Tips for Sharing Career and Business Advice

A smart young digital marketer just left my team, and on the way out, he asked me to share some advice as he considered his next steps in his career. I'm a sucker for a smart person who seeks my advice. This is what I wrote: 1. Keep up the kind of professionalism that you exhibited at GoTo and during your transition.  Your willingness to go the extra mile and package your work so others can continue without dropping the ball will definitely be remembered.  Your reputation is one of your most valuable assets. 2. As you progress through your career, remember to maintain a focus on the business purpose that is driving your activities.  You might be surprised to find out that most people don't think about (and some don't understand) the business reasons behind their marketing activities.  Make sure you can always connect the dots and explain why you are recommending a decision in terms of financial outcomes. 3. Skate to where the puck is going. Lean into new technologies as a lifelong learner.  There are some amazing new AI tools coming out for marketing.  Spend some time learning about them, form an opinion about which ones would be most useful based on their business impact. It's easier to become an expert in something that is new.  There is a lot of new right now...dig in. 4. Find opportunities to sell an idea inside a company. The most successful people I know are great at convincing people to change the way they do things. If you think that something can be done better, do some research, run some experiments, model the improvement of doing something different, and sell the idea of making a change. It will be one of the most compelling stories you can tell when you are interviewing for jobs, and you will learn a ton along the way. 5. Be thoughtful and professional in your communication with others.  Writing and speaking in complete sentences is becoming a lost art. Leaders will take notice if you can write a concise, compelling email with proper grammar and no spelling errors.

When introverts like us think about highlighting our accomplishments, we immediately conjure up certain individuals in our organization who brag incessantly. You know who I mean, the one who when you ask how they’re doing they say, “ Oh well the Chief Operating Officer stopped by my desk to get my input on their major project and over the weekend I went on the CEO’s private jet and then ran a marathon with the mayor…” When we hear that we think the person is annoying and self-serving. So there is a good reason that we don’t want to be seen as “that person”. But if we don't share our accomplishments and skills, we miss out. 💡You need to understand that most leaders walk around somewhere between mildly anxious and in full-on panic over where they are going to find the right resources to accomplish the latest mandate. The only way we’ll know, is if you tell us if you have the relevant experience. Look, even your strongest champions can’t keep total recall of your resume in their heads. It is your responsibility to keep us informed if you have skills that might be relevant. 📣It’s not bragging. It's leadership. Not to mention, it helps you get the recognition you deserve. So forget about the long-winded, cringy person who you are so desperately trying to not be like. Use this strategy to share your skills and accomplishments the right way: Be concise in your statement of your accomplishments. Be relevant to the topic at hand. All you have to do is state your relevant experience and ask if they want to hear more about it. Here’s an example: A few years ago, I was working with a non-profit on their strategy. One of their focus areas was increasing the number of volunteers. In the discussion I said, “I worked with another nonprofit on that very topic and we implemented a volunteer management program that achieved a 1000% increase in the number of volunteers and $60K+ in corporate grants in 12 months. Let me know if you want to talk more about what we did”. You will not be surprised to learn that they in fact did want to talk more about it. #innovation #entrepreneurship #engineering #leadership #management #womeninscience #diversityandinclusion 🎁P.S. If you are an advanced-degree scientist or engineer looking to increase your influence and earning potential, grab a copy of my FREE 20-page Leadership Blueprint. You can download it from the Feature Section of my profile.

In my previous post about being "invisible" at work, many of you asked for a deeper dive into 'humblebragging' and standing out without overshadowing others. The Art of the Humblebrag: 1. Frame It as a Learning Experience ⤷ Tip: Instead of "I led a project that exceeded targets," try "I learned so much leading a project that taught me X, Y, Z." 2. Credit the Team ⤷ Tip: "We did an amazing job on this project. I'm so thankful for my team's hard work and effort." 3. Pair Achievements with Gratitude ⤷ Tip: "Honored to have led a workshop today. Grateful for the engaging participants who made it enriching." Boosting Your Visibility 1. Lead/Engage in Workplace Events ⤷ Tip: Offer to be part of panels, workshops, lead a tech talk or team-building activities. It's a great way to showcase soft skills. 2. Share Your Wins/Progress ⤷ Tip: Share your projects/wins, their progress, and outcomes on Wiki, slack, email, etc. It can be a bi-weekly/monthly email update or a project-end review. 3. Network Intentionally ⤷ Tip: Regular coffee chats with peers, seniors, and cross-department colleagues can do wonders. Building relationships is crucial. 4. Seek Feedback and Act on it ⤷ Tip: After a presentation or meeting, ask for feedback. It shows you value others' opinions and are on a quest to improve. Remember, it's not about being loud, but about being valuable. Be genuinely proud of your achievements and eager to share your insights. This way, you’re not just bragging; you're contributing. What are your favorite tips to increase visibility in the workplace? P.S. DM me if you want to chat about increasing your visibility or book time with me 1-on-1 (link in comments) ----- ✔️ Finding value in my content? Follow me and hit that 🔔 icon. ♻️ Think others could benefit? Don't hesitate to share! 👉 Together, we can pave your path to that dream job or promotion.