals matching this profile. However, you do not want to stunt your career growth because you represent an image that causes your managers to believe you would subject everyone to draconian, unrealistic and unrelenting standards in performing their jobs. They fear you will chase employees away and damage the morale and engagement levels of whatever team you are assigned to manage. If you do not address these concerns, you may not fulfill your career objectives to achieve a management position.

Copyright © 2013 Orlando Ceaser

Perform or perish – Part 2

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 My Manager’s job

Many people feel it is best to let their work speak for itself. But is everyone ware of the scope and quality of your work. I know individuals who feel their job is to work and the manager’s job is to inform upper management about their performance. They place their hopes and trust in a manager being their advocate. It may be the manager’s job, but it is their career that is at stake. People would be astonished at the silence of their managers in meetings. Most managers have the credibility with their peers to be taken seriously. But some cower in situations when they should speak up for their people. You may not know how hard or if your manager is fighting for you. Ask for accounts of their conversations with their peers and superiors to feel more comfortable about their actions.

A manager must accurately state the case for his direct reports and must defend them against challenges from other managers who may share a different opinion. Many times the other manager may have data unknown to the current manager, especially around teaming issues.  Efforts should be made to ensure the information is recent and relevant. The manager must in essence fight for their people.  My point is that your manager may be your greatest advocate, but you must become personally involved in letting people know about your performance. If you won’t fight for your recognition and reputation, at least ensure that someone is out front, fighting for you. 

Networking

We have established that you have a role in promoting your performance. You have heard it said that it’s not what you do, but who you know. To state it more factually, it is not only what you do, but also, who you know. Internal and external networking is vital to create a database of advocates who may be instrumental in getting the word out about you. There are five steps to networking effectively. Social media is becoming an integral part of reaching out to potential advocates. LinkedIn and other sites are essential for getting your profile distributed and noticed. To disregard any of these steps may limit awareness of the impact of your performance. They are as follows:

Who do you know?

Who knows you?

What do they think of you?

What can they do for your?

What will they do for you?

Who do you know?

Today it is critical to know a wider range of people. Within your company it is important to know more people in order to gain additional perspectives, share your ideas and results. Do not limit your contacts to people at the higher levels of the organization. Nothing is more alienating than to brush by people whom you don’t feel have enough status to help you. You never know who can be helpful.  

 President of a small company had a decision to make between two women executives for a Vice President position. They were even in all of the objective parameters. The President asked the custodian about his impression of the two ladies, without stating his intention. The custodian said one was very standoffish, condescending and would almost throw the garbage can at him. There was no eye contact and she made him feel like a lower class citizen. The other person, he said was friendly, maintained eye contact and seemed concerned about him as a person. She made him feel good in her presence. This was the extra information the President needed to make his decision.  

Who knows you?

There are people in the company you want to know you. Your boss and his superior are good places to start. How do others know you? Have you initiated a conversation with them at Sales Meetings or other company functions? Sometimes we think a senior executive is too busy to talk to us and we ignore a chance to strike up a conversation with them. We may also worry that others will accuse us of sucking up to the big bosses. Disregard those thoughts and prepare and practice conversation starters for prominent and not so prominent people within your company. It is always good to know people from different departments and functions. Your paths may cross again some day when you can help each other. Be prepared. It is also acceptable to ask someone to introduce you to people you don’t know. Your boss would be an excellent person to make the introduction.

What do they think of you?

To know you is not necessarily to love you. I knew a young lady who knew the right people and they knew her, but they didn’t like her. She had no idea as she socialized with all the key people in the company. There is an expectation of professionalism and self awareness. If you have annoying habits such as being an incessant talker who never listens and constantly berates people, you may not have a favorable image. You want to ask around to determine if you have attributes that others would like you to change. You also have to be receptive, listen and make the changes. Thanking the person for their suggestion is also a sign of professionalism and good manners.

What can they do for you?

Some positions are obvious in what they could do for you. These individuals may be involved in calibration discussions or succession planning meaning. They may be able to add insight or their impression of you as a candidate for a promotion. As I mentioned earlier be nice for the sake of being nice, knowledgeable and professional. The rewards will come later.

What will they do for you?

This is usually resolved by their response to a request for action. The skillful use of a “close” when appropriate can work in your favor. Will they accept your phone calls or e-mail messages with questions, comments or ideas? Will they be your mentor? Will they provide you with advice or counsel on key business matters? Will they write a letter of recommendation for an internal job interview? The power of your relationship or their sincere desire to be instrumental in career will pay dividends for you. When the time is right do not be afraid to ask for the strong appropriate action from them.  People like to help people viewed as a person on the way up.

In today’s flatter organizations and leaner and meaner environments, we have to ensure that we accept the ultimatum to perform or perish. Our performance (true impact) should also resonate with key decision makers in the company. We must achieve our sales goals and exceed them where possible. Our clients must view us as indispensable. We should go the extra mile to ask your clients to write the company extolling your virtues and value to their offices. The market and our customers will pick the winners and losers and those who have not performed, will perish.

Copyright © 2009 Orlando Ceaser

8 Ways to Rebound and Get the Next Job

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You were just given the news.  The boss called you into their office or you received a telephone call.  Someone else was given the job you wanted. How will you handle the disappointment?

Much has been written about getting the right job.  There are books, seminars and counselors who specialize in helping you attain the job of your dreams. This article will focus on what to do immediately after the event.  

Your reaction to bad news may surprise you, especially if you did not consider not getting the job.  This became clear in our Presidential elections. The objective is to prepare for getting the job, but you should have a Plan B or Plan C, just in case the unthinkable happens.

It is important to anticipate bad news and respond with professionalism.  How you respond may put you in a better position to land the next job.  Many times the way you handle disappointment will demonstrate your character and impress someone enough to keep you in mind for another assignment.

1.    Ask for specific feedback

If you are to be more competitive in the next interview you need constructive feedback. This feedback should be able to be converted into goals.  Ask for more tangible feedback than, “You did a good job.” “Just hang in there” and “Something will come your way, it is a matter of time.” 

Many people are reluctant to give solid feedback because they are afraid of being sued or causing ill will by hurting someone’s feelings.  They do a grave disservice to the applicant if they have specific information and decide not to give it.  Additionally, some people may not have developed the expertise to give quality feedback. You will have to press them for specifics and guide them by asking for feedback is specific areas with specific examples.  

2.    Be open to the truth

If you ask a question you must be able to live with the answer.  Feedback that is factual and delivered in a truthful and caring manner is invaluable to your growth and development.  Jack Nicholson in the movie A Few Good Men hurls the phrase while under cross-examination that “you can’t handle the truth.”  This must not apply to you.  Self-examination and honest introspection may help you anticipate the words of the interviewer.  Sincere feedback must be accepted graciously and implemented.  It must not be viewed as vicious criticism given in a defensive environment.

3.    Search for reasons you can control

Be careful not to rush to or land on a reason that you can’t control.  There is nothing worse than being denied a job and feeling helpless to improve your chances.  Be patient and don’t rush to play the age card, race card or the gender card or any other card that you can’t change.  If you are denied a job because of discrimination you have a right to pursue legal recourse, but let’s not rush to that assumption when there are other reasons that may preclude you from getting the job. 

4.    Be open to growth assignments

Do not be so narrow in your perspectives that you eliminate other assignments that could strengthen your portfolio and therefore your chances of getting your desired job.  Oftentimes, companies may not want to take a risk on a candidate, but if that person has a breadth of experience in other jobs, it minimizes the risk.  Another advantage of additional assignments is that they increase your knowledge of the company and increases the number of people who can validate the quality of your work.

Analyze other assignments not from the viewpoint of can you do them, but what can they do for your future.  It may be just the job you need to convince management that you have what it takes to get the job you want. 

5.    Increase your contacts through networking

People rise in their careers in part, due to the number of people familiar with my work.  In many conference rooms across the nation succession planning committees gather to determine who will move up the corporate ladder.  The more votes you have around the table, the better your chances for advancement.  Contacts made at company functions or industry meetings may be invaluable.  Inter – departmental teams are an excellent place to volunteer because in today’s matrix organization you need to learn to work with others who may not be reporting to you.  There are networking events on social media sites and organizations you can join to help you meet people who may become helpful in your career. 

6.    Don’t make impulsive decisions and burn bridges

Control your emotions.  Don’t make a hasty decision to quit or say something destructive. You must thoroughly analyze your situation.  There is an abundance of quality talent on the open market. As with any relationship, take the time to reflect on what transpired. 

A rash decision may hamper career development.  If it doesn’t work out, rather than stay to work on their skills, people leave and go to another company.  They may get more money, which makes their decision look good.  However, if there is any area needing improvement, it really should be addressed as soon as possible or it will come back to haunt them, as history repeats itself.

The worst time to look for a job is when you are upset. Your judgment may be impaired.  You may strike out with an I-will-show-them attitude and not evaluate all of the particulars of the new offer.  As in a relationship, you should not evaluate options when you are angry or disappointed.  You do not want to look back regretting an employment decision made without the benefit of a reasonable cooling-off period.

The corporate world is shrinking.  One cannot afford to leave under bad conditions, because the bad blood shown to an employer can come back to haunt you. 

7.   Accept losing to a better candidate

Sometimes the level of competition is so steep that management is in the enviable position of having more talent than it can use.  This is no consolation for someone who has worked hard for the job, but it is a fact of life.  The timing may not have been right or someone had a better relationship with the decision maker, which served as the tiebreaker.  There is also the possibility that you had a bad interview.  An interview is like an audition.  Academy Award winners and those possessing a Tony Award for the stage have lost out on key roles because they had a bad audition.  You may do your best and still not get the job.  The important take away is that you did your best.  It is important to accumulate a variety of experiences and interests, because you never know what will be the tiebreaker in intense interviewing scenarios. You will be the better candidate in the next round of interviews. 

8.    Model the right behavior

Your employer is not the only person observing your behavior.  Colleagues and others within the organization will want to know how you handle the pressure of not gaining an assignment.  This is a perfect opportunity to model the characteristics of a team player and someone patiently awaiting an opportunity by striving to improve every aspect of their performance – a model not a martyr.  If you are persistently passed over with little or no feedback or receive insincere contradictory commentary, you may have to make a decision to go where they may appreciate your talents.

Accepting bad news is never easy.  We don’t like rejection.  This fact is wired into our genes.  There are factors in acquiring a job that may be beyond your control and the timing may not be right.  You should, however, do everything within your power to ensure that you are ready for interviews, from the standpoint of skills and experience.  If you do not get the job, the answer may not be “no,” it may be read as “not now.”  The moments immediately after this discovery may lead you toward landing the job that you really want.

Copyright © 2012 Orlando Ceaser

5 Symptoms your Employer is Cheating on you or Thinking about it

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There are symptoms that point to an employee losing favor in the eyes of an employer. If you are paying attention, the breadcrumbs will lead you back to their original intentions. Also, as in any relationship, the people around are the first to see the symptoms that something is wrong.

We are creatures of habit and have a tendency to emit clues. You should always look for feedback and indicators on how well you are performing on the job and be able to spot the precise moment when things are drifting off course. If you are quick to respond, you may be able to up your game through an intervention. For example you may get training in an area to increase a particular skill. Or if the case is hopeless, engineer a soft landing where you can land on your feet in a better situation.

There are instances where organization indicates they are looking for someone else as a temporary or permanent replacement. You must be aware of these symptoms to protect yourself. You may have to lash out in self defense if your stability is threatened. There are at least 5 symptoms to indicate there is trouble in paradise. Your employer is either cheating on your or thinking about it.

1.    Interviewing your replacement

They bring someone from the outside as a consultant and ask you to train them. This is innocent enough until you find out they are gunning for your job. You train them, but realize they are looking at your strengths and weaknesses and may be taking them back to your boss. You ask the right questions, but there is not a lot of transparency around the person’s next job and why they were hired in the first place. Your co-workers give you their point of view which is to essentially watch your back.

Eventually, you decide the company is grooming your replacement behind your back, not as part of transparency associated with succession planning. You have to decide what to do which means to gain insight into how you are perceived within the organization and think of an alternative route outside of the company. You cannot afford to be career naive when it is true, other people want your job.

2.    Broken Promises

Your boss promised you a position and gave you extra work to prepare you for the transition to the new role. This causes you to get your hopes up high and work harder. What is unknown to you is they have no plans to give you the assignment. They brought in someone, whom you find out through the grapevine was promised the same job. How do you respond? It is a delicate situation. Should you confront your boss about the rumors or the grapevine laden conspiracy? It is appropriate to ask for a meeting to ask about your performance and if you are on course to assume the promised assignment. There response will determine your next move. I believe in expecting the best, yet preparing for the worst. This mindset will enable you to be very professional if things don’t go your way.

3.    Change their disposition toward you

You begin to detect a change in your bosses’ reaction to you. For some reason they become aloof and unavailable. You internalize the reaction and wonder what you have done wrong. You instantly think it is work related and begin to work harder and longer hours, but there is no change. You want to ask if you have done something wrong, but it may not be you.  Promotional decisions are sometimes changed by Upper Management. If your boss promised you the job, but headquarters or his boss thinks it should go to someone else, they are between a rock and a hard place. A true leader will sit down and talk to you, but their hands may be tied. Some leaders will tell you that the decision is no longer in their hands and leave it at that. A transparent leader may say, this particular job is off the table, but they will work with you on the next available position.

If your supervisor told you the whole story, you may confront his manager and put your boss in jeopardy. Many managers will dodge their responsibility by finding fault in your performance.

  • Suddenly you can’t do anything right. The amount of critiques escalate, even when you do things the way they taught you to do them
  • Reduction in your rating without warning – you need to improve, but they can’t tell you how or why… They will know it when they see it is their response

4.    Unprecedented candor

Some Managers have a reputation for not providing feedback until or unless something is wrong with your performance. There is a raging debate in managerial sectors about the level of transparency around career upward mobility.  Some would prefer to hold back information that indicates that you have reached your peak and have gone as far as you can ascend in the organization. One reason for reluctance is the subjective nature of many of these opinions. Management could change and the new manager may see untapped potential, so they are reluctant to give the definitive word on your career possibilities. However, if your manager would like to replace you with a newer or a different model they will not hold back. They will:

  • Let you know that the promotion or position you aspire to will not be given to you in the future.
  • You are told you have gone as far as you can go and if you want to stay at your current level the job is yours
  • They may suggest that you are safe for now, but at some point they may decide you are blocking a position which could be a primary training ground for another upwardly mobile employee

You know when someone has made up their mind about you, but they will not tell you the truth. They hope you will quit, thereby making it easy on them. They try to make it hard on you so it is difficult for you to stay. You have to keep your performance fresh and in shape through continuous improvement and exercising your mind.

5.    Rewriting your job description

A common means to displace or replace an employee that a company wants to leave or take out of contention for a key role is to rewrite their job description. This new and improved job description contains education requirements, experiences and duties that you do not currently perform. They tell you they are upgrading the job to attract better talent in the future when the job becomes vacant. Sometimes they ask you to start writing the job description if one is not currently on file. Once the job description is rewritten the company may announce a downsizing and the new job description will be the basis for the interviews. You find yourself in a position where you are interviewing for your job. They bring in candidates from the outside whose experiences and education match the new standard. 

It is imperative in this competitive marketplace to always strive for excellence and elevating your performance. You may be in style today, but it is imperative for you to keep up with the knowledge and technological skills necessary to compete. It is reasonable for a company to want the best employee for their jobs. As long as you are growing, your familiarity, intellectual knowledge and intellectual property should give you the inside track. However, you must be observant in case you run into these 5 symptoms which is indicative that your employer is bored, has a wandering eye and is looking around and holding auditions for your replacement. 

Copyright ©2012 Orlando Ceaser

5 Multiple Strategies for Success

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Success involves achieving. But success has a strategic element that causes us to anticipate factors and events that could curtail our results or limit our achievement. According to the Bing Dictionary, multiples involve several things and include people or parts. Let’s explore 5 key multiples which could help us achieve our desired goals. For our purpose today we will evaluate areas where options are beneficial. 

  1. Multiple Revenue Streams
  2. Multiple Interests
  3. Multiple Memberships
  4. Multiple Mentors
  5. Multiple Areas of Application

Multiple Revenue Streams

Professional speakers talk about how to generate income beyond the speech. Since we are not always on the stage, we look for additional ways to make money that transcend speeches. Some speakers have a coaching business; sell online training programs, merchandise or other business ventures. Some of these strategies can work for everyone.

Many families are already familiar with this concept through Multi-Level Marketing ventures. People sell home products, investments, real estate, jewelry, cosmetics, telephone service and other products to supplement their family income. 

We may create income from our savings account, 401K or real estate investments. The concept of having multiple revenue streams can protect us during a financial downturn or supplement our earning and provide flexibility and greater peace of mind. During the financial downturn of 2008 many speakers saw a decline in their revenue. Mikki Williams, CSP of Mikki Williams Unltd., mentioned being sustained by her multiple streams of income. She had a speaker training school, coaching business and other venues which enabled her to weather the storm. A friend’s wife went back to work and truly lived up to her title of Mrs. (Multiple Revenue Streams). 

Multiple Interests 

Having a variety of interests can be an advantage. Many people branch out into new careers based on personal interests and areas of personal curiosity. Jeff is an insurance executive, yet he performs music on the weekends. He is pursuing his passion, but also makes money on the side. We have heard legendary stories of entrepreneurs who made small and great fortunes based on exploring and exploiting their hobbies. Dave received a job in computers because his expertise was well known within the company. A common mindset is to have an interest and then ask, “How can I make money at this?” Alli is working with school children on developing a heart for the poor and disenfranchised. This may spark an interest in her students to demonstrate different interests and arouse their leadership qualities. These interests may allow them to distinguish themselves from their peers later on when applying to college. They may be asked the question, “Tell me about a time when you displayed leadership at school or in the community?” 

Multiple Memberships

There is a bonus to belonging to different groups. By expanding our network across industries, cliques and limited groups we can benefit our careers and perspectives. Networking increases our professional and personal contacts. Joining multiple organizations increase our exposure and knowledge. It can also challenge our thinking and give us a greater appreciation of different people and their needs. Consider the professional organizations we need to join and then those groups that align themselves with your interests. This helps keep our interests in the forefront of our thinking.  Although the interest may seem like a pipe dream, if it is a repeating part of your thoughts, we should nurture it. One day the interest may flower into a fulfilling opportunity. 

Multiple Mentors

Many successful people extol the advantages of multiple mentors. They accumulate a fresh variety of viewpoints. Each mentor may have a different area of expertise and may push us to think along a path of reasoning we had not considered. Companies have a board of directors to receive wise counsel from those who are a well rounded group of experts in their fields. When making a major decision we should consult those who have knowledge in a particular area. Diversification works in many areas of our lives from investments to other areas of decision making. Mentors may have a bias or a blind spot in a given area, but casting our net widely will prevent tunnel vision and restricted thinking.

Multiple Areas of Application 

Instituting new ideas or training concepts brings at least one challenge. That is gaining enough practice to make the new way a part of our daily routine. For example, Situational Leadership is a wonderful program advising people to adapt their leadership style to the development level of the learner. We can implement this on the job, but the principles also work in raising children, conducting meetings at church and in the community. The concept also works well in personal awareness and development. By finding other areas to use ideas, the multiple areas of application accelerate the learning and making the new skill a part of our work routine.

These 5 multiple strategies for success are only a few of the techniques to pave the way to success and personal gratification. Acting on these and other methods will help us acquire the goals we so richly deserve.

Copyright © 2012 Orlando Ceaser