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Is it Time to Empty Your Silos?

A video message from Deb (and Reagan) about Silos, Watch now 

When President Reagan said in 1987 “Tear down this wall” it made all the sense in the world. Let communities interact with each other towards a cause greater than our own. And then there is John Knotts who wrote Overcoming Organizational Myopia who said, “Silos must exist for an organization to operate–we want them to exist.” Given these two messages, I wonder if it is time to empty your silos… or not? And while I continue to ponder this question, my dog Reagan in the back is digging a hole to find the mole. While breaking down the dirt barrier, will the resolution be a good one or an untimely demise for the mole?

This begs the question, why do we have silos in an organization and how do they help or hinder us towards our goals? Independent functions who audit other functions or compliance need to be a “silo” to provide valuable information back to the business. We are often “scared” of audits for fear of what they’ll expose. We have firewalls to defend data integrity so that nothing bad happens. We have closed-door meetings that are necessary to allow confidentiality when discussing critical business matters. Walls exist and over time have gotten to be mysterious, secretive and constructs for which information may or may not flow. Given this conundrum of what is necessary vs. what is not, let me provide a framework for you to decide whether you should empty your silos?

How to decide if you should empty your silos: 

You should empty your silos when:

  • information flow is late, incomplete or inaccurate.
  • time is wasted waiting or extra meetings to clarify needs.
  • the customer is negatively impacted by poor performance (internal customers included.)

You should NOT empty your silos when:

  • checks and balances are necessary to confirm compliance standards are met (i.e audits.) 
  • centers of excellence, innovative groups or areas of high creativity need to work independently to achieve high impact results in alignment with predefined inputs from other “silos.”
  • where Legal or Regulatory requirements are necessary to be independent as a risk mitigation control. 

There is a theme in the first section; all the activities that result in Waste. If you’re a student of the 8 Wastes, you’ll know what I mean! I love this funny video from Paul Akers. 

When it comes to not emptying silos, it relates to all the activities that help you sleep at night. You may not always understand what they do and how they do it, but are grateful that they do the critical work they do and are independent of other functions. 

The leadership lesson is this: We talk about breaking down silos, but we need to ask better questions to determine what functions & processes serve the business and how we benefit from them.  

In the case of the mole that Reagan was after; he has lived to see another day due to the dirt barrier. It may not make sense to us why there are holes and mounds in my lawn. If we ask the mole, he may impart great wisdom why he exists and the silo that separates him from Reagan… but that’s for another day.

Building new skills takes practice and I want to be there for you. We cover this framework in our Drop In C-Suite Academy which is still accepting students for enrollment. If you would prefer a 1-2-1 approach, I can also offer my coaching services. I can also create a custom approach to come into your organization and provide & mentor the skills as your partner. 

One more resource for you – my Drop In CEO Podcast episode on “Powerful Words for Influence” you may find helpful in messaging big ideas. 

For more information about The Drop In C-Suite Academy (CS)  dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months.

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Resources

Good Reads

Quit Repeating Yourself: How Today’s Leaders Are Using Systems and Processes to Grow Their Business The Right Way by Jaime Jay

Sometimes we need to be reminded that what we build can only thrive if we give it wings. Starting a new business, evolving a new team or department can only be yours for so long. It is on us as leaders to develop the processes and systems to be able to hand off to the leaders of tomorrow. A great read by Jaime Jay and for more great content listen to our podcast interview. 

Good Music

Keith Merrill – A New Age – Today’s inspiration comes from a piece that gently guides you down the path of new journeys. I am on a journey to connect with as many C-Suite leaders of today and tomorrow. LI Navigator has given me a huge network to connect with and interview. During these interviews, we discuss what has / has not worked for them in their career journey. Those insights are now coming to you in my weekly solo podcasts. If you have a topic you’d like discussed, reply to this email or message me on LI. We can chat and then I can create content for leaders. I am grateful for everyone’s support. 

Good Advice

A funny coincidence that after writing my LF post and recording my solo Ep228 that is coming out Friday 5/20 regarding Silo’s, my interview with Chuck Cooper had a 3 minutes segment on the same topic! 

“There has been a growing chasm with a lack of trust between management and the employees. It’s upon us as leaders to reach out to our teams to start to build that relationship and build that trust.” 

–Chuck Cooper

For more inspiration, Listen & Subscribe to The Drop In CEO Podcast

If you love the podcast, please write a review. We are offering a quick tutorial to make it easy to leave a review.

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Help Your Aspiring Leaders Message Big Ideas

A special message from Deb to you-Listen Now

We were having challenges getting the organization to the root cause of an issue. Something was missing and we were seeking the missing link. One day my employee said “Deb, do you have a minute?” and showed me a whiteboard. They started sharing disjointed ideas, and I vaguely understood the point they were trying to make. They were very talented, but when it came to articulating their big idea, it took some time. However, we eventually translated their Big Idea into one of the most impactful programs in Root Cause Analysis and I continue to use it today.

As a senior leader with people in your care, you see them struggle because they cannot articulate their passion and ideas into something that can create buy-in and lead to execution. Have you or the organization ever developed the skills to guide them from disjointed thoughts into a well-crafted message? I don’t want you to struggle as you ponder this challenge and provide you a framework to speed up the process of developing your leaders of tomorrow.  

Framework for channeling energy into a well-crafted message:

  • Be excited and ask more questions. Ask them to continue to articulate and write down their ideas
  • Ask them what is the problem that this idea solves… or ask what is the outcome they’d like to achieve?
  • Ask them to write down their ideas and ask them to organize their thoughts; sequence or prioritize them.
  • Ask them what is the current state and the gap they want to close?  
  • If the ideas are still random, ask them to group them into common themes. Ask them to create a sentence that summarizes the concepts.
  • Finally, ask them to organize them into a presentation / visual that lays out these thoughts in sequence and ask them to return and communicate their message again using this approach 
  • Another resource you may find helpful is to help Aspiring Leaders Socialize their content to validate & enrich their ideas. 

This may sound simple, but when you have only so much capacity in a day to run the organization and evolve people, these tips are meant to give you the tools to develop the leaders of tomorrow. 

A short video message from Deb to support Capability in your organization

Building new skills takes practice and I want to be there for you. We cover this framework in our Drop In C-Suite Academy which is still accepting students for enrollment. If you would prefer a 1-2-1 approach, I can also offer my coaching services. I can also create a custom approach to come into your organization and provide & mentor the skills as your partner. 

One more resource for you – my Drop In CEO Podcast episode on “Powerful Words for Influence” you may find helpful in messaging big ideas. 

For more information about The Drop In C-Suite Academy (CS)  dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

Essentials of a Successful Marriage by Abiola Soremekun 

What would you say if I suggested that what we learn from marriages is directly applicable developing the leaders of tomorrow? I’m pleased to know Abiola Soremekun who writes a simple but powerful book on marriage, but what can we learn from it for other pursuits? She discusses Listening, communicating and trust among other topics; so relevant to all relationships; especially those in the workplace or our businesses. Why would we treat people in our care any differently than those we care deeply about? Think about it and I’d love to know your thoughts!

Good Music

Pianist Marlowe Carruth’s Eternal Light – today I am inspired by finding new ways to connect with senior leaders and those that are in your care. I’m developing offers to help you struggle less and guide leaders of today and tomorrow. When I listen to this piece, it provides me hope that my work will have a lasting impact on those who I share the best insights I can provide. 

Good Advice

“Sometimes you feel like trial and error is a rite of passage. But you don’t get any extra points at the end of your life for having more trial and error or more pain.”

 â€“Ben Wolf

For more inspiration, Listen & Subscribe to The Drop In CEO Podcast

If you love the podcast, please write a review. We are offering a quick tutorial to make it easy to leave a review.

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Natalie Faye | Getty Images

The Number One Strategy to Sabotage Your Career

Had I followed the advice of my high school guidance counselor to go to a local community college, I would not be writing this article to you now. I was seen as average and had I accepted that narrative, my destiny would have been sealed; at least for a while. This assumption that a career path or goal isn’t designed for you, whether due to societal norms or the expectations of others, is an absolute guarantee you will not accomplish your goal.

Have you ever said you can’t do something simply because you don’t believe you have the skills to achieve more? You say you’re shy. You wish you could speak as eloquently as others. You wish you had a mentor to help guide your career. Within these symptoms of self doubt, have you ever thought about how you could be the one sabotaging your career? 

While this may sound harsh, the difference between what is vs. what could be is taking personal accountability for your career. 

From Personal Sabotage to Personal Accountability

When others suggested that I target “average” schools when entering college, I had a choice. The easy way would be to apply to schools that were well within my capability, making everyone else could feel good about getting me in. However, that narrative was not sitting right with me because it violated my values of excelling and needing to get into Tier I or II schools to increase my chances of a good paying job and financial freedom. The narrative kept coming from adults “watching out” for me that I should send many applications to all colleges including average and Tier I & II just to make sure I got into school. The underlying narrative was they didn’t think I was good enough, but I did not listen. I believed I was smart enough and had to try. 

Having sent out many, I got into Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Stevens Institute of Technology, Rutgers School of Engineering, Miami University school of Engineering and Boston University School of Engineering. Several of these were Tier II schools and in the end Rensselaer became my home for four years as I earned a degree in Biomedical Engineering. 

The key is to evaluate the value of what others say vs. what you think. The key word is “think.” So often as leaders we simply “do” what others expect and then those actions turn into ongoing behaviors. Those behaviors return a feedback signal to your brain that this is who you are. When we think before we do and have good decision logic, we are accountable for our actions. So how do we turn this wisdom into action?

Framework for Transitioning Personal Sabotage to Personal Accountability

  • List your limiting beliefs
  • Qualify which ones did you assume and which ones did others impart on you
  • List approximately when did you assume the limiting belief (i.e as a child, college, adult) and list if it is still relevant or not?
  • For limiting beliefs imparted by others, ask if they are still relevant or not?
  • For anything left over as still relevant, ask yourself this question:

“If I don’t change my limiting beliefs, am I okay with the regret of not knowing what is possible?”

If the answer is no, you’ve made the first step in moving your career forward. I trust you can do this, but perhaps a guide can provide you the support you need.

Building new skills takes practice and I want to be there for you. We cover this framework in our Drop In C-Suite Academy which is still accepting students for enrollment. If you would prefer a 1-2-1 approach, I can also offer my coaching services. 

For more information about The Drop In C-Suite Academy (CS)  dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months.

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Resources

Good Reads

Climbing The Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life by Tony Martignetti – I finished this read during vacation and it validates the need to follow what your heart says about purpose. When we only do what is expected, over the long term, it can take a toll on your mind and body. Take the time to invest in yourself and realize what your fully capable of doing. 

Good Music

Solas – Vital Mental Medicine / The Pullet – This is a very fast pace Irish / American song that is filled with energy, dueling instruments and tension. I reflect upon this piece as how one will feel as they move from a place of holding themselves back to their breakout potential. 

Good Advice

This week, I wanted to source a quote that aligned with this article and found in this quote from Steve Jobs: 

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For more inspiration, Listen & Subscribe to The Drop In CEO Podcast

P.S. If you love the podcast, please write a review. We are offering a quick tutorial to make it easy to leave a review

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How to Declutter Your Priorities

Rushing to my daughters Lacrosse game, I had just finished a conference call. I looked to find my husband and once seated proceeded to check my email. Three years ago, this was a common way of life for me. I hustled to get ahead and while that is necessary as you move up the ladder, it can be all consuming. It cuts into your time with family, community and yourself and we constantly struggle with that word “balance.”

The experts have been lying to you

If you try to juggle three balls in the air and two more are thrown at you, the high performer in you will get resourceful and find ways to juggle all five. The issue comes when you do this while driving to pick up the kids and you’re calling Alexa to start dinner.

We’re smart and resilient and find ways to balance everything. And when we’re done juggling, we sit down in the evening with our significant other saying to ourselves we’re spending quality time, when in reality our mind is juggling the work that did not get done and all that must be done the following day. This is not balance, but the lie we’ve been told is to hustle and find balance at the same time. In reality, we lack the skills to prioritize our time and filter out those things that do not serve us. This is the root of why we don’t hold ourselves accountable when it comes to our career. 

The career conundrum

Doing more to get ahead is what is programmed into our minds. When we get very clear on whether we need to respond to every email, attend every meeting and generate every report, we soon realize that maybe only 30% of what we do really matters. When I say what matters, it includes the most important work you do at work in service to your managers & the business and might contribute to your career aspiration as well. The rest of what you do is busy and necessary, but clearly does not move your career forward. So what do you do? You need to do the work that is part of the job description. Or do you? I suggest, you have your priorities out of alignment and this is your opportunity to prioritize your career and be personally accountable for getting ahead in your career.  

Framework for prioritization and accountability

We need to assure we serve the people we are employed with, so prioritization of what is important is key. Only then will we find the time to prioritize our career aspirations and hold ourselves accountable. In order to do this, we need a framework and a filtering system to stop doing the work that is not value added and start being accountable for your career:

  • What are the things you can stop doing that no one would notice?
  • What are the things you do frequently and with no risk?
  • What are the things you could either do more efficiently or could you delegate?
  • How many hours did you gain back in your week?
  • What are the 5 things you need to do to start doing to get ahead in your career?
  • How  much time do you need each week to do just one thing to move forward?
  • Spend some time visualizing where you want to go and save that image in your head
  • Prioritize the 5 things you need to do to achieve that image you see
  • Schedule to do one thing each week
  • Make it visual and when you’re off track, use a system to get back on track
  • Look at what you did in those 5 weeks and celebrate you moving forward with your career. 

When we learn to discipline ourselves in creating a plan, prioritizing it and achieving key milestones, we’ve learned an important skill called Strategic Planning. If you want to move ahead in your career, demonstrating you have the skills to plan, prioritize and exercise accountability will make you very desirable in your next role. 

The teacher is also the student

I am always swinging between balance and accountability. I find that often when I free up my schedule to do the things that matter, they quickly fill up with new ideas and pursuits. I’m just wired that way because there is so much I accomplish. And then things like breaking my ankle a year ago or simply taking a cruise, remind me to slow down and put things in perspective. I just returned from a vacation and I’ve peeled away yet again those activities that do not matter. I’m juggling less balls in the air and I’m spending more time with you. I care about you and I want you to juggle and struggle less. 

Building new skills takes practice and I want to be there for you. We cover this framework in our Drop In C-Suite Academy which is still accepting students for enrollment. If you would prefer a 1-2-1 approach, I can also offer my coaching services. 

For more information about The Drop In C-Suite Academy (CS)  dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months.

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Resources

Good Reads

Taking the week off because  I’m focusing on connecting with you for the Drop In C-Suite Academy. I’ll come back to you next week with a favorite book I’d recommend.

Good Music

This week, I was so inspired by the topic that I did not need music to help motivate me. I have found recently when I walk my dog Reagan in the cool spring air that listening to the natural music of birds and the silence is all that I need to set me up for the rest of the day. (If you listen to my podcast, Reagan makes a periodic appearance!) 

Good Advice

I love this quote from my podcast guest this week. I’ve learned that the journey is better when you travel with friends. Great advice from James:

“Regardless of your level in the organization, I think there’s always an opportunity to have advisors who can help you stay authentic and stay vulnerable.” 

–James Wetrich

Listen and subscribe now

If you love the podcast, please write a review. We are offering a quick tutorial to make it easy to leave a review

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How to Stop Being the Best Kept Secret in Your Workplace

I raised my hand and said “I’ll go,” as troubles were brewing in another plant. “I’d love to see if I could help out.”

While I was satisfied with my work as an Operational Excellences expert, I knew I had more to offer and wanted to ultimately get a regional role. Volunteering to travel to another facility was the first step in moving my career forward with this company. Having been a high performer without the support of my manager to help move me forward, I knew I had to do something and STOP being the best kept secret in my workplace. 

If you’ve ever hoped to get recognized and promoted only to see others pass you by, you know what I mean. We are brought into organizations to learn and provide value. Sometimes when we do our job well, our managers have peace of mind and don’t seek to create waves and move us along. In my story, I ultimately achieved a Regional Operational Excellence role, but not without honing a process that helped me to move forward. I am pleased to distill the framework for you.

The formula for being Seen, Heard & Respected

  • Start by asking yourself, are you willing to go outside your comfort zone?

It could be you that is holding yourself back and being the “best kept secret.” Maybe you are comfortable and that’s okay. But maybe you’re itching to get ahead, but never had the framework to start moving you from being a secret and putting yourself out there.

  • Know what you’re known for and be able to articulate your value

Know what you’re passionate about and merge what you are good into what you’re passionate about.

  •  Keep an open dialog with your boss.

Let them know you’re interested in doing more and seek guidance with good people to connect with and have 1-2-1’s.You don’t want to do this behind their back. For some, they may see this as a threat depending on their mindset. You want to assure them, you will continue to do the work and meet their needs first.

  • Create a development plan for you to do some work in other areas a few hours a week
  • Cultivate those relationships and meet with them periodically.

Ask what challenges are in their areas. How can you help? Ask to share your work with other teams to spark ideas on how they can leverage your skills and add to what they are doing. Invite your boss and make sure they have a chance to shine or have a piece of the recognition.

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I hope you found these tips helpful and encourage you to write down your own plan and see if it makes sense for you. Then take one action a week to move the plan forward. Always keep moving forward! 

As I finish this article for you, just know I see you in front of me, seeking guidance to help you with your career. Just yesterday I met someone new and I hope in our 30 minute conversation I was able to change the trajectory of that talented individual. 

Building new skills takes practice and I want to be there for you. We cover this framework in our Drop In C-Suite Academy which is still accepting students for enrollment. If you would prefer a 1-2-1 approach, I can also offer my coaching services. 

For more information about The Drop In C-Suite Academy (CS)  dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

You Can’t Google It!: The Compelling Case for Cross-Generational Conversation by Phyllis Weiss Haserot – I am grateful to know Phyllis after being a guest on her podcast soon to be released as well as having her on mine. Her work is around helping the generations to better understand, communicate  and collaborate. I finally finished his read while on vacation last week and it gives me hope that we will all be moving forward together vs. at odds with each other. Check out her work and connect with her. She’d love to hear from you. 

Good Music

Heroic Opportunities by Soundcritters – this piece is so motivating as you venture into new tasks or initiatives; consider this song to get you in the right frame of mind. My copy writer and brand amplifier Amanda Lund waits patiently for me to write my weekly post. Having inspirational music quickly gets you focused and back on track! Enjoy!

Good Advice

“If you’ve never taken the time to have a conversation with an individual and understand the deepest gifts they have to bring, then who are we to judge them as being difficult?”

-Deb Coviello

Listen and subscribe now

P.S. If you love the podcast, please write a review. We are offering a quick tutorial to make it easy to leave a review.

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The Formula for Difficult Conversations

“I’m sorry, but we have to dismiss you.” I looked across the table at the employee I was letting go saw their face fall. They replied, “just tell me what to do and I’ll do it!”

I dreaded that moment and felt unprepared for the conversation. As leaders, we only want to think about the growth side of teamwork, the nurturing and guiding aspects of creating team partnerships.

It’s when we’re faced with the decision to end a work relationship that waters get murky. Far deeper than this transaction, I didn’t have a framework to have difficult conversations about their performance that led up to this event. I avoided conversations that discussed the gap in performance and had a forward-facing plan to close those gaps. In that way, the old phrase of “having a difficult conversation,” moves to one to have a conversation for alignment. 

Having a conversation for alignment

In my upcoming episode 218 releasing Friday 4/15, I take the anguish out of difficult conversations and give you a map to align on gaps and move forward together. They often don’t teach this to you in school and if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll see someone model this behavior. But until you do, the task is mysterious and scary for which you may be unprepared.

In my Drop In C-Suite Academy, we discuss the below framework and then we practice until you build the skill you need. It starts with:

  • Identify the person you want to align with
  • Visualize the outcome
  • Discuss the gap
  • Seek to understand why there is a gap
  • Go first in  offering an action you can take to close the gap
  • Ask for them to commit to an action and close the gap
  • Move forward together and repeat.

A key component of this framework is to “visualize the outcome.” Once we start with the end in mind, every step we take moves us one step closer to what we want to achieve. It also allows us to be a servant leader; going first to offer an action you can take from a personal accountability perspective. It could be in sharing information, setting up more frequent 1-2-1’s with them, setting up a call with a key stakeholder; anything that shows your commitment to the relationship.

The other key element on why this works is it takes away the “mystery of the unknown” of having a difficult conversation to one that slows down the process. It enables you to  exchange information and move through what is perceived as difficult to one that is productive. 

Now think of a situation you would like to try this on. Take the key points and write them down so you have them when you have that conversation for alignment. As for myself; I recognize difficult conversations now as opportunities to close gaps. I find 80-90% of the time these conversations build greater understanding and it’s no longer about perception, but about realities of aligning with other people. 

The guide below can be useful. Click on the image to also download it for your use.

Building new skills takes practice and I want to be there for you. We cover this framework in our Drop In C-Suite Academy which is still accepting students for enrollment. If you would prefer a 1-2-1 approach, I can also offer my coaching services. 

For more information about The Drop In C-Suite Academy (CS)  dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

No alt text provided for this image

Resources

Good Reads

Climbing The Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life by Tony Martignetti – I started this book a month ago, but now that I’m officially signing off on vacation shortly, I’m finally enjoying his rich words and validation for the work I’m doing now. I sincerely hope you get a copy and see if you are climbing the right mountain. 

Good Music

New beginning – Luke Faulkner – 

I share this song with you because of it’s special meaning to me. New Beginning – I’m now sitting at our friends home in Naples Florida before departing on a much needed vacation and cruise. It was hear a little more than a year ago, I was finishing my book “The CEO’s Compass” and putting out messages and insights for the world to receive. I know it was the book I needed to write and the beginning of having a broader impact. Similarly, the Drop In C-Suite Academy is also a new beginning. I’m speaking to students and building my enrollment for my next cohort. Such talent and such wasted skills because we’ve not helped them to evolve the ones needed. We elevate their technical skills & experience; all critical to doing the transactional work. We miss helping them to message their voice and to influence the future. Today, this month, this year is a New Beginning for all who wish to take their career to the next level. Stay tuned for more about the cohort. 

Good Advice

“There’s always two leaders in every organization, the ones who have the title and the ones who have the influence. Ideally, we want them to be the same person, but that’s not always the case.”

 â€“John Robertson

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P.S. If you love the podcast, please write a review. We are offering a quick tutorial to make it easy to leave a review.

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CSA: How to Mind-Map Your Personal Pitch in 5 minutes

You have an outstanding resume. You land multiple interviews. And yet somehow, the offers just don’t come through. You’re celebrated as the subject matter expert, but when a new job opens up at work, you’re not even considered. You’re not alone. This scenario plays out day after day amongst highly talented professionals, and causes them to question their capability and lose their confidence.

This isn’t a skills problem, this is a pitch problem. Society teaches us to present information first and ourselves second. Even if you learn the finer points of moving forward proposals or initiatives, you’re still not recognized as the person who is next in line for a promotion. The challenge becomes being so good at our jobs that people want to keep us in these critical roles. While we can fall into the abyss of being a victim of circumstances, I seek to provide you with some tips to help you take control of your career.

Mind Map Your Personal Pitch in 5 minutes

We need to get out of the box that people put us in. You may be a Compliance Manager, a Senior Customer Service Representative or a Senior Director of Operations and people know what those roles are. You are judged on your deliverables against a job description and often without points for creativity. What I propose is for you to go outside the boundaries of a job description and answer a few simple questions about what makes you different. This will help you to position yourself to get a better result in terms of career advancement.

Write down words & phrases that come to mind: 

  • What am I known for in terms of my technical skills?
  • What other skills do I have that I’m really good at?
  • What do I do better than everyone else?
  • What have other people said about me in passing that I’m good at?
  • What am I really good at outside of work and celebrated for it?

Next, circle things that are related to each other to see relationships that showcase your uniqueness.

For those items where there are unique qualities, are there other industries or jobs that celebrate these skills, but maybe use different words to describe them?

Here’s an example for me: 

Problem Solver, Cut Through the Chaos, Crisis Management, Speaking, Listening, Facilitating Conversation, Soothing Voice, Organizer

I happen to love music and think of an Orchestra & Symphony as ways of bringing different groups together and blending them into something that is beautiful & productive – so I think of this as building relationships amongst disjointed sounds or activity.

I could now consider myself as:

  • The Conductor of Crisis Mitigation
  • The Orchestrator of a Problem Solving Culture
  • The Drummer of Project Management

I know these might feel uncomfortable at first, but think about it; what if you come out and say: “I’m the Conductor of Crisis Mitigation. I drop into situations and can quickly assess the landscape and bring a crisis into control while maintaining customer relationships.” Enrich this pitch with your experience and you will stand out in a noisy field of other experts!

Sound easy? Give it a try! However, I find these mind mapping activities are sometimes best when bouncing ideas off of someone else. You need to give yourself the freedom of free flowing thinking as you explore these questions for yourself. Finding your personal pitch can be the difference between being simply the expert and having the stand out persona that people talk about. 

I offer a 30 minute complimentary consultation to discuss your unique situation because I simply want to help you and others struggle less. I want everyone who is aware they need to try something new to struggle less and achieve their career goals.

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For more information about The Drop In C-Suite Academy (CS)  dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

This week, I’m filling my suitcase with books that have been on my shelf that I’ve been meaning to read. I’ve been so busy creating content that it’s hard to take in new content. While on vacation, I plan to fill my mind with new thoughts and hope to share them with you when I return. 

Good Music

Ludovico Einaudi – I Giorni:

I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed, a touch sad as well as exhilarated for vacation coming up. This music embraces all of these emotions, but ultimately brings you to a place of hope that everything will be just fine. All of these emotions are what makes the human element exciting. I do hope you enjoy this piece. 

Good Advice

While my post is about standing out; please know don’t go it alone. We are better because of leveraging the community of supporters and guides to help us to reach our fullest potential. My guest on this week’s podcast had these words of wisdom to share: 

“We idolize the individual as the unit of being, right? …but if we think of ourselves as social organizations we would think more collaboratively and inclusively.” 

–Mark Monchek

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P.S. If you love the podcast, please write a review. Not sure how? We’ve created a quick tutorial to make it easy.

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CSA: The Secret to Socializing Your Next Proposal

One of the biggest frustrations I see in a corporate setting is when great work never gets implemented fully because of poor change management. New and innovative ideas are often overlooked because we rarely give our subject matter experts the framework to socializing their proposal to get buy-in. This is the pain point we need to address to evolve the capability of our experts. 

I call this the SME Conundrum; the Subject Matter Expert who is celebrated for their expertise, but then falls short because we’ve never developed them beyond their area of expertise. They have gotten ahead because of their expertise, but no one has taught them how to socialize to get buy-in and move it forward. This is often necessary in a cross-functional environment and tiers of stakeholders who need to be consulted. When we don’t develop these skills in our SMEs, they lose their confidence and become a quiet contributor vs. your next stand out C-Suite Leader. 

The Framework to Socialize a Proposal for Buy-In

In a large corporation, I was required to cascade a new initiative through our plant managers and I knew it would be an uphill battle. With so many initiatives happening at once, how was I going to layer on another? Instead of facing glazed eyes and courteous deflection I positioned it in a way that used their language, their pain points and how they could benefit from the work. Once they understood the potential value along with my commitment to partner with them, they soon provided feedback on how it could work. With an evolved framework that made sense to them, I shared it with our senior leadership committee and was able to get it through. The success came because I had socialized in advance with either an advocate (or critic) to evolve how it could work.

Often, when new ideas are presented, leaders may deflect or simply defer because no one wants to go first in approving it. With an advocate in the room who can speak to the benefit, silence or deflection becomes constructive conversation. It then evolves from there and even if there are gaps still to be closed you are seen, heard and respected for facilitating constructive dialog.

In the end, I was able to move the initiative through all the plants. But, it took hard work, not because of the technical details of the initiative. Implementation comes easy. It is the socialization of meeting with stakeholders in advance that is the hard work; but necessary to have a smoother and faster implementation.

Sounds easy? Well, it can be with a framework for which I’m providing a simple tip sheet below: 

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To hear the rest of the story and details around this process, listen to my upcoming podcast episode which airs Friday April 1st. Here you will hear more of my secrets to a successful proposal.

  • Do you have the skills to try this on your next proposal? 
  • Do you know someone on your team or in other areas of the business that can benefit from learning these tips to be more effective as a leader?
  • Would you like to talk to someone about these challenges and glean a few more tips? 

I offer a 30 minute complimentary consultation to discuss your unique situation because I simply want to help you and others struggle less. I want everyone who is aware they need to try something new to struggle less and achieve their career goals. 

For more information about The Drop In C-Suite Academy (CS)  dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months. 

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Resources

Good Reads

Courageous Cultures: How to Build Teams of Micro-Innovators, Problem Solvers, and Customer Advocates by Karin Hurt. Karin was my podcast guest this week and her unique perspective to change how you approach problems and move teams is amazing. Please check out her book and also our podcast interview this week to learn more. 

Good Music

Soundcritters – Heroic Opportunities – I do hope you listen to this piece if you are an aspiring C-Suite leader who has the right mindset and is seeking the path towards that goal. This is very inspirational as it pushes you forward once you have set your mind to invest in yourself and personal development. 

Good Advice

So often we wish our bosses could be different. We often wish to achieve the next level; you’re a supervisor and want to be a manager. However, you can be the person now. You can be who you would want your boss to be. The only thing holding you back is yourself. Start being the boss you want to be remembered by and soon people will gravitate towards you because you are becoming a leader. When you behave like a leader, you become that leader. The title is simply the recognition. 

 â€śBe the leader you want your boss to be.” 

–Karin Hurt

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Mindset Hacks to Spot Opportunities

If I had a dollar for every time my husband said I could do something and I said “I can’t do that,” I’d be a very rich person by now! Until I realized my mindset was the only thing standing in my way of my full potential, I lived a less than purposeful life. I can’t help but wonder how many millions of people l work with each day believing they are fulfilled and then wake up one day feeling that time is running out and what can they do to change things. 

If you’ve ever doubted your abilities or skills, today is the day all that can change for you.

When we are born, we yell loud for our basic needs to be met and get what we want … most of the time. As a child, we swing high to reach the sky without fear, we fall, we get hurt and we jump right up and do it again. We put our stake in the ground and say I’m going work in the police force or become an artist and then look back and wonder what could have been. I’ve found that somewhere along the way, we lose our confidence and settle into mindsets that hold us back. It’s up to us to become aware of that cycle and break it. A Forbes article shares that almost 90% of people have negative self talk. A daunting statistic we must overcome.

Get rid of the “n’t” in your vocabulary.

When we say I can’t, I won’t, I’ve never… we affirm the narrative that we are limited. When we change our language and say I can, I will, I’ll try… we move in the right direction. Try that one at home and if not yourself, see how often a colleague uses such language. You may be the one to short circuit the negative mindset that was adopted.

If you’ve been meaning to make a change in your career, but dwell in the problem state such as: “I can’t apply for that job because I don’t have the right experience,” I propose a different approach. Rather than stating a problem, reframe it as an opportunity. A good framework can be using the 5W’s: Who, What, Where, When and Why. Reframe the problem as an opportunity and you’ll start to shift your mindset.

Let’s try this: “I want a new role that leverages my leadership skills in a new industry by September 2022 because it will be fulfilling work and I’ll grow because of the change.”  Now this is a positive mindset even though you were concerned about your skills matching what someone else said is required. Starting from a place of opportunity will move you in the right direction. 

Use SMART statements.

There is one more piece to an opportunity statement and leverages an old favorite of mine – the SMART statement (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, Time-bound). The reason why I like to leverage this in addition to the Opportunity Statement is because it adds the dimension of “Actionable.” You can have the best opportunity statement, but lack the actions needed to take control of your situation. Write down 3-5 steps you can take right now to take your opportunity statement forward. You’ll soon see what started out as a negative mindset holding you back has moved into an actionable opportunity that leverages your skills.

Sounds easy? It really is, but until you have a framework and someone to talk you through it (wink, wink!), it can be hard to get started. I see so much talent in the world such as yourself and I see it wasted because you’ve not been given the support you need to evolve a positive mindset. It is my mission to help you and those that may be holding themselves back. 

If you’ve come to the end of this article and you understand because you have a positive mindset, I do appreciate you staying with me to the end. However, if you know someone who could use that support in your network, I’d love to connect with you so we can help the next aspiring C-Suite Leader.  Until then, I wish you continued success. 

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months.

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Resources

Good Reads

Drive Your Career: 9 High-Impact Ways to Take Responsibility for Your Own Success by Ed Evarts and past podcast guest on Episode 51 writes about taking control of your career. He assumes a positive mindset and applies tactical skills to navigate to success. A must read and a great person. You should connect with him!

Good Music

“Beyond the Bounds of Joy” by Sound Adventures – I’m feeling rather optimistic today after a few ups and downs. It’s a slow, uplifting song that breathes seasons of possibilities. If you’re feeling unsure as you try new skills, this may put you in a positive mindset. 

Good Advice

Sometimes my podcast guests have such a strong sense of self and a positive mindset, you can’t help but feel uplifted from knowing them. This was a great quote from our recent interview. 

“One of the most important lessons as a leader is letting go. We spend so much time trying to collect power, but knowing when to let go is the best way to lead.”

–Tony Martignetti

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C-Suite Academy: How to Network without Nausea

Does the idea of networking make you feel like you ate butterflies for lunch? You’re not alone.

I remember walking into a networking event only knowing a few people, but had a goal of giving out three business cards and introducing myself to as many new people as possible. I wanted to be interesting, say the right things, have a meaningful conversation and have confidence in my presence. Well, 3 out of 4 isn’t bad as I still was not confident in my skin, but that has evolved much over the last few years. It’s never easy, but here are a few tips for you to make it easier.

Making networking easier starts with a framework. They don’t teach it in school nor in business and only a few lucky ones naturally have this skill or they model behavior they’ve seen in their family or in others. One of my sons (and husband) can go into a room and be the center of attention. My other two children have to observe the room before making small talk. We all come from different areas of comfort, but ultimately we need to provide a framework to make it easier for you.

While searching for statistics to validate this problem, I threw it out because there is so much written on this topic, it must be a problem! It is human nature to protect yourself from danger and the unknown. If humans evolved from a place of no fear, they might not exist. We protect our shelter, food, water and environment to assure we have our basic needs met. It is only with society changing over millions of years that needs are met, but our fear of the unknown remains at the core of our minds. It is time to break open that fear and move forward with connecting with the world. Most of the articles I read give you practical tips, but they fail significantly at defining what it means to network. 

We are all human and what brings us together is community.

Here are a few tips for networking without the butterflies:

  • Smile, look them in the eyes, nod to acknowledge them and as a gesture of kindness and great them the way you want to be greeted and with culture in mind
  • Share how you are grateful for the opportunity to attend the event and ask the other person why they are here and what makes it welcoming for them.
  • When asked what you do, start with sharing what you love to do and why… this buys you a little time to get into a place where you express how you feel about your work. Then share how you help people, the way you help them and only at the end in what capacity. This is where your 30 seconds of fame come in to make you interesting
  • When they ask you to tell you more, give them a one minute about how you’ve enjoyed certain types of work and projects and what was the impact… again making yourself more interesting.
  • Always thank them for asking about you personally and professionally; it puts closure to the exchange and you’re seen as a gracious person and making a small impactful moment. 

In this process, you are building relationships vs. seeking a transaction. Back in the day, they didn’t exchange business cards, but rather food or other symbols to share gratitude or to build the community. We should consider moving away from the “Networking” terminology and revert back to “Community Building” as the true purpose of why we are connecting with others. When we lift others, we lift ourselves. 

What happened after this networking event? 

When I was getting ready to leave the network event having handed out 2 business cards, I was then approached by a member of their board. I was asked to join the board because they felt I could make a contribution to the organization. I was grateful for having been asked and realized that building relationships was key to getting a successful networking outcome! I’ve made some great friends in this organization and I’m able to give back to future C-Suite leaders in the process. I have found my community! 

If you’re still wondering how to put this to action, I am offering you the C-Suite Academy as my offer to help aspiring c-suite leaders take control of their careers based on my 25+ years of experience of navigating the system and learning what it takes to get into the c-suite.

For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!

For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months.

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Resources

Good Reads

Optimism is a Choice and Other Timeless Ideas by Moshe Cohen – I’m grateful to know the author and Moshe Cohen has been an amazing guest on my podcast and Live Talk Media events. He’s so full of optimism and I recommend you follow him also on Linkedin. He’s also the author of Collywobbles: How to Negotiate When Negotiating Makes You Nervous. So if you’re nervous about networking, chances are negotiating is an opportunity for you as well. 

Good Music

“The Power of Belief” by Phil Larson – so often when faced by fear or concern, we lose our confidence to move forward. This piece – The Power of Belief has a fearful edge, but a steady beat that propels you forward. Taking one step every day towards your goal; once you achieve your goal will realize you were always in control and less fearful of the unknown.

Good Advice

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