Managing A Career
I help you navigate the path to professional success. Whether you're a recent graduate still searching for your place or a seasoned professional with years of experience, the knowledge and insights I share can show you how to position yourself for growth and career advancement.
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Career Speedrun - MAC109
09/16/2025
Career Speedrun - MAC109
Welcome back to Managing A Career, the podcast that helps you put yourself on the fast track for promotion. I’m your host, Layne Robinson. Today’s episode is all about a concept I’m calling the Career Speedrun. If you’re into gaming, you probably know what a speedrun is: it’s when players try to beat an entire game as fast as possible, skipping unnecessary parts, using shortcuts, and optimizing every move. Now, when it comes to your career, you can’t literally warp-jump from your first job straight to the corner office—but you can learn to recognize what slows you down, what accelerates your progress, and how to navigate the corporate world without wasting years wandering around levels that don’t serve you. Let’s break down how to approach your career like a speedrun. A career speedrun isn’t about recklessly chasing promotions at the expense of everything else. Instead, it’s about intentional acceleration. It’s asking: What do I actually want? How do I get there faster without burning out? And what shortcuts exist in the corporate world that most people don’t notice? The truth is, most careers stall because people spend years in roles that don’t develop promotable skills, or they wait for someone else to “notice their hard work.” That’s like playing a game and waiting for the boss to beat himself. It doesn’t work. Let’s borrow from gaming. Speedrunners have three rules: Master the map. They know every corner of the game world. Exploit shortcuts. They find the hidden jumps or backdoors. Practice efficiency. Every move has a purpose. Applied to your career, those rules look like this: Master the corporate map. Understand your industry, your company, and your internal politics better than others. Find career shortcuts. Things like stretch projects, high-visibility assignments, and mentorship can accelerate years of growth. Practice efficiency. Don’t waste time on work that doesn’t move you closer to leadership, skills, or influence. The Corporate Map Framework If you don’t know the map, you can’t run it efficiently. That means: Understanding formal structures—the org chart, reporting lines, and official processes. Understanding informal structures—the hidden influencers, gatekeepers, and decision-makers who don’t appear on a chart but shape outcomes. Understanding industry context—where your company sits competitively and which skills are valued most in your sector. Speedrunners don’t guess where the finish line is. They know the terrain. In your career, the people who rise fastest are those who see the full landscape and navigate it deliberately. Shortcut Identification Framework In gaming, a shortcut might only shave a few minutes off your time. But in your career, the right shortcut can shave years off your path. Think about mentorship, for example—a great mentor can collapse your learning curve by sharing lessons you’d otherwise spend years figuring out. Sponsorship takes it even further. Unlike a mentor, a sponsor is the person who actively speaks your name in promotion meetings and advocates for your next step forward. Then there are cross-functional projects, which expand your visibility beyond your immediate team, giving leaders across the company a reason to know your work. Your internal brand matters, too. When people are clear about your strengths, you’re the first person they think of when new opportunities open up. Sometimes the shortcut is smart risk-taking—volunteering for the tough assignment that everyone else avoids, which can end up becoming the career moment that defines you. And finally, there’s skill stacking—learning high-value, promotable skills earlier than your peers, which gives you leverage that compounds over time. Most people take the long road, slowly building credibility step by step. But the speedrunner looks around and asks: Where’s the warp pipe? Efficiency Discipline Framework Efficiency in a speedrun is about never wasting movement. Efficiency in a career is about never wasting effort. Ask yourself three questions for every task on your plate: Does this build promotable skills? Does this increase my visibility? Does this connect me with power or influence? If the answer is no to all three, that task may need to be minimized, delegated, or re-framed. Speedrunners don’t spend hours in side quests that don’t matter to the end goal. Neither should you. Every career has levels. Let’s walk through them with a speedrun mindset. Level 1: The Early Game (Junior Roles)Here, most people grind on learning the rules and focusing on those easy, low-level tasks. But the speedrunner? They say: How do I prove value faster? That might mean volunteering for projects above your pay grade or learning skills that aren’t officially in your job description. Level 2: The Mid-Game (Senior Roles)Here’s where many people get stuck. They work hard but blend into the background. The speedrunner looks for leverage: How do I get visible to executives? How do I turn my results into influence? Level 3: The Boss Level (Leadership)At this stage, the speedrunner asks: How do I scale impact? It’s no longer about what you personally do—it’s about the team you build, the systems you improve, and the influence you wield across the organization. Your career speed depends on how quickly you level up—not how long you camp out in one level. Every speedrun has pitfalls, and careers are no different. One of the most common is burnout—pushing so hard and so fast that you run out of energy before you reach the next level. Speed is valuable, but not if it leaves you too exhausted to keep going. Another hazard is shallow skill-building. Some people chase titles without ever developing the real substance behind them. On paper, the promotion looks impressive, but without the skills to back it up, the progress doesn’t last. There’s also the danger of hollow titles and damaged networks. Moving too quickly without care for relationships can burn bridges, and once your reputation takes a hit, it’s hard to recover. No one wants to be known as the person who climbed fast but left a trail of resentment behind. The truth is, if you accelerate without sustainability, your run ends early. The smartest speedrunners know when to push forward and when to pace themselves. In your career, you want to finish the game—not crash halfway through. Now that we've looked at your career speedrun, here are three strategies you can start using today to speed up your career trajectory: Audit your work. Ask: “Which of my tasks directly tie to skills or visibility that lead to promotion?” If something doesn’t, minimize it. Find a shortcut. Identify one cross-functional project, mentor, or sponsor opportunity this quarter. Treat it like your warp pipe. Re-map your levels. Write down what your “early game, mid-game, late game” look like. Where are you right now, and what’s the fastest way to the next level? That’s it for today’s episode on the Career Speedrun. Remember, you don’t have to spend 20 years grinding the same level. With the right map, shortcuts, and efficiency, you can accelerate your career and reach your goals faster than you thought possible. If this episode gave you a new perspective, share it with a friend or coworker who’s ambitious about their career. And if you haven’t already, subscribe to Managing A Career so you don’t miss the next episode. Until next time, I’m Layne Robinson—helping you put yourself on the fast track for promotion.
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Early Promotion to Career Success - MAC108
09/09/2025
Early Promotion to Career Success - MAC108
Reframing the Premature Promotion Back in , I tackled the tricky terrain of getting promoted too soon—when the title lands before the readiness does. That episode unpacked the complications that can follow a premature promotion: skill gaps, team tension, imposter syndrome, and even layoff risk. This week, I’m flipping the script. Instead of focusing on the pitfalls, let’s talk about how to turn that early promotion into a strategic advantage. Because if you play it right, what starts as a stumble can become your fastest leap forward. The Risks Beneath the Ribbon-Cutting Getting promoted is thrilling—new title, new responsibilities, and a shiny new chance to flex skills you may or may not have yet. Maybe you lobbied hard for the role. Maybe someone senior left and you were the warm body in the right place. Either way, the promotion landed. But if it landed before you were ready, you’re not just stepping into a new job—you’re stepping into a minefield. You might be missing key skills. You might face tension from teammates who wanted the same role. And you might feel the creeping dread of Imposter Syndrome (I unpack that in ). If you let those complications define your leadership, they’ll quietly sabotage your credibility. But with the right mindset—and a few tactical moves—you can flip the narrative and turn this shaky start into a career catapult. Why Early Promotion Is a Hidden Advantage Here’s the twist: being promoted before you're ready can actually be a massive career advantage—if you know how to use it. You’ve just been handed a high-leverage moment. Expectations are low (or at least forgiving), visibility is high, and you’ve got a built-in narrative arc: the underdog who rose fast and figured it out in real time. That’s catnip for senior leaders watching from above. Most people wait until they feel “ready” to stretch. You? You’re already stretching. And that means you’re learning faster, building resilience, and proving you can grow under pressure. It’s not about faking it—it’s about accelerating your readiness while the spotlight’s already on. Defuse the Drama Before It Starts Let’s be honest—people are hard. Every person you work with comes with their own expectations, insecurities, and preferred operating system. And when you get promoted ahead of someone else, the emotional stakes spike. Resentment simmers. Doubt lingers. That’s why one of your first moves should be proactive one-on-ones with the folks who might be most resistant. Not to justify your promotion—but to listen, understand, and build trust. Ask what they need. Ask what they worry about. Then take visible action to show you’re not just a good fit for the role—you’re the best possible choice. This isn’t politics. It’s leadership. And the sooner you lean into it, the faster the tension turns into traction. Use the Low Bar to Build a Launchpad When expectations are low, exceeding them is almost too easy. The leaders who promoted you likely knew you weren’t fully baked for the role—they saw potential, not polish. That’s your opening. If you can quickly assess your skill gaps and build a fast-track learning plan, you’re not just catching up—you’re signaling that you’re already thinking ahead. This isn’t about scrambling to survive; it’s about showing you can scale. The faster you close those gaps, the more confidence your leaders will have that you’re not just ready for this role—you’re already warming up for the next one. Win Fast, Share Loudly With a new role, all eyes are on you—watching, judging, quietly betting on whether you’ll sink or swim. That spotlight won’t last forever, so use it while it’s hot. Look for short-term wins that prove you’re not just learning—you’re leading. But here’s the nuance: don’t just showcase your work, showcase your team. Give credit generously and publicly. It signals two things at once: that you’re confident enough not to hoard praise, and that you’re building something bigger than yourself. That kind of leadership doesn’t just earn respect—it defuses resentment and turns skeptics into allies. Set the Tone for Your Trajectory Early promotions aren’t just about the role you land—they’re about the reputation you build. This is your chance to show that you’re coachable, not defensive. That you learn fast, not just grind hard. That you can manage, influence, and lead—not just execute. When senior leaders see someone who can grow under pressure, elevate others, and stay open to feedback, they start thinking long-term. That’s how one early promotion becomes two. That’s how you get ahead of the curve—reaching the highest levels of the organization while others are still waiting for permission to stretch. You’re not just filling a role. You’re shaping your trajectory. Your Move If you’ve just landed a promotion you weren’t quite ready for—congratulations. You’ve been handed a rare opportunity to grow faster, lead smarter, and build a reputation that lasts. Don’t waste it. Start with self-awareness, lean into the hard conversations, rack up early wins, and make sure everyone knows you’re here to elevate—not dominate. The next promotion starts now. So take the reins, set the tone, and show them exactly why betting on you was the smartest move they’ve made all year. A career coach can help you build the skills to actually use these strategies—not just hear them. If you're looking for one, reach out through the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (). I’ll set up an intro session where we’ll talk through your career goals and see if we’re a good fit. If we click, we’ll schedule regular sessions to get your career moving—not just forward, but up.
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Career Stagnation - MAC107
09/02/2025
Career Stagnation - MAC107
Has your career quietly veered off course—not with a dramatic crash, but with a slow, almost imperceptible drift? One missed opportunity. One unchallenging role. One “maybe next year” that turned into five. Then one day, you look up and realize you’re nowhere near where you thought you’d be. Here’s the good news: every detour has a reentry point. You won’t fix it overnight, but you can start with one small, intentional correction. And that shift—however minor—is how momentum begins. How Did We Get Here? Before we talk solutions, let’s rewind. Career drift doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s usually the result of subtle, compounding forces: lack of challenge, fuzzy goals, a toxic boss, or simply being too good at a role that stopped growing with you. This isn’t about blame—it’s about reclaiming agency. Because the first step to any meaningful course correction is knowing exactly what you’re correcting. 1. Comfort Maybe you find comfort in what you currently do. Success can be a trap. When you’re great at what you do, it’s easy to settle into a groove that feels safe. But comfort rarely equals growth. Over time, that once-exciting role becomes routine, and the lack of challenge quietly erodes your ambition. You stop stretching, stop risking—and eventually, stop progressing. 2. Unclear Goals Maybe you started with a clear destination: a title, a salary, a corner office. But goals evolve. If yours haven’t kept pace with your values, you’re likely chasing something that no longer feels meaningful. Without fresh direction, even the most polished resume starts to feel like a list of someone else’s priorities. 3. Loyalty That Limits Or maybe you're loyal -- to a fault. You care about your team. You’ve built relationships, mentored others, maybe even carried a struggling department. Leaving feels like betrayal. But here’s the truth: staying out of obligation isn’t noble—it’s self-sabotage. Loyalty should never cost you your growth. 4. Fear And one of the biggest hinderances to growth? Fear. Fear is ambition’s quiet saboteur. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not being good enough in a new space. It convinces you to stay put, wait for “the right time,” and avoid the discomfort of change. But fear doesn’t vanish on its own—it shrinks only when you move toward it. Reclaiming Direction with the IDP One of the most effective tools for getting your career back on track is the Individual Development Plan (IDP). I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the top-down approach works. Start with your Vision—your long-term destination. Then chart your Roadmap, assess your current state, define your Next Role, and break it all down into an actionable plan. This isn’t career theory—it’s a practical framework that turns ambition into movement. Want a deeper dive? Episodes 36–40 of the Managing A Career podcast () walk through each step with real-world examples and templates. 1. Career Vision: What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? The Career Vision is the soul of your IDP. Start with the end in mind. What role do you want to hold when you retire? Where do you see yourself in 10 years—or just 2? Whether you’re aiming for CEO or a niche expert role, define the destination. Then reverse-engineer the path. Promotions, lateral moves, skill-building—it all depends on where you are now and where you want to go. This isn’t about rigid timelines. It’s about mapping the milestones. 2. Honest Assessment: Where Are You Now? Remember your assessment of where you are now isn’t your annual review. It’s a candid look at your current role through the lens of capability, not just performance. Start with your job description. Identify strengths, flag weaknesses, and spot growth opportunities. Ask trusted peers and leaders for feedback—they’ll see what you might miss. Then repeat the exercise for your next role. Look for gaps that persist across both, and note strengths that might not translate upward. The more honest you are in this step, the more actionable your plan will be. 3. Action Plan: Build the Bridge Now that you’ve spotted the gaps, it’s time to close them. Create a set of actions to turn weaknesses into strengths. Focus on the overlap between your current and next role. This could mean training, stretch assignments, or mentoring—either as mentor or mentee. Each action should include: The activity The skill or gap it addresses A target timeline Loop in your manager. If some actions fall outside your job scope, look beyond work—night classes, volunteer projects, anything that builds the muscle. 4. Successes: Track the Wins As you complete items in your action plan, move them to your Successes section. Celebrate them. Document your progress—promotions, role changes, major skill gains. This section is your proof that growth is happening, even when it feels slow. 5. Keep It Alive Your IDP isn’t a one-and-done document. Revisit it quarterly. Update your action plan and successes often. As your career evolves, reassess your strengths and weaknesses against new responsibilities. If your vision shifts—because you’ve grown or simply changed your mind—that’s fine. Update it. Nothing in this plan is set in stone. It’s yours to shape. The IDP: Your Career’s Reset Button The beauty of the IDP is that it doesn’t care why your career drifted—it just helps you get moving again. Stuck in comfort? The Career Vision section forces you to zoom out and ask, “Is this really where I want to end up?” Lost in vague goals? The IDP gives you structure: a destination, a roadmap, and measurable steps. Trapped by loyalty? The Honest Assessment and Action Plan help you evaluate whether that loyalty is helping or hindering your growth. Paralyzed by fear? The Successes section becomes your proof that progress is possible—one small win at a time. The IDP doesn’t just guide your career. It gives you permission to own it. Let’s be honest—careers don’t derail overnight. They drift. Slowly. Quietly. But the IDP gives you a way to take back control. It’s not just a worksheet; it’s a strategic tool to reconnect with your ambition, assess your readiness, and build momentum toward the career you actually want. Whether you’re recalibrating or reinventing, the IDP meets you where you are—and helps you move forward with intention. Ready to get started? Head to the Contact Form on and request your free copy of the IDP template. It’s time to stop drifting and start designing.
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Non-Verbal Communication - MAC106
08/26/2025
Non-Verbal Communication - MAC106
In last week’s podcast episode of the podcast, Episode 105 – Communication Etiquette (), I talked about how seemingly small, everyday actions can shape how others perceive you at work. While these habits may not directly earn you a promotion, they quietly build your reputation with the very people who influence those decisions. This week, I want to take that conversation further by focusing on something even more subtle but just as powerful: non-verbal communication cues. Why Non-Verbal Communication Matters Whether you’re in a casual hallway conversation, presenting in a meeting, or connecting over a video call, the way you carry yourself sets the tone for how others receive both you and your ideas. Confident posture, purposeful hand gestures, and aligned facial expressions signal credibility and invite trust. On the other hand, shrinking into your chair, avoiding eye contact, or trying to make yourself small often leads people to unconsciously dismiss not only your presence—but also the value of your message. Confident non-verbal communication isn't just window dressing—it’s the foundation of trust. Behavioral researcher Vanessa Van Edwards underscores how our brains are wired to interpret nonverbal cues before we're even consciously aware of them—it’s a silent language louder than words ( , ). In her work, she breaks down the “Cue Cycle”: Decode → Internalize → Encode—illustrating how we interpret signals, let them reshape our mood and behavior, and then respond with our own cues ( ). She also highlights powerful patterns showcased by leaders—like open body posture, leaning in, purposeful gaze, and respectful use of space—as the “secret weapons” of nonverbal power ( ). Studies show that when nonverbal signals align with our words, they reinforce our message; when they conflict, they’re often the signals people believe ( , ). This is why a confident stance, expressive gestures, and aligned facial cues ground your message—while shrinking into yourself, folding your arms, or avoiding eye contact sends the opposite. Vanessa’s work isn’t theoretical—it’s backed by hundreds of thousands of observations, experiments, and real-world applications via her site Science of People (). Non-Verbal Cues in Action Non-verbal communication looks different depending on the situation. Let’s break it down with a few concrete examples you can use right away: 1. Casual Conversation Keep your hands visible – Open palms signal openness. Angle your body toward the person – facing them directly shows genuine attention. Use micro-expressions – smiles or raised eyebrows signal engagement. Mirror their energy – subtly matching tone or gestures builds rapport. Maintain comfortable eye contact – balance is key. 2. Participating in a Meeting Sit tall and lean in slightly – it shows investment in the conversation. Keep gestures intentional – emphasize points without fidgeting. Nod strategically – builds trust and collaboration. Claim your space – avoid shrinking into your chair. Manage transitions – signal readiness to contribute with subtle gestures. 3. Video Calls Position your camera at eye level – mimics natural eye contact. Use the “triangle of visibility” – head, shoulders, and hands visible. Avoid multitasking cues – no typing or looking away. Lean in when speaking, lean back when listening – shows engagement rhythm. Use lighting to your advantage – well-lit face communicates openness. Common Non-Verbal Mistakes to Avoid 1. Casual Conversation Hands in pockets or crossed arms Looking over someone’s shoulder Weak or limp gestures 2. Participating in a Meeting Slouching back in your chair Overusing filler gestures (tapping, clicking) Avoiding visibility (sitting out of sight) Interrupting without signals 3. Video Calls Camera pointing up or down at the wrong angle Constantly looking at your own image Distracted body language (typing, phone, darting eyes) Blank or frozen expressions Why It Matters for Your Career Mastering non-verbal cues has a measurable impact on your career trajectory. People form judgments about competence, confidence, and leadership potential within seconds of meeting you. Leaders who use intentional body language are often perceived as more competent and persuasive—even if they’re junior in tenure. Strong non-verbal communication helps you: Gain credibility quickly Build stronger relationships Enhance visibility Accelerate career growth Five Simple, High-Impact Strategies You Can Implement Today Check Your Posture – Stand or sit tall to project confidence. Make Your Hands Count – Use visible, intentional gestures. Lean In, Listen Actively – Subtle forward leans signal engagement. Camera Confidence – Position at eye level with good lighting; keep hands visible. Mirror & Match – Reflect the energy and tone of others to build rapport. Wrapping Up Non-verbal communication is a critical tool in your career toolkit. By paying attention to posture, gestures, facial expressions, and virtual presence, you can dramatically influence how others perceive you, build credibility, and accelerate your professional growth. If you found these insights useful, subscribe to the Managing A Career podcast ( and never miss an episode. Each episode is packed with practical strategies to help you advance. And if you know someone who could benefit from leveling up their professional presence, share this episode with them—your recommendation could be the nudge that helps them get noticed and get ahead. Reference Links Table Resource URL Vanessa Van Edwards – Cue Notes (MickMel) Vanessa Van Edwards – Hidden Power of Body Language Transcript Albert Mehrabian – Nonverbal Communication Science of People – Body Language Percentage Science of People – Main Website
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Communication Etiquette - MAC105
08/19/2025
Communication Etiquette - MAC105
On other episodes of the Managing A Career podcast, I tend to focus on the big-picture strategies that can propel your career forward—things like building influence, earning visibility, and positioning yourself for future opportunities. But advancement isn’t just about the major moves. Sometimes, it’s the subtle, everyday actions that shape how others perceive you. This week, I want to zoom in on one of those seemingly small details that won’t directly earn you a promotion, but will absolutely impact the impression you leave on colleagues, managers, and executives: communication etiquette. While you may build friendships at work, most colleagues are focused on getting their tasks done and moving on to the next priority. That means the way you communicate can either support their productivity—or unintentionally disrupt it. Poor communication habits, even small ones, can cause you to be seen as annoying, distracting, or inconsiderate. On the other hand, mastering clear and efficient communication signals respect for others’ time and attention. Over time, that respect translates into stronger working relationships, greater credibility, and an overall reputation as someone people want to work with. So what exactly do I mean by communication etiquette? Let’s start with a classic example. Someone messages you on your company’s internal chat tool and simply types “Hi”… and then waits. Now you’re left wondering—do you stop what you’re doing to respond, or do you ignore it and keep working? Your decision probably depends on who it is. If it’s your boss, you’ll likely pause everything to reply. If it’s someone you barely know, chances are you’ll hold off until you’ve finished your task. Now flip the scenario. When you need something, how do you open that conversation? Do you set the context right away, or do you leave the other person hanging? These small choices—how you start, how you respond, how you respect the other person’s time—are exactly what falls under the umbrella of communication etiquette. No matter the medium—chat, email, or even a quick stop by someone’s desk—the goal of good communication etiquette is to minimize disruption. It’s fine to start with a brief greeting, but you should quickly move into the context of your request. Dropping just a “Hi” in chat leaves the other person guessing—Is this urgent? Is it a quick question? Is it a major problem? That uncertainty forces them to pause and wonder instead of continuing their work. By including context up front, you give them clarity: how urgent the matter is, how much of their time you’ll need, and what information they might need to prepare before fully engaging in the conversation. That small adjustment can be the difference between being seen as considerate and efficient—or frustrating and vague. Of course, communication etiquette isn’t one-size-fits-all. How you approach a peer, a manager, an executive—or even a direct report—should look very different. With peers, there’s usually more room for informality, but clarity and efficiency still matter. When speaking with your manager, context becomes even more important—they need enough information to make quick decisions without having to drag details out of you. And with executives, brevity is king. They don’t have the bandwidth for long explanations or back-and-forth messages. The faster you can give them the key point, the decision required, or the action needed, the more respect you earn. The dynamic shifts again when you’re a manager communicating with your team. Something as simple as sending, “Can we chat?” to a direct report can create unnecessary stress. Without context, their mind may immediately jump to the worst-case scenario—Am I in trouble? Am I about to be fired?—when all you really wanted was a quick project update. Providing a short explanation, like “Can we chat for 5 minutes about the client presentation?” removes that anxiety and creates psychological safety. As a leader, this kind of clarity not only improves communication efficiency but also builds trust, which pays dividends in team morale and performance. In spite of good intentions, many professionals fall into communication traps that waste time and damage credibility. In email, vague subject lines like “Quick Question” force recipients to open the message just to understand the context. On chat, sending multiple short messages instead of a single, well-structured one can feel like a flood of interruptions. In meetings, inviting too many people—or failing to set an agenda—leaves participants wondering why their time was taken. And perhaps the most common error of all: failing to tailor your message to your audience, whether that means overwhelming an executive with unnecessary detail or leaving a direct report anxious with too little context. These small mistakes add up, and over time, they shape how others perceive your professionalism. Fortunately, strong communication etiquette isn’t complicated—it just requires a little intention. Start by leading with context: state what you need and why upfront, so the other person knows how to engage. Be concise, but complete; don’t make people chase you for missing details. Match the level of detail to your audience—big picture for executives, decision-ready context for managers, and clarity with psychological safety for subordinates. In email, write subject lines that preview the request, like “Need approval by Friday: Client Presentation Slides.” In chat, combine your greeting and your request in one message, so the other person can respond when they’re ready. And in meetings, only invite the people necessary and share an agenda in advance. These small practices send a powerful signal: you respect others’ time and attention, and that respect often comes back to you in the form of trust, influence, and opportunity. Mastering communication etiquette may feel like a small thing, but it creates outsized benefits for your career. First, it builds a reputation for professionalism—people notice when you consistently respect their time and communicate clearly. Second, it increases your influence, because colleagues, managers, and executives are more likely to engage with and support someone who makes interactions smooth and productive. Third, it opens doors to leadership opportunities; when you demonstrate the ability to adapt your style across peers, managers, executives, and subordinates, you signal that you’re ready to operate at a higher level. And fourth, it reduces friction in your daily work, which means projects move faster, relationships are stronger, and you spend less time repairing misunderstandings. Over time, these advantages compound, setting you up not only for promotions but also for long-term success in any role. To make this simple, here’s a quick set of do’s and don’ts you can keep in mind the next time you communicate at work: Do Why It Matters Don’t Impact of Mistake Lead with context in chat/email Gives clarity and saves time Drop just “Hi” and wait Creates confusion and frustration Adjust detail to your audience Shows awareness and respect Use the same approach for peers, managers, and executives Signals lack of professionalism Use clear subject lines in email Helps recipients prioritize Send vague subjects like “Quick Question” Wastes time, lowers urgency Limit meeting invites & share agenda Increases efficiency & focus Invite everyone “just in case” Wastes time, lowers credibility Provide context to subordinates Builds trust & reduces anxiety Send cryptic messages like “Can we chat?” Creates unnecessary stress In the end, communication etiquette isn’t about following rigid rules—it’s about respecting the time, attention, and emotional energy of the people you work with. When you communicate clearly, efficiently, and with empathy, you build stronger relationships at every level of the organization. And while no one gets promoted just for writing great emails or sending thoughtful chat messages, those habits set you apart as someone who is professional, trustworthy, and ready for more responsibility. Start applying these best practices today, and you’ll not only make your coworkers’ lives easier—you’ll be paving the way for your own career growth. If you’re thinking that your communication style might be holding you back—or if you’re ready to take the next step in building the skills that lead to promotions and bigger opportunities—I can help. Through my career coaching practice, I work with professionals at all stages to refine the everyday habits, strategies, and long-term plans that accelerate success. If you’d like to explore how coaching can give you a competitive edge, visit and reach out through the contact form. Let’s make sure your next promotion isn’t left to chance.
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A Seat At The Table - MAC104
08/12/2025
A Seat At The Table - MAC104
You Need to Be in the Room Where It Happens — But How? You’ve heard the phrase before: “You need to be in the room where decisions happen.” It sounds powerful—exclusive even—but no one ever hands you the playbook for getting in that room. Working hard isn’t enough. Being the best at your job isn’t enough. The truth is, opportunities to sit at the table where decisions are made don’t simply appear—they’re earned, often through deliberate actions, strategic visibility, and building the right kind of influence. So the real question becomes: how do you earn that seat at the table? If you’ve ever wondered why certain people are always in those key meetings, asked for input on big projects, or somehow always in the know—it’s not luck. It’s structure. It’s systems. It’s intentional networking. And yes, it’s strategy. Here’s the truth: most professionals are unknowingly stuck at the kids’ table at work. They’re working hard, hitting every target, yet still left out of the conversations that shape the future. The difference between being an observer and being a decision-maker often comes down to two things: visibility and relevance. And the good news? Both are entirely within your control. We’re about to unpack the exact strategy for you to claim your seat. Before we get into the how, let’s address the mindset. Too many people treat being invited into the room as a reward—something that magically happens when they’ve “earned it” through hard work alone. That’s the wrong frame. You don’t wait to be discovered; you create the conditions where your absence would be noticed. The people in those rooms aren’t just good at their jobs—they’ve positioned themselves as indispensable voices in conversations that matter. They’ve made it impossible to move forward without their perspective. That’s the shift: stop waiting for permission to join the table, and start building demand for your seat. Here’s something most people miss: there isn’t just one room or one table. There are many. Your manager has a “table” where the senior members of your immediate team gather to influence decisions. Your department has a table where departmental leaders—leaders in role and in influence—discuss priorities and resources. And your company has a table where executives make the strategic decisions that shape the entire organization. Each of these rooms operates at a different scale, but the principle is the same: when you’re not at the table, you’re not part of the conversation—or the outcome. The strategy we’re about to cover works for every single one of those tables, whether you’re aiming for the inner circle on your team or the highest-level conversations in the company. Master it at one level, and you can scale it all the way up. So how do you actually get that seat—whether it’s with your team lead, your department heads, or your company’s executive leadership? You do it with Access, Contribution, and Expertise. Access: Intentionally building the relationships and visibility that put you in proximity to decision-makers—so when opportunities arise, you’re already in their line of sight. Contribution: Showing up in ways that move the needle—offering solutions, insights, and support that make you an active participant in progress, not just an observer. Expertise: Consistently demonstrating skill, knowledge, and judgment that make your presence in the room a competitive advantage for the group. When you apply these principles, you stop waiting to be invited and start positioning yourself as the kind of person others want in every critical discussion. And because it works at every “table” in the organization, it’s a strategy you can scale from your immediate team all the way to the highest levels of leadership. Access Access is about more than just “knowing people.” It’s about intentionally placing yourself in the networks, circles, and conversations that feed directly into the rooms you want to enter. There are four ways to build it: Expanding your network – Go beyond the comfort zone of your immediate peers. Seek connections across departments, functions, and even locations. Each new connection is a potential bridge into a different room. Being a connector – Don’t just collect contacts; connect them. Introduce people who can help each other. When you become the hub, your value—and visibility—naturally rises. Owning relationships – Keep in touch, follow up, and nurture connections over time. A name in someone’s inbox is far more powerful than a name they vaguely remember from a meeting last year. Having a sponsor or advocate – A mentor gives advice. A sponsor uses their influence to open doors for you. Build relationships with people who have a seat at the table and are willing to say your name when opportunities come up. When you have Access, you’re no longer on the outside looking in—you’re on the shortlist for the conversation before it even begins. Contribution Contribution is about making yourself indispensable—not through sheer volume of work, but through strategic impact. You want to be seen as someone who moves things forward in ways that matter to decision-makers. Here’s how: Volunteering – Step up for initiatives outside your normal scope, especially when they align with high-priority goals. This shows you’re invested in more than just your job description. High-profile projects – Seek assignments that are visible to leadership or cross-functional in nature. These projects often get discussed in the rooms you want to enter, and your involvement gets your name in the mix. Finding gaps – Look for problems that no one “owns” and take them on. When you solve an overlooked issue, you stand out as proactive and solution-oriented. Delivering under pressure – Anyone can contribute when things are calm. The people who shine in high-stakes moments are the ones leadership remembers when the next challenge comes. Creating wins for others – Help colleagues succeed and give them public credit. This builds allies who are more likely to advocate for you in conversations you’re not part of—yet. Strategic contribution builds a track record of impact that decision-makers notice and remember. It’s one of the fastest ways to turn “who’s that?” into “we need them in the room.” Expertise Expertise is what transforms your presence in the room from optional to essential. It’s not just about knowing your stuff—it’s about being recognized for it. Here’s how to build it: Showing leadership – As covered in Episode 101 (), leadership isn’t a title—it’s behavior. Take ownership, guide others, and elevate the performance of those around you. Leaders are invited into rooms because they make the group stronger. Being the go-to person in a specific area – Specialization creates demand. If you’re the one who can answer the tough questions or solve the tricky problems in your field, your absence will be noticed. Staying ahead of the curve – Keep learning and bring fresh insights to the table. Share trends, tools, or strategies before others even know they exist. Being “future-ready” makes you valuable in strategic discussions. Demonstrating sound judgment – Expertise isn’t just technical—it’s knowing when to speak up, when to hold back, and how to frame input so it moves decisions forward. Documenting and sharing wins – Don’t assume people know your impact. Make sure your results are visible—through reports, updates, or even informal conversations with decision-makers. Expertise positions you as the person whose input changes outcomes. When you combine it with Access and Contribution, you’re no longer hoping for an invitation—you’re building a reputation that demands one. Flip the Script: Take a Hard Look at Where You Stand If you’re still wondering why you’re not in the room, it’s time for some honest reflection. Ask yourself: Are you known beyond your immediate team, or are you mostly invisible outside your bubble? Does leadership understand what drives you and what unique strengths you bring? Are you just delivering on assigned tasks, or are you actively driving projects and initiatives forward? Are you waiting for an invitation, or are you proactively showing up where value needs to be added? The harsh reality is that most people stay invisible because they’re too heads-down, focused only on their own work. But if you want to influence decisions and shape outcomes, you have to be on the field—not just on the sidelines. And here’s another truth: your manager might not be the way in. If they don’t have a seat there themselves, you’ll need to build lateral and upward relationships to get the visibility and access required to move forward. The Final Word: Claim Your Space by Becoming Irreplaceable The room isn’t reserved for people with fancy titles or the loudest voices. It’s reserved for those who consistently deliver value, create momentum, and make themselves impossible to ignore. It’s for the individuals who understand that influence isn’t given—it’s earned by being reliable, insightful, and proactive. Think about the people who come to mind when you imagine leaders who really matter. Chances are, they didn’t get there by waiting for invitations—they carved out space by stepping up when it counted, by building networks that mattered, and by developing expertise that made their presence in any conversation an asset. Your career won’t advance just because you show up; it will advance because you bring something others can’t afford to lose. That means showing up not just to do your job, but to move the work forward in ways that others recognize and respect. Be the person who doesn’t just participate but who shapes the direction of the conversation. Be the person who others trust to take on challenges and deliver results, even when it’s not easy. Be the person whose absence would leave a noticeable gap. Claim your space by becoming irreplaceable—and watch how the room begins to open up for you. Let’s Keep the Conversation Going I’d love to hear how the ideas from this podcast have helped you advance your career. Visit ManagingACareer.com and leave a message via the Contact form () or, if you prefer, click the button to leave a voicemail directly from your computer. Share which episodes have made the biggest impact on you and how you’ve applied what you’ve learned. If enough of you send in your stories, I’ll start including them in upcoming episodes to inspire others on this journey. Your voice matters—let’s build this community together.
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What Are You Prioritizing? - MAC103
08/05/2025
What Are You Prioritizing? - MAC103
What You Prioritize Is What You Grow In your career—just like in life—whatever you prioritize is what takes root, grows, and ultimately defines your trajectory. Whether you’re intentional about it or not, your attention acts like sunlight and water: it nourishes certain parts of your professional life while leaving others to wither. Even worse is when you don’t make a conscious choice at all—when your career just “happens to you.” That passive approach can lead to years of drifting, missed opportunities, and invisible ceilings. So take a moment to reflect: what are you truly prioritizing right now? Is it visibility? Skill-building? Leadership? Or are you unconsciously prioritizing comfort, routine, or the path of least resistance? Because the answer to that question is shaping your future whether you realize it or not. Alignment Isn’t Optional—It’s Essential This kind of prioritization—this optimization of where you direct your focus—doesn’t mean you stop putting effort into other areas of your role. Of course you’ll still deliver on your responsibilities. But when given a choice—when you have limited time, energy, or visibility—what do you lean into? More importantly, how does that focus align with your Career Vision (see ) and how does it align with your company’s goals? Because when your day-to-day priorities and your long-term goals don’t line up, you’ll feel it. It shows up as stagnation. As burnout. As growing frustration that no amount of “working harder” will fix. Misalignment creates drag in your career—alignment creates momentum. Different Priorities, Different Trade-Offs It’s important to recognize that not everyone is—or should be—prioritizing the same things at every stage of their life or career. Your current focus is often shaped by your personal context, responsibilities, and what you value most right now. For example, someone who prioritizes stability might choose low-risk, steady assignments that keep them securely in their current role. That’s not laziness—it might be the smart move for someone managing heavy responsibilities outside of work, like caring for young kids or aging parents. Someone who prioritizes growth is always looking for stretch roles, pushing past their comfort zone, and seeking out skill-building opportunities. But taken too far, this can lead to burnout or even career dead ends if the growth isn’t guided by strategy. Others may prioritize recognition, opting for high-profile assignments, even if it means working longer hours and living with the pressure of being in the spotlight. Meanwhile, those who prioritize money might take on roles or projects that are financially rewarding, but ultimately draining or disconnected from their passions. Some professionals prioritize influence, focusing on roles that expand their network and informal power within an organization. Others may lean into flexibility, taking roles that allow them to control their schedule, even if that slows their upward trajectory. None of these choices are inherently wrong—but they all come with trade-offs. The key is to make those choices consciously, and ensure they support—not sabotage—your long-term vision. Two Paths, Two Outcomes Let’s look at two professionals working at the same company: we'll call them Maya and Jordan. On paper, they’re equals—both mid-level managers with solid reputations and strong work ethics. But beneath the surface, their careers are unfolding in very different ways. Maya has taken the time to define her Career Vision. She knows she wants to move into a strategic leadership role within the next two years. Because of that clarity, she filters every opportunity through a simple lens: Does this get me closer to the leader I want to become? If a project offers exposure to senior leadership, requires cross-functional collaboration, or ties directly to company strategy, she’s all in. But when she’s asked to join projects that are time-consuming but don’t move her forward—like internal task forces or repetitive ops work—she diplomatically declines or negotiates her role to stay focused on her long term plan. That doesn’t mean she’s selfish. It means she’s intentional. And leadership has noticed. Her name is now coming up in succession planning meetings. Jordan, on the other hand, hasn’t set a clear vision for his future. He’s known as someone who can be counted on—a dependable team player who will roll up his sleeves and help wherever needed. His inbox is always full. His calendar is packed. His colleagues love working with him. But he’s also exhausted. Despite all his effort, Jordan’s career growth has stalled. He’s been passed over for stretch assignments and promotions more than once. He doesn’t understand why—after all, he’s working harder than ever. But the truth is, he’s prioritizing being helpful over being strategic. His focus is everywhere, so his impact isn’t felt anywhere. And that misalignment is wearing him down. A Simple Framework to Realign Your Focus If you’re starting to wonder whether you’re more like Maya or Jordan, that’s a good thing. Awareness is the first step toward realignment. Here’s a simple framework you can use to check yourself: at the start of each week, take ten minutes to list your top five tasks or commitments. For each one, ask two questions: Does this task move me closer to my Career Vision? Does this task create value that is visible and aligned with my company’s strategic goals? If the answer is “no” to both, that task might be a drain on your momentum. It’s not about abandoning your responsibilities—it’s about understanding which activities are investments and which are just busywork. When you consistently prioritize high-alignment work, even in small increments, you start to build career gravity. You’ll find yourself pulled toward more of the right opportunities—and less reliant on being lucky or liked to get ahead. What to Do with the “Wrong Work” Let’s be honest—there will always be tasks that don’t align directly with your career vision but still matter to the company. These assignments might not elevate your visibility, develop key skills, or move you toward your goals—but they still need to get done. The trick is learning how to manage them without letting them hijack your focus. Start by asking: Can this be delegated? Often, someone on your team may benefit from the experience or visibility that the task provides. Delegating isn’t about offloading—it’s about creating development opportunities for others while protecting your own strategic focus. If it can’t be delegated, ask: Can I complete this efficiently—without overengineering it? Not every deliverable needs to be a masterpiece. Be professional, be timely, but don’t overinvest in low-impact work. You can also batch similar low-priority tasks together and knock them out in a focused sprint, leaving more of your mental bandwidth for high-value work. Finally, consider whether you can reframe or reposition the task: is there a way to tie it into a broader initiative that does align with your goals? Smart professionals don’t avoid misaligned work—they minimize its cost and maximize their time spent on what truly matters. You Become Known for What You Consistently Do Every time you say yes to a task, you’re not just managing your workload—you’re shaping your professional brand. Over time, people begin to associate you with the type of work you consistently take on. If you always jump in to fix operational fires, you’ll be seen as the firefighter. If you’re the go-to person for behind-the-scenes execution, that becomes your lane. And if you focus on visible, strategic, cross-functional work, you’ll be perceived as a leader who thinks big and delivers at scale. That perception matters—not just for promotions, but for the types of opportunities people bring your way. It’s not just about being competent. It’s about being recognized for the kind of impact you want to have. So when you choose where to focus, you’re also choosing what kind of career you're building, and what kind of future others will imagine for you. Your Weekly Focus Check-In To stay aligned, you don’t need a career retreat—you just need a moment of clarity. Carve out five quiet minutes each week and ask yourself these five questions: What did I spend the majority of my time on last week? Did that work move me closer to my Career Vision or just keep me busy? What’s one task I’m carrying that someone else could take on and benefit from? What’s one opportunity I could say “yes” to that would stretch me in the right direction? If someone looked at my calendar, what would they assume I’m optimizing for? You don’t need perfect answers—just honest ones. Because once you start recognizing the gap between where your time goes and where you want your career to go, you can begin to close it, week by week. And that’s how long-term career momentum is built: in the small decisions, made consistently. Three Moves to Reclaim Your Career Focus This Week If you’re ready to stop letting your career “just happen” to you, here are three steps you can take this week to realign your focus: Audit Your Calendar. Look at last week’s meetings and projects. Highlight anything that didn’t contribute to your goals or your growth. That’s your first clue for where boundaries need to tighten. Say No Once. Find one task, meeting, or request that doesn’t align with your vision—and practice the art of a professional “no.” Decline it, delegate it, or deflect it. Start small if you need to, but start. Choose One Priority That Matters. Pick a single high-value action that supports both your Career Vision and your company’s goals. Put it on your calendar. Protect it. Give it your best energy. Your career will always demand your time. The question is whether you’re spending that time building momentum—or just maintaining motion. I would love to hear some stories of how this podcast has helped you in your pursuit of career advancement. Go to the ManagingACareer.com website and leave a message via the Contact form () or click the button to leave a voicemail via your computer. Tell me which episodes have had the biggest impact for you. If I get enough feedback, I'll start including them in upcoming episodes.
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Creating a Career Vision When You Don't Know What's Possible - MAC102
07/29/2025
Creating a Career Vision When You Don't Know What's Possible - MAC102
We've recently gone through a reorganization at my job, and with that change, I now have several new team members reporting to me. In my one-on-one meetings, I like to focus on more than just status updates—I emphasize career development. One of the tools I’ve consistently found to be effective is the Individual Development Plan, or IDP. If you’ve been following this podcast, you may remember Episode 37 () where I broke down the Vision and Roadmap section of the IDP. It’s a framework I believe in deeply. But here’s the thing: many of my new team members are struggling with the very first step—creating a compelling Career Vision. And if they’re struggling, I know they’re not alone. So in this week’s episode, I want to focus on how to help people—whether you’re managing others or thinking about your own path—craft a meaningful vision for their career. WHY THIS IS HARD In Episode 37, I described the Career Vision as a statement about where you want your career to go—looking as far into the future as you can reasonably imagine. It's a personal declaration of what success and fulfillment look like for you. But here’s the challenge: if you don’t know what your options even are, this step can feel frustrating—or worse, paralyzing. Instead of inspiring clarity, it can leave you feeling lost and without direction. And let’s be honest—most of us are so heads-down in the daily grind of doing our job that we rarely pause to look up. We rarely make time to think about that longer view. But those who do—who take a moment to lift their gaze and imagine something beyond today’s task list—are the ones who position themselves for real, lasting growth. SHIFT YOUR STARTING POINT If you already have that clarity and focus—fantastic. You probably don’t need this episode... but I’ll bet you know someone who does. So feel free to pass it along. For the rest of you, if you're struggling to define your Career Vision, here’s where I want to challenge the usual approach. Most people start by looking inward—asking questions like What drives me? What motivates me? And yes, that’s important... but it’s not the first step. When you’re still trying to define the destination, the journey starts by looking outward. Not because you're searching for answers—at least, not yet—but because you're searching for inspiration. START EXPLORING EXTERNALLY Start by reaching out to people within your organization—especially those who are more senior than you. But don’t limit yourself to only those on a traditional upward path. Sometimes, the next step in your career isn’t up—it’s sideways. A lateral move into a different role can be the beginning of a powerful career shift, or even a full pivot. (If that idea intrigues you, go back and listen to Episode 93 () where I dig deeper into career pivots.) Set up informal coffee chats or virtual meetings with colleagues who do something different than you. Use those conversations to get into the weeds: What does their day-to-day actually look like? How did they get into that role? What parts of their job do they find genuinely fulfilling? You’re not committing to anything yet—this is an exploration phase. And at this point, quantity matters. The more people you talk to—and the more varied their roles—the more likely you are to uncover something that sparks real inspiration. A LOW-PRESSURE OPTION Or maybe you're not quite ready to start reaching out to others—and that’s okay. If you’re more introverted, or just want to start quietly, there’s another route: job postings. Not because you're planning to apply right now, but because they give you a snapshot of what’s out there and what it takes to get there. Start by using filters to target the kinds of roles you might one day aspire to. Look at postings that require three, five, ten—even fifteen—years more experience than you currently have. That kind of range helps you see not just a job, but a progression. Focus especially on postings that include growth-oriented language—words like strategy, leadership, vision, or cross-functional. Those roles usually reflect soft skill development, which is where the real career growth happens. As you read, take note of recurring skills, responsibilities, and expectations. You’re not just scanning for jobs—you’re gathering clues to help shape your future. FOLLOW THE THINKERS Another great source of insight? People who publish their thinking publicly. Follow professionals in your industry who share their experiences through podcasts, blogs, or on LinkedIn. These voices often offer a behind-the-scenes look at how others approach their careers—and they can expose you to paths and mindsets you might not have considered. You can also explore industry conferences, even if you’re not ready to attend every keynote. Sometimes the real value is in the “hallway track”—those informal conversations between sessions where people talk candidly about their roles, their challenges, and what they’re working toward. The common thread here is exposure. The more sources you explore, the more perspectives you gather, and the better your understanding becomes of what’s actually possible in your field. Inspiration often comes from seeing what someone else is doing and realizing, Hey, I could do that too. ORGANIZE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED At this point, you might be thinking, Okay, I’ve gathered a lot of input—but what do I actually do with it? Here’s a simple method to start making sense of it all. For every conversation, job posting, article, or conference interaction, create a digital or physical sticky note. On each one, jot down a few key pieces of information: the role (not the title—titles vary widely between companies), the core skills involved, one or two things that genuinely excite you about the role, and one or two things you’d absolutely dread. That last part is just as important as the first. You’re not making any decisions yet—you’re just capturing reactions. Over time, as you collect more of these notes, you’ll start to see patterns. Some roles will light you up. Others won’t. This is the beginning of classification—filtering what’s possible into what’s appealing. ELIMINATE & EVALUATE Once you've gathered your collection of sticky notes, don’t rush into choosing one. Instead, revisit them multiple times over a few days. Your goal isn’t to make a final, unchangeable decision—but you do want your choices to resonate deeply. After you’ve had a chance to reflect, eliminate about half of them. Start with the roles that evoke the strongest dread or clearly don’t align with your personal growth goals. Sometimes, the most valuable thing you can learn is what you don’t want. With the remaining notes, add a few important details: estimate how far each role is from where you are now—both in terms of promotions and years of experience—and then give each role a simple “excitement score.” How much does the role energize you, even if it also intimidates you? Now, start to group the remaining roles into “closer” and “further” buckets, and look for patterns in skills and responsibilities. Your goal isn’t just to pick a job—it’s to find a path. A path that begins where you are and stretches toward those big, exciting roles that may feel far off now, but are completely within reach with the right preparation. WRITE YOUR CAREER VISION Now that you’ve narrowed your list and started to spot patterns, it’s time to draft your Career Vision statement. This isn’t about picking one job and locking it in—it’s about capturing a direction. A good Career Vision describes the kind of impact you want to have, the types of problems you want to solve, the environments you thrive in, and the leadership or influence you hope to build over time. It can be a few sentences or a short paragraph, but it should be something that excites you and feels authentically you. Use the roles that most energized you—especially the ones further out—as reference points. Ask yourself: What’s the throughline across these roles? What kind of person would I have to become to step into them? That’s your vision. Write it down. Revisit it often. And remember—it’s a living document, not a life sentence. You can and should refine it as you grow. Creating a Career Vision isn’t a one-hour exercise—it’s a process of discovery, curiosity, and alignment. But it’s worth it. When you know where you want to go—or even just the general direction—you stop drifting and start moving with purpose. Whether you’re early in your career, mid-journey, or managing a team, a clear vision helps you filter opportunities, ask better questions, and make choices that actually lead somewhere. Most people never take the time to do this kind of work. But you’re not most people. You’re here, doing the work, and that already sets you apart. Now it’s time to take that clarity and turn it into momentum. Today’s episode laid out a clear framework for creating your Career Vision—something that can feel overwhelming, but is absolutely within reach when approached step by step. If this process helps you break through the roadblocks that have kept you from completing your Individual Development Plan, then it's already done its job. And if you're ready to take that next step but don't have a template to work from, I’ve got you covered—just reach out via the Contact Form on the Managing A Career website () and I’ll send you a copy. Most importantly, if you know someone who’s been spinning their wheels—someone who’s unsure where their career could go or what’s even possible—send this episode their way. Because career clarity is contagious, and sometimes, all it takes is one spark to change someone’s direction.
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Leadership Isn't Assigned -- It's Taken - MAC101
07/22/2025
Leadership Isn't Assigned -- It's Taken - MAC101
“Being a leader isn't an assignment that is given to you, but an assignment that you TAKE.” Let that sink in. Leadership isn’t about waiting for permission. It’s about stepping up when others step back. In today's episode of the Managing A Career podcast, we’re diving deep into what it really means to TAKE leadership. Anyone can be a leader—because leadership is a quality you demonstrate, not a job title you hold. Sure, some roles come with authority baked in, but real leaders don’t wait for the title. They lead because they choose to. If you have ambitions to advance in your career, this is the mindset that separates you from the crowd: you look for moments to lead, even when it’s not “your job.” You don’t ask, “Whose responsibility is this?”—you ask, “How can I help move this forward?” Whether your job description includes the role of “leader” or not, leadership is about finding the gaps—and filling them. True leaders don’t wait to be assigned. They see what’s missing, what’s stalled, or what needs momentum, and they move it forward. Even when the work isn’t flashy, fun, or high-profile, they still show up. Sometimes, that means buckling down and doing the work yourself. Other times, it means stepping up to rally the right people around the task. Let’s say your team’s project needs approval from another department, but no one’s reached out. A leader takes the initiative to start that conversation. Or maybe a recurring process is causing frustration across teams—someone who leads might pull together a quick working session to fix it. Even noticing that a new team member is struggling to get up to speed, and offering to show them the ropes, is leadership in action. It’s not about glory—it’s about ownership. But what if you already have authority based on your position? In those cases, leadership isn’t about taking control—it’s about knowing when to step back and let your team take the lead. It’s about creating the space for others to stretch, experiment, and grow—while being ready to step in and coach when they need support. This kind of quiet leadership builds trust, resilience, and long-term capability within your team. Maybe one of your team members is presenting to senior leadership for the first time. A great leader doesn’t take over—they prepare them, give them the floor, and offer backup only if it’s needed. Or consider a scenario where a project is headed off-course. Instead of immediately jumping in to “fix it,” a strong leader might guide their team through a post-mortem, letting them identify where things went wrong and how they’d course-correct next time. Even giving your high-performers the freedom to lead cross-functional initiatives without micromanagement sends a clear signal: I believe in you—and I’m here if you need me. So, regardless of where you are in your career—what’s stopping you from being a leader? Are you waiting for permission? Leaders don’t wait. They lead because the work demands it. They step up, own the outcome, and do what it takes to drive it forward. Still hesitating? Ask yourself: what are you afraid of? Is it failure? Everyone fails. The difference is whether you learn from it or let it define you. Worried about overstepping or getting in trouble? There’s truth in the old saying, “It’s better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.” And here’s the secret: you usually only need to apologize when it doesn’t work out. Most of the time, the people around you will be glad someone moved things forward. And if it’s imposter syndrome that’s holding you back, go listen to Episode 083 (). You’re in your role for a reason—someone believed in your ability to contribute and lead. Build on their belief until it becomes your own. Leadership starts with a decision, not a title. Here’s what I want you to walk away with: leadership isn’t about the title—it’s about taking responsibility when others hesitate. It’s about solving problems that aren’t “yours,” lifting up your teammates, and being the steady hand when things get messy. Whether you’re brand new to the workforce or managing a team of 20, leadership is a mindset. If you’re waiting for someone to tap you on the shoulder and say, “Okay, now it’s your turn,” you’re already behind. The people who rise the fastest are the ones who start leading before anyone tells them to. So how do you start? Here are four things you can do this week to start leading from wherever you are: Own a Loose End: Look for a project, process, or task that’s stalled or falling through the cracks—and take the lead. Don’t wait for it to be handed to you. Support a Teammate Quietly: See someone struggling? Offer to walk them through something or share a resource. Leadership is often invisible. Speak Up with a Solution: At your next meeting, come prepared with a thoughtful suggestion. Don’t just point out problems—offer a way forward. Ask for Feedback Like a Leader: Proactively ask your manager or a peer what one thing you could do to be more effective—and then act on it. These aren’t grand gestures. They’re repeatable habits that signal to others—and to yourself—that you’re someone who takes initiative. And that’s the foundation of real leadership. If this episode hit home for you—if you're rethinking what it means to be a leader—then it's time to act. Don’t just nod along. Choose one thing from today’s episode and do it. Leadership isn’t theoretical. It’s practical. It’s visible. And most importantly, it’s yours to claim. If this message resonated, share the Managing A Career podcast with someone else who’s ready to step up. Screenshot the episode, post it on LinkedIn, and tag me. Let’s build a workplace full of people who lead—not because they were told to, but because they decided to.
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Grow Your Team, Grow Your Self - MAC100
07/15/2025
Grow Your Team, Grow Your Self - MAC100
There’s a common misconception the corporate world: to get ahead, someone else has to fall behind. It’s the old zero-sum thinking — that career advancement is a competitive, cutthroat race. But today, I want to challenge that notion. Whether you're managing a team or just stepping into a leadership role, the truth is that investing in the growth of others doesn’t slow you down — it accelerates your own career trajectory. Helping others succeed is one of the most powerful, and often underestimated, ways to grow yourself. This zero-sum outlook is rooted in fear and self-doubt. The mindset of “if I teach others, they’ll outshine me,” or “I need to keep them in check so they don’t leapfrog me,” misses the entire point of leadership. Great leaders aren’t recognized for hoarding knowledge or stifling potential — they’re recognized for elevating their teams. When you help others grow, you signal that you can get results not just as an individual contributor, but as someone who brings out the best in others. And when you can do that with a small team, organizations start asking: what could you do with a bigger one? Leadership is measured by the strength of the people around you. That’s how you prove your value. Elevating your team can take many forms, and it doesn’t require grand gestures — it’s often about being intentional in everyday leadership moments. One way is through strategic delegation. Be on the lookout for team members who are ready for a stretch assignment. Identify work on your plate that aligns with their development goals, delegate it, and then coach them through it. Not only are they stepping up and growing, but you’re also freeing yourself to take on higher-impact work. Another approach is to become a champion. Speak up on behalf of your team’s top talent — especially in rooms where they don’t have a voice. When your peers and leaders hear you advocate for others, it reflects back on your strength as a leader. Then there’s the idea of planning your exit. If you’re serious about moving up, you should also be building someone who can step into your role when the time comes. That kind of foresight signals you’re not just a manager — you’re a leader with vision. Finally, foster a culture of growth. Provide feedback that’s both constructive and encouraging. Your team should feel like they’re being coached, not just critiqued. An open, honest, and supportive environment leads to loyalty, development, and performance — and it all starts with you. When you elevate your team, the benefits aren’t just theoretical — they’re measurable and meaningful. First, you give yourself the space to focus on more strategic work. Moving from manager to director to executive is all about shifting from tactical execution to big-picture thinking. When your team can operate autonomously, you’re free to make the kinds of decisions that affect broader parts of the business. Second, you build loyalty. People want to work for leaders who champion their growth and position them for advancement. When your team sees you investing in them, they respond with higher productivity, stronger commitment, and support when it counts most. Third, the organization begins to see you as a multiplier. Your impact scales because your team becomes an extension of your leadership. Rather than micromanaging, you orchestrate — coordinating efforts across projects, keeping more plates spinning, and delivering more value than someone working in a silo. And ultimately, you open yourself up to bigger opportunities. The more you can lead from a high level while keeping momentum strong, the more trust you’ll earn — and with that trust comes bigger assignments, bigger budgets, and yes, that coveted promotion. Now that you know the what and the why, let’s talk about the how. Start this week. Identify one or two people on your team to focus on. And if one of them could potentially step into your role someday? Even better. Pick something meaningful to delegate — not just drudgework, but a task or project that truly matters to the team. Hand it to them with intention. Tell them, “This is yours to lead — but I’m here to coach you through it.” And then follow through. Be a coach, not a backseat driver. Resist the urge to take over or dictate every step. Instead, ask leading questions that nudge them toward the right answers. Let them struggle a little — that’s part of growth. When they stumble, be the one who picks them back up. And when they succeed? Shout it from the rooftops. Make sure your leaders and peers know who did the work. That spotlight will reflect on both of you. The takeaway? The most powerful thing a great leader can do is make their team better — stronger — by lifting them up. When you focus on developing others, everyone around you takes notice. And while your team benefits from your leadership, your own career grows in the process. Because at the end of the day, great leaders don’t rise in spite of their team — they rise because of them. Need help putting this into action? A career coach can help you build the skills you need to lead at the next level. If you're looking for guidance, I invite you to reach out to me through the . I’ll schedule a free introductory session where we can explore your career goals and see if we’re a good fit for coaching. If we are, we’ll create a plan to get your career on the fast track to advancement.
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The Blame Game - MAC099
07/08/2025
The Blame Game - MAC099
When your career feels stalled and growth seems out of reach, it’s tempting to look outward for answers. Maybe it’s the company culture. Maybe your boss doesn’t recognize your potential. Or maybe the job market is just brutal. These might all be valid frustrations, but dwelling on them leads nowhere. The Blame Game feels satisfying in the moment, but it rarely sparks progress. If anything, it keeps you circling the same dead-end thoughts, instead of charting a new path forward. Blame often functions as emotional armor. When we pin our lack of career progress on external forces; a difficult manager, a broken system, or bad timing; we shield ourselves from a harsher possibility: that our own choices, habits, or blind spots might be part of the equation. This deflection is comforting because it absolves us of responsibility. It tells us, “It’s not you……it’s them.” And while that can feel protective, it also keeps us passive, removed from the power we actually hold to create change. Blame doesn’t always show up as frustration or finger-pointing. Sometimes it disguises itself as logic. “The company isn’t growing, so no one’s getting promoted.” “I’m not being assigned strategic projects; it’s out of my hands.” These explanations sound rational, even fair. But that’s precisely what makes them dangerous. They quietly reinforce the belief that your circumstances are fixed, that your potential is capped by forces you can't influence. But what if that narrative is incomplete? What if there’s more within your control than you’ve allowed yourself to see? Dave Anderson () touched on the Blame Game in his Scarlet Ink newsletter (), where he reviewed responses that he received to some of his newsletter articles. The feedback he gave to those responses helped inspire this exploration of how reframing blame can lead to reclaiming power. Agency isn’t always handed to you—it’s something you often have to claim. Especially when it feels like everything’s slipping beyond your control. In those moments, action isn’t optional—it’s essential. Blame, excuses, and even rational-sounding limitations build walls around your potential. And the only way forward? Break through them. To realign your career, you have to stop waiting for permission and start rewriting the story. That starts with believing you can influence the outcome. Let’s tackle some common career-stalling excuses—and explore how to reframe them to regain your agency. “My manager won’t let me...” or “They are always micromanaging me.” As I unpacked in Episode 95 of the podcast (), micromanagement often stems from three sources: lack of trust, pressure to perform, or fear of failure. The key isn’t to wait for the grip to loosen—it’s to earn the slack. Build trust through consistent delivery, clear communication, and proactive ownership. When your manager sees you as reliable and competent, control tends to give way to collaboration. “The job market is tough right now.” or "It's SO hard to get promoted!" While that may be true. It's also a call for creativity. In Episode 93 (), I explored career pivots—those adjacent roles or skill sets that aren’t a leap, but a shift. Whether you’re looking to switch companies or grow where you are, this strategy helps you stretch into new responsibilities and showcase untapped potential, which can fast-track that elusive promotion. “My assignment isn’t promotion-worthy” or “I don’t get to explore new technologies.” Don’t wait for the perfect project. Carve out time each week to learn something new—especially emerging tech that aligns with your company’s goals. Then champion what you’ve learned within your team. Volunteer for stretch assignments. Become the person who brings energy and innovation into the room. Promotions often follow visibility and initiative. Across every stalled scenario, one theme rises above the rest: action. Not reaction. Not justification. Action. When you catch yourself pointing outward—blaming a boss, a market, a system—pause and flip the script. Instead of asking why something is blocking you, ask what you can do to move forward. Shift from obstacle to opportunity. And if you’re not sure what that looks like, enlist help. A trusted peer or a career coach can shine light on blind spots and offer the kind of advice that nudges you back into motion. Just remember—clarity is useless without commitment. You have to follow through. At its core, agency is about ownership. Owning the problem, yes—but more importantly, owning the solution. When you choose to act instead of excuse, to lean in rather than check out, you’re doing more than clearing your current hurdle. You’re signaling something powerful to everyone around you: I take responsibility. I solve hard things. That kind of initiative doesn’t just move careers forward—it sets you apart. While others wait for conditions to change, you’re busy becoming the kind of professional companies fight to keep and leaders trust to elevate. Your next promotion isn't waiting -- it's waiting on YOU. A career coach can help you build the skills you need in order to implement these strategies. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (). I'll schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and determine if we would be a good fit for coaching. If we are, we can arrange regular sessions to help you put your career on the fast track to advancement.
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Taking Action - MAC098
07/01/2025
Taking Action - MAC098
I pull inspiration for my episodes from many places. The inspiration for this week's episode came from the June 19th episode of the Help Wanted podcast with Jason Feifer and Nicole Lapin (). In that episode, Jason outlines a specific problem solving technique, but it reminded me of a critical fact when it comes to your career. I'll get into Jason's technique later, but first, I want to take a step back and talk about the importance of taking action. If you think about your job in the simplest of terms, your JOB is to take responsibility of SOMETHING so that your leader doesn't have to think about it. That may be small responsibilities early in your career or larger responsibilities as you gain experience and seniority. Even your boss is expected to take responsibility of something so that THEIR boss doesn't have to think about it. As much as possible, there is an expectation that you continue to move those responsibilities forward with very little input from anyone else. If everyone does their part, the organization will continue to make progress on it's goals. This is why it's important that you continue to take action, even when faced with a problem with no obvious solution. In Episode 084 (), I talked about the phrase "Don't bring me problems, bring me solutions". This episode is sort of a continuation of that. In Episode 084, I talked about the three reasons you might engage your leader in your responsibilities. You need their authority, their permission, or their insight. Because they have their own responsibilities, leaders are looking to minimize how much of their time you consume. If, every time you face a difficult decision, you escalate to your leader, they will begin to question why they delegate tasks to you since you aren't showing ownership of the problem. "But," you may think, "I want to make sure that I make the RIGHT decision." But that desire to be right may lead to decision paralysis. Over-research, waiting for others, or meetings to discuss the options AGAIN. All of these factors are just putting off progress. Sometimes, there IS no right solution. This is where the technique that Jason mentioned in the episode of the Help Wanted podcast () is useful. When you have imperfect choices, it's often better to pick one to move forward and deal with the imperfections than it is to stall out your project. By taking action, you showcase your ability to make tough decisions and allow your leader to continue to focus on bigger things. Jason calls this strategy "List before you Leap". Or you can consider it to be the "Least Flawed Option". Start by listing every option that you've considered; even the ones that you have already dismissed. When you consider each solution one by one, it's easy to say "no" because you can identify the flaws. However, when you have the list of options, focus on determining to which solution you will say "yes". By flipping from a "no" mindset to a "yes" mindset, you're preparing yourself to move forward. With the list of options before you, it's often easy to eliminate most of them when compared to the few stronger candidates. This is where applying the approach that Jeff Bezos uses for making decisions. Some options may lead to 2-way doors and others may lead to 1-way doors (). Consider how reversible a decision will be. If you can easily undo a decision, that represents a 2-way door because once entered, you can always exit. But, if a decision is irreversible, that decision is a 1-way door and you must take extra cautions when making that choice. After you have narrowed your selection of imperfect solutions down, if you are struggling to decide, it is better to select a 2-way door solution instead of a 1-way door solution. As you encounter the flaws, if they cannot be overcome, it may be useful to reverse track and choose the other option. When you've made a decision on which imperfect option to choose, the next step is to present it to your leader. As mentioned earlier, when you escalate to your leader, it's for authority, permission or insight. It requires a lot less of their time when you ask for permission to proceed than if you ask for their insight. You've indicated what was considered in making the decision, so you've provided the insight; you're just asking for permission to proceed. In the Managing A Career podcast, I cover short-form topics to challenge your thinking about career advancement. If you are interested in professional coaching, reach out to me via the contact form on the ManagingACareer.com website (). I will schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your coaching goals. If we're a good fit, we can set up regular coaching or I can refer you to other coaches I know that may suit your needs.
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Invisible Guardrails - MAC097
06/24/2025
Invisible Guardrails - MAC097
The other day, I was listening to the Smart Passive Income podcast () by Pat Flynn (). It wasn't even in the episode itself, but in his call to action at the end that he said a quote that was both insightful and inspiring to me. So much so that it lead to today's episode. In his episode, Pat said "It's not the mistakes you make that derail you. It's the mistakes you make that becomes the rails you work within." So, before we break that down, let's take a step back and talk about those rails -- those guardrails. Guardrails are usually designed to keep you from going somewhere you shouldn't and to keep you safe. But, when it comes to your career, those guardrails are often built by others -- or more specifically they are created by yourself based on the expectations you think other have for you -- and are here to keep you in line. In the end, they may be holding us back from our full potential by keeping us from breaking out of a box that we find ourselves in. So, what do I mean by all of that? When it comes to career advancement, what's holding you back? If you have limiting beliefs that keep you from speaking up or from challenging yourself, it may be time to review them and find a way to tear those guardrails down. Let's look at some common guardrails that people believe that they must work within. The first one is seniority based deference. Especially early in your career, but it can happen at any time; if you find yourself surrounded by those with more tenure or more experience or higher rank, do you defer decisions to them. Maybe you feel like if you challenge them you'll be considered problematic. This can cause you to remain quiet and never express your ideas. Instead of focusing on the seniority of others, focus on the different perspective that you bring. Back up your ideas with data and preparation; a well-researched, well-thought-out idea is hard to argue against. Challenge yourself to speak up in a meeting. If you're still struggling with that, look for opportunities to present the idea to participants before the meeting starts. Their feedback can help you refine your pitch and give you more confidence when the actual meeting takes place. Along the same lines as seniority based deference is cultural conditioning. In some cultures, hierarchy matters and is ingrained from an early age. If you come from one of these cultures, you may wait for permission to speak instead of talking any time you have an idea. If the meeting facilitator comes from a western culture, they may not realize and never offer the permissions you expect. When you speak less, people begin to assume that you have nothing to contribute. When you work for a global company, consider how company culture aligns with societal culture. Western companies are more often going to value those contribute ideas. If societal culture is hard for you to break past, then figure out who is leading the meetings that you will participate in and discuss the cultural difference that they may not be aware of . Devise a signal that you can give them that indicates that you have something to contribute to the discussion so that they will offer the permission you seek. Another guardrail that you may face is that of patriarchal conditioning. Some companies or industries are heavily male dominated which leads to unwritten rules about how women should act. Any deviation from those expectations can be punished by those in charge. And when you also face cultural conditioning, this can be compounded exponentially. In these situations, women will often revert to self-minimizing language in order to come across as non-threatening to their male team members. To combat patriarchal conditioning, it's important to remember that being direct and being aggressive are different behaviors. You can be direct without being aggressive. Being direct is about bringing clarity. Additionally, review Episode 087 () called "Language Matters". Pay close attention to the sections on undermining your self and undermining your intelligence, but in short, look for ways to remove phrases from your vocabulary such as "Sorry" or "I could be wrong" or "I don't know". Using these phrases are not just making you appear non-threatening, but are also perpetuating the patriarchal view. There are also guardrails based on race and ethnic identity. You may work at a company with very few people that look like you or that share a common heritage with you. You limit what you say and how you say it in order to not validate any stereotypes that your colleagues may have. You may even force yourself to tone down your actions or language in order to not be perceived as "emotional" or "problematic". Code-switching can be draining. If this applies to you, I'm not going to pretend to know the best way to handle this situation. I'm a cis-gendered white male living in the United States. But, what I can say is that some of us are allies, so seek us out. Use us to amplify your voice. Regardless of the source of your guardrails, they all lead to limits that can hold you back. You become diminished or invisible. And when you aren't seen, you won't be supported when it comes time for advancement. While the guardrails may have been built by society, your inaction reinforces them. If we look back at the quote from Pat Flynn, "It's not the mistakes you make that derail you. It is the mistakes you make that become the rails you work within." If I reframe it in the context of this episode, "When you let your guardrails limit your action, you make the mistake that will derail your progress." So, how can you break free of the guardrails? In 12-step programs , the first step to breaking free is to name what limits you. The same applies here, name your guardrail. Say it out loud. Tell a friend. By naming it, it loses some of its power. In Episode 085 (), I talked about how confidence builds confidence. Test the water; start by speaking up in small ways. The more you speak up, the easier it will get. You may start by speaking up to support someone else's idea. As you gain confidence, you can then transition to offering your own ideas and eventually even being the first to bring an idea to the team. Look for allies. I don't mean other people in your same situation. Look for people who are not afraid to speak up that can bring you into the conversation. Practice what you want to say. If you feel nervous speaking up, write it down so that you don't lose track. The better you know your material, the more confident you will be when speaking. Remove all minimizing phrases from your vocabulary. Be clear and direct without being overly aggressive. And lastly, if you feel it necessary to have permission to speak, I hereby give it to you. You are smart and capable; you wouldn't have this job is you were not. You have permission to speak up and bring forward your ideas. This is a very important episode of the podcast. If you are personally impacted by these guardrails, use these guidelines to break free of them. If you KNOW someone who is impacted by these guardrails, be an ally. Call them into conversations and support their ideas. Share this podcast -- and specifically this episode -- with the marginalized members of your team.
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Burning Bridges - MAC096
06/17/2025
Burning Bridges - MAC096
The single most important thing you can do for your career is to build your network. Whether you build relationships with champions and advocates, coaches and mentors, or people that act as a resource, each one of them provide a benefit that can help move your career forward. Champions and advocates will support you and your ideas—they'll speak up for you in rooms you're not in, recommend you for stretch assignments, and give visibility to your contributions. Coaches and mentors will help you grow by offering guidance, feedback, and perspective from someone who's been there before. They help you avoid pitfalls, refine your approach, and accelerate your development. Finally, people who act as resources—whether subject matter experts, connectors, or peers in other departments—help you get things done faster, smarter, and more effectively. Each category adds a layer of strength to your career foundation, and together, they create a powerful support system that can help you rise. But, sometimes -- whether intentionally or not -- you can jeopardize your relationship with someone and potentially even destroy it permanently. It might be because you disappeared after getting what you needed, failed to follow through on a promise, or didn’t acknowledge the role someone played in your success. Other times, it could be as subtle as not showing appreciation, taking credit for shared work, or consistently making interactions one-sided. These moments can leave the other person feeling used, undervalued, or disrespected. And when trust is broken, it’s incredibly difficult to rebuild. Relationships, especially in your career, are built on mutual respect, reliability, and reciprocity—once that’s compromised, even unintentionally, the consequences can follow you far beyond that one interaction. Or maybe YOU'RE the one on the other side. Maybe you've spent time fostering a connection with someone only for them to turn their back on you. They've taken advantage of you generosity in order to get ahead and then fail to reciprocate. That kind of experience can leave you feeling betrayed, used, and questioning whether it's even worth investing in people again. It stings when someone you believed in shows that their interest in you was transactional. And while it’s tempting to close yourself off after that, it’s important not to let one bad experience poison your ability to build meaningful, mutual relationships in the future. Instead, take the lesson with you: be more discerning, set clearer boundaries, and recognize the early signs of imbalance before you’re left holding all the weight. Why do people burn bridges? People don't always burn a bridge because of spite. In fact, they often don't even realize that they are doing it; it just sort of happens. Let's take a look at some of the common reasons that people burn bridges and how to handle each of them. They've gotten what they need from the relationship. If someone has achieved their goal, they may feel like they no longer need the relationship. Or maybe they never intended to maintain the relationship at all, just get their needs met and move on. Any time you reach out to them, you just get ghosted. You may even see them put someone else in your position as they look to climb the next rung. Look for signs early on in a relationship based on how often someone offers assistance either to you or others. Someone who is going to use you and then leave will be unlikely to offer help to anyone else because they're focused only on their own needs. They're distracted. When someone is facing a challenge -- whether work or personal, they may be overwhelmed and distracted by their current situation. They may not intend to ignore the relationship, but things just seem out of their control. This could be an opportune time to strengthen a relationship. If you recognize their situation, it can be a good time to reach out and offer what support you can provide. By showing that you are not just out for yourself and have their best interests in mind, they'll be inclined to return the favor when they can. They're avoiding a negative situation. When someone makes a mistake or doesn't follow through with a promise, they may just disappear. If they don't put forth the effort to mend the relationship, it can sour leading to a burned bridge. You'll notice them avoiding you or putting off any interactions for fear of the consequences. Being angry or holding a grudge won't resolve the situation. Nor will running from it. In order to preserve the relationship in this situation, the only way forward is to confront it head on. If it's your mistake, own it. If it's their mistake, offer support and understanding and try to figure out the source and a resolution to the failing. They're burning it proactively. The last reason someone may burn a bridge is if they feel like the relationship is ending and they want to be the one to control its end. If they feel like they have been used and that they will soon be ghosted, they may try to ruin the relationship in retaliation so that they can't be used in the future. It's important that you offer gratitude when someone in your network provides you aid; even just a simple email is enough to let the person know that their assistance is appreciated. Additionally, look for ways that you can pay the person back with whatever help you can offer them. A relationship should never be a one-way street. Here’s the thing about burning bridges—word spreads; people talk. And in today's interconnected professional world, reputations are more fragile than we like to admit. When someone is ghosted or treated as disposable, it doesn't just end with them. That person will talk within their network. One burned bridge may not wreck your career, but it has the potential to cascade through a network quickly. That could lead to a stalled career at a critical time. That’s why it’s not enough to simply build a network—you have to cultivate it. If you only show up when you need something, people notice. Strong networks are built on consistency, mutual respect, and generosity. Check in with people even when you don’t need a favor. Offer support without being asked. Celebrate others' wins. And always leave people better than you found them. Because when your network thrives, so does your career. When you make honoring relationships a habit, you’re never starting from scratch—you’re building momentum. I would love to hear some stories of how this podcast has helped you in your pursuit of career advancement. Go to the ManagingACareer.com website and leave a message via the Contact form () or click the button to leave a voicemail via your computer. Tell me which episodes have had the biggest impact for you. If I get enough feedback, I'll start including them in upcoming episodes.
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Breaking Out of Micromanagement - MAC095
06/10/2025
Breaking Out of Micromanagement - MAC095
It consistently ranks as one of the worst attributes in a boss year after year…..and yet, there are still many bosses who are micromanagers. This week, I'm going to look at how you can break out of the micromanagement pattern. It's the bane of everyone's existence. You may feel like your manager is always hovering asking for status constantly. Maybe everything you do is redone by your leader. Or maybe your manager gives you no freedom in what you do or how you do it. Regardless of the form that it takes, micromanagement is frustrating and demoralizing. Managers who micromanage are doing so from a position of fear or anxiety. Whether they are doing it intentionally or not, they do it because they do not trust their team to get done what needs to be done when it needs to be done. What's worse, is that if you find yourself the target of micromanagement, it can completely derail your career progress. If your leader feels the need to micromanage you, whether your fault or theirs, that display of lack of trust will lead to worse reviews and delayed promotions. Managers who are new to the role may be more used to "doing" instead of "leading". Their micromanagement tends to be treating their team as an extension of themselves. They know what they would do and how they would react, so they are trying to make every member of their team follow that same game plan. They haven't learned how to properly delegate and to let go, but that can come by building trust. In Episode 031 (), I asked the question "Does Your Manager Trust You?" If you find that your leader micromanages due to a lack of trust, that episode can help you break out of the pattern. Work to understand how they think in order to make decisions that align with those that they would make. Learn how to communicate and escalate appropriately so that your manager does not regret assigning the task to you. And lastly, to build trust, deliver; when you are assigned a task, follow through. As you build trust, your manager can shift their focus to other activities and provide you with more freedom. If managers aren't micromanaging because of lack of trust, it could be because of pressure to perform. Pressure can be driven many different factors. Are they responsible for a high visibility project with tight deadlines? Or maybe they or the team has had a recent failure and they have already been given a warning about their performance? When your manager is facing addition pressure, no matter the source, they might resort to micromanagement in order to gain some level of control over a situation where they don't feel like they have any. When you encounter this form of micromanagement, the best course of action is to reassure your leader that they can relinquish control. You can do this by communicating often. Episode 044 () has additional guidelines for Reporting Status. In addition to clear communication, work to identify potential issues and proactively raise them to your leader. When he feels less like he will be blindsided, he will be more likely to loosen the reins and give you more freedom. The final driver for micromanagement is fear of failure or dealing with imposter syndrome. This speaks more about the confidence of your manager than it does about you, but when your leader is struggling with their own responsibilities, they may look to inject themselves into tasks that align with areas that they already feel confident. Most leaders were previously experts in the "doing" role and will revert back to that mode in order to boost their self-confidence. When your manager is lacking confidence in what they SHOULD be doing, look for ways to shift the dynamic by reframing their requests. When they try to dictate too much of the details of how you should work, instead, ask questions that bring the focus to broader topics that emphasize why over how and guidance over direct supervision. Focus on the outcomes and alignment with priorities over processes and specific activities. Micromanagement is one of the most despised attributes in a leader. If you find yourself a target of it, reacting emotionally won't help. Work to provide clear, proactive communication and build trust with your leader. Change the conversation from the details to the big picture. And if necessary, use your network of allies to provide yourself a layer of protection. My goal for this podcast is to help as many people as I can advance their careers. To reach this goal, I would appreciate it if you would share this episode with your friends and coworkers. Send them to ManagingACareer.com/follow () which will give them links to everywhere that this podcast can be found.
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IDP Revisited - MAC094
06/03/2025
IDP Revisited - MAC094
This past week at my day job, we went through an organizational restructuring. Some of my team is now reporting to a new manager and I have new people on my team. If you find yourself on a new team, this is the perfect time to review your Individual Development Plan. It's been a while since I last talked about your IDP, but I believe it is a critical tool for ensuring your advancement. For a more detailed explanation of the different sections of the IDP and how to incorporate one into your one-on-one discussions with your leader, review Episodes 036 to 040 of this podcast () and if you need a copy of my IDP template, you can reach out via the Contact Form on the Managing A Career website (). But, to summarize, the IDP is a document that YOU own that takes a systematic, top-down approach towards breaking down your career plan. It starts with the Vision and Roadmap sections () that looks at your five or ten year goal and helps you identify the major steps it will take to get there. Next are the Assessment and Next Role sections () where you look at just the first step on your journey towards your Vision. In these sections you focus on identifying your strengths and weaknesses in your current role and what is holding you back from reaching the next step on the roadmap. Once you have completed the assessment, you can document an Action Plan () of how you will address the gaps. And the final section of the IDP is the one where you document your Successes. It is important to document your accomplishments and periodically review them to remind yourself of the progress you've made. While your IDP should be a consistent component of your regular one-on-ones, any time you change leaders is a good time to review it. With new management comes new expectations and new opportunities. By taking the time to review and update your IDP you can ensure that your path forward is not derailed by not understanding how to impress your new leader. Start by validating your current Vision statement. Since you last updated your IDP, has anything changed about where you see your career heading? Have you learned anything more about what you like and dislike about your career trajectory? Or maybe you've grown and can see further into the future about where you want to be. With a refined Vision, do you need to adjust how you get from here to there? Consider how your new team fits with your defined roadmap. Does it put you closer or further from your goal? What experiences or connections does your new manager have that you can benefit from their mentorship? Will this new team or new manager provide you with any shortcuts to your goal? With a new team comes a new focus and a new role. A new leader brings new standards and values. As you perform your self-assessment, you will need to determine if your strengths are in alignment with these new expectations and what you need to prioritize working on. The earlier you can understand what your new leader considers "next level" performance, the more likely you can stay on your original timetable. Update your action plan to take advantage of the focus of the new team and volunteer for stretch assignments that give you immediate visibility to your new team. Finally, update your Successes section with all that you accomplished with your previous team. Use the guidelines outlined in Episode 044 () on Reporting Status to ensure that you capture the value you provided. During your first few one-on-ones, review these Successes with your new leader so that they understand where you started and what you are capable of. Not every change moves you forward on the road to your ultimate goal. If you're lucky, they will, but when they don't, there can still be benefit to the reassignment. At a minimum, you can use the new team to expand your network, but always be on the lookout for new skills and projects that you gain exposure to. You may enjoy the new focus and decide to change your Vision statement. However, never be afraid to look for a different opportunity if you ultimately determine that the new team is a dead end when it comes to what YOU want. Your IDP is a critical piece to your career advancement, especially during times of change. It provides you a clear focus to make sure that you keep heading where YOU want. If you need a copy of my template or if you need help filling it out, reach out to me via the Contact Form on the ManagingACareer.com website ().
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Pivot. Pivot! PIVOT! - MAC93
05/27/2025
Pivot. Pivot! PIVOT! - MAC93
The job market is tough right now. People across all industries are getting laid off and starting their job search. If this includes you, you may have found that each job you apply for is highly competitive. You might think that finding another job in your current field is a struggle. Or maybe you feel like you are stuck and there are limited or no growth opportunities available to you. One way that you can increase your opportunities is to consider a career pivot. A pivot point is a fixed point around which something rotates. It's a strong, anchoring point. A career pivot isn't a case of completely changing your career; it's a strategic change leveraging the anchor of your current career. In this case, you are leveraging you existing skills to pivot towards a similar or related career that may have more opportunities than your current one. Before you can pivot, the first thing you need to do is take an inventory of the skills that you have and how they might apply to other fields. If you use my Individual Development Plan template, you've already got a leg up. If not, review Episode 038 () which covers the Assessment and Next Role sections of the IDP. You can also request a copy of the template by reaching out via the Contact Form on ManagingACareer.com () to request one. Consider grouping the skills into those that have broader applicability such as communication and leadership and then a group for those that are more specialized such as project management or data analysis. I would still note those skills that you have that are highly technical, because even if they seem to apply primarily to your current career, there may be parallels in other careers. With your list of transferrable skills in hand, brainstorm job families that are adjacent to your current position. Consider other roles that you interacted with frequently that may have parallels to what you do now. If your company has recently had a layoff, look at the positions that were least impacted that fit with your abilities. If you're having difficulty coming up with related careers, look at the Occupational Information Network at or the Career Explorer at (links will be in the episode notes). Both of these sites have tools where you can compare different careers and which skills are common between them. As you explore pivot options, determine if there are any skills that you need to refresh or skills that may benefit from additional training. For example, project management is a skill that would be useful in many industries, however, project management in the software development industry is different than project management in the construction industry. This is a good time to look for supplemental training to strengthen your ability to pivot. Lastly, reach out to your network. If you know someone in the adjacent role, they can explain the day to day duties that they have and they can help you understand how your skills will translate to the new role. Your network may also have leads on openings in this related field. Now that you understand why you might want to pivot and how to approach the change, let's look at some real world pivots that may be options for you to explore. Career Key transferable skills Potential pivots Teaching Classroom management Lesson planning Explaining complex ideas in simple terms Creating classroom resources for other teachers Curriculum planning Creating online courses in other areas Nursing Medical knowledge Patient care Healthcare Case Management Patient Advocacy Accounting Skills with spreadsheets Understanding of financial drivers Regulatory knowledge Financial Analyst Financial Planner Lawyer Understanding of the law Negotiation Compliance officer Sports or Entertainment Agent Chef Food handling Coordinating a team Resource planning Food Safety Inspector Inventory Management Construction Knowledge of building codes and regulations Project Management Building Inspector Project Management in another industry Real Estate Sales and Contracts Relationship Management Market Analysis Property Management Sales in another industry Loan Officer Journalism Research and Investigation Writing and Editing Writing website copy Corporate Communications So, if a pivot seems like the path forward for you, how do you approach it? First, review your resume and reframe it to showcase transferable experiences. Next look for supplemental trainings or certificates that can jump-start a shift. Next, leverage your network to find contacts in the related field. A career coach can help you build the skills you need in order to implement these strategies. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (). I'll schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and determine if we would be a good fit for coaching. If we are, we can arrange regular sessions to help you put your career on the fast track to advancement.
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How Do I Get Promoted? - MAC092
05/20/2025
How Do I Get Promoted? - MAC092
How many of you have struggled to figure out what it takes to get promoted? Maybe you've been in your current position for several years and feel like you'll be stuck there for many more. When you reach out to your manager, you just get a vague answer that doesn't really tell you what you need to work on such as "your turn is coming" or "you're doing well, just keep it up". The secret that no one talks about? Your boss probably doesn't know how to articulate it……if he even knows what it takes to get to the next level. Very often, managers are not given training on how to develop their team. If they are good at it, it's probably a skill that they picked up as they transitioned from junior levels up to senior levels within their own careers. Other than comparing job descriptions, there likely isn't any concrete criteria that have been defined and the difference between job descriptions is vague and minor at best. Even when there are criteria, they are rarely communicated outside of management circles because they rely on soft skills that are hard to quantify. The skills you rely on do perform your day to day activities are just expected. It's skills like being trust-worthy, how you communicate, your executive presence, and dealing with ambiguity that will set you apart from your peers. But, how do you measure someone's executive presence? The other problem with defining criteria is that it could become an implicit contract (potentially even legally binding depending on where you are located). By refusing to state criteria or defining them in vague terms, your manager gives themselves room to adjust based on conditions at the company and within your peer group. For example, right now, there are many companies laying off portions of their staff, the implication being that there may be fewer promotions available during the next cycle. If the criteria were clearly defined, there may be an expectation by several on your team that a promotion is imminent that your manager will be unable to fulfill. At the end of the day, most managers just rely on their gut feel for when someone is ready for the next level. Additionally, when your manager has to justify the promotion to a panel of others, they will only put forth the effort when they believe there is a strong chance that the promotion will be granted. So, not only do they need to believe that you are ready, but they need to believe that the panel will agree with that assessment. As a general rule, there are a handful of attributes that you will find to be applicable across the board. Be the person who takes ownership of problems. If you can identify the problems and work to solve them without being told, even better. But even just being the person that when given a task, your manager trusts that you will drive it to completion will help you stand out among your peers. As much as possible, be visible beyond your team. When cross-functional teams and your skip-level leader know who you are, it makes it easier for your manager to sell your promotion to others in the organization. When you show that your decisions and judgement are in alignment with those of your manager, this alignment will establish your readiness for promotion. While these generalized attributes will help you, it is more important to understand the specifics of what YOUR manager is looking for because, ultimately, they are the ones who controls whether you will be promoted or not. If your manager can't or won't state the criteria, then how can you figure out what it takes to get promoted? Start by paying attention. During all-hands or team meetings, listen during the recognition section. When your manager makes comments about the team, what does he say? If necessary, write them down and compare the comments over time. The things that he brings up frequently are the ones that he values most. Who on your team has been promoted recently? What are their strengths? Can you emulate them? Is it possible to have them mentor you? Look beyond your immediate team. Senior level promotions often require input or approval from other leaders. Do you understand the criteria that your VP looks for when a promotion is brought before them? Pay attention to the work that your leader delegates and the stretch assignments that people are given. These assignments are often tests to see if the recipient has developed the skills needed in order to be promoted. If you can identify what skill is being tested, it can give you a clue on what you may need to work on. When you feel like you have gained enough insight into the secret criteria that your manager is evaluating you against, plan to bring them up in your next one-on-one. With evidence in hand, instead of asking "What do I need to do to get promoted?" you can ask questions about the valued skills such as "What does executive presence look like at the next level?" or "If someone were ready to be promoted, what would their leadership skills look like?" You can also get your leader to describe what previous people did that showed they were ready to be promoted. If you can name names, that will put even more context to their answer. Not only will these answers provide clarity to you on what it takes, but it can bring focus and attention for your boss and pre-dispose them to watch for those attributes in you. A career coach can help you build the skills you need in order to implement these strategies. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (). I'll schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and determine if we would be a good fit for coaching. If we are, we can arrange regular sessions to help you put your career on the fast track to advancement.
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Pushing Down or Lifting Up - MAC091
05/13/2025
Pushing Down or Lifting Up - MAC091
Throughout our careers, we observe others around us getting ahead by various means. Some people do so by putting other people down in order to make themselves look better whereas others do so by lifting those around them up. You may have even used these techniques yourself. The secret? Both approaches can work, but only one is sustainable for the long term. Let's take a look at the longer term impact of each. Whether intentionally or not, some people will try to advance their careers by pushing those around them down. These people will steal credit from other. They will undermine the success of those around them. And they will secretly work to cause a rift in the team in order to distract others from their actions. If the organization is driven by visibility, someone trying to look superior will take credit for the work that their team does or reframe what was done in such a way that they steal credit for things that they had minimal impact on. If they are not confident in the quality of their work, they may spread gossip in order to cause stronger team members to be viewed as incompetent or even to be excluded from key efforts. Beyond rumors, they may "forget" to include them in important decisions or purposefully withhold or delay support in order for their targets to struggle or fail. People who operate in this mode are operating from a position of fear -- fear for their job, fear for being found to be "less than", or just fear that there are limited opportunities for success and that they will be left behind. Sadly, this can be an effective strategy……at least in the short term. If someone can implement their plan before others catch on, they can achieve the promotion they desire. But, eventually that catches up to them. Their team will stop supporting them and their leaders will eventually see the pattern. That early success eventually stalls out. If you find yourself to be a target of someone who is trying to get ahead by pushing you down, how should you react? Start by proactively reporting your status to your leaders. If the person putting you down IS your leader, then report your status to project sponsors and your skip level leader. Review Episode 044 () for more information on reporting status. Next, build relationships with those that will ultimately be deciding who advances. If you build a relationship with your skip level leader as well as cross-functional teams, it will be harder for someone to misrepresent your work because they will have first-hand knowledge of what you bring to the team. Additionally, grow your network as covered in Episode 029 () and build a cheering section as covered in Episode 052 (). The more people you have on your side, the harder it is for someone to attack you. It may be tempting to try to "fight fire with fire", but by stooping to their level, you run the risk of being the one viewed as being the problem, just strengthening their approach. Instead, turn their actions against them. When they steal credit that you deserve, remember, they are only stealing credit that they see as valuable. Leverage that by following up with your leaders to add additional context and provide evidence of your bigger role in the work. Doing so in a matter-of-fact manner will show them that you bring more value to the team. The other approach is to lift those around you up. Where the first strategy is about stealing credit, when you lift people up, you freely give credit where it is due…..and sometimes even give credit away. When those around you are struggling, you offer to mentor them. You offer support for good ideas, even when they aren't your own. The driver for this approach is not fear, but in being strategically generous. Lifting others up builds trust and leads to a reputation of being someone who makes a team better. Additionally, you build allies and advocates. This investment in people will pay off in the future when those that you've supported gain positions of authority and power. And when your position advances, they'll follow you willingly. Lifting others up is a much slower play, but it is much more sustainable in the long run. Each person you lift up becomes an advocate for you when it's your turn. And over time, this can lead to more and more supporters. As a side benefit, these same people that are helping you advance will also provide a level of protection from those that look to push you down. If you find that someone else is lifting you up, first, accept it and then reflect it back to them. When they bring attention to your work, offer a response along the lines of "Thank you! A big reason that I was able to be successful on this project was because of all that I've learned working with [Joe]". This not only helps your visibility based on the credit, it will also strengthen your alliance with the person who is sharing the spotlight. Help me spread the word about the Managing A Career podcast (). My goal for this podcast is to continue to grow the audience in order to help as many people as I can advance their careers. To reach this goal, I would appreciate it if you would share this episode with your friends and coworkers. Send them to ManagingACareer.com/follow () which will give them links to everywhere that this podcast can be found.
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What Managers Look for When They're Secretly Deciding Who To Let Go - MAC090
05/06/2025
What Managers Look for When They're Secretly Deciding Who To Let Go - MAC090
More often that you realize, when a manager is asked to create a list of people to lay off, they are rarely given much time to think about it; they are just given a target number and a deadline. When they have to react quickly, there a few criteria that they instinctively use to determine who goes and who stays. What can you do to make sure that you aren't on that list? The first thing to realize is that there are no short term fixes. The steps to take to protect your job start TODAY. In Episode 068 (), I cover some techniques that can help you identify upcoming changes and use them to maximum benefit. Using these techniques, you can often predict an upcoming layoff, but even with that knowledge, by the time you recognize a pending layoff, it's already too late to do anything about it. When it comes to layoffs, there is very little that can ensure job safety. But, if you understand how managers decide who to put on the list and who to keep off, you can give yourself a fighting chance of staying off the list, so let's take a look at what usually factors into a manager's decision. Do people know who you are? If your manager were to be asked to name everyone on their team, are you one of the first names that they think of……or one of the last? While it's possible for your name to be front of mind for your manager just based on the work you do, more than likely that isn't enough. You need to ensure that you remain visible. Go back and review Episode 081 () for more strategies for being visible within the organization. How easily can you be replaced? If you bring something unique to the team, it's a lot harder for your manager to let you go. Lean into that strength and find ways to amplify that message. If you are one of three or four different team members who can do the same work or if your work can be automated, how likely is it that your manager will look your direction to make the mandated cuts? Episode 076 () Developing Skills would be a good place to start for building skills that make you unique. Does your manager trust you? I covered this very topic in Episode 31 (). Your manager is much more likely to keep you off the list if they view you as a solution to a problem and not someone that causes problems. If they trust you to do what is needed with very little guidance from them, you free them up to focus on other duties. When it comes to layoffs that's valuable to someone who is anticipating having to take on additional duties. How do you fit with the team? If you support the team in a way that brings up the energy or morale or productivity, that is something that will have even more importance when the team shrinks. If you don't engage with the team and are more aloof, the team may feel some level of sympathy for you, but overall, they won't necessarily miss you. And the last criteria that managers secretly use to evaluate the team is the potential for future contributions. Businesses continuously evolve. If you are viewed as someone who is ready for the next shift in technology, they will be more inclined to want to keep you. Staying abreast of the latest technology and ideas is the way forward. For example with AI being the current hot topic, in episode 078 () Future Proof You I cover how you can leverage it in your job. None of these guarantee job safety. You may be visible, but that will just amplify any recent mistakes no matter how minor. You may be irreplaceable, but the function you perform is going to be eliminated. You may be trusted, but your second level manager mandated that you be on the list because he doesn't value the work you do. You may be the glue that holds the team together, but people question your dedication to the work. So, if, in spite of your standing, you find yourself on the list, go back and review Episode 053 () for how to recover from being laid off. The good news is that these same criteria are the ones that leaders look for when it comes time to give out promotions. Promotions go to those that are visible, contribute unique skills, are trusted, lift up the team, and have future potential. So, putting together a plan to address them will serve a dual purpose. A career coach can help you build the skills you need in order to implement these strategies to keep your name off of the list and position you for a future promotion. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (). I'll schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and determine if we would be a good fit for coaching. If we are, we can arrange regular sessions to help you put your career on the fast track to advancement.
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Aligning With Fast-Track Projects - MAC089
04/29/2025
Aligning With Fast-Track Projects - MAC089
Last week, in Episode 088 (), I covered the four key project types that can fast-track your career advancement. This week, I'm going to cover some strategies for when your current project assignment is not on one of those fast-track type projects. So, to review, the four fast-track project types are strategic projects aligned to organizational goals, cross-functional projects that impact multiple teams, projects tied to revenue generation or expense reduction, and finally, projects that are in trouble. If you find yourself assigned to a project in any combination of those categories, success can be a springboard to the next level. So, what do you do when your work doesn't fall into any of those categories? The first thing I would do is to get an understanding of why the project even exists. It's rare for a project to be initiated without having some business value, so your goal should be to understand what that value is. If you are unsure, ask your leader how your assignment aligns with the bigger picture. It's possible that your assignment is a precursor to an upcoming effort. Use this link when you communicate status of your project and include statements about how your current work ENABLES the future project. This linkage can also be your ticket to being assigned to the strategic project in the future. Alternatively, can you reframe your project so that you create a link between your project and a fast-track project? If you can directly tie the goals of your project to those of a fast-track project, it's possible that your project could be absorbed by the larger project, providing a backdoor route to being assigned to the fast-track project. If your project is not directly related to a fast-track project, look for ways to elevate your project. Can you expand the scope of your project to include cross-functional aspects? Does your project facilitate revenue generation or expense reduction for other areas of the business? Can someone leverage the results of your project to bring a troubled project back on track? Projects have executive sponsors. Who are the sponsors of your project? Make sure that they are communicating the importance of your project to your leaders and their leaders. Use their position to tie your project back to corporate goals. Those strategies would allow you to align your current project with a fast-track project. As long as you deliver on your current project, you can use the connection to a bigger project to help set yourself up for a key assignment on your next project. The other strategy is to look for ways to be assigned to a fast-track project. If your team is responsible for or contributes to a fast-track project, the obvious first step would be to speak to your manager. You'll need to make a case for why you would be an asset to that project. Do you have specific knowledge or skills that you can bring to the project? Or maybe you have key relationships that will gain the support of other teams? If your manager turns you down for the current project, ask for specific feedback on what you should work on so that you are considered for the next fast-track project……and then put a plan in place to work on those things. If you can't get reassigned to a fast-track project, it can still be beneficial to keep up with the progress of projects you aren't assigned to. Pay attention to when those projects have a need for additional resources or skills that you can provide. Volunteer to provide the additional support the projects need and continue to deliver on your current project. In Episode 013 (), I cover how sometimes you have to make your own luck. If you work your network and pay attention to the goings on of your organization, you can often find a problem in need of a solution. Look for those opportunities that can lead to a fast-track project. If you are the one bringing the project forward, you will usually not only be assigned to the project, but also have an opportunity to lead that project. If you find yourself in a situation where you get neither aligned or assigned to a fast-track project, there's still a course of action you can take. Play the hand you're dealt. Deliver strong results and use them to build trust and reputation. Take advantage of being on a less stressful project and use the time to build the skills you will need in order to be ready for the assignment when it becomes available. Help me spread the word about the Managing A Career podcast (). My goal for this podcast is to continue to grow the audience in order to help as many people as I can advance their careers. To reach this goal, I would appreciate it if you would share this episode with your friends and coworkers. Send them to ManagingACareer.com/follow () which will give them links to everywhere that this podcast can be found.
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Fast Track Projects - MAC088
04/22/2025
Fast Track Projects - MAC088
When it comes to career advancement, some projects have a bigger impact than others. How can you make sure that you're associated with the projects that give you the best chance at success? When you look at the types of projects that are undertaken within your organization, four key types will garner the most recognition and opportunities for advancement. This week, I'll take a look at what these project types are. Next week, I'll cover what you can do if your assignments don't fall into one of these four categories. The type of project that is going to have the biggest impact on your career is going to be those that are most closely aligned with the organizational strategy and goals. The bigger the goal, the bigger the impact; projects tied to team goals, won't have nearly as big of an impact as one tied to departmental or company goals. But, regardless of the level, when the project is tied to a goal, your leaders will have a vested interest in the success of the project. Another impactful project type is a cross-functional projects. These projects give you an opportunity to expand your network () and expand your sphere of influence (). While the project may not be aligned with YOUR organization's goals, it very likely aligns with the goals of the other organization. Your leadership will usually be made aware when you make significant contributions to these cross-functional projects. Most companies are in business to make money. It is never a bad thing when your projects directly drive revenue or on the flip side when your project reduces expenses. People will take notice when you are responsible for the improving the bottom line. If you're looking for a project type that is high-risk / high-reward, look for projects that are in trouble. Joining a problem project and turning it into a success will allow you to gain a lot of trust and leeway. Just be careful because it can be difficult and stressful to try to live up to expectations that you can swoop in like Superman for every project in the future. The common thread in all four of these fast track project types is that they all provide an opportunity for you to be more visible to leadership. You can enhance this visibility by documenting the project outcomes and how your involvement lead to those outcomes. Review Episode 044 () for how to communicate the VALUE you provided and not just the activities you performed. The other way to increase the impact that a fast-track project has on your career is to build your network of champions. Use the success on these high-impact projects to bring the project sponsors into your personal cheering section as covered in Episode 052 (). Not every project will fall into one of these fast-track categories. Next week, I'll cover what you can do when you find yourself in that situation. Is there a career development question that you would like for me to answer on an upcoming episode? If so, go to the ManagingACareer.com website and drop me a note via the Contact form (). If you would rather, you can leave me a voicemail through your computer by clicking the button on the right.
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Language Matters - MAC087
04/15/2025
Language Matters - MAC087
In Episode 085 (), I covered techniques to build confidence. This week I'd like to talk about how you can use the words you say to project that confidence to those around you. When you speak with others, in order to project confidence, you should pay attention to the negative qualifiers that you use when stating your ideas. Those negative qualifiers typically fall into five categories. They can undermine your ideas such as "I think". They can undermine your self such as "Sorry" or "I could be wrong, but…". They can undermine your audience such as finishing with "Does that make sense?" They can undermine your intelligence such as "I have a doubt" They can make you seem uncommitted such as "I'll try" When you use phrases such as "I think", you weaken your message. Instead, just drop the qualifier and state your idea clearly. You are a professional and paid to be an expert in your field; own your ideas. Consider these phrasing pairs: I think we should explore the new technology. OR… The new technology is the best course of action. The first option comes across as a suggestion looking for someone else to take the lead. The second option conveys the same message but gives little room for doubt that your idea is the one to follow. When you make statements that diminish your self, you leave room for others to be the dominant voice in the room. I'm not suggesting that you be loud or vocally bullying, but if your goal is to be seen as a confident leader, you should be one of the more dominant voices in the room. Consider these phrasing pairs: I could be wrong, but our customers are looking for us to deliver this feature. OR… My perspective is that the new feature will drive additional customer upgrades. The first option lacks certainty. The second option doesn't apologize for your thoughts and presents a better case for why the team should proceed in the direction you suggest. It can be very off-putting when someone questions your intelligence. Using phrases that undermine your audience will have them deciding to support ideas from others. In order to gain their support you should avoid phrases such as "Does that make sense?" and instead use something along the lines of "If anyone needs more detail on that, let me know." The first questions their ability to understand whereas the second offers clarification for those that request it. Phrases that undermine your intelligence will kill any credibility you have with your audience. It's fine not to know something, but instead of saying "I don't know" say "I'll find out". Don't try to misrepresent your knowledge, but show your willingness to learn and grow. When you don't understand something, instead of saying "I have a doubt" say "Can you explain that". Using "I" language places the burden of ignorance on you and using "you" language places the burden of explanation on them. The last qualifier is "I'll try". Using this type of phrase doesn't express your commitment to the results. If what is being asked is within your abilities, just be direct and say "I will". Or if you are unsure of your ability to deliver, be clear and confident in what you can do and explain what areas may be problematic. For example, instead of "I'll try to get sign-off by the end of the week" say something like "I will send an email request for approval today and if I haven't received sign-off by Thursday, I will follow up in person." While I've been referring to these statements in terms of speaking, but the same holds true for written communication. Since written communication gives you more time to review and compose what you are sending, it may be easier to start there. Go back through your recent emails and look for these types of phrases. How could you have reworded them to present as stronger and more confident? If you have access to AI bots that can transcribe your meetings, record your meetings and pay attention to who uses strong language and who uses weak language. Are those the same people that are viewed as thought leaders? How often are you using weaker language? Do you find yourself using stronger language with certain audiences or in certain meetings but weaker language with different audiences or meetings? As we've seen this week, what you say and how you say it can play a big part in how others perceive you. Using the right phrasing will have others viewing you as confident and competent. And as I covered in Episode 085, confidence builds confidence. So, as you speak more confidently, your confidence in yourself will also grow. In past episodes, I've brought up people that I follow on LinkedIn whose content I feel can set you up for career success. This week, I'd like to turn your attention to Nausheen Chen (). Nausheen is a public speaking coach. Now some of you may think to yourself that you never intend to speak on a stage, but hear me out. Speaking on a stage is about learning to speak with confidence and many of the same tips for public speaking apply to your day to day life, too. She not only covers the type of content that I've shared today but many more tips that can help be a better and more confident speaker, both on and off the stage. Go and give her a follow.
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Leadership Portfolio - MAC086
04/08/2025
Leadership Portfolio - MAC086
On this podcast, I cover topics that can help you advance your career. In simple terms, this means putting yourself in the best possible position to be considered for a promotion. But, sometimes the next transition is from an individual to management role. This week, I cover a technique where you can document your leadership skills as you prepare for that change. When it comes to capturing the results of your work as an individual, I've covered several different methods. In Episode 044 (), I cover how to report status to various audiences showing the value that you provide in the context of your current assignments. In Episode 039 (), I cover the Success section of your IDP; in that section, you capture the results of your Action Plan and how you have grown from those activities. But, these forms of documentation may not be adequate to showcase your abilities when the next role relies on completely different skills than your current role. Many of the skills that you will need to have as a people manager are soft skills. Using them is often not tied directly to project results but affect HOW those results are achieve. Just documenting the results is not sufficient, so it will require a different approach. This week, I'd like to introduce you to a Leadership Portfolio. So, what do you capture in your Leadership Portfolio? At the most basic level, it should document your use of soft skills and particularly how they have impacted those around you. This is not an exhaustive list, but you should look to include instances when you: coached and mentored others navigated complex office politics resolved a conflict within the team showed executive presence delegated work to a more junior team member A Leadership Portfolio isn't something that you will typically be asked to produce but just going through the process of tracking the use of soft skills will set you apart from your peers. Beyond that, though, the Leadership Portfolio becomes your evidence that you can present to your leader when you feel you are ready to move to management. When documenting your interactions with individuals, keep track of who you helped and your relationship to them. Include details about how they benefitted from your leadership such as learning a new skill or completing a project or even receiving a promotion. If you have any feedback from them such as quotes or thank-you notes, include that in your portfolio, too. When the entry is in relation to a project, capture the dates of the instance and which soft skills you leveraged to move the project forward. Document a summary of the event and what actions you took to address the situation. If you decide to track your Leadership Portfolio, schedule time on your calendar every week to reflect on which soft skills you used throughout the week. If you helped someone, be sure to follow up with them to get feedback on how the responded to that assistance. Review which soft skills you use and which you don't. In the coming weeks, look for opportunities to bolster those that you use least. This week, I've given you a technique that will be a differentiator when you approach your leader about opportunities to transition to a managerial position. It will take time…..and action….to fill your portfolio, so start your Leadership Portfolio today. I would love to hear some stories of how this podcast has helped you in your pursuit of career advancement. Go to the ManagingACareer.com website and leave a message via the Contact form () or click the button to leave a voicemail via your computer. Tell me which episodes have had the biggest impact for you. If I get enough feedback, I'll start including them in upcoming episodes.
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Confidence Builds Confidence - MAC085
04/01/2025
Confidence Builds Confidence - MAC085
Back in Episode 083 () I talked about how Imposter Syndrome and Fear of Failure can derail your plans for career advancement. This week, I'd like to take a deeper dive at Confidence. Confidence, at it's very basic, is the believe that you will succeed in the current situation. Confidence is not arrogance; but they can be two side of the same coin. The biggest difference between Confidence and Arrogance is how others react to you and how you treat those around you. When you are confident, you state your case assertively but with respect. If you are arrogant, you will come across as dominating and dismissive. When you are confident, your believe in success can encourage those around you and lead them to want to help. Being arrogant, though, can alienate others when you act superior to them. So, how does confidence help when it comes to your career? Being confident makes you a better speaker. When you believe in what you are saying, it comes across to those you are speaking to. Your confidence will help you make your point stronger. When you are confident, you are focused on the final success and will not be hampered by small challenges along the way. Continued confidence in everything you do will have others considering you to be a "winner". As I mentioned earlier, being confident can inspire those around you. This type of inspiration will have others viewing you as a leader because most people want to follow proven winners. You confidence will also bring you bigger opportunities. When you are able to work through any challenges you face and still drive to success, you will gain the trust of your leaders. This trust will lead to those coveted higher-level assignments that eventually lead to promotion. Some people have what seems to be a natural confidence. You may even think that they were born with that confidence. But, in reality, confidence is a lot like compound interest. When you have a small success, you gain some confidence, which helps you have more success, which leads to more confidence, which leads to more success, and so on and so forth. When someone seems to be naturally confident, it is just that you are seeing them so far past their initial, awkward phase. If you find yourself in a situation where you don't have confidence, as I said in the episode on Imposter Syndrome, set as small of a goal as you can; make success almost a guaranteed outcome. Your confidence will build and grow much like a snowball rolling down a hill. Beyond starting with small wins, another confidence building technique is to practice self-affirmation. A negative mindset can erode your confidence. When you find yourself doubting your ability to succeed, you need to act quickly to change your mindset. Make positive statements about yourself, out loud if possible. As you make these statements, take a "superhero pose". You'll be surprised how just holding a powerful pose for a few minutes can boost your confidence. Start by focusing on the things you KNOW you are capable of and focus on those positive aspects. Confidence builds on other confidence, so by going back to the basics, you are starting the seed of your confidence snowball. Next, look at the skills that you are building. Focus on how proud you are of the growth you've already made. Make positive, affirming statements about the continued growth you will experience. These statements should be along the lines of "I *will* successfully learn……" and then name the skill. Lastly, take the negative thoughts that you have and reframe them into statements of opportunity. Instead of saying "I _can't_" or "I'm not good at" say "Even though I do not currently have the ability, I can learn". Another way to build confidence is to reach out to your mentors and leaders to ask for constructive feedback. They can help you identify the things you are good at (the beginning of your confidence snowball) and how those strengths are positive for the team. This assessment can be a big confidence boost. They can also help you plan your next areas of growth. Competence builds confidence; the stronger you are in particular skill, the more confident you will be when using the skill. Never stop learning and refining your abilities. Where are you in your confidence journey? Are you just starting or have you already banked some successes? Regardless of where you are, a career coach can help you build your confidence. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (). I'll schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and determine if we would be a good fit for coaching. If we are, we can arrange regular sessions to help you put your career on the fast track to advancement.
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Own the Problem, Bring Solutions - MAC084
03/25/2025
Own the Problem, Bring Solutions - MAC084
The other day on LinkedIn, there was a post () by Lena Reinhard, host of the Leadership Confidential podcast (), about the saying "don't bring me problems, bring me solutions". That post got me thinking. In her post, Lena () expresses that she is not a fan of that phrase because it make the target of the statement feel like they are left to do all of the work themselves. Her suggestion is clarification through communication. Does your boss really expect you to solve the problem on your own or how you can align the way you work and ask for help with the way that they work and offer help. An example of how your work styles are not in alignment could be that in your one on ones with your leader, you may spend a large portion of the session complaining about a specific problem you're facing. Your manager may view that as asking for help but you just needed someone to vent to while you worked through conflict with another team. As a natural problem solver, I often had a similar response with my wife. Sometimes, she just wanted to vent about things going on with her job and I would often offer suggestions on how to proceed. Because our styles were in conflict, this would lead to frustration on both of our parts. Being able to communicate and align work styles with your boss (or spouse) can eliminate the frustration and turn things back to being a productive relationship. When everyone is on the same page when it comes to work style, what does your manager mean when they say "don't bring me problems, bring me solutions"? Your leader has a lot on their plate. They are responsible not just for keeping the members of their team productive and growing, but they also must take on tasks for THEIR leader. This often means that they are not able to spend a large portion of their day solving every problem on their team. They are looking for people to step up and own problems so that they don't have to. Unless they are a micromanager, they often only need to know about a problem under three specific conditions. Sometimes, when you have a solution to a problem, you need either approval or authority to proceed with the solution; you may have considered the alternatives and formulated a solid plan, but you need your boss to sign off on the final decision or to champion it to other teams. This is the perfect time to engage your boss; just be prepared to demonstrate the alternative solutions you considered and why this is the best path forward. If this solution impacts other teams, you may even need to refine your presentation as you communicate your solution beyond just your manager. The next situation is when you have narrowed down the options but need your manager to make the final decision. This case is a good opportunity to make yourself stand out. Instead of asking your leader to make the decision, ask for clarification on the criteria that they would use to decide. This will help you solve the current problem but also set you up for future success when you face a similar problem in the future. When your manager believes that you will make the same choice that they would make, you grain trust which leads to more autonomy as well as more strategic assignments. The final condition when you would bring a problem to your manager is when you have explored options but don't know how to proceed. When you find yourself without a clear path forward, you would do well to ask your manager, not for the answer, but for some strategies on how to proceed. Show them that you are interested in learning and growing and that you have a desire to solve problems on your own. If you are highly demanding of your manager's time because they have to solve every problem for you, they will come to dread every interaction they have with you. When you face a problem, instead of immediately taking it to your manager, use the problem as an opportunity to build trust and gain standing by showing independence. Work to think like your manager so that your solutions align with theirs. When you do this, you're bringing your manager solutions and not problems. I would love to hear some stories of how this podcast has helped you in your pursuit of career advancement. Go to the ManagingACareer.com website and leave a message via the Contact form () or click the button to leave a voicemail via your computer. Tell me which episodes have had the biggest impact for you. If I get enough feedback, I'll start including them in upcoming episodes.
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Faking It - MAC083
03/18/2025
Faking It - MAC083
There's been a lot of talk recently about "Imposter Syndrome". The term was coined by psychologists - Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes in the late 1970s, but seems to be mentioned in so many different places the past few years. Having imposter syndrome is a very common experience in that most people experience some form of imposter syndrome at least once in their career. Imposter Syndrome is most prevalent when you take a new role. Self-doubt starts creeping in as you compare yourself to those around you. You may feel like you need to work extra hard to justify yourself to your new peers. You may even be dismissive of the accomplishments you DO have. As you work through the feelings of imposter syndrome, it's important to realize that someone believed in you in order for you to get to the position that you're in. Instead of thinking that you don't belong, focus on how you earned the right to the position. No one knows everything and with time and growth, you will be as much of an expert as anyone else. Another way to combat imposter syndrome is to keep track of your accomplishments and review them. If you have an Individual Development Plan using my template, you can also review the Successes section as covered in Episode 039 (). You can reflect on how much you have learned and grown and realize what you are truly capable of. If all else fails, reach out to a trusted peer or a mentor or your leader and talk through your feelings. Often, they can talk about when they experienced imposter syndrome and how they worked through it. Closely related to imposter syndrome is the fear of failure and a lack of confidence. If you feel like an imposter, you may think that any tiny failure will reveal to the world that you don't belong. This type of thinking will quickly erode any confidence you have, just reinforcing the imposter syndrome. One of the best way to beat failure or the fear of it is to have a few wins. This is where I like to use the snowball effect. Set small, short-term goals that involve small risks that are easily achieved. When you have achieved the goal, set new goals that are slightly bigger. Each goal will build your confidence like a snowball……small at first but larger and larger as you layer each success on top of it. Gaining competence - through learning and successes - will also build confidence. When it comes to imposter syndrome, look at which areas make you feel the most uncertain. Are there trainings you can take or assignments that you can take on that will help you become more competent and eventually more confident? Competence and confidence go a long way in eliminating those feelings of imposter syndrome. Feelings of inadequacy can stall or kill any career advancement you may be seeking. It's important to recognize those feelings early and work to eliminate them and eliminate them quickly. If you find yourself struggling, one person who can help you overcome them is a career coach. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (). I'll schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and determine if we would be a good fit for coaching. If we are, we can arrange regular sessions to help you put your career on the fast track to advancement.
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Quiet Firing - MAC082
03/11/2025
Quiet Firing - MAC082
Recently, companies have been in cost cutting mode. The most obvious result of this cost cutting, at least when it comes to your career, is that companies have been laying off large numbers of workers across all industries. But these very same companies are starting to balk at the negative press associated with "yet another layoff". This week, I take a look at the subtle ways that companies continue to reduce their headcount in a less public manner. Return to Office Mandates During COVID, social distancing and stay at home orders lead many to resort to remote work. During that time, many companies experienced record revenue and added staff to support future projections. These activities showed that remote work could be successful and many workers enjoyed the freedom offered by these new policies. Now that the height of the pandemic has passed, companies transitioned to a hybrid model where some days were worked remotely and some were worked in the office. I won't argue that there are benefits to being in the office with your co-workers, but now companies are changing their policy to switch from a hybrid schedule to one requiring workers to be in the office five days per week. The freedom that workers once had has been quickly eliminated. In some instances, this policy shift may make sense, but in most cases, this change leads to a situation where people voluntarily leave to find an opportunity that still offers the flexibility that they had become accustomed to. Reduction in Promotions and Frozen Salaries Beyond return to office mandates, employees are finding fewer opportunities for advancement and smaller salary increases. When a company is in the process of laying off employees, this often includes cancelling most of the open positions. For the positions that remain open, you will face additional competition from those on the reduction list as well as everyone else looking for a promotion. In addition to limited opportunities, many are finding that salary increases are small or non-existent and bonuses are reduced or eliminated all under the banner of controlling costs. Those expecting some sort of increase to their bank account will face dissatisfaction and demotivation. And for the company, this could be a way to reduce staff without the stigma of another round of layoffs. Overworked and Burnt Out One would hope that layoffs are targeted to areas where shifting business needs have lead to reduced workloads, but they often hit areas that were already understaffed. Those that remain are often asked to do "more with less". Goals are set more aggressively in order to recover some level of profitability. With the constant fear of being "next", people will just accept the additional workload and strive to do everything asked of them, even if it means working longer hours and opting not to take all of their allotted time off. This is an unsustainable position that will only lead to burnout. Singled Out The other factors are things that apply generally to everyone in the company. But you could also find yourself targeted by your company to encourage you to leave. You may find that your responsibilities are changing, often in a manner that doesn't align with your career plan and skill set or potentially even having diminished responsibility levels. Performance reviews may not accurately reflect the level of contributions you have made. Feedback is not constructive or even offered. If it feels like your manager is pushing you out in this manner, you may have no choice but to look for alternatives. There may be opportunities to remain at the company but to transfer to another group. But, if that is not an option, take advantage of the situation as best you can. Use any training resources available to you and do your best to remain employed, but begin exploring your options elsewhere. Navigating Your Options If you find yourself in a situation where your company is looking for ways to drive people to leave, there may be some things you can do to ease some of the stress you find yourself facing. Policy may require you to be in the office five days per week, but there may be flexibility in the hours that you are in the office. Maybe you can negotiate having certain mornings or afternoon continue to be remote as long as you still meet the five day mandate. If promotions and salaries are not an option, it may be possible to receive other non-monetary benefits. A change in title doesn't cost the company any money but could add some needed prestige as you explore other jobs. Having expanded access to training resources can allow you to increase your skills opening up other opportunities previously unavailable to you. In Episode 053 (), I covered what you should do if you've been laid off, but many of those same strategies apply if you find yourself being quietly fired. A career coach can help you navigate these difficult times and set yourself up for future success. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (). I'll schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and determine if we would be a good fit for coaching. If we are, we can arrange regular sessions to help you put your career on the fast track to advancement.
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Visibility - MAC081
03/04/2025
Visibility - MAC081
The job market right now is a really scary place. Large companies are laying off employees. Even the government, usually one of the more stable places to work is reducing their headcount. There are no guarantees of job security unless you own the company, but if you want to provide at least a modicum of safety when the reductions come around, you have to find a way to become indispensable. There will be many who, when times are tough, will go into what I like to call "turtle" mode. They'll find ways to hide in their shell and hope that when the cuts come, they're overlooked. But if you want to be important, it starts with being seen. While this may feel uncomfortable and risky, if no one knows who you are and what you contribute to the company, how can you be viewed as an indispensable part of the company? The first step to becoming more visible is to be more vocal. In meetings, pay attention to what is being discussed and look for opportunities to ask insightful questions. A well crafted question at the right time can show the attendees that you have desire to learn more about the subject. You can also express your opinion on topics that you already have a level of understanding. When others make suggestions, you can also offer support for their ideas -- just be careful of coming across as a "yes man". The next step is to volunteer. When there are activities that involve highly visible or extremely challenging tasks, instead of shying away from them, step up and take ownership of those activities. By taking them on, you show ownership and leadership. Additionally, success on these assignments is amplified across the organization. Another way to more visible is to tell everyone. This isn't about bragging. But, if you think back to Episode 044 (), I cover Reporting Status. In that episode, I talk about how you can create a status report that expresses the value you have provided and how you might tailor those reports to different audiences. If you create a status report to be sent to your leader and their peers, you can increase you visibility without coming across as braggadocios. The last way to increase your visibility is to talk to more people. In Episode 029, Building a Network () and Episode 070, Sphere of Influence (), I offer several ways that you can grow your network -- both within and outside of your company. Use your network to showcase your contributions, especially with key decision-makers. Become a hub of knowledge by sharing industry trends and articles about new ideas and technology. Being that hub will have others seeking YOU out to be a part of THEIR network. In last week's episode () the focus is on turning your Action Plan into daily Habits. You can apply this same strategy to increasing your visibility. To be more vocal, make a point of asking one question in each project meeting that you are in. Take ownership by making sure that you leave each meeting with at least one action item. Showcase your wins by sending a weekly status report. Build your network by scheduling a weekly coffee break with different people within your department. Hiding in your shell and being quiet may feel comfortable, especially when the world feels chaotic, but that is not the path to job security or career advancement. When you are just starting out, use visibility to build credibility and showcase your leadership skills. When you are in the middle job grades, visibility can help you be assigned to the preferred projects. As you transition to positions of leadership, visibility will strengthen your position and ensure that you are leading a growing team. Visibility is a critical component of growth. Help me grow this podcast by going to your podcast platform of choice or the Managing A Career website () and leaving an honest review. More reviews will help others searching for career growth podcasts find and follow this podcast.
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Action Plan to Habit - MAC080
02/25/2025
Action Plan to Habit - MAC080
Last year, I covered the Individual Development Plan or IDP in a series of episodes. In Episode 036 (), I introduce the IDP and cover why it should be an important part of your career growth. In Episode 037 () I describe the Vision and Roadmap sections of the IDP and how they represent the foundation for understanding where your career is headed. Episode 038 () covers the Assessment and Next Role sections. These sections break down which skills you will need in order to advance and how you rank against them. Episode 039 () shows you how to build an Action Plan for reaching your goals and to document your Successes as you build the skills you need. And I wrapped up the series in Episode 040 () where I explained the process of how you can integrate your IDP into your career discussions with your leader. If you're like most people, the last time you thought about career goals was last year during your annual planning sessions. But the purpose of the IDP is to help you take a high level career vision and break it down systematically ultimately into an action plan that you can make measurable progress against. Career advancement isn't something that happens instantaneously, but instead is the culmination of a series of purposeful steps. This week, I'd like to talk about how, by turning your Action Plan into daily habits, your career growth becomes almost automatic. If you read books such as Atomic Habits by James Clear or The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, they break habits down into three main components. A cue or trigger - something that sets the habit in motion. An example might be the habit of brushing your teeth as part of your regular morning or nighttime routines -- the trigger being the time of day. A routine - this is the action that you want to become a habit. A reward - this is some sort of positive response that reinforces the routine action. Your Action Plan should follow some sort of Goal framework. Episode 047 () lists several common frameworks such as OKR - Objectives and Key Results, Backwards Goals, and SMART goals. If you take the example from Episode 039 of "Improve my presentation skills" which I turned into a SMART goal of "give a 30-minute presentation in front of an audience of at least 30 people", you can turn this into a series of daily habits that help you build the skill and confidence to deliver the presentation. With a goal of giving a 30-minute presentation, you could form a daily habit of creating a summary of every article that you read. The cue or trigger would be reading an article. The routine would be to write the summary. The reward could be anything that encourages you to perform the routine. As you work to create these habits, there are some things that you can do to increase your likelihood of the behavior becoming a true habit. The first is that you can attach them to some of your existing habits. For example, as you drink your first cup of coffee, you could attach a habit of reading an article -- that you later summarize. If an existing habit is the trigger for the new habit, you are practicing "Habit Stacking". The next thing you can do to increase the likelihood of forming a habit is to use some sort of system for tracking progress. This could be as simple as the process made popular by Jerry Seinfeld. Every time you complete the habit, mark the date on the calendar. See how long you can build the chain of consecutive days performing the routine. If you aren't a fan of that one, there are several habit tracking programs you can find in your phone's app store. The third thing you can do to increase the chances of success is to keep the activity simple. If it takes more than just a few minutes to perform the routine, you're more likely to skip it when time is tight. Remove as many barriers as possible so that it's almost more convenient to perform the habit than it is to skip it. As you start the process of breaking your Action Plan into daily habits, start with one. It can be overwhelming to try to start multiple habits, so focus on one habit at a time. Take advantage of some sort of reminder, whether that is built in to a tracking tool or posting sticky notes around your house. And if possible, find an accountability partner who will check in on your habit-forming progress. The key is to find small, repeatable steps that build towards the defined goal in your Action Plan. By building these as daily habits you'll find that completing the goals gets easier. If you would like a copy of my free IDP template, reach out to me via the Contact Form () on the ManagingACareer.com website and I will send you one.
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