Don’t Work Stupid, Coach Yourself
Page 7
Always strive to make your manager look good. They can't be everywhere all the time and you are their representative when they aren’t there. If you think you only represent yourself anytime you do something, think again. You work for someone and that person is accountable for you. If you do something wrong, they get the call, not you. They become the one that has to handle “something.”
When you don't see your manager, it is because she is earnestly working on something–she may even hide out in a different part of the building to get work done. There is no other reason managers are absent from view.
If your manager creates a project for you to do and it turns out well, give them their due credit for their role in the project-praise them directly. They never get that kind of praise from employees, so they will appreciate it. Just to clarify, I am not talking about brown-nosing; I am talking about only sincere, deserved praise.
You may find this shocking, but managers are only people–just like you and me. Managers are far from perfect. Occasionally they will forget things, fail at something, remember something wrong. When this happens, don’t be the one that sits silent or puts them on the spot. Be the person who asks this question “What can I do to help you resolve this?” Managers can and will fall short, like everyone else.
The last time you fell short of a goal, what did your manager say to you?
Lesson 42: With Problems Have Solutions
When you go to your manager with a problem or roadblock, have a list of solutions. Don't expect that your manager will just solve it for you. Only children expect their parents to make everything all right.
Manager’s need problem solvers, because the world and work is full of problems. So, while one of their jobs is to “remove roadblocks” from your path, it isn't true they have to figure out the best solution. You are the subject expert of whatever is going on; your manager may know nothing about it.
Once you have identified that you have a problem that requires your manager’s input or help, spend time to develop different scenarios that can solve the problem. Chart out on paper or slides the problem and solutions. Then go to your manager and say “I have a problem that needs your review and input. Would you be able to look at what I have prepared for possible solutions?” It will thrill your manager to do this because again, most people won't bother.
Summary
There are rules for managing your manager. These include:
Never surprise your manager
Always warn them when you see trouble coming
Operate in a drama free zone and share that with your manager
Be the adult in the room, not the child
Always make your manager look good
When you have a problem, go to them with solutions
Questions to Ask Yourself
The last time I surprised a manager, what was their reaction? What were the consequences for me?
Have I seen trouble coming in the past and not recognized it? If so why? What was the outcome afterward?
Do I work in a drama free zone or do I create a drama zone? If I create drama why? What do I get out of it? Is my work life better or worse for it?
Am I the child or the adult in the room? If I am the child why? What do I get out of being the child? Does that make me happy somehow?
The last time I went to a manager with a problem, did I also bring solutions? If not, why not? Did I think he or she could solve all my problems? What was the result? How did I feel afterward?
Additional Resources
Forbes Magazine – “12 Easy Ways To Manage Your Boss”
TheMuse.com – “How to Deal With the 5 Most Negative Types of Co-workers”
Inc.com – “10 Ways to Cut Workplace Drama and Make Work Fun Again”
TheMuse.com – "5 Ways to Make Your Boss Look Good—and Get Ahead in the Process"
Forbes Magazine – “Don't Bring Problems To Your Manager-Bring Solutions”
If you like this book and find it useful, you might buy a paper copy. That way you’ll be able to refer to it easily and make notes in different sections.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5DN87N
Chapter Bonus: Long Term Success
"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.”
~ Warren Buffett
Lesson 43: Build Your Brand and Reputation
If you want a strong career, what you really are saying is that “you want to be a strong brand.”
Brands are all around us: food, electronics, cars, even the town we live in can be considered a brand. You know immediately which brands you can trust and which you can't. It is the same for people. People with outstanding brands are the ones you go to for help, the ones you befriend, the ones you want to work with, and the ones you want to speak at your professional association’s meeting.
So how do you develop your own professional brand?
Your Brand is Everything
First, you need to understand that everyone is always judging you: your attitude, your dress, the things you say and how you say those and what you do. Judgments are the rule, not the exception in the workplace.
Previous chapters spoke about people, politics and the workplace. Here is where the rubber hits the road: your perceived brand worth. Look over the previous chapters again and think about what you can do this year to improve your brand perception.
Lesson 44: Build a Work Record and Chronology
One way to build your personal brand is by having a work history that makes sense. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be longer than 10 years. However, it should be a career that will be understandable to anyone that reads your resume or looks at your LinkedIn profile.
For example, if you start as a software developer, then a few years later become a senior software developer and a few years after that you become software architect, you have an easy-to-understand work record and chronology.
If you jump around from one job focus to another, it will take an explanation for other people to understand. It doesn’t mean that it’s not good experience; it means that you will need to pull it together in a coherent way. The narrative must make sense to the reader.
Lesson 45: Keep Track of Your Accomplishments
After you complete a project or a large accomplishment, record key information about it. The reason you want to do this is so you don't forget. This information can someday in your resume, or used as a success story in an interview. What you are creating is a work journal and work archive.
This should be a simple task as you will have just completed something. Record details in an MS Word document (included: Download free PDF Files):
The problem or focus of the project
Your role (position)
What you did
The result
Mention any relevant numbers. For example “saved X number of dollars,” “completed in 9 months instead of 12,” “managed X number of people,” “budget of $X,”.
Quantify the success from your manager’s perspective:
Why this was important
Who benefited from it
How did this add to the organization’s success
Completion Date
Project Duration
Keep one folder on your work computer and one folder on your home computer. It is paramount that you always have all information in 2 different places on 2 different computer systems. That is the only true way to avoid losing work.
Title the filename with this information:
Name of project: System Migration of X
Your role on the project: Technical Writer
What you did: Wrote User Guide
Date of Project: 02-22-2018
If you follow that format, the filename will look something like this: SSysMigX-TechWriter-WroteUserGuide-02152018.docx
Now you have it written in an MS Word document for when you need it. Print that to a PDF and put both files in the
folder titled “Work-Accomplishments.” You can separate it by role or year. Or you can just lump it into one large folder. What matters is that you can find it when you need to find it. Otherwise, it’s useless.
Also, put the actual work product, in this case, the user guide, in a separate folder titled "Work-Samples." Add the same date (as the accomplishment) to the end of the current filename. For example, UserGuide.docx becomes UserGuide-02152018.docx. Also, print this file to a PDF, so you have a copy that will always be readable and accessible, regardless of what happens to software and technology.
At completion, you will have 4 files:
The accomplishment description: SysMigX-TechWriter-WroteUserGuide-02152018.docx
The accomplishment description in PDF format: SysMigX-TechWriter-WroteUserGuide-02152018.pdf
The finished work product: UserGuide-02152018.docx
A PDF copy of the work product: UserGuide-02152018.pdf
Keeping a record of accomplishments, the details and the work product will build an accurate history for you to refer to throughout your career. If you do this consistently, you will never be at a loss to talk about yourself or your accomplishments.
Lesson 46: Create and Maintain a Portfolio
A portfolio is a showcase of your best work. You can share this with your employer at end of the year reviews and with future employers when interviewing. Visual aids in almost any professional setting are powerful and persuasive.
If you have done the previous step (keeping track of your accomplishments), building a portfolio will be a simple process. Look over your archive of work and select the best of each type of work that's relevant.
What is relevant for your end of the year review will be the work you completed in the past year. What is relevant for a job interview will be whatever work samples best fit the job description. For example, if you are applying for a Marketing Manager job, showing examples of marketing brochures and advertising campaigns would be relevant.
You can provide these in a variety of formats. You can:
Load the description and work product for each project on a flash drive
Have it on a laptop or tablet you bring with you
Print it out and put it in clear plastic sleeves in a loose-leaf notebook
Put it on a site like Wix or a website with your own domain name
The portfolio must be easy to get to so your audience can see it when necessary.
Lesson 47: Create and Update Your Resume
Your resume should always be up to date. If you aren’t doing this yet, you might work on it today. Most people leave their resume alone until they need it (like when they leave a job unexpectedly and have to find another). This is the wrong time to update your resume.
Why?
If you do a good job, others will notice. Some may ask you for your resume even if you aren’t looking for a job. If your resume isn’t up to date, what will you do? You’ve just lost a job, do you really think you’ll in the best frame of mind to update your resume?
Lesson 48: Build Your Network
Throughout your career, you must build and grow your professional network. Your work alone will never be enough to get you noticed or to find the next job.
There are two ways to build your network: online and offline.
You don't have to be an online influencer to build out your digital footprint online. You need the interest, a plan, and some work.
Online you should use LinkedIn.com:
If you don’t have a profile already, create one on LinkedIn.
Expand your network and link to as many people as you can. You need not know these people well to link with them. The important thing is building out a vast audience you can share things with.
Write posts and articles about subjects you feel passionate about-especially in your profession.
Always be positive. On LinkedIn.com, anything negative or taking positions on social, political or religious subjects won't get read. If those get read, they won’t get forwarded to others. What you want to do is start a conversation with others and have that conversation multiply into many “likes” and “shares.”
Remember that online, like face to face, you will always be judged. Be interesting, positive, polite and helpful.
Join LinkedIn groups that interest you, are career relevant, and you can contribute to.
Follow influencers you admire or that interest you.
Like and re-post things you see that might interest others.
Other Online Networking use:
Email,
Text Messaging
Any other Social Media you like
to stay in touch with others at least once a month.
Offline:
Use the telephone to call people you have worked with to stay in touch.
Go to networking events when you see those available
Go to lunch with colleagues you want to deepen the relationship with
When there are events at work, participate! Don’t just grab food and go back to your cube–no one will see you!
Become socially engaged at work events for the betterment of others is a win-win for good networking.
Charities are a great way to pay it forward and meet like-minded people. Some companies do projects several times a year for “Habitat for Humanity.” There are literally thousands of charities out there that need volunteers.
If you go to church, consider taking part in one of their social groups
Look at it this way: each time you meet someone is an opportunity. It's not a coincidence or a chance encounter, there's a purpose. It's up to you to figure out what that purpose is. It could be cheerful communication with another human being. Likewise, they might be the next person you work for in your career.
Summary
It is very important that you build both a brand and a reputation in your chosen profession.
You can do this by:
Building a good work record and chronology
Keeping track of your accomplishments
Creating and maintaining a portfolio of your best work
Creating and maintaining your resume
Building your professional network both online and offline
Keep that network alive by contacting people often
Questions to Ask Yourself
When I look at my resume, does the career progression make sense (tell a coherent story)?
Do I have a good and easy way to track my accomplishments? If not, why not?
Do I have a portfolio? If not, why not?
Have I ever seen anyone create and use a portfolio? If yes, what was the response of the audience when they viewed it?
What have I done this week, month and year to build and feed my professional network?
What could I do today to reach out to someone new at my workplace?
Additional Resources
Forbes.com – “8 Reasons a Powerful Personal Brand Will Make You Successful”
QuickSprout.com – “The Complete Guide to Building Your Personal Brand”
TopResume.com – “How to Track Your Work Accomplishments Throughout the Year”
WikiHow.com – “How to Create a Career Portfolio”
TopResume.com – “Update Your Outdated Resume: The 7-Step Modern Resume”
GoodCall.com – “Making Connections: How to Create and Cultivate Your Professional Network”
BusinessInsider.com – “7 Way to Master Online Networking”
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