“Tips and Secrets to Greater Career Success”

Making Yourself Indispensable

Al Ballon, Stockton District

ManagerJuly 2014

Explore an alternate perspective on building leadership competencies

Learn about the power of self-assessment tools

Overview of pivotal leadership competencies

Share a manager’s perspective on critical skillsets

Unveil stark realities about current work environment

Learning Objectives

Mark Samuel, IMPAQ CEO“Making Yourself Indispensable: The Power of Personal Accountability”

Being indispensable means you are adaptable, learning and growing with an organization that changes and evolves … at the end of the day, you are either working to make yourself indispensable or working yourself to make yourself obsolete”

Building Leadership Competencies

“If you want to get to the top, develop skills that complement what you already do best”

It is pretty easy and straightforward to improve on our weaknesses, get measurable results by linear development – We do so by learning and practicing basic techniques

Developing strengths is very different: Doing more of what you already do well yields incremental improvements. To become better, you need to work on complimentary skills by non-linear development

Making Yourself Indispensable: John H. Zanger, Harvard Business Review Article

The Interactive Process: Cross-Training The combination of two activities produces improvement

substantially greater than either one can produce on its own Marathon runner : Run, run, run but also a regimented

diet, yoga, muscle building exercises, etc.

Complimentary Competencies Developing complimentary pairs of competencies can result

in significant improvement in overall leadership effectiveness

Making Yourself Indispensable: John H. Zanger, Harvard Business Review Article

Getting Results Focuses on results Establishes stretch goals (vision) Takes initiative

Interpersonal Skills Communicates powerfully and

broadly Inspires, persuades and

motivates others Builds relationships Develops others Collaborates and fosters

teamwork

Character Displays honesty and integrity

Personal Capability Exhibits technical/professional

expertise Solves problems Innovates Practices self-development

Leading Change Develops strategic perspective Champions change Connect the group to outside

world

Making Yourself Indispensable: Leadership Competencies

Making Yourself Indispensable:Core and Leadership Competencies Model

Source: Office of Learning (OL)

Building Strengths …. Step by Step Identify your strengths Choose a strength to focus on Select a complimentary behavior Develop it in a linear way

Making Yourself Indispensable: Building and Magnifying Strengths

Complimentary companions to the ability to persuade and motivate others:

Connects emotionally with others Exhibits clear vision and direction Develops others Champions change Is a strong role model

If rated low on communication , this would be a strong companion to strengthen your powers of persuasion

Remember: Focus on a competency that matters to the organization and something you feel passionate about

Making Yourself Indispensable: Building Strengths

Supervisor feedback Are you described as a poor performer, an under-

achiever, a solid performer, or a star performer?

Your colleagues

Mentor Feedback

OL: Leadership Self-Assessment tool

Making Yourself Indispensable: The value of Self-Assessment

Two main reasons SSA needs you …… future leaders The opportunities have never been better !!!

Let’s put it into context Organizational challenges: Attrition and fiscal constraints Increased wait times, phone call volume, workloads

How is SSA meeting these challenges? Flattening of the organizational structure Online services Remote assignments: Virtual, Telework Greater collaboration between components: capacity management/resource sharing

Why is Making Yourself Indispensable Sooooo Critically Important?

“State of Readiness” Expand your technical and educational skillset Raise your visibility Embrace virtual job opportunities Be resilient

How To Make Yourself Indispensable?

As SSA employees, we each play a central role

in helping the Agency meet its service commitments despite fiscal challenges.

What are some of the key competencies that managers may look for in a prospective Analyst, CR, TE, SCT, TA?

Flexibility … “Attitude defines your Altitude”

Communication skills Thirst for learning Interpersonal skills Ability to prioritize

Problem solver Integrity

Customer service orientation

Making Yourself Indispensable: A Manager’s Perspective

What are some of the competencies that I may look for in a prospective OS, ADM, DM?

Management-centric Leadership

Business acumen Strategic thinking

Making Yourself Indispensable: A Manager’s Perspective

That thing about mobility

Act the part

Guess what? If you don’t like your boss, he/she probably doesn’t like you either !

Get your hands dirty

There are no guarantees

Get a mentor

Results, results, results

Don’t show your ugly side

Make it difficult for managers not to select you

Maintain a strong life/work balance or you’ll burn out

Have fun at work. It’s OK !

No network, no advancement

Stark Realities: “Lo Que Papi A Ti Te Dijo ..”

Your performance and your career aspirations must focus on adding value to

the organization

Did I mention “get a mentor” …..

60% of IT managers surveyed stated that a mentor is necessary for success. Yet, only 20% of IT workers have a mentor

Mentors help you navigate through pitfalls, help you clarify your goals, provide you with unfiltered feedback, and much, much more

Stark Realities: “Lo Que Papi A Ti Te Dijo ..”

“All life depends on relationships ..” National Geographic

“Those that are flexible, never get bent out of shape”

“Difficult times provide opportunities”

“Being successful doesn’t necessarily make your great. What makes you great is when you reach back and help somebody else to become great” (Joel Osteen)

Favorite Quotes

Are you able and willing to make yourself indispensable?

Are you ready to disrupt the norm? Are you ready to embrace a greater leadership role?

If You Are … You need to convince those above you that you are a

valuable resource You must demonstrate that you are

indispensable

Closing

Questions & Answers