Participants: Eric Kelly
Series Code: WTD
Program Code: WTD000006A
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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" |
Revised 2017-09-27