30•Day Job Promotion

Read This Book Tonight—and Start WorkingToward a Better Job Tomorrow!Feel like you’re not making progress in your career? Don’t fret and sweat! This book helps you

• Determine why you want a promotion and whetherthe job will be a good fit for you.

• Learn the characteristics of promotable people andput them into practice.

• Develop a proactive plan for earning more responsibility, new challenges, and more money.

Ask for a Promotion with Confidence Using theMost Effective Methods

• Choose the best time to start your promotion campaign.

• Communicate effectively and start a dialogue with yourmanager.

• Demonstrate your value to your employer with proof ofyour performance.

• Overcome any obstacles or objections to your promotion.

• Negotiate for the best salary possible.

CAREERS/GENERAL

About the AuthorFor more than 20 years, Susan BrittonWhitcomb has provided career manage-ment strategies to people who want tomove their careers forward faster. Authorof Résumé Magic, Job Search Magic, and Interview Magic and coauthor ofeResumes, Susan speaks nationally on the topic of career management. She isthe founder of Career Coach Academy, a training center and think-tank for quality career coaches and principal of California-based Whitcomb CareerConsulting. She is a Certified CareerManagement Coach, Credentialed Career Master, Master Resume Writer, and Nationally Certified Résumé Writer.

30•DAY JOB PROMOTIONbuild a powerful promotion plan in a month

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8902 Otis AvenueIndianapolis, IN 46216-10331-800-648-JISTFax 1-800-JIST-FAXwww.jist.com

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30•DAYJOB PROMOTION

SUSAN BRITTON WHITCOMB

build a powerful promotion plan in a month

Also in JIST’s Help in a Hurry Series

• Next-Day Salary Negotiation

• Same-Day Resume

• Next-Day Job Interview

• 15-Minute Cover Letter

• Seven-Step Job Search

PART OF JIST’S HELP IN A HURRY™ SERIES

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30•DAY JOB PROMOTION© 2008 by Susan Britton Whitcomb

Published by JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing, Inc.8902 Otis AvenueIndianapolis, IN 46216-1033Phone: 1-800-648-JIST Fax: 1-800-JIST-FAX E-mail: [email protected]

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Whitcomb, Susan Britton, 1957-30-day job promotion : build a powerful promotion plan in a month / Susan Britton Whitcomb.

p. cm. -- (JIST's help in a hurry series)Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN-13: 978-1-59357-447-5 (alk. paper)

1. Promotions. 2. Career development. I. Title. II. Title: Thirty day job promotion.HF5549.5.P7W47 2008650.14--dc22

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, orstored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher exceptin the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews. Making copies of any part of thisbook for any purpose other than your own personal use is a violation of United States copyrightlaws. For permission requests, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center at www.copyright.com or (978) 750-8400.

We have been careful to provide accurate information in this book, but it is possible that errorsand omissions have been introduced. Please consider this in making any career plans or otherimportant decisions. Trust your own judgment above all else and in all things.

Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, servicemarks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

ISBN 978-1-59357-447-5

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About This Book

What stands in the way of your being enthusiastically engaged and radically rewarded in your career? You might say it’s a lack of open-

ings, or a personality clash with your boss, or office politics, or any numberof challenges that prevent you from moving forward with your currentemployer.

This book is for all who want to truly take charge of their career—to shiftfrom “victim” to “victorious” or move from “stuck” to “steadfast” in thepursuit of your goals and dreams. 30-Day Job Promotion is designed to giveyou a powerful promotion plan, with strategies to turn obstacles intoopportunities and set you on an irrevocable course of career progress.

In the first chapter, you’ll uncover your motives for getting promoted andlearn the top 10 characteristics of promotable people. You’ll also get clearon your company’s situation and how that might impact your promotion,as well as identify your position target and elements of the ideal fit.

In chapter 2, you’ll discover the importance of timing and put together a30-day plan to proactively prepare yourself for promotion. Yes, there maybe factors out of your control that will require patience on your part, butyou’ll also learn how to avoid common mistakes and expedite the promo-tion process.

Chapter 3 outlines the “10 Commandments” of Career Success and givesyou the opportunity to score yourself on 150 items that impact your pro-motability factor. In chapter 4, you learn the “T.A.L.K.”-it-out formula forhaving crucial career conversations with the people who have the power topromote you. Chapter 5 offers strategies to circumvent common road-blocks and covers everything from a difficult relationship with your boss tooffice politics.

In chapter 6, you’ll learn how to get paid for the work you really do, with a10-step process for negotiating salary. Chapter 7 offers inspiring, real-lifesuccess stories of people from many walks of life who landed their dreampromotions.

In the appendices, you’ll find assessments to give you a competitive edge,worksheets to help you identify your value, resume and position proposalexamples, a survey to gauge your communication skills, and a listing ofcoaches who contributed success stories to chapter 7 (you’ll find it helpfulto work with a coach on your promotion campaign).

May your success be significant!

Susan Britton Whitcomb

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Kathy Bitschenauer of New Pathways Career Coaching, who was instrumental in helping shape the content of this book—I

appreciate all those midnight e-mail responses. To Robyn Feldberg ofAbundant Success Career Services, heartfelt thanks for bringing life to thesuccess stories—your commitment to seeing people succeed is inspiring! Tomy coach, Judy Santos, thanks for helping make book #5 a reality—yourpartnership, wisdom, insight, and prayers are priceless. And to my dadJohn Britton, thanks for weathering those decades of farming so that I’dhave a wealth of metaphors for success in life!

There’s a long list of people whose thought leadership has added value tothis book—thank you to Nancy Branton, Dr. Ronald Page, Dale Kurow,Jane Cranston, Mixie Kingman Eddy, Deb Dib, Louise Kursmark, WendyEnelow, and many others who have not only deepened the content of thisbook, but enhanced my life as well. And, recognition is due the team atJIST, with special acknowledgement of my editor Lori Cates Hand—youare the epitome of career success, forever “controlling the controllables” andusing your talents to enrich the world.

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ContentsAbout This Book ....................................................................................iii

Chapter 1: What Will a Promotion Mean to You? ..............................1A Dozen Reasons to Get Promoted .............................................................1

What Do You Really Need from Your Career? .............................................3

What’s Driving You? ....................................................................................6

Top 10 Characteristics of Promotable People ...............................................8

Know Your Company’s Situation ...............................................................10

Know Your Target .....................................................................................11

Know Your Master F.I.T™ ..........................................................................15

Key Points: Chapter 1................................................................................19

Chapter 2: Timing Is Everything! ........................................................21The Importance of Timing ........................................................................21

Mistakes to Avoid ......................................................................................23

What to Expect..........................................................................................25

Proactive Plan ..................................................................................25Proposal and Proof of Performance. ..................................................28Perception ........................................................................................28Perseverance and Patience ................................................................31Positive Attitude ..............................................................................31

Five A’s to Your Game Plan......................................... ...............................31

Act “As If ”........................................................................................32Angle from a “Them” (Not “Me”) Perspective ....................................32Ask for What You Need.....................................................................33Achieve and Follow Through with Results ..........................................33Agree on a Win-Win Arrangement ....................................................33

Outline Your Timetable............................................................. ................33

Promotion Plan Timetable....................................................... ........33A Simplified Version of the Promotion Plan ......................................41The Storyboard Method ....................................................................43

Key Points: Chapter 2................................................................................45

Chapter 3: Your Promotability Factor ................................................47

The 10 Commandments for Career Success ..............................................47

1. Manage Thyself…and Don’t Expect Someone Else to Do It for You! ..........................................................................48

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30•DAY JOB PROMOTION ________________________________________________

2. Know, and Make Known, Your Purpose, Brand, and Value ............503. Master Your Craft and Increase Your Capacity to

Deliver Results ............................................................................524. Walk in Integrity, Excellence, and Optimism—At All Times ..........545. Lead, Even if You’re Not in a Formal Leadership Position ..............566. Communicate Articulately and Persuasively ..................................577. Build a Relationship with Your Manager and Respect His

or Her Authority, Even When You Don’t Think It’s Deserved ..........588. Remember That It “Takes a Village” to Raise a

Career, So Build and Nurture Your Work Relationships ................619. Look and Act the Part ................................................................6210. Understand the Big Picture and the Bottom Line,

and Make Regular Contributions to Both ...................................62

Living Up to the 10 Commandments .....................................................63

Calculating Your Promotability Factor ......................................................64

Key Points: Chapter 3 ..............................................................................67

Chapter 4: Crucial Career Conversations: T.A.L.K. It Out ..................69

Timing: A Time for Every Season ..............................................................70

Conduct Reconnaissance ...................................................................71Request a Meeting ............................................................................72Responding to a Posted Opening ........................................................74

Agenda: Stick to a Plan ..............................................................................79

Know What You Want ......................................................................79Know What Your Employer Wants ....................................................81Know What Your Manager Wants ....................................................82Know Your Value ............................................................................83Adapt Your Presentation to Your Listener ..........................................87Offer Supporting Documentation ......................................................93Optional: Briefly Touch on Salary ..................................................101Identify Potential Next Steps ..........................................................101

Language: Carefully Word Your Request..................................................102

A Two-Way, Win-Win Dialogue, Not a Monologue ..........................103L.I.S.T.E.N. Like a Laser ...............................................................104Emphasize “Progress” More Than “Promotion” .................................105Borrow Language from Sample Conversations ................................106Remember Your Manager’s Managers ..............................................107Say It in Person ............................................................................108

Keep It Going! .......................................................................................108

Key Points: Chapter 4..............................................................................109

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________________________________________________________________Contents

Chapter 5: Strategies for Promotion Roadblocks: I. C.A.N. .............111

The “I. C.A.N.” Mindset.........................................................................112

15 Common Roadblocks ........................................................................114

#1: You Are Too Valuable in Your Current Role................................114#2: Your Manager Won’t Endorse You for Promotion .......................115#3: There Are Limited Opportunities for Promotion .........................115#4: Another Employee More Senior Than You “Needs” to

Be Promoted Before You.............................................................116#5: Your Manager Doesn’t Perceive You as a Logical

Choice for Promotion ...............................................................117#6: You Are Too New to the Company to Be Promoted,

or Not Known by the Right People .............................................117#7: You Have a Passive or Unskilled Manager Who Takes

No Interest in Your Career Development ....................................119#8: You Have a Difficult Relationship with Your Manager ...............119#9: Your Manager Is Taking Credit for Your Ideas ...........................120#10: You Are Attempting Too Big a Move ........................................122#11: You Have Had Poor Performance Evaluations or

Been Turned Down for Promotion ...........................................122#12: There Are Problems with Your Appearance ...............................123#13: Your Communications/Presentation Style Needs

Improvement ..........................................................................125#14: You Need to See the Global Perspective of Your

Organization..........................................................................126#15: Your Confidence Needs a Boost ................................................126

Know When to Walk Away .....................................................................127

Key Points: Chapter 5..............................................................................129

Chapter 6: Salary Negotiations: How to Get Paid for the Work You Really Do ...........................................131

Step 1: Memorize the Mantra—“It’s All About Value”.............................132

Step 2: Know the Market ........................................................................134

Research Comparable Salaries..........................................................134Put It All Together ..........................................................................137

Step 3: Know What You Want ................................................................138

Step 4: Ask at the Right Time..................................................................141

Step 5: Ask the Right Person(s)................................................................141

Step 6: Collaboratively Discuss, Don’t Threaten ......................................142

Step 7: Find Common Ground ...............................................................143

Step 8: Ask for What You Need ...............................................................144

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Step 9: Anticipate Objections ..................................................................145

There’s Not Enough Money in the Budget ........................................145We Just Don’t Do Salary Increases Like That....................................146You’re Already at the Top of the Pay Scale ........................................146You Can’t Receive That Large an Increase in Salary So Soon.............146

Step 10: Keep the Door Open ................................................................147

Key Points: Chapter 6 ............................................................................148

Chapter 7: Real-Life Success Stories. ................................................149

Success Story 1: 32-Year Veteran of One Employer Finally Wins Seat at the Executive Table .............................................149

Success Story 2: Employee Earns Nod to Manage His Own Agency ......................................................................................154

Success Story 3: Twenty-Something Makes Rapid Career Progress with Pop Culture and Media Leader ....................................156

Success Story 4: Independent Consultant Doubles Income in One Month ......................................................................158

Success Story 5: Account Manager’s Initiative Fast-Forwards Her Promotion to Associate Director ...........................161

Success Story 6: Financial Services Executive Lands Officer-Level Opportunity After Long Delay ......................................162

Success Story 7: First-Generation Immigrant Gets Brand Makeover and 43 Percent Raise ...............................................165

Success Story 8: College Secretary “Graduates” to Assistant Director ...............................................................................168

Success Story 9: Project Coordinator Breaks Six-Figure Salary Ceiling ......................................................................................170

Success Story 10: Counselor Convinces Company of Promotion to Supervisor with 28 Percent Raise ..................................172

Success Story 11: Director Beats Out 347 for Coveted Senior Staff Position ............................................................................175

Appendix A: Assessments and Tools to Gain a Competitive Edge ........................................................179

Appendix B: SMART Story™ Worksheet.............................................187

Appendix C: Identify Your Energy, Perception, Judgment, and Orientation Preferences ..............................................189

Appendix D: Position Proposal and Resume Samples......................197

Appendix E: 25-Point Communication Check...................................205

Appendix F: Success Story Contributors............................................209

Index......................................................................................................210

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Chapter 1

What Will a PromotionMean to You?

What prompted you to pick up this book?

l Are you feeling unappreciated at work?

l Do you believe you aren’t getting paid enough?

l Does your job lack the challenges you want?

Many people start to dust off their resume in search of greener pastureswhen these thoughts come. And come, they do! More than 75 percent ofemployees reported intentions to leave their job, according to a 2006 jobretention poll conducted by the Society for Human Resource Managementand the Wall Street Journal’s CareerJournal.com.

A full-scale job search is a serious undertaking that, when done right,requires a great deal of work and a certain amount of risk. What many failto recognize is that those greener pastures are often located in their ownback yard…with their current employer. In other words, you have thepower to create greener pastures by watering your own back yard!

Today, career management is an entrepreneurial game. As a “career entre-preneur,” you are in charge of making your career grow and prosper. You,and no one else—not your human resources director, your mentor, yourmanager, your colleagues, or your coach. Smart careerists are able to thor-oughly leverage the opportunities “hiding” in plain view. You’ll learn howto do just that in short order. First, let’s look at what a promotion willmean to you.

A Dozen Reasons to Get PromotedIf you ask a dozen people what a promotion means to them, you’ll likelyget as many answers! For example:

1. More money

2. An impressive title or perks

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3. New types of projects to work on

4. A chance to work with people you admire and respect

5. A greater sense of purpose or significance

6. More responsibility, recognition, or respect

7. The approval of friends/family/peers/professional associates

8. Fewer hate-to-do responsibilities and more love-to-do responsibilities

9. A better work schedule, perhaps including some telecommuting

10. New challenges to take on and skills to learn

11. A stepping stone toward a long-term ambition

12. A sense of accomplishment

Later in this chapter, you’ll identify specifically what a promotion means toyou and how your life will change as a result. In the meantime, if you lookclosely at the Dozen Reasons just listed, you’ll likely see a common themethat underlies each of the factors:

Forward Progress

As a human being, you were wired from birth to make progress. If you’renot learning and stretching, you’ll eventually become stifled and stagnant.Just as plants need the right conditions to flourish, you need the right con-ditions to thrive, or a piece of you will wither and die. A healthy careerinvolves a continuous process of stretching and growing…and not justfrom an intellectual perspective, such as learning the latest software oracquiring new industry knowledge.

A deeper, more meaningful level of progress comes when you master the“soft” skills, sometimes referred to as your emotional intelligence (EI) orsocial intelligence. Those with high EI are good at managing their emo-tions, dealing with stress, displaying empathy, seeing things from others’perspectives, and remaining optimistic despite formidable odds. Part ofyour promotability rests on EI, which is comprised of skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship manage-ment. In fact, experts say that, for certain professions, up to 45 percent ofwork success is dependent on EI.

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________________________________Chapter 1: What Will a Promotion Mean to You?

Be Open to Surprises One of my coaching clients, “Winnie,” offered insights on her quest for pro-motion: “Looking back, I realize that this itch to get a new position was notjust about getting promoted—it was about moving forward and seeingopportunities that I didn’t realize were there. There was something almostdivine about it, taking me out of tunnel vision and helping me see the biggerpicture.

“I had tried for years to get promoted in my company. After working withmy coach, an amazing series of events opened up. I had the opportunity toreturn to school and start a second master’s degree (after already having mydoctorate), but this particular program will allow me to do what I want to dolong-term. In the registration process, doors flew open! I was given specialconsideration, registering for the program in four days (of course, the paper-work still needs to be turned in) and starting classes the following week.After getting the feel for what it’s like to be back in school and handling myjob, I realized I could still do more.

“That gave me the confidence to submit a proposal for a new positioninvolving the creation of a Web-based employee development program. The proposal was well received by the director and we’re now in dis-cussions with the CIO. I feel like I’m really making progress in my career.”

Meaningful progress is also linked to getting your needs met. As you con-sider what forward progress means to you, think about how your “careerneeds” have changed over time. Everyone has unique needs. Some of thoseneeds are extremely basic and common to us all, such as feeding and water-ing ourselves on a daily basis. Your body has a clear system to signal hungeror thirst—your stomach growls and your mouth gets dry. You also havehigher-level needs that are less readily apparent, such as the need to beimaginative on the job or the need to have appreciation expressed for yourwork. Unfortunately, the signaling mechanism for these career-related needsis not always so clear. Instead of a growling stomach to signal hunger, youmight have a growling temper, a lack of energy, or a sick feeling in yourstomach on Monday mornings to signal that your career-related needs arenot being met.

What Do You Really Need from YourCareer?In an earlier book, Job Search Magic, I described how needs are key tounderstanding motivation. Psychologist Abraham Maslow developed a

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Hierarchy of Needs model in the 1940s that is acknowledged today byboth psychologists and business leaders as fundamental to understandinghuman motivation. The original hierarchy presents five basic levels of need:

1. Physiological: Food, water, shelter, sleep

2. Safety: Security, freedom from fear

3. Belonging and Love: Friends, family, spouse, affection, relationships

4. Self-Esteem: Achievement, mastery, recognition, respect

5. Self-Actualization: Pursuit of inner talents, creativity, fulfillment

The theory states that people are motivated by unsatisfied needs. Thelower-level needs (physiological and safety) must be met before a person ismotivated to satisfy a higher need (self-esteem and self-actualization). Forexample, someone who has not eaten for three days (level-1 needs) will notbe motivated to pursue achievement and mastery (level-4 needs).

I have identified some career counterparts to Maslow’s model, as table 1.1illustrates.

Table 1.1: Hierarchy of Career Needs

Maslow’s Original Hierarchy of Career CounterpartsNeeds

Level 1: Physiological (food, Basic paycheck, manageable water, shelter, sleep) work hours

Level 2: Safety (security, stability, Work environment free of violence, freedom from fear) abuse, pollutants, danger, or

continual threat of job loss

Level 3: Belonging and Love Organizational culture and (friends, family, spouse, affection, camaraderie; relationships with relationships) supervisor, peers, co-workers,

customers, even vendors/suppliers

Level 4: Esteem (achievement, Impressive title; awards; a sense of mastery, recognition, respect) appreciation received through

praise/thanks, promotions, level of responsibility or authority, upper-range salary, perks; a belief that company policy is fair and respectfulof the employee

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Level 5: Self-Actualization (pursuit Personal growth; full utilization of of inner talents, creativity, fulfill- talents on the job; you are able to be ment) authentic and bring the essence of

yourself the job; there is enthusiasticengagement in work; work is passion-driven; career activity is a means to fulfilling one’s destiny; use of talents may even be sacrificial for a greater good; there is contribution to a living legacy that leaves a positive social, environmental, or spiritual impact

Maslow later added to his model Cognitive and Aesthetic needs, to knowand understand and to have symmetry, order, and beauty, respectively. Thesecome before Self-Actualization. He also added the level of Transcendence asa final level, which goes beyond Self-Actualization. With Transcendence, theindividual has a need to connect with something beyond self or to help oth-ers reach their potential. These concepts are consistent with the theme ofpursuing purpose-driven work and leaving a legacy.

CAREER NEEDS

Take a moment now to determine which of the levels on the hierar-chy of career needs that you identify with most. In your current situa-tion, are you at Level 1 or 2 (at a minimum), just earning a basic pay-check and working in an environment that’s safe? Are you at Level 3,where there’s a sense of belonging, with organizational camaraderieamongst coworkers? Perhaps it’s Level 4, where you’re earning theawards and rewards that are important to you at this point in yourlife. Or, maybe you identify with Level 5 and, through your work, arecreating a living legacy. You can move up or down on the levels,depending on your work circumstances.

From the items, list the Level of Needs and the Career Counterpartsthat are being met in your current position:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

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Next, take a moment to decide which of the career needs are impor-tant for you in your next career opportunity:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Interestingly, the highest level on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Self-Actualization, has also been identified by EI researcher Reuven Bar-On,Ph.D., as the most important of all 15 EI factors in career success.

What’s Driving You?It’s also important to get to the root of whyyou want to be promoted—your motivation.When you’re clear on why you want some-thing and what it will mean to your life,you’ll have more focus and energy to go afterit. Although the Dozen Reasons in the previ-ous section presents a number of ideas, con-versations with countless managers seem topoint to three primal motivations:

1. Money: The desire for higher salary isnot a bad thing, especially if youremployer has been paying you belowindustry standards or the norm for yourgeographic area (read more on gettingwhat you’re worth in chapter 6 onsalary). Just make sure that money isn’tyour only motivator.

Reality check: It’s unlikely that you’ll go from rags to riches with aninternal promotion (a promotion inside your current organization).Much depends on the employer. At some companies, a promotion

Tip: Leave any person-al financial woes outof the picture whendiscussing a promotionwith your manager.One retail store man-ager related the inci-dent of an indiscreetemployee who askedfor a promotion byleading off with, “I’mhaving trouble makingrent.” Needless to say,it didn’t set the stagefor favorable futureconversations!

(continued)

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might mean a salary increase of 25 per-cent. However, many companies limitpay raises to approximately 5 percentper pay grade. If you work for anemployer like this and salary is mostimportant to you, weigh the option ofmoving to another organization.

2. Ego: Many people have a healthy, well-balanced sense of confidence and self-esteem, which can include a desire to berecognized for their contributions. Atthe far end of the spectrum, however,are those who lean toward egoism, withan excessive concern about themselvesand an overzealous desire to impressothers—their primary motivation formaking decisions is whether other peo-ple will think favorably about them.

Chris, a senior district manager for a national company who hasmade hundreds of hiring and promotion decisions, offered an inter-esting insight on this topic: “When it comes to wanting a promotion,I see ego, and not money, as the primary push for most people. Salaryincreases are often minimal with internal promotions. The prestige ofthe title means more to them than the paycheck.”

As with motivator #1 (money), ego isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Itwill serve you best when balanced with a concern for the commongood, which brings us to motivator number three.

3. Itch: Itch is the desire to be more, learn more, and do more. It’s theurge to stretch and grow. The hunger to create something new. Thedrive to contribute more significantly or leave a bigger mark on yourcorner of the world. Motivator #3, the itch, is the motivator thatmanagers will be most impressed with. Altruistic in nature, it showsthat you’re interested in the company’s overall success and not justyour own. This will go far with your management team.

Tip: Employers shouldhave good reason toput you into roles thatwill satisfy your itch!The Gallup organiza-tion, in a survey on theimpact of employeeattitudes on businessoutcomes, noted thatorganizations whereemployees have above-average attitudestoward their work had38 percent higher cus-tomer satisfactionscores, 22 percenthigher productivity,and 27 percent higherprofits.

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RATE YOURSELF

On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being not at all true for me and 10 beingvery true for me), how would you rate your motivation on the threefactors?

Money:______________________________________________

Ego: ________________________________________________

Itch: ________________________________________________

Are your motivators rooted solely in money or ego? ______________

If this is the case, what would it take for you to make a shift to “itch,”where the focus is less on you and more on the company?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Top 10 Characteristics of PromotablePeopleWhat makes someone promotable? Having interviewed numerous man-agers and worked with hundreds of career-minded clients over the years, aclear pattern emerged. Those with the greatest promotability demonstrateda blend of hard skills and, more importantly, soft skills, as shown in figure1.1.

These characteristics can be elaborated upon as follows:

l Character: Promotable people have earned a reputation as trustwor-thy, impeccably ethical, conscientious, and open-minded.

l Confidence: Promotable people take calculated risks, trust theirinstincts, are optimistic and courageous, and drive past any fears thatmight hold them back.

l Communication: Strong communication skills are common to pro-motable people; they speak with clarity and persuasion. Further, theirpresentation style is devoid of distractions with regard to appearance,dress, or habits.

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l Competency: Promotable people possess above-average position-specific abilities, industry knowledge, and technology skills.

l Connection: Promotable people have a charismatic ability to connectwith others beyond the superficial level and create rapport with man-agers, internal constituencies, and customers.

l Critical Thinking: Able to see the “big picture” and always maintaina global organizational perspective, promotable people are able tograsp all facets of a situation and make the best decision.

l Contributions: Promotable people are results-oriented and make con-tinual contributions that improve the company’s bottom line.

Figure 1.1: The 10 C’s of Promotable People.

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l Commitment: Known for their perse-verance, promotable people are commit-ted and never give up.

l Control: Promotable people controltheir destiny (without controlling ormanipulating others); they act to influ-ence outcomes and do not lapse intopowerlessness or passivity.

l Coachable: Promotable people are opento always learning more; in addition,they are able to implement coachingtechniques to develop, grow, and man-age others.

You may have all 10 of these promotabilitycharacteristics going for you (applause if youdo!); however, there’s another side to the pro-motion equation: the company and its situa-tion.

Know Your Company’sSituationPromotion comes more easily when your employer and industry are on theupswing. Starbucks is currently opening more than 700 stores each quar-ter—that’s eight new stores every day. Christine Deputy, Starbucks’ VP ofGlobal Staffing, noted its workforce has mushroomed from 25,000 to130,000 employees in less than 10 years.

Compare Starbucks to the automotive industry, where automation, out-sourcing, and globalization are forcing American workers to retool theirskills and search for new niches. Ford recently announced layoffs of 30,000;GM, 50,000; and DaimlerChrysler, 13,000—a total reduction of 93,000.

Obviously, the state of your company and industry will factor into oppor-tunities for promotion. These questions will help get a pulse on the state ofyour company:

l Is the company adding new employees?

l Is the company opening new locations?

Tip: Be a learn-it-all! Inher book Mindset: TheNew Psychology ofSuccess, Stanford pro-fessor of psychologyCarol S. Dweck, Ph.D.,proposes that every-one has either a fixedmindset or a growthmindset. As the gueston a recent ThoughtLeader Teleforum hosted by LeadershipCoachAcademy.com,Dr. Dweck shared thatthose with a fixedmindset are oftenknow-it-alls, whilethose with a growthmindset are “learn-it-alls.” Without a doubt,the learn-it-alls fit thecharacteristic of coach-able.

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l Is there an increase in workload? If so, is it attributable to an increasein sales?

l Has there been a reduction-in-force (RIF) or downsizing in the recentpast?

l Is the organization in a financial position to sustain growth?

l Does the company have growth plans, status quo plans, or hunker-down-and-weather-the-storm plans?

l Does management appear stressed, with frequent mention of reducingexpenses?

l Have others been promoted in the past couple of years? If so, how doyour qualifications compare?

l What are the trends for your industry? Is growth, status quo, ordecline predicted?

Resources for Fast-Growing Companies and IndustriesAmerica’s Career InfoNet, funded by your tax dollars and the U.S.Department of Labor, lists America’s fastest-growing industries (www.careerinfonet.org, click on Industry Information, and then Fastest-GrowingIndustries to see the list, “Top 50 Fastest-Growing Industries” as reported bythe Bureau of Labor Statistics). Topping the list as this book went to presswere educational support services, home health care services, and softwarepublishers.

At the same Web site, you can find the highest-paying industries (start atwww.careerinfonet.org, click on Industry Information, and then Highest-Paying Industries).

Want to see if your company is in growth mode? A great source is the BestList series published by Fortune. To learn what companies are on the list, go to

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortunefastestgrowing/2006/index.html

From there, you can search by state or stock returns.

Know Your Target When considering your next promotion, you’ll want to consider a fewimportant questions:

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12© JIST Works

l Will the next move be a stepping-stoneposition, something you plan to be infor a year or two? Or will it be yourdream job, something you think you’denjoy doing for as long as you can imagine?

l If it’s a stepping stone, will the promo-tion show off your strengths and besomething you’re thoroughly passionateabout? Or are you taking it merelybecause it will provide a core foundationof knowledge or experience necessary forfuture promotions? If the latter, what arethe risks associated with doing so? Howcan you minimize these risks?

l If you are young in your career, whatlevel of emotional intelligence will yourmanagers expect of you in your nextrole? Making a move before you’re readycould set you up for failure. Likewise,significant lack of skill sets or knowledgefor the next position can also be a recipefor disaster. If you have an inkling thismight be the case, discuss with yourmanager an in-between step to get yourfeet wet and give you some wins.

PROMOTION TARGET WORKSHEET

Use this worksheet to flesh out what your next promotion will reallymean to you.

Title of position you’re targeting:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Tip: It’s especially com-mon in the sales indus-try for a top performer,because of stellar salesnumbers, to be pro-moted from an individ-ual contributor role toa sales managementposition. (Keep in mindthat sales managersare evaluated partly onhow many people theypromote, so they’remotivated to makepromotions even whenit might not be thewisest thing to do.)Managing people andhandling a heavyadministrative loadrequires a very differ-ent skill set than sell-ing. Evaluate yourstrengths and thinkcarefully about accept-ing such a promo-tion—you don’t wantto get in over yourhead.

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Detailed job description of the new position:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Bottom-line impact and value you’d be delivering in this position:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Your motivation for wanting this:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Where will this promotion take you in the long run?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

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14© JIST Works

Ideally, how long would you like to stay in this position?

______________________________________________________

What will this promotion bring to your life?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

How will your life change because of this?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Transport yourself into the future. It’s one year from now and you’recelebrating your anniversary of being hired for your new position.You’re settled into the new job and delivering solid results. Describe atypical work day in detail, noting things like your level of confidenceand self-esteem, the people with whom you regularly interact, thetypes of decisions you’re making, what you’re most proud of havingaccomplished this past year, and so on.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

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What thoughts and emotions come up for you as a result?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Know Your Master F.I.T.™

Before proceeding with promotion plans, it’s critical that you understandwhat type of position is the best fit for you. Table 1.2 describes in brief theMaster F.I.T.™ model introduced in JIST’s Magic series (in Interview Magicand Job Search Magic) that captures the six elements of a perfect career fit.

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16© JIST Works

Tabl

e 1.

2:El

emen

ts o

f th

e M

aste

r F.

I.T.™

FI

T

Ext

erna

lFu

ncti

onIn

dust

ry/I

nter

ests

Thi

ngs T

hat

Mat

ter

Vari

able

sFu

ncti

on r

epre

sent

s jo

bIn

dust

ry r

efer

s to

whe

reW

ould

n’t

it b

e w

onde

rful

ti

tles

and

task

s; f

or

you

will

app

ly y

our

if yo

u co

uld

open

the

exam

ple,

tit

les

such

as

func

tion

al s

kills

. Fre

quen

tly,

med

icin

e ca

bine

t ea

chac

coun

tant

, cop

ywri

ter,

your

fun

ctio

nal i

nter

ests

mor

ning

and

pop

a p

illor

cus

tom

er s

ervi

ce

can

be u

sed

wit

hin

ath

at w

ould

mot

ivat

e yo

ure

pres

enta

tive

or

task

s nu

mbe

r of

indu

stri

es.

to g

o to

wor

k? T

hat

pill

such

as

anal

yzin

g,

For

exam

ple,

a c

usto

mer

does

exis

t! It

tak

es t

hepl

anni

ng, o

r w

riti

ng.

serv

ice

repr

esen

tati

vesh

ape

of h

avin

g yo

urA

lthou

gh y

ou’re

cap

able

(F

unct

ion)

wit

h a

pass

ion

valu

es a

nd n

eeds

met

. In

of d

oing

a n

umbe

r of

fo

r or

gani

c pr

oduc

ts m

ight

the

“Thi

ngs T

hat

Mat

ter”

diff

eren

t fu

ncti

onal

jobs

ta

rget

cal

l cen

ters

(In

dust

ry)

cate

gory

, you

’ll id

enti

fyor

tas

ks, y

ou’ll

wan

t to

or

ret

aile

rs (

Indu

stry

) th

atw

hat’s

mos

t im

port

ant

conc

entr

ate

on y

our

inna

te

spec

ializ

e in

nat

ural

pro

duct

sto

you

in y

our

next

ta

lent

s an

d sk

ills,

and

(I

nter

ests

).po

siti

on. U

nder

stan

ding

fa

vori

te e

xper

ienc

es.

and

alig

ning

you

r w

ork

wit

h th

ese

valu

es a

nd

need

s ca

n ta

ke y

our

job

from

hum

drum

to

fun,

and

your

car

eer

from

goo

d to

gr

eat!

FI

T

Inte

rnal

F ulfi

llmen

tId

enti

tyT

ype

Vari

able

sFu

lfillm

ent

is s

ynon

ymou

s Id

enti

ty r

efer

s to

how

Type

ref

ers

to y

our

wit

h pu

rpos

e. Y

our

care

eryo

u se

e yo

urse

lf—yo

urpe

rson

alit

y. Y

ou c

ame

purp

ose

can

be d

escr

ibed

inte

rnal

sel

f-im

age.

It

wir

ed-a

t-bi

rth

wit

has

bei

ng “

radi

cally

rew

arde

d is

the

way

in w

hich

you

four

mai

n pe

rson

alit

yan

d en

thus

iast

ical

ly e

ngag

edde

fine

your

self.

Wha

tpr

efer

ence

s: w

here

you

in w

ork

that

add

s va

lue

todi

stin

guis

hing

cha

ract

er-

focu

s yo

ur e

nerg

yot

hers

.” Y

our

defin

itio

nis

tics

do

you

wan

t ot

hers

(y

our

oute

r w

orld

or

shou

ld c

aptu

re t

he e

ssen

ceto

not

e in

you

? W

hat

do

inne

r w

orld

); h

ow y

ouof

how

you

will

bri

ng v

alue

you

belie

ve y

ou a

re c

apab

leta

ke in

info

rmat

ion

to y

our

empl

oyer

, as

wel

lof

acc

ompl

ishi

ng?

How

(con

cret

ely

or in

tuit

ivel

y);

as h

ow y

ou w

ill f

ulfil

ldo

you

wan

t ot

hers

to

how

you

mak

e de

cisi

ons

your

self.

It’s

som

ethi

ngpe

rcei

ve y

ou? T

hose

who

(b

ased

on

logi

c or

fee

lings

);yo

u ca

n in

tent

iona

lly lo

okex

peri

ence

the

gre

ates

t an

d ho

w y

ou a

ppro

ach

forw

ard

to o

n a

Mon

day

mea

ning

and

ful

fillm

ent

in

the

wor

ld (

in a

pla

nned

mor

ning

and

say

, “th

is is

life

wor

k pe

riod

ical

ly t

o or

spo

ntan

eous

man

ner)

.w

hat

I am

com

mit

ted

to,”

rede

fine

them

selv

es a

nd

as w

ell a

s lo

ok b

ack

on F

rida

ym

ove

beyo

nd t

heir

pre

viou

sly

afte

rnoo

n an

d sa

y, “

I ha

veac

cept

ed li

mit

atio

ns.

acco

mpl

ishe

d m

y pu

rpos

e.”

30 Day Job CH01 6/20/07 9:25 AM Page 16

© JIST Works17


Tabl

e 1.

2:El

emen

ts o

f th

e M

aste

r F.

I.T.™

FI

T

Ext

erna

lFu

ncti

onIn

dust

ry/I

nter

ests

Thi

ngs T

hat

Mat

ter

Vari

able

sFu

ncti

on r

epre

sent

s jo

bIn

dust

ry r

efer

s to

whe

reW

ould

n’t

it b

e w

onde

rful

ti

tles

and

task

s; f

or

you

will

app

ly y

our

if yo

u co

uld

open

the

exam

ple,

tit

les

such

as

func

tion

al s

kills

. Fre

quen

tly,

med

icin

e ca

bine

t ea

chac

coun

tant

, cop

ywri

ter,

your

fun

ctio

nal i

nter

ests

mor

ning

and

pop

a p

illor

cus

tom

er s

ervi

ce

can

be u

sed

wit

hin

ath

at w

ould

mot

ivat

e yo

ure

pres

enta

tive

or

task

s nu

mbe

r of

indu

stri

es.

to g

o to

wor

k? T

hat

pill

such

as

anal

yzin

g,

For

exam

ple,

a c

usto

mer

does

exis

t! It

tak

es t

hepl

anni

ng, o

r w

riti

ng.

serv

ice

repr

esen

tati

vesh

ape

of h

avin

g yo

urA

lthou

gh y

ou’re

cap

able

(F

unct

ion)

wit

h a

pass

ion

valu

es a

nd n

eeds

met

. In

of d

oing

a n

umbe

r of

fo

r or

gani

c pr

oduc

ts m

ight

the

“Thi

ngs T

hat

Mat

ter”

diff

eren

t fu

ncti

onal

jobs

ta

rget

cal

l cen

ters

(In

dust

ry)

cate

gory

, you

’ll id

enti

fyor

tas

ks, y

ou’ll

wan

t to

or

ret

aile

rs (

Indu

stry

) th

atw

hat’s

mos

t im

port

ant

conc

entr

ate

on y

our

inna

te

spec

ializ

e in

nat

ural

pro

duct

sto

you

in y

our

next

ta

lent

s an

d sk

ills,

and

(I

nter

ests

).po

siti

on. U

nder

stan

ding

fa

vori

te e

xper

ienc

es.

and

alig

ning

you

r w

ork

wit

h th

ese

valu

es a

nd

need

s ca

n ta

ke y

our

job

from

hum

drum

to

fun,

and

your

car

eer

from

goo

d to

gr

eat!

FI

T

Inte

rnal

F ulfi

llmen

tId

enti

tyT

ype

Vari

able

sFu

lfillm

ent

is s

ynon

ymou

s Id

enti

ty r

efer

s to

how

Type

ref

ers

to y

our

wit

h pu

rpos

e. Y

our

care

eryo

u se

e yo

urse

lf—yo

urpe

rson

alit

y. Y

ou c

ame

purp

ose

can

be d

escr

ibed

inte

rnal

sel

f-im

age.

It

wir

ed-a

t-bi

rth

wit

has

bei

ng “

radi

cally

rew

arde

d is

the

way

in w

hich

you

four

mai

n pe

rson

alit

yan

d en

thus

iast

ical

ly e

ngag

edde

fine

your

self.

Wha

tpr

efer

ence

s: w

here

you

in w

ork

that

add

s va

lue

todi

stin

guis

hing

cha

ract

er-

focu

s yo

ur e

nerg

yot

hers

.” Y

our

defin

itio

nis

tics

do

you

wan

t ot

hers

(y

our

oute

r w

orld

or

shou

ld c

aptu

re t

he e

ssen

ceto

not

e in

you

? W

hat

do

inne

r w

orld

); h

ow y

ouof

how

you

will

bri

ng v

alue

you

belie

ve y

ou a

re c

apab

leta

ke in

info

rmat

ion

to y

our

empl

oyer

, as

wel

lof

acc

ompl

ishi

ng?

How

(con

cret

ely

or in

tuit

ivel

y);

as h

ow y

ou w

ill f

ulfil

ldo

you

wan

t ot

hers

to

how

you

mak

e de

cisi

ons

your

self.

It’s

som

ethi

ngpe

rcei

ve y

ou? T

hose

who

(b

ased

on

logi

c or

fee

lings

);yo

u ca

n in

tent

iona

lly lo

okex

peri

ence

the

gre

ates

t an

d ho

w y

ou a

ppro

ach

forw

ard

to o

n a

Mon

day

mea

ning

and

ful

fillm

ent

in

the

wor

ld (

in a

pla

nned

mor

ning

and

say

, “th

is is

life

wor

k pe

riod

ical

ly t

o or

spo

ntan

eous

man

ner)

.w

hat

I am

com

mit

ted

to,”

rede

fine

them

selv

es a

nd

as w

ell a

s lo

ok b

ack

on F

rida

ym

ove

beyo

nd t

heir

pre

viou

sly

afte

rnoo

n an

d sa

y, “

I ha

veac

cept

ed li

mit

atio

ns.

acco

mpl

ishe

d m

y pu

rpos

e.”

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18© JIST Works

If you’re thinking that it will be a challenge to move into a position that ide-ally suits all six elements—your functional skills, ideal industry/interests,things that matter, fulfilling purpose, evolving identity, and personalitytype—don’t be discouraged. It is possible; however, recognize that it is aprocess of fine-tuning your career over time. Start by making sure you’reclear about the first-level elements—Function, Industry/Interests, andThings That Matter—as you target new positions. Then, weave in your second-level elements—Fulfillment, Identity, and Type—to take your careerto the next level. Use the worksheet that follows to fill in responses to eachof the elements. Your promotion should be enhancing one or more of theMaster F.I.T.™ elements.

CAREER “MASTER F.I.T.™” WORKSHEET

External “F.I.T.” Internal “F.I.T.”(the Easily (the Less Observable, butObservable F.I.T.) Equally Important F.I.T.)

Function (What you want Fulfillment (Why do you work?and like to do! What strengths/ What is your purpose/cause/talents/skills/passions have you destiny? What difference doexcelled at in the past? What you want to make? How wouldwould you like to learn to do? you describe your living legacy?What job titles are associated Why will this be rewarding?)with these functions? Conversely, what do you want to avoid? If there were one task you couldn’t give up in your current career, what would it be? Job titles will often be associated with the Function.)

Industry (Where do you want to Identity (Who are you? Who use your “function” skills? are you becoming? What adjec-Where do your interests, knowledge, tives best describe your present or experiences lie? What industries/ and future you? How do you companies/products do these want others to perceive you? interests represent? Conversely, Who are your role models? what situations do you want Who have been your key to avoid?) supporters?)

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© JIST Works19


Things That Matter (Which Type (How do you prefer tovalues and priorities— re-energize, take in information,financial, work/lifestyle, make decisions, and orient yourenvironmental, intellectual, environment? For instance, areemotional, spiritual—must be you more energized by people present for you to be your and things, or ideas and best in your work?) concepts? Do you primarily

trust information that is tangible and concrete, or abstract and conceptual? Do you prefer to make decisions based on logic, or how they will affect people? Do you prefer an environment that is more controlled and predictable, or unstructured and variable? How do you learn best?)

It’s obvious from this chapter that going for a promotion will take time andenergy. When you’re clear on the rewards, you’ll know the investment will beworth it. Turn the page to step into your future!

Key Points: Chapter 1l Uncover your motives for wanting a promotion.

l A promotion means different things to different people, such as moremoney; an impressive title; new types of projects to work on; a chanceto work with people you admire and respect; a greater sense of purpose;more responsibility, recognition, or respect; approval of friends/family/peers; fewer hate-to-do responsibilities and more love-to-do responsibil-ities; a better work schedule; new challenges; a stepping stone toward along-term ambition; or a sense of accomplishment.

l Meaningful career progress means getting your needs met, so clarify theneeds that are most important to you, which ones are currently beingmet, and which ones will be met in the new position.

l Money, ego, and itch (the desire to be more, learn more, and do more)are the three most common factors that drive a desire for promotion.

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20© JIST Works

l The 10 characteristics of promotable people are character, confidence,communication, competency, connection, critical thinking, contribu-tions, commitment, control, and coachability.

l Your company’s financial situation, business strategy, and growthgoals will impact your promotion opportunities.

l Get clear on your promotion target, including the title, responsibili-ties, bottom-line impact on the organization, what opportunities itmight lead to long-term, how long you envision staying in this role,what the new position means for your future, and what it will bringto your life.

l Make sure the new position is a good “F.I.T.”: It allows you to useyour favorite Functional skills; it is in an Industry/Interest you enjoy;it aligns with the Things that Matter most to you; it brings meaning-ful Fulfillment; it is consistent with your Identity and how you seeyourself or want others to perceive you; it complements your person-ality Type.

30 Day Job CH01 6/20/07 9:25 AM Page 20

Chapter 2

Timing Is Everything!

This book is designed to help you do all the things you need to do within 30 days to position yourself for promotion. That means

l Having courageous conversations with your boss

l Creating new job descriptions or position proposals

l Polishing up your internal resume

l Writing before-after-and-beyond position descriptions and“Competency and Contributions” addenda (see chapter 4)

l Preparing strategically for performance evaluations

l Researching salary trends to better understand your market value, andso on

Of course, depending on your circumstances, you may do some, all, ormore than what’s briefly listed here. However, there’s no way to guaranteethat you will be promoted within 30 days! As the old saying goes, “Timingis everything.” Of course, you’ll learn some great strategies to createmomentum, but there may also be times when you have to wait patiently(all the while continuing to deliver stellar results in your existing role).

As you follow the wisdom in this book, your goal should be to cultivate theground and plant seeds with your manager so that you are top-of-mindwhen new opportunities present themselves.

The Importance of TimingMy father and brothers are third- and fourth-generation farmers who growcotton in Central California. They know quite a bit about bringing in aharvest. To help you understand the importance of timing as it relates tosowing and reaping, here’s a crash course in growing cotton, courtesy of myfather John Britton’s lifetime in cotton farming.

During late October or November, six months before seed can even go intothe ground, the fields are cultivated with a “ripper” to break up dirt clods.They’re then disked by a tractor to create bed-rows. In February, the fields

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are pre-irrigated. In mid-March, the ground is worked again and carefullymonitored for temperature. Five consecutive days of 55-degree tempera-tures, exactly six inches below the surface, is the prerequisite for planting. Ifit’s too cold, the seed won’t germinate. Planting usually starts around mid-April. The seed is “planted to moisture,” meaning 1.25 to 1.5 inches deep,to take advantage of the pre-irrigation. If the seed is planted too shallow, itwill sprout but wither because the tap root won’t be able to reach the mois-ture. If planted too deep, your only hope is a weather forecast that promiseswarmer-than-expected temperatures.

Within 7 to 10 days of planting, the tips break the surface of the soil. It’s abeautiful sight to see acre after acre of this lush, gorgeous green. It’s notunusual, however, to have to replant, as Mother Nature often has her ownagenda. Even when the plant is off to a good start, it still needs one or twoapplications of fertilizer.

Cotton can grow seven to eight feet tall. But when it does, the plant sendsall its energy into growing tall instead of producing the important bollscontaining the actual fiber. To manage growth in organic cotton crops, amachine trims the tops to stunt the plant’s growth. Of course, fertilizer isalso necessary, and the fields must be irrigated four or five times over thecourse of June, July, and August, especially in very hot climates. Finally inmid-October, the cotton is ready for harvest.

I’ve just described a one-year cycle, from pre-work and pre-irrigation toplanting, fertilizing, trimming, irrigating, and harvesting. It’s likely yourpromotion won’t take that long, but you can see the analogy. The fall/win-ter pre-work and pre-irrigation can represent the years of time you’vealready put in with your current employer, paying your dues. In the springyou plant seeds, paying attention to when the “temperature” is right bywatching for strategic timing and the mood of your boss, the department,and the organization as a whole. Your promotion campaign will requireextra watering to build trust with those who have the authority to promoteyou (or get on their radar screen if you don’t have regular access to them).

There may be times when you feel as though you’ve been painfully prunedand frustratingly “fertilized,” when in reality this can channel you to focuson producing the results that are most important for your career.

Although the promotion cycle may not be precise from situation to situa-tion, the good news is that you’re guaranteed a harvest. It’s the proverbiallaw of sowing and reaping. Just make sure you’re sowing good seed andwaiting for a fully mature crop before harvesting.

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______________________________________________Chapter 2: Timing Is Everything!

Mistakes to AvoidAs you learned from the farming metaphor, one of the mistakes you’ll wantto avoid is pushing your manager too hard or too fast. If your managerfeels rushed or pressured, it can break trust.

In general, stay clear of these additional fauxpas when it comes to going for a promotion:

l Overusing the terms “my career” or“promotion” in your discussions withyour manager. Language such as “I’mcommitted to being a part of the com-pany’s continued growth and success” isoften more palatable than “I’d like toget promoted.”

l Going for too big a jump in responsi-bilities too soon. For example, a juniorprogrammer for a software-developmentcompany learned that a senior engineerwas leaving for a new opportunity. Thejunior programmer marched into thedirector’s office with a bulleted list ofwhy she should be promoted to the sen-ior engineer’s position, but her planbackfired. In the director’s eyes, it wastoo far a stretch. The junior program-mer ended up with no promotion,when she might have landed some addi-tional responsibility with an engineeringtitle had she used a strategy that allowedfor smaller steps.

l Bugging your manager with too-frequent reminders of wanting tobe promoted. If, during your “career conversation” with your manag-er, you’ve been completely clear about your expectations and yourmanager has openly discussed what you need to do to move forward,reminders shouldn’t be necessary. Just be sure you have calendared atime in the weeks or months to come to revisit the topic with yourmanager. In the meantime, work with excellence and optimism.

Tip: One Starbucksmanager and districttrainer described thetiming factor this way:“It’s music to my earswhen an employeewants to be promotedand says it in a mannerthat doesn’t put pres-sure on the relation-ship. I had oneemployee tell me, ‘Ifyou want to promoteme, I’m more thanready, willing, andavailable to grow withthe company; I alsoknow you need greatpeople out front withcustomers, so, untilthat time, I’m here for you with a 110percent effort.’ I promoted this particu-lar employee in lessthan two months!”

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l Begging for a promotion because of financial pressures. Managersand business owners tend to take the attitude that you knew what thejob paid when you took it and it’s up to you to live within yourincome.

l Pouting or grousing because you haven’t gotten promoted as quicklyas you’d like. Act like an adult!

l Whining or demanding that you be promoted because you’re envi-ous or frustrated that someone else on your team got promoted. Youmay believe that the wrong person got a promotion, and you mayeven be right. If you are, the results of that decision will be revealedin due time. Keep your frustrations to yourself, and continue to do agreat job. If the person who was promoted hangs himself throughpoor performance, you’ll be looked to as the one who can save theday.

l Being clueless about the big picture and how your current positionand your targeted promotion fit in with the company’s goals andprofitability picture. If you are serious about wanting a promotion,do your homework.

l Being deceitful or double-minded by acting in a respectful manneraround your manager and then undermining or criticizing your man-ager in his absence. This never pays off!

l Asking to be promoted without having gone above and beyond inyour current position. Employers don’t promote someone for simplydoing what’s expected of them. You will not score any points withyour boss by simply showing up and doing your job. You must makean effort to go beyond the requirements of your job description.

l Expecting a promotion without having made measurable progressin areas outlined for improvement on prior performance evaluations.If you haven’t made any effort to improve on areas pointed out toyou, why would your boss think you’d be a good study on a new job?

l Being unprepared with talking points about the value or return-on-investment you’d bring in the new position. Be clear about what youbring to the table and the strengths that are of value to the company.

l Not dressing, speaking, or acting the part. Don’t stand out by beingdifferent. Stand out by being excellent. Dress in a manner similar to

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people two levels above you. If you wearsomething that causes your listener topay more attention to it than your mes-sage, ditch it.

What to ExpectGetting promoted is not for the faint ofheart. It takes a proactive plan, proof of per-formance, the right perception of you, perse-verance, and a positive attitude. In the pagesthat follow, you’ll learn what you mightexpect in each area.

Proactive PlanThe elements of a proactive plan include thefollowing:

l Courageous conversations with yourmanager about your career and howyou’d like to contribute to the companyin the future.

l A winning combination of hard skills and soft skills. Hard skillsinclude an up-to-date technical skill set and industry knowledge,whereas soft skills encompass your communication, presentation, andsocial skills.

l Strategies to overcome any challenges, such as being relatively new tothe company, maneuvering through internal politics, patching up atenuous relationship with your current manager, or any other of anumber of challenges (see chapter 5 for tips on overcoming chal-lenges).

l Mentors or “career champions” who will support you or be youraccountability partners in the process.

Tip: Be noticed foryour excellence, notyour lifestyle! Onecareer coach sharesthe story of her 20-year-old daughter“Jane” who was intoGoth a few years back.Jane was going towork with black nailpolish, black lipstick,and gothic wrapsaround her wrists. Shewas adamant about“doing her thing” withthe attitude thatcoworkers would justhave to adjust to her.She lasted only a fewmonths at the job.She’s since shifted tostanding out by beingexcellent.

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Working with Coaches, Mentors, and a Personal Board of Advisors

One of the best ways to move your career forward faster is to work with acareer coach. Coaching puts you and your agenda first, helping you gainself-awareness, set grander goals, create a more meaningful life, buildmomentum, and leverage multiple layers of learning for surprising success.For a list of certified career coaches, visit the following sites:

• www.CareerCoachAcademy.com

• www.LeadershipCoachAcademy.com

• www.CMInstitute.com

If you request someone to be your mentor, choose wisely. You’ll want some-one who

• Admires you (and whom you admire)!

• Will be completely objective.

• Has successful experience beyond the level of responsibility towhich you aspire.

• Understands your industry, as well as the players and politics within your company.

• Does not see you as any kind of a “threat” to his career success.

• Can introduce you to important colleagues and his sphere of influence.

• Derives deep satisfaction from seeing you grow and succeed.

Your mentor(s) can be inside or outside your company. Avoid friends or family members—although they may have good intentions, they can’t be asobjective or knowledgeable about industry situations as you need at thisjuncture in your career.

A personal board of advisors takes the mentor concept a step further. Here, you gather a small group of individuals who have agreed to invest time in your career success. Depending on your needs and the availability of board members, meetings might be monthly or bimonthly, in person or by telephone conference. (Free telephone conferencing lines, called “bridge lines,” are available at www.freeaudioconferencing.com and www.freeconferencecall.com).

When assembling your board, consider some of the items listed above forselecting mentors. In addition, ask people inside and outside your industry—the diversity will give you a wealth of perspectives and ideas.

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Whether meeting with a mentor or your personal board of advisors, be prepared with

• Wins! Sharing successes creates momentum.

• Questions and an open mind on how to handle specific circum-stances.

• Challenges you are facing, action you’ve already taken, and addi-tional ideas you’re considering.

• Insights (especially around situations that didn’t work out as youhoped) to underscore your commitment to learning.

• A “give-back”—meaning something that will benefit the peoplewho have made time in their busy schedules just for you. Thiscould be as simple as sharing an inspirational quote or story, an interesting article that has application to all involved, a review of a popular new book, and so on.

l A well-trained replacement for the position opening you’ll createwhen you get promoted. If you’ve been doing a great job in your cur-rent role, your manager may be hesitant to promote you because ofthe loss of productivity your absence will create.

l A calendar to schedule action steps and follow-up.

l A list of “controllables” that you can take charge of to keep momen-tum rolling.

l Research on comparable salary schedules.

The Value of a Mentor “Elizabeth” had been employed with a large insurance organization for fiveyears. During that time, she had applied to eight different promotionalopportunities, and not once did she get a response. After enrolling in theorganization’s mentor program, Elizabeth asked her mentor for “political”wisdom on how to follow up on an application for which she had previouslyposted her resume. Elizabeth followed her mentor’s advice on how to con-tact the hiring manager. After doing so, the hiring manager e-mailedElizabeth within hours and wrote “We’re so sorry we hadn’t noticed yourapplication earlier. You would have been perfect for the position, but we are in the middle of making an offer to someone else. We definitely would like to speak to you though for other opportunities.”

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Proposal and Proof of PerformanceThe elements of your proposal and proof of performance include the fol-lowing:

l Your original job description, an updated version of your job descrip-tion if you’re doing more than when you started, and a proposed jobdescription that captures the direction you’d like to take your positionnext.

l Documentation of your expanded skill set and track record sincestarting with the company (or in your current position).

l Proof of your coachability and openness to taking suggestions, con-structive criticism, and direction.

l Your internal resume or summary of accomplishments relevant to thetarget position that captures bottom-line, return-on-investment con-tributions you’ve made to the organization.

Perception When it comes to how your manager and others perceive you, you’re on24/7. Your brand image and behavior must be consistent and impeccable,no matter what you’re doing or who’s watching.

l Career Coach Kathy Bitschenauer of Washington-based NewPathways points to an article in CNNMoney.com’s Business 2.0 mag-azine as a reminder of why you should never let down your guard.When candidates for a position with Southwest Airlines are flown toheadquarters for an interview, they are given a special ticket.Unbeknownst to the candidate, this ticket alerts all staff—from ticketagents to aircraft crew—that this passenger is a job candidate. Allalong the way, the candidate is observed by Southwest employees whoreport to headquarters details about the candidate’s behavior anddemeanor. Any rudeness, lack of courtesy, or impolite behaviortowards anyone, including passengers, spells disaster for the candi-date. Even if they ace the interview, the company will not hire them.

l As the old saying goes, perception is reality. Your manager must per-ceive you as the confident leader or capable professional that you are.If you’ve been taken for granted or under-recognized by your currentemployer, you will need to conduct a full-scale branding effort (seethe following worksheet for a crash course in branding).

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l You must perceive yourself as the confident leader or capable profes-sional that you are. You’ll have difficulty convincing others that you’repromotable if you don’t believe it yourself. Act the part! And, whenall else fails, fake it until you make it.

A CRASH COURSE IN BRANDING

Your brand is your unique promise of value. With a clear careerbrand, you will stand out and be known for something substantiveand appealing that can’t be easily replicated. That “something” willlikely include a combination of subject-matter expertise and style. Tohelp clarify your brand, ask yourself these questions:

What unique combination of professional skills or industry knowl-edge do people recognize in you?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

What do people in the work world trust most about you?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

What are you passionate about doing within the world of work?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

What adjectives would those who know you well (your boss, cowork-ers, colleagues, friends, family members) use to describe you?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

What reputation are you most proud of?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

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What products/services are you most passionate about?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

What roles or titles do colleagues most associate you with?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

If you could have just one impact on your work-world (your profes-sional sphere of influence), what would it be?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

What’s your value proposition? For example, “I make money for myemployer/clients by ______________________________________

______________________________________________________

_______________________________________[fill in the blank].”

Using your answers from the preceding questions, write a draft of abrand statement below. Here’s an example:

As a turnaround strategist, I draw from my management consulting expe-riences at a Big 4 firm and my Wharton Executive MBA degree with anemphasis in Ethics to take business ventures that have suffered at thehands of corrupt corporate executives and revitalize their people and profits.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

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Perseverance and Patience Many factors can slow the process of your promotion. So you must practicepatience and perseverance.

l Don’t expect your manager to start a full-scale career-developmentinitiative for you after just one conversation about your career aspira-tions. It’s more likely that your manager will get wrapped up in all theother things he needs to do to manage, causing your promotion to berelegated to the back burner. Make it your responsibility to revisit theconversation, without being too pushy, at appropriate intervals.

l Often other pieces of the puzzle have to move into place before youcan be promoted. For instance, the company may be waiting on anew customer to sign a contract, for budgets to be finalized, or forother people to be promoted. It’s a chess game that, in addition tostrategy, will take perseverance and patience.

Positive Attitude Following are some key ways to exhibit a positive attitude:

l Waiting for your manager to respond to your promotion request canfeel like a stress test. And, because your manager will evaluate yourability to manage stress when determining your promotion, look atthis as an opportunity to shine.

l Ask yourself this future-focused question: “When I look back on thisperiod of working toward my promotion, what kind of attitude will Iwant to have displayed?” Make sure it’s an attitude you can be proudof a year from now.

Five A’s to Your Game PlanLike writing down goals, putting your action plans and a timetable onpaper makes them concrete, increases your likelihood of achieving them,and helps you stay focused. Just as your DNA is unique, your game planwill be unique. Action steps appropriate to your situation will become moreclear to you as you read each chapter and go through the process.

In general, everyone can count on going through the following five phases,each of which begins with the letter A:

l Act “as if.”

l Angle from a “them” (not “me”) perspective.

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l Ask for what you need.

l Achieve and follow through with results

l Agree on a win-win arrangement

Act “As If”The “Act” phase is the period prior to the promotion conversation whereyou act “as if ” you were already in your new role (even though you maynot have the title and benefits yet). This doesn’t mean that you can assumeauthority beyond company policy. It does mean that you should demon-strate, ahead of time, that you can do the job and are doing it in manyways already. Employers love to see this because it takes the risk out of thepromotion. They will be much more likely to promote you if they knowyou can, indeed, do the job!

Angle from a “Them” (Not “Me”)PerspectiveStrategize from a “them” (not “me”) perspective. What will be most entic-ing to your employer? How can you best appeal to them? Identify opportu-nities or ongoing projects that align with your employer’s global directionand goals—look for situations where things that need to be done aren’t get-ting done. Come up with ideas and solutions that would make a bottom-line difference. Analyze where your manager needs the most help and howyou could be of support. Gather input from your coach, mentors, and keypeople inside the organization. With the support of objective colleagues,consider possible changes to maximize your image, appearance, attitude,speech, or wardrobe. Determine what resources or tools you need for yourpromotion campaign, such as the following:

l A special report or research on a hot area for your company/industry

l A position proposal or job-description comparison itemizing themany additions you’ve made to your current job description

l A “one-sheet” that outlines the different ways in which you can con-tribute

l Your updated internal resume emphasizing your ROI (return oninvestment) achievements

l Your brand bio

l Your value statement

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Ask for What You NeedEver hear the saying, “you have not, because you ask not”? Don’t assumethat your manager will promote you just because you’re doing a good job(although in some instances, it might happen this way). You must tell yourmanager what it is you want more of. You’ll learn conversation starters andlanguage techniques in chapter 4. It may seem counter-intuitive at first, butyou’ll see why avoiding the word “promotion” can get you ahead. In thisphase, you’ll query your manager on important issues, collaborate on possi-bilities, communicate the expectations you have for the desired outcome,and come away with a clearer picture of the action steps necessary to moveahead.

Achieve and Follow Through with ResultsAfter the “Ask” phase, you’ll need to follow through and deliver “homeruns” on the action steps your manager requires. This can be a challengingtime if the follow-through requires project work in addition to your currentwork, but it will be an opportunity for you to show how you can worksmart and not just hard. This is often the hardest phase because it requiresdiligent, consistent follow-up. A positive and upbeat attitude is critical dur-ing this time, even if there are moments when it looks like you might notget what you want!

Agree on a Win-Win ArrangementMake sure all your effort doesn’t simply mean more work without theaccompanying benefits you’re after…benefits such as title, salary, perks,project ownership, and so on. In this phase, you’ll negotiate on the expecta-tions set up in the “Ask” phase and come to a win-win agreement.

Outline Your TimetableHave you ever seen a “round tuit”? It’s about the size of a quarter, made ofwood, with the words “round tuit” written on both sides. It’s shorthand forthe best intentions of “I’m intending to get around to it.” This little coin isa tangible reminder to turn intention into action. There are several waysyou can do just that.

Promotion Plan TimetableCreate a timetable system that works for you. Table 2.1 shows a PromotionPlan Timetable with example action steps.

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g m

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(con

tinue

d)

30 Day Job CH02 6/20/07 10:29 AM Page 37

38© JIST Works


Reso

urce

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ee

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our

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int A

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econ

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my

or L

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ilo F

rank

.pr

esen

tati

on

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mys

elf

“wha

t m

ore

skill

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can

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to

solv

e th

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the

big

pict

ure

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y ti

me

a ne

w s

itua

tion

in m

y da

y-to

-day

co

mes

up.

wor

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tinue

d)

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ppen

dix

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r a

char

t of a

ssessm

ents

and

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mp-

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proc

ess o

f ide

ntify

ing

your

stre

ngth

s and

pot

entia

l are

as fo

r de

velo

pmen

t.

30 Day Job CH02 6/20/07 10:29 AM Page 38

© JIST Works39


Reso

urce

s/A

ccom

plis

hA

ctio

n St

epPr

e-W

ork

Follo

w-U

pby

Dat

e3 3

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my

head

into

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reat

e M

S E

xcel

To b

e de

term

ined

19th

of

o

my

man

ager

’s of

fice

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show

ing

afte

r I

mee

tth

is m

onth

to o

ffer

bri

ef

cost

-ben

efit

wit

h m

anag

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upda

te o

n th

e an

alys

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fpr

ogre

ss I

’ve

havi

ng s

omeo

nem

ade

on h

is

(me,

of

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se!)

sugg

esti

ons.

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ta

ke a

lead

rol

eth

e op

port

unit

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s pr

ojec

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cuss

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acti

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ect

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bout

som

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riod

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king

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are

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ore

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and

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xcel

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ck w

ith

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ager

23rd

of

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form

al p

ropo

sal

spre

adsh

eet,

add

to m

ake

sure

he’s

th

is m

onth

base

d on

man

ager

’s m

ore

rese

arch

, sc

hedu

led

mee

ting

no

d la

st F

rida

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alyz

e ho

w m

y ne

w

wit

h Sh

aron

and

to

con

tinu

e ro

le w

ill im

pact

A

l. If

not

, ask

him

disc

ussi

on w

ith

othe

rs in

the

if

I ca

n do

tha

t fo

r a

few

oth

er m

anag

ers.

orga

niza

tion

(pr

oves

hi

m.

to m

y m

anag

er t

hat

I’m t

hink

ing

“big

pi

ctur

e”).

(con

tinue

d)

*Not

e: S

ee a

ppen

dix

A fo

r a

char

t of a

ssessm

ents

and

tool

s tha

t can

hel

p ju

mp-

start

the

proc

ess o

f ide

ntify

ing

your

stre

ngth

s and

pot

entia

l are

as fo

r de

velo

pmen

t.30 Day Job CH02 6/20/07 10:29 AM Page 39

40© JIST Works


Reso

urce

s/A

ccom

plis

hA

ctio

n St

epPr

e-W

ork

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pby

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e3 3

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ting

wit

h T

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e 24

th o

fo

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ron,

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ject

ions

all

thre

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term

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this

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than

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l.m

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ers

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ht

afte

r m

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have

and

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ake

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peak

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om a

pos

itio

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ders

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big

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ure

and

how

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s pr

opos

al

bene

fits

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orga

niza

tion

(i

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diti

on t

o m

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-on-

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earc

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lari

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onfir

m t

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an25

th o

fo

conv

ersa

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at

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to

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urce

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ceiv

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is m

onth

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er t

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il ge

t a

feel

for

my

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ager

’sdo

wn

spec

ifics

on

aver

ages

in t

his

pape

rwor

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new

rol

e an

d ge

ogra

phic

are

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is p

rom

otio

n!ch

ange

in s

alar

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tice

del

iver

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to

wor

kG

et v

ery

clea

r on

his

my

valu

e pr

opos

itio

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liver

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beyo

ndex

pect

atio

ns s

o th

atex

pect

atio

ns!

I ha

ve c

lear

mar

chin

g or

ders

.

(con

tinue

d)

30 Day Job CH02 6/20/07 10:29 AM Page 40

© JIST Works41


Your specific action steps may be differentthan this example. As things progress, you’lladd items based on the outcome of conversa-tions with your manager and others. Follow-up will be critical. Your manager may get busywith his day-to-day responsibilities. It will beup to you to stay upbeat about this and keepthe ball rolling.

A Simplified Version ofthe Promotion PlanAnother option is to create a simplified version of the Promotion Plan. Uselegal-size paper or an MS Excel spreadsheet in landscape mode, as shown intable 2.2.

Note: See appendix Afor chart of assess-ments and tools thatcan help jump-startthe process of identify-ing your strengths andpotential areas fordevelopment.

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Tabl

e 2.

2:Pr

omot

ion

Plan

Tim

elin

e

Beg

inTa

rget

Dat

e:D

ate:

Dat

e:D

ate:

Dat

e:D

ate:

Dat

e:D

ate:

Dat

e:D

ate:

Act

ion/

Act

ion/

Act

ion/

Act

ion/

Act

ion/

Act

ion/

Act

ion/

Act

ion/

Act

ion/

Fina

lPr

ogre

ssPr

ogre

ssPr

ogre

ssPr

ogre

ssPr

ogre

ssPr

ogre

ssPr

ogre

ssPr

ogre

ssPr

ogre

ssO

utco

me

30 Day Job CH02 6/20/07 10:29 AM Page 42

© JIST Works43


As Stephen Covey advocates in his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, beginwith the end in mind by filling in a description of your final outcome inthe far-right column, such as “Account Supervisor role” or “Director posi-tion with influence on strategy and authorityto impact bottom line.”

If you want to incorporate your timeline intoyour existing PC or mobile calendar device,enter specific “meetings” that itemize whatyou plan to do and when you plan to do it.

The Storyboard MethodFinally, a third way to create a PromotionPlan with action steps is the storyboardmethod. The Walt Disney studio developedthe concept back in the 1930s; today businessuses this visual thinking process to help peo-ple brainstorm and generate consensus.

For purposes of planning your promotionstrategy and timeline, and evaluating any gapsin your plan, a storyboard can help organize itall, like a flow chart. An easy way to makeyours is to use large Post-It notes or indexcards. Revisions to the plan are easy, as youcan easily reposition, add to, or delete items asneeded.

It doesn’t matter which system you choose, aslong as it’s something that will keep youfocused and moving forward. If you prefer theformat in table 2.1, you’ll find it repeated here with blanks for you to fill in.

Tip: Harry I. Forsha, inhis book Show Me:The Complete Guideto Storyboarding andProblem Solving,makes the case forusing storyboards inbusiness. According toForsha, a storyboardconsists of “a series ofpanels showing clearly,using pictures, num-bers, and words,important changes, inorder of occurrence,that taken together tellan interesting story.”Storyboards are pow-erful because theyengage the wholebrain, both right- andleft-brain functions.For information andexamples of story-boarding, seewww.apmp.org/fv-156.aspx.

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Tabl

e 2.

3:Pr

omot

ion

Plan

Tim

etab

le F

orm

Reso

urce

s/A

ccom

plis

hA

ctio

n St

epPr

e-W

ork

Follo

w-U

pby

Dat

e3 3

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

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____

____

____

____

____

____

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____

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____

____

____

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____

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____

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__

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____

____

____

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____

____

____

____

____

____

____

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____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

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__

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____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

____

____

____

____

____

____

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____

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____

____

____

____

____

____

____

____

__

o o o o o o o

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© JIST Works45


Key Points: Chapter 2l Timing is everything. In 30 days, you can proactively prepare yourself

for promotion. At the same time, there may be factors out of yourcontrol that will require patience on your part. If so, continue todeliver stellar results—this will only add to the evidence that you’reworthy of promotion.

l In pursuing a promotion, avoid these common mistakes: focusing toomuch on you versus the company; going for too big a jump inresponsibilities too soon; bugging your manager with too-frequentreminders of wanting to be promoted; begging for a promotionbecause of financial pressures; pouting, grousing, whining, ordemanding; being clueless about the big picture; expecting a promo-tion without having made measurable progress; being unpreparedwith talking points about your bottom-line value; and not dressing,speaking, or acting the part.

l Earning a promotion is not for the faint of heart. It takes a proactiveplan, proof of performance, the right perception of you, perseverance,and a positive attitude.

l Your proactive plan should include open, honest, and often coura-geous conversations with your manager about what you want andhow you want to contribute; a winning combination of hard (techni-cal) and soft (relational) skills; strategies to overcome any challengesor roadblocks; and mentors or “career champions” who will supportyou in the process.

l Proof of performance can be conveyed by providing an internalresume or summary of relevant accomplishments that captures yourbottom-line contributions; a “before-after-and-beyond” job descrip-tion that shows you’re doing more than what is expected of you; andproof of your coachability and openness to taking suggestions anddirection.

l Perception, or how others think of you, is critical. You won’t get pro-moted to management if people think of you as a support person.Shift your manager’s perception of you by first knowing how youwant others to see you, and then living and breathing the part. And,get clear on your value proposition (for example, “I make money formy employer by ______ [fill in the blank]”).

Tabl

e 2.

3:Pr

omot

ion

Plan

Tim

etab

le F

orm

Reso

urce

s/A

ccom

plis

hA

ctio

n St

epPr

e-W

ork

Follo

w-U

pby

Dat

e3

____

____

____

____

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____

____

____

____

____

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l Promotion is an endurance sport! This isn’t a sprint you’re in; it’s amarathon. Perseverance and positive attitude will serve you well.

l Get a game plan. These five A’s outline a powerful plan: Act “as if ”you already had the new position; angle from a “them” (not “me”)perspective; ask your employer for what you need (and also providewhat they want); achieve and follow through with impressive, bottom-line results; agree on a win-win arrangement so that both youand your employer benefit.

l Outline a timetable and create a storyboard for yourself with specificaction steps, deadlines, and follow-up appointments to createmomentum and hold your vision for success!

30 Day Job CH02 6/20/07 10:29 AM Page 46

Chapter 3

Your Promotability Factor

There are hundreds of factors that can affect your promotability! Remember the cotton story from chapter 2 and the many steps

involved in producing a harvest? Well, there’s another interesting piece tothe story that has to do with the final yield.

Farmers want as much fiber as possible from each boll of cotton. Anopened boll at harvest stage, which fits in the palm of your hand, containsfour or five little dollops clustered together on a stem. Those dollops areofficially called “locks.” At harvest time, you can get either 4-lock or 5-lockcotton. Although the 5-lock variety is preferred, both types can be foundon the same plant.

This variance made me curious. Expecting my favorite farmer to have allthe answers, I asked, “And what does it take to get five locks instead offour?” I’d unknowingly asked the million-dollar question. The response wasimmediate laughter, followed by the declaration, “Pray!” I pressed on,“Seriously, Dad. Somebody must’ve done studies on this.” He agreed, “Yes,there is research, but nothing conclusive. There are just too many vari-ables.”

As with growing anything, there will be dozens of variables that can affectthe growth of your career. In this chapter you’ll learn about the factors thatwill impact your success, not just with your current employer, but for a life-time.

The 10 Commandments for CareerSuccessThe factors that impact your career success can be boiled down to somecritical truths, which I’ll refer to lightly as the “10 Commandments” forcareer success:

Thou shalt

1. Manage thyself … don’t expect someone else to do it for you!

2. Know, and make known, your purpose, brand, and value.

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3. Master your craft and increase your capacity to deliver results.

4. Walk in integrity, excellence, and optimism—at all times.

5. Lead, even if you’re not in a formal leadership position.

6. Communicate articulately and persuasively.

7. Build a relationship with and respect your manager’s authority, evenwhen you don’t think it’s deserved.

8. Remember that it “takes a village” to raise a career, so build and nur-ture your work relationships.

9. Look and act the part.

10. Understand the big picture and the bottom line, and make regularcontributions to both.

In the pages that follow, you’ll see 150 suggestions for living by the preced-ing commandments. These were compiled from years of coaching career-minded clients, interviews with corporate managers, as well as experts incareer development, coaching, leadership, organizational development, andmanagement consulting. Special thanks go to Nancy Branton ofPeoplePotentialGroup.com, Jane Cranston of ExecutiveCoachNY.com,New York City–based career coach Dale Kurow, and Dr. Ronald Page ofwww.HRConsultantsInc.com.

Some items in the list may seem obvious; some may be new; some mayseem lofty. Consider sharing this list with your mentors to get their inputon any additions or modifications they think are necessary for promotionwithin your organization. As you read through the lists, place a checkmarknext to the items that are currently true for you.

1. Manage Thyself…and Don’t ExpectSomeone Else to Do It for You!

o I am proactive about managing my career and do not expect others todo this for me.

o I have sketched out career goals for myself and am always open toconsidering new opportunities that align with the current vision andvalues I hold for my life and work.

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© JIST Works49

__________________________________________Chapter 3: Your Promotability Factor

Know Your Values! In a 2005 article of the Journal of Organizational Behavior, Peter Heslin dis-tinguishes between linear and nonlinear careers. Linear careers are focusedon climbing the ladder within organizations to positions of greater authority.Nonlinear careers are characterized by a “lifelong commitment to developinga high level of skill in a particular field or specialty, periodic shifts betweenrelated occupational areas, specialties or disciplines, or regular changesbetween often seemingly unrelated careers.”

He continues, “A commonality is often a deeply held commitment to discov-ering one’s personal values, before shaping a career that satisfies these values.”

To know what will be satisfying to you in your career, you must knowyour values!

o I sense that I am ready to stretch myself, accept additional responsi-bilities, learn new things, and take my career to the next level.

o I am clear on what I truly need in my next career move and believe itis possible to achieve that with my current employer.

o My motives for wanting a promotion are rooted in making a valuablecontribution to my employer and are not based solely on makingmore money.

o I have sought out a mentor(s) who provides wise counsel about mycareer development, with discussion around how to improve myskills, avoid obstacles, overcome challenges, expedite the process, andrelate to managers.

o Within my organization, there are individuals senior to me whom Imight call my “career champions”; these people endorse me to man-agement as a viable candidate for promotion—they go to bat for mewith management (for example, “If we don’t do something for thisperson, we’ll lose her!”).

o I have acted on the advice and counsel of my mentors and careerchampions.

o I manage my moods and don’t allow emotions to dictate the qualityof my day.

o I have a solid work-life balance.

o I work well with little direction; others perceive me as self-directedand self-managed.

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o I have personally paid for my continuing professional developmentcourses when necessary to acquire critical skills.

o In the event a promotion isn’t possible with my current employer, Ihave a “Plan B” and am ready to market myself externally should Idecide to move on.

o I am confident I’d bring value to other employers and know at whatpoint I would leave my current employer.

2. Know, and Make Known, Your Purpose,Brand, and Value

o I know my purpose in life, and my career supports the fulfillment ofthat purpose.

o I have clarified a compelling career brand that conveys the subject-matter expertise I am passionate about, my unique style, and thevalue I bring to employers.

Flaunt Your Quirks! Personal branding expert Kirsten Dixson, coauthor of Career Distinction:Stand Out by Building Your Brand (Wiley, 2007), maintains that standing outis about differentiating yourself. Dixson recommends, “Don’t hide whatmakes you different. Accentuate it.”

To get a good handle on your brand, consider a 360-degree instrument.Many employers use these to gather feedback and perceptions from man-agers and peers about an employee’s performance. If your organization doesnot use this type of instrument, check with your manager for approval onconducting your own research on your personal brand attributes using a tool such as the 360Reach available at www.reachcc.com/360reach.

o I am able to articulate the bottom-line value I bring to my employer.

o My mentor would say that I have a balanced perspective on value: Ibelieve I do not overestimate my value, nor do I underestimate it.

o I have logical and realistic beliefs around salary and am not embar-rassed by or apologetic about the amount of money I make (or willmake in my next position); I am confidential about my salary, andshare this information only with those who need to know.

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o When the topic of salary comes up with my manager, I focus on thevalue the company receives (or will be receiving) from my contribu-tions (and not on what salary I need to make ends meet or on whatsomeone else in the company received).

o I have researched salary trends for my profession; I have talked withnetwork contacts in other companies about current salary rates for mytarget position. (See chapter 6 for more on salary research.)

o I have a written “career visibility” plan for getting on the radar screenof people who are important to my career success.

o I ask to sit in on meetings that people at my level might normally notattend as a way of becoming known and trusted.

o I know the key players and most influential people in my organiza-tion.

o The key players and most influential people in my organization know me.

o I know the key players and most influential people beyond myemployer and within my industry.

o The key players and most influential people in my industry know me.

o I have carefully documented all of my contributions to my position,team, department, company, and/or customers, emphasizing thereturn-on-investment I bring to the company.

o I have been proactive about preparing for performance evaluations,carefully documenting the many contributions I have made, improve-ments in performance, additional tasks taken on, and new skillsacquired over the last review period.

o I have saved “kudos” from my customers/clients, supervisor, and oth-ers within the organization as a way to help document my contribu-tions.

o When team goals are achieved, I find ways to “celebrate” and honoreveryone’s contributions so that more than just our team (executives,other departments, other teams) are aware of the achievement.

o If I work late or on weekends to put in a special effort on a project, Ioccasionally make my manager aware of this in a tactful manner (forexample, by sending my manager an e-mail during this time so thatthe time-stamp is on it).

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o My manager views my overtime as “extra effort” and not an inabilityto get my work done in the normal amount of time.

o If my assignment is one that requires me to be out of the office regu-larly, I make an extra effort to be visible to, and communicate with,my manager.

3. Master Your Craft and Increase YourCapacity to Deliver Results

o I am passionate about my work and continually push myself toimprove.

o I am coachable and open to trying new concepts or different ways ofdoing things.

o I have learned at least one new significant skill in the past year.

o I am ahead of the curve in some manner, whether in my skill set,communication abilities, industry knowledge, or emotional intelli-gence.

o My manager has outlined specific skills that I can work on to be con-sidered for promotion, and I have been making measurable progresstoward these skill levels.

o I volunteer for projects that expand the scope of my skills and knowl-edge.

o I am able to solve complex, work-related problems and figure out“workarounds”—alternative solutions to get things done when obsta-cles surface or others assume it can’t be done.

o I am able to drive results by taking the next appropriate step that willbring tasks/projects closer to completion.

o I give priority to urgent and important matters and do not let urgentbut less critical matters diminish my productivity.

o I tackle the tasks and issues that need attention and do not procrasti-nate.

o My intuition is an asset; situations where my “gut” has prompted meto act or speak up turned out better than they would have had I not.

o I respond promptly to e-mails and voice mails that have importantsubject matter.

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o I am accessible to managers, team members, or other important peo-ple who rely on my input or participation for successful results.

o I double-check or proofread my work to maintain a consistent level ofquality.

o I am persistent in following up at appropriate intervals, whether it bean hour, day, week, month, or year later; I have a “tickler” system forfollow-up.

o I have an above-average level of technical skills relevant to my profes-sion.

o I possess the level of industry knowledge and company insights needed for promotion.

o Others consider me to be of average or above-average intelligence.

o What I may lack in intelligence, I make up for in hard work and per-severance.

NY Times Survey of Desired SkillsBeta Research Corporation, on behalf of the New York Times Job Market,interviewed 250 hiring managers in the New York metropolitan area to learnwhich skills were most in demand. They said the following:

• Ability to work in a team environment (89 percent)

• Ability to learn quickly (84 percent)

• Presentation/verbal communications (76 percent)

• Multitasking (73 percent)

• Time management (69 percent)

Skills most in demand for management candidates were the following:

• Leadership (67 percent)

• Strategic thinking (56 percent)

Skills most in demand for administration candidates were the following:

• Technical (25 percent)

• Analytical (24 percent)

Skills most in demand for entry-level positions were the following:

• Ability to learn quickly (32 percent)

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Further, employers said they were willing to pay more money to candidateswith proficiency in the following:

• Multitasking (65 percent)

• Can quickly learn on the job (64 percent)

• Possess strategic-thinking abilities (61 percent)

4. Walk in Integrity, Excellence, andOptimism—At All Times

o I keep my word.

o My coworkers, customers, and managers trust me.

Joining Versus Leaving an OrganizationTalentKeepers, a leader in employee-retention solutions, has done extensiveresearch on what leads people to join, as well as leave, an organization. Thetop three reasons that people join an organization, in priority order, are thefollowing:

• Organizational factors (pay, benefits, reputation)

• Job factors (duties, schedule, training)

• Leader factors (trustworthy, coach, flexible)

Interestingly, those priorities are flip-flopped when it comes to why peopleleave an organization. Cited as the number-one reason why people leave anorganization was

• Leader factors

Your relationship with your manager might not seem important when signing on to an organization, but it’s sure important for staying! Lack oftrust with your leader/manager, the leader/manager’s inability to coach anddevelop you, and the leader/manager’s inflexibility about when to bend therules and when not to are all important factors in good leadership.

The takeaway from this research is twofold:

1. When making a career move, go the extra mile in learning about how your manager manages. You may just decide it’s a deal-breaker if your manager-to-be isn’t trustworthy, doesn’t operate from a coaching mentality, and won’t be flexible.

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2. As you move forward in your career, you will likely have opportunity tomanage people (if you don’t already). Your ability to retain those people will have much to do with your trustworthiness, ability to coach and develop others, and flexibility.

o If there is gray area on an ethical issue, I take the high road and dowhat is right.

o I do not take credit for ideas or work of others.

o I regularly put forth effort to do a great job, not just a good job.

o I have a good balance of confidence andhumility.

o I can accept a compliment for a job welldone and do not disagree with or ignorethe compliment out of embarrassmentor false humility.

o If I make a mistake, intentional orunintentional, I readily admit it and donot try to sweep it under the rug orshare blame with someone else.

o If there is a difference of opinion, I donot insist that others agree with me, butintentionally try to understand theirpoint of view.

o If any of my conversations were record-ed and played back to others, I wouldnot be embarrassed or ashamed by any-thing I have said about another person.

o I am known for delivering my projectsor work on time or before deadlines.

o I am resilient and adapt to changequickly and positively.

o I easily adapt to other work rolesassigned to me.

o I have a mindset that sees the possibilities first and not the problems,opportunities and not obstacles, abundance and not barriers.

Tip: To walk in integrityand excellence, con-sider this exercise.Bring to mind a personwhom you admire andrespect deeply. Thismay be someone youknow or someone youdon’t know, such as agreat business or politi-cal leader, philanthro-pist, or author. Theperson may be alive orpassed on. Regardless,choose someonewhose approval youwould be proud tohave. Now, pretendthis person will seeevery product you cre-ate, every e-mail youwrite, and every wordyou speak. Would your“invisible boss” beproud of you and offerapplause at the end ofeach day?

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o Managers and coworkers would describeme as optimistic, generally happy, andpleasant to be around.

o Colleagues and others would describeme as having an above-average level ofemotional intelligence and social skills.

o I think about how my actions will affector be perceived by others, and not justabout myself.

o I offer to help others when they need it,without compromising the quality ofmy individual productivity.

o I prepare for meetings by reviewing theagenda, thinking of solutions to issues,and having important information atmy fingertips.

o When a manager or coworker asks mefor information, I think about why theinformation is needed and offer addi-tional resources that might be helpful.

o I am careful to not “borrow” items frommy employer that I have no intention of returning; I do not useemployer time for personal activities.

5. Lead, Even if You’re Not in a FormalLeadership Position

o I am comfortable and confident in expressing my opinions aboutwork matters to my manager(s).

o When conflict arises, I address it professionally and do not overreactor avoid it.

o I take initiative on projects within my scope of authority and do notwait for someone to ask me to do something that I know I can/should do.

o I watch for and take informal opportunities to manage or mentorothers.

Tip: Leadership coachNancy Branton ofPeoplePotentialGroup.com suggests that, ifyou want others totrust that you’re readyfor a leadership role,get caught doing thejob! For instance,when the executiveteam needs somethingdone and your manag-er is on vacation, stepup to the plate andtake action. When var-ious staff are workingon different pieces of aproject, take on therole of coordinatingtheir activities. Thisway, when your man-agers are looking toadd a leader, you’rethe natural choice.

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o Coworkers perceive and look to me as a leader and motivator.

o Coworkers or those I currently supervise are growing professionallyunder my leadership.

o I speak up when appropriate in meetings where upper-level managersare present.

o I appreciate and acknowledge others’ work and accomplishments.

o I am able to manage others to achieve both individual and organiza-tional goals.

6. Communicate Articulately andPersuasively

o I consistently seek to enhance my communication skills, whether byreading, taking courses, participating in organizations such asToastmasters, or acting on feedback from peers and mentor(s).

o Before speaking with my manager about opportunities for promotion,I rehearse with my mentor or coach to ensure that I sound profes-sional, calm, and convincing.

o When making a business presentation, I am able to bring an attention-catching opening, structure, relevant data, stories of interest,and a clear summary to the material.

o I have been asked to lead team meetings or make presentations withinmy group/department.

o I have been asked to make presentations to key customers.

o When speaking, I am careful to enunciate so that people easily under-stand me.

o I have added at least three new words to my vocabulary in the past sixmonths.

o I have a good command of English (or other primary language usedin your business) and do not make grammar mistakes such as doublenegatives (for example, “It won’t make no difference to her”) or incor-rect use of pronouns (for example, “Her and John went to the meet-ing”).

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o I avoid using profanity out of respect forothers.

o When communicating by e-mail (inter-nally or externally), I make an effort tobe professional, recognizing that therewill be a permanent record of every-thing I write.

o I have the technical skills to create avisually appealing PowerPoint presenta-tion and know how to effectively inte-grate it into a business presentation (without relying on it so heavilythat the point of the presentation is lost).

The Timeless TraitThe past several decades have produced numerous studies that underscorethe importance of communication skills.

• A 1998 survey conducted by the National Association of Collegesand Employers (NACE) indicated “good communication skills” asthe top personal quality sought by employers evaluating a job can-didate.

• Subscribers to the Harvard Business Review in a study by Bowmanrated “the ability to communicate” the single most important fac-tor in predicting the promotability of executives. In the study, com-munication skills were found to be more important than ambition,education, and capacity for hard work.

• A 20-year study of Stanford University MBAs found that the mostsuccessful graduates (as measured by career advancement andsalary) shared the ability and desire to persuade, talk and workwith others, and be outgoing.

• A survey of Fortune 500 vice presidents showed that 97.7 percent believed that “communication skills had effected theiradvancement to a top executive position.”

7. Build a Relationship with Your Managerand Respect His or Her Authority, EvenWhen You Don’t Think It’s Deserved

o I take the initiative to build a relationship with my manager, evenwhen he/she is frustrating or difficult.

Tip: The blog Presenta-tion Zen offers somehelpful hints onPowerPoint: www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/.Check out the post,“What is goodPowerPoint design?”)

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Abusive BossesIs your manager an occasional nuisance or a full-fledged bully? Any managercan have a bad day, but some completely cross the line into bullying andharassment. Wayne Hochwarter, associate professor of management atFlorida State University’s College of Business, studied employees with abusivebosses and found that:

• 31 percent of respondents reported that their supervisor gavethem the “silent treatment” in the past year.

• 37 percent reported that their supervisor failed to give credit whendue.

• 39 percent noted that their supervisor failed to keep promises.

• 27 percent noted that their supervisor made negative commentsabout them to other employees or managers.

• 24 percent reported that their supervisor invaded their privacy.

• 23 percent indicated that their supervisor blamed others to coverup mistakes or to minimize embarrassment.

For more information, see www.fsu.com/pages/2006/12/04/BigBadBoss.html.

Workers in the United Kingdom don’t appear to fare any better, withManagement-Issues.com reporting approximately 20 percent of all employeesin the UK having experienced some sort of bullying or harassment over thepast two years. (See www.management-issues.com/workplace-bullying.asp.)

If a bully boss is adding to your career pain, you’ll find some camaraderie at www.hateboss.com, an online community just for venting your job frustrations!

o My manager and I have a relationship characterized by trust andrespect.

o I “manage up” by communicating important information to my man-ager regularly, including regular status reports on major accomplish-ments, upcoming projects, and interesting happenings in the field.

o I understand my manager’s goals and what deliverables are needed forhim to be successful in his director’s eyes.

o I understand the pressure that my manager is under.

o I have “career conversations” with my manager approximately everysix months where I communicate my desire to grow in my skills andwith the company. These conversations are separate and apart frommy performance review.

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o In career conversations with my manager, I emphasize language thatconveys how I would like to “grow professionally” or “contribute tothe company,” as opposed to how I would like to “be promoted” or“get a raise.”

o In career conversations with my manager, I ask specifically what itwould take to get to my next career goal, obtain clear benchmarks,and obtain agreement from my manager that meeting those goals willresult in promotion.

o I take constructive criticism from my manager and act on those sug-gestions to improve the way I do things.

o In team meetings, if a manager is wrong about something, I address itin a manner that does not embarrass or demean.

o In situations where my manager (or someone else) has been takingcredit for my ideas or work (causing me to lose career momentum), Ihave changed my behavior to bring up new ideas in the presence ofothers, cc appropriate staff when communicating by e-mail, or addmy name to reports that I have authored.

o I have no unresolved issues with my manager.

o I am viewed as the “heir apparent” for the position I am targeting (orto take my manager’s place were he to be promoted).

o My manager has communicated to me in writing that I am beinggroomed for a promotion.

o I have taken my manager out to lunch in the last six months; theconversation centered on more than just business.

o The number of hours I work is similar to those of my manager orcoworkers who are also being promoted.

o I have not been turned down for promotions in the past.

o I have not been passed over for promotion in favor of peers who haveequal or less experience.

o If my manager has turned down a past request for promotion orsalary increase, I have calendared another appointment and will worktoward the skills that need improvement, and confidently return onthe appropriate date with evidence of my accomplishments.

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8. Remember That It “Takes a Village” toRaise a Career, So Build and Nurture YourWork Relationships

o I treat everyone respectfully, fromcoworkers to customers and janitors tosenior execs, and not just the peoplewhom I think can help me in my career.

o When communicating with my manag-er’s boss, I do so with my manager’sknowledge and permission so that mymanager is kept in the loop.

o I speak respectfully about my manager,coworkers, and customers at all times,even if I think my comments won’t getback to them.

o My attitude toward others is consistent; I don’t act differently whenthey are not around.

o I take initiative to build relationships with my manager’s boss(es).

o I take initiative to build relationships with the company’s executiveteam.

o I take initiative to build relationships with coworkers.

o I take initiative to build relationships with individuals from otherdepartments within the organization.

o I take initiative to build relationships with customers/clients.

o I do not avoid developing relationships with people due to a lack ofconfidence or fear that I’m not important enough for their time.

o I have no unresolved issues with my manager’s boss, coworkers, orcustomers.

o I have requested feedback from individuals in various areas/depart-ments of the company in order to improve my performance.

o I have acted on this feedback to improve my performance.

o I have participated on cross-functional teams and performed well sothat others outside my department are aware of my skills.

Tip: Heed these wordsof wisdom from a sen-ior manager whoenjoyed an acceleratedrise from field sales repto senior district man-ager: “Always assumeyour coworker will beyour boss the nextday.” You never knowwho may be given thereins of power!

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o I have held leadership roles on cross-functional teams.

o I am known for my ability to collaborate.

o I do not hesitate to reach out to others for their ideas, input, andexpertise on matters.

o I operate within the confines of company policy; I don’t “push theenvelope,” nor have I received warnings or reprimands.

9. Look and Act the Part o My professional wardrobe is in fashion and in keeping with the

expectations of my industry/company.

o I dress for success in a manner consistent with those in leadership atmy employer.

o I do not dress more casually than my manager or manager’s boss.

o My hairstyle or haircut has a contemporary look.

o (For women) I wear makeup, jewelry, and modest clothing that donot draw undue attention to me.

o I act professional, even when the boss is not around.

o When at social events or on business-related travel, I remain profes-sional and avoid overindulging in alcohol.

o I do not spend excessive time at the “water cooler” (coffee station/lunch room) if it means I will be associated with people who are notinterested in developing their careers.

o I have an online presence; if you google my name, you’ll find some-thing positive!

10. Understand the Big Picture and theBottom Line, and Make RegularContributions to Both

o I currently work for a company that has experienced consistent annual growth in sales and profits.

o My values are aligned with my company’s mission, and I focus oncontributing to that mission in my work.

o I have a global perspective of the organization.

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o I read the company’s annual report and am familiar with its variousmarketing communication pieces such as the Web site, brochures, andsales material.

o I understand how my current position and my target position con-tribute value to the company’s bottom line.

o My promotion target is a logical step up for me (as opposed to a giantleap over several levels of responsibility).

o I am currently performing some (or many) of the responsibilities ofthe position I want to be promoted to (perhaps without the title,salary, or formal authority).

o There is a succession plan in place for my current position; there issomeone within the organization who is competent and well-trainedto replace me.

o Without being asked, I take action within the bounds of my authority to leverage opportunities that will impact the profitabilityand productivity of my organization.

o I do not make suggestions without first considering how it wouldaffect the entire team/department/organization.

Living Up to the 10 CommandmentsHow do you live up to all these commandments? One way is to be incredi-bly disciplined and committed. Another is to have work that is not simplya job, nor even a career, but truly a calling.

Is Your Position a Job, Career, or Calling? Yale associate professor Amy Wrzesniewski, drawing on the influential workof Robert Bellah, studied the distinctions between job, career, and calling.The differences?

• In a job, the main goal of the individual is to bring home a pay-check; they do not seek many other rewards from their work.

• In a career, there is a deeper personal investment in work.Achievements are marked by income, social status, power, andprestige within their occupation.

• In a calling, fulfillment comes as a result of performing the work. Work is seen as an end in itself, rather than a means toincome or advancement.

In which category does your current position fit best?

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When your work is something you are passionate about, it will seem like alabor of love to bring your all to it. Recently, one of my friends was helpingher daughter-in-law write a resume for a teaching position. I took a look atthe rough draft and realized I could help make it better. I thought tomyself, “I really don’t have time to be doing this, especially with a publish-ing deadline looming,” but I hated the thought of this wonderful teachernot putting her best foot forward. Passion makes a task lighter. And passionmakes it purpose-driven. So make sure that passion is driving your promo-tion!

Calculating Your Promotability FactorTo get a sense of your promotability, count up all your checkmarked itemsfrom this chapter. Write your total here: _____

Although not an exact science, if you scored between

l 125–150: You are a high-potential performer on the fast-track to pro-motion.

l 100–124: You are on the right course for getting promoted.

l Fewer than 100: You have work to do, and that’s what this book is allabout!

LEVERAGING YOUR STRENGTHS AND DEVELOPMENT

OPPORTUNITIES

Use the following space to identify your strengths, as well as opportu-nities for development, in each of the 10 areas.

1. Manage thyself…and don’t expect someone else to do it for you!

What I’m already doing well in this area:

______________________________________________________

What I will focus on improving and specific action steps I will take:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

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2. Know, and make known, your purpose, brand, and value.


______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

3. Master your craft and increase your capacity to deliver results.


______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

4. Walk in integrity, excellence, and optimism—at all times.


______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

5. Lead, even if you’re not in a formal leadership position.


______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

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6. Communicate articulately and persuasively.


______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

7. Build a relationship with your manager and respect his or herauthority, even when you don’t think it’s deserved.


______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

8. Remember that it “takes a village” to raise a career, so build andnurture your work relationships.


______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

9. Look and act the part.


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

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______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

10. Understand the big picture and the bottom line, and make regular contributions to both.


______________________________________________________


______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Now that you’ve identified your strengths and crafted steps to shore up anyweaknesses, read on to create a strategic plan for your promotion.

Key Points: Chapter 3Although there are hundreds of factors that can affect your promotability,they can be condensed into some critical truths, referred to lightly here asthe “10 Commandments” for career success:

1. Manage thyself—don’t expect someone else to do it for you! Be proac-tive about your career. Live and work by the old saying, “If it’s goingto be, it’s up to me.”

2. Know, and make known, your purpose, brand, and value. Knowyourself—what makes you tick, what drives you, what makes you pas-sionate, what makes you of value—and then humbly campaign thesevirtues to those with the power to promote you.

3. Master your craft and increase your capacity to deliver results. Be pas-sionate about your work and continually push yourself to improve.

4. Walk in integrity, excellence, and optimism—at all times. Trust is amore powerful asset than talent, skill, or impressive degrees.

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5. Lead, even if you’re not in a formal leadership position. Find yourvoice and let it be heard—professionally, confidently, and respectfully.Everyone is a leader.

6. Communicate articulately and persuasively. Master your ability tocommunicate. These skills can be enhanced through reading, takingcourses, listening to audio training, or participating in programs suchas Toastmasters. Don’t think you’ll get better without feedback—workwith someone you trust to coach you and give you feedback so thatyou can measure your progress.

7. Build a relationship with and respect your manager’s authority, evenwhen you don’t think it’s deserved. Start by understanding what yourmanager needs and the pressure she faces. Take the initiative to “man-age up” by communicating important information. As much as it isin your power, be responsible for making this relationship work.

8. Remember that it “takes a village” to raise a career, so build and nur-ture your work relationships. Treat everyone respectfully, fromcoworkers to customers and janitors to senior execs, not just the peo-ple you think can help you in your career.

9. Look and act the part. Your work attire should match that of yourmanager or your manager’s manager. Act professional, even when theboss is not around!

10. Understand the big picture and the bottom line, and make regularcontributions to both. Get a global perspective on your organization,including how you and your department fit in and how you can tan-gibly contribute to its most important goals.

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Chapter 4

Crucial CareerConversations: T.A.L.K. It

Out

Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary defines conversation as

oral exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas

Crucial conversations require straightforward and detailed delivery of ideasand information. This snippet of dialogue from a young newlywed couplereminds us that, without direct communication, conversations and relation-ships can “head south” pretty quickly!

Husband (clueless): What’s up?

Wife (aloof, giving him the silent treatment): Nothing.

Husband (baffled): Are you angry with me?

Wife (frustrated): Well, what do you think!

Husband (confused but patient): I can’t read your mind.

Wife (angry): Why can’t you just figure out what’s important to me!

Husband (losing patience): Then why can’t you just tell me what’swrong?

Wife (hurt): Because if you really cared about me you’d figure it outjust by paying attention!

Husband (lost patience): I give up!

Wife (exasperated): Fine!

Fortunately, a conversation like this would be rare in the corporate world,but it serves as a reminder that you must be clear and direct with yourmanager or your career may take a wrong turn. Don’t make the mistake ofexpecting your employer to read your mind or know your career aspira-tions.

In this chapter we’ll look at the crucial conversations that need to takeplace with your manager. As you think about your conversation, rememberto T.A.L.K., which stands for

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l T = Timing: When would be the optimal time to start the conversa-tion with your manager?

l A = Agenda: What are the most important items to discuss?

l L = Language: What words will be most impressive?

l K = Keep It Going!: How will you keep the door open to return tothis discussion in the weeks to come?

You’ll see each of these items and more in the following sections. Beforeyou review them, recognize that every situation will go a little differently,depending on

l Your manager’s perception of you.

l The number of people who might be involved in authorizing a pro-motion.

l The history and current events within your organization.

l Your past record with the organization.

l And more!

With this in mind, make a commitment to discussing new insights orinformation and strategizing new action steps on a frequent basis (prefer-ably with your coach or mentor). The one thing that is certain is that therewill be twists and turns as the process unfolds.

Timing: A Time for Every SeasonThe wisdom of Solomon reminds us there is a time for every season. Aschapter 2 explained, you can’t expect to reap your harvest before you’veplanted seeds. Your career conversation will go more smoothly when youhave

l Established a relationship of trust with your manager and others ofinfluence.

l Performed beyond what your original job description calls for.

l Demonstrated an understanding of the global needs of the organiza-tion and how your role contributes to its profitability.

l Made noticeable progress on the skill sets your manager has recom-mended for development.


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____________________________Chapter 4: Crucial Career Conversations: T.A.L.K. It Out

l Are known by and have visibility with other management memberswho can influence the promotion decision.

l Been with the company long enough that they recognize your poten-tial and positive attitude.

When it’s time for you to be proactive about your promotion, there will betwo steps to the conversation:

l The first is to request a meeting—ask for one-on-one face-time withyour manager.

l The second is the actual “career conversation”—the time when youdiscuss how your career progression will align with the company’sgoals.

Don’t plunge into either without having done some information gatheringand strategic planning.

Conduct Reconnaissance Reconnaissance is the act of gathering preliminary information to deter-mine your strategy. Your mission will be more successful if you first havesome “reconnaissance” conversations with individuals “in the know.”

Who might that be? In gathering information, start with other leaders whohave regular contact with your manager. However, don’t rule out someonewho has a lesser role but has your manager’s ear. It’s not necessary to sharewith these people your end goal. Casual, nonchalant conversation shouldbe the order of the day.

Decide how many people to speak with based on the size of your organiza-tion:

l If it’s a larger company with multiple layers of management, speak totwo or three others.

l If it’s a smaller organization, a conversation with one person may suffice.

l For very small organizations (perhaps it’s just you and your manager),reconnaissance conversations may not be appropriate. In this case,you’ll need to do critical thinking on your own or with your coach orexternal mentor.

What do you ask during reconnaissance? In general, watch for any informa-tion that might give you leverage, such as


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l Budget cutbacks or increases, or otherchanges in allocation of resources

l Changes in staffing

l The next career move your managerwants to make

l Any plans for growth or new projectsthat will require extra manpower

l Situations where your manager or oth-ers are overloaded and not getting workdone that impacts the bottom line

In addition, ask questions that will help yougain a global understanding of what’s happen-ing in the company and the pressures yourmanager faces. For starters,

What do you see as the company’s key priorities for the next 6 to 12months? Where do you think my manager could use the most support toallow him to be more effective?

Of course, if the answers to these questions are information you should beintimately familiar with already, bump up your questioning to demonstratea greater degree of understanding. For example,

I understand the Walker project is close to getting funding. As we look at theresources needed to support that, I’m concerned that the scalability of ourcurrent IT system won’t accommodate it. What are your thoughts?

Assembling reconnaissance data allows you to identify the symbiotic rela-tionship between your career and the company’s needs, which makes a win-win for everyone.

Request a MeetingWhen it comes to asking your manager for a meeting, avoid times when abig deadline is looming, an internal crisis has just occurred, or a reductionin force is happening.

Even the day and time you approach your manager should be considered.Monday mornings are often hectic, so opt for another day. If your boss hasone or two days during the week that are normally heavier than others,avoid those days as well.

Tip: Contrary to popu-lar opinion, you don’thave to wait for a per-formance review tostart the promotionconversation, nor doyou need to frame theconversation aroundyour career. Linking itto a new project, achange in operations,a new client, or achange in manage-ment will give theappearance that youare very team oriented.


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In requesting a meeting, frame it in the con-text of a benefit to the company. For instance:

Before:

“I’d like to talk to you about my career today.”

After:

Kudos on the Walker project!

[Your manager thanks you for the compli-ment, and then you follow with]

I had some ideas on how the company couldbetter service that contract.

[Your manager’s ears perk up; she wants tohear more.]

Do you have some time on your calendar in thenext few days, or, better yet, how about lunchsometime this week?

The “Before” language has more potential toput the manager into a mode of defensiveness,possibly thinking to herself, “What do youmean, ‘your career’! We’ve given you tons of opportunities already at thiscompany. Are you ungrateful? Am I going to have to come up with somesolution for this?”

The “After” language piggybacks the conversation on the company’s priori-ties. Now, it appears that you are the one offering solutions.

The “request” might play out in any number of scenarios. If your manageris frequently interrupted at the office and having lunch together is notuncommon for the two of you, consider the lunch approach:

How’s your calendar for lunch one day this week? I have some ideas I’d liketo run by you.

If an office meeting is more appropriate, ask

What does your schedule look like in the coming week? I need 5 to 10 min-utes of your time to get your insights on some goals I’ve outlined.

Of course, your manager may say, “I’ve got time; let’s do it now!” so beready with your agenda. (See “Agenda: Stick to a Plan,” later in this chapter.)

Tip: How does yourmanager like to beapproached when itcomes to hearing newideas? If he is moreintroverted than extro-verted, he probablywon’t like being sur-prised, so give a hintas to what the conver-sation will be aboutwhen making therequest. If you’re deal-ing with an extrovert,he may be fine with animpromptu meeting.Extroverts often thinkby talking and enjoyexploring ideasthrough extended con-versation.


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Responding to a Posted OpeningThere will be times when you won’t have to go to the extra work of propos-ing a promotion to your manager. When there is an open position, thecompany will likely interview internal (and possibly external) candidates forthe role. Just because your managers know you, don’t skip any steps inapproaching the interview process, including submitting your online appli-cation and preparing for interviews. This is a great opportunity to

l Freshen your brand so that people perceive you in the manner that’sconsistent with what you want.

l Update your resume with recent accomplishments and contributions,and create a compelling letter to accompany it.

l Practice articulating the insight you have into the company’s needsand priorities, as well as the value you bring to the table.

l Submit materials that document that you have already been doingsome (or all) of the responsibilities, or have the transferable skills todo so.

l Highlight what you see as the key deliverables for the position (basedon your research) and prepare a business plan or action strategies youmight use in your approach to the situation.

For a successful interview, be ready with an abundance of “SMARTStories™.” A SMART Story™ will allow you to craft your interview responses with a definitive beginning, a meaty middle, and dynamite ending. This approach also is unique in that the final step positions you toneatly link the response back to your manager’s question and focus the conversation on how you can do the job instead of simply auditioning forthe job. Here’s how a SMART Story™ breaks out:

l Situation and More: Frame the story with contextual details, offeringspecific numbers about the situation. What was the specific situationyou were faced with? Use numbers to describe who and what wasinvolved. Where and when did it occur? What was the impact of thesituation? What was the timeframe of the story?

l Action: What specific action did you take to tackle the task, over-come the challenge, or resolve the issue? If others were closelyinvolved, how did you interact with them? What were your thoughtsor decision-making process? What was your specific role in relation tothe team?


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l Results: Essential to your success story are numbers-oriented, bottom-line results. They will help you convey your return-on-investment (ROI) value and give you leverage in salary negotiations.

l What measurable outcome did you achieve? Think beyondyour own work role to how others were impacted, includingyour boss, your team, your department, your company, yourcustomers, your community, or your industry.

l If it was a group effort, what measurable outcome did thegroup achieve or contribute to? Did you contribute to a 5percent increase in productivity; support a team that met orexceeded goals by 9 percent in a difficult economy; partici-pate in an effort that improved customer satisfaction scores;collaborate with team members to accomplish work with 25percent less staff; or provide ideas that halted a conflict orimpasse that had held up progress?

l If the outcome wasn’t rosy, what conclusions did you reach orwhat positives did you learn from the experience?

l Compare your performance. You can make comparisons to avariety of numbers, including your prior work performance,the company’s past record, the industry standard, or yourcompetitor’s average.

l Tie-in and Theme: Use a question or statement to link this storyback to important issues or link it to a theme of key competenciesyour manager seeks. Statements might convey your enthusiasm orknowledge you’ve gained:

l “I found that I thrived in these sorts of situations, as theygive me a chance to use my problem-solving skills,” or

l “I learned that it’s important to regularly communicateprogress status to every member of the team,” or

l “From a recent conversation I had with one of our vendors, Iknow these strengths in vendor relations would be of help.”

Note the numerous facts and figures included in this sample SMARTStory™.


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SMART Story™

Situation and More: My role: Office Manager

Where: Inco Insurance (current employer)

When/Timeframe: March through September ofthis year

Who else was involved or impacted: Employees (25claims processors and 5 support staff )

What was the task or challenge: My challenge wasto stop losses of more than $1,000 per month. Ididn’t realize that the systems I put in placewould not only stop those losses but also increaseour productivity. Here’s what happened…

Action: What was your thought process? What steps did youtake? What decisions were made? Describe thesequence. As you know, I was new to the positionand familiarizing myself with expenses. I com-pared and analyzed office expense figures withseveral prior years and realized that, even thoughour headcount was down by 25 percent, ourexpenses were up by almost 30 percent. None ofour vendors had implemented any price increases,so I began to look for other reasons. I noticedthat CDs and boxes of file folders seemed to be“walking off by themselves.” In one of our weeklygroup meetings—something new I implementedto improve teamwork—I explained that one ofour goals included cost controls. To help meetthat goal, a new check-out system would beimplemented for items valued in excess of $20,but that incidentals would be on an “honor sys-tem.” I posted a bar graph in the supply roomreflecting volume in use of supplies over the pastsix months, along with reduction goals for eachensuing month. I asked staff members for sugges-tions on incentives and decided what would befeasible. When we reached our monthly goals, I


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rewarded staff with their choice of an early-dismissal day or a catered box-lunch party. Infact, you [Mr. Manager] stopped by for one ofour first celebrations!

Results: Use numbers to relate your results. Supply costswere not only reduced more than 35 percent,there was greater camaraderie among the team. Ithas led to the claims processors openly sharinghelpful resources and making suggestions, someof which were implemented and helped improveour productivity numbers by about 15 percent.

Tie-in/Theme: It confirmed to me that communicating clearobjectives to staff, along with soliciting theirinput, is a wise management policy.

Competency Theme: Communications, problem solving, analytical, motivator

SMART STORY™ WORKSHEET

To help identify accomplishments for your interview (and for yourCompetency & Contributions document that you’ll learn about laterin this chapter), use this SMART Story™ worksheet. (You can use theform in appendix B to make additional copies if needed.)

Situation and More:

Your role: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

When: ________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Who else was involved or impacted: __________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)


(continued)

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What was the task or challenge? ____________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Action:

What was your thought process? What steps did you take? What decisions were made? Describe the sequence.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Results:

Use numbers to relate your results.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Tie-in/Theme:

Competencies:

______________________________________________________

How this story ties to your organization’s priorities and goals:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________


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For a thorough review of preparing for the interview process, see InterviewMagic (JIST Publishing). Now, on to the second step in the T.A.L.K. ItOut process—your agenda!

Agenda: Stick to a PlanSomeone once said that for every minute spent in organizing, an hour isearned. Organize your thoughts before you broach the subject with yourmanager.

To formulate an agenda, you’ll need to

l Know what you want.

l Know what your employer wants.

l Know what your manager wants.

l Know your value.

l Adapt your presentation to your listener.

l Offer supporting documentation.

l Briefly touch on salary, just so that your manager is aware that you’renot volunteering to take on major new responsibilities without anincrease in compensation (see chapter 6 for more on salary negotia-tions).

l Identify potential next steps.

Know What You WantGo into the meeting knowing your objective. You likely want more ofsomething, such as greater authority, responsibility, salary, and so on.

MY PERSONAL OBJECTIVE FOR THE

CAREER CONVERSATION

Use this worksheet to clarify your personal objective for the upcom-ing career conversation with your manager. You may also find it help-ful to review the “Promotion Goal” worksheet in chapter 1.

In my next career move, I want:

(continued)


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More authority? ___Yes ___No

How much? ____________________________________________

______________________________________________________

More responsibility? ___Yes ___No

What specifically? ________________________________________

______________________________________________________

More strategic input? ___Yes ___No

On what issues?__________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

A different project or team assignment? ___Yes ___No

If so, which one? ________________________________________

______________________________________________________

A new title? ___Yes ___No

If so, what? _____________________________________________

______________________________________________________

More money? ___Yes ___No

If so, how much? ________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Other ___Yes ___No

If other, describe: ________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)


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Know What Your Employer WantsThroughout this book you’ve seen the emphasis on making this conversa-tion a win-win so that both you and your organization benefit. You’ve

just identified what you want. Now take a moment to clarify what theemployer wants.

First, make sure you’re meeting the competencies the employer has outlinedfor the position. Ask your manager or human resources department aboutthese. Later in this chapter, you’ll learn about creating a document thatidentifies specific accomplishments you’ve contributed relevant to eachcompetency. Next, find something to fix!

YOUR EMPLOYER’S OBJECTIVE

Use this worksheet to clarify what you think your employer wants.Doing so will help you align your career advancement strategy withyour employer’s priorities.

Competencies outlined by my employer for my target positioninclude ________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

My employer’s primary goals/priorities for my department/team inthe near-term and long-term are ____________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

With respect to those goals, specific problem areas to address orprocesses to enhance include ________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

I have already been focusing on these priorities in my current role bydoing the following: ______________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)


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The specific, bottom-line results I have contributed to those priorities include ________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

In a promoted role, I would be able to make additional contributions by doing the following: __________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

The specific, bottom-line results I estimate I would contribute in this new role are ____________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Know What Your Manager WantsYour employer’s wants and your manager’s wants may, or may not, be thesame depending on the hierarchy of your organization. In situations whereyour manager is also the business owner, the manager’s and business’ wantswill be identical. A level of complexity is added when there are multiplelayers of management. In this case, you must understand not only whatyour manager wants, but also what your manager’s supervisors want.

YOUR MANAGER’S OBJECTIVE

Use this worksheet to clarify whether your manager and employer are after the same goals.

[If different from your employer’s goals/priorities] My manager’s primary goals/priorities for my department/team in the near-term and long-term are __________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)


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From conversations with others and through observation, it appears my manager could use help with the following: _________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

In a promoted role, I would be able to help my manager by doing the following: __________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Know Your ValueThere is no one-size-fits-all strategy for approaching your employer for pro-motion, except to make your case by providing value and an ROI. ROI(return on investment) is a business term widely used by companies todetermine how quickly their decision to invest in new equipment, advertis-ing, or an expansion will pay for itself. In the case of an employee, theemployer is investing in salary, benefits, training, work space, and equip-ment.

Earlier in the chapter, you learned the importance of being direct and notassuming that the employer knows your career aspirations. That does notmean you need to lead off the conversation with what you want. Instead,starting off with what the other person wants is a more savvy strategy.

10 Ways to Create an ROIYou may be wondering how your position contributes a return on investmentto your employer. It’s easy to see when you’re in sales, as your job is item#1—generate sales. Even if you’re not on the sales front line, you can stillimpact the bottom line, as shown in items 2 through 9 here.

1. Generate income.

2. Cut costs.

3. Save time.

4. Make work easier.

(continued)


84


5. Solve a specific problem.

6. Be more competitive.

7. Build relationships/an image.

8. Expand business.

9. Attract new customers.

10. Retain existing customers.

What the other person (your manager orcompany executives) typically wants is a prof-itable ROI. Smart career professionals con-centrate on generating ROI for their employ-ers. For instance, a top sales performer canshow that a $125,000 salary will be justifiedby her ability to bring in $500,000 in newsales contracts. A materials manager mightfind methods to reduce waste or recycle scrap,which may add up to a six-figure savings. Aproduction-line worker might make a sugges-tion that, when implemented, leads to a spikein productivity, which can be tied to the bot-tom line. Whatever you want in this promo-tion, challenge yourself to look for ways toboost your employer’s success. Include bothyour prior contributions, as well as futureprojections, in your career conversation, asthey will give you leverage in future salarynegotiations.

This example describes a purchasing manag-er’s ROI statement:

I noticed that there were some holes in the sys-tem I inherited when it came to purchasing rawmaterials. By taking a “deep dive” in looking atthat, changes were made that reduced ourcosts on raw materials more than 35 percentthis past quarter, nearly a $60,000 savings.That number will probably be closer to a$90,000 savings for the upcoming quarter,which is typically our busiest. By year’s end, weshould be looking at a savings of $200,000+.

Tip: Lauren, in herearly 40s, wanted adirector role within her organization.Although her immedi-ate manager, a seniordirector, was the per-son with whom Laurenwould start her careerconversations, Laurenrealized she would alsohave to gain theapproval of the otherdirectors and VP forher move. In the past,Lauren had beenhappy with beingmore or less “invisible”to upper management.Lauren needed a moreconcerted radar-screencampaign. She beganby changing her trafficpatterns so as to runinto directors on amore regular basis.And she began speak-ing up with confidencein department meet-ings. Her strategiesworked, in that otherdirectors began to stopand ask Lauren heropinion on mattersduring casual encoun-ters in the hallway.

(continued)


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Here’s an ROI example that a project manager created as a part of her pro-motion proposal to become a manager:

With me focusing on this task, accuracy can improve a minimum of 2 per-cent per unit, or a $15,000+ savings. Looking at our inventory of 12,000units, that translates to a potential $180 million savings to the company inthe first year alone.

Note the languaging. The individual does not say “If you have me focusingon this task…” or “With someone focusing on this task” but inserts owner-ship of her idea by saying “With me focusing on this task….” We take adeeper look at the all-important languaging of your request later in thischapter.

MY RETURN ON INVESTMENT SOLUTION

To develop ideas that document the return on investment you’vemade to your employer, consider these questions:

l Where have you gone above-and-beyond to set yourself apart from your coworkers?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

l Review prior performance evaluations for ideas or information that document your contributions. Write highlights of that material here:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

l To help students learn, teachers use “realia”—objects that relate classroom teaching to real life. What realia would help your manager see the substance of your contributions? These might be reports written, brochures designed, products developed, Web site material created, letters of appreciation from customers, and so on.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)


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l What measurable outcomes have been achieved as a result of your work? Think beyond your own work role to how others were impacted, including your manager, your team, your department, your company, your customers, your community, or your industry.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

l If it was a group effort, what measurable outcome did the group achieve? Did it contribute to a 5 percent increase in productivity; support a team that met or exceeded goals by 9 percent in a diffi-cult economy; participate in an effort that improved customer satisfaction scores; collaborate with team members to accomplish work with 25 percent less staff; or provide ideas that halted a conflict or impasse that had held up progress?

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

l Compare your performance. You can make comparisons to a variety of numbers, including your prior work performance, the company’s past record, the industry standard, or your competitor’s average.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Recall that in a prior worksheet, “Your Employer’s Objective,” you identified your future return on investment. If you did not answer that question previously, it’s critical that you identify it here. Without it, you have a weak business case for promotion. For convenience, the item is repeated here.

The specific, bottom-line results I estimate I would contribute in this new role are ________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)


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Adapt Your Presentationto Your ListenerIn addition to emphasizing the ROI, consideryour manager’s preference for taking in infor-mation and making decisions. Clues to thiscan be found in temperament and personalitymodels established by David Keirsey, Ph.D.(creator of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter)and the mother-daughter team of KatharineBriggs and Isabelle Myers (authors of theMyers-Briggs Type Indicator, widely used incorporate America).

The basic tenets of personality type measurefour scales:

1. Energy: The direction in which yourenergies typically flow—outward,toward objects and people in the envi-ronment (Extroversion, or its abbrevia-tion E) or inward, drawing attentionfrom the outward environment towardinner experience and reflection(Introversion, or its abbreviation I).

What this means to your promotionconversations: First, be aware of yourown preference and whether it is thesame as or different from your manag-er’s. If your manager has a preference forExtroversion, he may tend to be moreverbal and prefer to think by talking.

Introverts tend to be more pensive, sogive them a heads-up about what the conversation involves, as well astime after the conversation to let ideas marinate.

2. Perception: Whether you prefer to take in information through yourfive senses in a concrete fashion, focusing on “what is” (Sensing, or S)or with a “sixth sense” in an abstract or conceptual manner, focusingon “what could be” (iNtuiting, or N).

Tip: Personality typeinfluences promotion.For instance, the MBTIManual (Third Edition,Consulting PsychologistsPress) indicates that, ona national basis, only asmall percentage of thepopulation has the NT(iNtuiting-Thinking)combination (10.3 per-cent). Yet when com-paring this percentageof the population with asample of MBA stu-dents, the percentageof students reporting anNT preference wasalmost double that ofany other type.

Often, MBA graduateprograms lead to anexecutive track, withopportunities for problem-solving, brain-storming, strategy, andleadership. This is per-petuated both from thestandpoint of good jobfit and the tendency forpeople to hire peoplesimilar to them (NT-typeboard members hiringNT-type executives).


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What this means to your promotionconversations: You can often spot peo-ple who have a preference for Sensing—they like to take in new information ina sequential, concrete, and ordered fash-ion. If this is your manager, provideinformation with numbered lists andsufficient detail.

Those with a preference for iNtuiting,however, like to hear the “big picture”first. When speaking to an individualwith this preference, emphasize thestrategic benefit to the organization andbullet-point key information only.Again, be aware of your own preference and how it may differ fromyour manager’s.

3. Decision-Making: Whether you make decisions based on facts andlogic (Thinking, or T) or based on personal or social values (Feeling,or F).

What this means to your promotion conversations: Is your managerthe detached, bottom-line type? If so, chances are good your managerhas a preference for Thinking when it comes to making decisions.Make a strong business case with bottom-line data.

If your manager has a preference for Feeling, use strong bottom-linedata as well, but also emphasize the ethical benefit to employeemorale and customer relations. Identify whether your own preferenceis the same as or different from your manager.

4. Orientation: Whether you orient your outer world in a methodical,deliberate manner, seeking closure (Judging, or J), or in a sponta-neous, play-it-by-ear approach, remaining open to more information(Perceiving, or P).

What this means to your promotion conversations: If your managerleans toward Judging, he will likely want to make a decision quickly.If Perceiving, he may want you to gather more information for con-sideration. Again, be aware of how your own preference may differfrom your manager’s.

Tip: Determine theessence of your per-sonality with a freeonline personalityinstrument available atwww.advisorteam.com.With an upgrade, youcan access a full reportthat will help youunderstand your pref-erences and how theycan improve your com-munications.


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In appendix C, you’ll find a self-scoring personality instrument that youcan use to gauge your own preferences in the four areas of Energy,Perception, Decision-Making, and Orientation of your environment. After scoring yourself, repeat the exercise and answer how you think yourmanager would respond.

Beyond personality preferences, you can also adapt your presentation toyour manager’s learning style, whether auditory, visual, or kinesthetic/tac-tile. Table 4.1 helps you identify and adapt to your manager’s learning pref-erence.


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What Is Your Body Language Saying?How you walk, stand, sit, and use body language all add to the overallimpression you make. Pay attention to these items:

l Walk: Walk into a room as you if belong there—confident andalert. (Women, heed the advice of film stars for making anentrance—enter a room with your hips first. Doing so improvesyour posture and carriage.) As is the custom for royalty or impor-tant political figures (we know your manager isn’t, of course),avoid exiting a room with your back to people. If possible, walk tothe door with your manager; or, turn toward him as you head forthe door and say something like, “I’ll be sure to get you that follow-up information by Friday.”

l Stand: Shoulders square, chest out, stomach held in, head heldhigh. My high school marching band instructor used to holler dur-ing practice: “skyhooks in your ears…skyhooks in your ears”—asomewhat uncomfortable reminder to stand tall, with heads heldhigh!

l Sit: Men, no crossed legs or slouching in the chair. Women, sitlike royalty—spine straight and legs crossed at the ankle, not theknee. Shoulders back—when they’re hunched forward, it indicatesa lack of interest or feelings of inferiority.

l Lean: Lean forward slightly (without hunching your shoulders, ofcourse) as a sign of interest.

l Eye contact: Unless you’re working in a culture where eye con-tact is inappropriate, look your listener in the eye frequently. Avoidstaring by looking from one eye to the other, and “smile” withyour eyes. If you have a tendency to look off into space or closeyour eyes while thinking and talking, work with a friend to correctthis habit. Relax and smile (with both your mouth and your eyes).If asked a difficult question, keep your eye contact steady.Glancing away or not looking into your manager’s eyes as youanswer can be interpreted as a sign of untruthfulness.

l Eyebrows: Relax your eyebrows—tension in eyebrows indicatesconfusion, stress, or fear.

l Mouth: Mind your mouth! Downward turns or flat lines in themouth can put people off, while a smile or upward turns in themouth indicate that you welcome interaction.

l Head: Keep head movements to a minimum. Nod occasionally to indicate that you’re listening.


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l Arms and hands: Arms crossed indicates that you are protectingyour body. Fidgeting with fingers or a pen indicates that you areagitated or bored, or possibly that you are anxious to say some-thing. Remember to keep your hands below your shoulders—notouching the face, nose, or ears; no rubbing your chin; no scratch-ing your head; and so on.

l Gestures: To emphasize your key points, consider small hand ges-tures. When your manager is speaking, keep your body still as asign that you are listening intently.

l Personal distance: Be attuned to individuals’ personal space—the distance is different for everyone. Try this test: Walk toward abusiness colleague and maintain eye contact as you move closer.The second you cross into the person’s boundary of personalspace, their eyes will dart away, telling you you’ve gotten tooclose.

l Nervous activity: Physical tension in the body may present itselfin the form of nail-biting, chewing gum, grinding teeth, jiggling aleg or foot, playing with hair, or scratching an ear (always keepyour hands away from your face and below your shoulders). Onetrick for channeling nervous energy that won’t be noticed by yourmanager is to drive the fingernail from your index finger into theflesh of your thumb on the same hand. Press to the point of creating pain. You’ll find it difficult to carry on other, more noticeable nervous movements at the same time!

Offer Supporting DocumentationAssemble supporting documentation. Going into your promotion conversa-tion without it is akin to a door-to-door salesman trying to sell a wondercleaner without showing you that it works. Supporting documentation will help your manager see the return on investment and show her you’reserious.

Items in your arsenal of supporting documentation can include the following:

l The “Before-After-and-Beyond” Position Description

l Competency and Contributions Addendum

l Proposal

l Up-to-date Internal Resume or Personal Brand Documents


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Before describing some of this documentation, let me insert a caveat. Youmust use your intuition about how much documentation to prepare foryour manager. Some managers will be impressed to see a tome of material.Others will be overwhelmed. Your best bet is to have material ready, recog-nizing that you may not need (or have the opportunity) to present all of it.See the suggestions later in this section about when to use your documenta-tion.

Before-After-and-Beyond Position DescriptionOne of the best documents you can prepare is a Before-After-and-BeyondPosition Description. To do so, create a table with a three-column format.In the first column, list your current job descriptions. In the second col-umn, comment on how you are meeting and exceeding those responsibili-ties. In the third column, identify the “Above & Beyond” initiative andresponsibilities you have taken on. This allows your manager to quickly seethat you are already doing some or all of a higher-level role. Table 4.2 illus-trates the Before-After-and-Beyond Position Description.

Table 4.2: Before-After-and-Beyond Position Description

Progress on “Above and Beyond”Current Current Initiative andResponsibilities Responsibilities Contributions

[Example] Exceeding expectations— Made brochures Create generated 20 percent interactive and brochures. more than anticipated. available online

for customer access. Doing so has increased add-on sales of product B by 23 percent.

[Example] Improved communications Created Web-basedInterface with by making onsite visits interface tool thatoutsourced to our two key vendors allows for instantvendors. and communicating communication

expectations. Doing so between team members has helped eliminate in multiple locations.their past history ofmissing deadlines.


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MY BEFORE-AFTER-AND-BEYOND POSITION

DESCRIPTION

Use this worksheet to create your own Before-After-and-Beyond Position Description.

Progress on “Above and Beyond”Current Current Initiative andResponsibilities Responsibilities Contributions

____________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _____________________________ ______________ _________________

Make the Before-After-and-Beyond Position Description a part of your CareerCoups file (a file that contains letters of appreciation, kudos and attaboys, statistical data substantiating your accomplishments, and more). Update theBefore-After-and-Beyond Position Description on a monthly basis or as often


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as needed to ensure your accomplishments aren’t forgotten. Keeping this information at your fingertips will make it a snap to update a resume oronline career portfolio, prepare for performance reviews, submit informa-tion for a promotion, remind your manager of your recent contributions,or introduce yourself to a new manager.

Competency and Contributions AddendumAs mentioned earlier in this chapter, many larger companies identify specific competencies for every position as a means of measuring skill andprogress. Once you’re clear on the competencies for your current and targetposition, create a document that identifies specific accomplishments you’vecontributed relevant to each competency.

For example, this product design manager for an apparel manufacturerneeded to prove her competencies in the areas of fabric design, wash devel-opment, sell-through, and technology (among others). Her CompetencyAddenda looked, in part, like figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1: A sample Competency Addendum.

Competencies & ContributionsFabric Design

x Worked with mills to create new patterns and qualities on a seasonal basis.

x Identified new mills in Pacific Rim.

x Earned company’s “Excellence Awards” twice for fabric design initiatives.

Wash Development

x Continuously created new wash techniques and formulas.

x Formulas were adopted by other departments, including Tops and Activewear.

Sell-Through

x Developed lines that exceeded objective with sell-throughs of 90% to over 100% at wholesale.

Technology

x Represented department on global Web technology project and contributed to program development and testing.

x Served as department’s technical resource during implementation.

Competencies & ContributionsFabric Design

x Worked with mills to create new patterns and qualities on a seasonal basis.

x Identified new mills in Pacific Rim.

x Earned company’s “Excellence Awards” twice for fabric design initiatives.

Wash Development

x Continuously created new wash techniques and formulas.

x Formulas were adopted by other departments, including Tops and Activewear.

Sell-Through

x Developed lines that exceeded objective with sell-throughs of 90% to over 100% at wholesale.

Technology

x Represented department on global Web technology project and contributed to program development and testing.

x Served as department’s technical resource during implementation.


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This next example in figure 4.2 shows competencies and contributions inthe areas of strategy, finance, operations, and product development for aninvestment management executive.

To help identify accomplishments for your Competency & Contributionsdocument, use the SMART Story™ worksheet earlier in this chapter. Youcan create a Competencies & Contributions document similar to the sam-ples in figures 4.1 and 4.2 by transferring the “Results” section from yourvarious SMART Stories™.

Figure 4.2: A sample Competency Addendum for an investment management executive.

Competencies & Contributions Summary

Strategy

x Identified opportunities in strong, weak, or uncertain market conditions and leveraged firm resources to gain differentiation and immediate traction, doubling sales in the past 12 months.

x Collaborated with executive teams to craft and execute three core initiatives involving differentiation, product-line evolution, product positioning, acquisition integration, and internal restructuring.

x Led startup strategy that delivered 91% growth in AUM within 9 months.

Finance

x Managed 8-figure operating budgets at or under budget.

x Partnered with CFO to enhance management planning, budgeting/tracking, and profitability analysis.

x Established line-item budgeting and held regional managers accountable for expense budget planning and control.

Operations

x Managed staff of 65. Set higher expectations across-the-board for rep/customer service, technology capabilities, processing, and reporting standards. Improved our record of regulatory compliance.

x Reconfigured client statements and designed sales reporting system, accommodating data from 2 distinct collection systems. Improved processing from 89% to 99%+ error-free processing.

x Merged 3 sales teams and product lines with recent acquisition. Led seamless relocation from Southern California to Pacific Northwest (still maintaining award-winning customer and financial advisor service levels).

x Coordinated with Chief Counsel on prospectus changes/filings, stickers, and proxy votes. Gained NASD concessions on sales materials and performance disclosure issues. Prepared and presented materials to Board.

x Researched and addressed regulatory issues affecting distribution of mutual funds in Canada and the EU.

Product Development

x Worked with Product Development Team on pricing and integration of 20 additions into existing product line.

x Teamed with internal staff on development and introduction of new multi-manager asset allocation funds, raising more than $800 M in first year of operation.


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Proposal LetterIn some cases, your best strategy may be a proposal letter. This letter, basedon a strategy developed by career coach Barb Poole, CCMC, CPRW,CERW, BS of www.HireImaging.com, shows how you might lay out a pro-motion proposal to your manager.

Samples of other position proposals and internal resumes can be found inappendix D.

GETTING YOUR DOCUMENTS TOGETHER

Identify which personal marketing documents will best support yourcandidacy.

• Before-After-and-Beyond Position Description

• Competency and Contributions Addendum

• Proposal

• Up-to-date Internal Resume, Accomplishments Summary, orPersonal Brand Documents

When will you prepare these and/or what support will you need tocreate dynamite documents? ________________________________

______________________________________________________

For a complete resource on preparing resumes, see the third edition ofRésumé Magic (JIST Publishing). For a list of cream-of-the-cropcareer/resume specialists who hold the designation of Master ResumeWriter, go to the Career Masters Institute site at www.cminstitute.com/cgi-bin/mrw-list.cgi.

When to Use YourDocumentationWhen should you share your supporting doc-umentation? As mentioned earlier, use goodjudgment. Do not bombard your managerstraight out of the chute with all your materi-al. Instead, have it ready in a folder (or in anonline portfolio) and pull out appropriateitems as the discussion moves along.

Tip: Ready to create anonline portfolio foryour career? Check outthe resources atwww.Brandego.comand www.BlueSkyPortfolios.com.


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Sheila Smart123 East Street

Sunnyvale, FL 34567 [email protected]

[date]

Dear Ms. Manager:

Thanks for accompanying me on the Johnson & Johnson onsite visit last week. Your presence allowed the purchasing team to truly see the commitment our company is putting behind its products.

Likewise, I appreciate the commitment you’ve shown toward my professional development over the years with Americal Corporation. It’s been a pleasure to work and grow under your leadership. On the return flight, I mentioned briefly some of the ideas I had for growing the business. You sounded very receptive to those ideas and confirmed that theyalign with the organization’s strategic direction.

I’d like to keep the momentum going and discuss this in more detail, as well as briefly review my performance and role at our follow-up meeting next Monday. To help you prepare for that discussion, I’ve included some highlights below.

Recent Contributions

x Revenue Increase: Top-producing market manager (President’s Club), nearly doubling sales over prior year.

x Fastest Growing Account: Managed rapid-growth account increases, selling $3.2M into 26 new warehouses (up from 14 to 40) with exclusive distribution. Analyzed untapped market opportunities to develop business for new warehouses.

x Financial: Together with CFO and Director of Finance, crafted a discount package in response to account request. Win-Win: Aided account with a 1% discount and improved company cash flow from 45 to 10 days.

x Profit: Delivered margins 2 full percentage points above company average through cost-plus pricing, effective product assortments, and negotiations on delivery requirements, discounts, and support.

x Sales Forecasting: Excellent record for forecast accuracy of 95-100% (30 days) and 90-110% (90 days).

x Visionary Team Builder: Assembled first Customer Council formed with cooperation of the account’s top managers and sales reps. Team shares best practices companywide. Initiative yielded a $1.1 million sales increase.

As market/sales manager, I bring a breadth and depth of expertise to the table in multiple areas:

New Business Development, Sales Management, Relationship Selling, Consultative Selling, Fact-Based Selling (IRI, AC Nielsen, Polk)

Business Analysis (Retail Link), Forecasting, Category ManagementMass Merchandiser Relationship Management (Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart)

Supply-Chain Model Innovation, Customer Scorecards

In addition, my roles on cross-functional teams have provided exposure to marketing, IT management, quality assurance, new model introductions, and new product initiatives.

I believe that much of the value I bring to Americal Corp is in my ability to strategize and innovate, such as the highly successful Customer Council program; as well as my passion for creating trust-based connections with internal and external customers—relationships that get things done and make things happen.

You know I’m an advocate of action plans! My career plan has always mapped a performance-based path to being in a director role. If there has been one piece not feeling like a good fit for me at Americal Corp, it has been that, while I have been performing many of the responsibilities of a director, I have not formally held the title with its various benefits nor been part of the Executive Team.

Figure 4.3: A sample proposal letter.


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Ms. Manager [date] Page Two

I have done extensive research on manager-level and director-level positions, assessing my responsibilities, overall accountability, and accomplishments with comparable positions in multiple companies throughout the United States, as well as in comparable geographic areas. It is very important to me to achieve my goal of being part of the Executive Team, and I believe I have earned it. I also respect that you may have questions about this type of change. Therefore,after careful thought, I am prepared to make a proposal:

x I have created an online portfolio of my work, which includes my internal résumé, a “Competencies & Contributions” addenda conveying leadership and successful business strategies used to achieve lucrative results for Americal Corp, my mission and branding statement, endorsements and testimonials from customers at every level from buyers to C-level executives … and more. I know (and appreciate) that you like to see a strong paper-trail on initiatives, so I’ve taken the time to document my performance to substantiate any rewards I might receive for thatperformance. Please view the portfolio at www.sheilasmart.com/value.html. I think you’ll see that it conveys my unique brand and functional value to Americal Corp and its mission.

x For three months, beginning Monday, I ask that you consider this a trial period. I’m the product—try before you buy. During this period, I would interact with you on a more regular basis. We could meet for 30 minutes each week—you choose the day / time; it can, of course, be more often than that if you prefer.

x I would attend Executive Team meetings—not as a member—but, instead, to demonstrate the value I can bring tothe brainstorming and decision-making process.

x At the end of this period, if you feel that I would be an asset to the Executive Team, we would meet to review the results and, being the optimist I am, I believe the next step would be a discussion regarding my transition to Director with appropriate compensation. I want to make it clear that I do not expect any salary increase oradditional perks during this trial period.

That’s it! There are no catches. I believe this is a win/win scenario, and hope you will agree. You’ve given me the reins on other ideas in the past that have turned out to be winners, and I appreciate you giving this consideration as well. Thanks again for the opportunity to be part of Americal Corp. I look forward to continued contributions—and great things for Americal!

Respectfully,

Sheila Smart


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One coaching client of mine prepared a stunning resume loaded with numbers-driven accomplishments and asked for his director’s input on itprior to submitting it for a director-level opening. The director, who hadbeen subtly downplaying my client’s skill level to her fellow directors andvice president, was notably impressed. The resume served to help rebrandmy client’s image from underling to leader and proactive change agent.

Optional: Briefly Touch on SalaryIf you want more compensation as part of your promotion plan, you’llneed to bring up the subject sooner rather than later. This will help yourmanager recognize that you’re not intending to take on a bigger role with-out some additional compensation.

In larger companies, pay scale will be tied directly to the position title orgrade. If you’re shooting for a new title with your promotion, an increase incompensation will automatically accompany that, so you may not have tobring up this subject. For companies that don’t have a defined pay structurein place, you will need to bring up the topic of compensation during yourinitial conversation. If you wait until later, it will appear as though you’venot been honest from the outset. (Read more about salary negotiations inchapter 6.)

Identify Potential Next StepsWrap up your meeting with a clear understanding of what the next stepswill be. For example:

So, to summarize our conversation, Mr. Manager, you’ll start the paperworkwith HR for the Account Manager title and salary grade, and announce thisat the Town Hall meeting. I’ll hit the ground running and will give you thosestatus reports each Friday afternoon. My commitment is to support your suc-cess in this as well. This is going to be a win-win for both the company andour customers!

Or this example:

So, to summarize our conversation, Mr. Manager, you’d like me to continueto hone my people management skills, as well as take ownership of the out-sourcing project. I understand that we’ll revisit this in eight weeks and if Ihave delivered a 15 percent increase in productivity that you’ll formalize mytitle to Account Manager at a grade 22 salary level.


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Language: Carefully Word YourRequestChoose your words wisely! Promotable people use language that is

l Positive, not plaintive

l Respectful, not rude

l Clear, not obscure

l Astute, not obtuse

l Winsome, not whining

These seven tips will help you get off to the right start:

l Check your emotions: Be absolutely certain you’re approaching froma position of enthusiasm and goodwill (offering a value proposition)and not jealousy, anger, or frustration over not having gotten your fairshare.

l Tone of voice: Your voice should convey warmth and confidence.One of the best ways to warm up your voice is by caring about theperson you are speaking to. If you have a boss who is difficult, thinkabout the positive things that will come from your proposal, such asimproved efficiency on the job, more money in the bank, customerswho are being serviced better, and so on. Confidence will come fromknowing you bring value and a strong ROI to the equation.

l Pitch: Your voice has a range of pitch. A high pitch can sound child-ish, whiny, or nervous. Consciously lower your voice to a comfortablelow within your range. To warm up your voice, sing (privately) yourfavorite song, then take it down a key or two.

l Contrast: Vary the pitch and volume of your voice. Just as a musicalpiece varies in its intensity and frequency to be interesting, so mustyou.

l Speed: Slow down your presentation (but not to a crawl), especially ifyou have a tendency to talk fast when you’re nervous or excited. Pauseoccasionally, and during those times remind yourself to check yourtone of voice.

l Ar-ti-cu-late: Be conscious of your tongue working inside yourmouth. If people ask you to repeat yourself, you’re likely mumbling.


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l Assertive style: Say it assertively.Communication styles can range frompassive and passive-aggressive to aggres-sive or arrogant. Somewhere in the mid-dle is the perfect balance of assertiveness,with the hallmarks of respect, honesty,confidence, open-mindedness, anddirect, straightforward communication.

A Two-Way, Win-WinDialogue, Not a MonologueApproach the conversation as a two-way discussion, not a one-waydemand. Emphasize your track record and value, as well as your under-standing of global organizational goals. Figure 4.4 illustrates how a strategythat combines results with a global perspective will position you as a “StarContributor.”

Clearly, those who focus on their results, including both technical skills andsocial competency, in combination with the global needs of the organiza-tion, are best positioned for promotion.

Without some practice, it’s highly unlikely that you will magically find per-suasive words that convey the bottom-line company-wide benefit of mov-ing you into an enlarged role. Even Robin Williams, king of improvisation,rehearses! Some people find it helpful to write out what you want to say sothat each of the words is well-chosen. Then, rehearse in front of a mirror,paying attention to your facial expressions and body language.

You don’t need to memorize a lengthy script, but do have your opening andclosing down cold. Imagine you have just 60 seconds to make your case forpromotion. To do so, you’ll need to have honed your message succinctly—to the point that it would fit on a bumper sticker!

Run your ideas past your coach or mentor to get feedback on how othersrespond to your phrasing. All of this prep work will add to your comfortlevel and confidence. One director of an international apparel companysaid, “If you’re stumbling over your words as you’re asking for a promotion,it’s not going to make a very good impression!”

Tip: Self-assess yourcommunication stylewith this quick quizfrom Joni Rose (betteryet, ask someone elseto rate you!): http://trainingpd.suite101.com/article.cfm/communication_styles.


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L.I.S.T.E.N. Like a Laser Something magical happens to a relationship when you listen fully—speak-ers sense that they are important to you, interesting, valued, and respected.They’ll then want to extend to you the same respect. This process is foun-dational to connecting in conversations with your manager (and peers).

To connect with your manager as you listen, remember these LISTENingtips:

l L = Laser your focus. Be fully present: Lock out distractions, lookinto your manager’s eyes, and lean forward slightly to show interest.Concentrate on your manager’s comments, not just your piece of theconversation.

Potential Contributor

Description: You understand the big picture and how your performance impacts teams,department, organization, and customers (a component of "Critical Thinking" in the "Top10 Characteristics of Promotable People" (see chapter 1); however, you may need your skill-set further developed (Competency) and/or confidence boosted (Confidence).

Action Steps: Fine-tune developmental needs (technical skills and/or social skills); identify your contributions and accumulate small-stepvictories to increase confidence.

Star Contributor

Description: You are both productive and have a global perspective. You are strategic about delivering results that align with the organization’s key priorities.

Star Contributors demonstrate all of the "Top 10 Characteristics of Promotable People": Character,Confidence, Communication, Competency, Connection, Critical Thinking, Contributions, Commitment, Control, and Coach-like.

Uninitiated Apprentice

Description: You approach your career from a self-focused perspective (for instance, "What can this company do for me?" instead of"What can I do for the company?").

Action Steps: Be open to directivesupervision; ensure there's a good job-fit for your strengths/interests; inquire about how your individual work impacts global organizational goals; with respect to the "Top10 Characteristics of Promotable People," focus on Character, Competency, and Critical Thinking.

Uninformed Producer

Description: You are productive, but uninformed about how your results impact the organization. Regarding the "Top 10 Characteristics ofPromotable People," you may be strong in Contribution and Character but lack in the CriticalThinking category or Connection category.

Action Steps: Gain exposure to and anunderstanding of the organization’s global goals; pair up with internal organizational mentors; take advantage of opportunities to work with cross-functional and interdepartmental teams; volunteer for projects outside of your normal sphere.

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Figure 4.4: Star Contributor strategy.


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l I = Investigate. Be curious. Probe beyond the surface…move beyondlistening “to” your manager to listening “for” (empathetically) yourmanager’s meaning, motives, feelings, priorities, values, perspective,and needs.

l S = Silence your tongue! Hold judgment and listen with an openmind. Don’t take things personally. If what your manager is sayingmakes you defensive, irritated, or nervous, there’s a greater chanceyou’ll miss the main point. Let him finish his sentences. Be comfort-able with a little silence in the conversation.

l T = Take brief notes. If clarification is needed, repeat your manager’squestion or statement. Take time to formulate your response.

l E = Elevate the other person. Good listeners make the other personfeel significant, valued, and respected. Act professionally, but resist theurge to be right, show off, or act brilliant with all the right answers.As a candidate for promotion, you’re there to contribute to the com-pany’s bottom line. Remember the mantra, “It’s about them, not me.”

l N = Note the nonverbal. Mirror the positive body language of yourmanager. If you perceive body language that indicates stress, confu-sion, frustration, or boredom, think about how you can respond toimprove the situation.

For an informal check on your communication skills, take the 25-PointCommunication Check in appendix E.

Emphasize “Progress” More Than“Promotion”Although the term promotion may seem like straightforward language to usewhen talking to your boss, use the term sparingly! Many a manager inter-viewed for this book cautioned against using the phrase, “I’d like a promo-tion” or “I want to get promoted.” Why?

1. First, it can put your manager on the defensive, leading him to think,“I don’t have it in the budget right now, so I’m just going to say no.”

2. Second, if you mention a promotion before the manager sees the cor-responding benefit to the company, he may have little motivation tohear you out. There’s wisdom in leading with benefits.


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3. Finally, promotion means differentthings to different people, as you saw inchapter 1. It’s better to be specific aboutthe progress you want (more responsi-bility, more money, different title) thanto simply ask for a promotion.

Borrow Language fromSample ConversationsSometimes it’s helpful to hear how others have languaged the promotionconversation. When reading through these samples, underline or highlightphrasing that might be appropriate to your situation.

In the following scenario, the individual anchors her promotion planaround a critical project within the company.

Thanks for your time. Before I jump in with my ideas, I’d like to make sureI’m on the same page with your vision for the Walker project. Could you saya little bit about how you’d define “extreme success” on that project?

[The manager defines success.]

And where do you see the greatest need?

[The manager describes the needs, which the employee is already aware ofbased on research and strategy sessions with her coach/mentor. Sheresponds…]

I hear you. And I also had some thoughts about how we could make surethat happens. I’ve been looking at the numbers, and it appears we can boostour returns by 6 to 8 percent if we…

[The employee describes a couple of bullet points and then waits for feed-back from the manager. She then continues…]

I’d like to be the one to take the ball and run with this, because it also fitsnicely with some of my personal career goals, one of which includes movingup to a position where I can have a greater impact on strategy and the bot-tom line, as well as take my compensation to the next level…

[This makes it clear that the employee is not simply raising her hand totake on more responsibilities without some form of compensation.

[The manager then gives the nod to go ahead, at which time role and salaryare discussed. If the manager turns down the salary increase, consider some-thing like this…]

Tip: If you leave thecompensation pieceout of the initial con-versation but revisit itlater, it might be misin-terpreted as whining.Set expectations forsalary in the initial conversation.


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I respect your position on that. I’d like an opportunity to prove myself. Giveme 90 days to show you what I can do. If at the end of 90 days I’m success-ful, compensate me the difference back to our start date. This way, there’s norisk for the company. Our client wins, the company wins, and my goals aremet as well.

Here is more language that can be helpful in your discussions.

When the company is growing:

It’s exciting to see all the plans on the table for continued growth. I’ve beenthinking about how I could contribute and also grow my career with thecompany.

When the company is contracting:

At this juncture in the company’s history, it’s critical that we jump-start oursales. Your strategy to market to the vendor community is right on the mark.As an add-on to that, I thought we could also… [explain the strategies] andhere is the return on investment we can anticipate. You’ll need someone youtrust who can take the reins on this. My performance on the recent SearchInitiative really honed my skills in this area. I could…

If there is resistance to your proposal:

What do you need to support the fact that this is the right business decision?

Then go about delivering it!

Remember Your Manager’s Managers Depending on the number of management levels within your organization,your manager may need to get input or approval from her counterparts orsuperiors. Consider this factor in your proposal, and include commentssuch as this:

I understand that the Customer Service and Order Fulfillment managers willneed to be on board with this proposal. I drafted a few talking points onhow we can approach them and show the ROI to their departments.

or

Ms. Manager, what do you need to be able to confidently present this toyour vice president? I’d like to be in that meeting to support you and offerdetails on any specific questions that might come up.

or

When could we get the three of us together to talk about this?


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If you’re presenting a proposal to a group ofindividuals with more seniority than you andyour immediate manager is among thatgroup, make sure you meet with your manager prior to the big meeting and getapproval on what you intend to say about herrole, if any. You don’t want to say somethingabout her in front of the group that willembarrass her or cause her to correct you. Gointo the meeting with your manager as anally.

Say It in PersonAccording to a 2006 study published in theJournal of Personality and Social Psychology,there’s only a 50-50 chance of ascertaining theintended tone of any e-mail message. In thestudy, 30 pairs of undergraduate students e-mailed each other about mundane topics, such as campus food or theweather. Assuming either a serious or sarcastic tone, one member of eachpair e-mailed the statement to his or her partner. The partners then guessedthe intended tone. The senders predicted that 80 percent of the time theirrecipients would correctly interpret the tone. In fact, the recipients got itright only a little over 50 percent of the time. Further, the recipientsthought they accurately interpreted the messages 90 percent of the time.

The lesson to be learned? E-mail can be easily misinterpreted. It is meantfor quick, simple communication. Save any important conversation forface-to-face meetings.

Keep It Going!Rarely will you march into your manager’s office, communicate your desirefor advancement, and be knighted there on the spot. It will take persever-ance. To keep the doors open for continued conversation, get permission torevisit the subject at a future date. At the conclusion of the conversation orimmediately after, mark your calendar to remind you about following upwith your manager. Update the action plan you started in chapter 2 withyour intentions and commitments.

Tip: In his classic pock-et guide How to GetYour Point Across in30 Seconds or Less(Pocket, 1990) Milo O.Frank suggests thatgoing to the right per-son is important. True,you must start withyour manager (neverleapfrog over yourmanager). However, ifyour manager’s boss isthe one who reallyholds the power topromote you, you haveto get him involved inthe conversation.


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Creating momentum is critical. Your abilityto persevere will be a sign to your managerthat you are, indeed, ready for more responsi-bility.

Key Points: Chapter 4l There is a time for every season. You

can’t expect to reap your harvest beforeyou’ve planted and watered the seeds.

l Promotions don’t happen with commu-nication. Remember to T.A.L.K. it out:

l T = Timing: There will be twosteps to the conversation: Thefirst is to request a meeting—ask for one-on-one face-timewith your manager; the secondis to actually have the “careerconversation” to discuss howyour career progression willalign with the company’s goals.

l A = Agenda: Determine themost important items to dis-cuss. Know what you want, aswell as what your employer and manager want. Know yourvalue to the organization. Decide on the best strategy topresent your proposal to your manager and adapt your pres-entation to your listener. Offer supporting documentation.Briefly touch on salary. And, finally, identify the potentialnext steps to keep momentum going.

l L = Language: Carefully word your request. Emphasizewords like “career progress” and not “promotion.” Checkyour emotions to be certain you’re approaching from a posi-tion of value and not desperation. Make sure your tone ofvoice conveys warmth and confidence. Articulate and speakassertively. Make sure the conversation is a two-way, win-windialogue and not a monologue.

Tip: In the book Crisp:Writing EffectiveE-Mail, Revised Edition

(Crisp Learning, 2003), author and e-communicationsexpert Nancy Flynncautions, “Many peo-ple treat e-mail toocasually, writing com-ments they wouldnever utter aloud. Playit safe. Do not writeanything to or aboutanother that youwould not feel com-fortable saying face-to-face.”

Flynn adds that 28 percent of employershave disciplined or terminated employeesfor sending e-mailcharacterized as menacing, harassing,or discriminatory.


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l K = Keep it Going!: Before you start the conversation withyour manager, think through how you will keep the dooropen to return to this discussion in the weeks to come. Getagreement from your manager on when you can revisit thesubject. Mark your calendar and don’t let that date slip byunnoticed. Work out an action plan between now and then so that you have some measurable progress to show your manager.


Chapter 5

Strategies for PromotionRoadblocks: I. C.A.N.

In the process of executing your promotion plan, you’re bound to encounter some roadblocks and detours. Count on them. They are life’s

way of sending you to the gym to exercise your resiliency muscles. Withoutroadblocks and challenges, we’d all be soft and flabby. When we meet themhead-on, we become stronger and healthier. This chapter is devoted to giv-ing you some muscle to manage any challenge that might present itself.

Before getting into the strategies, I’ll introduce the resiliency factor and aconcept called the “I. C.A.N.” mindset. People with a high degree ofresiliency display several common characteristics: They are

l Purposeful

l Confident of their value

l Persevering

l Proactive

l Optimistic

l Empowered, with inner strength

l Anxiety-free

l Balanced

l Diligent about self-care

l An inspiration to others

You can be sure that managers clamor to promote people with these charac-teristics.

Being resilient doesn’t require perfect and unwavering self-confidence, justthe skills to regain it in the least amount of time possible. Henry Ford said,“Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you’re right.” If youbelieve you can be resilient, you will be.

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The “I. C.A.N.” MindsetWhen operating in full force, your resiliencyfactor will enable you to say, “I CAN do this.”And, indeed, you can do it when you applythis meaning to the I. C.A.N. acronym:

l I = Inspire Daily: Recall a time whenyou felt utterly inspired, ready to takeon the world, confident that everythingwould work out for the best. Whatwould your career be like if you couldhave that feeling on a daily basis? Taskswould get tackled immediately, peoplewould want to have you on their team,ideas would flow, and energy would befocused on what really matters.Successful people master the art ofrecharging themselves with daily inspira-tion.

l C = Control the Controllables: One ofthe secrets of resilient people is that theyconcentrate on what they can control.You can’t control how your manager willrespond to your promotion plan. You can control how you respond toyour manager, and the manner in which you convey your return oninvestment. You can’t control whether your manager will go to bat foryou in endorsing you to his boss. You can control getting on the radarscreen of his boss by volunteering for projects that will give you morevisibility, weaving your personal stamp into materials that will be seenby the manager’s boss, asking to attend meetings where the boss willbe present, and so on. People who have a sense of control in theirday-to-day lives experience less stress.

l A = Act Now: Do not wait to do something that could be done now.This is especially true for actions that put us out of our comfort zone.What do you have a tendency to procrastinate on? Those are the veryitems that need to be acted on immediately. Why? Because doing sobuilds self-discipline. Self-discipline brings more self-control. Self-control allows you to act from a position of power and make wise choices that will move you forward. Forward movement builds

Tip: Who’s in chargeof your success?Psychologists use theterm “locus of control”to describe a person’sbeliefs about whetherinternal or externalforces are responsiblefor his success or fail-ure. People with aninternal locus of con-trol believe that suc-cess is contingent onwhat they do; thosewith an external locusof control believe thatevents outside theirpersonal control deter-mine success. To assessyour beliefs, take thefree assessment onlineat www.dushkin.com/connectext/psy/ch11/survey11.mhtml.

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__________________________Chapter 5: Strategies for Promotion Roadblocks: I. C.A.N.

momentum, which makes it easier to act. Now the cycle is complete,and you’re on a roll!

l N = Never Give Up!: Motivational speaker and sales coach Joe Girardaptly stated: “The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to usethe stairs…one step at a time.” Perseverance is a key characteristic ofsomeone with resiliency. When your manager gives you a “no,” ask,“What would it take to make it yes?” Then go do it. When you hit aroadblock, ask yourself, “What new behavior or way of thinking can Ilearn from this?” Then go practice it. No’s and roadblocks are “dou-ble-dip” opportunities—you not only master some new skill in theprocess, but you deepen your ability to persevere.

Victim or Victor: Turning Adversity into an AdvantageWhen faced with significant stress, what causes some people to shrivel indefeat while others thrive and find victory? A 12-year study conducted bypsychologist Salvatore R. Maddi, Ph.D., followed 400 executives, managers,and supervisors who were downsized by Illinois Bell Telephone as part of oneof the biggest deregulation and divestiture cases in American history.

Maddi’s results showed that approximately two-thirds suffered significantperformance, leadership, and health declines as a result of the extreme stressfrom the deregulation and divestiture, including heart attacks, strokes, obesity, depression, substance abuse, and poor performance reviews.

However, the other one-third actually thrived during the cataclysmic change.These employees maintained their health, happiness, and performance andfelt renewed enthusiasm, despite experiencing the same circumstances astheir coworkers.

What gave the thriving group such resilience? Three key attitudes:

• Commitment: A sort of “personal pledge” to stay involved inongoing events, instead of becoming isolated.

• Control: The initiative to influence outcomes and not lapse intopassivity and powerlessness.

• Challenge: A perspective that viewed changes, whether positiveor negative, as opportunities for new learning.

Which of the preceding three areas are you strongest in? Which area wouldyou like to focus on improving?

Read more about the study at www.psychologymatters.org/hardiness.html.

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15 Common Roadblocks In the pages that follow, I’ve catalogued somecommon roadblocks found on the path topromotion. You’ll see commonalities in someof the underlying concerns, which typicallypoint to problems with the boss’s behavior orin some cases budget limitations. As you readthrough, highlight or checkmark those itemsthat might apply to you, as well as tips you’llact on to improve your situation.

#1: You Are Too Valuablein Your Current Role

Potential Issues or UnderlyingConcerns

o Manager seems to be stalling.

o Manager doesn’t want to lose you as aproducer.

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Create your own succession plan if one

doesn’t already exist. If you haven’t beentraining one or more people to step intoyour role, get busy. Who are the bestcandidates to fill your shoes so that youcan move up?

l Propose a mentoring plan where you’ll get your promotion but alsobe available to your successor for a set period of time.

l If you sense your manager doesn’t want to lose you and you wouldstill report to him in a new promoted role, emphasize your continuedsupport of him. For instance, “I am committed to supporting you aswe move this project forward and will continue to give you 100 per-cent effort so that you also meet your production goals.” Or, “I canassure you that a key priority for me is to make sure you look goodwhen it comes to turning in numbers for our district.” Continue toact supportive and produce results.

Tip: Recognize yourcontribution to theproblem. In ManagingUp: 59 Ways to Build aCareer-AdvancingRelationship with YourBoss (AMACOM/American Manage-ment Association,1999), Michael andDeborah Singer Dobsonoffer suggestions fordealing with problembosses. Consistent withthe Control theControllables concept,they advise looking atyourself and the poten-tial impact your actionsmay be having on theproblem. That doesn’tmean you are causingthe problems. Instead,the Dobsons point outthat you have morepower to change your-self than you do yourmanager. Therefore,responding more effec-tively is often yourmost powerful tool.

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#2: Your Manager Won’t Endorse You for Promotion

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso Manager won’t endorse you to other executives involved in the hiring

decision.

o Manager doesn’t want to lose control, influence, or power over you.

o Manager is not completely convinced that you will perform well inthe new position, which could reflect on her performance record.

o Manager is concerned that you will outshine her if promoted.

o Manager either states directly that you’re not ready or avoids tellingyou you’re not ready for promotion. (This may or may not be true.)

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Ask specifically about the timeline: “You mentioned that increasing

my management skills is a prerequisite to promotion. I’d like to beclear on what you anticipate and how we’ll measure success so that Ihave clear goals.”

l If you sense your manager isn’t sold on endorsing you in the newposition, ask, “What would you need to see in my performance toassure you that this move would benefit the company?”

l If your manager continues to seem evasive about career conversations,watch for an opportune moment to explore this further. Do so in acurious, nonjudgmental tone so that the manager doesn’t get defen-sive or feel backed into a corner. For example, “You know, Mr.Manager, I hear you saying you support me in developing my career,and yet it doesn’t seem that much is happening despite my meetingevery goal you’ve set. Help me understand what the benefits are totapping on the brakes like this.”

#3: There Are Limited Opportunities for Promotion

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso Your career and the position you’re currently in will only be what you

make it. Take ownership of your initiative.

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Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Ask your manager about plans for growth and how you can con-

tribute to that growth.

l Create your own opportunities. Start by looking for problems thatneed to be fixed and issues that need to be solved. Once you do, finda solution that you can be involved in and identify the return oninvestment associated with that solution. Voilà, you have a proposalthat could lead to promotion.

l Look for projects that interest you and will expand your skill set.There is no shortage of opportunity in the world.

#4: Another Employee More Senior ThanYou “Needs” to Be Promoted Before You

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso Politics are at play.

o There may be a more senior employee who is not as capable as youwho your manager owes a favor or who may respond negatively if sheisn’t promoted first.

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Enlist the support of an advocate who can endorse you to the powers

that be and ask, “Who made up the rule that we have to promote amore senior employee first? John is a better producer and a betterleader. We don’t want to risk losing him because of rules that aren’tserving us well.”

l Within your promotion proposal, suggest a solution that allows theperson with more seniority to also “win” with, for instance, a newtitle that gives the person some perk or special task.

l If you are truly the best person for the job, have a courageous conver-sation with your manager and ask in a curious, nonjudgmental toneof voice, “Help me understand how that policy best serves the company in this situation.”

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#5: Your Manager Doesn’t Perceive You as a Logical Choice for Promotion

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso Manager is grooming someone else or has a favorite who is the “heir

apparent” for promotion.

o Manager seems oblivious that you are interested in promotion.

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Make certain the manager knows your career development goals.

l If necessary, have a courageous conversation with your manager thatcovers what you’ve accomplished and where you see yourself in themonths or years to come. “Ms. Manager, my intentions for my careerinvolve contributing in the role of Account Supervisor in the next 8to 12 months, and then Account Manager beyond that. My salarygoals are to generate contributions to the company that warrant asalary in the $70,000 to $80,000 range within the next three years.I’ve mapped out some ideas for how to make that happen, and wouldwelcome your suggestions.”

Articulating your goals will create a new reality for your manager.Once those seeds are planted, continue to take action, deliver resultsthat will validate your qualification in your manager’s eyes, and followup at appropriate intervals.

l Request specific assignments and volunteer for projects that willincrease the experiences and skill sets needed to be promoted.

#6: You Are Too New to the Company to Be Promoted, or Not Known by the Right People

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso You don’t have the depth of organizational knowledge needed to

excel.

o You’ll upset the apple cart by being promoted earlier than more seniorindividuals (also see strategies under “Another Employee More SeniorThan You ‘Needs’ to Be Promoted Before You”).

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Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Meet and greet everyone you can. Find an informal guide within the

company who can introduce you to key players.

l Volunteer for projects that would put you on the radar screen of theright folks. (For a great success story, see the sidebar, “Getting on theRadar Screen: Volunteer and Be of Value.”)

l If you are in a company with a complex organizational structure,develop relationships with those who have the power to promote byasking for a few minutes of their time. Always be cautious to followthe chain of command to make sure your immediate supervisor isaware of, and okay with, your activity. For instance, you might say toyour immediate supervisor, “Betty, I’d like to share with John some ofthe wins our team has had and wanted to get your input on theappropriate way to approach him.” For example, if “John” is someonea level above your manager, you might say, “John, I was speaking withBetty the other day and she suggested you might appreciate seeingsome of the wins our project team has had recently. And I’d valueyour input on some of our other projects as well. I wondered whereyou might have a few minutes in your schedule in the comingweeks.” This makes it clear to John that you have Betty’s okay andaren’t trying to sidestep protocol.

Getting on the Radar Screen: Volunteer and Be of ValueAnn was hired as a district manager for a pharmaceutical company. Shequickly noted a weakness in the company’s process for reviewing resumesand gained agreement from the training department that this was an areathey could improve on. Ann enlisted the support of a resume expert who cre-ated a PowerPoint presentation to teach managers how to analyze resumesfor credible contributions and potential liabilities.

This earned the attention of the training department, which needed peopleto help write training modules for senior district managers. Ann offered, “I’dbe happy to help,” and in doing so, met Jerry, the person who was the leadon the project.

Soon after that, Jerry mentioned to Ann, “I might be interested in you as amanager-in-residence” (a prize position, normally reserved for district man-agers with three to four years of seniority with the company). Ann replied,“I’d like that; when would you like me to follow up with you?”

Ann was selected for the coveted manager-in-residence program only sixmonths after being hired—this was unheard of in the company’s history.

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#7: You Have a Passive or UnskilledManager Who Takes No Interest in Your Career Development

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso You’ve tried having courageous conversations with your manager

about your career development, but to no avail.

o In this case, you should have concerns about your manager. (Committo succeeding in spite of him and, when you’re his boss in the years tocome, remember to thank him for the extra career coping skills youdeveloped because of him!)

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Look for opportunities to be transferred to another manager.

l Find an internal mentor who will take an interest in your career. Yourcommitment and enthusiasm will often be a rewarding payback foryour mentor’s investment of time in you.

l Speak with human resources and ask for their input on the situation.

l Get on the radar screen of executives above your manager (see “YouAre Too New to the Company to Be Promoted, or Not Known bythe Right People”).

l If you think, “I could be doing his job better than he is,” it may betrue. Keep doing an excellent job (along with the other suggestionsrelated to this roadblock). Time is a great leveler.

#8: You Have a Difficult Relationship with Your Manager

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso We all have certain people whom we easily connect with, and a few

we don’t. There may come a time in your career when you work witha manager who falls into the latter category.

o There may be a misunderstanding or situation that needs to beaddressed.

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o There may be concerns by executives above your manager that if youcan’t get along with this person, who else will you not be able to getalong with?

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Take the perspective that this is an opportunity to learn how to work

with a challenging individual. Set appropriate boundaries, be profes-sional at all times, and focus on delivering results instead of trying towin over your manager.

l If your manager causes you to get easily frustrated or angry, recognizehow the manager may be pushing your buttons. Once you know thetriggers, you can teach yourself to be aware of them and respond in amore effective manner.

l Look past the irritation to the need. Allow your manager to behuman and fallible, just like all of us. There’s power in forgiveness.

l If something happened to cause a previously strong relationship to go south, strategize with your mentor or coach. It may be that anapology is in order. Or it may be that giving up your need to be right(even if you are right) would repair the rift.

l If your manager is discriminating or harassing you, you need toobjectively document the situation and report it to human resources.

#9: Your Manager Is Taking Credit for YourIdeas

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso Your manager has a big ego and may be thinking, “You’re under my

supervision, so it’s only fair that I get credit for developing you.” Insome respects, she’s right.

o Your manager is afraid you will outshine her.

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Let your manager take credit for a few of your accomplishments. You

will be less of a threat to her if you do. Choose your battles wisely.

l Offer compliments to feed her ego. Of course, they must be sincere,so watch for activities she does well. For instance, “Jean, I couldn’t

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help but be impressed with the way youhandled the vendor negotiations. Thatwas an amazing move at the end whereyou got them to agree to free shipping.That’ll make our budget numbers lookgreat!”

l Watch for opportunities in meetings tosay things like, “I am really appreciativethat Manager Mike gave me the oppor-tunity on this project to ‘take the balland run with it.’ It’s been a very reward-ing experience to see the results rollin….” This subtly makes it known thatyou had the lead.

l E-mail your new ideas to your boss butcc other managers who may have someinterest in the project. In your e-mail,mention “Mr. Manager, I’m cc’ing Manager Mary because it couldalso impact her team positively should you decide to implement this.”

l Share your new ideas in meetings so that others are aware of wherethe ideas originally came from. Be cautious that, when sharing, youdon’t say something that embarrasses or catches your manager offguard; you never want to make him uncomfortable in front of hispeers.

l Put your name, as well as your manager’s name if appropriate, onreports or other documents that have your thought leadership. Forexample,

Outsourcing Proposal & Return on Investment Projections

Prepared by John Q. Smith

Jane Doe, Manager, Procurement Department

l If it’s not possible to include your name on a report that will be seenby people with the power to promote you, consider mentioning yourinvolvement in e-mails or other correspondence associated with thereport. Your goal here is not to grandstand but to casually referenceyour contributions to the team. Mentioning other people’s contribu-tions is a way to share the spotlight and still get your name in the picture.

Tip: In her nationalbestseller Nice GirlsDon’t Get the Cor-ner Office (WarnerBusiness Books, 2004),Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D.,gives insightful wisdominto what meetings arereally about. “Mostmeetings are anincredible waste oftime if you think thecontent is what they’reall about. It’s not.Meetings are to seeand be seen, meet andgreet, or play show-and-tell.”

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#10: You Are Attempting Too Big a Move

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso Most managers are very cautious about handing over power, and with

good reason. If you fail, they look bad.

o The manager may think that you aren’t savvy enough to see the bene-fits that come from patient, steady progress.

o The manager may think that you haven’t yet “paid your dues.”

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Think big, but be realistic and strategic. For instance, if you have a

big idea that you’re convinced would work for the company, share thebig idea, but offer a phased process of implementation that wouldensure success. No company is going to invest in a big new projectwithout some kind of pilot program.

l Look at the sequence of positions other successful people have takento get where you want to be. Are you leaving out any steps? If so,what are the drawbacks of missing out on those experiences? Whatexperiences can you substitute to address your manager’s potentialconcerns?

#11: You Have Had Poor PerformanceEvaluations or Been Turned Down for Promotion

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso You were associated with a project that didn’t go well.

o You said or did something that caused people to question your credi-bility, motives, or professionalism.

o You have not met performance expectations on past evaluations oryou had a tough reviewer for your past evaluation.

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl If your prior performance evaluation wasn’t positive, be extra diligent

about documenting your successes. Do this on a weekly basis so that

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you remember any items that will be in your favor. Send your manag-er a short e-mail on Friday afternoons recapping the successes for theweek. Compile each of these updates into one file on your computerso that you have access to it when it comes time for your next review.

l If you need to do some damage control regarding your reputation,think strategically and bring in help. Talk to your mentor, coach, ormanager (if you’re on good terms with him) about how to improveyour image. Of course, nothing beats producing great results in ahumble, team-spirited manner.

l If you were associated with negative circumstances in the past, some-times the best tactic is to hunker down and not be noticed for any-thing except exceptional results. The situation may eventually be forgotten as time passes.

#12: There Are Problems with YourAppearance

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso In the world of work, few people will be honest with you that you’re

not getting promoted due to being overweight, having an unkemptappearance, donning an antiquated wardrobe, or even smelling of cig-arette smoke (especially noticeable if most of the others in your com-pany don’t smoke). Often, the only clue you’ll receive is from anony-mous feedback on 360º performance evaluations.

o Your manager may be concerned that you won’t represent the company with the desired image or level of professionalism.

o Your manager may be concerned that you’re not observant enough torecognize what’s expected within your corporate culture or you’re notopen to change.

o If you are a smoker or overweight, there may be concerns that youlack the self-control to quit smoking or lose weight. And if you can’t,what other business areas might this lack of self-control spill into?(Note: Although these concerns may be ungrounded, they can still beperceived concerns. Perception is reality!)

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Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Review any 360º-type assessments for

comments that allude to any of the pre-ceding concerns. If your organizationhasn’t used an internal 360º assessment,ask your manager about conductingyour own research on your personalbrand.

l Ask a mentor or someone you trust(preferably someone successful insideyour company) to be honest with you about what might need tochange. For instance, “If there were one thing about me personallythat might prevent me from getting promoted—even if it were some-thing that people would be hesitant to tell me directly—what wouldthat be?”

l Work with a coach, image consultant, or branding expert to help witha professional makeover.

l Evaluate your wardrobe, hairstyle, glasses, and so on by comparing itto those who are being promoted or are in the position you’d like tohold. Make any necessary adjustments. You don’t need to clone your-self to a star performer, but you do need to fit into the corporate cul-ture.

l If wardrobe is the primary concern, shop at a store that specializes inbusiness attire and ask for help. Tell them that you are working onyour promotion plan and want to be sure your wardrobe is appropri-ate for the type of position you’re targeting.

l If weight is the primary concern, ensure that your clothing is figure-flattering, of good-quality material, and cut generously (don’t trysqueezing into a smaller size just to flatter your ego). Again, assistancefrom someone who knows the ins and outs of fashion will be helpful.You may feel silently judged for being overweight; if so, curb anytemptation to retaliate. Instead, focus on your positive personalityand ability to produce results.

Of course, losing weight is always a good idea from a health stand-point, but don’t beat yourself up for overeating. That usually justcauses you to turn to food again for comfort. If you find yourself eat-ing for any reason other than hunger, ask yourself, “What do I truly

Tip: If you’re in themarket for an imageupdate, enlist the sup-port of an expert. Oneof my trusted authori-ties on the subject isMary Ann Dietschler(www.CoachMaryAnn.com).

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need to do to take care of myself right now?” It may be a simple self-care action, such as removing yourself from the stress you’re under for10 minutes, grabbing a quick nap in your car during lunch, or eventaking care of some responsibility that’s been hanging over you.

l Women, be cautious to not dress suggestively, as this can cause man-agement to question your judgment.

#13: Your Communications/PresentationStyle Needs Improvement

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso If you can’t communicate persuasively, how will you influence direct

reports, upper management, customers, clients, or the public?

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Join Toastmasters or work with an individual skilled at delivering pol-

ished presentations and persuasive communications.

l Communicating and presenting are physical activities. There is noway to get better without practicing—it won’t be accomplished bysilently rehearsing in your head. Practicing aloud gets it into yourmuscle memory.

l When making presentations, pause occasionally to collect yourthoughts and remember to breathe. Find a friendly face in the audi-ence (or ask a trusted colleague ahead of time to be your cheerleaderwho silently nods in agreement and smiles at appropriate times); lookto this person frequently to help keep you centered.

l To quell any performance jitters, focus on whether your audience isgetting what it needs—you can’t think about yourself and the audi-ence at the same time!

l When preparing for informal meetings, review materials to refreshyour memory and jot down bulleted talking points to help keep youfocused.

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#14: You Need to See theGlobal Perspective ofYour Organization

Potential Issues or UnderlyingConcerns

o You don’t understand how your positionintersects with others or how it con-tributes to the bottom line.

o You have a self-focused agenda.

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl Start off each day with a checklist of

priorities. At the top of that checklist,write “see the big picture” to remindyou to think about the global perspec-tive and how you can contribute to it.

l Volunteer for projects that will give youexposure to more than what you nor-mally see in your day-to-day work.

l Ask for input and feedback from indi-viduals in other departments.

l Network internally and externally—challenge yourself to meet new people who can add to your perspec-tive.

l Ask your manager how your department fits into the bigger pictureand how it contributes to the bottom line (but be careful not to askyour manager something you should already know).

#15: Your Confidence Needs a Boost

Potential Issues or Underlying Concernso Managers will not entrust important projects or budgets to someone

who is sheepish, shrinking, or overly self-conscious.

Tip: Don’t alienateyourself by missing theglobal perspective! Anexecutive with a1,300-employeeorganization recalledhow one managerabsolutely hung him-self in a meeting whenhe stood up and spokeof a strategic plan forhis IT department. Theplan made no connec-tion to the organiza-tion’s needs or thecustomer’s needs, andthere was no referencewhatsoever about theresources required fordeployment. It was just“cool” technology thatthe manager wasexcited about. Every-one in the room wasflabbergasted with this individual’s self-absorption and lack ofa global perspective.

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o You will not be given supervisory responsibilities, as employees don’tfollow someone who is always uncertain or second-guessing them-selves.

Help-in-a-Hurry Tipsl One of the fastest ways to boost your confidence is to experience

some sort of a win. To do so you’ll need to get moving—wins are vir-tually impossible without action. Start small and tackle some littletask that you’ve been putting off. Choose something you can do inthe next 10 minutes. Do it now.

l Once you have a few warm-up winsunder your belt, you’ll have the emo-tional energy to tackle some biggertasks. Choose something important toyour manager’s priorities.

l Now up the ante by asking your manager for a challenging assignment.She will sense your newfound confi-dence and, if she’s a good manager, shewill want to foster it.

l Remember that the further the task isfrom your comfort zone, the greater theconfidence you’ll experience when com-pleting it. You’ll begin to sense you cantackle anything once you’ve faced downa few of your comfort-zone gremlins (agremlin is that voice you hear in yourhead that accuses you of not being able to do something).

l Recall times in your life when you’ve been at your best. What waspresent that made this so? What can you control that will allow youto be at your best today?

Know When to Walk AwayRemember that this book is about controlling the controllables. If you havedone everything in your power to position yourself as promotable and thecompany won’t or can’t meet your career needs, be ready with a Plan B,which might involve a move to another company.

Tip: If you choose topursue a position withanother company,choose wisely. Whoyou work for can makeor break the situation.Look for a managerwho has a track recordof developing and pro-moting employees.Talk to people whohave worked for himin the past. Find outthe scuttlebutt. Askquestions. Who youwork for can be every-thing!

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If you decide to look for greener pastures after having pulled together yourpromotion plan, you’ll have quite a bit going for you:

l You will be very marketable to other employers because you have clar-ified your value, brand, and return on investment.

l You already have many of your personal marketing materials ready to go.

l Your confidence is up because you’ve been taking action.

Then, it’s simply a matter of touching base with your network to exploreand evaluate opportunities. (For a complete how-to on interviewing andjob search, see my prior books, Interview Magic and Job Search Magic, pub-lished by JIST.)

ROADBLOCK BUSTERS

Use this worksheet to identify roadblocks and help-in-a-hurry tipsthat will work best in your situation.

Roadblock I need to take action on: #_________________________

Actions I will take: ______________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________



______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________



______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Key Points: Chapter 5l Use the “I. C.A.N.” mindset, remembering to Inspire Daily, Control

the Controllables, Act Now, and Never Give Up.

l Create your own succession plan and train others to step into yourrole.

l Clarify the reason your manager won’t endorse your promotion; thenask what he or she would need to be assured that this move wouldbenefit the company.

l Ask about plans for growth and how you can contribute; look forprojects that interest you and will expand your skill set.

l If another employee more senior than you “needs” to be promotedbefore you, find an internal advocate who can endorse you; suggest a solution that allows the other person to also “win”; or ask yourmanager to help you understand the policy.

l Make certain the manager knows your career-development goals; havea courageous conversation that covers where you see yourself in thefuture; request specific assignments and volunteer for projects thatwill increase the experiences and skill sets needed to be promoted.

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l Find someone internally who is well-connected who can be a mentoror informal guide; volunteer for projects that will put you on theradar screen of the right folks; develop relationships with those whohave the power to promote.

l If you have a passive or unskilled manager who takes no interest inyour career development, look for opportunities to be transferred toanother manager; find an internal mentor who will take an interest inyour career; speak with someone from human resources and ask fortheir input on the situation; and get on the radar screen of executivesabove your manager.

l If you have a difficult relationship with your manager, take the per-spective that this is an opportunity to learn how to work with a chal-lenging individual.

l Let your manager take credit for a few of your accomplishments;watch for opportunities in meetings to mention how much you’veenjoyed having full responsibility for projects; e-mail new ideas toyour boss but cc others; or share ideas in meetings where others areaware of where the ideas came from.

l Think big, but be realistic and strategic; share the big idea, but offer aphased process of implementation; look at the positions other peoplehave taken to get where you want to be.

l Be extra diligent about documenting your successes; consider bring-ing in a coach or mentor if you need to do some damage control.

l Ask a mentor or someone you trust to be brutally honest with youabout what about your appearance might need to change for you tobe promoted; act on this without being defensive.

l If your communications style needs improvement, practice aloud.

l Train yourself to look for the big picture; volunteer for projects thatwill give you more exposure; ask for feedback.

l Set up yourself to experience some sort of a win; once you have a fewwarm-up wins under your belt, you’ll have the emotional energy totackle some bigger tasks. Ask your manager for a challenging assign-ment.

l If you have done everything in your power to position yourself aspromotable and the company won’t or can’t meet your career needs,be ready with a Plan B, which might involve moving to another company.

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Chapter 6

Salary Negotiations: Howto Get Paid for the Work

You Really Do

In chapter 1, you identified what a promotion means to you. If it includes a desire for additional income with your newfound responsibili-

ties, read on.

When you play your cards right, it won’t be difficult to discuss salary. Youmust get in the game and speak up. An increase in salary will not come bysilently wishing for it. You must communicate your expectations.

Of course, in larger companies where salary scales are aligned with specifictitles, promotion to a new title will usually bring the associated compensa-tion. However, even in these cases, there can be a range of several thousanddollars, so you’ll want to be sure you get the most you deserve.

This 10-step process will guide you through salary discussions:

1. Memorize the mantra—“it’s all about value.”

2. Know the market.

3. Know what you want.

4. Ask at the right time.

5. Ask the right person.

6. Collaboratively discuss, don’t threaten.

7. Find common ground.

8. Ask for what you want.

9. Anticipate objections.

10. Keep the door open.

The following sections take a look at each of the steps in more detail.

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Step 1: Memorize theMantra—“It’s All AboutValue”It’s all about value. To effectively negotiate anincrease in salary, you must first understandyour value. You’ve already done this in chap-ter 4 (under the heading “Know Your Value,”see the worksheet “My Return on InvestmentSolution”). If you haven’t had a chance tocomplete that worksheet, do so now. You’llneed the information to create your valuestatement.

The examples that follow will help you craftlanguage for your value statement. Noticehow each one begins with reference to theemployer’s priorities and goals, as well asweaves in specific, bottom-line figures usingpercentages and dollar amounts:

l Customer Service Representative (pro-moting to Customer Service Trainer): Iunderstand the company’s priority ofcustomer retention, and I’ve made that my priority as well. My abilityto smooth over ruffled feathers and find solutions to problems helpedsave one of our key accounts last March—that account generates 40percent of our sales. Moreover, I’ve helped train other reps to askquestions of customers so they can make product suggestions—thosesuggestions have helped boost our average sale per call by 12 percent.That translates to more than $7,800 in sales per day!

l Maintenance Supervisor (promoting to Manager): Our strategic planemphasizes on-time delivery to our customers. That cannot happenunless we deliver in the area of productivity. The technical skills Ibring to the organization have contributed significantly to overall pro-ductivity. Since I’ve been in the position, we’ve upped our production19 percent and reduced assembly-line downtime from 7.0 to 0.5

Tip: “The futurebelongs to the askers,”says best-selling authorBrian Tracy in his bookGet Paid More andPromoted Faster: 21Great Ways to GetAhead in Your Career(Berrett-KoehlerPublishers, Inc., 2001).He continues, “Thefuture does not belongto those people whosit back, wishing andhoping that things willimprove. The futurebelongs to those peo-ple who step up andask for what theywant. And if theydon’t get it right away,they ask, again andagain, until they doget it.” (Great quote!)

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__________Chapter 6: Salary Negotiations: How to Get Paid for the Work You Really Do

hours per week. I understand from the sales team that this improve-ment translates to nearly $130,000 in sales on a monthly basis.

l Administrative Staffer (promoting to Administrative Leader): Iknow that time means money. That’s why I take the initiative onadmin details for our projects. In doing so, I’ve freed up Bill (the sen-ior consultant) to add more than 27 percent to his billable clienttime. That 27 percent brought in an extra $4,700 in billing lastmonth. In my new role as the lead admin staffer, I’ll be training theother admin staff to generate similar results, with a target of approxi-mately $28,350 in additional monthly revenue.

l Program Supervisor (promoting to Program Manager): One of ourstrategic priorities is to make our member companies aware of thevalue of their association with ABC Healthcare. To that end, I’ve ini-tiated our first Town Hall meeting to solicit feedback on what ourmembers truly want, started our blog that’s getting excellent response,and introduced webinars on hot topics that have been widely attended. From that, we’ve learned that there’s opportunity to upselllive training and we have our product development team working onthat right now. Our online member satisfaction surveys tell us that 93percent of members would re-enroll when their contract is up forrenewal. This is a 14 percent increase from the survey conductedbefore I took on this role.

If you are not privy to specific dollar amounts (perhaps your company istight-fisted with this information), begin accumulating your own baselinedata so that you can manage your progress with facts and figures. In themeantime, go back and do your best to recreate numbers based on yourbest recollection. If necessary, speak in generalities, such as “I’m confident ifyou check the numbers, you will find that significant progress wasachieved.”

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MY VALUE STATEMENT

Your payoff for creating a value statement will be confidence—know-ing what you’re worth is a powerful trump card! Using the priorexamples as a springboard, write out your value statement here.Remember to lead off with a sentence that underscores your under-standing of what’s most important to the company.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Step 2: Know the MarketYour salary request must be rooted in facts. If not, you’ll lose credibilitywith your manager. To get at those facts, do your research. Use onlinesources and talk to people in the industry. Depending on the size of yourcompany and its policies, it may publish a listing of salary ranges. Ask yourhuman resources department, but don’t expect them to go to bat for you asan advocate for a raise. They’re not in the business of being a union stewardwhose job is to negotiate on behalf of its members!

Research Comparable SalariesFirst you must lay the groundwork by researching comparable salaries. Inthis step, you’ll want to put together some hard numbers about averagecompensation for someone with your skills, qualifications, years of experi-ence, industry focus, and geographic location. Do this for both your currentposition and for the target promotion position.

With abundant resources available on the Web, in the library, and throughyour network, there’s no need to rely on just one source for comparablesalary data. It’s unlikely that you will be able to identify a precise salary for

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the exact promotion you are targeting, but the more information you have,the more confident you’ll feel about negotiating your raise based on “fairmarket value.”

Salary Tools and SurveysThe Internet abounds with tools and resources that will give you detailedinformation about salary ranges for specific professions in specific geo-graphic areas. Additional resources are available in print publications, bothbooks and periodicals, that you can find at your local library. Your referencelibrarian can help you find the most precise and most comprehensivesources for your particular field and level. Here are a few to get you started:

l JobStar.org Gateway (www.jobstar.org): Click on “Salary Info” for agateway to hundreds of salary surveys available on the Internet.

l Salary tools: The following sites are a good place to start; you can eas-ily find many more by entering the word “salary” into your favoritesearch engine.

www.payscale.comwww.careerbuilder.comwww.monster.comwww.salary.comwww.salaryexpert.comwww.salarysource.com www.wageweb.com

l Professional associations: If you are a member of one or more profes-sional associations, contact them directly to ask about salary surveys.Or use the Encyclopedia of Associations as a reference to find associa-tions relevant to your field, and then call or visit their Web sites formore information.

l Specialty sites: Although salary tools are helpful, they may be toogeneric for your situation. If your professional association doesn’t offersalary surveys, look for specialty sites that address the needs of yourindustry. For example, www.CareerCoachRD.com specializes in help-ing dietitians negotiate pay raises and compensation.

l U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Thisresource is a treasure-trove of career information including salaryranges. Explore www.bls.gov/oco/ to find data for your profession.

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l The Riley Guide to EmploymentOpportunities and Job Resources onthe Internet: This exceptional siteincludes a comprehensive resource listfor salary information (www.rileyguide.com/salary.html) and a separate sectionon executive compensation (www.rileyguide.com/execpay.html). You willfind links to dozens of helpful sites;there is also a review of one of the fee-based salary reports you can purchase onthe Web.

Internet Postings and Want AdsThe large job boards such as Monster.comand CareerBuilder.com are also a quick sourcefor some hard salary numbers, so don’t over-look these resources, even though you’re not necessarily planning to changeemployers.

Network ContactsTap your network to gather information on salary. Of course, you wouldnot want to ask your contact how much he or she makes! One or more ofthese ideas will allow you to ask without stepping into the forbidden terri-tory of someone’s personal financial situation:

l “What type of raises have your colleagues in positions similar to minereceived over the past three to four years?”

l “What trends are you seeing in terms of compensation for someonewho is moving from the position of program manager to programdirector?”

l “What’s the biggest bonus or pay-for-performance increase you’veheard of someone receiving?”

l “Here are some highlights of accomplishments in my current position[list them briefly, including the ROI associated with each]. Given theability to make this sort of contribution, what kind of salary wouldthat translate to at your company?”

Tip: The Hay system isa point-factor methodof job evaluation thatmeasures three factorscommon to all jobs:know-how, problemsolving, and accounta-bility. The classificationsystem focuses oninternal job relation-ships and maintaininginternal equity. Manylarge companies usethis system for deter-mining salary andmake this informationavailable to theiremployees.

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l “Tell me, what’s the going rate for someone with my experience atyour company? What would a top performer earn?”

l “Does your company offer merit raises, pay-for-performance raises, orsome other system?”

l “Beyond COLA (cost of living adjustments), what type of raises doesyour company give?”

l “What does your company pay for Java programmers with five yearsof experience?”

l “I’ve been at the same company so long, I’m out of touch with salaryranges. Can you help me with some general information about whatother companies are doing?”

Be sure to talk to your friends who work at large companies. Most largeorganizations have fixed salary ranges based on job grade, and these tablesare often published in an employee handbook.

RecruitersRecruiters are an excellent source of salary information. They are usuallylooking for “tight-fit” candidates within very specific salary ranges. If you’veworked with a recruiter in the past, touch base and ask for a “marketcheck” on your salary expectations. You might also ask whether the recruit-ing firm has conducted any salary surveys for your profession. And, beready! Your recruiter contacts may just have open positions they’re trying tofill. If you’re not interested in them, you’ll score points by offering therecruiters some names of people who would potentially be a good fit.

Put It All TogetherRelying on multiple sources means that you will have a wide range of datathat, together, should give you a fairly accurate picture of the “going rate”for your profession. Table 6.1 shows a sample of comparative salary datadeveloped by a Web designer.

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Table 6.1: Research on Comparative Salary Data

Low Mid Upper Source Range Range Range

Salary tool: $46,027 $54,704 $58,315workindex.com/salary/(national averages)

Salary tool: $45,662 $54,269 $57,853www.salary.com(national averages)

Salary tool: $37,383 $47,798 $56,517www.salaryexpert.com(New York/statewide average)

Salary survey: $40,000 $48,000 $56,700American Institute of Graphic Artists

Print ad: Flash $32,000 $40,000Designer/Graphic Artist (Kansas City Star)

Online ad: Production $57,000 $66,000Artist (New York)

Network contact: $40,000 $45,000 $50,000president, Kansas City Ad Club

Network contact: $45,000 $47,500 $50,000Acme Corporation, job grade 8

Average $42,965 $49,544 $54,423

Step 3: Know What You WantNow that you know the “going rate” for people doing the work you wantto do, you can begin to clarify what you want in compensation. Increasesmay come in one or more of these forms:

l Merit increase: A merit raise is based on criteria such as job perform-ance, initiative, and attendance. It looks back at past performance.

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l Pay-for-performance increase: A pay-for-performance increase is setat the beginning of the year (or other review period) and is paid basedon attaining specific performance milestones.

l Competitive pay increase: This increase is based on a marketapproach, with an increase equivalent or similar to what other compa-nies are paying.

l Bonus: Although some companies give arbitrary year-end bonuses, aformal bonus system is typically tied to either individual performanceor group performance.

l COLA: A COLA increase, which stands for Cost Of LivingAdjustment, is not a raise but an escalation simply to keep in stepwith the cost of living.

COMPARE YOUR SALARY

Compare your current salary to your research. Place a checkmark nextto the statement that is most true for you.

My current salary is

o Below the low range found in my research

o In the low range found in my research

o In the middle range found in my research

o In the upper range found in my research

o Above the upper range found in my research

Based on my experience and ability to deliver a strong ROI, I catego-rize myself in this level for my promotion position:

o The low range found in my research

o The middle range found in my research

o The upper range found in my research

The difference between my current position and my promotion posi-tion is ________________________________________________

(continued)

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This represents a _____ percent increase. (To calculate the percentageincrease, divide the promotion position figure by the current positionsalary. For example, if $92,000 is your promotion position figure and$85,000 is your current salary, divide $92,000 by $85,000. Thisequals 1.08 percent, or an 8 percent increase in salary.)

After calculating this information, develop your target raise in theseranges:

l Your “reality” number: The lowest increase you will accept; the bot-tom line you need to maintain your dignity and work toward yourfinancial and lifestyle goals.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

l Your “comfort” number: An amount you can accept and feel thatyou are being adequately compensated for your value; a reasonableand realistic goal.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

l Your “dream” number: Your ideal raise and/or the level of compen-sation commanded by top performers in your target positions.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

The higher your value to the employer, the more likely you will be able toachieve your “dream” number. What can you do to move yourself up thevalue chain? Is there a specific skill or expertise that would make you amore desirable candidate? How can you make the case that you are a “starperformer” and therefore worthy of higher compensation? Remember, it’snot about what you want, need, or deserve (in other words, how longyou’ve been paying your dues); it’s all about value.

(continued)

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Step 4: Ask at the Right TimeRecall from chapter 4 that it’s important to touch briefly on salary soonerrather than later, so that it doesn’t appear you’re volunteering to take onmore responsibility without getting paid more. Revisit the section “BorrowLanguage from Sample Conversations” in chapter 4 if needed to refreshyour memory on how to bring up salary initially.

When do you return to the subject of salary? After your manager and youhave come to agreement on your new role and responsibilities:

Mr. Manager, I appreciate the opportunity to take on this role formally. Nowthat we’re finalizing the details, I’d like to return to the initial discussions wehad around salary.

There’s also a wrong time to ask for a raise. Never ask when

l You can’t make ends meet. Your salary should always be about yourcontributing value to the company, not the status of your checkingaccount.

l You’ve been doing the job for a while. A cost-of-living increase maybe in order, but a raise is not in order for simply doing the job you’vebeen hired to do.

l You’re angry, frustrated, or jealous that someone else on your teamgot a raise. Your feelings may be justified, but showing negative emo-tions, begging, or whining at work only backfires. Vent with a friend(preferably one who is objective, discreet, and employed elsewhere);then strategize and approach your manager calm, cool, and collected.

l You’ve recently been given a raise. Time your request so it’s withinthe norm of company policy. Asking for a raise shortly after justreceiving one may call into question your judgment and planningskills.

Step 5: Ask the Right Person(s)Get the right people in the room for the salary discussion. If your managerdoesn’t have final authority on your raise, request that whoever does joinyou. You don’t want to offend your manager, but you do want to be surethat matters are resolved with a minimum of back-and-forth discussion. Tryphrasing it as a convenience. For example:

Mr. Manager, I’d like to be present to support you as you bring Ms. Boss upto date on these changes in my role and compensation. To keep it as conven-ient as possible, may we include Ms. Boss in our discussions?

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Or, a more direct request:

What would it take to get Ms. Boss to join us?

If your manager says,

Oh, that’s alright, no need for you to be there.I’ll handle her myself.

Smile and warmly say:

I’ve no doubt you can! As you might imagine,this is important to me and I’d really like to bepresent.

If you can’t get the real decision-maker in theroom with you, provide your manager withall the ammunition he needs to present yourcase.

Step 6: Collaboratively Discuss, Don’tThreatenPractice your negotiations with your coach or mentor to be sure you arecoming across with warmth and professionalism. Avoid a tone of voice orbody language that might be perceived as demanding or threatening toquit. The language you choose will help. Note the differences in thisbefore-and-after example:

Before:

Mr. Manager, I expect a $5,000 increase to go with my new role or I justwon’t be able to stay here.

After:

Mr. Manager, salary research shows that a role with these responsibilities ispaying in the mid-forties on the low end and in the low-fifties on the highend. What kind of results would the company need to see from me to war-rant an increase to $52,000?

Note the reference to “What kind of results would the company need” inthe preceding example instead of “What kind of results would you need.”This language keeps the conversation from becoming a tug of war betweenyou and the manager.

Tip: Many times, yourmanager is watchingclosely to see how wellyou negotiate salary asa clue to how well youwill do at the nextlevel. If you are apushover when itcomes to salary, yourmanager may thinkyou will be a pushoverwith your directreports or customers.

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Step 7: Find Common GroundIn successful negotiations, both you and your employer will feel that you’vedone well and accomplished something. If you walk out of the negotiationshaving managed to double your work load without getting a salary increase,I guarantee you won’t feel good. Likewise, your manager doesn’t want toraise your salary without getting good value for the increase.

Common ground acknowledges what both parties want:

Mr. Manager, I’m really looking forward to this new role and the opportunityto contribute even more value to the company. Let’s see if together we cancome to an agreement on compensation that is fair and pleases both of us.I’ve got some salary survey data here, along with the projected ROI we’relooking at as I implement this new project. You’ve also made it clear that themost important results are to bring staff up to speed on current standardsand pass the upcoming accreditation.

If your manager’s mindset is, “How little can we get away with paying ouremployees,” then just say, “Let’s see if together we can come to an agree-ment on compensation that is fair and equitable” and omit the phrase, “andpleases both of us.”

Language to AvoidKeep in mind that your employer is not really interested in what you want,need, or deserve; their fundamental concern is “What can you do for me?”Therefore, steer clear of language that communicates your wants or needs orexpresses any sense of entitlement.

“Before” “After”You-Centered Language Employer-Centered Language

I really need more. I’m extremely interested, but I must confess I’m disappointed in the salary increase. Fair market value indicates 15 percent more for a position with this level of responsibility and 25 percent more for someone with my ability to con-tribute. What flexibility do you have?

Are you sure you can’t How might the position be modified or do more? upgraded to warrant more?

(continued)

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I can’t make a move for While salary is not my only concern, it isless than X. important. I’m eager to contribute and

confident of my ability to do so. How can we structure the compensation so that I’m rewarded for meeting established goals?

Step 8: Ask for What You NeedYou’ve heard it said, “You’ve got nothing to lose by asking.” Technically,that’s not true. Your manager may become angry or retaliate in some way ifhe is not a mature manager or the even-keeled type. (Use intuition andgood judgment about approaching a volatile manager. And be preparedwith how you would respond to the worst-case scenario.) Presuming you’vefollowed the prior steps of setting expectations early in the game and usinga collaborative style, you are set to have a calm, reasonable discussion.

Hesitant to Ask for What You Need?What, if anything, is holding you back from asking for what you need?Limiting beliefs that may be blocking you from asking include the following:

• Fear of personal rejection: Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” And if that happens, what options do you have for a response?

• Fear of offending or angering your listener: You have a right to ask for what you need. If your request is framed in a manner that shows benefit to the organization and your listener does become offended or angry, then he is either being irrational or has been caught at the wrongtime.

• Fear of appearing selfish or losing trust: Again, focus on presenting your request in light of the ROI to your manager and the organization.

• Fear that you won’t get what you want: This is probably not fear, butdisappointment. You may get some of what you want, but not all (at leastimmediately). If this is the case, get clear with your manager on what his performance expectations are to consider you for the level of position you want.

(continued)

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You’ve also heard it said of negotiations that“he who blinks [or speaks] first loses.” This isnot necessarily the case when it comes tonegotiating a raise. That’s because you alreadyhave an idea of the company’s pay ranges. Thecompany is apt to be tight-fisted becauseyou’re on board as an employee—it’s morelikely you’ll stay with the company than bail,and they know it. Therefore, they’re less likely to offer you a big raise. Ifyou ask first, and ask for the maximum (knowing you’re willing to compro-mise), it puts you in the driver’s seat. Here’s how it might sound:

From my research, I understand that X is the standard for this type of posi-tion, which seems fair given my track record of delivering 18 percent ROI.

Note that X (above) may be substantially higher than your current salary.Here’s another option:

Again, I’m pleased to have the opportunity to take on this role formally.We’ve agreed on the position description, your project priorities, and thereporting relationship. Based on this and the research I’ve done on compara-ble salaries, I had a figure in mind of X, which appears fair given my experi-ence and ability to deliver the results the Board is looking for.

Step 9: Anticipate ObjectionsOf course, there’s the possibility that your salary negotiations will gosmoothly:

Mr. Manager, I’d like a 20 percent increase in salary with this new role.

Well, Jane, that sounds just great. You’re worth every penny, and more!We’ll make that happen retroactive to the beginning of the year.

In your dreams!

Instead, expect to encounter objections. In the remainder of this chapter,sales coach Pat Schuler of www.GeminiPro.com offers insightful advice forthe most common types of salary objections.

There’s Not Enough Money in the Budget“Many people think the budget discussion comes last,” says Schuler. “Inreality, it comes very early in the process.” For instance:

Tip: Ask for 20 percentmore than you want.This allows room foryour manager to nego-tiate down and feelthat she’s also won.

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Mr. Manager, if I’m able to demonstrate that I can contribute to the bottomline, what kind of budget is available to reward that performance?

If the manager says there’s nothing available, ask when there might bemoney:

I respect that reality, Mr. Manager. When does budget money become avail-able. January, you say? I’d be glad to visit the subject now and, provided yousee value here, take on my new responsibilities in January.

We Just Don’t Do Salary Increases Like ThatThis objection is a variation on “there’s not enough money in the budget.”Schuler explains that, “Nine times out of ten, what the employer is reallysaying is ‘you’re not bringing in enough value.’”

Schuler recommends countering this objection with a request:

Mr. Manager, what would you need to see from me in order to help you findthe budget money? What kind of response, what kind of ROI, what kind ofaccomplishments would help break that money loose?

You’re Already at the Top of the Pay ScaleYou may have been at the top of your pay range for your current position,but you’re talking about a new set of responsibilities now. You can eitheraddress this objection by asking a question:

What would it take to change that?

Or pointing out the facts:

Yes, I understand I was at the top of the pay range in my last position andam proud to have earned that based on performance. As we look at the newsituation, the level of responsibility, and the deliverables at hand, this puts meinto a new pay range. To be equitable and on par with the industry standard,I understand that X is fair market value for this type of work.

You Can’t Receive That Large an Increasein Salary So SoonFor this objection, stay focused on the value you bring to the table and thefair market value for the position.

I understand your concern, Mr. Manager. Based on the research I’ve done oncomparable salaries and the impact this position has on the organization, acompetitive salary would be X.

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Step 10: Keep the DoorOpenDon’t give up if you don’t get the raise yourequest. Consider countering with options,such as these:

l Bonus based on production

l Additional vacation time

l Flex-time or telecommuting arrange-ment

l Wellness programs or gym membership

l Professional association dues

l Membership in community organizations or country clubs for thepurposes of networking

l Coaching

l Reimbursement for education and professional development pro-grams

l Stock options

l Gas cards

l Paid time off to volunteer

l Additional staff or interns to supportyou (or give you management experi-ence if this is an area for development)

l Additional resources for a project you’reworking on

If your raise doesn’t come through becauseyour manager doesn’t perceive he’s gettingvalue for the dollars, ask how you can contin-ually improve yourself to qualify for the salary you desire:

Thank you, Mr. Manager. I’m committed to this process. What training, projects, or experiences are available that would provide the developmentneeded?

Tip: Avoid giving youremployer the impres-sion that your salaryresearch has led you tothe conclusion thatyou’re ready to findgreener pastures. Thiscan sound like an ulti-matum and alienateyour manager.

Tip: Know what youwant! In a 2007CNNMoney.com onlinepoll, when askedwhether an extraweek’s vacation or anextra week’s paywould be preferred,more than 8,000respondents (56 per-cent) chose more vaca-tion. What’s yourchoice?

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And, keep the door open for a discussion atan agreed-on date in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Manager. I’ll be working onthose skills you’ve outlined and would like yourfeedback on where I stand. May we revisit thisin six months?

Remember, the future belongs to those whoask and act!

Key Points: Chapter 6l Memorize the mantra—“it’s all about value.” Link salary to perform-

ance, never an inability to pay your bills.

l Know the market. Research the going rate for your target position.

l Know what you want. Paint a picture of the best-case scenario andwhat that would mean to your life. In addition, identify the bottom-line scenario and decide whether you are willing to live with it.

l Ask at the right time. Mention salary early in your promotion discus-sions and follow up when your new responsibilities have been clari-fied.

l Ask the right person. Make sure the person(s) with the authority togrant an increase is in the room and engaged in the discussion.

l Collaboratively discuss, don’t threaten. Keep the conversation a two-way discussion, not a one-sided ultimatum.

l Find common ground. Be sure your employer will also be gettingwhat they want in this agreement. Your presentation should be rootedin facts.

l Ask for what you want. Make a brief reference to salary early in dis-cussions with your manager. After your new responsibilities are deter-mined, discuss salary in more detail.

l Anticipate objections. Expect them. Learn to overcome them.

l Keep the door open. If all else fails, negotiate for items other thancold hard cash and leave the door open for future discussions.

Tip: As much as possi-ble, remove subjectivityfrom performance com-pensation by linkingperformance bonuses tosome provable formula,such as sales volume,profitability, and productivity.

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Chapter 7

Real-Life Success Stories

There’s nothing like success stories to inspire hope that you, too, can be promoted. In this chapter you’ll read about individuals who, with the

help of career coaches and career counselors, built and executed promotionplans that overcame challenging circumstances.

Certified Career Management Coaches (CCMC) from Career CoachAcademy (www.CareerCoachAcademy.com) and members of CareerMasters Institute (www.cminstitute.com) contributed to the success storiesfound in this chapter. Their clients’ stories are listed alphabetically by thecareer coach’s or counselor’s last name. Please feel free to contact them ifyou need additional help with your promotion plan. Their contact infor-mation is in appendix F.

Success Story 1: 32-Year Veteran ofOne Employer Finally Wins Seat at theExecutive TableContributed by Barb Poole, B.S., CCMC, CPRW, CERW

Situation “Jack” is a 51-year-old risk management executive who has worked for thesame company for 32 years. During his tenure, his employer has remaineda privately held, family-owned corporation and has evolved from a regionalto a global operation, with 3,500 employees in both the U.S. and Canada.

Jack started with the company as a laborer while in college. Throughoutnumerous corporate reorganizations (he has reported to more than 18CFOs!), he was consistently given increased responsibilities, including qual-ity, contract administration, and most notably, from 1980 to 2003, finan-cial services management. In 2003, the CFO at that time asked Jack to alsolead risk management activities, while keeping the title of Financial ServicesManager/Assistant Treasurer. In 2004, he was given the official title ofDirector of Corporate Risk Management. Finance was delegated to anothermanager. In 2006, at the request of the CEO and Company Owner/Board

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Chair, Jack stepped in to turn around an unacceptably high level of finan-cial services delinquencies while continuing in risk management.

Jack contacted me for coaching services because he was, in his words, “anemotional wreck.” Despite the fact that he worked 11- to 15-hour days, heloved what he did. However, he felt underappreciated in terms of salaryand, most importantly to him, not being included as part of the five-member senior executive team. This was the promotion Jack wanted—admission to this team, with his current position and title and a highersalary. Jack and I worked together over a three-month period, and Jack wasable to achieve all his goals within just six weeks.

Client’s Challengesl Was hesitant to bring up the subject of promotion to the boss.

l Faced limited opportunities for promotion within the organization,which is often common in a family-owned company.

l Was not perceived by executives as a logical choice for promotion.

l Was hampered by a strained relationship with his boss.

l Was previously turned down for a promotion.

l Was limited by his style of communicating.

l Lacked a physical appearance in line with members of the senior-levelexecutive team.

l Had gotten lost in the myriad corporate restructurings over a longperiod of time.

l Was consistently told how much he was valued by the CEO, theOwner/Board Chair, and the top team, but was passed over for pro-motion and admission to the senior-level executive team.

Strategyl Used a variety of brainstorming exercises and assessment tools with

Jack, and coached him to clarify his needs and wants with his currentemployer.

l Targeted three core needs that Jack felt were not being met with hisemployer: income, sense of belonging, and respect.

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____________________________________________Chapter 7: Real-Life Success Stories

l Clarified through coaching that Jack was passionate about what hedid in his dual roles as Director of Corporate Risk Management andDirector of Financial Services.

l Identified that unhappiness and stress were directly correlated to Jacknot being paid what he thought he was worth and not being acceptedto the core team where he felt he already was a “spoke in the wheel.”

l Coached Jack on specific methods to conduct research regardingsalary ranges and expectations for people in roles similar to his incomparable organizations, markets, and geographic locations. Hissalary and level within the organizational chart were both lower thanthe norm.

l Reviewed with Jack the corporate history/culture and his path withinthe organization. Clarified the organizational hierarchy changes, out-sourced consultant recommendations, and rapid corporate growththat had resulted in Jack’s senior-executive role and its relative compo-nents that were or were not in sync with what Jack wanted.

l Championed Jack as he tackled his fears regarding whether he wouldbe invited to join the executive team. In coaching, he addressed howfear was getting in the way of what he wanted, and he identified tech-niques that empowered and helped him master and control thesefears.

l Boosted Jack’s self-esteem, giving him the confidence to ask for whathe wanted and deserved.

l Captured Jack’s value on paper by writing and cataloguing 25SMART Stories™ to convey his value relative to his employer’s moti-vation to buy.

l Collaborated with Jack to illuminate his career brand, emphasizingthree key elements of his value as a corporate liaison, negotiator, andwatchdog.

l Developed a three-point marketing message, a verbal business card,and a mini-bio, which were integrated into a five-page branding doc-ument explaining in detail why any employer would value his abili-ties. Each statement was supported by detailed successes.

l Created a resume that clearly conveyed his current status (Senior-Executive, Corporate Risk Management/Financial Services); his

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branding statement with supporting bullet points; an extensive, cen-tered list of competencies; a career overview; specific successes in botha Challenge-Action-Result (CAR) and a keyword-focused format; cur-rent, relevant certifications (to offset his lack of a degree); and anextensive list of professional and community leadership roles, includ-ing quantifiable achievements.

l Coached Jack on updating his wardrobe to convey a more professional, polished image consistent with his new executive brand.He acknowledged that the senior executive team wore three-piecesuits and ties, while he had not. He purchased several “power” suits,ties, and dress shoes. He started wearing these to work and whenasked the reason for the change, he said, “I like to dress like I feel—on top of the world!”

l Identified an extensive list of Jack’s many champions, comprising cus-tomers, a partner, colleagues, senior executives, and “movers/shakers”in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia. Wrote phone scripts and letterand e-mail templates Jack could use to network and ask people fortheir testimonials.

l Coached Jack to build a presentation folder that he duplicated toshare with the CEO and Owner/Board Chair. This “brag book” wasorganized and tabulated, containing his branding document; resume;testimonials; letters of recommendation; letters from customers andcolleagues regarding specific projects; current leadership credentialsand certificates to offset his lack of a degree; impressive executive,leadership-level successes conveyed with newspaper and magazineclippings; graphs showing bottom-line results; and more.

l Coached Jack to avoid negative references to past or current situa-tions, and instead focus on his past, current, and future value. Thisnew “languaging” included references to historical and present suc-cesses, as well as possibility-oriented ideas for the future.

l Assisted Jack in writing a formal proposal and coached him in creat-ing an action plan centered on a face-to-face meeting with the CEOand Owner/Board Chair. Included a “Plan B” in case Jack did nothear the answer he wanted.

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ResultsJack requested and scheduled a meeting with the CEO and Owner/BoardChair in mid-June.

During the three months of our coaching relationship, Jack experienced anincreasing uneasiness because his direct supervisor, the CFO (one of themembers of the senior executive team), wanted to take away his FinancialServices role out of concern that Jack had “too much on his plate.” Thiswould have weakened Jack’s position and diminished his brand image.

We created a strategic plan for Jack that bought him some precious andmuch-needed time. He asked his boss to allow him to demonstrate his abil-ity to handle, and excel in, the dual roles. His boss consented to wait untilmid-August to revisit the issue.

When Jack met with the CEO and Owner/Board Chair, as planned, hebegan by subtly thanking them for taking time to meet with him andallowing him the chance to grow with the organization through the years.This created a subliminal message that he was about to resign in a settingwhere it would be a corporate hardship to fill his multifaceted roles thatwere so heavily based on relationships forged with people at all levels,across the globe. Instead, Jack proposed that he be given a “trial” sixmonths to become part of the senior executive team, reporting to the CEOinstead of the CFO. During this time, he made it clear that he would notexpect a raise or any perks enjoyed by the rest of the team. He and theCEO also agreed to meet for 30 minutes a week so that Jack could updatehim on his progress—a process already in place for the other executiveteam members.

Within six months, the decision could be made whether to permanentlywelcome Jack to the team. At that time, he would receive a salary raisecomparable to the national average, as well as the perks already offered tothe current team. No reference was made as to what might happen if Jackwere not made part of the team. (Jack had a plan to move forward with an external job search; however, it was put in storage to be used only ifneeded.) The CEO and Owner/Board Chair agreed to Jack’s proposal.

Long before “D-Day,” only six weeks later, the CEO and the Owner/BoardChair called Jack to a three-way meeting and offered him a seat on the senior-executive team as Vice President of Corporate Risk Management,with very specific financial accountability. The position brought with it asubstantial raise, company car, new office, expense account, and more.Jack’s situation truly reinforces the adage, “If you want the job, ask for it!”

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Success Story 2: Employee Earns Nodto Manage His Own AgencyContributed by Clay Cerny, Ph.D.

Situation “Edward” is an African-American in his late thirties who worked as anaccount representative for several years. He joined a leading national insur-ance company with the dream of one day managing his own agency andbeing compensated according to his skill and effort, not a commission system.

His initial attempt to make his dream happen was unsuccessful. Edwardlost his first bid at managing his own agency because he did not prepare fora thorough, structured panel interview in which a committee of seven expe-rienced agency managers evaluated him. The interview covered seven sub-ject areas, and Edward was not allowed to use any kind of notes except fora concluding statement. Following the interview, the committee toldEdward that his presentation didn’t demonstrate sufficient knowledge ofthe company. In addition, he didn’t project enough confidence in his ability.

Six months later, he faced the committee again after working with me ashis coach over a two-week period that included four sessions, and this timethe result of his interview was positive.

Client’s Challengesl Considered too new to the company to be promoted.

l Faced limited opportunities/positions for promotions within theorganization.

l Was not well known by the “right” people within the organization.

l Had previously been turned down for the position.

l Lacked the necessary communication skills, both verbal and nonverbal.

l Needed a boost in his confidence.

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Strategy l Identified the required areas of competence that would be covered in

the panel interview.

l Formulated talking-points to address each area in a conversationalmanner.

l Role-played the 45-minute interview, giving equal time to each areathat would be covered, along with time for follow-up questions.

l Practiced answers with Edward to ensure that they matched well withthe allotted time for each question (five to seven minutes).

l Addressed poor nonverbal communication skills: weak eye contactand keeping arms and hands folded in a way that indicated nervous-ness.

l Resolved confidence issues that resulted in freezing during answers.Practiced verbal techniques that allowed Edward’s responses to soundfluid and professional.

l Developed opening and closing stories to let the committee feelEdward’s enthusiasm and commitment.

l Emphasized Edward’s recent work with a 20-year veteran of the com-pany, someone he looked to as a coach and mentor.

l Rephrased questions so that Edward would react in a natural mannerand not be surprised by a different kind of wording.

l Repeated the practice interview over four sessions until Edward saidhe was confident and ready to face the committee.

l Planned post-interview strategy (thank-you note, follow-up).

ResultsEdward called me the day after the interview to inform me that he hadbeen selected to manage his own agency. He felt that the story we con-ceived for the conclusion—comparing his business model to a country doc-tor’s office—really won over the committee. He also said that they wereimpressed by his work with the veteran agent. Playing up this relationshipgave him credibility he did not have the first time he met the committee.Edward opened his agency in November. Like most managers in his com-pany, he is likely to stay with the organization for several years, growing asuccessful business, serving his clients, and living his dream.

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Success Story 3: Twenty-SomethingMakes Rapid Career Progress with PopCulture and Media LeaderContributed by Jane Cranston

Situation “Jenna” was in her mid-twenties when she started working with her coachto transition from a job—a support role for a financial services company—to a career in her area of passion, the field of pop culture and media. Herstory includes a move to a new company initially and then rapid advance-ment within that organization.

Client’s Challengesl Did not major in media in college and had no network to speak of.

l Had no experience or education on how to look for a job that wouldbecome a career.

l Stronger analytical skills than management abilities, yet to advanceshe had to manage people as well as projects.

Strategyl Coached Jenna to decide and commit to making a move. She then

identified potential target companies, who she knew, who she didn’tknow but would like to, and entry points.

l Landed first job as junior analyst—not her ultimate goal, but a footin the door with a global media company.

l Worked with Jenna on a three-times-per-month basis to set goals andobjectives, establish benchmarks, evaluate progress, strategize beforeacting in difficult situations, manage her boss, and establish a profes-sional appearance, approach, and communication style.

l Encouraged her to take advantage of career assessments and careerdevelopment courses offered through the company and always carveout personal time so as not to take away from her productivity time.

l Recommended that Jenna consciously choose to dress at a level thatwas above her analyst status.

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l Coached her to create a brand that focused on high quality—in herprojects, she was intentional about doing things only once and withexceptional quality. Jenna always went beyond what her manager and others expected of her with respect to the level of analysis sheprovided.

l Encouraged Jenna to look for every opportunity to get her signatureon reports and projects she was associated with. Or, if that was notpossible, write analysis in such a way that it was clear she was theauthor. Jenna also attended meetings and offered insights at appropri-ate moments so that it was clear that she was savvy about the busi-ness.

l Coached Jenna to request one-on-one meetings every six months withher manager and her manager’s boss to create a career plan andtimetable. During these meetings, Jenna learned their stories andobtained career advice. She’d also make it clear how she wanted togrow with the company, in what position, and at what salary. Shewould ask, “What do you see as the obstacles I can either avoid orhurdle?” and “What experiences, skills, and deliverables do I need tomove to this next position?” She would obtain buy-in from her man-agers (not promises) that if she did so, this would happen.

l Consulted Jenna on “work-arounds.” For example, in targeting thetitle of manager but not having anyone to supervise, she asked for anintern, knowing it would give her valuable experience in supervisingsomeone even though managing others was not her favorite task.

l Encouraged her to develop savvy relationships with her manager. Forexample, she asked her manager where he wanted to be in his careerand, knowing his promotion goals, she said, “You want to get pro-moted and I want to get promoted—how can I help you get promot-ed so that I can, too?”

l Coached Jenna to become the go-to expert in two media categories.In doing so, she was invited to management meetings that weren’tnormally attended by employees at her level. This gave her exposureto high-level executives across division lines. Because of the time ittook to develop her new expertise, she would often work nights tocontinue to shine in her business analyst responsibilities.

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l Coached Jenna to increase her visibility. In order to be seen by execu-tives in a functional area she was targeting, she looked for opportuni-ties to change her traffic patterns and be in other parts of the buildingwhere these individuals worked.

l Worked with Jenna on advocating for her goals during performancereviews. When salary was discussed at the end of the review and araise offered that was below her goal, Jenna learned to name her num-ber saying, “Thank you very much but my goal is to be at $75,000 byDecember of this year. What would need to occur to make that hap-pen?” She made it clear that, in addition to the responsibilities andauthority, title and money was important to her—she was looking atthe whole package.

l Coached Jenna through her decision to accept a lateral move in thefirm at one point to gain more experience.

ResultsWithin a few months of signing on with the organization, Jenna was pro-moted from junior analyst to analyst, and in less than one year was pro-moted to manager. She went on to hold positions as Senior Analyst andAnalyst—Special Projects. Jenna branded herself as an expert in a specificcustomer category. Because of this, she was invited to present at high-levelinternal meetings and was chosen to represent her organization at nationalconferences on her area of expertise. This activity also put her on the radarscreen of competitors, increasing her awareness of her marketability andboosting her confidence regarding other career opportunities.

Success Story 4: IndependentConsultant Doubles Income in OneMonthContributed by George Dutch, CCM, CMF, JCTC

Situation“Gordon” works as an independent consultant providing benefits packagesto clients on behalf of insurance companies. When he first contacted me,he was developing an unrelated “workshops business” and wanted to dou-ble his then-current income from his benefits consulting work from $2,000

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to $4,000 a month, giving him enough time and financial freedom toinvest in, grow, and nurture his new business.

We identified and reviewed several options that might allow Gordon toachieve his goals, and we determined that his most likely chance to boosthis revenue to the desired level was to contact companies for which he hadpreviously consulted and that were already familiar with the quality of hiswork.

Subsequently, Gordon contacted and arranged a meeting with an employee-benefits company based in another city that he had previouslycontracted with and that had offered him a full-time position the precedingyear. Gordon met with the company as planned, and they offered him anopportunity to work for them on a contract basis, servicing a large ongoingclient who needed to work with someone local, which Gordon was, five toten days per month.

When the subject of compensation arose, Gordon requested to be paid arate of $350 per diem—the same rate he had billed this company when heworked for them in the preceding year. The company, however, counteredhis request and offered to pay him $45 per hour for his work on theaccount, figuring that the account would require five to seven hours ofGordon’s time per month. In addition to this, the company proposed a co-brokered arrangement with Gordon that would make him a select brokerand put him in direct competition with about 15 other brokers in hishometown.

Gordon was dismayed by the company’s offer and very disappointed that it didn’t even come close to matching what he expected. If the companyagreed to his terms, he would earn an additional $1,750 to $3,500 permonth, which would make his financial goals viable and allow him plentyof time to devote to his workshops business. Instead, the $45-per-hour paythe company proposed was about one-third of the $132-per-hour rate hetypically billed his own accounts and represented only $270 per month inongoing revenue, compared to the $350 per diem he had billed the samecompany just one year previously.

The situation was further complicated by the fact that Gordon was stronglyaverse to working as a select broker. The mechanics of doing business inthat manner did not suit Gordon’s style. He preferred to work on a fewaccounts and “go deep”—really get to know the client and their businessgoals and match the benefits packages accordingly. The co-brokerage

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arrangement required the opposite; he would be pulled in different direc-tions by many sources.

When Gordon initially considered the company’s counteroffer, he felt hisbest option was to pass on it.

Client’s Challengesl Lacked a winning style of communicating.

l Wanted to double his current income to $4,000 per month.

l Needed a boost in his self-confidence.

Strategyl Coached Gordon to not take personally the first offer presented by

the employee benefits company and allowed him to vent his disap-pointment.

l Encouraged Gordon to separate his feelings from the business transac-tion.

l Asked Gordon questions to help him identify and focus on what wasmost important to him.

l Assisted Gordon in crafting a professional e-mail reply to the employee benefits company that projected both clarity and confidence.

ResultsGordon became clearer about what was important to him and more confi-dent that what he wanted was possible. Gordon submitted his counterofferand the general manager of the employee benefits company accepted itwithin the month.

That same month, Gordon achieved his financial target of doubling hisincome to $4,000. He was very happy with this accomplishment becausethe additional revenue allowed him to pay his bills without working full-time hours, and perhaps best of all, this arrangement allowed him the timeand energy to be more personally proactive in developing his workshopsbusiness, giving him a greater sense of personal fulfillment and peace.

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Success Story 5: Account Manager’sInitiative Fast-Forwards HerPromotion to Associate DirectorContributed by Dale Kurow, M.S.

Situation “Emmeline” is a senior account manager with an interactive company inNew York City. She had been told by the company that she might be upfor promotion to associate director but was also told she had some areas toimprove on. A year had gone by with no change in her status. Emmelinewanted to know what steps she could take to help her get the promotionshe felt she deserved.

Client’s Challengesl Needed to improve her communication and presentation skills.

l Was not approaching projects with a global organizational perspec-tive.

Strategyl Coached Emmeline to connect with her industry colleagues and

research www.salary.com for comparable salary data.

l Prepared documentation supporting her growth, including an updated resume and an accomplishments summary with specificimprovements about her skill.

l Assisted Emmeline to enhance her communication and presentationskills. For example, introduced simple communication tips, such asbeing cognizant to pause and breathe intentionally during presenta-tions, lowering her voice, working from 3 × 5–inch cue cards, check-ing in by asking, “Are there any questions so far?” and finding afriendly face in the audience to focus on when she felt nervous.

l Advised Emmeline on improving her global perspective by developingan overall strategy before presenting specific ideas. For instance, shebegan asking herself questions such as, “How does the suggestion I’mthinking of making impact the company as a whole?” or “What

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research has the company already done that would add to my knowl-edge of this situation?”

l Worked with her to compose or edit important e-mails, including onerequesting a review meeting with her manager with words to thiseffect: “As you know, some time ago we talked about the fact that Imight be eligible for promotion. I’d like to discuss this with you atyour convenience and look forward to sharing some of the forwardprogress that’s been made in this regard.”

l Helped her thoroughly prepare for her review meeting with an inter-nal resume and accomplishments, as well as revenues generated as aresult of her ideas. In addition, helped her rehearse improvements inthe areas of communications/presentations and global perspective.

l Collaborated with Emmeline to develop a Plan B in case the promo-tion didn’t come through so that she felt as though she had a full,well-rounded plan.

ResultsIn a few short months, Emmeline won her promotion to associate director.She conveyed that she reached goals she never thought she could reach at her job. Her confidence increased as she overcame obstacles that she initially wasn’t even aware of. The employer was very receptive toEmmeline’s presentation at the review meeting and commented that theywould have “gotten around to promoting her,” but her initiative persuadedthem to move faster.

Success Story 6: Financial ServicesExecutive Lands Officer-LevelOpportunity After Long DelayContributed by Bobbie LaPorte, MBA

Situation “Laura” is a female executive in her early forties, working for an interna-tional, Fortune 100 financial services firm. She has been at this organiza-tion for more than eight years, primarily in client services and productdevelopment roles; previously she served in similar roles in a smaller organi-zation.

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When we started working together she was serving in a critical, high-visibility liaison role between the organization’s product and IT businessunits. Because of this and previous assignments, she possessed a very spe-cialized knowledge base about the company’s business. Through multipleorganizational and direct supervisory changes, Laura had “survived” in theorganization, but her superiors felt she had some serious liabilities in theareas of building critical internal relationships, acting in a more “strategic”manner in her role, and communicating in a more professional manner.She had been given feedback to this effect over the last two-plus years, buthad also been told her promotion to Vice President (officer-level) wasimminent.

Laura felt that she had been doing the same level of work as her peers—many of whom had been promoted earlier—and that she was being unfairly passed over for promotion. Her goal was to gain the respect andrecognition for her work and contributions—the title was most importantto her, whereas the associated compensation and continued upward mobil-ity was of lesser importance.

With a new organizational change and supervisor, she was offered theopportunity to hire a coach to help her address areas for growth anddemonstrate her readiness for a promotion. We began working together inJune.

Client’s Challengesl Had been given additional responsibilities in the past without receiv-

ing a salary increase.

l Was not known or well known by the “key” people within the company.

l Had a peer in her department with a VP title who was routinely taking credit for her ideas and accomplishments.

l Received a negative 360-degree evaluation.

l Lacked a global perspective of the organization.

l Had a communication style that was less than ideal.

Strategy l Worked with Laura to clarify her career goals and motivations—

short-term, VP promotion; and long-term, options outside of currentemployer.

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l Reviewed comprehensive 360-degree interviews to identify skills,qualifications, and personal development needs for Laura to improveon in order to ensure her success in a new role.

l Created a 90-day development plan to address gaps—including internal management development, training programs, and activecoaching.

l Defined key peer and management relationships that Laura couldestablish and that were collaborative and supportive of a VP promo-tion.

l Coached Laura on improving her communication style to be morecollaborative and inclusive.

l Identified projects and initiatives that could provide Laura with thevisibility and strategic content to demonstrate her capabilities andvalue.

l Actively coached Laura on opportunities to contribute on morestrategic levels in meetings, take ownership of projects, and demon-strate confidence in decisions and actions.

l Coached Laura on taking the initiative to provide weekly updates tomanagement on plans (to demonstrate and showcase progress)—par-ticularly around projects that her peer manager would often takeresponsibility and credit for; spent additional time coaching Laura onhow to proactively address this issue with her peer as well.

l Assisted with the definition and development of an operating plan forLaura’s unit, including a staffing plan, and support of skills andknowledge transfer to staff.

l Continually challenged Laura to give up tactical work to staff, and todefine and delegate developmental responsibilities for staff going for-ward.

l Challenged client to set boundaries around checking voice mail ande-mail after hours and to identify one outside interest/activity that shecould pursue at least one day a week.

ResultsLaura was placed on the promotion list within a few months of workingtogether and formally promoted to Vice President in less than six months.

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She responded well to the feedback and coaching and accepted that “per-ception is everything.” She realized that it didn’t matter how she saw herselfand her capabilities if the powers that be saw her differently. She was ableto temper and improve her communications style, develop a strong team ofprofessionals, and build an effective operating unit. Follow-up interviewsindicated that she was being seen in a more positive light by peers and sen-ior management, was acting with confidence, and had successfully madesignificant contributions to business strategy.

Following a recent major organizational change, her direct supervisor waspromoted, and she was asked to assume responsibility for his entire organi-zation. She also received the highest possible bonus payout and salaryincrease at year-end. And for the first time in more than eight years, shedid not take her PDA with her on a recent 10-day vacation!

Success Story 7: First-GenerationImmigrant Gets Brand Makeover and43 Percent RaiseContributed by Sharon McCormick, M.S., MCC, NCCC, NCC, CPRW

Situation “Anna” is a 35-year-old, first-generation immigrant from Puerto Rico whorelocated to the United States to be near family. She works in the humanresources department at a global computer solutions company with90,000+ employees and has been there for five years. She was a recruiterwith a salary of $35,000 when she contacted me for help in advancing hercareer. Anna worked in retail prior to her position and earned a Bachelor’sdegree in Business. She is bilingual. When we originally began workingtogether, Anna wanted to work in another industry so that she couldadvance to a management position. At that time, she thought that was theonly way she could earn more money.

We worked together for one month, meeting once a week for two hours,when she called to tell me that her company promoted her to a managerposition with a salary of $50,000. This was very smart on their part, asAnna is a bright, polished, professional, and ambitious lady who wouldhave been easily hired elsewhere. Now she has the company’s undividedloyalty and appreciation, which in turn made her a happier employee andmotivational manager to her direct reports.

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Client’s Challengesl Anna was hesitant to bring up the subject of promotion to the boss.

l Faced internal politics—there was no real history of promoting some-one to a management position who was so “young” and “new” to thecompany.

l Had been given additional responsibilities in the past without successfully negotiating a salary increase. She had taken on more andmore recruiting duties, and even trained new recruiters, for no addi-tional pay.

l Was not known or well known by the “right” people within theorganization.

l Was not perceived by supervisors as a logical choice for promotionbecause she had no real visibility and hadn’t showcased her accom-plishments and value.

l Had no successor in place and would create a vacuum in the organi-zation if promoted.

l Did not have a global perspective of the organization, especially in thearea of networking or soliciting a mentor.

l Had a passive boss who took little interest in her career goals.

l Needed a boost in her confidence.

Strategy l Supported Anna in gaining confidence and developing a clearer vision

that she could exceed her own expectations in her desired industry.Worked with her to develop practical steps she could take to achieveher goals, and held her accountable for implementing agreed-uponsteps.

l Used valid and reliable assessments to help her realize her occupational work preferences, work function interests, values, learn-ing style, and interpersonal style.

l Completed an informal 360-degree assessment so that I could incor-porate the additional feedback into my overall impressions of her per-sonality and potential. This illuminated Anna’s career potential andinterests very thoroughly.

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l Assigned her the task of getting a mentor at work as an additionalway to get advice on her current company’s expectations for her func-tion.

l Gave Anna a worksheet to complete that highlighted her “top ten”accomplishments in a specific format. We then reviewed this togetherand it allowed us to more easily identify her valuable career traits as aconsistent “theme or image” emerged. Those traits were then incorpo-rated into her personal brand.

l Provided Anna with resources in a separate industry that she originally wanted to target. Staying at her current company was abackup plan until she could make the switch.

l Helped Anna identify how to approach her boss verbally with herupdated information and demonstrate her value and dedication in amore tangible way.

l Rewrote her resume to convey a more polished executive image, andthen had her give it to her boss to “update” her information.

l Encouraged her to pursue the function where I thought she wouldshine at her current company, which truly leveraged the work she haddone for them in the past and gave her exposure to a “hot” functionfor the future.

l Encouraged her to obtain a relevant national certification that wouldadd to her credibility in the hot function. She was very interested inthis and followed up immediately. She stated that previously she hadno idea about the hot field or the national certification.

l Encouraged her to network and provided information on several rele-vant professional organizations and local meetings.

l Sent her job leads that she could apply to and called my current HRcontacts in her industry to identify more job leads in Anna’s desiredindustry.

ResultsAfter 20 years in the field as a career counselor, even I was surprised whenAnna eagerly called to tell me she had been promoted in her own compa-ny—just from being more visible and by updating her resume and accom-plishments. Our work together helped Anna crystallize her goals, repositionher for her desired industry, and reaffirm her value at the current company.

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What really caught the company’s attention was her speaking about herfuture certification and goals in that hot specialty area. The company willneed her help in this area in the future, too, so they realized that they wanted to keep her!

Her new executive-level resume helped to change her image in the compa-ny’s view, repositioning her from an entry-level recruiter to a potential“star” for the company. She was suddenly viewed as the ambitious, results-oriented, stable, future-achiever that she is; and the company respondedbetter than anyone expected, truly exceeding expectations.

Anna is following through on her certification and her networking. Iencouraged her to write an article for her industry, which was published.She framed the article and displays it in her new office. She mentioned hermentor in the article, which the mentor appreciated. This turned out to bean incredible win-win for Anna and the company. She is so happy and“loyal for life” to the company.

Success Story 8: College Secretary“Graduates” to Assistant DirectorContributed by Marcia Merrill, M.Ed., M.S., CCMC, JCTC

Situation “Monica” is in her mid-forties and had worked as a secretary at a liberalarts college for seven years. In that time, she went back to college andearned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and was workingon her MBA.

When Monica first contacted me she was in the midst of a divorce. Facedwith providing for herself financially, armed with a college degree, andsparked with ambition to earn more money and put her business knowl-edge into practice, Monica was ready for more responsibility and a promo-tion. This meant stepping out of her secretarial role and into a morechallenging position that would make better use of her degree. She wantedto become the Assistant Director of Development at the college.

Client’s Challengesl Was reluctant to bring up the subject of promotion to her boss.

l Had limited opportunities for promotion within the organization.

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l Battled internal politics as a secretary who, despite the fact that shewas very professional, was not viewed as such. The situation was fur-ther complicated by the fact that she was older than the people towhom she reported.

l Had been given additional responsibilities in the past without receiv-ing a pay increase.


l Had an Assistant Director who often took credit for her ideas andaccomplishments.

l Was not perceived as a logical choice for a promotion.

l Had a passive boss who took little interest in her career goals.

l Needed a boost in her self-confidence and a change in her mindset;believed she was too old to be promoted.

Strategy l Clarified what Monica truly wanted in her career—to have more

impact and responsibility—and evaluated the likelihood of her cur-rent employer being able to meet those wants.

l Identified what Monica enjoyed and did not enjoy in her current job.

l Utilized the DiSC assessment as a starting point in comparingMonica’s ideal work environment with her current one.

l Coached Monica and helped her realize that she was indeed happyworking for her current employer; assisted her in crystallizing hergoals for achieving greater satisfaction with her employer in a new jobfunction.

l Brainstormed ways Monica could bring up a “career development”conversation with her boss, and role-played different scenarios untilshe found one that felt comfortable for her.

l Coached Monica on her fears surrounding the idea of bringing upcareer development. Through daring to explore worst-case scenarios,Monica discovered that she had an irrational fear that she might befired for merely bringing up the subject, end up not being able toafford her rent, and wind up homeless. No wonder she was scared to

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bring up this topic with her boss! This process empowered Monicaand helped her release the fear that had been holding her back.

l Encouraged Monica to “own” her achievements by asking her ques-tions about how she had succeeded in the past. This helped boost herself-confidence and realize her ability to make things happen.

ResultsMonica and I worked together for six months, and in that time she realizedher goals of being promoted, earning more money, and making a more sig-nificant impact with her current employer.

When the college created a new Assistant Director position, they immedi-ately hired Monica for the role. Monica was thrilled to leave behind hersecretarial role and take on new challenges and responsibilities commensu-rate with her academic achievements, professional abilities, and the personshe wanted to be and was becoming.

Success Story 9: Project CoordinatorBreaks Six-Figure Salary CeilingContributed by Judit Price, M.S., CCM, CDFI, IJCTC, CPRW, CCM

Situation “Pat” works as a project coordinator for a large medical device manu-facturer. She is in her late thirties and has been with her current employerfor six years. Throughout her tenure, she has retained the same title,although her salary and job responsibilities have grown along with herexperience and technical expertise. Pat’s starting salary was $55,000, andshe is now earning $75,000 annually.

When Pat and I began working together, she felt that to be fairly compen-sated for her responsibilities and workload, she deserved a six-figure salary.Pat also wanted her employer to give her the title and full responsibilities ofa manager.

Pat’s position required technical skills, but also more nuanced skills, such asthe ability to handle diplomatic negotiations, create a “common vision”within the project community, and resolve myriad operational issues.

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Accomplishing these types of tasks proved very challenging for Pat, andwhen we started working together, she was eager to strengthen these skillsso that she could advance her career and realize her income goals.

Client’s Challengesl Was hesitant to bring up the subject of promotion to her boss.

l Felt intimidated by her supervisor and resented that many of herideas were “stolen.”


l Was not perceived by supervisors as a logical choice for promotionbecause she had no real visibility and hadn’t showcased her accom-plishments and value.

l Had no successor in place and would create a vacuum in the organi-zation if promoted.

l Did not have a global perspective of the organization, especially in thearea of networking or soliciting a mentor.

l Had a difficult relationship with her boss.

l Had previously been turned down for a promotion.

l Had a less-than-ideal style of communicating.

l Needed a boost in her self-confidence.

l Conveyed a physical appearance that needed improvement.

Strategyl Utilized assessments to help Pat understand her strengths and weak-

nesses, and how they were perceived by others; assessments usedincluded the Reach 360, MBTI, and CISS.

l Coached Pat regarding her areas of strength to build self-esteem, andcoached her on areas for development, most notably her style of com-municating.

l Collaborated with Pat to create an action plan that addressed develop-mental areas and helped her discover the empowerment to make nec-essary improvements.

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l Assisted Pat in defining and developing a personal brand that demon-strated her value.

l Challenged Pat to identify projects that would allow her to showcaseher talents and demonstrate her commitment to career development.As a result, Pat volunteered for two difficult, high-profile projects andexecuted each successfully, benefiting the organization and improvingthe way she was viewed by key people in the company.

ResultsWithin a six-month period following the completion of our work together,Pat was promoted and given a raise that took her income to the six-figurebracket she wanted and deserved.

By volunteering to take on the two high-profile projects, Pat demonstratedthe necessary skills and professionalism needed to buttress a promotion anda salary increase.

By communicating with more sensitivity to others and projecting moreconfidence in her own abilities, Pat succeeded in changing the perceptionsof key people that had previously limited her growth, thereby enhancingher reputation with both peers and management.

Prior to our work together, Pat’s technical skills and creativity were generally appreciated. After completing coaching, Pat exhibited true leader-ship traits. She learned to reach out to peers and turn them into allies; andshe discovered the importance of managing herself in order to influencehow others perceived her. In the end, Pat was happier than she had everbeen before. She earned the job she wanted, at the salary she wanted, andsucceeded in navigating the complexities of the organization and develop-ing skills that would benefit her throughout her career.

Success Story 10: Counselor ConvincesCompany of Promotion to Supervisorwith 28 Percent RaiseContributed by Beth Woodworth, M.S., JCTC, CRPCC, CDFI, CAC,GFMF, CWDP

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Situation “Amy” is in her early thirties and works as a vocational counselor for asmall, private nonprofit company that is funded primarily with federalgrant money. Amy, who holds a master’s degree, earns $27,000 a year andhas been with the company about a year assisting job seekers getting offwelfare or going through layoffs.

When Amy and I began working together, she was ready to take on moreresponsibility and make use of supervisory skills and experience she hadacquired in previous positions. An ambitious woman, Amy wanted to bepromoted to supervisor in the counseling department and receive a $5,000salary increase. She also wanted to participate in community collaborationsand in-house program development.

Client’s Challengesl Was considered too “new” to the company to be promoted. She had

worked at the company only one year.

l Faced internal politics, including a situation with people who hadbeen with the company longer who felt they were not being fairlycompensated and people who had been there two to six years longerthan Amy and wanted the same promotion.

l Hampered by a situation in which another vocational counselor wastaking credit for her ideas and accomplishments.

l Received a poor performance evaluation.

l Lacked confidence and needed a boost to her self-esteem.

Strategy l Clarified what Amy truly wanted at this point in her career and deter-

mined that she could obtain it from her current employer.

l Coached Amy to articulate the specific responsibilities she would berequired to perform if she received the promotion and had Amyexplain in detail how she was capable of meeting the demands of that role. This helped boost Amy’s self-confidence and improved herability to articulate her qualifications for the higher-level position.

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l Assisted Amy in polishing and updating her application materials,resume, and cover letter to give Amy a competitive edge, highlighther accomplishments, and reflect her relevant experience (in otherwords, supervisory responsibilities).

l Challenged Amy to create a portfolio where she could showcase herachievements and demonstrate her value; items included examples ofprocesses Amy had innovated to improve productivity, certificates shehad earned, and accomplishments she had documented.

l Worked with Amy to create a proposal that she would present tomanagement outlining future challenges faced by the candidate selected for the promotion, challenges faced by the organization as awhole, and the specific steps she would take to effectively address andmeet those challenges head-on.

l Coached Amy regarding people within the organization who wouldconfirm her capabilities for the new role and helped her identify acomfortable way to approach those individuals about using them asreferences.

l Collaborated with Amy to identify more opportunities to positionherself in a lead-worker type of role (in other words, presenting cer-tain topics on team meeting agendas without “stepping on the man-ager’s toes”).

l Encouraged Amy to do what was in her control, such as including hername on documents she created to discourage a particular colleaguefrom taking credit for Amy’s work.

l Addressed Amy’s fashion choices and coached Amy to study the stylesof clothing worn by those at the management level she was targeting.In response to this, Amy adjusted her wardrobe to “dress for success.”

l Brainstormed strategies for Amy to present to management explaininghow she would handle other members of the department who hadmore seniority than she and who she would be supervising if promoted.

l Clarified the qualities that made Amy stand out above the other can-didates; most notable were her organizational skills, interpersonalskills, and conflict-resolution abilities.

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l Coached Amy to further demonstrate her value by having her identifynumerous ways to save the company money; this involved creatingnewer, more efficient practices and processes.

l Ensured Amy’s success for closing the deal by practicing behavioralinterview questions with her and coaching her on winning salarynegotiation techniques.

ResultsIn just three and a half weeks, Amy succeeded in securing a promotion toSenior Career Counselor and a raise that brought her new salary to$32,000.

Amy was very responsive to the various strategies we discussed and did awonderful job of implementing them—leveraging her previous supervisoryexperience, enlisting the support of key players in the company, and pro-jecting the confidence and forethought needed to demonstrate her abilityto effectively meet the demands of her new position. Amy remainsemployed by the same company today and is happy in her new role.

Success Story 11: Director Beats Out347 for Coveted Senior Staff PositionContributed by Heather Zeng, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, NCCC, MCC

Situation “Richard” is a male in his mid-fifties who works as a mid-level departmentdirector for a regional energy company in the United Kingdom. Richard isan expatriate who worked abroad for several years before marrying a localnational and settling into life in the UK.

When Richard learned that the company was diversifying and creating twosenior staff positions to lead and develop work teams to meet new initia-tives, he was immediately interested in the opportunity. Although Richardfound his present work stimulating, he felt stagnant in his position. Hewas excited about the potential for broader opportunity within the com-pany and felt ready to take on new responsibilities and challenges. If he succeeded in landing one of the prime positions, he would receive a substantial raise—his salary would jump from £45,000 (about $88,000) to£56,000 (about $109,000). In addition, he would be issued a company car,

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a Jaguar—an attractive perk as fuel and maintenance of cars is particularlyexpensive in the UK.

Client’s Challengesl Faced intense competition, both internal and external, for the highly

coveted jobs due to limited opportunities in that region of the UK.

l Was challenged as an expatriate to assimilate to the culture of thecountry and the organization.

l Had weaknesses, both verbal and nonverbal, in his style of communi-cating; was perceived as having a “tough guy” image, despite the factthat he was respected for his work.

l Did not project the polished look of someone in a leadership role inthe UK, where people are notoriously discerning regarding fashionchoices, including the cut and quality of one’s suits.

l Lacked visibility within the organization.

l Was at risk for age discrimination due to a precedent in the companythat favored hiring younger employees.

l Needed a boost in his self-confidence.

Strategyl Coached Richard on important things to emphasize (such as his lead-

ership skills) and avoid (such as his desire for a company car) wheninterviewing.

l Helped Richard identify three key skill sets, along with specificachievements from his career to support each, that would be assets tohis receiving the promotion.

l Role-played behavioral interview scenarios to help Richard improvehis comfort level and address leadership and teamwork skills preciselyin a Challenge-Action-Result (CAR) format.

l Assigned Richard the task of selecting clothing that projected a morestylish, polished look.

l Encouraged Richard to participate in high-level public relationsevents to improve his visibility.

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l Emboldened Richard to emphasize his direct and indirect work tosupport multinational teams; challenged Richard to move beyond hiscomfort zone, if an opportunity presented itself, and take credit forhis achievements—particularly difficult for him in a cultural settingthat values modesty.

l Coached Richard to be more restrained in his nonverbal gestures tohelp him appear less intimidating and more self-assured.

l Presented Richard with four formats of action: planning documentshe could use in the final round of interviewing; strategies forapproaching the fictitious problem he would be evaluated on; a sys-tem to help Richard keep things simple to ensure he would finish hiswork within the allotted timeframe; and action-planning docu-ments—he practiced these with knowledgeable business friends whowould be able to provide valuable feedback on his approach and lead-ership style.

l Coached Richard on methods for quickly assessing and addressingeach team member’s strengths, regardless of his previous knowledge ofthem or lack thereof; also encouraged Richard to assign a timekeeper.

ResultsRichard and I worked together for eight weeks total. The openings werelisted in January, and Richard was offered his position in the beginning ofMarch, beating out 347 other applicants. He was so delighted he sent me alarge plant and a thank-you card.

Richard sailed through the first two interview panels using the behavioral-based formula (Challenge-Action-Result or CAR) we practiced during ourcoaching sessions. His third round of interviewing was likewise a success.The panel evaluating Richard loved the action-planning worksheets he usedto approach the scenario. Soon after the third interview, Richard receivedan invitation to lunch, where the company formally offered him the posi-tion and he happily accepted.

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Appendix A

Assessments and Tools toGain a Competitive Edge

Reliable, validated assessments along with informal survey instruments can help you fast-forward your career by providing self-awareness of

your strengths (or areas for development), along with your personal brand,work values, communications style, leadership style, and much more. Sometools have already been mentioned in various chapters. For convenience,those along with others with a variety of price points are included herealphabetically (this list is by no means exhaustive). Thanks go to career andleadership coach Kathy Bitschenauer for compiling this information thatwill be of value in your ongoing career management.

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Once you have taken the assessments, discuss the reports with someonefamiliar with interpreting assessments, such as a career coach or careercounselor. Although self-assessments are often quite accurate, the resultsshould be carefully reviewed and validated—you have the final say-so inwhat is true for you. The exception to this would be a 360º assessmentwhere coworkers or managers anonymously provide feedback on their per-ceptions of your work and/or leadership style. From the results, you candevelop a plan to capitalize on your strengths and shore up any weaknessesor natural blind spots.

Beyond using assessments, be proactive about your professional growth anddevelopment. Attend workshops, teleseminars, or courses related tostrengths you want to build or gaps to overcome. Read related books, arti-cles, and blogs. Here are some suggested resources for understanding per-sonality type, strengths, and team communications:

l The EQ Edge by Steven J. Stein, Ph.D., and Howard E. Book, M.D.(Wiley, 2006)

l The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick M. Lencioni (Jossey-Bass,2002)

l Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve OutstandingPerformance by Marcus Buckingham (Free Press, 2007)

l How Full Is Your Bucket?: Positive Strategies for Work and Life by TomRath and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. (Gallup Press, 2004)

l Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O.Clifton, Ph.D. (Free Press, 2001)

l Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence, byDavid Kiersey (Prometheus Nemesis Book Company, 1998)

l Quick Guide to the 16 Personality Types and Teams: Applying TeamEssentials™ to Create Effective Teams by Linda V. Berens, Linda K.Ernst, and Melissa A. Smith (Telos Publications, 2004)

l StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Testfrom Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths by Tom Rath (Gallup Press,2007)

l Understanding Yourself and Others: An Introduction to Temperament byLinda V. Berens (Telos Publications, 2000)

In addition, many of the assessment sites listed previously offer newslettersand free articles. Check them out.



Appendix B

SMART Story™ Worksheet

Copy this worksheet as needed to write additional SMART Stories™ as described in chapter 4.

SMART STORY™ WORKSHEET

Situation and More:

Your role: ______________________________________________

______________________________________________________

When: ________________________________________________

Who else was involved or impacted: _________________________

______________________________________________________

What was the task or challenge? ____________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Action:

What was your thought process? What steps did you take? What deci-sions were made? Describe the sequence. ______________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

30 Day Job App B 6/20/07 10:58 AM Page 187

188© JIST Works


Results:

Use numbers to relate your results.

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Tie-in/Theme:

Competencies: __________________________________________

______________________________________________________

How this story ties to your organization’s priorities and goals:

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

(continued)

30 Day Job App B 6/20/07 10:58 AM Page 188

Appendix C

Identify Your Energy,Perception, Judgment, and

Orientation Preferences

In the tables that follow, you’ll find a self-scoring personality instrument that you can use to gauge your own personality preferences in the four

areas of Energy, Perception, Decision-Making, and Orientation of yourenvironment. After scoring yourself, repeat the exercise and answer howyou think your manager would respond.

30 Day Job App C 6/20/07 11:16 AM Page 189


190© JIST Works

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196© JIST Works

MY PREFERENCES

Energy (Extroversion or Introversion): _______________________

Perception (Sensing or iNtuiting): __________________________

Judgment (Thinking or Feeling): ___________________________

Orientation (Judging or Perceiving): _________________________

‘

Identifying your individual preferences for energy, perception, judgment,and orientation is only the first step in understanding type. Together thesefour preferences mesh to create a richly complex personality type, whichcan best be understood by completing the MBTI® (or, for career purposes,the MBTI® Career Report). If you have not had the opportunity to takethis assessment, I encourage you to do so. The results will enable you totarget tasks that you find interesting and express your preferences on thejob, which is like cycling with the wind at your back rather than in yourface. You will need to work with an individual who is specially qualified toadminister the MBTI® assessment (many career coaches and counselorspossess this qualification—ask your career coach or counselor if they areMBTI®-Qualified). Alternatively, you can use an assessment similar to the MBTI called The Keirsey™ Temperament Sorter®-II available atwww.advisorteam.com, which has both a career and corporate temperamentreport. Opt for the career report for insights into career choice or the corporate report for insights into how to communicate better with man-agers and team members.


Appendix D

Position Proposal andResume Samples

Proof of performance is a requirement in persuading management to grant you new responsibilities. That proof might take the form of a

position proposal that shows the scope of responsibilities and return oninvestment you can generate. Even when a position proposal is not neces-sary, you’ll very likely need an internal resume or other document thathighlights your contributions. Following are examples of both.

Position ProposalThis proposal for a new IS Human Capital Development Program (to be managed by the employee submitting the proposal) is linked to the mission, vision, and goals of the organization. It includes key objectives/outcomes, program benefits, and key deliverables, as well as financial projections on costs that could potentially be alleviated as a result of theprogram.

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Figure D.1: Position proposal for a new IS Human Capital Development Program.


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______________________________Appendix D: Position Proposal and Resume Samples


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© JIST Works201


Before-and-After Resume SamplesPaul had been taken for granted at his current employer and was not per-ceived as a strong candidate for promotion. The “After” version of hisresume was part of his rebranding initiative to be seen as an OperationsLeader, Process Change Agent, and Employee Engagement Specialist (notethose terms near the top of the resume and again under ProfessionalExperience). The Career Highlights section emphasizes his most significantcareer accomplishments, which refreshes his current employer’s awarenessof his impressive track record. Numbers-driven accomplishments wereincluded for his prior positions.


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Figure D.2: Paul’s “Before” resume.


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Figure D.3: Paul’s “After” resume. (continued)


204© JIST Works


(continued)


Appendix E

25-Point CommunicationCheck

To better gauge your listening and communication skills, take this “25-Point Communication Check.” Complete the inventory yourself and

then get a third-party perspective by asking a trusted friend or colleague toalso rate you.

In business settings, I normally…

1. Am complimented for being a Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallygood listener.

2. Allow others to finish Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallytheir statements before responding.

3. Allow give-and-take to Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyconversations, where I listen as much as and usually morethan I speak.

4. Remain open to the listener’s Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallymessage rather than assume what I want to hear.

5. Read between the lines, Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyconsidering the speaker’s values, priorities, and needs.

6. Avoid thoughts of Seldom Occasionally Often Habitually“right-ness”…that my way of thinking is right or better than the speaker’s.

7. Am respectful of and open to Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallynew ideas, not allowing differences in political, social, or religious beliefs to distract me from what the speaker is saying.

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8. Look past the irritation to Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallythe need when a speaker expresses emotions such as anger or frustration.

9. Ignore verbal distractions Seldom Occasionally Often Habitually(such as incorrect grammar, generational differences in language, regional accents, orprofanity).

10. Pay attention to body language Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyand tonality to help me get the gist of the speaker’s feelings.

11. Remain fully “present” Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyfor the speaker—attentive, interested, curious, andinteractive.

12. Avoid multitasking, such as Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallywatching some other activity in the room, reviewing e-mail, clearing my desk, and so on.

13. Listen for clues on how a Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyspeaker prefers to take in information (sequentially/tangibly vs. intuitively/conceptually).

14. Listen for clues on how Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallya speaker prefers to make decisions (from a thinking/ rational perspective vs. a feeling/human-effect perspective).

15. Keep emotions in check when Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallylistening and do not allowemotions to drive myresponses.

16. Use appropriate eye contact Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyand body language when listening.

17. Use appropriate eye contact, Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyfacial animation, and body language when speaking.


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____________________________________Appendix E: 25-Point Communication Check

18. Do not steer the conversation Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallytoward my agenda or make it all about me.

19. Ask the speaker to clarify Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyif I am not clear on what was said.

20. Outline the speaker’s Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallykey points to be certain I understand the message.

21. Consider whether my response Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallywill be relevant to the speaker (in other words, avoid too many extraneous details or too many stories about myself ).

22. Consider the best approach to Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallysharing, so that the speaker finds personal benefit in my response.

23. Am accurate and concise Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyin my responses.

24. Keep the conversation Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyfocused so that important issues are prioritized.

25. Respect and appreciate others Seldom Occasionally Often Habituallyprior to expecting the same for myself.



Appendix F

Success StoryContributors

The following Certified Career Management Coaches (CCMC) from Career Coach Academy (www.CareerCoachAcademy.com) and members of

Career Masters Institute (www.cminstitute.com) contributed to the success storiesfound in chapter 7. Please feel free to contact them if you need additional helpwith your promotion plan.

Clay Cerny, Ph.D.AAA Targeted Writing & Coaching ServicesChicago, IllinoisPhone: (773) 907-8660E-mail: [email protected]

Jane Cranston ExecutiveCoachNY.comNew York, New York Phone: (212) 628-5280E-mail: [email protected]

George Dutch, CCM, CMF, JCTCJobJoyOttawa, Ontario, CanadaPhone: (613) 563-0584E-mail: [email protected]

Dale R. Kurow, M.S.New York, New YorkPhone: (212) 787-6097E-mail: [email protected]

Bobbie LaPorte, MBARAL & AssociatesSan Francisco, CaliforniaPhone: (415) 242-1766E-mail: [email protected]

Sharon McCormick, M.S., MCC, NCCC,NCC, CPRWSharon McCormick Career &

Vocational Consulting Services, LLCSt. Petersburg, Florida Phone: (727) 824-7805E-mail: [email protected]

Marcia Merrill, M.Ed., M.S., CCMC, JCTCMarcia Merrill, LLC dba eCareerCorner.comBaltimore, MarylandPhone: (410) 467-0811E-mail: [email protected]

Barb Poole, B.S., CCMC, CPRW, CERWHire ImagingSt. Cloud, MinnesotaPhone: (320) 253-0975E-mail: [email protected]

Judit Price, M.S., CCM, CDFI, IJCTC, CPRW, CCMBerke & Price AssociatesChelmsford, MassachusettsPhone: (978) 256-0482E-mail: [email protected]

Beth Woodworth, M.S., JCTC, CRPCC, CDFI,CAC, GFMF, CWDPJob Training Center of Tehama

CountyRed Bluff, CaliforniaPhone: (530) 529-7000, ext. 122E-mail: [email protected]

Heather T. Zeng, Ph.D.Fremont, CaliforniaPhone: (786) 246-6232Fax: (866) 708-7016E-mail: [email protected]

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IndexA

abusive bosses, 59

action steps of game plan, 31–33

Aesthetic needs, 5

agendas, in T.A.L.K., 79–101

alignment with company values, 62–63

America’s Career InfoNet Web site, 11

appearance, problems with (roadblock to promo-tion), 123–125

arms (in body language), 93

articulation, 102

assertiveness, 103

assessments

list of, 180–184

self-scoring personality type assessment, 189–196

25-Point Communication Check, 205–207

attitude toward work, 7

auditory learning style, 90–91

automotive industry, 10

BBar-On, Reuven, 6

BarOn EQ-i assessment, 180

Before-After-and-Beyond Position Description

creating, 94–96

table, 94

Bellah, Robert, 63

Belonging and Love needs, 4

Berens, Linda V., 185

Beta Research Corporation, 53–54

Birkman Method assessment, 180

Bitschenauer, Kathy, 28, 179

body language, 92–93, 105

bonuses, 139

Book, Howard E., 185

branding, 28–30, 50–52

Branton, Nancy, 48, 56

Briggs, Katharine, 87

Buckingham, Marcus, 185

budget considerations, in salary negotiations,145–146

Ccallings, defined, 63

Career Coach Academy, 149, 209

career coaches, 26–27

Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building YourBrand, 50

Career Leader assessment, 180

career management, 48–50

Career “Master F.I.T.” Worksheet, 18–19

Career Masters Institute, 149, 209

career needs, 3–6

Career Needs worksheet, 5–6

career success, factors in, 47–63

careers

defined, 63

fit for, 15–19

Careerstrength assessment, 181

case studies. See success stories

Cerny, Clay, 154, 209

Certified Career Management Coaches (CCMC),149, 209

challenge, attitude toward (characteristic ofresiliency), 113

character (characteristic of promotability), 8

Clifton, Donald O., 185

Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, 181

clothing (roadblock to promotion), 123–125

coachable (characteristic of promotability), 10

Cognitive needs, 5

COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment), 139

collaboration, in salary negotiations, 142

commitment

characteristic of promotability, 10

characteristic of resiliency, 113

30 Day Job Index 6/21/07 10:04 AM Page 210

communication skills, 57–58. See also T.A.L.K.


importance of, 58

resources for information, 185

as roadblock to promotion, 125


communication style, assessing, 103

company values, alignment with, 62–63

comparable salaries, researching, 134–138

Compare Your Salary worksheet, 139–140

compensation. See salary negotiations

Competency and Contributions Addendum,96–97

competency (characteristic of promotability), 9

competitive pay increases, 139

confidence


lack of (roadblock to promotion), 126–127

connection (characteristic of promotability), 9

contrast of voice, 102

contributions (characteristic of promotability), 9

control


characteristic of resiliency, 113

in I. C.A.N. mindset, 112

conversations. See also T.A.L.K.

defined, 69–70

practicing, 103–104

sample language for, 106–107

Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA), 139

Covey, Stephen, 43

co-workers, relationships with, 61–62

Cranston, Jane, 48, 156, 209

A Crash Course in Branding worksheet, 29–30

credit for ideas, stealing (roadblock to promo-tion), 120–121

Crisp: Writing Effective E-Mail, 109

critical thinking (characteristic of promo-tability), 9

DDaimlerChrysler, 10

decision-making, in personality types, 88,193–194

demands, avoiding in salary negotiations, 142

Deputy, Christine, 10

Dietschler, Mary Ann, 124

Dixson, Kirsten, 50

Dobson, Michael and Deborah Singer, 114

documentation, for meeting with manager,93–101

Dutch, George, 158, 209

Dweck, Carol S., 10

Eego, as motivation for promotion, 7

EI (emotional intelligence), 2

Elements of the Master F.I.T. table, 16–17

e-mail messages, misinterpreting, 108–109

emotional intelligence (EI), 2

emotions, 102

employer objectives, clarifying, 81–82

endorsement from manager, lack of (roadblock topromotion), 115

energy, in personality types, 87, 190–191

The EQ Edge, 185

Ernst, Linda K., 185

ethics, 54–56

examples. See success stories

external locus of control, 112

external variables of Master F.I.T. model, 16

extroversion, 73, 87, 190–191

eye contact (in body language), 92

eyebrows (in body language), 92

Fface-to-face meetings, importance of, 108

fastest-growing industries, 11

fear, in salary negotiations, 144

feeling (personality type), 88, 193–194

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, 185

fixed mindset, 10

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Flynn, Nancy, 109

focus when listening, 104

following up, in T.A.L.K., 108–109

Ford Motor Company, 10

Forsha, Harry I., 43

forward progress, 2–3

Frank, Milo O., 108

Frankel, Lois P., 121

Ggame plan, elements of, 31–33

gestures (in body language), 93

Get Paid More and Promoted Faster: 21 Great Ways to Get Ahead in Your Career, 132

Getting Your Documents Together worksheet, 98

Girard, Joe, 113

global perspective, lack of (roadblock to promotion), 126

GM (General Motors Corporation), 10

Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps toAchieve Outstanding Performance, 185

growth mindset, 10

Hhands (in body language), 93

harassment by manager, 59

hard skills, 25

Hay system (salary determination), 136

head movements (in body language), 92

Heslin, Peter, 49

Hierarchy of Career Needs table, 4–5

Hierarchy of Needs model, 4–6

Hochwarter, Wayne, 59

How Full Is Your Bucket?: Positive Strategies forWork and Life, 185

How to Connect with the Three Learning Stylestable, 90–91

How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less,108

II. C.A.N. mindset, 112–113

information gathering (reconnaissance), 71–72

inspiration, in I. C.A.N. mindset, 112

integrity, 54–56

internal locus of control, 112

internal variables of Master F.I.T. model, 17

interviews, preparing for, 74–79

introversion, 73, 87, 190–191

intuiting (personality type), 87–88, 191–192

investigation when listening, 105

itch, as motivation for promotion, 7

Jjob descriptions, Before-After-and-Beyond

Position Description, 94–96

job postings. See posted openings

jobs, defined, 63

JobStar.org (salary research), 135

joining organizations, reasons for, 54–55

Journal of Organizational Behavior, 49

judging (personality type), 88, 194–195

KKeirsey, David, 87, 185

Keirsey Temperament Sorter-II (KTS-II) assess-ment, 181, 196

kinesthetic/tactile learning style, 90–91

Knowdell Motivated Skills Card Sort assessment,181

Kurow, Dale, 48, 161, 209

Llanguage. See also body language

in salary negotiations, 143–144

in T.A.L.K., 102–108

LaPorte, Bobbie, 162, 209

leadership, 56–57

leaning (in body language), 92

learning styles, 89–91

leaving organizations, reasons for, 54–55

Lencioni, Patrick M., 185

Leveraging Your Strengths and DevelopmentOpportunities worksheet, 64–67

lifestyle, diverting attention with, 25


limited promotion opportunities (roadblock topromotion), 115–116

linear careers, 49

listening, importance of, 104–105

locus of control, 112

Locus of Control Survey assessment, 182

MMaddi, Salvatore R., 113

management of career, 48–50

management positions, in sales industry, 12

manager

difficult relationship with, 119–120

lack of endorsement from, 115

lack of interest in career development, 119

meeting with upper management, 107–108

oblivious to promotion interest, 117

relationships with, 58–60

requesting meeting with, 72–73

stealing credit for ideas, 120–121

manager objectives, clarifying, 82–83

Managing Up: 59 Ways to Build a Career-Advancing Relationship with Your Boss, 114

Maslow, Abraham, 3–6

Master F.I.T. model, 15–19

MBTI assessment, 196

MBTI Manual, Third Edition, 87

McCormick, Sharon, 165, 209

meetings, purpose of, 121

meetings with manager

requesting, 72–73

and upper management, 107–108

mentors, 26–27

merit increases, 138

Merrill, Marcia, 168, 209

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, 10

mistakes to avoid, 23–25

money, as motivation for promotion, 6–7

mouth (in body language), 92

My Before-After-and-Beyond PositionDescription worksheet, 95

My Personal Objective for the CareerConversation worksheet, 79–80

My Preferences worksheet, 196

My Return on Investment Solution worksheet,85–86

My Value Statement worksheet, 134

Myers, Isabelle, 87

Nneeds (career needs), 3–6

negotiating salary. See salary negotiations

nervous activity (in body language), 93

network contacts, in salary research, 136–137

New York Times Job Market, 53–54

next steps (in meeting with manager), identifying,101

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, 121

nonlinear careers, 49

note-taking when listening, 105

Now, Discover Your Strengths, 185

NT (iNtuiting-Thinking combination) personality type, 87

Oobjections to salary increases, anticipating,

145–146

objectives, clarifying

employer objectives, 81–82

manager objectives, 82–83

your objectives, 79–80

Occupational Outlook Handbook, 135

O*NET Work Importance Profiler (WIP) assess-ment, 182

online portfolios, creating, 98

opportunities, lack of (roadblock to promotion),115–116

orientation, in personality types, 88, 194–195

overzealousness (roadblock to promotion), 122

PPage, Ronald, 48

passion for job, 63–64

patience, 31

pay-for-performance increases, 139

pay increases, alternatives to, 147–148

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perceiving (personality type), 88, 194–195

perception

branding and, 28–30

in personality types, 87–88, 191–192

performance evaluations (roadblock to promo-tion), 122–123

perseverance, 31, 113

personal board of advisors, 26–27

personal branding, 28–30, 50–52

personal distance (in body language), 93

personality types, 87–89

resources for information, 185

self-scoring assessment, 189–196

phrasing. See language

Physiological needs, 4

pitch of voice, 102

planning proactively, 25–27, 79–101

Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character,Intelligence, 185

political concerns (roadblock to promotion), 116

Poole, Barb, 98, 149, 209

poor performance evaluations (roadblock to pro-motion), 122–123

positive attitude, 31

Positive Impact Test assessment, 182

posted openings

responding to, 74–79

in salary research, 136

practicing conversations, 103–104

Presentation Zen blog, 58

Price, Judit, 170, 209

proactive plans, elements of, 25–27

professional associations, in salary research, 135

professionalism, 62

progress, 31, 105–106

promotability

calculating, 64–67

characteristics of, 8–10

factors in, 47–63

passion for job, 63–64

Promotion Plan Timeline table, 42

promotion plan timetable, 33–44

simplified version, 41–43

storyboard method, 43–44

Promotion Plan Timetable Form table, 44

promotion proposal. See proposal letters

Promotion Target Worksheet, 12–15

promotions

avoiding use of term, 105–106

factors in opportunities for, 10–11

motivation for, 6–8

reasons for wanting, 1–3

roadblocks to, 114–127

success stories. See success stories

target position for, 11–15

proof of performance, 28, 197

proposal, elements of, 28

proposal letters, 98–100, 197–200

purpose, 50–52

Q–RQuick Guide to the 16 Personality Types and Teams:

Applying Team Essentials to Create EffectiveTeams, 185

quitting your job, 127–128

raises, asking for. See salary negotiations

Rate Yourself worksheet, 8

Rath, Tom, 185

Reach 360 assessment, 183

reconnaissance, conducting, 71–72

recruiters, in salary research, 137

relationships

with co-workers, 61–62

with manager, 58–60, 119–120

Research on Comparative Salary Data table, 138

researching salary data, 134–138

resigning, 127–128

resiliency

characteristics of, 111

I. C.A.N. mindset, 112–113

key attitudes for, 113

respecting authority, 58–60

results, 33


resumes, examples of, 201–204

return on investment (ROI)

creating, 83–86

in SMART Stories, 75

value statement, creating, 132–134

The Riley Guide to Employment Opportunitiesand Job Resources on the Internet Web site,136

Roadblock Busters worksheet, 128–129

ROI. See return on investment (ROI)

Rose, Joni, 103

SSafety needs, 4

salary, value to organization, 50–52

salary negotiations, 131–148

alternatives to pay increases, 147–148

asking for what you need, 144–145

collaboration versus demands, 142

common ground in, 143–144

objections, anticipating, 145–146

researching salary data, 134–138

timing, 101, 106, 141

types of increases, 138–140

upper management in, 141–142


sales industry, 12

Sample Promotion Plan Timetable table, 34–40

Schuler, Pat, 145

Self-Actualization needs, 4–5

self-control, in I. C.A.N. mindset, 112

self-discipline, in I. C.A.N. mindset, 112

Self-Esteem needs, 4

self-focused agenda (roadblock to promotion),126

Self Worth Inventory assessment, 183

seniority, lack of (roadblock to promotion),116–118

sensing (personality type), 87–88, 191–192

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, 43

Show Me: The Complete Guide to Storyboardingand Problem Solving, 43

silence when listening, 105

sitting (in body language), 92

skill sets

desired by employers, 53–54

expanding, 52–54

SMART Stories, 74–79, 187–188

Smith, Melissa A., 185

social intelligence, 2

soft skills, 25

Southwest Airlines, 28

specialty sites for salary research, 135

speed of voice, 102

stance (in body language), 92

Starbucks, 10, 23

Stein, Steven J., 185

storyboard method (promotion plan timetable),43–44

strengths, resources for information, 185

StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Editionof the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, DiscoverYour Strengths, 185

Stress Resiliency Profile assessment, 183

success stories, 149–177

associate director, 161–162

college secretary promoted to assistant director,168–170

competition for senior staff position, 175–177

contributors to, 209–210

financial services vice president, 162–165

first-generation immigrant, 165–168

independent consultant, 158–160

insurance agency manager, 154–155

media company advancement, 156–158

project coordinator with six-figure salary,170–172

risk management/financial services executive,149–153

senior career counselor, 172–175

supporting documentation, for meeting withmanager, 93–101

© JIST Works215

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216© JIST Works


TTalentKeepers, 54–55

T.A.L.K. (Timing, Agenda, Language, Keep itgoing!)

agendas in, 79–101

defined, 70

following up, 108–109

language in, 102–108

timing, 70–79

target position for promotion, 11–15

thinking (personality type), 88, 193–194

360-degree instrument, 50

timetable, outlining, 33–44

timing

importance of, 21–22

mistakes to avoid, 23–25

for salary negotiations, 101, 106, 141

in T.A.L.K., 70–79

TKI (Thomas-Kilman Conflict ModeInstrument) assessment, 184

tone of voice, 102

Tracy, Brian, 132

Transcendence needs, 5

trustworthiness, 54–56


two-way dialogue, 103–104

U–VUnderstanding Yourself and Others: An Introduction

to Temperament, 185

upper management

meeting with, 107–108

in salary negotiations, 141–142

U.S. Department of Labor, in salary research, 135


value to organization, 50–52. See also return oninvestment (ROI)

in current role (roadblock to promotion), 114

determining, 83–86

values

of company, alignment with, 62–63

knowing, 49

Values Preference Indicator assessment, 184

visual learning style, 90–91

voice. See language

volunteering within organization, 118

Wwalk (in body language), 92

want ads. See posted openings

wardrobe (roadblock to promotion), 123–125

Web sites

abusive boss information, 59

salary research information, 135

weight problems (roadblock to promotion),123–125

Woodworth, Beth, 172, 209

Work Behavior Inventory assessment, 184

work relationships. See relationships

worksheets

Career “Master F.I.T.”, 18–19

Career Needs, 5–6

Compare Your Salary, 139–140

A Crash Course in Branding, 29–30

Getting Your Documents Together, 98

Leveraging Your Strengths and DevelopmentOpportunities, 64–67

My Before-After-and-Beyond PositionDescription, 95

My Personal Objective for the CareerConversation, 79–80

My Preferences, 196

My Return on Investment Solution, 85–86

My Value Statement, 134

Promotion Target, 12–15

Rate Yourself, 8

Roadblock Busters, 128–129

Your Employer’s Objective, 81–82

Your Manager’s Objective, 82–83

Wrzesniewski, Amy, 63

X–ZYour Employer’s Objective worksheet, 81–82

Your Manager’s Objective worksheet, 82–83

Zeng, Heather, 175, 209
