Pulling Your Weight? A Pro Always Knows.

Look around. Who do you and your coworkers depend on at work to always get things done right? Is that you?  Shouldn’t  it be?

It doesn’t matter whether we’re the boss, an individual contributor, or the owner. We each have real work to do that counts.

Sometimes that work involves solving problems using our heads and then mobilizing others to implement it. Other times it’s about rolling up our sleeves and putting muscle into a task that makes us sweat, literally or figuratively.

The way we work, not just our results, brands us.

Tap the pro in you.

Each of us brings our own set of personal work standards to our jobs. Our attitudes about work drive the way we perform, whether or not someone’s watching.

Our work ethic is cultivated throughout our lives and is tested in every new job and by every new boss.

We all know coworkers and supervisors who are:

• slackers,  doing the minimum to keep their jobs
• side-steppers, dodging work they don’t like
• manipulators, taking credit for the work of others

We also know real professionals whose personal performance standards never waiver. There are the:

• grinders who won’t abandon a job until it is completed to their satisfaction
• risk-takers who are the first to step forward to tackle a difficult problem
• innovators who are determined to always find a better way to get the work done

The pros “are” the work they produce. It becomes a reflection of who they are. Achieving to their own standard trumps recognition from anyone else. It’s personal.

Sometimes we get lost  in the drama, vagaries, and gear-shifting typical in offices. We need to cut through the clutter and distractions, so we can get our work done like the pros we are.

Revere the heavy lifting.

The “players” generally just participate in the game while the pros own it.

Every employee and supervisor needs to know what is expected of them. Then they need to commit to meeting or exceeding those expectations.

Recently, I contracted with ProFence to replace 1,270 feet of old four-board fence at my farm. A crew of four men between the ages of 22 and 34 did the job in three days.

This task required:

• loading and hauling nearly a mile of fence boards and poles
• transporting and operating heavy equipment
• removing the old fence and taking it away
• positioning and setting the poles
• measuring, leveling, and nailing the  boards
• hanging 10 gates

Setting poles

Each man was a trained professional in commercial trucking, heavy equipment operation, and/or fence construction. They worked as a team, clearly understanding their individual and often shifting role assignments, as well as standards of quality operation.

Setting boards

They  were:

• crossed-trained in their jobs and work methods
• focused on execution and problem solving
• effective communicators with each other and me, always taking time to answer my questions patiently and with eye contact
• committed to safety and respect for my property
• good-humored, even in the scorching heat

The crew worked with its own unique rhythm perfectly aligned to the demands of the work. It was beautiful to watch them work and see the artistry behind the product they were creating.

Every man pulled his own weight, lightening the load for everyone else.

Pulling your weight

It doesn’t matter whether the jobs we have require us to work in the elements or at a desk. Work is work and our willingness to do what we know is our best job comes only from within.

Everyone knows when we aren’t pulling our weight and they often know why. We may   unable or unwilling, frustrated or afraid, resentful or discouraged.

That’s why it’s important to do what it takes to be a pro. Remember, it’s your job. While you have it, you own it, so treat it like a prized possession and give it your all. By fortifying your work ethic and capabilities, your job satisfaction and career will expand.

A job well done!

Thanks to Vern, Lester (the foreman), Josh, Gene, and Keith at ProFence for their fine example of what a pro knows and does.

Got a Problem? There’s a Career for That. | Taking Service to Heart

Real jobs are born out of need. They’re created to solve problems. Solve those problems and create a win-win situation: The business profits and the customer/client is satisfied.

The better we are at solving problems, the more career opportunities we create for ourselves.

Accidental discoveries

I had the misfortune last month of being hit broadside in my new car by a woman who ran the red light while I was turning left off a green arrow. I was not hurt (thanks to my Subaru Outback which deserves a pitch here) and, so far as I know, the other driver only minimally.

A car accident is a problem. In a flash people appear on the scene to help solve it. Others provide help later. Each of these people has a job and a career because car accidents occur frequently. They make a lasting difference when their caring shows. I learned a lot from them.

Police officer–He gathers information for the incident report and later the accident report. Part of his job is to be sensitive to the state of mind of the victims and to be as calming as possible.

Emergency Medical Technician–His/her role is to assess the condition of the crash victims,  provide medical treatment if required, and get a release if either party doesn’t want to go to the hospital. S/he too needs to be observant, patient, and positive.

Tow truck driver–Two tow trucks were required at the scene; my driver was a woman which made me smile. Her job was to get the wreckage off the road quickly and to let me know where the car was being taken. She too was pleasant, efficient, and professional.

Insurance adjuster–The adjuster is the insured’s representative with the other insurance company. His job is to record my account of the accident over the phone. He and the other driver’s adjuster make a determination of fault. The adjuster explains the process, advises on next steps, and also needs to be patient and calming.

Material Damage Adjuster/Appraiser–The appraiser determines what the insurance company will pay in damages. This job requires the ability to communicate these hard numbers with the claimant in a way that demonstrates the fairness of the final decision. Just like the adjuster, the ability to be both factual and caring is important.

Body Shop/Salvage Company Staff–Along the way, my car took a stop at a body shop for a more detailed damage assessment. Then it went to the salvage company that purchased it. The staff and owner were professional, sincerely commiserating with my misfortune.

Rental Car Manager–I got a rental from Enterprise where the young woman manager took the time to make conversation before explaining the terms. It turned out that she was eager to develop her leadership capabilities, so we chatted about that. (When I returned the car, I gave her a copy of my book and she waived the gas charge. Okay, I’d only used 1/8 tank over two weeks, but the gesture was lovely.) She treated me like I mattered as a person.

Car Salesman–I called the salesman who sold me the original Outback and left a voice mail that I’d need a new one. He called me at home to cheer me up. He immediately set aside a car for me. I knew I was in good hands.

For my accident case alone, there are nine jobs, representing nine different career paths, that had been created because people like me get in car accidents.

Each role exists to solve a piece of a big problem, helping accident victims deal with and recover from a scaring and costly experience.

Distinguishing yourself

What has struck me most about this experience was the seemingly effortless caring that each person demonstrated. Every person in my chain had a heart for service.

I know that not everyone with a service jobs “gets it” and I’m sure you have a horror story to tell. But, if anything, this accident demonstrated that when you’re in a job that solves a problem for people and you really care, your commitment to serve will motivate your best performance. Let that be you, okay?

Please remember: Stay off your phone while driving. No texting. Wear your seat belt. Be attentive! Thanks.

Photo from @Doug88888 via Flickr

An Employee Funk Rescue Tactic–Watch ‘Em Work. | Tailored Motivation

Motivating employees should be high on a supervisor’s to-do list. Too often, though, what’s tried falls flat.

Not every employee needs or wants:

• A go-team pep talk
• Artery-clogging donuts at staff meetings
• Certificates for weekly productivity achievements
• Public praise for a job well done (Many dread this)
• Brown bag lunches with the boss

That said, employees do want and need reasons to stay motivated.

No easy formula 

One-size-fits-all motivational techniques either don’t work or don’t last. They assume that each employee works based on the same drivers.

Motivation is a function of aspiration. If you don’t know what your employees want from their careers, then you can’t tailor motivators to fit them.

There are two ways to figure out how to motivate employees:

• Ask them what gets them energized to do more
• Watch how they work, taking note of what gets them going or stalls them

Once you know what motivates each employee, tailor your actions to their needs.

Take mental snapshots of your employees when they’re in gear and when they’re not. Think about what you can do to help and then take action like in these scenarios:

1. Mary is a staff engineer in a mostly male work group. She gets bogged down in the details when given repetitive assignments but becomes highly engaged when working on a team. That changes, though, when she gets the notion that her ideas aren’t being fully considered. If that happens, she disengages and becomes despondent. 

Watching Mary work offers a clue to what motivates her—work that provides her with visibility and recognition. When those aspects are absent, she loses energy and interest. One remedy is to schedule opportunities for Mary to showcase the results of her routine work and periodically assign her to be a team leader. 

2. Brian is a crackerjack IT troubleshooter, interacting with coworkers at every level, answering user questions, fixing glitches, and installing new software. He’s considered humorless and indifferent by some, cavalier and impatient by others, only when the workload gets overwhelming and coworkers are impatient.

Observations of Brian reveal changes in him when under stress. Instead of coming across as energized and enthusiastic about providing these expert services as usual, he comes across as resentful. Just like us, Brian has a stress threshold that, when reached, brings out negative reactions and attitudes. To keep Brian motivated, his supervisor needs to keep tabs on his workload and the conditions driving it. A weekly conversation with Brian on ways to manage his workload can become a strong motivator.

3. Martha, a physical therapist, was promoted to manager of a hospital-based exercise center. Her responsibilities include scheduling, recordkeeping, supervising professional staff, equipment maintenance and purchases. Her workday is full but not always fulfilling. She often stops to watch wistfully the client care being given.

Martha was promoted because of her technical capabilities and commitment. She’s wired to do an exceptional job no matter what. Although motivated to excel as manager, she misses those one-on-one caring interactions that she left behind and very likely is concerned that her skills will erode. Her manager can fix this by scheduling Martha to fill in for physical therapists when they’re out or by assigning a limited number of clients to her schedule and delegating some administrative duties. 

The price paid 

Poor motivation is contagious. Other employees catch it easily. When it becomes epidemic, productivity and quality suffer.

Low motivation among employees is a drag on the collective energy of the work group. It gives employees an excuse for not giving their best effort, fully participating in teamwork, delivering on their commitments, and believing that they have a future with the organization.

Remember the last time you felt unmotivated? Did your supervisor help pull you out of it? That’s a big part of a supervisor’s job. It’s important to pay attention to the motivational needs of your employees and give each one the unique support they need. Time to get motivated to motivate.

Photo from KaiChanVong via Flickr

Unleashing the Career Superstar in You—Ready?

Superstars aren’t just sports and entertainment icons. They’re also us. Every workplace and every career has its superstars. There’s no reason why you aren’t among them.

By definition superstars are individuals in prominence who attract attention. Look around: That’s lots of people you know.

We have to perform well and consistently to be considered a superstar in our line of work. On-the- job superstars are those indispensable coworkers and leaders who:

• Solve our IT problems in the nick of time every time
• Always exceed sales quotas to help keep the business profitable
• Deliver projects on or before every deadline
• Defuse unhappy customers and employees consistently with effective messages

There are superstars in every industry, company, department, and work unit. Everyone knows who they are and we can’t imagine work without them.

Clearly, we need all the superstars we can find in this struggling economy, so now’s the time for us to raise our bar.

What it takes 

Paul McCord, internationally recognized authority on sales, prolific author and blogger, wrote in his compelling book, SuperStar Selling:

“You don’t have to become a superstar overnight. It’s not one giant leap, it’s one step at a time.”

That’s true for attaining superstardom in every career. We need to keep our eye on the ball and dig deep to keep it in play.

To start we need to build and maintain a high-achievement mindset. It’s always our attitude and performance that stand out, get noticed, and ultimately create our prominence. No one gets to be a superstar without doing the work.

McCord makes this important point:

“Looking at the big picture is daunting. Looking at just what you need to accomplish on a daily and weekly basis is not such a hurdle to overcome.”

He adds that the three characteristics of a superstar are: desire, commitment, and belief. Do you have all three?

We live in a “what have you done for me lately” and a “what’s in it for me” world. That’s where the pressure to perform at a high level comes from.

This reality tests your desire to achieve, your commitment to stick with your goals, and your belief in your capabilities.

All success is a process. The twelve keys to becoming a sales superstar in McCord’s book apply to us too. Superstar sales professionals own their careers and operate with an entrepreneurial mindset.

We need to own our jobs/careers too and set goals for ourselves that demonstrate our value.

McCord spells out his twelve keys elegantly, providing fascinating case studies and powerful tools, particularly useful to salespeople. (If you’re in sales, you really must read this book.)

His keys are the underpinnings of every achiever, especially those who have become superstars in their line of work. Here’s my take on how the twelve keys can help you become a superstar in your career:

1. Turn past experiences into learning and data that can move you forward
2. Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses. Build on and fix what’s needed
3. Invest in your career—time, learning, tools
4. Figure out where you add value and position yourself there
5. Showcase your strengths/value in the right way
6. Set realistic goals that build on one another over time
7. Develop and apply your capabilities systematically
8. Stay visible and top of mind with those you impact
9. Continuously develop and expand your skills
10. Convert your big ideas into small steps to achieve them
11. Seek help from advisors, mentors, and experts during uncertainty
12. Adopt and maintain a positive mindset 

Sell yourself tall

Too often we set our sights too low. We think that it’s other people who become career superstars. Yes, we sell ourselves short, instead of tall.

McCord makes this powerful point:

“In essence, we are what we believe we are; we do what we believe we can do; we are who we believe we are.”

When we believe there’s a superstar in us, we make a huge leap. When we take action to unleash our inner superstar, we’re on our way to becoming one. Now go!

Photo from cletch via Flickr 

Don’t Stop Believin’. Embrace the Journey. | A Career Long-View

Are you in your dream job? A lucky few understand from an early age what they were born to do. Then there’s the rest of us who are always looking. 

Our dream job search is often an “I’ll know it when I get it” journey. The typical outcome is captured in these lyrics in the hit song, “Don’t Stop Believin’,” by the American rock band, Journey: 

 

“Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on” 

This reality makes our career journey difficult, frustrating, and disquieting as we scramble to find a job that, at least, satisfies us. 

Along the way, we work hard to meet expectations so we can advance. But, in the end, we still sense that the job isn’t what we’re supposed to be doing. Ugh! 

 Know what’s in your way. 

Journey’s song, “Don’t Stop Believin,” became the top-selling catalog track in iTunes history and the band’s highest-charting U.S. hit for a reason. The message in the chorus is inspiring advice to everyone on a quest: 

“Don’t stop believin’
Hold on to the feelin’”  

A “dream job” doesn’t just appear in your path. You have get ready to receive it by first conquering the little things in your way. You may be the biggest of those little things. I certainly was.

 As you know, I started out teaching high school. (In those days, career choices for girls were pretty much nursing, secretarial, and teaching.) 

Teaching was not my dream job but I worked hard at it.  Deep down I knew that: 

• I had something else in me to do but I didn’t know what
• I was committed to discovering what I was capable of doing
• I was willing to take some career chances 

My journey, perhaps like yours, was about self-discovery first, then job accomplishments, and then a bona fide career. 

 When I look back, I remember how smart I thought I was until I got smacked in the face with my own naiveté. 

Here’s what I needed to focus on: (Follow the links for some amazing stories about what other “regular people” have done.) 

• Overcoming my self-limiting beliefs—I had to resist doubts about the wisdom of leaving a “safe” teaching job for the “big bad” corporation when so many people who loved me told me I was making a big mistake.
• Increasing my capabilities and experiences—I had to learn about the energy industry and corporate management; then the horseracing industry and farm management; and finally small business ownership and home office management.
• Getting more done and taking on new challenges—I had to develop cross-functional leadership skills, political savvy, and the ability to manage change on a large scale.
• Becoming comfortable being my authentic self—I had to sustain the courage to stand firm for what I believed was right and fair, consistently express my care and concern for the people around me, and allow my personality to show.
• Finding my way through the obstacles—I had to learn to ask for help, develop trusted and collaborative relationships, and develop a nose for the “dirty tricks” that others might try to play 

 Everyone’s journey ultimately lands them somewhere. In time I realized that my dream job was work that gave the freedom to call the shots, make the rules, pick my spots, and generate enough revenue to live quietly. That’s where I am today. But it took a while to get here.

Don’t stop believing’. 

You are the key to your success, not luck or your boss or your company. How you see yourself and believe in your ability to turn your capabilities into a career that makes a difference will determine the outcome. 

At the very least you need to keep believin’ in yourself even when you don’t know if anyone else does. 

When I sign books, I often write: Stay Committed. Keep Reaching. It’s what we all need to do. And it still applies to me. 

Photo from h.koppdelaney via Flickr

Becoming a “Celebrity” at Work? Take Lessons from Roger Federer

Getting discovered is pretty exciting. One day we’re plodding along doing good work and the next our boss is telling us we’re part of his/her succession plan. 

That often means accelerated development opportunities, high visibility assignments, and access to upper management. 

In a blink we’re on our way to celebrity status in our companies, with new expectations and pressures. 

This is what we wanted, right? But are we ready for it? Do we know what to do? 

A new vantage point 

It’s challenging when we realize that others are seeing us in a brighter light. 

When we’re in a career growth spurt, we need to know how to make the most of it. The right steps increase the shine; the wrong ones can blacken it. 

Being a rising star, raises the bar. The good work we’ve been doing is now looked at with more eyes and increasing expectations. Our every move comes with an assessment: 

• Can s/he hold up under the pressures of the board, media, regulators, and investors?
• Is s/he the kind of leader who can affect change, engage employees, and achieve corporate goals?
• Will s/he be accepted by other executives, community and industry leaders? 

We can be years away from gaining an executive position, but our “potential” will be assessed continually with every action. 

Follow the winners 

Everyone who makes it big was once discovered. With help and hard work, we can all achieve our own celebrity status where we work. 

Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player, has won a men’s record 16 Grand Slam singles titles on three difference surfaces (clay, grass, and hard courts).  By many he is considered the greatest player of all time. 

Once a kid with a temper on the court and now a celebrated tennis icon, Federer demonstrates positive ways to conduct ourselves when our careers are on the rise. Here are lessons we can take from him as our career celebrity grows: 

1. Don’t complain or bad-mouth—As pros it’s our job to “get on with it,” finding a way to deal with issues in a positive way rather than stoke them with blame or criticism.
2. Don’t detract from opponents—At times we won’t win. Sometimes a decision will go someone else’s way, their argument will be more compelling, or they will get the job. It’s for us to applaud their successes and accept that we simply fell short that time.
3. Stay well—Federer is known for never being injured, a credit to his fitness and health, enabling him to fulfill his tennis commitments. Our dependability is measured by our ability to always be there.
4. Communicate appreciation—We don’t get ahead without the help and support of others. Federer always thanks his fans, the tournament organizers and sponsors, and his team for his successes. In our careers, it’s not all about us. When we are gracious, we solidify support.
5. Accept set-backs as learning opportunities—Our resilience is tested when things go wrong. Success is a product of our ability to turn set-backs into opportunities and get better. You win some and lose some. But if you learn from each, you’ll win more in the long run.
6. Dedicate yourself to getting better—A rising career demands continuous improvement in all aspects of our work—training, preparation, self-management, relationship building, and performance. When we slack off, we decline gradually until we’ve lost our edge.
7. Love your work—Our success will continue if we love our work, not our success. Federer loves everything about tennis—the practice, the players, locker room activities, the competition, and the business. If we don’t love the work we do for our companies, the people, and the industry, we will struggle unhappily to sustain success. 

Keep things in perspective 

Success is illusive. We contribute to it but it’s not wholly under our control. If we follow Roger Federer’s example, we’ll give ourselves the best chance to keep the success door open. Swing freely!

 Photo from mbevis via Flickr

 

The “Outing” of Slacker Employees—Time to Help

It used to be easy to spot slackers. They’d be asleep on the job, sit too long in the caf having coffee, or daydream at their desks.   

Today’s slacker is harder to see, so supervisors often don’t know they’re being “slacked.” Coworkers almost always do. 

The team is a slacker’s cover 

“‘Slackers’ are people who know they could be much more productive but make a conscious decision not to be,” writes Adrienne Fox, in her HR Magazine article, “Taking Up Slack.”   

Teams can be a slacker’s haven when all eyes are on the team’s results, not individual contributions.

I served once on a redesign team for a complex customer service process that involved major changes for the engineering, transportation, field service, and customer care departments. Half of this cross-functional team was there to work for a fix and the other half had made a conscious decision not to. 

So they: 

• Came to meetings unprepared
• Delayed decision-making
• Made excuses for not meeting deadlines
• Reassigned their work to others (scapegoated)
• Intentionally sent discussions down a rabbit hole 

Their maneuvering was made to look like a genuine contribution to the team’s objective. Positions were couched in the right jargon, senior management was extolled, and  current business practices affirmed.   Blah, blah, blah! Even the formerly committed team members caved on this one. Me too…we were out-numbered.

This team ended after six months of endless meetings, leaving the process unchanged. The slackers had won at the expense of the company and the team’s reputation. Upper management never had a clue. 

“Slackers become really good at manipulating their bosses or team members to keep up the impression that something takes longer than it should or invent barriers where none exist,” says Meagan Brock, HR specialist at the University of Oklahoma in Fox’s article.  I guess so! 

What makes a slacker? 

Slackers are often unsure how to “win” at their jobs. Most employees come to work wanting to succeed. They want to know how to advance, earn more, and get interesting assignments with people they enjoy working with. 

When they don’t see those conditions materializing, they decide to “fake it” rather than give it their all, especially if they’ll likely be rewarded anyway. 

Slackers can:

• make it look like they’re working at lot by scheduling documents to be emailed at off hours
• get appointed to important sounding teams where they engage with key players, appearing more influential than they really are
• make assignments appear excessively complex by the way they report on them
• use their specialized expertise to avoid engagement in broader efforts 

When there’s slacking, someone’s making it okay. 

Slacking is a consequence of weak management. Employees under-perform when they believe it won’t be noticed or really matter. 

So here’s what bosses need to do: 

• Make sure employees understand their jobs and the outcomes expected
• Give clear direction and hold employees accountable for their part
• Require action plans from each employee for specific assignments, including timetables  and deliverables
• Understand how technology is being used, it’s relevance and cost effectiveness
• Ensure that employees have the resources and support they need
• Ask for coworker feedback on the contributions of other team members
• Provide coaching that builds awareness and desired behaviors 

If an employee, who’s not willing to “put him/herself out there,” doesn’t have to work that hard to maintain employment and some reward, they will likely take the slacker route. As supervisors, we owe it to them and our companies not to let that happen. 

Make hard work valued 

It’s not the bells and whistles that make for a great employee; it’s their grit and commitment to push ahead, tackle the difficult, and turn things around on schedule. When your performance system rewards results achieved through hard work over the appearance of busyness, the slacker population is bound to decrease. 

Fox writes, “Top performers want to perform at their peak. When they can’t, they will be vocal about it.” Time to listen up! 

Have you been in the company of slackers at work? How did that work out? Thanks.

 

When Leadership Under Ground Rises to the Top | Lessons from the Chilean Mine

Fortunately, what goes on underground doesn’t stay underground, especially when it’s important that we know.                                       

That’s the case with the thirty-three Chilean miners trapped 2,000 feet below the surface for 69 days. October 13, 2010 marked the day of their miraculous rescue and the start of the world’s insatiable thirst the details about how they survived. 

Taking the lead 

The events in the mine will be parsed for years. What we know now are the broad actions. 

Anyone who tries to fit the miner’s situation into some standard business model misses the shock, horror, and the fear of the men. Luis Urzua, the foreman, wasn’t watching his team struggle with a tough assignment. He was experiencing the hell of it too. 

Imagine the range of emotions and reactions in each man, separate individuals with unique personalities, life perspectives, family pressures, and degrees of confidence in their fellow miners. 

Try to imagine their reactions and state of mind after the mine collapsed when they knew they were trapped. Now think about the way your coworkers reacted the last time your boss moved them to new offices cubicles, reassigned job duties, or changed working hours. 

Now think again about Luis Urzua. 

When I worked for a big energy corporation, employees with foremen titles were not regarded as “the leadership.” Sure, they had leadership duties to ensure their crews produced, but the scope and impact of their role was considered narrow. 

In an article on lessons learned from the Chilean miners, Steve Tobak wrote, 

“Leadership, management, and organization are not just business concepts.  They’re human concepts, terms that attempt to capture how men and women uniquely organize in groups or teams to take on extraordinary challenges….”

If anything, Urzua (and others on the team, I suspect) stepped up to take the lead in either an overarching or a task-specific way to stay focused on survival. (That’s a pretty clear performance goal for any team.) 

Theirs is a story of courage in the face of extreme adversity, then the possibility of success, and finally triumph. Their courage to beat the odds calls on us to look at how we handle ourselves under pressure where we work. 

Seth Godin writes in his book, Tribes, “Faith is the unstated component of a leader…Faith leads to hope, and it overcomes fear.” 

Urzua’s courage to lead and his ability to sustain faith helped his men to follow him under these dire circumstances. 

Sticking with the basics 

Pulling the miners together under the worst of all pressure situations was heroic. From what we know from media reporting, Urzua started with the basics. 

Kathy Kristof’s article centers on lessons from Urzua. She writes: 

“Everything Urzua had his men do was focused on getting out and surviving in the interim. In addition to rationing food, he had the men use the heavy equipment in the mine to dig to fresh water…map their tunnel and build a latrine.” 

She considers the importance of “discipline” (which I would call roles, regimen, and structure) to engage each man. She writes further: 

“Urzua organized work shifts, giving each miner responsibilities that kept them busy, improved their living conditions and emphasized that individual’s importance to the team. They maintained a schedule, shining lights to simulate day and night…maintained a strict diet even after they were delivered food.” 

Here we have a foreman operating as a full-fledged manager. Clearly, there were mind-challenging up and down, positive and negative, brave and frail moments faced by the men. Perhaps all the experiences will never be shared. The only thing that matters is the outcome that a came from leadership below and also above ground. 

The leader within 

Leaders don’t need fancy titles to lead. They need commitment to a goal their followers share. They need to be worthy of trust and confidence. We don’t need a catastrophic situation like the Chilean mine collapse to rise to the occasion. We need to look around for our opportunity and get started! 

What leadership lesson have you learned from the Chilean miners’ experience? Thanks for commenting.

Working From the Heart? Check Your Pulse! | Spirit and Drive as Brand Boosters.

Jobs are what we make them.  When we bring nothing, they become nothing. When we use them to unleash our spirit, they become an adventure.

Jobs give us a chance to show what we’re made of, what we stand for, and what we care about. When we take them to heart, there’s no hiding it. We do the work with an eagerness that spills over to others.

No spirit. No drive. No fun. 

I’ll grant that a lot of employers do all they can to take the joy out of working. Creative, enthusiastic employees with a “can do” attitude and the energy to go with it are told to:

• Stick to the formula
• Follow the pack
• Slow down
• Be more careful
• Know your place 

These companies see employees like machinery. Only robots need apply.

We aren’t androids. We come with a beating heart and an active mind. Our life history, our sense of self, and our world view are high octane motivators. So it’s important for us to keep our spirit and drive alive as we build our careers.

A personal brand is more than credentials, skill sets, and performance. If you’re not sure what your brand is, ask people the first word or phrase they think of when they hear your name. Will they say you’re someone who will:

• Say, “Yes, I can do that”
• Volunteer in a pinch
• Defend and/or do what’s right
• Accept a risky assignment
• Stretch yourself 

Every day we show what we’re made of by the way we approach our jobs. An effusive, uncontained, and generous spirit drives a vigorous career and strengthens us.

Let your heart be your guide. 

Nothing’s better than an “I’m going for it” spirit. I thought you might like to meet a few folks who have it as the centerpiece of their personal brand:

Carla was the new executive director of a high visibility, non-profit child care agency in dire straits. She was a fearless, undaunted advocate for disadvantaged children, determined to increase public awareness, improve services, and stabilize funding. Nothing was going to stop her.

She became a national voice for these children, built a high-performing organization, expanded services, ran a capital campaign to build a multi-million dollar facility, and didn’t rest until the needs of these children were served.

Peggy was a marketing supervisor for a technology company bought out by a giant. She was considered an outsider after the transition and didn’t like that one bit. She knew her marketing creativity and leadership skills were strong but not being utilized.

Knowing that she could do more, she set out to showcase her talents by asking for high visibility assignments. Each time she stepped out, more higher- ups recognized her. She put herself out there as a speaker, executive event planner, global representative, and marketing manager. Her respect for her talents and drive to serve the company earned her executive status.

Mark was an entry-level hire with a degrees in English and government at a Fortune 500 energy company. As a non-engineering employee, his career growth opportunities seemed limited. But Mark has an exceptional ability to learn and understand business and technical operations.

He also has an uncontainable desire to make a difference and a strong commitment to employees. By saying “yes” to some ugly assignments, Mark succeeded in saving the company tens of millions, fixing major process failures, and building the company brand—all a reflection of his willingness to take personal career risks for the greater good. He has never lost his drive. 

Let your spirit be your guide. 

We need to do all we can to nurture our spirit as we work. That inner drive that lets us know we’re doing something that matters is served by each heartbeat. Business fitness starts by understanding what kind of success we really want. Our heart tells us that. Our spirit and drive make it happen. And the beat goes on!

What drives you in your career? Still searching? Your discoveries and your questions will be helpful. Thanks.

 

Sizing You Up | Dependability Ratings Matter

Being there when expected. Stepping up when needed. Always delivering the goods. Dependability counts big time for getting a  job, a good performance appraisal, and a promotion.  So, are you? 

The way we perform is a measure of the standards we bring. 

Dependability showcases commitment. Are we as good as our word? When we agree to do job, will we give it our best no matter what the circumstances? This can be a big test. It sure was for me. 

A farmer friend of mine was in a pinch. He had about ten acres of alfalfa hay that needed to be baled one Saturday afternoon but had no help available. So I agreed to fill in even though I was no farm hand. 

At that time, I co-owned a three-year-old thoroughbred gelding that was being trained as a show horse. My partner, who trained him, came over that same morning to give him a light ride.

 It was a muggy, buggy, 90-degree day. The horse performed so nicely that the trainer suggested I hop on to get a feel for his easy gait. 

He was a big horse so I needed a leg up to mount. When I was in air, he shifted suddenly because the bugs were annoying him. Instead of landing in the saddle, I came down his rump. He bucked, flipped me in the air, and I landed face first on the ground. 

Although I was wearing a helmet, that didn’t cover my jaw or the rest of me. I heard my neck and back crunch at landing and knew I’d loosened some teeth. I lay there for about 15 long minutes before I could get up. 

My trainer friend was relieved when I was upright. So was I. But all I could think of was that hay laying.

After resting a bit, although I was unbelievably sore, off to the fields I went.

The farmer couldn’t understand at first why I was limping toward the tractor and baler. When I told him, I don’t think it registered. Ten acres of alfalfa that, if not baled at exactly the right time, are worthless. That was his priority.

 His job was to drive the machinery (there’s an art to that) and mine was to hook each bale off the chute and stack it five rows high on the wagon. It was a terribly hard and hot job for me, especially under the circumstances! But we got that crop baled at its peak, ensuring its market value. 

Dependability builds our brand and makes our value visible. 

Lots of people heard that story. It validated me among the hard working, career farmers whose world I was coming to know. It also taught me a lot about how important my “word” was to me. 

Everyone sees or hears about what we do, especially against difficult odds. It can become lore, dubbing some people heroic, angelic, or mythic.   

Think of the people you’ve heard of who: 

• Never miss a day of work
• Take assignments that are difficult or high risk
• Speak up when there’s an injustice
• Lend a hand to a colleague or customer who is struggling
• Give up free time to cover a shift
• Set personal challenges aside to get the job done   

If we can’t be counted on, we’ll soon be counted out. 

The backbone of any career strategy is to build a reputation of dependability. It can come with positive brand labels like selfless, dedicated, and team player. 

Being indispensable is a by-product of dependability, especially when you step forward to solve problems, create remedies, and anticipate issues before they become nightmares. 

When our resumes looks like we’re running from the law, our time off records like we’re a magnet for germs, or our performance appraisals like we’re asleep at our desks, it’s time to reexamine what we’re really committed to.

Business fitness is about being prepared and ready to move forward. Being ready is about being committed—dependable, reliable, trustworthy, and responsible. High standards are good reasons for you to feel proud. 

Have you ever had your dependability tested? How did it go? What did you learn? These moments can be eye-opening.