I came across this HBR article about great leaders and authenticity by Rob Goffee and Garett Jones.
Being authentic is confusing. People view it as a license ….”well, this is who I am….and I can’t change.” They use authenticity as an excuse to hang on to bad behaviors. Continue reading
When you’re trying to progress a project, your career, anything, it’s important to know who are the key people who can make things happen. Continue reading
One of the things I talk about is skill and will. Marla Malcolm, the CEO of Bluemercury adds one more: FIT.
What I love about her interview (see article here) is that she is the “queen of the seven minute interview.” I too, believe in the 7 minute interview but was too embarrassed to admit it. Skill you ascertain through the resume (what has the person done), and will is about how hungry they are. Fit is also hugely important: not everyone can fit. You can be successful in one culture and an abject failure in another.
I interviewed someone I knew wasn’t a good fit. But my colleagues really liked him, and made me interview him twice. I didn’t like him any better the second time. But I caved in, and we hired him. We ended up having to terminate him 10 months later. Did he have the skill and will? I think so. But the fit wasn’t there.
So when you interview someone, or interview for yourself, remember the three things.
“It’s important for women to know that having a voice really means having a track record of success and accomplishments, so that people want to listen to what you have to say, because you’re saying something of value. So use your voice, but use it strategically.” This is a quote from a great series, “The Corner Office” by the NY Times…click here for the article.
I love this. Too often men and women just talk….as if words are enough. What you want is to add value to the conversation which comes as a result of your experiences and accomplishments. You want people to care about what you think.
Here’s a test: next meeting, say nothing. See if anyone asks you what you think. If no one asks, they’re going ahead without you. Change that.
One of the things I see people struggle with most is telling the story.
It’s been proven that people remember stories. They don’t remember facts and data. I have sat in so many presentations which were nothing more than a recitation of facts. But once in a while, someone will tell the story. Continue reading
“Kindness always matters.”
We forget.
This is probably one of the most challenging things you’ll come across in your career. Usually, you’re fast OR accurate.
The people who truly rise to the top are the ones who can master both. It doesn’t matter if you’re accurate if you’re always late with the presentation. And it doesn’t matter if you’re fast if your work has errors. So how to deal? Continue reading
Looking back, this is one thing I didn’t do well. I always dreaded feedback time: I didn’t really give myself credit for the good stuff, and I saw all the bad stuff as a criticism. Here’s my lessons learned: Continue reading