Taking the Driver’s Seat on Your Career Growth

Posted on by Leticia Hartmann

Charting your course towards a CEO position or leadership role has taken quite a different trajectory compared to what it once was. In today’s business world, growth-minded executives no longer wait to be recognized for their contributions and standby in anticipation of that well-deserved promotion. To get ahead, you need to be your own advocate.

Take risks

Taking the Driver's Seat on your Career GrowthIn a recent study published by Harvard Business Review, C-level executives referred to as ‘CEO Sprinters’, were analyzed over a 10 year period. The findings of this CEO Genome Project showed that Sprinters achieved fast-track success by making bold initiatives that catapulted them ahead of their peers who followed more traditional career paths. This accelerated path often requires taking on risk, forcing yourself out of your professional comfort zone, and adopting the mindset of “making your own luck”. If success is what you seek, dare to take chances and expand into new territories.

Manage up/Communicate your accomplishments

In addition to making strategic strides to expedite your career growth, learning to hone your communications skills is vital. You are your foremost champion when it comes to educating your company about your value and accomplishments. Many highly productive executives don’t pay attention to managing up or recognize the importance of selling their achievements. If this sounds like you, schedule time into your calendar for making a conscious effort to communicate the impact you have on your organization.

Become a thought leader

Taking on the role of being a leading voice within your field is enormously valuable. Executives who make a conscious effort to study new trends, explore future possibilities and communicate their ideas, have the potential to serve as thought leaders.

Time for learning is time for growth

How can you be ahead of a moving curve and guarantee that you are a “disruption-ready leader”? Make time for strategic thinking and learning beyond your role.

Be proactive about building relationships

If you’ve got your sights set on executive growth, you must dedicate time to building key relationships. Carve out time to network and proactively cultivate relationships outside your current role within your organization. Reach out to key executives you may not frequently interact with and ask for advice from opinion makers in your industry.

Get support from a mentor or coach

Every step higher you take in your career requires a different set of skills. Don’t feel like you need to go it alone. Leverage different resources to prepare for growth. If your company has a formal mentor program, take advantage of it. If not, reach out to an executive coach or partner outside your organization who can help you expand your thinking and develop your next layer of performance.

Now more than ever, there’s no shortage of ways for you to propel your career forward. And while effort, talent and ambition are still the keystones of what it takes to make a great leader, keeping your toolkit updated will get you there faster. If there were road signs for today’s up-and-comers, they might read: Be Bold. Be Savvy. Be Noticed. Be Heard. Be Proactive. Follow these signposts towards your career growth, and the sky’s the limit.

 

Leticia Hartmann is a Certified Executive Coach who specializes in leadership development and career growth. She is the founder of Exploritat.

“I am too Modest” – This Statement may be Hurting Your Career

Posted on by Leticia Hartmann

Modesty is equated with not being boastful or self-promoting. Talking about our accomplishments is often perceived as being egotistical and can leave a bad taste for those listening. However, when it comes to your career growth, is your modesty in fact holding you back?

Why being modest is not ‘good business practice’

Being modest in the corporate world doesn’t benefit you or your team. In order to get the recognition that you deserve, it is important to sell yourself and manage up. Hone your ability to value yourself so that others can see your value. I’ve worked with great leaders who are masters in being both humble and yet not modest. They make the time to expose their results as a team which in turn helps to gain visibility and resources to do even more. They get the exposure they’ve rightfully earned. In short, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with not being modest.

Often times, being reserved and humble about your achievements in the workplace could be a problem of not seeing your value. What’s the remedy?

How do you stop yourself from being ‘too modest’?

Develop a conscious habit to:

  • Define your own value proposition. Put on paper what you bring to the table. Ask yourself the following questions: “What are your accomplishments and results to your organization? Are you creating value to your company? Are you creating value to yourself? Are you creating value to your team?”
  • Manage up. Expose yourself and your team in terms of showing the results. This will help to further your career in terms of getting what you need and getting the resources to move your team forward. There are a wide range of actions to manage up including: scheduling meetings with upper management, taking on larger projects, accepting speaking opportunities or becoming a thought leader.
  • Check your assumptions.  Ask yourself, “What thoughts come to mind when I think of showing off my value? Am I afraid of being perceived as being a bragger? How are these assumptions serving me as a leader?”
  • Adapt your mindset. Do some soul searching to determine if your modesty is related with being too judgmental with yourself. Leadership coaching is one strategy that could help you to overcome this and serve as a catalyst for positive transformation. Take concrete actions to train your brain to act with a learner’s mindset.

The reality is that no one understands your strengths as intimately as you do. You know what you can bring to the table. Getting results is only part of your job as a leader. Building upon your success and seeking out opportunities to expose these triumphs is the cherry on top. It is then, that you will see real progress happen in your career.

 

Leticia Hartmann is a Certified Executive Coach who specializes in leadership development and career growth. She is the founder of Exploritat.

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