The Executive Ladder

F.r.e.e. Goal Development Teleseminar

Did last year’s resolutions become a distant memory by February 1^st?

Join us for a F.R.E.E. teleseminar on January 18^th to learn the secrets of establishing goals that you will actually achieve this year.

If you would like to:

§         Lose weight or create a healthier lifestyle

§         Boost your success at work

§         Increase your effectiveness at home while reducing your stress

§         Guide your children to create and achieve their own goals

You’ll want to join us on Friday, January 18^th at 1:00pm Eastern (10:00 Pacific) for a F.R.E.E. teleseminar on The Power of Goals:

Forget New Year's Resolutions - Create New Year's Solutions:

How to Establish Goals That You Will Actually Achieve in 2008

Suzanne Freiberg, Jill Frank, and Lisa Silvershein will take you through the principles of effective goal setting so that you can:

§         Eliminate guilt and reduce your stress

§         Finally lose that extra weight you’ve been carrying around

§         Create a healthier lifestyle for you and your family

§         Increase your salary as you become more successful at work

§         Enjoy the time you spend with your family

§         Coach your children to challenge themselves, to feel empowered and to be able to take charge of their success.

§         Support your children in becoming confident and successful adults

There is no charge to attend this teleseminar – but spaces are limited so register early.  Go here to claim your spot!

Review Of “Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have”

In “Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have,” Justin Menkes clearly articulates the skills that comprise Executive Intelligence.  He supports his theory with numerous examples from today’s top executives. 

In addition, Menkes offers insights into the world of management science, including the tools and theories used to assess and develop potential leaders.  His sharp commentary plainly indicates his view on other leadership theories.

Overall, Menkes does a good job of conveying the skills necessary for success and how to develop Executive Intelligence in future leaders. 

The Silent Career Killer

I consider myself lucky – I am surrounded by amazing people.  They can be described as smart, successful, witty, passionate, and more.  So, I’m shocked when I listen to these very people put themselves down.  How it is that someone who is so great can have doubts about their value?  I (and most others) see their accomplishments and their potential while they worry about their perceived failures and shortcomings. 

A lack of self-confidence is dangerous to your career.  It can manifest itself with arrogant or self-deprecating behavior.  Our fears and insecurities are directly linked to our level of confidence.  If you aren’t confident in your abilities and the value you offer, how can you expect someone else to be?  In the end, you could very well be passed up for the promotion you want. 

What happens to people who are unsure of their value?  At the extreme, they don’t take risks and they set goals that are too low for fear of failure.  Often, they don’t feel that they deserve success, money, promotions, etc. and may settle for less than what is easily attainable.  For people who suffer from occasional declines in their confidence level, they can be afraid to voice their opinions; focus on the disadvantages of new opportunities; and have a harder time reaching their goals.   

On the other hand, successful professionals are dynamic, decisive, and courageous.  How can you possess these traits without being confident?

What most people don’t realize is that our actions are perpetuating the problem, not improving it.  So how do you improve your confidence (if you suffer from severe self-esteem issues, I recommend seeing a mental health professional)?  Check out these five tips:

1.      Stop the self-sabotaging behaviors.  Every time that you start to put yourself down, either in conversation or in your own head, stop.  Replace that thought with a positive one.  When someone compliments you, simply say “thank you.”  Instead of asking “why me” ask “why not me?” 

2.      Don’t expect perfection from yourself.  It’s great to have high expectations, but remember that you can’t be good at everything.  Accept the fact that you have weaknesses – you are human.  Put yourself in a position where you are building on your strengths and not overcoming your weaknesses. The more successes you experience, the more your confidence will rise. 

3.      Surround yourself with friends and colleagues who are supportive.  Let go of relationships with people who feel compelled to point out all of your weaknesses.  If you can’t separate yourself from them, put it in perspective and limit your interaction with them.  People like this typically make themselves feel better by putting down those they find intimidating. 

4.      Don’t compare yourself to others.   Define success for yourself and create a plan to reach your goals.  Take stock of your achievements by focusing on what have you accomplished in your personal or professional life.  Remind yourself of this from time to time and be proud.

5.      Invest in yourself.  If you don’t take care of yourself, who is going to do it for you?  It’s amazing how much a new haircut or a new suit can affect your self-esteem.  It’s not frivolous to take time out of your schedule to take care of yourself, especially if doing so makes you feel better.  Don’t stop there.    Continue to expand your knowledge and skills on whatever is important to you.

Don't be the boss you hate (Part 3)

According to a recent poll of HR professionals, only ten percent of managers are fully prepared for the next level.  Given this information, is it really a surprise that approximately fifty percent of promotions fail (source: Corporate Leadership Council) when the selection decision is based on current performance level? 

One of the most important qualities of a good leader is the ability and desire to develop their employees.  Taking an active role in the development of your team demonstrates confidence and concern for the future of the organization.  Although talent development should be part of a company-wide initiative, most of the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the supervisors.  Unfortunately, development coaching doesn’t come naturally to many leaders.  By following these tips, you can prepare your employees for success at the next level.

1. Encourage professional development.  High-potential employees are not satisfied with the status quo.  You WANT these employees your team.  They are typically ambitious, high performing, and dynamic.  They will be the future leaders of your organization if they are given proper guidance in their development.  If not, be prepared to lose them to the competition. 

2. Create a plan.  Planning is crucial to advancing your career.  Help your employees establish goals that are aligned with their strengths, interest and experience and then create a plan to get there.  A development plan serves as the roadmap that will take you to your goal.  It can be simple or complex but it must include action steps, resources, and deadlines.  Not sure where to focus your attention?  Try the step-by-step promotion planning eClass.  You will focus only on building necessary skills and overcoming obstacles to get you to your targeted position. 

3. Pair your employee’s with a mentor.  Once their goals have been established, find someone who is in a similar role to the target position to serve as a mentor.  Mentoring enables an organization to use it’s existing talent to impart their knowledge and expertise to one another.  Everyone – the organization, the mentor, and the mentee – benefits from the mentoring process.

4. Identify opportunities to expand their professional network.  Having a solid network is imperative to the success of future leaders.  A network is a great source of information, advice, support and inspiration.  Recommend opportunities within the organization, as well as, networking or professional groups that will help them build strong connections. 

5. Challenge your employees to move out of their comfort zone.  You can’t move forward if you don’t grow and you can’t grow if you never leave your comfort zone.  When possible, give your employees challenging assignments.  Help them prepare by providing them a safe environment to learn from the mistakes that they are bound to make. 

6. Hire a coach.  For high-potential employees and employees who need to be redirected to another career path, it can be best to bring in an outside coach.  An external coach provides a confidential environment where employees are free to discuss the challenges and opportunities they face in their careers through the use of assessments, powerful questions, and individual development plans. 

Don't be the boss you hate! (Part 2)

If your team can’t get meet the established objectives, your days as a leader are numbered.  It would be great if your employees came to work each day, happy, ready to work, and performing at their highest level, but this usually isn’t the case.  Your job, as a leader, is to get a group of diverse professionals to work together to achieve a common goal – regardless of the obstacles you face. 

The following steps can be implemented immediately.  They should not require approval from higher up, any additional resources, or training on your part.  This is not one hundred ways to motivate your employees.  While those suggestions are certainly helpful, your employees aren’t going to produce great results because you bought them a cake on their employment anniversary.  They need a strong leader who will provide support and guidance.  What you can expect to see in return is a team of employees who produce consistent, positive results.  And that, is good for your career.

1. Acknowledge the value that your employee’s provide to the organization.  Every job in the company adds value.  For any job you think holds little value, consider what would happen if no one performed those duties. 
2. Treat your employees with respect. This should be obvious, but unfortunately, it needs to be said.  Criticism is expected at work, but it should always be given constructively and at an appropriate time – never in front of others.  Also, remember to recognize your employee’s accomplishments and not just their mistakes. 
3. Communicate clear expectations.  Every employee needs to understand exactly what is expected of them from the start.  If you don’t have a formal performance appraisal process in place, establish and communicate your expectations and the affect their performance will have on their salary, as well as opportunities for advancement. 
4. Create a plan for improvement. Once your expectations have been communicated, give your employee’s the support that they need to achieve their goals.  Give regular feedback do that your employees know where they are performing well and where they need improvement.  For those areas needing improvement, create a development plan, together with your employee, outlining specific steps they can take to improve their performance.  A great time to do this is immediately following a performance appraisal or as soon as you notice that they aren’t meeting expectations.
5. Remove roadblocks.  Occasionally, your employees will encounter roadblocks that hinder their ability to get the job done well.  Do what you can to remove these barriers or help them find an alternative solution to the problem so they can focus on meeting their goals.
6. Model the behaviors you want to see in your employees.  Your attitude and behavior set an example for those you lead.  Is your work ethic lacking?  Do you view deadlines as flexible?  Your employees will look to you when there is a question as to what is most important.  Hold yourself to high standards and your employees will follow.
7. Take a genuine interest in your employee’s professional goals. High-potential employees often have ambitious goals.  Encourage them to develop their skills and gain new experiences that will help them advance their careers.
8. Encourage teamwork. I don’t know much about basketball, but I do know this – if one or two players are trying to make all the shots on their own, they won’t score as many points as a team who works together.  As a leader, you will be judged on the performance of your team, not just one or two players.  Remind everyone that you are first and foremost, a team.  Each person will get an opportunity to stand out if they leverage their talents and work together. 
9. Remember that your employees have a personal life.  While there are times that it may be necessary for work to encroach on your personal life, try not to make it a habit.  Everyone needs time away to recharge their batteries, spend time with people they care about and attend to personal matters.  This time off will allow your employees to give their full attention to getting results when they are at work. 
10. Weed out the non-performers. We all deserve to be successful at work. If you have implemented the suggestions above and you still have employees who are not performing up to par – it’s time to have a candid conversation with them about their future. Is this really where they want to be? If they are committed to this career path, put them on a performance improvement plan and coach them through their development. If not, help them determine where their strengths can be of value, within or outside of the organization.

Don’t be the boss you hate! (Part 1)

Everyone has had at least one bad manager.  Personally, I’ve had three – they were all a disaster in their own unique way.  Apparently, I wasn’t the only one to notice because eventually their career path took an unscheduled detour or came to a screeching halt. 

In order for your career to continue to grow, you must demonstrate effective leadership skills.  Organizations are finally beginning to realize that soft skills are just as important as technical skills and therefore, are placing more emphasis on developing and rewarding effective leaders.

For the purpose of this article, I am defining an effective leader as someone who:

• Hires top talent
• Gets consistent, positive results from their employees
• Takes an active role in the development of their team

A leader who is effective in these areas should experience less turnover, consistently meet or achieve their department’s performance goals, and be considered to take on positions of greater importance.

Hiring Top Talent

The responsibility of recruiting high-potential candidates doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of your recruiter.  There are many ways that you can enhance their efforts to attract the most sought after candidates.  Recruiting shouldn’t be reactive – performed only when you have an opening on your team.  It should be an ongoing activity so that your pipeline of candidates is full and you can start interviewing shortly after a need has been established.  Follow these tips to make the most of your efforts:

1. Look to your existing employees for a promotional opportunity, first.  You should always look within the organization before you consider external candidates.  Reward employees who are actively developing their skills and are loyal to the company.  Is there someone who is ready to take on new responsibilities?

2. If you are an active member of your professional community, start building a rapport with prospective candidates.  Recruiting is a lot like marketing – the more positive contact you have with prospects, the more receptive they will be to talking to you about making a move to your organization.  Keep in contact with those you would like to have on your team one day.

3. Build a reputation as a strong leader.  This is one of those times when you want your reputation to precede you.  If you are known for being a great leader, candidates will want to work for you.  Year after year, “lack of opportunity” is cited as one of the main reasons for employee turnover.  Judicious candidates know that their manager can make or break that opportunity and they make their decisions accordingly.

4. Don’t be intimidated by dynamic, high-potential candidates.  I’ve seen many hiring managers pass over candidates because they were intimidated by their ambition.  Instead of worrying about someone taking over your job (if this is an issue, you’ve got bigger problems to worry about), think about who could potentially replace you when you move on to a bigger role.

5. Avoid the temptation of hiring someone just like you.  It’s great when you have a connection with a candidate, but try to remember that you aren’t hiring someone to be your friend.  Instead, look for someone who will complement your team’s strengths and weaknesses. 

6. Select candidates who are passionate about their work.  Passion is difficult to ascertain during an interview.  However, there are signs you can look for and questions you can ask to better determine if this is someone who is passionate about their work.
   • Does their education and work history consist of positions that build on each other, demonstrating knowledge in their field and a desire for growth? Or, have they bounced around with little direction?
   • Are they actively involved in their professional community?  Do they take advantage of opportunities to develop new skills?
   • Find out why they chose to get into this particular line of work.
   • Make a note of their specific professional goals.  “To be working in a position that utilizes my skills or to be a manager” doesn’t cut it.  Is it just about the money or are they looking for growth or meaning in their work?
   • Find out what aspect of their job they enjoy most. 

7. Stop settling for mediocrity.  Don’t be afraid to hold off on making a selection decision until you have the right candidate.  Get creative in the way you manage your employee shortage.  Consider redistributing the duties on your team and hiring a temporary administrative employee to take up the slack.  This is a great time for your employees gain additional experience.

It's Almost Ready...

I've been working really hard to get my website up and running.  I never knew how long it took and how much work is actually involved.  I have written copy, reports, free online assessments, and articles to create a very content rich website. 

There were many days when I thought it would never be finished.  I'm working on the final details, and I have to tell you, it's all I can do to motivate myself to complete it.  You see, I'm a big picture person.  I have tons of great ideas, and love starting new projects but I don't like to tie up the loose ends. 

Because I know how important this project is to my business goals, I'm staying focused and I have a lot of help.  I never could have done it without such a great support system.

What areas are you finding yourself procrastinating?  Can you implement a support system to help you overcome your roadblocks to success?   

Consider what it will take to get you from where you are to where you want to be.  What resources will you need?  How much of a commitment will you need to make? 

Line up your resources and close the gap. 

Do You Set “Stretch Goals” for Yourself?

Do you have a development need that you are loathe to address?  We all do, admit it!  While I think it’s vitally important to align your career with your natural strengths, you can’t delegate and avoid your “challenged” areas forever.  Eventually, you’ll have to suck it up and address your weaknesses. 

You’ve heard about stretch goals – a goal that is just out of your current reach.  Well, this week I worked on one of my stretch goals.  Public speaking.  Let me start by saying, I would rather cut off my right arm than speak in public.  In college I decided to tackle this fear and took several speech classes – it didn’t work, so I gave it up for awhile. 

I’ve written about the importance of visibility and networking when you are trying to advance your career.  It’s just as important when you are a small business owner.  It’s time for me to take my own advice. 

Yesterday, I recorded an interview with Milana Leshinsky, founder of ACCPOW, on the topic of climbing the corporate ladder.  It’s my first attempt at any type of recording and I was TERRIFIED.  Luckily, I had an experienced interviewer to work with.  I just finished listening to it (that was even more terrifying…I didn’t want to confirm one of my greatest fears!) and I sound like George W. Bush trying to deliver the State of the Union .  A lot of important information but you can hear the nervousness. 

It isn’t easy to face your fears and weaknesses.  Sometimes it isn’t as bad as you thought. Other times, it’s worse!  The ability to do it over and over again until it becomes second nature will separate you from those that never try...and never achieve greatness. 

What stretch goals can you set for yourself? What is holding you back from achieving your goals? 

Look for more on my audio recording in the next couple of weeks.  I’d love your support, and remember, please be kind!

A Little Common Sense Advice

I’ve had a request for this particular post.  Some of my friends in HR would like me to offer a little common sense advice.  It never ceases to amaze us how professionals and executives can completely sabotage their careers with stupid mistakes.

Before reinventing the wheel, I wanted to see what was already written on this topic.  Believe it or not, I didn’t find much.  I guess most people prefer to put a positive spin on it rather than a negative one.  Today, I’m going to be brutally honest. 

So here it is, hot off the press: 

Top Seven Stupid Ways to Sabotage Your Career

For your reading pleasure, I’ve included real life examples of the actions taken by otherwise intelligent professionals.

1. Deceptive and dishonest practices 

You’re going to get caught.  Maybe not the first time, but eventually someone is going to catch on.  When they do, fess up.  Don’t act like the three year old who lies to his mother, naively thinking that she doesn’t know you ate the last cookie even though you have chocolate all over your face.

2. Illegal practices

I’m not referring to taking a company pen.  I’m thinking more along the lines of taking a laptop, check kiting between company accounts and your own, or stealing privileged information for a friend who works for the competition.  Don't worry about losing your job, focus on finding an attorney to keep you out of jail.

3. MIA during business hours

Everyone takes a long lunch or cuts out early for happy hour every once in a while.  Taking it to the extreme is acting as if you’ve been on a business trip (that you expensed) when you were actually on a mini-vacation.  This example can also fall under the two previous points.  Another example is hanging a sign on your office door indicating that you are in a three-hour meeting when you aren’t even in the building.

4. Sex and work

They just don’t mix.  Whether you are having a quickie in an empty office (or a company plane…there is a pilot on board, you’re not alone) or you’re having an affair with your (married or single) boss, it will affect your career.  Unless you’re looking for a severance package or a reputation you don’t want to get back to your family, I don’t recommend it.

5. Unprofessional image and attire

Corporate America has relaxed the dress code over the last ten years; however, the following are never acceptable.  Leather or pleather, in any form other than shoes.  That means skirts, blouses, vests, or pants.  Visible belly rings, thongs, or cleavage.  Drowning yourself in perfume or cologne.  Dirty (am I actually writing this???) clothes.  In my first HR Generalist position, I told new employees to check their attire before leaving each morning and if they hesitated even slightly, change. 

6. Becoming the company “suck-up”

There’s one in every company.  You know the type; they have their lips perpetually planted on management’s backside.  Typically, this path is taken because the person has very little to offer.  They become the undeserved, go-to person at the expense of their coworkers and all levels of management between themselves and their new best friend.  If I’m describing you, it’s time to make a complete career change to a company where your reputation can’t follow.  You’ll never be able to change the opinions that have been formed by your existing coworkers.  Choose a career where you can add value so you don’t fall back on old habits.  Although I don’t personally specialize in career transitions, you can find a coach who does at ICF, CCI, or Coachville.

7. Making a fool of yourself at company-sponsored functions

All executives will have to attend company-sponsored functions, with or without clients.  I don’t recommend drinking heavily, acting like the office romeo, or doing “The Elaine”.  Even if you’re not in the office, you’re still at work – act like it.

Hopefully, none of this applies to you.  If it does apply to anyone you know, feel free to pass it along!

Can you add to the list?  Please include examples, it makes for enjoyable reading! 

Will your habits lead you to success?

I was reading my weekly Straight Shooter Ezine this morning when a statement by the “Queen” struck me.  “Your habits today will determine your outcomes tomorrow. If you want to be a millionaire, you've got to have millionaire habits. If you want to be a great leader, you must have the habits of a great leader.”  This is one of those ideas that is blatantly obvious, but often overlooked. 

I started to think about my own habits.  Are they the habits of a successful entrepreneur?  What activities can I incorporate into my day to increase my chances of success?  Not only my habits but also my thoughts.  It has been said that a positive vision opens up the possibility of new opportunities.

Having had this “aha” moment, my goal is to visualize exactly what I want my business to look like and schedule one or two activities of a successful entrepreneur into my planner each day. 

What is your vision for your future?  Do aspire to be VP of Sales and Marketing?  CEO of your organization?  Senior Partner at your law firm?  What habits do you need to create to achieve your career goals?

They say it takes three weeks of repeating the same activity to become a habit.  What have you got to lose?