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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

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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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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. 

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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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The Three-Part Framework for Commanding Presence in the Workplace

Ten years ago, I didn’t have a clue what it meant to have a “presence.” I’d show up, give my stellar presentations and then there was simply crickets. No questions, no dialog and I would return to my desk and continue the work I was paid to do. 

Everything changed when I started my own business and realized how presence impacts decision making.

Through trial and error I began to receive feedback at networking events about my message and my “presence.” I followed the breadcrumbs and made connections between what people were saying and what I was doing which was incredibly time consuming, but worth it. I often wondered what a playbook for executive presence would look like.

While I don’t have all the answers, I’ve distilled my process into a three part formula:

  • Foundation
  • Physical
  • Messaging

Foundation

You need to have a well defined “pitch” about who you are, what do you do and what problem you solve. We want people to remember you for this and practice it over and over again. Write it down. Now practice delivering it as a:

  • 10 second pitch
  • 30 second pitch
  • 3 minute detailed pitch

This is the way conversations start so people get to know you. You will learn when the 10 second, 30 second or 3 minutes are relevant so that people know you and want to learn more about you.

When it comes to a presentation, you always go to your foundation and as an example:

  • Today we are here to discuss the inefficiencies we see in our operations. It’s important to maximize our assets, leverage our resources and be best in class. Through the expertise of my organization, we approach this challenge and apply analytical rigor to find the best solution. 

Always use those talking points: maximize our assets, leverage our resources and be best in class. Soon you will be known to be “that person” to go to for help in that area. 

Physical

There are a few key traits of physical presence that can help attract the right kind of attention when you walk into a room:

  • Confidence – show up as confident, even if you’re shaking in your shoes! Find something or someone to ground you and show up confidence. 
  • Technical Competence – know your stuff. Non-negotiable. Practice with a colleague or practice in a mirror. 
  • Strong Posture -whether sitting or standing you need to find your superman or super woman posture that makes you feel incredible. 
  • Voice – deliver with conviction, conciseness and confidence. I’ve often seen women or men when delivering content always end their sentence with an up-tilt note. This infuses doubt into the listener’s ear for which I suggest you practice ending sentences on a down note. I have some great resources for you on how to practice this skill
  • Appearance:  I hesitate to mention this because it’s not about a new hairdo or a new wardrobe. It’s about wearing the clothes and accessories that communicate a confident image and aligned to your messaging. It sometimes takes an external perspective to fine tune how you look physically and what people actually see in you. 

Once you have these foundational elements in place, it’s now time to take your information or content and to socialize it for support. Make sure that the content you use to communicate information is in a relatable language, you tell the audience what’s in if for them, you qualify the risk & opportunity in quantifiable terms and you come with your own thoughts and proposals. 

This is the culmination of presence; to be seen, heard and respected. You will soon feel yourself being pulled “to the table” more and more; I can promise you.

So how do we bring this all home for you? Let’s review: 

1)     What do you stand for? What do you want to be known for?

2)     Do you physically in all ways convey the message you want to convey both in your voice, delivery and the image people see when I am present?

3)     Content is king, not just what you present, but how it is received by your audience.

When these are in alignment, your presence is seen and heard and I promise you will stand out and be respected.

If this makes sense, I’m pleased you can put this to action.

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

Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice Paperback – April 16, 2019by Dr. Laura Sicola I love Laura’s work and she shared with me many tips to even evolve my communication skills 

Good Advice

“Most of the issues that we are experiencing throughout our lives are based on that dysfunctional disconnection between emotions and feelings.” 

–Dr. Kinga Mnich

Listen and subscribe now:

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The C-Suite Academy: How to Decide if a New Job is Right for You

Several of my students have asked me: “How do I decide if a job or opportunity is right for me?” A few years ago, I struggled with the same issue. I’ve made decisions and later found the job was not right and it quickly came to an end. Later in my career, I was more grounded and made better decisions for which I’m grateful. The process of choosing a new job or approaching any big decision can be heavy with emotion and fear of the future.

You start with the emotional roller coaster.  You wonder if you can fulfill the role? You’re excited to share the prospect with others. And then a little thing starts showing up inside of you. You have a sinking feeling in your gut. You try to rationalize these feelings whether good or bad. They can even bring you tears of joy because it’s everything you’ve ever wanted and you feel like you arrived. But in the end you find yourself festering over the details and sometimes paralyzed to make a decision. Emotions wear off and now you’re left with needing better decision making skills. 

Values, Needs & Purpose Framework: 

When making decisions, I find it easiest to ground myself in the following:

My values â€“ family, rest, service, home cooked meals, community

My needs – financial, health, location, retirement, close to family

My purpose  – greater calling or what feeds your soul

It’s important to use this framework and create your own metrics for decision-making – be it a new role or and everyday challenge.

But how do you weigh your choices against this framework? It would be ideal if the choice or opportunity fit all three – values, needs and purpose. When aligned, it’s a green light all the way.

What if your opportunity only checks the box on two of the three?  Could you live with it for the short term knowing it satisfies your values, needs or passion in the long term. Then, you might go for it. 

I was once faced with a job offer where my values & needs were checked, but not my purpose. I struggled with it, but then I took the high road and said, it was a means to the end in achieving my purpose. – then I can live with the decision. That role led me to my dream job 2 years later. 

But what if the role fulfills your needs such as financial, health, location, but it would require violating your values of rest, home cooked meals and it did not fulfill your greater purpose. You could take the role and be successful, but chances are it’s not sustainable.

So if you can’t check the box in all three, for the one you cannot, ask yourself how long are you willing to do without and if only a month, then pass on the opportunity. If you can pause for 2 years, then okay as long as you have a plan to do the work to fill your soul.

This work cannot be done quickly. A disciplined leader has to do a few things in order to move through this: 

Pause & reflect â€“ what are you feeling and acknowledge the energy? It’s important because the chemistry between what you’re feeling in your gut, in your heart and your mind are on high alert and you need to acknowledge it. Your body knows when you’re on the precipice of something new. The body needs some time to equilibrate to recognize this is a place of growth and refining your guiding principles for making a decision.

Look at the framework of Values, Needs and Purpose. If you can check the box on 2/3, you’re in a good place as long as you have a plan to fulfill 1/3 down the road.

If you’re only at 1/3, then evaluate how long you can live in that state of imbalance and if less than 6 months, it may not be right and go in a different direction.

Using the Framework to Make a Leadership Decision

Think of your situation. 

Can you apply the approach of what are your values, needs and purpose and use that to help you make a decision on a new role or position?

By following this framework you respect the weight of the decisions you’re making while building new leadership skills for future decisions.

For example, the next time you need to hire a team member you can ask yourself the three important questions regarding value, needs, and purpose. Do they have the same values and needs that the business has? Do they express a greater purpose for which they can grow with the organization?

If this makes sense and this insight can be valuable to you and others, I’d love to have a conversation to help you or the communities you serve. I can share my insights through a webinar or speak in person. I can share with you The CEO’s Compass, my book that has many of these insights for C-Suites and Aspiring C-Suites. I also offer you my C-Suite Academy that is to serve the Aspiring C-Suite who wants to take control of their career and get promoted. I’m here to help you achieve your goals. 

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

This week, I did not have time to read something new. I’m in a place where I’m managing multiple accounts and instead of filling my mind with new insights I decided to give my mind some rest. Sometimes when you rest, more creativity comes through vs. filling it up with new information. Rest is good I keep telling myself and it may be what you need right now for clarity and decision making.

Good Music

NIGHT Part One: Snow – Solo Pianist George Winston – from DECEMBER

George Winston is an artist I discovered many years ago who’s pieces mirror the seasons of the earth, but also parallel seasons of change and decision making. In this piece, it feels like your heart and mind racing which is what you may face with a difficult decision. Discover this artist as it may speak to your soul. 

Good Advice

“Most of the issues that we are experiencing throughout our lives are based on that dysfunctional disconnection between emotions and feelings.” 

–Dr. Kinga Mnich

Listen and subscribe now:

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C-Suite Academy: Winning over difficult people

I remember having a 1-2-1 with my boss and feeling proud of how well I prepared for that meeting. I knew I was going in with concrete topics I wanted to discuss and solutions to each for a good conversation and enrichment. To my surprise, they said they appreciate my ideas, but told me to only focus on the short term projects and not the long term ones that could make a significant impact. I left the meeting deflated and questioned if I was in the right role or was I doing the right job. I thought my boss was a bit harsh and I couldn’t understand it. I wanted to react, but instead I simply responded with compliance to his request and left the meeting unfulfilled.  

Have you ever felt that way after a meeting? Knowing this can be a challenge for many, I wanted to provide you some insight in how to win over difficult people. 

Check your mindset before evolving new skills to manage difficult people.

The first thing we must do is to check in on yourself and your mindset when it comes to who you “perceive” as being difficult. I suggest you think about a particular situation you’ve encountered and these themes about being perceived as difficult:

  • It’s a gap between your standard of behavior and theirs
  • If you were having a bad day, would you want others to judge you in that moment as the way you are all the time and with everyone?
  • Could there be a reason why they behave that way that is embraced culturally? It may simply be not acceptable in the culture you are familiar with

What does it mean to be perceived as difficult?

Let’s also ground ourselves in what it means to be difficult because these are the items that can trigger you to “react” vs. “respond” and control your interaction with that person.

People are perceived as difficult when: 

  • Micromanaging your work
  •  Come across short – you interpret them as being condescending
  •  Publicly humiliate you
  • Chastise you for sending an email or reaching out to a person in the organization
  • Nit picking about insignificant details in a presentation

So now that we’ve qualified the gap you see in the people and the scenarios for which they show up as difficult, what are some tools you can employ to win over difficult people?

Employ a Framework that assumes the person is good and means well

Starting from a place of assuming the person is just like you and has good intentions. Also know there could be external influences on this person that cause them to behave in a way that could be “survival” in the culture they reside. You can go in with this approach that could improve the outcome of a 1-2-1 with them:

  • Gratitude – thank them for their time, guidance, or feedback. Relate it to a recent issue
  • Acknowledge them – sometimes these individuals are seeking attention and being “loud” or imparting their views is a way that speaks to their value or higher needs. They may not be getting acknowledged by their peers or those higher in leadership. 
  • Discuss the Gap between standards or expectations – this could be behavior, culture or ways of working. Be clear to show your view vs. your bosses view and gain consensus on the gap. Ask probing questions about their view on the gap and ways to close them. Again, it could be they don’t have good skills in communicating gap, so it come across as “difficult”

Try this on a colleague before you try this on the person you perceive as difficult. Once you have the confidence, go in strong expecting the best. The good news is you may come to a higher level of understanding about the person and then you no longer see them as difficult. The even better news is if the person continues their behavior, you’ve at least developed a new skill in having a constructive conversation and you responded with control. This skill can be taken to all parts of your career and personal life. 

So what happened to me and the person I perceived as difficult? I practiced this framework and they no longer picked apart my work. I was gracious to their needs and keep them informed of the work I was doing. They continued to communicate their support for the work I was doing and kindly provided feedback in a way that was constructive vs. destructive in the past. Who knows, I may have taught the other person new ways to communicate! 

Sounds easy? Maybe it is easy, but hard to develop the new skills on your own.? My C-Suite Academy contains content like this and so much more that will help you take control of your career. 

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

The Trusted Way: A Story About Building a Life and Business of Character Paperback – by Patrick Galvin

I recently interviewed Patrick on my podcast and starting from a place of building trust in relationships can be the foundational skill you need to manage difficult people and conversations. 

Good Music

Touch the Sky – Rise Above (Veigar Margeirsson)

When you are feeling frustrated, an uplifting song that pulls you to a higher level is what this song delivers. I’m feeling overwhelmed and grateful for the work I have now in service to clients and when I feel down, this song and artist lifts me up. I’m strong and I have strong people around me to be successful. I want you to be successful and this is my little gift for you. 

Good Advice 

“You may not be able to change the situation, but you can make decisions

on how to control the situation with the fullest of confidence.”

–Deb Coviello

Listen and subscribe now:

Episode 202: “C-Suite Academy: How to Get Your Boss to Trust You”

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C-Suite Academy: How to Build Trust with Your Manager

I’ve often wondered how trust is earned when it comes to job growth and working independently. We welcome the guidance of those who are trusted with our development. We are excited to learn new skills and show what we’ve learned and demonstrate our value. However, at some point we feel like we have met expectations, yet our work continues to be scrutinized. 

About 5 years ago, I was on a project with my manager to reduce the amount of customer complaints we were receiving. We both had great experiences, but each time we would come together, they would comment on my work and I was never fully aligned with their expectations. With each interaction, seeing it as a learning opportunity, I would ask for clarification on what was expected and I’d go away and work on another part of the project. The same thing would repeat itself because there always seemed to be a bit of information I did not have or understand and my work never quite met standard. It was frustrating and my confidence to provide value kept sinking. I didn’t trust myself and I don’t think the manager trusted me to meet their expectations. 

Do you have a framework to have a conversation to discuss the gap you see?

Try this framework: 

  • Gratitude – always thank them in some fashion – opportunity, meeting with you, helping you to evolve
  • Identify the Outcome of the conversation – these sets expectations at the start
  • Discuss the process in question and the strength first
  • Discuss the process and the gap that detracts from the strength
  • Propose a solution to close the gap or
  • Seek feedback on what would close the gap

You take full control of the conversation!

Having realized there was a disconnect in my boss trusting my work, I arranged for a 1-2-1 to discuss. We soon realized there was a knowledge gap in an area that they assumed I had training. Having realized this gap, they immediately stepped back and filled in the information and context I was missing. Once we took the action to close that gap, I was soon delivering the results they expected. After a short while, they stopped having regular meetings with me and asked that I simply keep them informed. What a relief! 

If this lesson was helpful, but need more support to apply these principles, please consider the C-Suite Academy.

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

Climbing The Right Mountain: Navigating the Journey to An Inspired Life

By Tony Martingnettiwho I interviewed recently and his episode will air March 18th on The Drop In CEO Podcast. He has pursued work that fills his soul in coaching people like you to do the work you were meant to do. Even if  you can’t switch jobs or rolls right now, do something on the side that fuels you and someday it can be your life’s pursuit. 

Good Music

Metro Exodus – In The House In A Heartbeat

This song is a little different and has a “James Bond” sound to it. It’s wrought with mystery of the unknown and a little unsettling. I often share these songs with you to share with you how I’m feeling. I’ve recently started a new contract role and feeling a little uneasy and also growing. I’m also launching my C-Suite Academy and while I know it will be successful, until my students say it is a success, it doesn’t matter… yet. So this song is for all of those who are moving forward and while it feels dark or the road less traveled, know that you will come through on the other end better and stronger. 

Good Advice

Sometimes my favorite quotes are the ones that come from my solo episodes. When I’m in flow, I never know what will be said! Enjoy!

“We as a community need to realize the pockets of greatness in our ranks and seek to elevate them.” 

-Deb Coviello

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