Working The Dream

Your Personal Brand

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Eric Kelly

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Series Code: WTD

Program Code: WTD000006A


00:31 Hello and welcome to "Working the Dream"
00:35 I'm your host Eric Kelly, and today we're going to share
00:39 insights into how exposure, that is showcasing your
00:43 personal brand affects your career and personal success.
00:48 Now exposure is who knows you and who knows you positively.
00:53 So, let's recap why this is important...
00:56 Our acronym for career success is "P-I-E-S"
01:00 P - is for performance: You must be a top notch
01:04 performer to be considered of value to your team.
01:07 I - is for image: Your personal brand, your image,
01:11 should reflect the accepted image of your company.
01:15 E - is for exposure: How many people know you
01:18 and know you positively.
01:22 S - is for spirituality.
01:25 Okay, so you're on time every day; you keep your head
01:30 down and you do your work and when your boss asks you
01:33 to do something, you do it, no questions asked.
01:39 You're a team player, you help your coworkers when
01:42 they ask for it - sometimes they do and they don't.
01:45 When you see there's something to be done...
01:47 you jump right in and you do it... because
01:50 that's just the kind of person that you are!
01:53 Now surely with all of these good work habits,
01:57 you're going to be recognized for your dedication.
01:59 There's no way that they can overlook you for
02:03 expanded responsibilities right?
02:05 When their expanding the division,
02:08 you'll be noticed, right?
02:10 I mean, you've already proven you are a hard worker.
02:12 I mean - hard work is the key to climbing
02:15 the organization ladder, right?
02:18 Well, (sigh) not entirely.
02:22 You see, hard work is expected, but most companies
02:25 are getting that pretty much out of their workers anyway.
02:29 In today's work-world, working hard and doing
02:32 what you're asked... is expected.
02:35 In fact, it's the only way to keep your job.
02:38 So working hard and being a team player and trying to make
02:41 the workplace productive, it's kinda normal behavior
02:46 for a good employee.
02:47 It's what's expected out of you by your management team.
02:51 Now you might say, "I exhibit professional
02:54 behavior, I say the right things and I do the right
02:56 things," and that's still the standard expectation
03:00 of all employees.
03:01 Promotion and recognition usually lands on the people
03:06 who have found a way to capitalize on their exposure
03:09 to influential people and the right opportunities.
03:13 I've heard some people say, often with distain
03:15 in their voice, "Well, it's not what you do, it's who you know."
03:19 Let me add an emphatic, "You're ABSOLUTELY
03:23 correct to that one."
03:25 The better way to phrase that might be, "You need to network
03:28 as effectively as you work for people to be aware
03:32 of your contribution to the organization."
03:35 The "hard work is all you need" axiom and was coined
03:39 years ago when we pretty much were in an agricultural
03:44 industrial society.
03:46 In today's complex world of tangled business relationships,
03:50 that is not the only ingredient for success.
03:54 Let me give you an example...
03:56 Let's say you are a blacksmith, you do your best work
04:00 providing shoes for horses... well, the more horses
04:05 that you make shoes for, the more revenue you make
04:08 and the more successful you are as a blacksmith.
04:10 Let's say you are a farmer, the more acreage you sowed
04:15 with seeds for crops, the bigger your harvest.
04:17 The more crops you harvested,
04:19 the more crops you could take to market.
04:22 The more crops you took to market, the more money
04:24 that you would make... this would make you
04:26 more successful.
04:27 The impact of relationships, while important back then,
04:31 was still less important than the actual physical labor
04:34 you put into your work.
04:36 In today's work-world, most of us are not taking
04:39 crops to market or shodding horses,
04:41 so it takes a little more than just hard work to be successful.
04:45 Your relationship with your boss, peers and reports
04:48 will be critical to your success in the workplace.
04:51 So just telling someone to keep their head down and work hard
04:55 is not the complete formula for career success.
04:58 Let me ask you a question...
05:00 It's perfectly acceptable for you to talk back
05:04 to the screen on this one...
05:05 You ready? Okay, here it goes...
05:08 Who knows you and knows you positively in your organization?
05:15 Now, how you are known determines what assignments
05:18 you're going to get - what special projects you'll be
05:21 invited to participate in.
05:23 The projects and assignments you work on determine
05:26 who actually sees your work and the people that
05:29 see your work determine your value to the company
05:31 and your value to the company determines the success
05:35 that you're going to enjoy in your organization.
05:39 If you are a known force on your team,
05:41 then lookout world... here you come!
05:44 Let's watch as our friend, Cassie, learns some lessons.
05:51 Don't hold me back, y'all, look, I didn't spend
05:54 $80,000 on a degree to just sit at a desk
05:57 and stamp checks all day.
05:59 I'd say they are definitely under-utilizing my talents.
06:02 And then there's this company party that I guess we're all
06:06 supposed to go to... I am not trying to see
06:09 these people after 5 o'clock.
06:11 I see enough of them throughout the day.
06:13 Let's just say, "They're not exactly my type of people."
06:17 Anyway, that's the Cassie rant for the day.
06:19 Don't forget to like the video and spread the word.
06:24 Hey Cassie! Oh, hey Ron didn't see ya there.
06:26 Oh yeah, you were quite engrossed in your rant.
06:28 I really enjoy your channel, by the way.
06:30 Thanks! It's a good creative outlet.
06:32 I bet... My outlet is video games,
06:34 but you have to be careful though.
06:36 Careful? Why would you say that?
06:38 Because you never know who's watching online.
06:40 There is nobody from here watching me online, trust me.
06:42 I am not that important.
06:44 Yeah, tell that to all those employees that lost
06:46 their job as a result of their rants online.
06:49 You have to be really careful when you're posting these rants.
06:52 You want to make sure that you're not saying anything
06:54 that will negatively affect the company or yourself.
06:58 You have to establish and protect your professional brand.
07:01 See, that's it, I have a brand and I'm not
07:04 going to become fake just to climb my way up ladder here.
07:07 Again, you're missing the point!
07:09 You want to make sure that you're seen in a positive light
07:12 by the right people... so that you can advance
07:16 into the opportunity that you feel you deserve.
07:19 Are you going to the party?
07:20 No, I'm not going to the party.
07:22 Have you ever been to the company party?
07:24 No, and I don't plan on it.
07:26 What if I told you that by going to that party
07:28 you might have the opportunity to advance into the position
07:31 that you feel you deserve.
07:32 Really, let's hear it!
07:34 Okay, so this is the plan...
07:35 You go home, you get dressed, you want to put something on
07:39 that's modest, yet stunning, but the goal is not
07:42 to be super-sexy or anything like that.
07:45 You just don't want to be talked about on Monday for being
07:48 the worst dressed.
07:49 Okay? Then when you see Mr. Martin and me over there,
07:54 you know, wherever we'll be in the party,
07:56 it doesn't matter what location,
07:58 walk over there in the general vicinity and I will call you
08:01 over and introduce you to him.
08:03 He's the CEO of the company.
08:05 And, I'm just supposed to walk right up
08:07 and start talking with you guys.
08:09 I'm going to introduce you, that's why we're going to
08:11 play it this way... the same exact thing
08:14 happened earlier on in my career and that's how I
08:18 got to the position that I'm in now.
08:20 So you're real cool with Mr. Martin?
08:23 Well, he's has had me work on several projects in the past,
08:25 so we've definitely established a good rapport.
08:29 All right, if you say so, I'll be there.
08:31 You going to be there? Oh, I'll be there.
08:33 Okay.
08:38 So I got an update, Crew, you remember that party that
08:40 my friend, Ron, talked me into going to for the company?
08:43 I am so glad that he did.
08:46 It's been about two weeks since that party and people
08:49 still remember my name and they comment all the time
08:52 about the good work that I do around here.
08:54 AND, I got approached by management
08:56 for a special project.
08:57 Let's just say that I am on my way UP!
09:00 Watch out y'all, remember to watch the video
09:03 and spread the word!
09:04 I take it you're satisfied with the results?
09:06 Oh my goodness, yes! Thank you Ron.
09:08 Aw, no problem, remember branding is
09:11 everything!
09:14 Okay, what do we learn about how Cassie is viewed?
09:17 Now she's definitely getting some exposure,
09:19 but is it positive or negative?
09:21 Now here are some tips that you can use
09:24 to get positive exposure in your organization.
09:27 Volunteer for special projects.
09:30 Unless you're in a very small company, there's a wealth of
09:33 action taking place outside of your desk, cubical, department
09:37 and floor and chances are, the people that are making
09:40 decisions aren't sitting directly across from you.
09:43 Look for special projects that you can be a part of...
09:46 it's a great way to get your name, your skills, your ideas,
09:49 your quality performance out in front of people
09:52 who can help you make vertical and horizontal career moves.
09:56 Most people at work will be focusing on their own
09:59 work universe, so some may or may not know who you are
10:03 or where you are a benefit to the organization.
10:07 Now when you work on special projects with others,
10:09 you usually can find a way to establish them in your own
10:13 personal network.
10:15 Connect with people outside of your normal work network.
10:20 There are many benefits to networking,
10:23 but you have to remember that we are dealing with people...
10:26 Keep that in mind!
10:28 Going out with a "What can I get" attitude
10:30 is going to sink your efforts before you begin,
10:33 but of course, you need to know what return you're
10:36 going to get before you invest.
10:38 So here's what you can expect...
10:40 Friendship benefits - do not overlook the simple
10:44 benefit of having friends in the business
10:46 with no strings attached.
10:48 It's a good feeling to know someone has our back...
10:51 that we have people who are there for us.
10:53 It can be lonely when you work alone - with only the
10:56 light from your own computer screen to keep you company.
10:58 Having someone who understands is extremely valuable
11:02 on a psychological and emotional level.
11:05 Your friends can chat to keep you motivated and cheery.
11:08 You're a sounding board for ideas,
11:09 they'll listen to you moan when you need it.
11:12 When several of my professional friends and I get together...
11:15 when we're talking, time goes by so fast.
11:18 I'm not always sure if we actually solved the world's
11:21 problems, but those conversations are something
11:24 I really look forward to.
11:25 Your personal network can help when you're in a
11:28 strange town.
11:29 Sometimes it's nice to have company
11:31 for dinner when you're on the road.
11:32 I mean, I'm blessed to have friends that I can call
11:34 in quite a few cities.
11:36 I also have friends that I can share situations with
11:39 who will kind of straight up let me know
11:41 whether or not I'm on or off base with an idea
11:44 or a situation.
11:46 My point is... No matter how smart or
11:48 talented you are, people need people.
11:51 Now opportunities... The most significant monetary
11:56 benefit my network has brought me is the opportunity
11:59 I have been exposed to.
12:01 If you're not getting enough opportunities,
12:03 then you need to build your network.
12:04 Opportunities like joint ventures, client leads,
12:08 partnerships, speaking and writing gigs, businesses
12:12 where the assets are bought and sold - you name it!
12:14 Now if you thought the "Want Ads" hold the best jobs,
12:18 let me share an inside secret...
12:20 All the best opportunities are shared person-to-person
12:24 in back channels... everything from prime
12:28 domain sales to employment opportunities
12:31 to projects that are coming out.
12:33 If two people are equally qualified,
12:36 the nod is going to go to who you know, like
12:40 and trust the most and sometimes this happens
12:43 even when the person is less qualified.
12:47 This one networking benefit alone has to be worth
12:50 an astronomical amount.
12:52 Now there are two problems that stop people
12:55 from thinking of this benefit...
12:57 First, people do not give credit to their network
13:01 when opportunities arise.
13:02 They either think, "Of course,
13:04 I got this opportunity, I'm awesome."
13:06 To paraphrase a very, very wise man, "Pride goes before
13:11 a big, smacking face plant in wet cement,"
13:13 that's a paraphrase.
13:16 Bad networking leads to a lack of opportunity and can
13:19 actually damage your ability to attract the best
13:22 opportunities.
13:24 It is better for nobody to know who you are
13:26 rather than to be known as a jerk.
13:31 The third benefit is advice...
13:32 We all like to give friends advice and sometimes
13:35 they even ask for it.
13:37 We rely on our networks to advise us and keep us on track,
13:41 and we give back to our networks in return.
13:44 Give a lot and you have a lot of credit in the bank
13:47 when you need to make a withdrawal.
13:48 The better your network, the more knowledge
13:50 you can tap in to.
13:52 There are formal and informal advice channels like
13:55 consulting swaps or mastermind groups.
13:58 I'm doing a consulting swap with a development expert.
14:01 She's sharing her expertise in enterprise development
14:04 and I'm helping her with presentation coaching.
14:06 Masterminds are where a group of people with common goals
14:09 and values get together to push each other
14:13 and advise each other.
14:15 A fourth benefit is assistance.
14:17 I've heard that the definition of a friend is someone
14:19 who will help you move your house with no notice
14:22 and no expectation of payment.
14:25 I'm not quite sure about that but I think
14:27 mutual help is definitely part of the definition.
14:30 And one of the ways that you can get benefit from
14:33 networking is promotion... Giving you a boost
14:36 in your traffic, your sales, your reputation,
14:39 your opportunities.
14:40 Another benefit of networking is building a strong
14:45 community - conversational community where a topic
14:48 can come up and everyone is involved in your getting
14:51 input from different places.
14:53 Introductions is a benefit because with a good community,
14:57 you can be connected to people who you'd like to meet
15:00 or you just think they're awesome.
15:02 These folks often can help you get out of a hole
15:05 when you goof up or have your back when somebody
15:08 is attacking.
15:09 Another benefit is positive influence.
15:12 You become who you associate with.
15:15 This works in the negative as any parent will tell you
15:17 as they look at the friends that their
15:19 kids are hanging out with.
15:21 But it also works in the positive...
15:23 If you surround yourself with the right people,
15:25 then the attitudes and habits and world view,
15:28 and the associations of these folks will rub off too.
15:31 The tribe you select will have a profound impact
15:34 on your work and your life, so choose well.
15:40 In summary, there's a danger that some people will approach
15:43 networking with a gimme, gimme frame of mind.
15:46 Now that's not what I'm talking about...
15:48 My hope is that you will see that while the impact
15:50 might not be immediate, the compound effects of
15:54 networking are significant and long-lasting.
15:57 I want you to understand that every single new friend
16:00 or contact you make is worth their weight in gold.
16:06 It's also important that you attend those optional
16:09 meetings and events.
16:11 Meetings - especially boring meetings, can be the bane
16:15 of existence for any busy professional,
16:17 but they can also be a good place to show your face with
16:22 higher up required attendees.
16:24 So, show up, listen, contribute, introduce yourself...
16:29 not only are you increasing your visibility,
16:32 but you're showing that you're interested in getting
16:35 first-hand experience on how things work
16:38 outside of your office or cube.
16:40 Showing up to social events can be a challenge,
16:43 but it can also be beneficial.
16:45 I remember one evening, I asked a coworker
16:48 of mine - was she stopping by the evening mixer that
16:51 the executives were putting on at a nearby
16:54 restaurant downtown.
16:55 She said, with an attitude and attitude face,
16:59 "I see these people all the day, I do not want to
17:02 see them after work."
17:04 Now, here's what she didn't think about...
17:07 You will have access to people you ordinarily
17:10 wouldn't be able to see during an average workday.
17:13 I mean, when can I walk up to the executive vice president's
17:17 office and have a conversation?
17:19 However, it's not a bad thing that he knows who I am.
17:23 You must understand that event exposure should be well-managed.
17:29 Now, they serve alcohol at these things,
17:32 but that's not a safe bet.
17:34 Let me share a story...
17:36 Many years ago, I worked with a gentleman named "Chad,"
17:40 and Chad was a brilliant young man - he was smart,
17:43 he was on his way up on the organization,
17:46 he was the kind of guy we were all jealous of.
17:50 So the regional manager was having this big soiree,
17:54 this big spread out at their house,
17:56 and the house was gorgeous.
17:58 So we drove out, it was the suburbs,
18:01 beautiful gated community and we oo'd and ah'd up to this
18:06 gorgeous house and then when we got inside, of course
18:09 the servers had drinks and they were making people feel welcome.
18:13 Well, I had a Seven-Up.
18:16 Anyway, my buddy Chad, who was the heir apparent
18:19 to be successful in this organization,
18:22 he began to knock-em back, and he was getting a little
18:27 snookered.
18:29 Well in one of the side rooms, there was this
18:32 exquisite, gorgeous Persian rug that the regional manager
18:37 was so proud of...
18:39 I kind of looked at the rug on the floor, I mean I'm not
18:42 stepping on a rug when I find out how many thousands
18:45 of dollars it cost to buy the thing.
18:49 So we looked at it - it was like the Mona Lisa on the ground.
18:52 Well my buddy Chad, after he had so many drinks,
18:55 he kinda forgot where he was and he walked on the rug.
18:59 I'm blown away, but that wasn't the best part of the story...
19:05 See, Chad had so many drinks that he started feeling woozy,
19:08 and a bit nauseous.. ha, ha, you figured it out?
19:12 Yeah, he threw up on the regional manager's
19:16 exquisite Persian rug.
19:19 Now, sadly, we laughed back then trekked all the way home.
19:24 We laughed at work the next week,
19:27 but here's the real sadness in that story...
19:30 Chad never, ever, ever got promoted again.
19:36 You see, the senior team looked at that behavior
19:39 and said, "How can we trust him with a division
19:42 full of people?"
19:43 "How can we trust him with a multimillion dollar budget
19:47 and expect him to use good judgment when in a smaller
19:52 social situation, he was so far off base?"
19:56 We really are being viewed all the time,
20:00 even in networking situations.
20:03 Now, I had a mentor who was a vice president and one evening
20:08 I was talking to him and there was a social function
20:12 that the higher ups were giving and I kind of knew
20:15 that I should go, but I didn't want to go...
20:19 I said, "Man, I really don't want to go."
20:21 And he was the vice president, so he taught me a few things,
20:24 he said, "Eric, you're really not that important
20:27 once you get there, but you need to make an appearance,
20:31 they need to know that you were there in support
20:35 of their program."
20:36 I said, "Okay."
20:38 He said, "This evening, I'll meet you there and I'm going
20:41 to teach you how to make a 5 minute appearance
20:45 seem like you were there all night."
20:48 I said, "Really? I'll be able to get out and go do what I
20:50 want to do?" He said, "Absolutely."
20:52 So, later that evening, he met met in the hallway
20:56 of this hotel ballroom outside of where the big event
20:59 was going to happen...
21:01 He said, "Eric, I want you to check your coat in at
21:04 the coat check room."
21:05 So, I said, "How long is it going to be there?
21:08 He said, "Five to 10 minutes."
21:09 I'm like, "Really? I'm going to be out of here
21:11 in 5 to 10 minutes?" He said, "Yeah!"
21:13 So I checked my coat in, I put my little check coat
21:17 thing in my pocket and said,
21:19 "Okay, let's go see what's going to happen next."
21:21 Then he said, "Eric, I want you to get a nonalcoholic drink."
21:25 Sounds good - no alcohol, no problem!
21:28 He said, "But I want you to put a cherry and a lime
21:31 and a little stirrer in it."
21:33 Okay... so I got me a Seven-Up, put a cherry in it,
21:37 lime, everything he told me.
21:39 He said, "Now I want you to look around the room...
21:41 Who are the three most influential people,
21:45 the leaders in the room?"
21:47 So I saw a division vice president;
21:49 I saw an executive vice president and kind of a
21:52 regional manager who had a lot of influence.
21:54 He said, "Now what I want you to do - I want you to go
21:57 speak to each one of those people and not look like
22:01 you're rushed or busy, but just have a conversation."
22:04 I said, "Well, they're kind of important."
22:06 He said, "They don't really want to talk to you that much
22:09 either, but they need to know that you were here."
22:11 So I went by the first person, "How are you? Fine."
22:13 And he asked me and was kind of friendly about
22:15 the whole thing... "Hey, you're here,
22:16 how far do you have to drive to get back home
22:18 when this is over? And had small talk
22:20 that lasted about 45 seconds.
22:22 Now the second executive, he was easy to talk to also.
22:25 We chitchatted for a few seconds - that was done.
22:28 Now the third executive was over by the hors d'oeuvres table...
22:31 by the time I got over there, he told me what tasted best.
22:36 Then my mentor said, "Look around the room and
22:39 where are the three peers who have the biggest mouths
22:42 where you work - I mean the people that announce
22:44 everything that they see - that you were here, what you did."
22:47 So I found those people, told a couple of jokes,
22:50 had some laughs and when I looked at my watch,
22:53 only 6 or 7 minutes had gone by.
22:57 So then my mentor says, "All right, look around like
22:59 you're looking for the restroom."
23:01 So I did - I looked around and then when I stepped out into
23:04 foyer, my mentor was already there with his coat.
23:08 He said, "What took you so long?"
23:10 I pulled out my coat check, got my coat and left.
23:13 Just because you show up, doesn't mean you have to
23:16 stay there all night.
23:18 Ask for bigger and better assignments.
23:22 When a new project is announced,
23:24 step up and ask for the lead role.
23:25 Now the misstep here is one of two things...
23:28 You either expect it will go to the usual person
23:31 that gets put in charge of things anyway or you wait
23:34 and hope that you're going to be hand-picked by your boss.
23:38 Don't wait for somebody to be assigned or somebody else
23:40 to take the lead - SPEAK UP and STEP UP to ensure
23:44 you are getting more responsibility and more
23:47 opportunity for positive exposure.
23:50 Now the risk here is to make sure that you know that
23:53 you're absolutely capable of completing whatever
23:56 assignment you ask for and doing it well.
23:59 Tell your manager about your goals, don't wait for
24:02 your next performance review to discuss your goals
24:05 with your boss - schedule a meeting as soon as you can.
24:09 Use the information that you're getting back from
24:12 performance reviews and look at where you're going
24:14 against the objectives that you've set for yourself.
24:17 If you can schedule meetings on your manager's calendar,
24:20 send the meeting request and include the meeting goal
24:23 to discuss your career development.
24:25 If you can't, send an email to your manager
24:28 or get a brief hallway discussion to let him know
24:30 "Hey, I'd like to discuss my career goals
24:34 as soon as it's convenient."
24:35 As with any meeting, you need to prepare ahead of time
24:39 in order to have descent discussion.
24:40 So picture where do you want to be in your career in 12 months.
24:45 Picture where you'd like to be in 5 years.
24:48 Now look at the strengths that you have,
24:50 and how that will help you...
24:53 Also, look at the areas that you need to grow and develop in.
24:57 Discuss these areas with your boss and ask what other areas
25:02 they feel you need to improve in where you need development.
25:06 The critical goal of this first consultation with your boss
25:10 should be an action plan.
25:12 You want to leave there with something you can work on.
25:15 So during the meeting, work with your manager
25:17 to understand their expectations and ensure that they're
25:21 connected and aligned with yours.
25:23 Identify the areas for development;
25:25 discuss assignments that you can get that would
25:28 help you in development, training that you can go to
25:31 that would help develop your weaknesses into strengths,
25:34 and agree on some sort of feedback plan...
25:37 so whether it's biannually or quarterly, you know,
25:40 the formal performance review or a more informal
25:44 weekly or monthly meeting.
25:45 I like that one because I want to know what I'm doing
25:47 at all times.
25:49 Now the work doesn't end when the meeting does.
25:52 After the meeting, document the goals and action plans
25:55 that you discussed at the meeting and shared
25:57 with your manager for review and approval.
26:00 Use that document as a roadmap for your future
26:03 feedback sessions and update it as projects and goals
26:07 and tasks change.
26:08 Your manager may have shared your goals and action plans
26:11 with HR after the meeting, but if he didn't
26:13 make sure it's included in your next performance review,
26:16 kind of a little document behind that one.
26:18 Be sure to always look at it and measure it against
26:22 your career objectives.
26:25 Lastly, how can you establish a superior reputation?
26:28 Help people! Science corroborates this.
26:31 In a study from the University of Wisconsin,
26:34 researchers found that those who help others are
26:37 happier at work than those who don't prioritize helping others.
26:41 So I challenge you to increase your positive exposure
26:46 by increasing the number of people that you help.
26:51 Let me share a verse where I believe we can be assured
26:54 that our helping others won't be in vain.
26:56 It's in Galatians 6:9 and it says the following:
27:07 Now I like the sound of that...
27:08 Positive exposure and God's blessings.
27:12 That's fantastic!
27:14 Remember, you may be powerless over what they
27:18 can do to you, but they are absolutely powerless
27:22 over what God will do for you.
27:25 Until next time, "Keep Working the Dream"


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Revised 2017-09-27