Make It Happen

Have you ever been given one of those cube-shaped paper pads, with corporate advertising on the side? They are very convenient, and a clever way to get your name in front of your market.

Not too long ago, I was at a trade show where Weight Watchers had a booth. (They were selling their services to the corporate market, which was why I was there too.) I normally don't engage in conversation with booths that have little relevance to me, but I was blown away by their marketing genius: Along the entire side wall of the booth were those cube-shaped paper pads, stacked from bottom to top. The only difference was they weren't cube-shaped, they were half height! Can you imagine - paper pads on a diet?

I went up to the person who was in charge, struck a conversation, and mentioned the half-height paper cubes. Their surprising response? "Yeah, we work for such a cheap company - they can't even afford proper advertising"

Pfffft.

Were the half height paper pads done because of cheapness, or as a clever marketing ruse? It doesn't matter. To me, the lesson speaks to the need to organization alignment: in this case, between marketing and sales to HR. Strategically, if the people aren't "onboarded" properly, and if the mission, vision, and values aren't "living", then they are dead. And when the marketing folks don't connect the message of the day to those in the front line? There shouldn't be a surprise when some other message gets delivered.

Secret Sauce

There is no shortage of books, experts, web sites, and computer programs that purport to tell you how to succeed in your job, and often, in life. They exist because of the public's insatiable appetite for self-improvement. When you examine them closely, the vast majority have two things in common:

- Success will be yours if only you follow "the system" to the letter.

- They know nothing about you and your unique circumstance.

Unfortunately, for both of these reasons, many of these resources are of questionable value. If you are unique, how can a generic "system" help you sell yourself? (It can't.)

No one knows you better than yourself, and no amount of generic secret sauce is going to make you successful. Instead, consider these questions about your unique selling proposition:

1) What skill do you have that is better than anyone else's, with the greatest market value?

2) What are you doing to improve that value further?

3) What are you doing to demonstrate that value to your employer, to your family, and within your community?

This week's action item: By all means continue reading, listening, and surfing - after all, you would not have found this Tipsheet article if you weren't doing so! But if you want to get yourself to the next level, it will take more than just reading, listening, and surfing - it will take action. Start by answering these three key questions.

Note: The Make It Happen Tipsheet is also available by email. Go to www.PersonalBalanceSheet.com/news to register.

Randall Craig
www.RandallCraig.com
www.PersonalBalanceSheet.com/news