Me, Myself and I: Closing the Gap Between Perception and Reality

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man-and-woman-standing-on-money-featuredBy Nneka Orji

When your colleagues describe you and your abilities, do you recognise the description? Does it accurately reflect the reputation you’ve worked hard to establish or is there a chasm between how they perceive you and how you would like to be seen?

In a 2010 report by Opportunity Now, 57% of women pointed to the challenges of being seen as less committed at work as a result of also meeting personal and family commitments. This was in addition to 49% of women identifying “stereotyping and preconceptions of women’s roles and abilities” as barriers to progression. If perception plays such a significant role in female progression, surely we should be investing more time – both as organisations and individuals – in proactively addressing misperceptions.

It could be argued that organisations have gone some way in trying to tackle these gender-specific perception challenges through initiatives such as unconscious bias training, however a number of studies have shown that an individual level, women could be doing more to define and develop their brands to support their career progression. A recently published report by She Runs It, highlighted the gender divide when it comes to personal branding. Conducted with LinkedIn and EY and looking at over 4,000 companies in the media and marketing industry, the report found that on average, men in leadership roles had 15% more connections in their network than women. At every stage of their careers, women should be investing more time and effort in developing their professional networks and building stronger personal brands.

Branding for opportunities

Some readers may feel some level of cynicism or indeed a sense of dread at these words – “personal branding”. We usually associate brands with products and organisations, including brands such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Visa, and Amazon – all in the top 10 of WPP’s 2016 Top 100 BrandZ list. The idea of a personal brand may be seen as another fad trumpeted by self-proclaimed personal branding gurus, however study after study show the value in developing a personal brand.

Having a strong personal brand can open doors to new opportunities – a promotion or a new international opportunity. Even for those who have established personal brands, there may be a need to redefine your brand. According to marketing strategist and Duke University lecturer Dorie Clark, reinventing personal brand is particularly important when looking for a career change. While being an international trade expert may have served well to date, it may not be the brand that provides the best opportunities for the desired next phase of your career. In her “Reinventing Your Personal Brand” article, Dorie emphasises the importance of defining the destination, developing a clear narrative and other key considerations for a successful rebrand.

So does defining your personal brand mean reinventing yourself?

Reinventing brand vs reinventing you

According to Shelly Lazarus, the Chairman Emeritus of Ogilvy & Mather, the answer is no. Having worked with leaders across a number of organisations throughout her career, Shelly advises both women and men to ensure they are comfortable in their own skin rather than creating a brand that does not represent the individual. In her 2014 interview in Harvard Business Review, Shelly talked about the importance of resilience in every successful career and the obstacles created by an inauthentic voice and brand, particularly as women and men progress in their careers. While there may be a perception that personal brands should change with each promotion, Shelly emphasised the merits of consistency: “Brands exist in the hearts and minds of the people who use them, and if you suddenly try to switch them—which I’ve seen many corporations try to do —you alienate the customer.” The same applies to individuals.

Investing in you

Even the most cynical will hopefully acknowledge some of the merits of authentic personal branding in career progression; think of the leaders you find most inspiring and what their brand does for them. Personal branding is also critical to encouraging diverse representation across the global workforce – much needed in today’s organisations. While a quarter of a billion women have joined the workforce since 2006, according to Catalyst workforce participation rate decreased from 52.4% in 1995 to 49.6% in 2015. The report also shows that women hold only 12% of all board seats globally.

More needs to be done to reset expectations and correct misperceptions; women taking full ownership of their personal brands and clearly articulating how they would like to be perceived – not how others choose to perceive them – is an important part in the journey to more balanced representation across our organisations.

Before starting on your journey to defining and living your authentic personal brand, here are four considerations:

1. Define your brand: It is all too easy to throw the baby out with the bathwater and try to develop a completely new brand. However it is important to pause and acknowledge the valuable traits of your existing brand and use this as a basis to reshape your brand. If your stakeholders always look to you because you have a track record of moving ideas from concept to reality, don’t take this for granted. Maintain this unique aspect of your brand and build on it to, along with other aspects you would like to be known for.

2. Live the brand (and deliver): As the businessman Henry Ford said, “[y]ou can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” Being clear in your mind about your personal brand is important, however it means nothing unless you deliver on it and establish your desired reputation amongst your colleagues and broader network. In the same way a number of the aforementioned BrandZ brands have established themselves as market disruptors and innovators, you too will need to demonstrate that you are able to live your brand by delivering on assignments and making the right impact.

3. Champion others and be championed: The She Runs It report highlighted the importance of championing others and also being championed – and men tend to champion others more proactively through endorsements than women. The report found that of the endorsements received by female professionals in leadership positions, only 30% of endorsements were made by other female professionals which compares to the 78% of endorsements made by men for other male professionals. What does this mean for you? Once you’ve developed your brand and demonstrated how you deliver on your brand, ensure you have a group of champions, including mentors, sponsors and fans, who can vouch for your credentials. Don’t forget to champion others while you are being championed.

4. Be authentic and remain consistent: Take a “me, myself and I” approach to personal branding. It is all too easy to emulate those individuals who seem to have it all, however the effort of living someone else’s brand can be all too exhausting and unsustainable. Focus on you and once you have established your own authentic brand, deliver consistently against it. Of course your brand may evolve as you progress or transition careers, but the fundamental characteristics of your brand should be unwavering.

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It Takes Seven Seconds to Make a Good First Impression!

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Guest contributed by Carolyn Leonard

No one is comfortable going into a bustling room filled with people that you don’t know. Many of us, despite whatever stature and success we may have achieved, still feel shy and awkward in those situations. To keep me focused and sideline some of the jitters, I set myself a goal of walking out having made two friends. To my mind, it’s not about how many business cards I can collect, but all about connecting, making good first impressions, and trying to forge mutually beneficial relationships from there.

Image via Shutterstock

Image via Shutterstock

To that end, a series of experiments by Princeton psychologists Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov conducted more than a decade ago and published in the July 2006 issue of Psychological Science resulted in some very interesting conclusions. They revealed “that all it takes is a tenth of a second to form an impression of a stranger from their face”. The authors went on to note that longer exposures don’t significantly alter those initial impressions (although they might boost your confidence in your judgments).

Women sometimes still face many challenges when it comes to career advancement. In particular, we believe that the quality of our work should speak for itself and for us. So, instead of showing up at a company cocktail party or event where we would meet people who if they knew us could influence our career path or even sponsor us we stay huddled behind the safety of our computer working away.

Part of my business development and marketing game plan is very straightforward. I call it “just show up.” I accept invitations to a breakfast, lunch or dinner where I will have the opportunity to meet new people. We get them in our “inbox” many times a day. I select two events a week to participate in where I will be meeting new people.

In order to make good first impressions I wear a smile and look confident. When I am at an event where I don’t see anyone I know, I scope out the room and try and identify someone who looks interesting. After introducing myself, I am always very conscious of looking for a connection or common interest. Good connections are almost always mutually beneficial.

In early June I went to a networking dinner knowing only one other woman in attendance. During the dinner, we discussed the importance of funding female led initiatives and of women supporting other women. I mentioned an idea that a group of women, myself included, are working to launch. We want to invest time, education and money in early stage, women-led companies. We want to hold workshops and boot camps to educate investors to learn what to look for in making these types of investments.

One of the women at the table perked up and said that that was exactly what she was looking to do with the next phase of her career. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in building marketing programs and membership organizations from the ground up which no one else in the group has. She is a perfect fit for this venture, and by simply showing up, I found a great partner.

People promote people that they know and like. So becoming a good networker is an important tool in opening doors for new opportunities and friends. Join industry organization like WILD or Women In ETF’s, mentorship programs and women’s initiatives within your organization. Be seen and make meeting new people fun!

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A New Vocabulary For Your Daughters: Three ways we can instill confidence, resilience, and grit

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 Guest contributed by Dr. Priscilla G. Sands 

Leadership

Image via Shutterstock

Reaching a position of leadership, no matter your industry, requires hard work, perseverance, and resilience. How can it be made easier for the next generation to reach their potential? Perhaps we can start by simply by being mindful of the words we use.
As we prepare the young women in our lives for their future, we need to assemble a new “guidebook” to help them in their quest towards lives of purpose and meaning. We know this depends in large part on one’s internal grit and determination, and we all need to allow young women to self-advocate and to set their own goals while at the same time provide authentic mentorship.  

As the Head of School at Marlborough School, an all-girls middle and high school, we believe in a community that is free from the barriers and biases that can hold many women back. I am so proud of our graduates, women who break molds and shatter stereotypes while leaving a positive and lasting impact on the world around them.  
After spending nearly three decades in education, most of them in girls’ schools, I am often asked for my advice on raising confident, competent young women.

Here are three key suggestions for talking to the young woman in our lives:

 

1. DON’T tell her she’s smart. This is hollow statement that she will come to doubt when she faces adversity or challenge. It is a sure way for her to bump her head on the glass ceiling. Not only will she not believe you, she won’t be motivated to strive for more.
 
I know this seems counter-intuitive, particularly for high achievers, but for just that reason they may give up when faced with a difficult problem, rather than struggle through it and wrestle with new ideas and concepts. Being wrong is also part of being smart. So instead of simply stating what you see as a fact, but which is likely to be viewed with skepticism or indifference on the part of the young woman, I suggest an alternative.

DO tell her that you love the way she approaches challenging problems. Encourage her to stay with it and praise her willingness to keep working. She will develop a thirst and appetite for the puzzle and the question rather than simply the answer. Share examples of times when you struggled but ultimately succeeded in meeting a goal. Remind her that many of the greatest accomplishments take time and diligence to achieve as well as significant failure along the way.

2. DON’T refer to her or other women or girls as bossy. Too often girls are given the message that women in charge are disliked, which discourages their pursuit of leadership opportunities.  The most successful women were often told they were bossy along the way. In fact, rid your vocabulary of all gender-loaded words.

DO empower her to take on leadership opportunities where she can and use her voice to also empower others. Women reaching out to other women is a powerful chain of empowerment.
Look for opportunities to ask her advice or opinion. Discuss the process you use for leading, being candid with the way you balance the feedback of the team and the objectives of the project.

3. DON’T tell her she’s a math person…or a language person…There is no such thing and that’s a fact. This kind of language is limiting. It suggests that a woman is only one thing, that she can’t be good at both math and linguistics and soccer and painting. As a result, she may be hesitant to explore new avenues. In this century she should not be locking into an academic or intellectual binary, but should be nimble and engaged in many fields and ways of thinking.

DO help her learn that abilities are developed through commitment and hard work, two building blocks for accomplishment. Nothing happens if you don’t try. Risk being vulnerable yourself and learn something new together. Take a poetry class, learn a new language, or learn to code. You can share the process of learning (complete with your frustrations) and have the opportunity to demonstrate your own strategies for perseverance. This provides an opportunity to make memories and give both of you the chance to try something new, and have fun doing so.
Finally, though not really a “do” or “don’t,” I think the most important thing we can do for the young women in our lives is actively listen to them and demonstrate that they matter, they are valued, and they are respected.
 
Dr. Priscilla G. Sands 
Since 2015 Dr. Sands has been head of Marlborough School in Los Angeles, CA. Prior to this appointment Dr. Sands held leadership roles, from Assistant Head of School to Head of School and ultimately as President at Springside School in Philadelphia, later known as the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. At this institution Dr. Sands established the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, a program focused on helping students build the skills and mindset required for success in the 21st century. Dr. Sands continues to be a champion of education and wellness and is currently working on the creation of a Mindfulness Program based on the work of Dr. Martin Seligman.

Dr. Sands earned a B.F.A. from the University of Rhode Island, a Master’s in Liberal Studies from Villanova and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views of our Guest contributors are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com

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How I Landed the C-Suite (And Why You Can, Too)

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Smartly dressed yyoung women shaking hands in a business meeting at office deskGuest Contributed by Deborah Gregory

Ambition, potential, and talent are incredible gifts, but so often they aren’t big enough hammers to help women shatter the glass ceiling. Difficulty breaking through to the C-suite can be frustrating, but I believe everyone has what it takes to become a leader worthy of notice. As I worked my way from law school to the IRS’ Office of Chief Counsel to finally co-founding my own law firm, I found that hard work, personal responsibility, goals, and gratitude are game changers that can propel anyone forward. Once you get those facets of your life in tune, anything is possible.

Focus on your dreams, not your gender

My mom always said, “Anything boys can do, girls can do better.” But when I was growing up, I didn’t see the world in terms of “boys’ activities” and “girls’ activities.” I just saw what I wanted to do, and I did it. Belief isn’t just a fundamental part of who we are, it’s a fundamental ingredient in what we’re able to accomplish. You really can do anything—as long as you believe you can.

Hard work beats talent

People tend to get hung up on whose more talented, but I find that hard work trumps talent every time. When I was in preschool, another student kept beating me at multiplication tables test, and I hated coming in second. I could have said, “Oh well, she’s just more talented than me,” but instead I started waking up early every morning to study even longer. I began making the best grades in the class, and the same strategy has worked for me ever since.

Don’t get hung up on talent—yours or others’. You may not always be the smartest person in the room, but you can always control how hard you work. Be the most prepared person in the room instead. That’s how you’ll get the deal, land the promotion, and break one more layer of the glass ceiling.

Own up to your mistakes

People are scared of making mistakes, but mistakes don’t actually define us. The way we handle the moments after a mistake is what truly shows the world what we’re made of. When you make a mistake, don’t bury it, ignore it, or blame someone else. Instead of running away, be proactive and own up to your mistake. Tell your supervisor and prove you will never let it happen again. Taking responsibility for your mishaps will show those you work with that you’re honorable, you’re responsible, and you care, which will earn their trust.

Know where you’re going

I’m continually surprised that most women don’t have their goals written down. If you don’t have a map, how do you know where you’re going? Not having written goals is a career killer, yet it’s simple enough to do. Think about what inspires and excites you, and write your goals down twice a day. I write my core career goals down every morning and every night, and that simple task often changes the course of my day. Writing your goals down is simple, but it can change everything.

Start and end your days with reminders of gratitude and goals

Our days are defined by how we start and finish them. If you begin your mornings with a negative attitude and focus on what could go wrong and what you don’t like, the entire day is over before it can get started. I have a routine that keeps my attitude in check and my actions focused, and I think it’s a huge part of why I have been successful. Before I get out of bed in the morning, I take a moment to list the things I am grateful for. I even give thanks in advance for great things I believe will happen that day. When I get up, I write down my goals to remind myself of the clear direction I want for my life. I repeat a similar process at night to ensure I’m continually grateful and living a life of intent. Mindfully focusing on gratitude and goals reminds you of what you have to be thankful for and what you have to look forward to, instantly uplifting your attitude and your power to work for those ideals.

About Deborah Gregory

Deborah Gregory, Esq., is cofounder of Gregory Law Group, PLLC, a Texas based boutique law firm specializing in tax representation as well as business and estate planning. After attending the South Texas College of Law and Boston University School of Law, Gregory launched her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers as an international tax associate. She then worked for the IRS for more than 10 years, becoming a senior attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel. Gregory cofounded Gregory Law Group in 2013 to specialize in domestic and international tax issues and assist with all phases of audit, litigation, and collection processes.

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Strategies for Surmounting Career Obstacles Commonly Faced by Women Executives

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Guest Contributed By Melissa Henderson, Summit Executive Resources.

Image via Shutterstock

Image via Shutterstock

According to the Pew Research Center, women represent a meager five percent of CEOs in the U.S. and only 17 percent of board members for Fortune 500 companies. That is despite the fact that women make up almost half (47%) the labor force.

Clearly, women executives’ upward mobility to become leaders and high echelon executives has been sluggish. For decades, many companies have largely used the same recruiting techniques. Not surprisingly, these methods duplicate past results, often placing men in the power positions. But, putting aside the structural, operational and human issues that prevail, there is still room to achieve your career goals more effectively.

Overcoming the Hurdles Women Executives Face

Here are five ways to take control of your career:

1) Understand Your Value Proposition

Women who think that offering gender diversity alone will open doors fail to develop convincing value propositions. To gain traction, crystallize the unique value you offer and brand it. That requires an extensive review of skill sets and domain expertise. It also means looking at sought after experience—operational, profit and loss, and global business know-how. Finally, women executives need to understand the market and where they can best meet organizational needs.

2) Overcome the Confidence Conundrum

Studies have shown that men have a tendency to overestimate their intelligence while women underestimate theirs, giving men an edge in confidence. Since we have a tendency to confuse confidence with competence, men more often to appear to have the qualities needed for leadership than their female counterparts.

Be confident in your abilities.

3) Network Authentically

Women mostly place a high value on authenticity, which is good. Many people, however, view networking as an inauthentic activity. Some women with this view are reluctant to attend networking events even though such gatherings can be important to their careers. Consequently, while men still flourish in the old boy’s network, women often fail to build mutually advantageous relationships. So become an authentic networker, and benefit from professional connections.

4) Beware of Your Own Unconscious Preference

Even outside of networking, you might expect women to give each other a helping hand. Women, like their male counterparts, however, unconsciously favor men when hiring. In blind studies, when resumes are presented without names, women with stronger qualifications than men are preferred. Yet if names are included, men are more likely to be favored.

5) Find Recruiting Methods that Reduce Bias

Boards often nominate new members from their old boy’s network. Meanwhile, human resource executives continue to turn to retained executive search firms for board and C-suite positions. Search firms are inclined to dip into the same pools, again and again, delivering the same old candidates. So as they fall into their old ways of recruiting, companies get more of what they have always had — men in power roles.

Women who want to crack the glass ceiling will find an executive agent to be a valuable resource. An executive agent works with them from the start of their search until they reach their goals. The process begins with questions about why a woman wants to serve on a board or to attain a C-level position and what she offers. As long as she has the passion and expertise to add value to an organization, the agent will be able to assist her.

An agent will use proprietary assessments, which are objective and eliminate gender bias, to define and validate a business woman’s unique value. They then help create her brand target the best-fit organizations. This service puts women in the driver’s seat, opening up opportunities that previously might have passed them by. That’s because their target organizations would have simply gone to executive recruiters who revisit their old networks that are heavily dominated by men.

Positive corporate results clearly show that women should be making gains in the boardroom and executive suite. However, in the top positions, they remain far outnumbered by men. To some degree, traditional recruiting methodologies hold them back. The good news, however, is that women executives can do more to achieve their potential. They can create stronger value propositions, build their confidence, network effectively and assist other women to succeed when appropriate. Also, they can explore recruiting options that will help them to open the right doors.

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2017: Ready for the next step in your career

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2017-featured

By Nicki Gilmour, Executive Coach and Organizational Psychologist

You are ready for the next step in your career. The decision you now have to make is whether to stay in your current company or move to another firm. How does one make such a decision rationally? The answer is that most decisions even for the most rational amongst us, are ultimately emotional. So, we can start with listing the reasons to go and reasons to stay. We can then ask ourselves hard questions as objectively as possible about how to advance in the company and team we are in. What do you need to do to make that happen? What skills do you have now and what do you need for the next level? What does the firm need to do? How are the talent processes? Who gets rewarded? What gets rewarded?

Working with a coach can help you sort through your thoughts, feeling and emotions and explore possibilities in a hypothetical way safely.

Sometimes it is time to leave. The trick is to know yourself and what you are good at and what you want to develop skill-wise and realistically put it all together so that you make the right move and get he job you are aiming to get. The job hunt itself can be quite the task and there are effective ways to approach it.

Nicki Gilmour is an industrial psychologist and qualified career coach as well as Founder and CEO of glasshammer2.wpengine.com

If you wish to be coached by Nicki in 2017 she is taking on a small number of (paying) individual clients this year- please apply nicki@glasshammer2.wpengine.com

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Happy Martin Luther King Day

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martin luther king
Martin Luther King Day is a public holiday here in the US that we always acknowledge. For our US readers, enjoy the day off and use it wisely.

For our readers all over the world outside this part of the Americas, I want to talk about what is means as I came to the United States many years ago with zero reference to this day off work but am now consider it to the most important of all non religious holidays.

Dr King, as far as I can see, asked for the American people to honor the code they proclaimed was the basis of law when the country was set up. Basic civil rights and a fairness to exist on an equitable footing as the next person. You know, liberty and all that.

I think the work is not done yet and we are in a place where progress was made and resented by some and therefore we had three policy steps forward and one to four steps back depending on how it all shakes out. I think we all need to think long and hard about how to ensure that there is liberty and equality and equitable practices in place for all members of society in all countries to thrive not just survive. Dig deep and act. Good people care and the awareness around equity rather than the concept of equality is at its highest now which means that meritocracy can be honored and conundrums removed in everyone’s minds.

I ask everyone who reads theglasshammer to reflect how in action and in thoughts you can be a person who levels the playing field and works for fairness. Change starts here.

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Career Progression – Moving Sideways and Diagonally to Move Forward

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By Nneka Orji

Image via Shutterstock

Image via Shutterstock

Most of us will be familiar with the typical career path within big corporates; the graduate entry role, the progression to middle management, and for a few who meet what are deemed to be the prerequisites, the senior management and leadership positions are within grasp. Career progression – in the traditional sense – has been valued by the pace at which individuals make it the top of the organisational hierarchy, and any move off the ladder or taking a non-traditional route has until very recently been viewed as detrimental to achieving the end goal. However things are changing; with technological advancement, evolving needs of the workforce, and a more diverse talent pool, the perception of a successful career is being challenged and new forms of career paths are being introduced. Could an unconventional career path lead to a more fulfilling and sustainable career?

According to the authors of “The Corporate Lattice”, not only is there value in reimagining professional progress as a lattice instead of a ladder, it is necessary to address the changing demands of today’s diverse workforce and the different landscape in which businesses operate. “In contrast to the traditional ladder, [the corporate lattice] is more adaptive, and therefore better suited to align with the changing needs, norms and expectations of today’s workplace”. Rather than focus on the next rung of the hierarchy, the lattice structure enables individuals to take on roles outside their immediate business areas – through secondments, international transfers, sabbaticals, and many other routes. By removing the barriers that exist in many organisations, this enhancement in mobility provides individuals with more choice around how they work and progress their careers.

A culture for diverse talent

While many employers see the benefits of career mobility – including greater employee engagement and enhanced productivity, some still grapple with redesigning career pathways and fostering the organisational culture needed to make career transitions work successfully for the individual and the organisation. However, it is no longer just a nice to have. Bentley University recently conducted a study, the results of which are documented in the PreparedU: The Millennial Mind Goes to Work report. According to the report, 66% of millennials surveyed are no longer striving for the top job but rather looking to start their own businesses. If their current employer does not offer the career experiences they are looking for, they turn their attention elsewhere. With employees now more able and better equipped to seek career opportunities outside their organisations, it is increasingly important for business leaders to address this need for flexibility in career models to ensure they attract and retain top talent.
This isn’t unique to millennials who are predicted to make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025. Last year LinkedIn found that across the 20,000 people surveyed across 29 countries, almost a third were looking for a new job. Yet the opportunities employees are seeking can sometimes be found in their existing organisations – if only lateral transitions, international secondments and the like were encouraged. How do these open roles get filled? With external candidates. According to talent management firm Cornerstone, HR professionals recruit externally for almost two thirds of open positions. It seems illogical to do so, particularly given the costs which are estimated to be almost twice the cost of recruiting internally.

The female pipeline also benefits from the lattice approach. While the enhanced flexibility provides caretakers (although changing, the majority of caretakers are female), perhaps less frequently discussed is the opportunity a “lattice mind set” provides for women to pursue those stretching roles which lead to leadership positions. According to a Catalyst study, women are still less likely to be put forward for such “hot jobs” – those with high visibility and are “mission critical”. Of those female and male leaders surveyed, 62% attributed a significant contributor to their career success to such high profile assignments, and only 10% stated that formal training programmes had contributed more significantly. While a number of factors lead to men still being offered such positions more than women, the current relatively low representation of women at senior levels (in which candidates for such “hot jobs” are identified) does not help. Is the only option for women to wait their turn for the next rung on the ladder to become available before they too can be considered experienced enough? Clearly not. With the lattice approach, and a concerted effort from business leaders to acknowledge the value of diverse experiences, this “wait in line” bottleneck in our talent pipeline can be eased further if not completely removed.

Plan, act, and communicate

So how can you make the most of the lattice career approach – seeking opportunities in that may require a sideways or diagonal move? Although the organisational framework might not yet exist within organisations to foster this lattice model, individuals seeking diverse and “stretching” experiences now must be proactive in realising their ambitions. There are three things to consider: your plan, when to act on the plan, and how to communicate with your key stakeholders.

Plan: Before plunging in head first, it’s important to develop a strategy. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of the corporate lattice is that there is no one model that can be prescribed. The lattice model encourages and enables individuals to have greater accountability for their career paths; accepting roles that seem unconventional to others, but clearly support the individual in realising longer term ambitions.
Being clear on your desired outcomes from the move is a critical part of your plan, but just as important is deciding when to call time on your current role. Arianna Huffington’s recent announcement reminds us that “moving on” is an important part of self-development and there must be a clear sense of purpose. Moving because you’re fed up, while a valid reason, should not be the only reason to lead you to act.

Act: Once you have developed your plan and identified the right opportunity, don’t be paralysed by indecision. There will be those who question your move and even those who doubt that it will be beneficial to your career progression. While feedback can be helpful, some of it will be white noise. At the heart of the lattice approach is the individual – not just in terms of the recipient of the benefits, but also in terms of the driver. You are in the driving seat so don’t let conventional approaches distract you from your goal.

Communicate: Planning and acting won’t suffice if you are to make the most of a lattice career model; being able to clearly articulate your experiences and communicate your skills and value-add as a result of your diverse career path is the finishing touch. Anna Ranieri’s piece last year in Harvard Business Review provides some practical tips on how to address the communication challenge. Develop a narrative which brings together your valuable experiences – from the volunteering experience while on sabbatical, to the marketing role while on secondment. In a world where the lattice approach is yet to be fully embedded, being able to tell a coherent story about your unconventional career choices is a key factor for success.
In time the lattice approach will be the norm; top talent in every organisation will continue to seek opportunities to further develop and learn (the common trait of some of the most successful leaders), but rather than just consider external roles, they will be in organisations which offer diverse opportunities and encourage lateral moves. Career progression won’t be limited to forward moves; sideways moves and sometimes “pauses” will be recognised to be just as valuable if not more so.

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How To Stay Motivated During Your Job Search

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Guest contributed by Amelia Knott.
Don’t let the process get you down.Frustrated blonde woman sitting at a computer
 
With hiring practices that often tend to favor more youthful applicants, it can be tough for seasoned professionals to reenter or reconfigure their place in the workforce. And while this may be a numbers game —more jobs for the entry-level folks— the grind of applying to and being rejected from jobs can be highly demotivating. However you can take comfort in knowing that you aren’t alone in feeling this way, as thousands of people across the country struggle to shift their careers everyday. Here are some of the best ways they’ve found to stay motivated and surmount challenges:
 
Define your goals and strategy
 
Before you begin the job search process, figure out the logistics first. Consider what sources you will use to seek jobs, update your resume, and determine whom to use as a reference. You will also want to set a schedule for yourself, treating the job search itself as a part-time or full-time job. This means maintaining a regular sleep schedule and setting aside blocks of ‘work time.’ Set reasonable goals each week, such as sending out five resumes. Then address the larger goal of what your ideal job looks like, and aim close to it throughout the process.
 
Choose your jobs wisely
 
As a seasoned professional, you’ve probably gained a high degree of specialty in your particular field. This is an admirable quality, as it demonstrates expertise, grit, and oftentimes company loyalty. However because of this, the job pool will be somewhat smaller. Avoid applying for jobs in which you are clearly overqualified, jobs seeking entry-level or recent graduate status, or jobs that aren’t congruous with your resume (unless you intend to make a concentrated effort to switch fields and establish how, for example, your accountancy skills translate into fundraising skills). To find a good fit, check out specialized job boards that let you sift through listings by category and other criteria.
 
Network in your industry
 
Staying consistent with your networking functions can do wonders to advance your job search. It can also provide social support from others who understand what you’re going through and who may be able to offer advice or job leads. For maximum effectiveness, stick to networking within your industry by attending conferences or joining relevant groups on social media. If you want to go broad, consider networking at events for professional women.
 
Offer to volunteer
 
As a financial service professional, you’ll find lots of opportunities to volunteer your time and skills. Check in with your local non-profits to find out if there is any way you can help. You can also find a full list of registered charities through the government. Many smaller organizations don’t have a dedicated accounting staff, so your expertise may be a welcome relief. Plus, volunteering will fill in the employment gap on your resume.
 
Enjoy the time off
 
While this period of shifting jobs may be a bit stressful, try to make the most of the time off. Spend some time with your family, take a little vacation, or simply indulge in some ‘me time.’ The relaxation can help you de-stress and maintain a positive outlook.
 
Ultimately you have the power to make this job search a positive and productive one. It will likely take you some time to find a suitable job, and you may experience some rejection along the way. Don’t let that distract you from the fact that you are already an accomplished professional. Sometimes there are elements at play beyond your influence—often to do with the position receiving a large pool of applicants. Keep your focus on achieving personal and professional growth during the process, and trust that your goals will be realized.
 
Amelia Knott works at Aubiz.net – a free online ABN lookup tool. She is passionate about new marketing trends and branding strategies. She shares her insights through blogging.
 
Opinions and views of Guest contributors are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com
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New Year, New You. Same Job?

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Slowing downBy Nicki Gilmour, Executive Coach and Organizational Psychologist

The holidays are often a blur but can be a time of reflection for some who want change in their jobs and careers as the year turns. Now is a good time to think about what you want out of life for the next 2-5 years.

If you like what you do, then you still should be thinking about a pay rise, a promotion and the bonus discussion that is looming in the next 30-90 days for most people in financial services.

When asking for a raise, there are two schools of thought. One strand of research says that women simply just do not ask for more money. The other branch of research suggest that women do ask but are not heard and more practically buffered with reasons why they do not get the same as men for the same job done. Policies such as percentage incremental increases for example contribute to systemic bias if women are hired at 10-30% less than the guy beside them anyway.

My advice, go big or go home. Explain in detail at every opportunity what you do prior to the annual review so that every step of the way, managers and HR know why you should be rewarded for your work. Then ask. Ask again. Ask for benchmarks. Ask what you need to do to get to the figure or grade you want. Never give up.

If you are in a place where you know that it is time to leave then work with your coach to reason out your thinking a little on what is motivating you to leave. Next week, we will look at why leaving can be a great path forward also. Face your fears and address what is fear and what is real. This way, you start the year empowered to make the right career decisions.

Nicki Gilmour is an industrial psychologist and qualified career coach as well as Founder and CEO of glasshammer2.wpengine.com

If you wish to be coached by Nicki in 2017 she is taking on a small number of (paying) individual clients this year- please apply nicki@glasshammer2.wpengine.com

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