Building broad-based community coalitions is a key skill, especially as you rise to the upper levels of an organization. But in my experience, leaders fail to recognize the importance of this ability early enough and wait too long to proactively develop. The result is being passed over for …
Accelerating Your Career
The Power of Podcasts
Continually expanding functional knowledge, monitoring industry trends, and gaining insights are keys to business and career success. In the early 1980’s, when I worked as a bank analyst and loan officer, the internet was in its infancy. I spent many hours at Boston’s Kirstein Business Library …
Think Like a Business Owner
Thinking like a business owner is a great way to add value to an organization and get noticed by senior leaders. An owner understands how the company makes money and the upstream and downstream impacts of their decisions. Two tools you can use to improve your “ownership” skills are the business …
Do These Two Things to Achieve Career Success in the New Year
Focus is the most important part of creativity, innovation, and career success. If you work in a mid or large-sized organization the beginning of the year is chaotic. There are multiple iterations of what human resource leaders call the “goal cascade” phase of the performance management process. …
Time for Reflection, Rest, and Renewal
“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” - Margaret J. Wheatley Rest and reflection are two of the most powerful tools for success. They lead to renewal. Stephen R. Covey called it “Sharpening the Saw”, Habit …
Expected Value of Your Job
When do you know it is time to change jobs? This is one of the most asked questions I get from clients. I share the concept of “Expected Value” to help them evaluate their current job against other opportunities. The expected value of your job is the sum of its present value, future value, plus …
Expected Value Worksheet
Instructions: Use the worksheet below to calculate the expected value of your current job versus alternatives. The expected value of a job is the sum of its present value, future value, plus or minus intangibles. Value Component Current Role Opportunity #1 Opportunity …
Best Books to Manage Your Career
I want everyone to reach their full potential. Whether you are about to graduate from high school or college, just got your first manager role, were recently promoted to the executive level, or planning to retire, there are resources that will help you succeed in your current situation and prepare …
Get Ready for Year-End Reviews
At many organizations, the end of the calendar year is an important performance management time that includes employee self-ratings, calibration meetings, performance reviews, and succession planning. The information gathered during this process is used to determine employee performance and …
Be a Great Sponsor
All Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programs. They understand the importance of helping mentees tap into the knowledge of those with more experience to learn faster and perform at a higher level. But to really move the needle on talent development we need better sponsorship. A sponsor is …
Who Is in Your Players’ Box?
I am an avid tennis player that enjoys watching professional tennis on television. On the surface, tennis is an extreme individual sport. Players stand alone on one side of a court, a net separating the competitors, and no contact until the end of the match. You sit in a chair alone between odd …
Create Your Success System
What do financial guru Dave Ramsey, hall of fame basketball coach John Wooden, and professor and leadership expert Bren`e Brown have in common? They all have a blueprint for success, or a success system. Ramsey created “The 7 Baby Steps” to becoming a millionaire and achieving financial freedom. …