Why do really smart and able executives find themselves boxed in?
Were you appraised by a senior manager as being fully appreciated for your contribution to the success of the company and your rock-solid performance? What did you do? Soldier on, working harder in the sure knowledge that you can’t be far from a new promotion?
How long ago was that? Have you noticed that there may be more unfamiliar faces in your office than familiar ones? You may be thinking you have been passed over. If so, it’s possible you’ve made one of these three major errors in judgement.
- You’ve focused too much on your technical expertise. Yes, it’s important to be niched and an expert in your field that everyone comes to see when they have a problem that they know you can fix, however, too much time being known entirely for that expertise is narrowing your field of usefulness to the business you’re in. Be able to demonstrate much more overall business skills when promotion opportunities are offered. If you don’t take care to learn more management skills you will see less able colleagues passing you in the fast lane.
- You’re not influencing the influencers. You’re unlikely to be hired by anyone who feel they don’t know you, haven’t heard about you or have no emotional connection with you. Generally, people hire people they like and have reason to believe that what you are broadcasting, through your reputation, has a great promise of value. The people who you have in your network will be influencing people, who you may not know, about your abilities. Get your network working for you and build your reputation both in your niche and in the broader context of your industry.
- Not making your Personal Brand congruent with your overall behaviour. Being aware that you are as much a product as the goods and services you are selling is the first step to marketing yourself authentically and with integrity. As previously mentioned, people ‘buy’ people with whom they build an emotional connection in just the same way as they buy a favourite brand product, so, if you build your own personal brand, just as you would design develop and deliver a product that you are trying to sell, and you do it authentically, you will promote yourself more successfully.
If you don’t work on consistently delivering your personal brand, you will be out of control of people’s perception of you and out of control of your career path.
(Pic: TheGiantVermin cc2.0)
