A few organizations like Etsy nurture their workers, provide regular reviews, and promote on merit. Most others promote those who have drawn attention to themselves through gaining power, playing politics, personal branding, and vertical networking.

Consider you have two careers. You must build your skills and competence in your field of interest. You must develop yourself to acquire the skills of Personal Development and Executive Presence. Organizations need two things. People who are competent and people who can lead. You must be both.

One of the key components of Personal Development is Emotional Intelligence. A player must have self-regulation under pressure and be able to discern other people’s emotions and either empathize or respond in a reasonable manner.

Executive Presence is having an authoritative aura of confidence. It is often called gravitas. Personal Development practices can create this aura by raising one’s vibration, being self-aware, being mindful, having communication skills, body language, being decisive, being accountable, and resilience to setbacks.

This is just a start, but if you mastered these skills, you would be noticed

Want to discuss your prospects, let’s have a short conversation https://tinyurl.com/mhjyu2t3

#promotions, #jobretention, #personaldevelopment, #leadershipskills.

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Only 22% of organizations promote on hard work and good citizenship. Everyone else requires self-promotion and understanding the game.

If organizations move you to a better position, they have to replace you and hope they get as good a person. If they hire for the open position, they get what they want and keep you in a position that is working for them.

Yes, you have to rise above the resistance.

You have to demonstrate you have the abilities for more responsibility and find your support network that believes in you.

You may have to change who you are and how you show up. You have to engage in relationship building and networking.

You have to understand Power and Politics. You have to become a player. It is not difficult or distasteful nor immoral. It is simply stepping onto the conveyer belt that is already running parallel to your everyday work and other people are on it.

You can learn the skillset and it will become fun. You can earn what you deserve. Or you can spend a lot of time hoping and moving sideways.

Are you ready?

If you want to discuss what you are doing and how it is or is not working schedule a half hour free session. https://tinyurl.com/mhjyu2t3

#promotions, #personaldevelopment, #leadershipskills, #entrepreneurialthinking

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What types of power are there?

Power in an organization fundamentally refers to the ability to influence or control the actions of others. It’s about having the capacity to affect outcomes, make decisions, and direct resources and people. Power can stem from several sources:

• Positional Power: This is derived from one’s role or title within the organization, such as a manager or executive who has authority over subordinates.
• Expert Power: Derived from possessing specialized knowledge or expertise that others in the organization depend on.
• Referent Power: This comes from being respected or admired. People who are charismatic and likable can wield significant influence without formal authority.
• Reward Power: Based on the ability to confer benefits, like raises, promotions, or interesting projects.
• Coercive Power: The flip side of reward power, based on the ability to impose penalties or withhold resources.

Power, when used ethically and effectively, can lead to strong leadership that propels the organization towards its goals. It allows leaders to marshal resources effectively, make strategic decisions, and inspire and motivate their teams.

Power gives holders more authority and autonomy to pursue their ideas. Those with power have to play politics to maintain support and get ideas executed. People wanting promotions should get aligned with people in power to support the ideas they are trying to actualize and get support for their own advancement into power.

Very few organizations advance on strictly merit and good citizenship. Most organizations are aggressively pursuing their objectives and necessitate employees who want power to make themselves known and their contributions known to those with the power.

Reluctance to play the power or politics game is a sure-fire way to stay stuck in your existing role. Many people prefer to avoid the power games and are happy to collect their paycheck and perform their jobs. Fear may be a factor in refusing to play. Fear of rejection, humiliation, failure, and responsibility can keep many workers stagnant.

You can learn how to promote your uniqueness. You can build your uniqueness with Personal Development, Leadership Skills, and Entrepreneurial Thinking. Growing and becoming more competent in a specialty and then promoting your own brand and talents is necessary to achieve the prominence and rewards of advancement.

Learn more about how to become powerful and political. Let’s have a short conversation to start your ball rolling. https://tinyurl.com/mhjyu2t3

#power, #politics, #personaldevelopment, #leadershipdevelopment, #promotions

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1. Fear of Failure

Many individuals hesitate to seek promotions due to the fear of not meeting expectations in a higher role or failing in new responsibilities. This fear can stem from self-doubt, a history of past failures, or perceived inadequacies in skills or experience. The higher stakes associated with more senior positions can intensify these fears, deterring people from stepping forward.

2. Fear of Rejection

The possibility of being turned down for a promotion can be daunting. Rejection might be taken personally, affecting one’s self-esteem and professional self-image. This fear can be particularly pronounced in highly competitive environments or where feedback on performance is not constructively provided.

3. Fear of Change

Promotions often come with significant changes in roles, responsibilities, and routines. For some, the uncertainty associated with these changes is intimidating. This includes fear of not being able to adapt to new demands, losing work-life balance, or having to navigate unfamiliar relationships with peers and superiors.

4. Fear of Conflict

Advancing in one’s career can sometimes involve entering into competition with colleagues, which might lead to strained relationships. There’s also the fear of increased exposure to organizational politics. For those who value harmony and strong collegial relationships, these prospects can be particularly unsettling.

5. Fear of Losing Identity

For some, their current role and its responsibilities are closely tied to their professional identity. Moving into a higher position might threaten this sense of self, especially if the new role requires different skills or diminishes activities they find fulfilling.

6. Fear of Increased Responsibility and Pressure

Higher positions inevitably come with more responsibilities, higher expectations, and greater pressure. This can be daunting, especially for those who feel they are already near their capacity in terms of stress and workload management.

7. Impostor Syndrome

This psychological pattern causes individuals to doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a “fraud.” Even highly competent individuals may feel they are not genuinely qualified for a higher role, which can prevent them from applying for promotions they are well-suited for.

Overcoming These Fears

Addressing these fears involves both personal and organizational strategies:

Personal Development: Continuous learning and skill development can boost confidence in one’s abilities to meet the challenges of a higher role.

Mentorship and Support: Guidance from mentors and support from peers can alleviate fears by providing reassurance, advice, and validation.

Constructive Feedback: Regular, constructive feedback can help individuals understand their strengths and areas for improvement, making the path to promotion less daunting.

Visibility of Career Paths: Organizations can help by making career paths more transparent and providing clear criteria for advancement, which demystifies the process and reduces anxiety around it.

Workplace Culture: Cultivating a culture that encourages taking risks and views failures as learning opportunities can reduce the stigma associated with both applying for promotions and the possibility of not succeeding.

By understanding and addressing these fears, individuals can more confidently pursue opportunities for advancement, and organizations can foster a more dynamic and proactive workforce.

Discuss your current situation and how you might begin your path to getting promoted https://tinyurl.com/mhjyu2t3

#promotions, #leadershipskills, #personaldevelopment, #coaching

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Organizations focus on solving problems. Their first goal is to solve the problem of their customers. The second goal is to solve the problems they encounter in trying to solve their customers problems. The third goal is to serve their customers better than everyone else and be recognized for it.

Most organizations do not have a problem-solving formula that gets invoked each time they have an obstacle. Problems are left to the supervisor closest to the problem. Big problems are left to the CEO who must set the course. Employees are given job descriptions that the C-Suite says are necessary to help their progress. Employees who demonstrate above ordinary prowess in completing their tasks might be in alignment for a promotion or raise.

Why not jump the line? Learning the 7 Step Formula for Problem Solving could help you accelerate your career. Organizations need to fill leaderships with people who show skills and are adept at working with others. Employees who are willing to take risks, lead, collaborate, and be accountable stand out. If among these stand outs, someone demonstrated they like to pinpoint production or operation problems and could propose a process for investigating and solving the problems, they could garner the right attention.

Most people do not like to contemplate problems. They instantly create a negative space. We would rather celebrate success. So we need to start with a positive space. Let’s create a Vision of what things would look like if the problem were solved. If sales are down, let’s visualize what it would look like to achieve the sales necessary to indicate financial security.

The Vision can be general. I envision that sales have reached the level to give us the best market share of our competitors, provide the opportunity to offer more products, and allow us to expand vertically and horizontally. Now that we have a Vision, we could create a specific goal if we know what is needed. If we know that $100 million in sales would fulfill the Vision then we have a Vision and a Goal.

Now let’s assess the current situation. What is the current level of sales and how much would we have to increase to reach our Goal? One of the most important steps of the Formula follows in that we know have to determine the “root causes” of our current sales slump. We are not growing, why not? This Step may need evaluation from many different departments and the accumulation of data. It pays to spend time finding the true cause (s) and not just a periphery problem.

When we have solved for the “root causes” we need to create options in the next Step to overcome the obstacles. How many options could contribute toward reversing the current situation? When the gas station chain Flying J was facing dissolution because of a cash crunch, all the executives said the solution was filing Chapter 7 and dissolving the $18 billion revenue chain that was 17th in size of all U.S. private companies.

The new CEO invited all the executives to a meeting and locked the door and said we are not leaving until we have options. One option was to file Chapter 11 to give them relief from creditors. The second option was to sell off the asset (a refinery) that had caused the problem. The third option was to invite partners to infuse cash into the very profitable gas station chain.

Once the options have been listed, the next Step is The Plan. This is where we determine “who, what, and by when”. Each person participating in the solutions is named, has an assignment and a by when it is to be completed. Some plans may take a month and some take years. Flying J emerged from Chapter 11 in 18 months, found a merger partner for their gas stations, and now enjoy a very profitable organization. One of their goals was to save everyone’s job.

The final step is to set up Evaluation points to measure and reflect on progress. Adjustments can be made. If the plan is not going in the right direction, the process can be started again to create a new Vision, new root causes, or perhaps new options.

Why not start practicing on your own personal problems or goals? Go through the Steps. Then look for problems that if solved could help your organization. Ask for permission to investigate and perhaps lead a project to come up with options and a plan. If you can demonstrate success in working through the steps and solving the problem, you are on the way to recognition and accelerating your career.

Have questions? Want to explore the process for your personal life or you organization? Set up a short conference and we can talk at TalkingwithMark.com

#problemsolving, #promotions, #leadership, #marketshare

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One of the characteristics of being an entrepreneur is being innovative? What does that mean? It means being creative and perhaps thinking outside the box when faced with a challenge, a Vision, or a goal, Entrepreneurs often solve problems we didn’t know we had but are thankful after they have shown us the value of their thinking. Steven Jobs, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Henry Ford, the Wright Brothers have all shown us that there could be a different way.

In our personal lives and in our daily business tasks, we may not be working toward a Vision but just handling the day-to-day issues that have to be solved. One of the side affects of greater technological efficiencies has been to make life come at us faster. We had snail mail, then fax machines, then email. The result is we can get answers faster, but then everybody expects us to answer faster. You could leave a snail mail letter lying around for a few days because no one knew when it would arrive, but with email, everyone knows its instant.

Problems can be just as demanding because if things don’t work, our customers want their money back or consider using a different source. Therefore, solving problems are necessary to stay in business or optimize resources. Wouldn’t it make sense that people good at solving problems could be in demand and that companies good at solving problems could be leading the pack?

Should we dread problems or say Oh Boy! I get to tackle another challenge? I have always been good at starting things early. That really takes the heat out of deadlines and turning out poor results because I was late in getting started or did not allow enough time. I have now learned a formula for approaching problems that makes treating them the same and working through the results a process.

The Shallengbergers in their work, Start With a Vision laid out a 6 step process that has been proven successful globally by businesses that faced problems they couldn’t solve. I have added another step, but the process is essentially the same. The basis of solving a problem effectively is understanding the root cause. This is the step most people and organizations give short shrift because no one likes problems, wants them to go away, don’t want to invest too many calories in figuring them out, and will often grab the nearest solution.

The second issue is that most of the time a problem is considered a twostep issue. What is the problem, what is the solution? The first obstacle in solving problems this way is that people and organizations are stuck in a closed framework when facing a problem. They have negative energy about the problem and usually few alternatives. We are also sceptical about solutions because we have become cynics about all the promises to solve our issue.

Consider a new process. When given a problem, first consider a Vision of what you would like the result to look like. What would be the dream? Now with the dream in mind, we have a clear target. Next consider the current situation. What is it we need to fix. Then assess the obstacles between the current situation and the Vision. We need to solve for the obstacles and we need to be sure we are solving for the correct obstacle.

This is where so many solutions are incorrect. We often solve a periphery problem and not the root cause. A Great problem solver will begin with allowing all the time necessary to find the root cause. The Challenger rocket that blew up in 1986 was found to have a bad “O” ring. Solving for the “O” ring would be a periphery problem since there are thousands of parts on a rocket and each faulty part could lead to a new accident. When investigators dug deep they found that the engineers knew the “O” ring was bad and said don’t launch, but they had no authority and only one person could stop the launch. Now anyone can stop a launch and there have not been more accidents.

Once the root cause (s) is determined, the next step is find the alternatives. This might also necessitate some time and expertise from different people, departments, outside experts, or commissioned studies. Solving the root cause could eliminate the obstacles to achieving the Vision. Once the alternatives are listed, the right ones have to be selected and then execution has to be institgated.

This next step is called the Plan. It has who, what, and by when’s. Who will do the work, what will they do, and by when will they be finished. This process might take a month or maybe years. Each by when might be a steppingstone to the next fix. It might take ten by when’s by many participants to finally arrive at the solution. The solution also delivers the Vision.

Along the way there is constant evaluation and reflection. Often data is necessary to reflect progress or continuing problems. Adjustments can be made. If it is decided that the alternatives selected miss the mark, either more adjustments can be made, or the process can be restarted with new evaluations of the root cause.

A person or organization could have lots of Plans in action. Each one can be observed, monitored, and evaluated. They could even be charted, and data processing could be applied to track progress. A person who has mastered the process could be invoking solutions at a rapid rate. More problems might invite the necessity of more teams. This process is likely to create more solutions and give everyone the confidence that their organization can make steady progress because they can solve their problems.

Startups like to fail fast so they learn fast. What they are learning is that their theory for a solution was incorrect. They then are happy they get to try another one thinking they may arrive at a solution before the competition finds one. Clearly the race is on to find EV batteries that will allow greater time between recharging. You can imagine the investigations into root causes and alternatives. This is the process. What prevents a battery from lasting longer and how do we improve it?

If we changed our own orientation to looking for problems that impeded progress instead of trying to avoid them or throwing quick fixes at them, we might become more valuable in this process. A person known as a “problem fixer” could become a valuable asset worthy of promotion. They might be a person considered indispensable and not one to be fired. they may stand out as a person that needs to be promoted to prevent the competition from stealing them and to elevate their focus to bigger problems.

Leaders should definitely look at the Vision and the obstacles for achieving the Mission and invoke this process on each of the obstacles. The leader could have many plans in action working toward sustaining their operation and in making it more competitive, more profitable, and more fulfilling for all the stakeholders.

Become a Problem Solving expert and accelerate your career.

Get started with some Free Tools at igrow.Dev

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But what exactly should this vision include to ensure both career and lifestyle success? Here’s what you need to consider:

Define What Success Means to You: Success can look different for everyone. Does it mean reaching a certain professional title, achieving work-life balance, or perhaps making a significant impact in your field?

Your vision should reflect your personal definition of success, encompassing both career achievements and the lifestyle you aspire to lead.

Incorporate Your Passions and Strengths: A vision that integrates your passions and plays to your strengths is not only more enjoyable but also more sustainable.

Evaluate what you are good at and what you enjoy doing. Building a career around these elements can lead to more profound satisfaction and effectiveness.

Set Clear, Achievable Goals: Your vision should include specific goals that serve as milestones on your path to success. These goals should be challenging yet achievable and clearly defined so you can measure your progress and stay motivated.

Consider Your Ideal Work Environment: Reflect on the type of environment where you thrive. Do you prefer a fast-paced, innovative workspace, or a stable, structured environment?

Understanding this will help you choose the right paths and opportunities that align with your ideal working conditions.

Plan for Flexibility and Growth: The best visions allow for growth and adaptability. As you progress in your career, your aspirations and circumstances might change. Ensure your vision has the flexibility to evolve as you gain more experience and as your personal life develops.

Include a Timeline: While it’s important to be flexible, having a rough timeline can help keep you on track. This could include short-term goals (1-2 years), medium-term goals (3-5 years), and long-term goals (5+ years). A timeline helps you prioritize and can serve as a motivator.

Creating a vision with these aspects provides a solid foundation for career and lifestyle success. It aligns your daily efforts with your ultimate objectives and helps you navigate your professional journey with purpose and clarity.

What does your vision for career and lifestyle success look like? How do you plan to achieve it?

P,S, Get Started on Your Vision with my free PDF “The First 5 Steps Successful People Take”, and then the Free E-Book “Your Plan for Success” and then one Free Hour of Discussion on your Goals. Visit iGrow.Dev and sign up. No cost and no obligations.

#CareerDevelopment #LifestyleGoals #ProfessionalGrowth #SuccessPlanning #WorkLifeBalance

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Before we get into it, I recently reflected on how many people in our lives ask us what we want rather than tell us what they want.

I have a pretty good recall of my parents having expectations that were to guide my behavior. I think teachers and then bosses usually led with what they expected.

Our mates also have expectations of what they want and may leave it up to us to say what we want. My good male friends who have been married for 30+ years say they absolutely do what their wives say.

So, now it’s your turn. What is it you want?

As a manager that received 6 figure salaries a number of times, I found that owners and my salespeople were happy with me because of one fact. I worked to deliver what they wanted. My superiors wanted happy people and good production. My salespeople wanted to be successful and have support.

It made sense that to satisfy both, I had to support my salespeople in becoming successful. How did I do that? The first principal was I had a personal relationship with each one. We had regular sessions on their goals and their progress in a personal manner, not me setting the expectation. Because I frequently had 70 to 120 salespeople (residential real estate) my calendar always had agent meetings scheduled.

I had to listen and give feedback. I left it to them to do what I suggested would make them more successful. I had been successful and understood there were just a few things that had to be done consistently to develop a clientele.

The same principals occur in the lives of wealthy people. The book Think and Grow Rich were Andrew Carnegie’s lessons for Napoleon Hill on how to become successful. The book has been lauded for decades.

Deciding what you want can be in the many areas important to you. How do you want to feel each day? What kind of relationships do you want? What kind of work do you want to be doing? How do you get the support you need? Who are the people that can help you progress? What are you doing to improve who you are? Who knows about your Career goals and what are they doing to help you achieve them?

Donald Miller is an expert marketer and has a background as a writer and creator of screen plays. He has studied movie plots. He says there are the same plots in all successful stories. The hero has a challenge and doesn’t know if he is up to it. He finds a guide that helps him through difficult times. He achieves his goal and has a new feeling about himself and his life. Sometimes he’s diffusing the bomb or getting the treasure and usually winds up with the girl and starting a new chapter in his life. Its what we want to see and experience at the movies.

It’s what we want to experience in our own lives If we have a growth mindset, we want challenges. We want the excitement of finding out who we are We want to gain respect for what we know and how we help others whether we provide a service, product, art, health, education, or spirituality.

Sometimes we need a guide. We either live by the principals we learned from our parents or other influential people. We have read good books on being successful. We have fallen into a good opportunity where people are working with us to be successful. We have learned from making lots of mistakes, We have a clear picture of what we want and know the steps.

If all of the above are not true for us, maybe it’s time to reflect and get guidance. What do we want? How can we change who we are and how we show up? Do we have the courage to leave our comfort zones? Can we get out of our own head and listen to some new thoughts? Will we make new commitments to get what we want? Are we thinking big enough? Who are our role models? What attracts us to people? Do we live by our own core values? Do we like the person we see in the mirror? Are we consciously getting better every day? Do we have someone we want to keep us accountable? Are we getting back from the world a reflection of what we are putting out? Do we have time frames for getting what we want?

These are some basic questions to help you reflect on how you are living your life and whether it is up to your expectations. Our career influences our personal lives and our personal lives influence our careers. Balance is the often-controversial word for having enough free time and less stress to feel in control. Between our own expectations, those in our career lives and from those who are in our personal lives, we have a lot of balls to juggle.

Having a personal philosophy for how we are going to navigate the ups and downs and twists and turns keeps us steady in the face of the storm. Knowing what we want and having it in alignment with our core values and being able to execute our plan can be comforting at the end of the day.

If you would like to discuss the Course you are on, please schedule some time at https://tinyurl.com/mhjyu2t3

#career, #personaldevelopment, #lifepurpose, #goalsetting, #coaching

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Communication is another vital aspect. Make your achievements known in a tactful way. This doesn’t mean bragging about your successes, but rather ensuring that your contributions are visible to key stakeholders.

Regular updates to your manager, presentations in meetings, and reports that highlight your results can all raise your profile within the organization.

Taking initiative also plays a significant role. Look for opportunities to lead projects or contribute to high-impact tasks.

Volunteering for new initiatives, especially those that are highly visible and align with the company’s strategic goals, can position you as an innovative and proactive employee.

Networking within the company is just as important. Building relationships across different departments can expand your influence beyond your immediate team. It’s about creating a broad base of support and recognition across the organization, making you a go-to person in your area of expertise.

Engaging with colleagues at various levels and participating in cross-departmental projects can significantly enhance your visibility.

Finally, becoming a thought leader in your area can greatly boost your influence. Share your knowledge and insights, whether through internal newsletters, presentations, or informal discussions. By positioning yourself as an expert in your field, you not only increase your visibility but also add value to your organization, which is a powerful combination for career advancement.

By focusing on these strategies—delivering consistent results, communicating effectively, taking initiative, networking, and sharing your expertise—you can build a strong presence in your workplace and position yourself as an influential member of your organization.

Dive deeper in how to advance your career with my Free E-Book Your Plan for Success on the Home Page

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Firstly, it starts with ownership. Entrepreneurs treat every aspect of their business as if it’s their own, and this mindset can be transformative in a corporate job as well.

When employees start seeing themselves as more than just a cog in the machine, taking responsibility for both successes and failures, it changes how they approach their work. They begin to proactively look for solutions and improvements rather than waiting for directives.

Innovation is another key element. In a startup, resources can be limited, which breeds creativity because one has to make do with what they have.

Bringing this creative problem-solving to a corporate role means not being afraid to suggest new ideas or approaches, even if they’re outside the traditional ways of doing things. It’s about seeing beyond the status quo and asking, “How can we do this better?”

Then there’s risk-taking. Now, corporate settings aren’t always known for encouraging risk, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for calculated risks. Employees can look for opportunities to pilot small-scale projects or implement new processes on a trial basis.

The key here is to back up risks with solid research and a well-thought-out plan, presenting them in a way that aligns with the company’s goals and risk appetite.

Being resourceful is another entrepreneurial trait that translates well into the corporate world. This means making the most of the available resources—be it technology, skills, or networks—to maximize outcomes.

Entrepreneurs often have to figure out how to achieve more with less, and applying this mindset can help employees streamline processes and improve efficiency within their teams.

Lastly, thinking like an entrepreneur involves continuous learning and adaptability. Markets change, technologies advance, and consumer preferences shift. Employees who commit to learning and adapting swiftly to these changes are invaluable. They can foresee trends and prepare their teams or departments to pivot as necessary, keeping the company competitive and relevant.

Incorporating these entrepreneurial qualities into one’s work not only leads to personal growth and satisfaction but also makes a substantial difference in the broader context of their roles and the success of the organization. It’s about being proactive, resourceful, and resilient—qualities that every company values.

Want to delve deeper into the topic. Read my Free e-book Your Plan for Success. See the Home Page

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