Your Resume: A Work In Progress

Your resume. Your professional life summed up in one or two pages. I have lost track of how many times I have fine tuned, polished and picked apart my resume. Every time I think I have it perfectly done, I will submit it to a resume writer, or read another article that speaks of including or doing everything I'm NOT doing in mine. To put personal interest or not (it allegedly can either make you approachable or make you sound amateurish), to include years enrolled or not (some say it will tell your age), to open with an objective or not (many claim that this is "fluff" and that recruiters feel that this screams rookie) ... the arguments are endless to do this or that.

There are approaches that advocate countless directions so what to do? Polish it, fine tune it, read it over and over again, read your friends resumes, examine the job posting, research the company ... and then tailor your resume to what feel like YOU.

After years of getting the interviews I wanted (and some of which I wanted but didn't get) I can tell you this; get feedback. Often we are too close to our own resumes to really be objective. While I never used a resume writer, I did get their feedback. Often resume writers will provide you with critique if you ask for it, aiming to sell their services. A good resume writer sometimes cost up toward $500 (and more for execs) to rewrite your resume. Few can afford it, but if you can, I say do it. However, if you are a good writer and have good feedback, just keep tweaking your own. Invite feedback from your friends whose opinion you respect. People often don't want to critique someone's resume out of worry that it will offend the recipient. Let them know that you are looking for critique and welcome it. Trust me, suspend your defensiveness (even if you have slaved over that resume for months on end) and open yourself up to opinions. It will give you a whole new perspective.

FYI, I speak from experience: I recently landed an executive job with my dream company. It's another Fortune 500 company, but in an industry I'm fiercely passionate about. It took me months on end of tweaking my resume, but it paid off. It was a humbling experience at first. No matter how good you think your resume is, it will inevitably have to compete against several hundred others who also consider their excellent.

Remember that most recruiters and hiring managers get absolutely swamped with resumes for any good job. I recently received close to 200 resumes in one business week, for an entry level marketing position. Needless to say I was not able to read every resume I received, but I did scan through them and a few did catch my attention. The cookie cutter ones who read (and looked) like they had been taken out of a Word template did not make the cut. Beware of templates; they are widely recognized.

Imagine yourself a hiring manager ... what would get YOUR attention?

"I don't have the time" ...

I've been bad, I admit it. Jason Alba, whose blog JibberJobber I faithfully read on a weekly basis, once wisely counseled me that a good blogger should write a minimum of 3 posts per week. His most recent post, linked above, is clearly a good reminder of this consistent practice as I often check in on his posts using my beloved RSS reader, and usually expect to find something good and new in there (I'm rarely disappointed). Personally I have gotten away from writing in the last couple of weeks because ... "there has been so much going on". Novel concept isn't it"? It definitely echoes the typical excuses we all make about most things in general; we don't have the time/energy/fill-in-the-blank.

In reality, we do have time, and energy. We just don't want to. Think about it, do you make time to read a blog? Watch your favorite TV show? Attend happy hour? The things that bring us enjoyment, and which we don't deem as "work", we make time for. Few are the people that truly "do not have the time". There might be a select number of individuals who are go-go-go from the minute they wake up to the second they close their eyes. I just don't know any.

So when I say that I haven't had the time to write, or call that long lost friend, or send a birthday card to a team member, I don't mean I really don't have the time. I just mean that I haven't prioritized it. Watching "Top Chef" just kind of seemed more important (See, I could try to make myself sound terribly important by saying I was in meetings from early morning til dusk but you would all see right through me anyway ... ). Forget location, location ... these days it's all about priorities, priorities.

Survey Paranoia

Employee Surveys. You either love them or hate them. For those that love them, you probably feel that as a whole they usually do make a difference and call (management’s) attention to areas that need improvement in a company. For those that hate them, you might be rolling your eyes and dismissing them as a “corporate fluff” and assume the position that survey results never get acted upon. I’ve heard arguments for and against surveys, yet I truly do believe that they make a difference – if employees are truly honest in their feedback, which brings me to the topic at hand; paranoia. It’s quite common that regardless of how many times management assures the work force that the results are anonymous and confidential, the majority of folks still believe that their answers are somehow tracked and that they will derive some kind of punishment if they get overly critical.

People. Stop. Being. Paranoid. Confidential surveys ARE confidential. Usually conducted by outside agencies or companies, they are designed for anonymity. Answers are tallied up by an independent third party and the individual answers never shared with ownership or management. In addition, do you know how expensive it would be to track each person’s IP address, match it up with the survey answer and then set out to analyze the degree of criticism in a large work force? Even in a 50-person office, this would probably cost more than the survey itself. Owners or managers who put forth an employee survey are not interested in using it as a punishment or tracking tool. The goal is nearly exclusively always to learn more about the organization and what’s on the mind of employees.

If you just mindlessly find yourself clicking through a survey without much thought to your answers, you would do everyone a favor and not engage at all. Employee surveys are VERY costly to design, implement and analyze. They provide employees with an opportunity to stop complaining under their breath, and to put forth some actual engagement into improving their work environment. If you provide only positive feedback (yet in reality feel miserable about work), you are only sending a thumbs up message to management that what they are doing is working. Consider yourself fortunate if you get an employee survey as your management is clearly investing in you and hope you will do the same in return, by providing constructive, honest and engaged feedback. The goal for management and ownership should be to keep the survey results transparent and communicate an action plan for follow up (UPS does this very well). The feedback loop is thus closed where the employee feels empowered to give feedback because he/she is actually heard.

Don't Exit With a Bang

In 15 years of being in a corporate environment and management I have seen plenty of Corporate Rockstars come and go, some more talented and memorable than others. The one defining departure factor has usually been surrounding dissatisfaction with a particular manager and/or corporate culture issues. Having gone from a small company to medium size to now very large, I can easily say that this is a universal exit factor regardless of size or structure. There will always be that one manager that you either do not like nor get along with. Some folks manage to exit gracefully, others less so. There are plenty of urban myths out there about exiting a company, many of which play into people’s daydreams of what they really would like to say to their nemesis manager upon departure. One in particular, a disgruntled employee supposedly sent this resignation letter to his boss, sparking a shock wave across the web as it first was published. Many a cubicle warriors snickered as they got it, secretly wishing they too could write something similar. People wanted the letter to be real, hoping someone really had “stuck it to management” like this. Sorry; urban myth # 456334. Letter was made up.

Funny? Yes. Smart? Not so much. The resignation letter above may be just an urban myth, but the sentiment behind it is not. The disgruntled employee/boss relationship has existed for eons. That said, there is a lot to be said for not burning your bridges, hard as that may seem to do when you feel like you want to skip out of the department singing with your new job offer in hand. You never know what may come down the road; lay offs can happen in your new company, you don’t meet expectations during your probationary period or you may find yourself on the job market again several years down the road, in need of a career reference and history. Employers may not be in a legal position to comment on your character or performance, but make no mistake, they can send a strong message using tone of voice and enthusiasm when saying “Yes, she/he used to work here”. Regardless of how you feel about your boss or management, always exit gracefully and professionally. It will reward you down the line.

Developing Leaders

Here is the difference between a smart professional and an equally sharp college grad: assertiveness. Nothing more, nothing less. There is no magic bullet to leadership, no "secret", no ingredient other than time. Folks who have been in a corporate environment for some time know to take risks; they put their ideas out on the line and they back them up, even when the boss questions or challenges them. College grads, or less mature professionals, usually back track, pay lip service (to the boss) and/or acquiesce. Mind you, compromising is not a bad thing and in my opinion, highly underrated. However, there is a thin red line between compromising and not fighting for your ideas or giving up. Know when you are doing what.

I often look around my office and our meetings, observing people and how they present themselves as well as their projects. We have a director who likes to play devil's advocate and who thinks in a very linear fashion (all together now; "IT GUY!"). As such you can rest assured that nearly every idea or project you will put forth will be strongly challenged, if not even shot down at first glance. Argument after argument is dissected and sometimes dismissed, with only the most assertive (strongest?) still standing firm when the meeting is over.

The less assertive folks nervously nod in agreement, while their gaze is fixed into the table in front of them, as if some magic spot in the cheap wood veneer will calm their upset and rejected selves. I've done it, we've probably all done it. However, as the years went on and I truly believed in my ideas (while making sure I was darn well researched and informed prior to going into the meetings!) ... I grew more assertive, more confident and more strong. Nowadays, being assertive on business issues is second nature to me but it took time.

It should be noted that sadly, some managers or senior business folks never get there, regardless of tenure. Makes you wonder about the quality of leadership in Corporate America today, or rather, the LACK of leadership. True leaders develop leaders, over time.

"I'm Working On It ... "

Welcome to the Oh-Well parade. One of my biggest pet peeves in Corporate America today is the lack of accountability when it comes to meeting deadlines. Between the indifferent co-worker, cable company or tech representative, I’m ready to tear my hair out. Does anybody care anymore??

Most companies will never fire you for missing deadlines or for over-promising and under-delivering; something many employees working for them take advantage of. “Not my fault”, they claim while shrugging their shoulders, “I’m just waiting on XYZ”.

Toll free tech support operators “accidentally” hang up on you, often after you have been patiently waiting in a twenty minute phone que (make no mistake, this is no mistake!). The graphic designer who assured you the website would be finished by end of week is nowhere to be found, email or phone. The bank manager who guaranteed that the erroneous bank charge would be reversed (you know, the one that cost you $120 in overdraft fees??) by tomorrow morning “apologizes sincerely” when it wasn’t done.

We all know the stories, we all get equally frustrated at the lack of service and accountability, yet none of us know what to do about it. I suggest that we can only start with ourselves; create a personal credo to do unto others the way you would have done to you. Provide the best service, be utterly reliable and most importantly; stand by your word if you give it, whatever it is and to whomever it is, even if that customer is a faceless voice on the other line. It could be your self.

Keep It Brief

While driving to work this morning, listening to my favorite radio station (Sirius: Lime), I literally wanted to zap a lady who was on via phone (with the host). She was going on and on about her point, all the while the radio host was trying desperately to get her to wrap up. Finally, the host had to just literally cut her off mid sentence and go into break. Recently a similar incident happened at work where a fantastic (but long winded) co-worker of mine was going on and on to a senior executive who had asked for her feedback about a topic. As my colleague was waxing on about her experiences, it was quite evident that the executive’s eyes had glazed over and that she was already thinking about her next meeting. The entire point of the conversation was for naught as the point was lost in excessive verbiage.

Coming from someone who likes to talk (this is where my husband would nod vigorously while rolling his eyes), even I know when to keep it brief and concise. Brevity seems to be a lost art in the business world today as most of us just experience verbal diarrhea when asked about our opinion (or decide to provide it unsolicited!). It seems that that worst offenders are those who aren’t good observers of people.

If you observe your listener, you will know immediately when their attention starts to wane and when it’s time to wrap up or turn the mic back to the other guy or gal. Eye contact is lost or weakened, their “uh huh” and “oh, interesting” responses start to fade and their notepad doodling gets increasingly artistic. Seth Godin, someone I consider the God of Permission Marketing, has a very good point when he points out (about blogs in general but still … the point is the same): people really just want to hear your story or point as it relates to them or put forth in a summarized manner that might apply to them.

So keep it brief, keep it concise and above all … observe the body language of your listener (if via phone or web, listen to your listener … when they get too silent, take your cue). Brevity is often king.

What's in a diploma?

While watching the Food Network’s “Who Wants To Be The Next Food Network Star?” finale last night (the right candidate won in my opinion!) I couldn’t help but ponder Jag’s position and situation. For anyone not familiar, he was one of the final two contestants but ended up taking himself out of the competition when it was discovered that he had lied on his application, listing both service in Afghanistan and graduation from culinary school; none of which he had accomplished. Why anybody would lie on a resume or application when you’re vying for a public job on national TV is beyond me but that’s not what I was thinking about. Jag showed up for the finale and seemed to have tremendous camaraderie and respect from the rest of the cast. It seems that his skills and performance had left a strong enough impression on them that they chose to disregard his fibbing a resume which made his presence on the show even a possibility.

It brings up a topic that is very relevant to the business world as well; the measure of a candidate’s true skill versus what is on his or her resume. Some of the most brilliant people I know never graduated from college. Other very talented professionals (I know) graduated from a community, or non-name brand, college. Michael Dell (Dell), David Geffen (Dreamworks) and Richard Branson (Virgin Air) are among some well known executives never graduated from college.

The pressure to present excellent credentials and an impressive resume weighs heavily on applicants to Fortune 500 companies. In a world where hiring managers and recruiters look only at “names”, whether that is prior experience with a Fortune 500 or a top school, it is tough to stand out. But the question remains, are those candidates without a degree or without the pedigree lesser qualified? I don’t always think so. Unless I am hiring for an entry-level position, I usually look at work experience as the main indicator of a person’s talent, with education being secondary qualifiers.

One might think “once you’re in, you’re in” but think again, a lady I worked with (highly skilled and super sharp I might add) was not applying for higher level management positions because she did not have a college degree. She worked for the company for over 15 years but worries that she wasn't qualified for senior level positions. Frankly, I didn't know anyone MORE qualified!

A college diploma and/or a name-brand school are wonderful qualifiers for those that have them. I would however like to see more “… or equivalent work experience” added next to the required degree in job postings. It opens up the playing field to include some truly wonderfully qualified candidates, many of whom I have been fortunate and honored to work with.

A person shouldn’t have to lie on an application if they truly feel that they qualify. Jag might have had his own TV show today had he not fibbed the resume (though he never was a favorite of mine, for reasons other than his background). He apparently was skilled and personable enough; both of which carried him through to the finals. If anything, that should tell America something about what really matters.

Interview Feedback

I recently contacted Jason Alba at JibberJobber asking him if he could put out the word to his (awesome) readership asking folks for their opinions as it relates to feedback from interviews. This is a topic that I think really deserves some spotlight as so many managers are confused as to best practice and/or what is appropriate.

I often get asked “What could I have done better?” or “Why wasn’t I chosen?” after turning down applicants. Heck, I’ve often wondered that myself if I didn’t end up getting chosen in an interview!. In today’s uber-vigilant HR world, where every action has to be guarded and closely monitored in order to avoid getting sued for discrimination or wrongful hiring practices, have we become so paranoid that we cannot help guide candidates along at all?

The general policy when folks ask for references is “Provide employment dates and confirm employment. Period.” While I fully understand corporations taking this stance and I realize that one cannot have hiring managers telling candidates “you should cut your hair, you look too nuts” to the right or left, I do feel that a manager could practice their best judgment and at least provide some high level comments on why they chose one competitor over another.

For instance, I would have loved to be able to tell a recent candidate that he/she had excellent skills in theory, yet had no actual real life examples or case studies to point to (where they had applied said theories). Unfortunately, I couldn’t. I’m sure it would have helped the candidate tremendously to dig deep and see where some of his or her ideas truly had been put into practice, if nothing else for future interviews where the candidate surely would be asked the same question.

One of my favorite personal comments was following an interview I had as a candidate many years ago; I was six months pregnant at the time. A day or two after the interview I received a thank you card in the mail with a business card attached. The note read: “Call us back in six months after your maternity leave ends. We will be interested”.

No, I didn’t sue but I did marvel at the sheer ignorance of the sender. Perhaps it isn’t such a good idea to have hiring managers practice best judgment after all? Are we too paranoid?

It's a Google World

I just finished watching a TV special (WTTR) on Google that I highly recommend; "The World According to Google". Having read multiple articles about how Google is the best employer on the market, how their culture allows for more of a college campus culture than corporate and how Google employees are the best taken care of in the world, it is easy to want to work there. Google becomes the Holy Grail for programmers, engineers and computer scientists. For marketers ... frankly ... not so much. Let's get real, it's not a marketing or sales organization. It's an algorithm company mostly consisting of Stanford, Yale and MIT grads. A friend of mine that works there recently told me; "Google is all about the education". After talking to a recruiter there (not for work mind you, merely at a networking event) their reputation as being education snobs is true. Not saying that if you have a community college degree you are ruled out, but an Ivy League stamp seems to be the preferred choice (and why not, they can get them!). As a candidate you are put through rigorous interviews, scrutiny and multiple panels where your every educational step, accomplishment and personal achievement or community involvement is examined. It can be mind bending and probably very intimidating. I will say, however, that some of the nicest and most professional folks I know in the corporate world work at Google. They are clearly doing something right when choosing their teams.

Back to the point of big brothering, which is what the documentary was all about; the fear of Google taking over our lives and what the big brother factor is all about. Having read about this issue in several newspapers I hadn't paid too much attention. Watching the documentary caused me some concern suddenly. I blog on a Google owned blog machine. I own and use a Gmail account. I search on Google nearly exclusively. I use Google Maps. I practically live on Google platforms (online). Google stores ALL my personal data performed on these engines for an unlimited amount of time. Yikes. Then there are these sites ... clearly being VERY anti-Google and frankly, really freak me out.

That said, there is something to be said for the Google culture. The Google folks I know and have heard or read about are fanatic about their brand. The typical culture of yes present in most of Corporate America does not exist at Google but something else does ... something I cannot put my finger on tangibly but that is so evident in every interaction I have with them both as a consumer and as a business contact; a culture of transparent ambition. The people, the engines and the culture is ambitious. I only hope it's not too ambitious ... if you know what I mean.

Are you worried about Google and if yes/no, why?

Why do you blog?

I took the time today to read blogs. A ton of blogs. Blogs across industries, blogs across mediums and blogs across authors. I read some great blogs, some boring ones and some fantastic ones. As I was reading them, I took mental notes of what was good, what worked (and what didn’t) and how the blogger was engaging the reader. In the lesser quality ones I realized that the blogger was simply engaging in a self-absorbed rant; writing to hear themselves think out loud. In the incredibly engaging ones the discovery was that the level of engagement with the reader, coupled with the author’s assertiveness or authority on the topic, made all the difference. The authors who ended their blogs with a question or poll obviously had a different reader involvement since they were inviting the end user into an actual dialogue, as opposed to a diatribe.

In the end it truly comes down to goals. What are you trying to accomplish with your blog? I’m currently watching the Food Network’s “Next Food Network Star” show (for some reason these cooking competition shows are highly addictive!), where there recently was a comment made to one of the competitors:

“You are too all over the place with your cooking. What do you want to be known for, what is your signature?”

As in previous discussions about personal trademarks, the issue again comes up about taking a stand and knowing who you are as well as why you blog. One of my main personal trademarks is that I say what others only think, usually to the great relief of those who aren’t as comfortable speaking up about the uncomfortable things. My blog goal is simply to help people do the same; speak up. Not just online but offline as well. My goal in general is to help facilitate an openness in Corporate America that is not currently often there. Hopefully my personal trademark and my personal goal shows up in who I am and what I represent, both on-and-offline.

I must admit that one thing that popped out at me this morning perusing blogs is that I understand that linking to other articles, blogs and posts is important for visibility. However, what I did find that that I'd be in the midst of really enjoying one particular post, only to be completely detracted by a link in it that would lead me to another post, then another etc. An hour later I finally found my way back to the window that had the original blog I was reading. Links are great but sometimes a clean piece of writing, sans links, actually gets (and keeps) my attention better. So - no links in this posting. Yes, I want your attention. :-)

What is your goal for blogging?

Read Read Read to Grow

I'm a big fan of self-help books. There, I said it. Does that make me an "airy fairy New Agey" type of person? Perhaps. What I'd like to think that it makes me growth oriented. Business and self-help books out there today are better than they've ever been. It should be a priority for any person in business today to read some of the great material out there and to continue wanting to always grow, always learn and always strive for better. Something I've enjoyed discovering is exactly how much I don't know, a fact underscored by every great personal growth author on the market. Every day I hear about a new book I want to read or a new philosophy I'd like to learn more about so there is never any shortage of amazing material. Since time is limited I enjoy listening to books on audio and try to listen to at least one a week during my morning commute. Some of the ones I've recently checked out include:

• "The Tipping Point", by Malcolm Gladwell - a classic for any industry or person. Delving deep into behaviors and what drives consumers at the core, it's a fun and very enlightening read.
• "Why Great Leaders Don't Take Yes For An Answer", by Michael A Roberto - a bit more of an involved read but truly great message; addressing the "yes culture" so prominent in most corporations today, and how to deal with it.
  
• "Made To Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die", by Chip Heath - great logical flow from The Tipping Point. Fun cover and fun read. Marketing must!
  

Just consider an excerpt from Mr. Gladwell: "I think that word of mouth is something created by three very rare and special psychological types, whom I call Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen." Now ... wouldn't you be curious as to which one YOU fall under, or if you are a marketer or salesman, which one your customer or boss falls under?

Mentors come in different shapes & sizes

The topic of mentoring is an issue of demand and supply, as well as the mentored person him or herself. Everyone wants one, few have one and fewer yet are ready for one. My husband recently reminded me of a saying that is ancient yet very appropriate here: “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”. Most of us proclaim we are more than ready, often feeling resentful when the teacher does not appear as timely as we feel they should. Something to keep in mind when searching for a mentor is that you have to be ready.

“Ready” means being:

• Humble
• Receptive and open-minded
• Interested
• Passionate
• Curious

I mention being humble for several reasons; in order to learn anything you must accept that you don't know everything. A great example of this is Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays With Morrie", an incredible story about a successful journalist, an old man and learning life skills. My favorite mentor and one whom I attribute a great deal of my personal success to, was an incredibly difficult teacher. "Tough Love" does not come close to describing his approach to mentoring me. I was in my early 20s and arrogant to boot. Ken took me under his wing, "broke me down" (sounds awful but it's effective) in order to build me up and then gave me a foundation to stand on my own two feet in business. I've been lucky enough to have several mentors since then, all with their own twist on things and with their own unique approach. However, as different as each of my three mentors have been, there is a common red thread; there was no sugar coating, no pampering of ego and no silk gloves. I miss that.

On a final note ... be open to the fact that your mentor may not take the shape and form of a silver-haired, all-knowing zen master look-a-like. Sometimes the best mentors are simply those that you respect, whose advice you value and whose direction is proven. Age can play a factor but a good mentor is really more about being wise than old. With maturity comes wisdom, with wisdom comes leadership. Since true leadership is earned and not awarded many fantastic mentors might be informal leaders; not in title but in spirit. Seek out those in your organization whom you respect and the rest will follow.

What is your personal trademark?

Personal expression has many forms. Some paint, some dance and yet others ... blog. ;-) In the corporate world, many think that personal expression has no place. If you are a good worker and/or a "true" professional, you will hide your feelings or position, they say. Anybody who has known a Corporate Rockstar can attest to the erroneous nature of this statement.

Throughout your career, who of your managers (or peers/other managers etc.) do you remember? What do you remember about them?

Usually the memorable folks are the most expressive, those that either championed your causes, brought humor to the work place or somehow differentiated themselves. Everyone does not have to be extroverts, assertive or outspoken. Personal Expression can take the form of simply standing up for what you believe in, backing up the stance of the team (in uncomfortable situations) or simply making sure that your final output is always excellent, not just average. Being consistent, reliable and professional simply is not enough in today's competitive world. Those traits are assumed to be present if you are in the position you are in. You need something else to stick out; something else that makes you memorable - be that in an annual review or five years down the line as you find yourself in a different department or company. When was the last time you said "Oh Yeah, I remember Bob! He was so reliable!"?

Regardless of what your personal trademark is, if you want to be a Corporate Rockstar, you better have one.

Some great personal trademarks include (granted, these are "big" names, but you get the point): Oprah - The Champion of The People, Mike Wallace (60 Minutes) - Is Not Afraid of the Uncomfortable Questions, Barbara Walters - Makes People Cry, Bill Gates - Uber Billionare Philanthropist, Richard Branson - Risk Taker ...

Leadership and Courage

I had a team discussion with my team today in regard to leadership and courage. I recently had the great (mis) fortune to be "forced" to watch Braveheart for (what felt like) the hundreth time as my husband held quite firm about not changing the channel. Although I had seen th emovie multiple times before, there were messages in it this time around that I had missed when watching it (earlier in my professional life). Picking up on messages of courage, honor and integrity, I jotted down notes and thoughts as I received the movie's message. One line in particular stuck out at me:

"People don't follow titles or ownership of land. They follow Courage."

Ah, how true that is in any era, any world and any industry. Even today this line strikes a chord, with many leaders who hide behind titles, assumed prestige and credentials. Courage is not a trait we often see in today's business world or corporate culture. Courage requires sticking your neck out, taking occasionally uncomfortable stances and championing issues that are "right" and true to yourself. So many are fearful of losing their jobs, or the favor of their leaders, with expression or signs of courage. As in my previous post about speaking up for success I proclaim, you have nothing to fear. "See No Evil ..." philosophies are not courageous; they are archaic and conformist. If you are in doubt about what this type of fear can do, watch the movie Office Space, one of the greatest movies ever made about corporate culture in America today.

More to come tomorrow.

Speak up for success

There are close to 100 people in my department and on my floor alone. There are several thousand more in our corporate office. Out of all those folks, possibly 10% speak their mind or have no fear of expression. Speaking out, or speaking frankly, seems to be a relic of the old guard mentality in Corporate America. Suppression and fear of "getting fired" remains and the general employee population whole heartedly buys into this belief. "Lay low", "Fly Under Radar" and "Don't Stick Out" are popular belief sets in our cubicle (often even exec offices) rows. Dilbert is a great example of this mentality, providing us a welcome opportunity to laugh out loud and relate. "That's me!!", we think and silently wish our bosses could read the comic strips. Let me give you a heads up if you didn't know; they do and they are thinking the exact same thing that you are.

Every boss has a boss, unless you're at the very top and if so, you're probably not reading this anyway. Few remember that bosses too are human beings, with their own frustrations, challenges and obstacles. Even the most moronic and arrogant bosses have their human side, they just choose to not show it to you. As such, every boss is also an employee and I can guarantee you that they too wish their boss would change, appreciate them more or just "improve morale". How often have you not read a self-help book and thought to yourself; "I know EXACTLY who NEEDS to read this book!". How often did you think that perhaps you are the one needing to read it?

One of my favorite speakers on this topic is David Taylor, the author of "The Naked Leader". He speaks of many things, including motivation, leadership and innovation. However, one of the things posted on his site are the 7 Principles of Success, which I like to share anytime I get the chance to. Keep in mind that these may SOUND "fluffy" or "New Agey" but in reality, they are not. Read on:

1. Success is a formula, and it is simple
2. This formula does not "belong" to anyone - it belongs to everyone
3. To be successful, you need rely on no-one, other than yourself
4. Success is whatever you want it to be, by your own definition
5. Success can happen very fast, often in a heartbeat
6. Everyone has value, can be anything they want, and is a leader
7. The biggest mystery of life, is to discover who we truly are

Let me tell you why I don't think this stuff is fluffy: Success will come naturally when you simply are yourself and sit comfortably in your own skin, which touches upon my previous post. Think about the truly successful people that you know in your own life. How many of them fidget, conceal their opinions or make excuses for what they want out of life? Of those that do the above, how many do you respect and admire?

Remember, there is NO difference between yourself and that interviewer, boss or senior executive. The only difference is in your head, and what you perceive, will be. Speak up (nooo, I didn't say DUMP - see my other post on Verbal Diarrhea), and know that with your voice, comes success.

The Interview Mystery

As someone who has both conducted hundred of interviews over the years, and who have interviewed myself a few times, I can comfortably say that I know what works and what doesn't. People often ask me what the trick is and the truth is: THERE IS NO TRICK! The dating scene seems to weigh heavier when it says "Be Yourself" than any career counselors, bloggers or hiring managers. Heck, then again, some folks probably consider getting laid just a snap above getting hired so perhaps they do have their priorities right?

Go into interviews with these small factoids in mind:


1. The Interviewer is a human being who at some point in time sat in your chair doing exactly what you are doing

2. The Interviewer, or Hiring Manager, is convinced that you were a good enough fit to bring in for an interview. She has already decided that you're a step ahead of the others.

3. The Interviewer has heard it all before (probably several times that day). No matter how great of a spin you put on industry lingo or how many personal touches you apply to "I'm very detail oriented", she is still going to hear "Cliche # 243, check!".

Don't fret! You may be very detail oriented but in light of the job she has you interviewing for she is probably already assuming that you are. Don't waste valuable time with these people telling them something they already assume to know. Tell them something they don't know about you. Peak their interest. Go beyond the resume and into your heart and mind. An example could be:

Interviewer: "So what do you feel that you could contribute to our company in this role?"

Answer: "Sir/Matt/Mr.XYZ, I was hoping you would ask that question! My initial impulse is to share with you the numerous metrics and KPIs I had researched about your company, but I want to make sure that that is what you are interested in? If possible, I'd love to have an actual dialogue as to your vision and how I can assist in realizing that vision!"

The conversation can take a hundred different directions there based on the type of dialogue you establish. Being yourself is the only way to establish set dialogue. Prior to going in for an interview though there are some basic premises you have to ask yourself:

1. Do you LOVE what you do? (not just good at it but love it)


2. Are you GOOD at what do you do?


3. What exactly DO you want to do (you have no idea how many times I have had candidates come in and say "Oh uhhh, I want a job in marketing", "Me: Ok, what would you like to to", Him: "I don't know, marketing is a broad field, to learn everything basically!". Yeah, that guy did not have much of a chance I'm semi-sorry to say. Know what you want.

For some other great interview tips, be sure to check out InterviewChatter.com!

Managing my time??

There is a stack of magazines next to my desk, all needing to be read. There are piles of papers that need to be organized in detail into endless rows of file folders. There are over 55 unread emails from just today, and I managed to respond to the other 75 already. I also updated several marketing plans, had very good intentions of reading some Forrester research to incorporate into a presentation and finally, attend meetings scattered throughout the day that required my presence. Driving to work this morning I really had the best of intentions to get to all these things today; including the trade magazines and journals, which usually are a treat.

Somehow mid morning one report took longer than anticipated, an unexpected phone call arrived notifying me of an "emergency" and several well meaning folks came into my office to just "run something by me". Fast forward 8 hours and I'm staring at the same piles of papers and magazines that by now should have been tidied up. Tomorrow there will be more of the same.

Time management sounds like such a wonderful concept in theory. In my environment, and most of those that I know, where there is no such thing as a door to close, a structured and rigid schedule simply does not work. Time management is not as black and white as it lets on. It's much sneakier, testing your limits and boundaries every chance it gets.

The worst offender is the loose lipped employee who simply cannot put an end to their verbal diarrhea. Get stuck in a meeting or cornered in an office with this person and your time management skills will be put to its test. We will cover office personalities in another post, but if you want to keep your meetings on point or on schedule, you have to find a way to respectfully cut this person off and end the diatribe. "I totally understand your frustration, Laurie, let's discuss a solution after this meeting okay? Okay! Moving foward ... "

So again I wonder as I drive home, where did my day go? I'm now sitting here writing this, while simultaneously trying to power through trade journals and magazines. If I could put just a dent in that pile at least I can feel I did something productive that day. Besides, it's more fun with a glass of Pinot sitting next to me! Cheers!

The Giving Boss

I read an article in INC Magazine this month title "Etiquette: Pick Me! A boss's guide to buying flowers". The article followed a conversation I had with a colleague today about whether or not a boss should buy donuts, pizza or even flowers (or other suitable gift of choice) from time to time. Many managers have caught onto the "giving bug", yet not nearly enough. Giving, regardless of size, clearly makes a difference. A study recently revealed that providing chocolate during a meeting makes the recipients, in this case clients, more favorable to your presentation. The thought behind the chocolate buffer is clearly the pleasure inducing effects of chocolate, but the concept can be applied across the board. Provide donuts, cookies or M&Ms and the results are similar; your audience is seduced into being more attentive, receptive or straight out swayed!

Similar results can be had with small tokens of appreciation, such as a flower, a book or a gift card, but few managers or department heads actually put their hand in their wallet to provide such a small gift. Often the logic behind their (poor) decision is a fear of displaying favoritism or individuals "getting used to it". Every small holiday, special occasion or event I try to give something to my team members, be it a box of chocolates or a bottle of wine. Every opportunity to show appreciation is an opportunity to give back.

Edible Arrangements (example in photo) is a gift site that works for any occasion, any recipient and any moment as it contains fresh fruit beautifully arranged for a special person or office.

Like the INC article states, "Whether or not you have time to smell the flowers, it's often worth making an effort to give them. Flowers convey thoughtfulness and a personal touch". Some occasions to give flowers include:
- Get Well (for recovering team members)
- Apology
- Client Thank You
- Birthday (duh!)
- Sympathy
- Company Milestone (this one scores big!)
- New Baby (another duh, yet often missed opportunity)

Maybe we should include this one in the "New Managers Guide" ...

Being Nice

Recently my company hosted an event with a guest speaker that not only inspired me, but also validated what I've long held firm; nice pays off. Linda Kaplan-Thaler, the author of the bestseller "The Power of Nice: How to conquer the business world with kindness", spoke in front of a couple of thousand (probably somewhat jaded) executives where she transformed the crowds with humor, relevance and a genuinely valuable message. The book puts forth the notion that a) what comes around goes around, b) there IS a place for nice in the business world and c) you reap what you sow. It could easily be another typical non-fiction book filled with self-help buzz words and lofty vision, but it's not. "The Power of Nice" really speaks to a very simple concept; just being nice without being a pushover.

In my organization, a very large national Fortune 50, we sometimes forget to be nice to each other, the customer and/or vendors. Often it is believed that when one gets to be our size, one deserves the right to somehow be slightly arrogant or tough to please. To that I say "GET OVER IT!". Sooner or later the shoe will be on the other foot and you will pay the consequences when you are the one in some need or another.

I loved Kaplan-Thaler's speech. I loved her presence. I loved her NICENESS. However, more so than anything else, I loved that our CEO invited her to our quarterly meetings!

There is a lot of power to being employee centric, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The numbers speak to lower turnover, a boost in productivity, not to mention morale, and healthier employees (in an employee centric business model). We speak so much about customer centric marketing, advertising and sales, yet we often forget about employee satisfaction. Every happy employee creates one more happy customer. Southwest Airlines is a great example of that approach. A great blog on this topis is the Employee Factor and obviously there are a ton of great books on the topic as well.

What I don't understand is that the message is clear: Happy Employees Make For Happy Customers. So why are such few companies TRULY (I capitalize only because many talk the talk but few actually walk it) investing in employee satisfaction and team building? I would think it would be a no-brainer yet even at my organization we have many "old guard" managers, many of whom I work with, that believe "employee satisfaction" should be put within quotation marks like this because it's not a "real" word, or one without much credence. The Law of Scarcity seems to be more prominent than the Law of Abundance. If I could give a dollar for every time I have heard "they should be lucky to have a job" in my career, I would be a rich woman.

Somehow there is an upset on behalf of this type of manager that the employee today actually has the gall to feel entitled to medallion treatment. I always respond ... "no, we are lucky to have them". In order to change our fear based culture, it is my firm belief that the employer has to give first, with the disclaimer that if there is abuse on behalf of the employee, you didn't hire well in the first place and the trust or good will can, and should, be revoked.