Becoming Your Best Self

I created this document over time, as doors opened, and I discovered the secrets of what managers really want. The one employer until retirement rule was the reality of my Grandparents. However, as a Gen Xer, I have grown up with the expectation that, more than likely, I would not remain at one corporation my entire working life. Gen Xers witnessed the disintegration of corporate loyalty to employees and a move to pledging lives and souls to the bottom line. We witnessed Baby Boomers lose their jobs, if it was not feasible to maintain them. Hierarchal structures came crashing down and middle management got the squeeze. Streamlined automated processes reduced the need for human capital, and outsourcing meant a reduced need to build competencies internally. Finally, the allure of cheap overseas labor continues to cause constraints for hiring in an educated American workforce. As a product of this environment, I needed to know what it all meant to me and my future. The world is ever shifting and discerning how the various factors help or hinder in meeting goals is not a simple algorithmic equation; it takes time. Desiring to be successful, I chose to be proactive as opposed to reactive in my quest. The chapters in this document are a result of this journey, written over a three year period of engaging leadership, talking to managers, attending seminars, obtaining my masters, identifying mentors, and asking myself the tough questions, What do you want, Why do you want it, and How are you going to accomplish it? I went about learning the ropes, and perhaps by reading my shared experience it will help someone else learn the unwritten rules for thriving in any work environment.

Have an Objective..1 Master the Soft Skills.5 Maintain Your Work-Life Balance7 Balance Likeability and Integrity..9 Find a Mentor and Coach..11 Build and Maintain Networks...13 Update Your Expertise.15 Never Lose Yourself and Purpose17 Sustain Professionalism...19 Be Prepared to Walk Away..21 Resources.23

Chapter 1

Have an Objective

Have an objective or become a tool for someone elses objective.

If you do not appear to have a plan, expectations or objective, it becomes easy for people to forget about you or place you wherever the business need may be, without consideration of personal goals or development needs. To avoid this outcome, have a 2-5 year plan when you step in the door of a company or pitch your business plan. Deliver positive results on a consistent basis and develop a project portfolio, so that you always have demonstrable performance. Utilize S.M.A.R.T. goals, (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, tangible), in creating your objectives, so that they are easily comprehensible to others.
Therefore, it is most beneficial to speak the language they are accustomed to by having your individual goals similarly structured. Employers have targetable objectives for staffing, process improvements, and cost reductions. Our ears are well attuned to what we are trained to hear.

Ensure exposure of your strengths and prevent the highlighting of your weaknesses. What do I mean prevent the highlighting of your weaknesses? It is most respectable to readily admit when a mistake was made and to correct it. However, it is detrimental when others can focus on a fatal character flaw in order to hold you back from promotional opportunity. It is better to proactively identify your weaknesses and develop a plan for overcoming them.

Have an Objective
Whenever possible, connect your job to the bottom line and have a quantifiable bullet on your resume for each position, e.g. reduced cycle time by _%, increased efficiency by _%, increased profitability by _%, know your options and your value based upon your skill sets.

Creating a S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Specific: To create/implement/streamline by__________(date). to accomplish________________

Measurable: Accomplish Target 1 _____________________by:____________________(date) Accomplish Target 2 _____________________by:____________________(date) Accomplish Target 3 _____________________by:____________________(date)

Attainable: I will achieve this goal by engaging/employing/obtaining/changing _________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Have an Objective
Realistic: This goal is realistic because I am willing and capable of __________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Tangible: This goal is tangible because I will be able to see reduced cycle time/ increased efficiency/increased profitability by ________%.

Chapter 2

Master the Soft Skills

Image matters!

What people see and hear is what makes you palpable to other human beings. This provides the basis from which judgments are made. Therefore, you receive payoffs, tangible and intangible, for managing your image. Mastery of the soft skills is an integral part of image management.

Communication, interpersonal, management

The same manner in which I took care in providing an attractive presentation of this material is the same care and attention we take everyday in the presentation of ourselves. Every action that you take is a direct reflection of you - the impression that you leave others with. Lets leave them with a great impression and get you to where you need to be.

and leadership skills are essential at every career level in order to create effective workplace relationships. Social and emotional intelligence ensures that you remain aware of yourself and the environment. Confidence, self-leadership, presentation skills and the ability to work on teams ensures that your supervisor or client can count on you in a variety of situations, enabling them to provide

you valuable positive exposure. The ability to work autonomously, complete projects ontime, construct effective proposals and emails makes you a valued organizational resource.

Master the Soft Skills

Globalization and downsizing have made the job market more competitive today than ever. For this reason your mastery of the soft skills could be the deciding factor in whether or not you land the job. For example: If a hiring manager has interviewed two individuals whose qualifications are identical, but one has conveyed mastery of the soft skills, on paper and in the interview, the individual who has mastered the soft skills is the candidate who is more likely to land the job. Individuals perceived as having good soft skills, are the ones employers want to hire as they complement required technical skills and broaden the scope of where the company can see the individual fitting into their companys landscape, now and in the future.

Chapter 3

Maintain Your Work-Life Balance

A positive attitude goes a long way!

When you maintain a positive attitude you are able to get more done and keep your personal and professional relationships on track. However, in order to preserve a positive attitude you must first discern negative stressors and energy drains from positive stress. Positive stress can be exhilarating, increasing your energy level to complete tasks. A negative stressor may derail your train of thought and drain your energy by focusing on petty issues.
Attitude is the energy signal that you send to others. Positude, or positive attitude, sends the signal that I am alert, I am capable of identifying opportunities and I am willing to apply my knowledge to identify solutions, as required. Negative energy connotes: downer,pessimism,and lack of coping skills.

Establish boundaries and be flexible. No, this not an oxymoronic statement. For example, if you are married with children and your work day ends at 5:00pm: as much as possible, stop working by 5:00pm and spend quality time with yourself, friends and family. If you are single, the same advice still stands. This is boundary setting, ensuring that you recognize the needs of the whole person. One venue cannot fulfill all of your needs nor the needs of others.

Maintain Your Work-Life Balance

Being flexible means that even the best laid plans can experience a glitch or require revamping. For example, you have a project, at work, which requires you to work overtime. Youll probably have to stay at work until 9:00pm for approximately one week. Inform and make arrangements with and for your family and complete the project, without guilt. Your family should be supportive during this period, and you can return to your normal schedule the following week. Or, perhaps you have permanent added responsibilities at work. The added monetary income is beneficial to your family, so by all means, take the extra time to master the task or skill, (flexibility), and eventually, manage the added work to fit into your required schedule, (boundaries).

Chapter 4

Balance Likeability and Integrity

Likeability is your It Factor while Integrity is the Predictability Factor.

Likeability includes your demeanor, your ability to express yourself and educated opinions without disrespecting or disregarding others, to hold meaningful small talk and to effectively engage across the organization and industry. Visibility and likeability are important. This is what gets you noticed and your name in the minds and on the lips of people who can help to make things happen for you.

It is evident that likeability plays a large part in success, e.g. Hollywood, sports, and politics. Likeability is also a key component of success in the workplace. However, like any other arena, you must also be good at what you do and have established boundaries or moral guidelines. Without boundaries, guidelines, or integrity you cannot be taken seriously. You may become fun to be around, yet not a trusted a role model.

The likeability factor plays a role in how leadership views you, promotability, e.g. what types of positions they envision you fitting into. It impacts your ability to get things accomplished, in team situations, from your assistant, your suppliers, your customers and obtaining critical information for job performance.

However, you should never compromise your integrity in the process. Doing so wont win you respect and can wreak havoc on your mental and emotional well-being. Integrity includes being value and principle based and creating a clear and established personal

Balance Likeability and Integrity

identity that neither you nor others disrespect. These factors provide boundaries for engagement, keeping tensions low and positive, value additive behaviors high. For some, your integrity will actually increase your likeability factor.

Both likeability and integrity are required to achieve true success in the business world. To progress, others will have to sense that you embody both qualities. Therefore, it pays to know yourself and be aware of others perceptions to ensure that you send the message that you are a well-balanced individual, stable, approachable, and trustworthy.

Chapter 5

Find a Mentor and Coach

Everyone requires someones help at one time or another.

Valid feedback will help you to stay on track. Awareness of peer, supervisory and familial perceptions is a requirement for building successful relationships within these strata. A time may arise when you need help in discerning the validity of a perception:
You could not possibly know it all, no matter how intelligent, confident, or resourceful you may be. Experience counts. This is reason organizations ask their seasoned employees to train, guide, and mentor new employees. Dont miss out on the opportunity to learn from others in both your personal and professional life. Take advantage of the human capital thats right at your fingertips.

Is the feedback Ive received valid, constructive and objective? Has there been a recent environmental change that has caused a negative change in perception and relationships? Is there something within my control to change?

A good mentor and coach can help you to answer these questions. They can also help you to determine what your next best step should be in the situation. Your job is to communicate honestly and openly with this individual(s), be receptive to the feedback, and willing to alter old behaviors that no longer work. To ensure the effectiveness of a mentorship you should also be open to accept mentors who are not necessarily the same

Find a Mentor and Coach

race or gender. Those who have the capacity, knowledge and compassion required to be good mentors and coaches may not always come in a preferred package.

The difference between a mentor and a coach is that a mentor focuses on the development of the individual while a coach is more performance focused. A mentor can be almost anyone you choose while a coach generally gets the position due to the position they hold. The sources of each role differs however, both roles work toward the same purpose, from different angles, to enable you to become the best human being possible in your chosen field of expertise.

Chapter 6

Build & Maintain Networks

Be involved and engaged.

Networks, formal and informal, can provide a sense of safety, security, support and assurance. They are spaces where you are readily able to find people you relate to and in turn can relate to you. The ability to maintain relationships with people who can provide good solid advice, a helping hand, or whatever may be required at any given time is invaluable. Therefore, the returns on the time you invest in maintaining your internal and external networks are invaluable.

Along the same thought as the previous chapter: expand your world and take advantage of the opportunities that are right at your fingertips. Yes, some opportunities require a monetary investment; however, there are many low cost and free opportunities as well. In todays environment, everyone recognizes the benefits of social networks. Happy workers make the best employees. Therefore, many employers reimburse for professional networking and provide time for internal networking. Dont miss your opportunity.

The importance of these relationships is that they form a space where you have the ability to have open communication across a broad range of topics, to receive honest feedback, direction, mentoring, coaching, and to have an individual or organization in your corner that may be your life-line one day.

Establishing professional network relationships may still be particularly difficult for women and minorities. Although

Build and Maintain Network

the environment is changing, lasting change occurs slowly.

Women are traditionally trained to concern themselves more with matters of family, than with networking for business purposes and traditionally, minorities have not held many decision-making positions. To aid networking success, consider every event as an opportunity to meet new people for forming beneficial relationships.

Corporate Diversity Networks and Affinity Groups are a good place to begin. These networks generally serve as a retention strategy for the corporation, in recognition of the difficulty that is often experienced by minorities. Furthermore, they can put you in touch with others of the same culture or ethnicity, providing a comfort level. Individuals in these networks can in turn put you in touch with trusted sources outside of the network, who have the care, concern, and authority to enable you to be your best.

Engaging in networks specific to your professional function is an excellent place for expanding your network, no matter who you are or where you work. If you own your own business, then engaging in networking opportunities provided through industry memberships is especially beneficial.

There are many strategies for obtaining the support that you need; and as a best practice, be proactive in your engagement.

Chapter 7

Update Your Expertise

The average technology turnover is every two years.

Certain professions require that you attend continuing education courses to maintain your certification. There are also many professions do not have any such requirement. Either way, continuous learning is invaluable to ensuring your continued credibility. Continued education, conferences, workshops, and seminars all help to keep you up-to-date in your chosen field and ensures that you maintain the status of being a valued resource in the workplace.
Are you low-tech or high-tech? Not only should you maintain your networks you must also maintain yourself in order to meet your objectives. Thinking of yourself as a technology helps to depersonalize the issue and to maintain objectivity concerning what you need to do in order to meet your objective(s). Low-tech means low maintenance requirements; it has already been proven. High-tech means higher maintenance requirements as it is still growing.

The degree to which you maintain yourself upto-date may correlate to where you are in life as well as your chosen goals and ambitions. To use an analogy: if you consider yourself a low-

tech technology then perhaps attending a conference once every two years will suffice. Perhaps you are at the end of your career, thinking more about retiring to your beach house, and you just want to maintain your current position. Keeping your ear attuned to current trends and issues at significant junctures with managements acknowledgement helps to ensure that you maintain a position as a valued resource.

Update Your Expertise

However, if you consider yourself a high-tech leading edge technology, desiring to progress your career, you will need to keep your ear attuned to current trends as well as increase your mobility factor by attending the conference, attending industry seminars, obtain course credits, and lead a committee or engage in the community in some significant manner. Progressing your thought and behavior is what enables you to be an integral factor in moving a company forward.

Chapter 8

Never Lose Yourself and Purpose

Your primary responsibility is to fulfill your lifes purpose.

Can you name the three most important principles that you live by? Can you name the three most important things you want to accomplish in life? Can you name the three most important reasons that you work?

If you cannot answer these three questions then you have not discovered your purpose to begin fulfilling it. The happiest and most productive workers are workers who feel fulfilled by their profession.

To discover your purpose, get to know yourself. What are your strengths and
It is easy to be derailed from your own objective if you make the objectives of others your focal point. A corporation has its main objective, and it is not you. You are responsible to and for yourself - A primary self-care provider. To bridge the gap, it is a best practice to negotiate to a winwin situation concerning your needs and that of your employer, your family, your friends, etc.

weaknesses? What activities make you happy? What do you value the most?

To begin to fulfill your destiny enable yourself to engage fully in the activities that you value and enjoy the most. These activities will strengthen your strong suits and help you to overcome your weaknesses, in the domains that have the most value and

Never Lose Yourself and Purpose

thus, the greatest influence in your life. Reinforced learning makes the mechanics of knowing your purpose unconscious so that you can fulfill your destiny on a daily basis.

The importance of this is immeasurable, as you may encounter people in your business and personal life who will attempt to redefine you.

As discussed in Chapter 1: Have an Objective, you must have your own objective or risk becoming a tool for someone elses objective. This goes hand in hand with knowing and fulfilling your destiny. If you are lost to yourself then you are not fulfilling your purpose and are open to becoming solely the tool for someone elses purpose and objective.

Knowing who you are establishes your self-identity for you and for others. It enables you to know what path is right or wrong for you, so that you may continuously experience the greatness specifically designated for you.

Chapter 9

Sustain Professionalism
Professionalism is a mode of existence - a way of being.

A professional is an autonomous being, utilizing their independent judgment to carry out their professional responsibilities in an ethical manner. They are socially adaptive, maintaining extensive networks, engaging, sharing their knowledge and learning from others.
Professionalism can be appreciated by all rational human beings. Professionalism does not mean being aloof or persnickety. It requires the individual to be fully engaged; attuned to who they are as well as receptive to others. A professional is sought after for many reasons; mainly because they are perceived as even-keeled and well-rounded human beings.

A professional being harbors characteristics such as honor, integrity, respect, altruism, accountability, responsibility, and compassion.

Image is another important component of professionalism. Your first impression is based upon the image you present to others your dress as well as your verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Well-fitted clothing, well-groomed hair, well poised with an internal comfort level, and well attuned ears that allow you communicate successfully will take you a long way.

Sustain Professionalism
Like it or not, your personal characteristics and physical appearance impact the manner in which you are perceived; it is human nature therefore, it is beneficial to maximize your positive attributes.

Highlighting your best attributes, while sustaining professionalism in your attitude and demeanor, helps to create a positive professional identity that exudes confidence, the ability to appreciate differences, being known as an expert, as well as being known for ethical behaviors.

A positive identity facilitates the ability of others to respect you, to trust you, and to trust in the thoroughness and objectivity of your perspective.

Chapter 10

Be Prepared to Walk Away

If you are a seasoned veteran, never limit yourself to a title. You have a lifetime of experience that has provided you with a plethora of knowledge, skills and abilities that are desired and marketable. Therefore, at any given point in time you should be prepared to become your own best skills broker.

If you are just starting out, be aware that positions and agendas change often. The skills and responsibilities for a particular position may change before you get there or you
The one thats chosen is the one that is best prepared. Having served on committees that make the hiring decision, I can say that an individuals passion and preparedness are two key components in a hiring process. You can have two candidates with the passion for the work. However, the individual that also has the preparedness, the flexibility, and the adaptability of skills and knowledge base is the individual that is most likely to get the job.

may find that you are no longer as interested in a certain position or field as you once were.

To overcome either scenario, maintain an up-to-date resume, utilize your established networks, and have your project portfolio available. Also, know how to market yourself, so that you are never caught offguard by downsizing, organizational

flattening, or a change of desired path.

Be Prepared to Walk Away

Know your worth so that you can adequately portray it to others. Below is a sample table of skills valued throughout the business world. However, the table is not exhaustive and you should make a personal inventory, so that it is tailored to your unique experience.

Be Prepared to Walk Away

Leadership Self , Others, Organizations Initiating New Ideas Negotiation Coaching Mentoring Counseling Translating Policy Decision Making Setting Deadlines Management Time, People, Projects Team Formation Team Development Delegating Conflict Management Meeting Deadlines Change Management Influence/Persuade Maximizing Productivity Planning Tasks, Events, Projects Handling Details Coordinating Organizing Forecasting Goal Setting Problem Identification Problem Solving Resource Identification Communications Written, Verbal, Physical Speaking Effectively Listening for Understanding Clear and Concise Writing Express Ideas Clearly Facilitation Editing Presentation Skills Relating to Others

Chapter 11
Have an Objective

Resources

Goal Setting 101: How to Set and Achieve a Goal, Gary Ryan Blair Make Success Measurable: Workbook for Setting Goals and Taking Action, Douglas K. Smith Mastering Self-Leadership: Empowering Yourself for Personal Excellence, Charles Manz

Master the Soft Skills Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman The 8th Habit, Stephen R. Covey

Maintain Your Work-Life Balance Work + Life: Finding the Fit Thats Right For You, Cali Williams

Balance Liekability and Integrity Balancing Personal and Professional Ethics, Sheryl Ankerstar The Likeability Factor: How to Boost Your L-Factor & Achieve Your Lifes Dream, Tim Sanders

Find a Mentor and Coach Fifty Activities for Coaching-Mentoring, Donna Berry The Complete Guide to Mentoring and Coaching, Leslie McKeown Coaching and Mentoring Skills, Andrew Dubrin Coaching, Mentoring & Organizational Consultancy, Peter Hawkins

Resources
Build and Maintain Networks Best Practices in Building Your Personal Network, Allan S. Boress HBR Developing Professional Networks Collection: Click Here *Get involved with your company, industry, and profession networking opportunities.

Update Your Expertise Skill Path Seminars: www.skillpath.com Career Track: www.careertrack.com Mind Tools: www.mindtools.com *Check within your work organization, professional alliances, or local university for other opportunities.

Never Loose Yourself and Purpose Mastering Self-Leadership: Empowering Yourself for Personal Excellence, Charles Manz Discover Your Destiny, Charles Stanley I Dont Know What I Want, But I Know Its Not This: A Step-By-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work, Julie Jansen

Sustain Professionalism Professionalism is For Everyone: Five Keys to Being a True Professional, James Ball True Professionalism: The Courage to Care about Your People, Your Clients and Your Career, David H. Maister

Resources
The Polished Professional: The Essential Business Style and Etiquette Handbook, National Press Publications The New Professional Image: Dress Your Best for Every Business Situation, Susan Bixler Be Prepared to Walk Away LinkedIn Labs: Click Here Successful Career Management: Strategies Beyond Technical Preparation, Robert Donald