I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Sally Helgesen (LINK), an expert on women’s leadership, and internationally best-selling author, speaker and leadership coach for Her New Standard (LINK). In Sally’s book How Women Rise, co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith, they highlight two habits that can hold you back from your next promotion, raise, or job.
- Reluctance to claim your achievement – often rooted in genuine modesty and a willingness to acknowledge others; and
- Expecting others to spontaneously notice and reward your contributions – often rooted in cultural norms of modesty or the belief other people notice what we do.
Welcome to April. April is a great time to begin your personal communications campaign. You do that by sharing accomplishments, setting future expectations, and activating your network.
Share Your Accomplishments
Last month you worked hard to deliver your first results of the year and put those results on paper using the STAR Method (click to learn more LINK). But successful careers are built on expertise, connections, and visibility – not simply hard work. Making your accomplishments visible to others is vital for success!
Invest time and energy to communicate your accomplishments. Think broadly and creatively. Below are some ideas you can use to make your accomplishments visible.
- Boss Email: describe accomplishments in writing to your manager. Ask for feedback. Your goal is to give your manager the information and language they need to share with others.
- Lunch and Learn: what you have accomplished, and how you did it is probably of interest to others. Share lessons learned from projects and initiatives in an informal setting like lunch, or a coffee break. Ask others to share their knowledge.
- Social Media: share your story in the company magazine, newsletter, or other communication channel. If you choose to share externally, remember to maintain appropriate confidentiality. Large organizations have marketing / communications departments you can work with to hone your message. They also govern the organization’s communication policies and procedures.
- Conferences / Industry Panels: identify opportunities to share your expertise outside the company. Colleagues will pay more attention to your accomplishments if they are noticed and appreciated by others.
Set Future Expectations
When higher-level leaders do notice your accomplishments, they will often ask, “What would you like to do next?” I am amazed at how few people can answer this question confidently. The concept goes by many names including “Elevator Pitch,” “Personal Branding Statement,” and “Vision Statement.” No matter what you call it, the goal is to have a concise statement of no more than 60-90 seconds that:
- States what your current job and responsibilities are now.
- What job role or responsibilities you want in the future (can be short or long-term).
- Why you have the experience, knowledge/skills, and ambition to succeed at a higher level.
Create this statement, practice repeating it with family and friends, and get mentors to share ideas for making your statement better. A quality statement, and the ability to communicate it with confidence shows you are a professional with aspirations. It sets expectations in the minds of peers, managers, and human resources.
Activate Your Network
When was the last time you activated your network? I don’t mean having coffee or a lunch or reaching out to someone new to develop a relationship. When was the last time you asked someone in your network for something specific? It doesn’t do you any good to build relationships if you don’t use them.
This month make it your goal to activate your network. Ask for something specific that is measurable, concrete and supports your career goals. Examples include:
- Can you introduce me to Rhonda, or set up a lunch with the three of us?
- Will you write me a recommendation for graduate school?
- Will you invest in my new venture, or introduce me to an angel investor in your network?
To some this may sound too forward, or selfish, but it is not. Reciprocal or quid pro quo relationships are effective and build trust over time. Why invest the time and energy into a network if you get nothing in return?
Bottom Line
April is all about launching your annual communications campaign. Making others aware of the value you offer the organization. Time to share accomplishments, set future expectations, and activate your network.
