Make It Happen

Career Performance

What do Stevie Wonder, Leonard Cohen, and Elton John all have in common? They are all musicians, all internationally famous, and they have all been writing music and performing for decades. But what accounts for their success?

• They had great teachers and mentors.
• They practiced their scales and rehearsed their music, and got very good at what they did.
• They listened to other musicians, and incorporated other styles into their own.
• They evolved, growing better - and different - over the years.
• Despite a focus on the music, they didn't ignore the business of music.

This is exactly how successful people manage their careers: They invest in education, learn from their mentors, evolve over the years, and despite a focus on their current jobs, they actively manage their careers. They get very good at what they do.

This week's action item: Are you doing as well managing your career, as these musicians are in managing theirs? Look at the list above, and choose one thing that you may have been ignoring, and plan how to do more of it.

Postscript: We can't know whether Wonder's, Cohen's, and John's name in music will be as well known as Mozart, Bach, or Beethoven, but we do know that without working hard today, they won't have that long-term professional success. (And neither will you.)

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

Ten Career Planning Tips that we can learn from Barack Obama (and John McCain)

Now that the dust has settled with the American Presidential election, all of the pundits can begin prognosticating on how Obama will do once he's on the job.

For those in the midst of a job search, however, attention must return to more mundane matters - like getting a job. Yet, are there any job search and career planning lessons that can be learned from Obama's historic victory? The answer, of course, is yes.

1) Anyone can grow up to be the President of the United States. And you can do any job that you want as well. Set a goal, make sure you are qualified, and "apply" for the position.

2) The road to success is long and hard. Obama didn't wake up one day and decide to be President. First he got an education, then he worked in the community, then he was elected to Senate, then he ran for the Democrat's nomination, and then finally, for President. While no one may know (including Obama himself) where a path might lead, working hard each day pretty much guarantees progress.

3) The value of Networking. Obama certainly didn't do it by himself - by some accounts, he had over one million others helping him reach his goal. How are you using - and growing - your network?

4) The value of the Internet. Beyond the basics of a web site, he had Blogs, Videos, Social Networking, discussion groups, ecommerce, and email. You name it, Obama used it to amplify his message and reach out to his audience.

5) The power of a personal brand. More than anything else, his message was singular and on-track: a message of change and hope. While this might not be your Personal Brand, especially during a job search, this focus defined him to others, and helped these others amplify his message even further. Of course, it helped that his brand was completely congruent: the way he looked, the way he acted, the way he sounded, his message, his attitude - everything.

6) The importance of an interview. Each time he was in front of the camera, he was poised, fluent, and answered in an authentic manner. Most people don't enjoy interviews, so consider: Obama did 5-10+ interviews each day. Practice makes perfect.

7) Support of family and friends. Often, a politician's family is wrongfully seen as a prop, to appear when needed, and to be put away when completed. In reality, though, a public figure is also a private figure: with relationships, personal responsibilities, interests, and requirements. And their families are often the keystone to this private life, providing the support that allows them to work successfully in the public eye. Those of us who "merely" work - or are looking for work - sometimes forget that our family and friends are there to support us, and that it is our responsibility to reach out and ask.

8) The importance of thank you. Obama's acceptance speech was both inspiring, and humble. He didn't shirk from acknowledging all of the people who helped along the way. During the next month or two, this will continue with thousands (if not millions) of emails, letters, and phone calls. It isn't hard to say thank you, yet sometimes we too easily forget.

9) The value of a rest before you start. Obama was elected on November 4th, but won't actually be sworn in until January. No doubt he will use the time to pull together his team, but he may also take a few days break and recharge from his long campaign. If you are between jobs, take a few days - or even a week - before you start. That short break will leave you re-energized.

10) There really aren't any losers when you step up to the plate. While John McCain and Sarah Palin lost the election, did they also not gain something from it? John McCain earned 46% of the popular vote - not too shabby. He built a team, and has become a greater influence within his party. Sarah Palin has put her name on the map, gaining valuable experience on a national stage. While neither won the prize they were seeking, they both are further ahead than before, and this will help them as they consider their own next steps. When it comes to your own job search, even if you don't get the job - or the promotion - the fact that you were considered for the role says something about you. And the interview experience, networking, and research have even greater value.

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

Randall Craig is the author of several Career Planning Books, including the best-seller "Personal Balance Sheet". He speaks to groups on Career Planning, Work-Life Balance, and Networking for Career Success. He has never met President-Elect Obama, but would be thrilled to do so. Randall can be reached directly at randall (at) personalbalancesheet (dot) com, or at 416-256-7773

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

Last night, I met a delightful individual, Tracy Slotin, who works on the road delivering seminars for financial types (How to be a great controller, etc). I was going over my own business plan, and she suggested a different type of planning.

Where do you want your business to be in a 100 years? Write it down. Where do you want it to be in 50 years? Write it down. In 25? 10? 5? 2? next year? in 6 months? 3 months? 1 month, etc. Then next to the result, briefly write one or two things that you must do to achieve that result. If you follow this religiously, you will know exactly what needs to happen this week and next. The beauty of this system is that when you hit each of these milestones, you'll be able to compare the actual with the plan, and assess your progress against a specific milestone.

We can use this same approach when it comes to our career. I am pretty sure where my career will be 100 years from now: 6 feet under. It will work if you start with a number closer to 30 or 40.