Stretched Too Thin: A Checklist for When to Say “No” to Stretch Assignments

"Image courtesy of Rawich/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net".

By Jo Miller

If you are like most women, you will eventually reach a point in your career where you find that you can’t advance to the next level without being able to show that you have relevant experience. But as everybody knows, you can’t get the experience without first doing the job.

One ideal way to demonstrate that you have potential to grow beyond your current role is to take on “stretch” assignments. By volunteering for additional roles and responsibilities, you can learn new skills, make your talents visible to your leaders, and demonstrate your readiness to step into a role that goes beyond the one you are currently in.

Despite all the benefits of volunteering for stretch assignments, there are times when the extra workload can actually work against you. For instance, at a recent seminar, one guest told me, “A mentor told me that volunteering for stretch assignments will help improve my career. I took on three new projects and now I am not getting any sleep. Help!” 

This woman’s mentor had given her good advice, but within reason. We must learn to put “guardrails” around these stretch assignments so that we are not stretched too thin while performing them! 

But how? How do we say “no” to stretch assignments without also saying “no” to furthering our careers? The key is to be highly selective. If you are going to take on responsibilities outside the bounds of your job description (and I hope that you do), you must choose strategically if they are to work to your benefit.

One common career misstep that many women make is accepting too many low-visibility assignments which require them to work overtime without  gaining the benefits of recognition and skills growth that such stretch  assignments should bring. To avoid stretching yourself too thin for no visible career benefit, here is a simple checklist for when to diplomatically say  “no” to stretch assignments.

Don’t volunteer for:

1. Assignments that stretch you too thin. Instead, look for projects that stretch you without overwhelming you, so that you can deliver a consistently high quality of work. Think quality of  assignments, not quantity.

2. Assignments that don't build your strengths. The best stretch assignment is one that requires you to build business acumen, new technical skills or leadership skills. Don’t volunteer unless a project has the potential to expand your ideal skill-set, and let you demonstrate your potential to go beyond the job you are currently in.

3. Assignments that don't meaningfully expand your network. Stay away from projects that are all about work and have no networking opportunities, i.e. “busy” work. Go after projects where you can build stronger working relationships and demonstrate your expertise to leaders, sponsors, and other stakeholders.

4. Assignments that don’t build the reputation you want to be known for. Say no to projects that don’t align with the specific “brand” you are trying to build within the organization.

Remember, “stretch” assignments are designed to build your skill set and organizational brand, not simply add duties to your already busy schedule. Be ruthless, but diplomatic, about turning down assignments that do not align with where you want to go next in your career. Otherwise the only “stretching” you’ll be doing is stretching yourself too thin!

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Jo Miller is CEO of Women’s Leadership Coaching, Inc. and a leading authority on women’s leadership.  

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The Rules of the Game: Pay Attention to Office Politics If You Want to “Win” the Corner Office

By Jo Miller

Have you ever wondered if playing the game of office politics is necessary to be successful?

Lois Frankel sure does. She’s the author of Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office (Business Plus, 2004). According to Dr. Frankel, the workplace “has rules, boundaries, winners and losers. Not only is it a game, but the rules of the game change from organization to organization and from department to department within an organization.”

Despite what it may say in its employee handbook, every organization – or team – has its own unwritten, unspoken “rules of the game”. Knowing these rules can help you avoid missteps or pitfalls that might hold you back in your career, harm your reputation, or simply prevent you from being at your most productive and effective on your own career path.

Keep your ears open
The unwritten nature of many such rules make them difficult, but not impossible, to decipher. For example, when I asked one senior manager for examples of  “rules of the game” in her organization, she said there were two key people of influence in her department: the vice president and a lower-level employee who was considered to be the vice president’s “right hand”. In this organization, unless you were a part of their coalition, you struggled to be heard and have a voice. It was also generally understood that one was to never directly contradict one of those individuals in a meeting, especially if the person was wrong. Such conversations needed to take place privately.

Again, it wasn’t written down anywhere but, if you wanted to get along, let alone get ahead, it was best to learn “the rule” and follow it closely. Only after this senior manager recognized how much these rules governed behavior in her group was she able to speak up, raise her profile, and have her work be valued – all through building stronger relationships with these two key individuals.

The rules are not always negative
In one of my leadership workshops, a participant raised her hand and shared that in her team it was not a good idea to move forward with a new initiative without first gaining the consensus of the entire team. Upon hearing her say that, another participant raised her hand and shared that, in her team, they had an unspoken rule that was almost the opposite. Team members were expected to “act first and ask for forgiveness later.”

Can you imagine how difficult or frustrating it would be trying to get something done in one of those teams if you were playing by the wrong rule? All of that frustration could be alleviated by simply being aware of the rules and acting accordingly.

Here are some other examples I have heard, many of which you may find familiar:

• You have to play golf (but not better than your boss).
• Don’t bring a problem without offering a solution.
• Successful people collaborate and negotiate without getting into conflicts.
• The CEO prefers to be surrounded by “yes” men and women.
• No one gets promoted in her first two years on the job.
• Decisions get made in the “meeting before the meeting” and relationships are built in the “meeting after the meeting.”

In life, we all make choices; some harder than others. Case in point: What if a rule crosses a boundary set by your own values or ethics?

Not every rule is worth following
Do you still need to play that game to be successful? For example, one woman told me a lot of valuable business information was shared among smokers on her team as they gathered outside the building to smoke and network. She was very clear she would never become a smoker. She was not willing to play that game and developed a work-around by building her own networks that shared access to the same information.

Parting Words
You don’t need to play every game to be successful in your role. But pay attention to what’s going on, educate yourself about the rules of the game, and then choose to play or not play.

What are some of the unwritten, unspoken rules of the game surrounding you in your team and in your company’s culture? Do you choose to play that game or not? With practice, you can learn to spot them quickly, get a quick read on a team’s culture, understand the rules of the game, and decide how you’ll respond.

_________________
 

Jo Miller is CEO of Women’s Leadership Coaching, Inc. and a leading authority on women’s leadership. Don’t miss Jo’s webinar, Win at the Game of Office Politics on February 25, 2014.
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Ask an Executive: Five Ways to Advance Your Career

By Jo Miller

If you had one hour to speak candidly with a senior executive, what questions would you ask about becoming a leader? What would you like to know, strictly “off the record,” about the differences between leaders and followers?

That’s the gist of my latest webinar program, Ask an Executive. When I polled audience members about their own burning leadership questions, a common theme among the responses submitted was whether or not there were still perceived differences between men and women when it came to assuming leadership positions.

“What are those gaps between expectation and performance?” our audience was wondering, “and how can women overcome them to advance their careers?”

Guest speaker Kieth Cockrell, Divestiture Executive with Bank of America, spoke candidly about the similarities and differences between male and female leaders, and the steps women can take to advance their careers and become business leaders. When summarized, his responses can be categorized into the following Five Ways to Advance Your Career:

1. Great performance is “hormone blind”
The good news, according to Cockrell, is that success is apparently hormone blind. “When I'm thinking about opportunities or filling a key role in the organization,” he explains, “I don't really see differences between men and women. For me, it comes down to great performance. That's just table stakes. There are plenty of people who do good work. What I'm looking for is superior results and a commitment to doing exceptional work.”

While a candidate’s sex may not be on Cockrell’s radar, performance definitely is. “I'm passionate about two things,” he notes, “teammates and customers. When I find people who are passionate about those, then I think ‘we have an opportunity to do some exceptional work together.”

2. Competitive sports are a differentiator
Based on Cockrell’s experience, something that sets future leaders apart is the experience gained through playing team sports. “I grew up playing competitive team sports,” he explains, “which teach many things: the value of teamwork, the value of receiving coaching, of someone giving you tough love from time to time and demanding even more than you think you're physically and mentally capable of doing.”

The news may come as a bit of an eye-opener to women of a certain generation, who were often encouraged to cheer sports teams on from the sidelines, rather than participate on the playing field.

But Cockrell is quick to point out the closing gap between men and women in this vital area. “If there was one thing that I would say that may have been a difference between men and women in my generation,” he says, “it is that there was not as many opportunities for women to play team sports. I'm glad to see that has evaporated over the years.”

3. Performance without relationships goes nowhere
For those wanting to transition from individual performer to leader, Cockrell relates his own realization of just how much more can be achieved through rallying a team than by working hard as an individual. “There's so much more that an army of people can do versus what I could do alone.”

But how will you know when it’s time to transition from performer to leader? According to Cockrell, it’s a personal evolution every leader comes to on his or her own time. He explains, “Eventually you realize that you don't have all the answers. There are other people who have different perspectives, experiences, and intelligence. Over time, I have learned to listen a little more versus always thinking that I had the right answers.”

Of course, no man – or woman – is an island and even leaders need to stay grounded with a core group of intense, strong and powerful connections. Cockrell, who has seen his own share of friends working hard but going nowhere, explained, “I'm a big believer that you have to work hard and you have to perform but you also have to develop relationships. Performance plus relationships lead to advancement.”

4. Stay in your sweet spot
Trust in oneself, according to Cockrell, is a universal trait, and one particularly inherent in future leaders, male or female. “A lot of people focus on the feedback that they've received on the things that they need to do to be better. I encourage you to listen to that feedback but also know who you are and the things that make you special.”

Cockrell refers to this innate self-confidence – while still being open-minded to performance feedback – as the leadership “sweet spot”.

And once you find it, Cockrell insists, own it: “Do your best to stay in your leadership sweet spot because it's not work; it's not hard for you; it just comes very naturally and you have the opportunity to be impactful.”

5. Articulate your interests
Finally, Cockrell suggests that women shouldn’t be shy about letting current leadership know of their further ambitions. He explains, “If there’s one piece of advice that I would give women, in general, it is to not allow people, including your boss, to assume what's in your best interest. If anything, it's your obligation to ensure that the people who are in your direct chain of command have an understanding of what your interests really are, your willingness to relocate, and your readiness to take on greater responsibilities.”

He concludes, “You may not be able to articulate exactly what you want, but make sure that people don't make assumptions about what the best career choices are for you.”

What’s refreshing about this discussion, I believe, is the performance-based aspect that seemed to weave its way through all of Cockrell’s answers. While acknowledging the gap that still exists between male and female leaders, Kieth Cockrell nonetheless insists that leadership is a skill, not a label, and that results are truly “hormone blind”!

Listen to my entire conversation with Kieth Cockrell and John Hall in the webinar “Ask an Executive”. Members, log in now to view the webinar recording.
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Introducing Gwyneth Anne Freedman, Affiliate Leadership Coach

We would like to welcome Gwyneth Anne Freedman to the Women's Leadership Coaching, Inc. team.

She has helped hundreds of women leaders identify their niche, expand their influence, cultivate their leadership presence, and break through into management and leadership positions.

Are you looking for a leadership coach to help you advance your career and thrive as a leader in 2014?

Start your leadership coaching program by requesting a complimentary consultation with Gwyneth Anne Freedman.

Tips for Getting to the Top Floor: 3 Simple Ways to Up-level Your Elevator Speech

By Jo Miller

Is your elevator speech elevating your career all the way to the top? Or is it leaving you stuck on the ground floor? If your current elevator speech educates your listeners about what you do now, but not what you are capable of doing next, you may be missing an important opportunity to re-shape how others perceive you. (And even how you perceive yourself!)

So, what do you typically say when you introduce yourself to others for the first time? When done right, this elevator speech – or thirty-second commercial – can be the verbal equivalent of “dressing for the job you want”.

Here’s a common example of how sending the right message can show you in a good light today, but a better one tomorrow: Let’s say you are the “go-to” person for tasks that you wish you could move beyond. Things you could basically do in your sleep and perhaps should even be delegating to others. Maybe people keep coming to you with requests that exemplify duties you were excited to perform a few years ago but now leave you feeling bored, underutilized and perhaps even unappreciated.

Regardless of what floor you’re on now, here are three simple “read today-use today” ways to reshape your elevator speech and sculpt how you are perceived in your organization.

1. Own responsibilities beyond your job description

Keep it simple, straightforward and clean. Start with your name and job title, and then follow with a brief, crisp and lean overview of what you are responsible for by saying, “I am responsible for a, b, and c,” where a, b, and c are very concise bullets points.

To uplevel your elevator speech, make sure at least one of these bullets goes beyond your current job description and describes a responsibility better fitting your next dream job within the organization.

For example, a product manager who aspires to manage a team of other product managers might say, “I oversee documentation and sharing of product management best practices” or “I represent product management in new business pursuits”.

2. Become the go-to person for the bigger picture

After sharing your name, job title and responsibilities, finish your elevator speech with a statement that sets you up as the go-to person for higher level duties.

For instance, you might say something like, “Come directly to me whenever you need x, y, and z”. Don't articulate the busy work or low-level tasks on your current roster or you’ll only attract more of those. Instead, choose up-market areas that showcase your leadership skills and the value you add to the organization.

3. Use leadership verbs

Finally, use language to your advantage by focusing on active, strong leadership verbs to send a powerful message that is forward focused.

For instance, in order to shift perception of yourself from doer to leader, catch yourself before you say you ‘work on’ something or even that you are ‘responsible for’ it.

Be definitive instead. Say you lead it, oversee it, orchestrate it or are in charge of it. Do you know of more examples of leadership verbs? Please post your suggestions in the comments section below. That is, right after you use them in your next elevator speech first!

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Ask an Executive: The Four Characteristics of a Leader Who Gets Hired and Promoted

By Jo Miller

Imagine if you had the opportunity to sit down with a senior executive and get the real, unvarnished truth about what it takes to be a potent leader in today’s highly competitive workforce. The one caveat: you could only ask a single question!

So, if you had the opportunity to speak candidly with a senior executive, what would your top question be?

That was the query I put to participants before my latest webinar, Ask an Executive. From the GM women’s network in Spring Hill, TN came this question that seemed to capture the essence of many similar requests from the audience:

“What are the most common characteristics of people in your organization who contribute the most value, regardless of their gender?”

Guest speaker John Hall was more than happy to divulge the four characteristics of a leader he is most likely to hire into – or promote within – the organization he has led to become the world’s most profitable software training business:

1. Adults only need apply
Being brilliant is not enough to impress Hall, who should know. After all, he is Senior Vice President of Oracle University. “I like to hire people who are smart but they have to work well with a team,” he explains. “I call it ‘adult behavior.’ They don't have time or tolerance for office dramatics.”

That’s not to say that there aren’t days when a team has its differences, which is after all the trademark of a successful team. Explains Hall, “We still have disputes and discussions but at the end of day, I want a team that supports me and supports the business one hundred percent. Working well as a team is critically important.”

2. Don’t tell me everything’s great
“Yes” men and women with rose colored glasses firmly in place need not apply, either, according to Hall, who clearly favors facts over fiction – and plenty of them. “The other thing that we're really keen on,” he explains, “is being very data-centric. I don’t need somebody to say, ‘Things are going well.’ I want them to say, ‘Hey, things are 6.7% better than they were last year’ or ‘They're at negative 6.7%.’ ”

Hall adds, “Being data-centric is so important. Speaking in those terms provides a tremendous amount of credibility when you're talking to senior executives and other people in your industry.” The implication is clear: getting in the habit of responding/presenting with clearly defined facts instead of fuzzy generalizations is a good practice for all of us to get into!

3. Take the baton and go for the finish line
A key to success and being valued in Hall’s organization – and many others – is being results-oriented. “At Oracle we have very specific objectives around revenue, margin, market share, customer satisfaction, and quality,” Hall says.

He takes care to clearly define and communicate goals, then relies on team-members to drive toward those results as self-starters, with little hand-holding along the way. “I've had success with describing the finish line in extremely clear, data-centric terms. I tend to hire great people and make sure they know the objectives.”

After that, Hall implies, it’s up to individual team members to take the baton and run the rest of the race him or herself!

4. Set the integrity bar high
So, what does Hall save for last in his Four Characteristics of Leaders Who Get Hired and Promoted? “The final thing that's table stakes for me is high integrity,” Hall says with an air of finality.

Hall sets a high bar for integrity in his approach to things like customer service and how his own employees are treated. “When I surround myself with a team that's got high integrity,” he explains, “it's easy to maintain that standard.”

Self-assessment
Want to be valued by the leaders in your own organization? John Hall would urge you to work well within a team, be data-centric, results-oriented, and operate with integrity. “These are the characteristics I always look for when hiring or promoting somebody,” he stresses.

Now, to gauge yourself as to how many of Hall’s Four Characteristics of a Leader Who Gets Hired and Promoted you’re engaging in most frequently, try this simple exercise: Consider your performance in the past week. For each of the four qualities listed below, give yourself a rating, where 1= Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Very good, and 5 = Excellent.

• Team work
• Data-centric
• Results-oriented
• Integrity

What’s done is done, so I won’t ask you to dwell on past performance too terribly long. But look to the future and consider the week ahead. What action will you take to raise your score in two of these areas?

_________________

Listen to my entire conversation with John Hall and Kieth Cockrell in the webinar “Ask an Executive”.
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From the Article Archive: Influencing Without Authority — Understanding Your Six Sources of Influence

By Jo Miller

Question: I am in the difficult situation of being unofficial project lead, responsible for team performance to schedule and budget. How can I influence and motivate the team to get the job done, when I do not have a job title that commands their respect?

Jo Miller answers: Welcome to the tricky world of influencing without authority.

Leadership text books make a point of advising up-and-coming leaders not to accept responsibility for a business outcome without first negotiating a job title and hierarchical authority. This is great advice in principle, but here in the real world you may have an organization structure that is in a constant state of flux and management structures that are highly matrixed, not to mention a freeze on promotions. There are times when an emerging leader needs to roll up their sleeves, engage the team, influence, and get the job done.

At a company women’s leadership event, Dr. Cecilia Kimberlin, former Vice President, Quality and Regulatory Affairs with Abbott. made a point of saying, “There is a myth that the higher you go in the organization and the more positional authority you gain that you just have to say “do it” and people get it done. I hate to bust your bubble!”

Influencing without authority is one of the most valuable skills you can learn. It is similar to motivating a volunteer army, as you do not have hire/fire authority, just your ability to influence, persuade, motivate, and engage others. Learning the so-called 'soft skills' of leadership is a vital step on the journey from employee to manager.

As a senior-level woman in a manufacturing organization once remarked to me, “In my company, influencing skills are the single most important success factor after knowing your job.”

So while positional influence is something to aspire to, until you have it, remember that there are five other highly useful forms of influence that you could be taking greater advantage of:

Your Six Sources of Influence

1. Positional influence: The authority that comes inherent in a job title and role.

I think positional influence is the most overrated of all forms of influence, as people spend a lot of their careers waiting for it or seeking it out when they could be influencing in other, more immediate ways.

  2. Expertise influence: The influence that comes with your background, experience, qualifications and career accomplishments.

Nora Denzel is a member of the board of directors for  Ericsson, Saba and Outerwall. When she spoke to senior technical leaders at a women's conference, she reminded them that "It's not what you know and it's not who you know. It's who knows what you know."

Who knows what you know? Are your colleagues and management aware of your expertise? There is influence inherent in all of the bullet points you would list on your resume, but only if others are aware of those accomplishments. Don't be the best kept secret in your organization! Find appropriate and effective ways to promote your accomplishments, in order to maximize your expertise influence.

 3. Resources influence: Having the ability to attract and deploy the resources you require to get your job done.

When budgets and headcount are tight it is important to demonstrate that any company resources allocated to you are invested well. It is a mistake to turn down additional resources that could help you perform your job. You're not doing your company any favors by being frugal if you could have taken an additional resource and used it to deliver a greater return on that investment. Negotiate for the resources you need, use them well, and you will be entrusted to manage even greater resources in future.

4. Informational influence: Having a finger on the pulse of what is going on in the organization.

Seek out information about changes before they become officially known, such as new projects, opportunities, re-orgs, resource allocations, budgets, long-range plans. Having a heads up on this information helps you make better business decisions, more rapidly. Over time, others will come to rely on you for your decision-making ability. When that happens, you'll be utilizing your informational influence.

5. Direct influence: Being firm, fair, and professional when someone’s behavior is out of line.

Here's where leadership and parenting have a lot in common. A caring parent will step in when a child puts them self or others in danger. There will be times as a leader when you need to do the same, using your direct influence to take that person aside and have a 'tough love' conversation. The best leaders do this in a way that is firm, direct, fair, and confidential. They also take the time to share their vision for that individual and their future potential, and in doing so, act more like a mentor than a boss. Leaders that do this well gain a great deal of respect from their people. By using your direct influence well you can make a big difference in another person's career.


6. Relationships influence: The influence that grows as you build great working relationships with those you rely on to get your job done, and everyone else that your role touches.

Dr. Sophie Vandebroek, Chief Technology Officer with Xerox, said “It’s not enough to have a bright technical idea. I have seen too many projects led by great, passionate people fail because they tried to be the lone influencer. You have to get the right people in the boat with you. You have to engage the entire human fabric.”

When you take time to build great relationships across the human fabric of your organization, and people know you, trust you and respect you, you are less likely to need to resort to influencing, cajoling or persuading. If you have been a willing collaborator who has supported them in the past, "influencing" can become as simple as asking for assistance.

You need to be able to have those “tough-love” conversations, in the rare instance when someone’s behavior is unacceptable.

By fully using all of your sources of influence, you can gain credibility, get buy-in for ideas, and make a larger impact in business, with or without the positional authority of a job title.

__________________

For more information on this topic, watch the webinar, “Becoming a Person of Influence” with guest speaker, Laurie Oare, Central Region President at US Foods.
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Emerging Leader Spotlight: Crystal Hemphill, Symantec Corporation

Crystal Hemphill is our first Emerging Leader to be featured for 2014. We met Crystal at the Poised for Leadership workshop (hosted by Symantec Corporation) in Lake Mary, FL in November of 2013. Crystal stands out as a rising leader for numerous reasons and in this interview you will see why!

Name: Crystal Hemphill
Current title: Business Development Manager
Company: Symantec Corporation
Favorite leadership quote: “Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” – Sara Blakely (Founder of Spanx – Worlds Youngest Female Billionaire)

What is the most important thing you have learned that has been critical to your career success?
Experience is not enough to be successful in a new role. You need confidence in your ability to achieve . . .  achievements are everything.

“I was able to secure my current role because I was not afraid to compete aggressively.”

What key steps did you take to get to the role you are in today?
I was able to secure my current role because I was not afraid to compete aggressively.

Prior to joining Symantec, I knew I had to understand what it took to be successful in the role that I was pursuing. I made a concerted effort to push beyond the surface of understanding Symantec’s mission statement, vision and company culture by proactively meeting with active Symantec employees. 

Although, this may be viewed as a brash move, I was not afraid to aggressively (yet respectfully) seek out current Symantec employees to talk business. Through my conversations, I was able to identify which skills I held that would be advantageous in the business development role that I was pursuing; and in my pitch, I made sure to articulate how these skills would add to the overall value of the company. 

Management was impressed by my preparation and hired me because I was able to clearly communicate how my skills could lead to potential success.

“Learning how to leverage my networks has been crucial to my success.”

What tools or resources have you used that have been crucial to your success?
Learning how to leverage my networks has been crucial to my success.

Keith Ferrazzi, who has been called the greatest networker in the world and is the author of “Never Eat Alone,” defines networking as “sharing my knowledge and resources, time and energy, friends and associates, and empathy and compassion in a continual effort to provide value to others, while coincidentally increasing my own.” I agree with this statement wholeheartedly and make sure to identify key people I wish to grow with.

Networking with these key people has provided mutual support and/or connections. My supportive networks have guided me through my first year and kept me focused on my goals. These networks have also provided an outlet to share creative ideas on strategy and problem solving. Who you know does matter.

“To improve myself professionally, I invest time in education that will help expand and nurture my personal and professional networks.”

What steps are you currently taking to improve yourself, professionally?
To improve myself professionally, I invest time in education that will help expand and nurture my personal and professional networks.

Along the way, I have enrolled in leadership courses, career workshops, and joined the Symantec Women Action Network (SWAN) group to help grow my success, development and power network.

“My most proud moment at Symantec was looking back at my yearly performance.”

What professional accomplishment or result have you achieved in the past year that you are proud of?
My most proud moment at Symantec was looking back at my yearly performance. During my initial 6 months, I amassed more than $10 million in sales from my Fortune 1000 clients. I exceeded my Quarterly Target in April of 2013 and successfully brought my new territory out of the red upon my hiring which resulted in 9% YoY growth in my territory.

“Jo helped me understand the essential elements of a great leadership brand and how to make my brand visible.”

Recently, you attended the Poised for Leadership Workshop. What are some of the key takeaways that you will use moving forward?
The Poised for Leadership Workshop not only provided key takeaways in leadership principles but also showed how to apply them to my career to make an immediate impact. 

Jo Miller, the CEO of Women’s Leadership Coaching, instills confidence and supports her audience in their development towards learning how to empower themselves. 

Jo helped me understand the essential elements of a great leadership brand and how to make my brand visible. I now have a concrete plan in which to make positive changes for continued success.

Emerging Leader Success Story: Pragati Rai, Chief Technology Evangelist at PayPal

By Jo Miller

Do you ever wonder what happens to the women that we profile in our Emerging Leader Spotlight? I was browsing LinkedIn last week and stumbled across the profile of Pragati Rai who we featured in June 2012. I was stunned and excited to see her new c-level job title. So naturally, I asked what factors led to her advancement. Here’s what Pragati has been up to.

What factors lead to your advancement into your current role? A lot of hard work went into taking me where I am today. Besides doing my assignments with all my heart, I started doing additional assignments like writing a book on the side. These assignments worked like "stars" on my profile. Finally I started evangelizing what I do and let it be known what I want to accomplish next.

How has your leadership style evolved since taking the role? I believe in people. I believe everyone wants to do their jobs well. But sometimes people get caught up in roles and responsibilities that do not excite them. It is important to find out what excites and motivates a person and what is that s/he wants to achieve. By giving a person an opportunity to thrive (maybe in a different group), we are doing a favor to the person, to ourselves, and to the company.

You attended the Poised for Leadership workshop in March 2012. What impact, if any, did it have on your career?
Poised for Leadership helped sort things out for me. It equipped me with tools and techniques to understand and navigate corporate dynamics. Personally, the most valuable learning from your class was the introduction to the concept of a shadow map – how people are connected and influence each other outside reporting boundaries. Thanks for running these classes; they are very valuable.

Ask an Executive: Webinar for emerging women leaders on December 3

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Time 1 p.m. Eastern, 12 noon Central, 11 a.m. Mountain, 10 a.m. Pacific USA time, for 1 hour

Is there something you’ve always wanted to ask a leader? This hour-long forum gives you access to the executive perspective without any of the awkwardness. Our panelists will candidly address a wide range of career issues and leadership challenges. Submit your questions for consideration!

REGISTER NOW

Guest speakers: 
Kieth Cockrell, Divestiture Executive at Bank of America
John L. Hall, Senior Vice President, Oracle University

Facilitator:
Jo Miller, CEO, Women's Leadership Coaching, Inc.

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Pay Attention to Office Politics

By Jo Miller

Have you ever wondered if playing the game of office politics is necessary to be successful?

One of the first good books I read on women and leadership was "Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office" by Lois Frankel. Published in 2004, it holds up well. It was in reading this book that I first learned the importance of understanding the "rules of the game."

According to Dr. Frankel, the workplace "has rules, boundaries, winners and losers. Not only is it a game, but the rules of the game change from organization to organization and from department to department within an organization."

Read more on how to navigate the unwritten, unspoken rules of the workplace on the Iowa Women's Leadership Conference blog.

Helping Women in Bermuda Reach their Leadership Goals

The Centre for Leadership in Bermuda was formed when five successful business women came together to discus areas where support for women’s leadership in business was lacking.

Rochelle Simons, one of the Centre’s founding members, heard about Jo Miller’s work after researching the topic of women’s leadership development. “It fit nicely with what the Centre for Leadership was about and the content of the course and some of the other work that Jo offers was really interesting, so it fit right in target with our mission,” she said.

Read the Royal Gazette's article about how the Centre for Leadership and Women's Leadership Coaching, Inc. brought the Poised for Leadership workshop to Bermuda.

6 Critical Career Missteps That Put a Lid on Career Advancement

By Jo Miller

It isn’t easy to break out and establish yourself as an up-and-coming leader inside a large corporation. Some days you can feel like the best kept secret in your organization. Your management might have said that if you work hard and do a good job you’ll be recognized but if you’ve tried that, you’ll know that it can bring mixed results at best.

For over fifteen years I have been going into large companies to train emerging women leaders on how to advance into positions of management and leadership. If you are wondering how to become a leader or how to get promoted, here’s my checklist of the top career missteps that could be putting a stop to your career growth. I have included a summary of action steps to take to leap beyond those roadblocks and keep your career moving forward.

Misstep #1: Waiting to be promoted
Action step: Take charge of your career trajectory.

Misstep #2: Allowing others to define your reputation
Action Step: Build your brand as an emerging leader.

Misstep #3: Building a dead-end brand
Action step: Make your brand scalable.

Misstep #4: Working too hard
Action Step: Make your value visible.

Misstep #5: Accepting low-visibility assignments
Action Step: Take on career-defining projects.

Misstep #6: Downplaying your accomplishments
Action Step: Promote your achievements.

Could you identify with any of these? Post a note in the comments section!  Let me know what you’ve discovered, and what action you’d like to take to move beyond these roadblocks and move ahead in your career.

And watch my free four-part video series on how to build your brand as an emerging leader. I cover the six critical career missteps and the actions to take to move beyond these roadblocks. You don’t have to be the best kept secret in your organization!

Get started here.

From the Article Archive: Learning the Fine Art of Self Promotion

By Jo Miller

Question:What are ways to make my accomplishments visible without being seen as bragging?

Jo Miller answers:
I know far too many women who hold back from promoting their accomplishments, for fear of being seen as someone who brags too much. We’ve all known a colleague who overdid the bragging to the extent that they became a strutting, self-promoting peacock.

Many of the women I speak to, say that their fear of becoming like that person holds them back from self promoting at all — even when appropriate or necessary. If you fall into this category, your finely tuned “B.S. detector” will prevent you from turning into an obnoxious over-promoter. You do need to seek out a healthy level of recognition, because in today’s corporate culture, that’s what gets rewarded.

Many women fall into the trap of thinking that getting recognized at work is like doing well in school, where working hard and getting good grades will guarantee recognition. But when you take this approach in the workplace, you’ll only get buried from view under a pile of work. Worse, your reputation as a “hard worker” will only attract more hard work!

As an example, I spoke to a woman recently who had a reputation at her office as “the fixer.” Every time there was a sticky problem that no one else wanted to deal with, she was called in to fix it. Being somewhat humble, she never bragged or called attention to what she was achieving. After toiling away un-noticed for six years, she realized that she wasn’t building a brand as an achiever or leader or expert. In her own words, she was known only as “the pooper-scooper.”

The solution was to reflect on her recent accomplishments, select those that best positioned her as a leader, then get the word out. Here are the steps she used:

1. She listed out all of her accomplishments.
2. From the list, she selected the ones that reinforced the brand she wanted to build. (Leaving out the pooper-scooping!)
3. She promoted those accomplishments.

And, here are three ways she promoted her accomplishments and ways you can do the same without feeling sleazy.

• Create a “soundbyte” or concise one-sentence description for each accomplishment. When someone asks, “How are you doing?” don’t just tell them you’re fine; take that opportunity to include a soundbyte:“I’m doing great. I just got nominated for the customer service award!”
• When a customer or colleague sends an email praising you, forward it on to your leaders. All you need to add to the message is “FYI.”
• When a significant project or milestone is accomplished, ask to present a report in your staff meeting and to other groups that may benefit from what you’ve learned. Volunteering to present brown bags works well, too. 

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For more information on this topic, watch the webinar,  “Are You The Invisible Employee?” with guest speaker Claire Babinueax-Fontenot.
Members, log in now to view the webinar recording. 
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How to Build Your Brand as an Emerging Leader: Free Four-Part Video Series

Are you the best kept secret in your organization?

Don’t be! In our new free four-part video series, discover:

• The 6 critical career missteps that could be putting a lid on your career advancement.
• How to identify your ideal career niche.
• How to build your brand as an emerging leader.
• How to attract high-profile projects.
• Ways to make your value visible.

Get started now!

What Your Boss Won’t Tell You About How to Become a Leader: 5 Uncommon Tips for Career Advancement

By Jo Miller

If you’ve worked hard, done a good job, and received a positive performance review, then you’ve successfully followed what most good bosses would call a “career development plan”. That’s different, however, from a career advancement plan. To advance you’ll need to do the things that go beyond being merely great – and yes, I know that’s a big “merely” – at your current job.

Last month I explored the webinar topic “Take Charge of Your Career Trajectory” with two of the smartest women I know: Donnell Green, Global Head of Talent Management and Development with Blackrock; and Dr. Caroline Simard, Associate Director of Diversity and Leadership with the Stanford School of Medicine. When these two leaders shared their essential elements for a career advancement plan they each included both common and uncommon tips for moving upward, including some things you’d be unlikely to hear from your manager.

It’s up to you to create your career advancement plan. You can’t wait for permission to become a leader. As one of our previous speakers, Monica Spigner of Lincoln Financial Group once told me, “Make a plan – or someone else will make one for you.”

Donnell and Caroline shared phenomenal advice on growth and promotion, with a thorough look at their career advancement essentials. Here are just a few highlights:

1. Get a good boss
For Donnell, a critical element of taking charge of her career meant building a network of support including coaches, mentors, and sponsors. “Don’t go it alone,” she advised, “and give careful consideration to who is in your management chain. Work for people you respect, and get a good boss. I have built great relationships with my bosses and created value for them. Having the support of your manager can make or break a career.”

2. Don’t stand in your own way
Imagine gripping onto something so tightly that you almost squeezed the life out of it. Don’t do that to your most important career goals!

Accomplishing those goals can mean adjusting your way of going about it, according to Caroline. “If you’re too attached to a very narrow definition of success or a narrow plan for your career, you will ignore amazing opportunities.”

“Keep your eye on the goal, but don’t stand in the way of the end result. Sometimes, that means letting go of some credit or doing a task that you’re not particularly interested in. But if it’s really important to achieving your vision, it’s absolutely worth doing.”

Speaking of her own career plan, Caroline emphasized the importance of flexibility. “I try to have a plan but it’s a flexible plan.”

3. Timing is everything
Asking for the things we need, especially when it comes to career advancement, is a hurdle for many women. Fortunately, our speakers shared tips on negotiating for key training or development opportunities.

For Donnell, timing is everything when it comes to these negotiations. “The right conversation held at the wrong time can be harmful, as is failing to be mindful that your boss is in bad mood or the person you’re talking is the wrong person. Pay attention to timing and use those instincts for these conversations.”

4. Don’t ignore work-life fit
Caroline leads an innovative pilot initiative at Stanford School of Medicine to re-design the work culture in ways that allow faculty to increase their work-life fit. She advised asking yourself not only what is it that you’re trying to accomplish at work, but what your goals are at home, in your personal life, too. “Don’t ignore work-life fit. These two pieces need to go hand-in-hand in everything you do.”

“Work-life fit is about the balance of taking care of yourself” said Donnell, who trained for her first marathon ten years ago. At work, there were times when she pushed herself beyond what she thought she was capable of, which she now credits as a key factor in advancing into the global leadership role she holds today. “Get physically fit and healthy,” she urged our audience. “When you train for a marathon, you build endurance and you build stamina. It’s a great analogy for the long haul of leadership and getting to the top.”

5. A sense of humor can advance your career
“Don’t take yourself and others too seriously”, said Caroline, adding that “a sense of humor has really carried me through hard times. It’s easy to get intimidated by titles and degrees.”

Donnell agrees. “Mind the seriousness and intensity!” she said. “If you’re someone that people enjoy being around, you’ve got a sense of humor, you don’t take yourself seriously, you’ll have followership and that followership will advance your career.

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Listen to the entire conversation with Donnell Green and Caroline Simard in the webinar “Take Charge of Your Career Trajectory”.

Members, log in now to view the webinar recording.
Not a member yet? Join now for immediate access to the webinar.