Politics Part II - How to keep it "above board."

Last week, I shared the importance of participating in interoffice politics to ensure one has every opportunity available to be ultimately successful in his/her job. While for years, the concept of office politics seemed to be completely negative, today's definition offers a different interpretation of what politics is and, therefore, allows individuals to participate in it differently.  Today, the concept of office politics is not so much back-office dealings and "quid pro quo" but more a focus on ensuring your personal brand has been publicized throughout the company and is recognized by some of the key decision makers within it. While there are many ways to do it, I wanted to share three of the most effective strategies one can take.

GET TO KNOW YOUR CO-WORKERS (ESPECIALLY SENIOR EMPLOYEES)  OUTSIDE OF WORK

This is one of the unspoken strategies that has hurt so many hard-working employees for so long.  As outlined previously, many people believe that if they just work hard and continue to do the right things, everything will work out. This is just not the world in which we live. To truly get the chance for higher level positions within your company, top level executives want to know that you are someone who has a stable life outside of work, so they can trust you with high level decisions when you're at work. To do so, often it is a good practice to interact with them in personal settings, so they can get a sense of who the real you is and get a chance to truly like you.  At work, there are so many social and HR related restrictions, that it can be very hard to build a true friendship. By taking time to get to know your co-workers outside of the office and build that personal friendship, there will be a much greater chance they will be in your corner when discussions arise about whom to give a new high level project or promotion.  

TAKE ON HIGH PROFILE PROJECTS

While this can be scary for some individuals who are afraid of failure, for those who desire to grow their position within their respective company, this is a must-do for achievement.  Always look for opportunities to take on a project that has high visibility and impact for your company. The political capital and respect you will receive upon successful completion of the project will do wonders for your notoriety to high level management. While there is always the risk that you will not do well and a negative connotation will be associated with your name, by not ever stepping up to bat to accept projects such as this, your name will eventually get an even worse negative tag as someone who is afraid to take on a big job.  Many will respect your attempt and feel that taking on something so important for the company still put a feather in your cap, even if it doesn't turn out well.  

HELP OTHERS

There are some who think that work is only about doing what is best for them and not worrying about how they can make an impact on their co-workers. These individuals are sorely mistaken of how to get ahead in most companies. The work world in which we live today is all about collaboration and team work.  The days of the Lone Ranger hotshot who can do everything on his/her own is long gone and has been replaced with the person who is the best communicator and teammate.  To truly increase your office political capital, become known as the person who takes time out of the day to lend a helping had to others.  Often, there are those who are in positions or on projects in which you have served before and could benefit tremendously from your knowledge of how to do something better.  Also, you could identify the different areas in which your direct or indirect boss could use some assistance to take something taxing off of his/her plate and step in to do so.  It may be something as simple as planning an office outing or taking on changing the reporting metrics of the team, so they are more easily digestible.  Whatever it is, it will not only give you a "gold star" for realizing something needed to be done, but also truly improve the efficiency and productivity of others.

While Congress currently has it lowest approval rating in the history of Gallup polling, politics is not all bad when done the right way.  By utilizing the three strategies outlined above, not only are you putting yourself in a great position for promotions and recognition down the road, you are ultimately helping your co-workers and company be more successful as a whole.  

Next week, we'll begin wrapping up this four part series on the Triangle of Success by outlining the importance of Networking to make the triangle complete.  Until then, happy campaign trails...

Ken Middleton is an Account Executive at TEKsystems that specializes in IT staffing and services. He is a graduate of UNC-Pembroke and current MBA student at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech.

You can follow his daily quotes of inspiration and motivation on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN

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Political Savvy - Aren't We Beyond That?

Political Savvy. We hear the first part of it and an immediate disgust comes to many of our minds: Political. The obvious connection to "Politics" makes many think of all the self-serving members of Congress whose only apparent focus is to do whatever is most advantageous to them personally. While this is true in relation to one side of politics, the other side is one of extreme strategic and organized decision-making that demonstrates the high competence of someone who is able to see the "big picture" in relation to themselves and their career.

Office politics is often a taboo and many individuals don't even like to think of their office as engaging in this practice.  They feel they are above this and everyone is only promoted based on merit and expertise. While there is, of course, some component of this in many offices, to think that there is NO politics involved when it comes to decision making for new positions is highly naive.  There is a different brand of office politics, however, (Politics 2.0) that is not the brand in which our parents partook. I will share this new brand of politics in next week entry in KMM Views, but for this week, I just want to focus on WHY office politics is important and alive and kicking in most organizations.

MOST PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY LIKE YOU
For those of you whom question whether there is any need for some political savvy in your career, you are the exact reason why there is a great need for it.  Simply put: 90% of individuals never give one thought to politics within their office.  They are either too good to participate in it or just oblivious to the fact that it occurs.  News flash: Just because you don't make a conscious effort to participate in office politics doesn't mean you're not a part of it. You can no more not be involved in office politics than an actor cannot be a part of a scene in a movie. If you are in the movie, then you are participating, whether you know it or not.  The question is, do you want others writing your script or do you desire to write it yourself? The great advantage of being conscious of this is that you have a great ability to control your own fate by interacting with the 90 percentile who don't have a strategic plan for their day or career.  You are given a competitive advantage by identifying the various opportunities that others may see as "happenstance" while you are strategically placing yourself in a position for consideration when that specific opportunity presents itself.

ITS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHO KNOWS YOU
We have often heard the adage of "It's not what you know, but whom you know".  This is still very true in today's workplace. To take this one step further, however, it is also very important to make sure that others know you.  It's not so much that you have to have day to day interactions with top leadership, but you have to make sure that whatever you are doing, it is visible enough to top leadership that when your name comes up, it resonates some type of positive thought.  A thought of indifference is actually more of a failure than a draw.  You have to consistently identify ways to "put yourself on the map" to have some sense of recognition with these leaders.  Often, many decisions are made well before individuals ever interview for a job based on what the person's reputation has been with the company in that respect.  Just as a new artist or actress may come onto the scene to build a buzz about their work and what they bring to the table, you need to work to build this same type of buzz about what you have accomplished within the organization so far and your talent to accomplish more in the future.

ITS GIVE YOU ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL (UNSPOKEN) MENTORING
One of the greatest attributes of being politically savvy is that you will often have access to more information than your peers who don't consistently work to put themselves in this position. By navigating the internal workings of your organization and attending the various events that will give you exposure and notoriety with the top leadership, you will often have access to more intimate one-on-one conversations that could give you nuggets of precious advice and guidance. We often think that these things just happen to people because they are in the right place at the right time. As long as you believe that, you will continue to wait on your "lottery time" to show up. You have to be strategic to MAKE the right time and place by looking for opportunities that will give you access to that extra bit of knowledge to which others will not be privy.  It can go a long way.

I know most of us hate politics with a passion.  It seems cheap and of low character. The truth of the matter is, however, that our political representatives are some of the most strategic and forward-thinking people in the world. Their ability to identify opportunities within the marketplace and capitalize on them are second to none in relation to how they are able to navigate their way to success. To give yourself the best chance at ultimate success in your job, don't consider politics beneath you. Its only a dirty word if you make it so.

In the next week's entry, I will share with you how you can make it a clean word by keeping it all "above-board" with the new politics 2.0, while also still giving yourself the same competitive advantage.

Ken Middleton is an Account Executive at TEKsystems that specializes in IT staffing and services. He is a graduate of UNC-Pembroke and current MBA student at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech.

You can follow his daily quotes of inspiration and motivation on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN

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Brand Building - So How Do You Do It?

Last week, I continued my discussion on the four parts of the Triangle of Success by discussing the importance of brand building as part two of this triangle.  Click here if you are interested in reading part I - The Foundation of Education.  In this week's edition, I will continue the discussion on brand building by outlining how to identify and build your brand for ultimate long term success.

As mentioned last week, in today's time of increased competition for promotions, or just jobs in general, building a powerful personal brand will give you a leg up on those individuals who desire for life to just "happen." Building a brand will give you clarity and focus for your career, as well as allow you to consistently build something that will exponentially increase in value over time. So, how do you do it?  There are several steps that ,when followed, will make the process as easy as pie.

CHOOSE YOUR BRAND
While this may seem like a very simple step, it is the one that most people NEVER do.  Most people never take the time to actually DECIDE what their brand is.  Instead, they think it will create itself, if they even think about it at all.  This is wrong.  You have to be strategic in your thoughts of where you want to be 5/10/20 years from now.  Individuals often laugh at politicians because they are always "scheming" for their next move in office.  The truth is that the good ones are probably planning their next 3-4 next moves in office, all the way to the Presidency, if possible.  Bill Clinton probably knew he wanted to be President when he graduated from Yale with his law degree and worked hard to build a brand that was consistent with that image.  When choosing a brand, you have to look at two important things: 1. What are you passionate about and 2. What are you already very good at.  The passion part is the most important.  If you are good at something but have no passion for it, this will eventually show and your brand will not be able to reach the heights of something for which you have passion. However, if you are naturally good at certain things, it could be a sign that this could also be your passion, but you haven't given it enough focus and energy to allow that passion to grow.  Explore the answers to these two questions in detail to decide on what brand to create.

WORK ON BUILDING YOUR BRAND
To build your brand, you have to put in some work to make it practical and effective.  If you decide that your passion is being a mentor and coach to your peers at the office, then you must work everyday to improve your ability to do this.  When you find something that you are good at and have a passion for, that isn't enough.  To truly have a brand that you desire to be synonymous with your name, you must work to hone your skills in that area, so others will indeed think of you as the expert.  If you love getting into the nitty gritty detail of the technical aspects of your job and other always come to you to discuss things they don't understand, don't just allow this to continue to happen naturally but take control of it by doing things to proliferate this brand.  You should build a consistent study plan to increase your knowledge in all technical areas that are important to your job. You could also begin to create documents that will make things more understandable to others within your profession and proactively send these out to your peers for help. You could even look to submit articles to various technical periodicals or speak at conferences in your industry to continue to strengthen your notoriety as the "technical guy." Make a concerted effort to be the very best at your brand by reading, learning, and strengthening you overall aptitude and ability in relation to it everyday.

ADD THINGS THAT HELP / ELIMINATE THAT WHICH HURTS
One of the most difficult parts of managing a brand is understanding that to truly have an effective brand, you have to look for anything that is detracting from it and eliminate it, while at the same time picking up new habits/projects/contacts that add to it.  For example, if you desire to be known as the consummate professional who has a promising career with your work ethic and overall ability to do and/or say the right things when the moment calls for it, it would hurt your brand to also be associated with the group of workforce derelicts who often gossip and complain about everything that happens in the office.  I'm not saying that you can't still be in contact with these people, but association leads to assimilation and the company that gets the most of your time will influence most of your life.  On the other side, just as the "technical guy" could look for associations/groups/periodicals that will allow him to add to his overall brand with his co-workers and industry peers, you should also look for various groups/organizations/magazines that will allow you to increase your knowledge and exposure to things associated with your brand. For example, if you desire to build a brand based on the healthcare field and being one of the most knowledgeable nurses out there, you should be involved in every health/nurse organization that is plausible, as well as reading every article on ways to give better medical care and improve your craft.  Do that which others won't and you will get what others don't.

Brand building.  It sounds like something that a marketing firm should be concerned with for their client, not individuals working a 9-5 job.  This is what about 80% of the working world thinks, and, if you share this thought, you are doomed to a life of mediocrity and low/no achievement.  To take your career, and life, to another level, however, begin of thinking of yourself as your own marketing agent and your persona as your brand that you have to create and proliferate throughout the world if you truly desire to be the master of your fate.  Your brand is who you are; what makes you special; why you are important.  If you don't create one for yourself, others will create one for you.  This is unacceptable.  You have to create your brand and be on purpose with it every single day.  You just don't just get good over time.  You MAKE yourself good with work, dedication and focus.  Be in control.

Ken Middleton is an Account Executive at TEKsystems that specializes in IT staffing and services. He is a graduate of UNC-Pembroke and current MBA student at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech.

You can follow his daily quotes of inspiration and motivation on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN

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Building a Powerful Brand - Why This Isn't Only For Celebrities.

Oprah.  Simon Cowell.  Michael Jordan.  When you think of these three names, generally one or two thoughts come to mind.  Oprah is associated with elegance and the ability to make anyone feel comfortable telling her anything. Simon is a musical identifying genius which a reputation for extreme straight forward delivery.  Michael is simply associated with winning and a competitiveness and drive unlike anyone who has ever came before him.  How did all of these individuals become synonymous with such thoughts?  Much of it was the natural progression of events that allowed this to develop over time, but much of it was also through shrewd maneuvering of marketing and public relation firms to make sure they were only associated with the right people, companies, and products that would reinforce, rather than hurt, their brands.

What many of us need to recognize today, however, is that it is not only celebrities who need brand management, but each of us individually as well.  While most of us may not have the ability to afford a large marketing firm, we do have the ability to make sure that we do everything in our power to keep our personal brand consistent and in line with our future goals. For this week's continuation of the four sections of the Triangle of Success, I will share with you why brand management is important for your career.  Next week, as a part of two of this entry, I will give you some tips and strategies of how to develop and manage your brand for consistency and progression over time.  So, let's start with the reason WHY brand management is important:

BRAND MANAGEMENT HELPS FOCUS YOUR CONTRIBUTION AT WORK
Consistency is a very important word here, as this is what has allowed these individuals to continue to grow and prosper based on the popularity of the cumulative strength of their brand. By understanding what your brand should be (rather if its quantitative precision, qualitative understanding of the "big picture," or emotional guidance and leadership), understanding what your overall brand portrays to most will allow you to build on it to further your career.  If one day you are the numbers and cold hard facts guy, while the next day, you are the emotional feelings guy, it may be hard for individuals to figure out which one they can expect from you.  While it is possible to be a mixture of both, it is impossible to be equally strong at two dichotomous end points.  While you can be a numbers guy who has a good emotional intelligence or a EQ guy who has a solid foundation on quantitative analysis,  it is very hard to tout both as your "brand."  By having a consistency of what majority strength you bring to the table, you allow it to build upon itself as you will get better and better at dealing with situations in the manner that you have proven the most effective and successful over time.

BRAND MANAGEMENT HELPS PROMOTE YOUR NOTORIETY WITH OTHERS
When people know what your brand represents through the consistent reinforcement of your strong points, they know what they should come to you for.  This will, in turn, allow you to build upon your reputation as an expert in your chosen area of focus.  As with anything in life, the only way to get really good at something is to do it over and over.  When individuals have a clear sense of what your areas of strengths are, they will begin to reach out to you for help or opinion on these areas.  Once you have been identified as an expert in some particular area, this will begin to build upon itself as more and more individuals will desire to seek out your expertise due the exponential growth of "information proliferation".  This is very similar to Metcalfe's law of network growth.  Just as Metcalf described the importance of a network growing in multiple proportion to the number of new additions to it, your brand expertise will do so as well. The increase in the number of people who believe that you are an expert in something increases the chances of others, whom may have never even heard of you, accepting this as fact and, thus, exponentially increasing your notoriety.

BRAND MANAGEMENT HELPS SHAPE YOUR FUTURE
If you don't have a clear sense of what your brand is and where you desire to take it, there is no guarantee what your future could hold.  With a weak brand that doesn't consistently reinforce a central thought or area of expertise, you could be seen as someone who is a jack of all trades and, therefore, will not gain the popularity and notoriety needed for promotional recognition. Also, by managing your brand, you are able to increase the chances that your career is aimed in the direction that you desire.  If you allow your brand to manage itself, there is no guarantee that you will land the job or position that truly fits your skills and desires.  Luck and chance are only for those who live in fairy tales.  For those who desire to control their future, brand management is how you create your luck and serendipity.

Brand management is a powerful tool needed by all who desire to truly shape their future instead of allowing it to shape itself.  Just as Michael Jordan, Oprah, and Simon Cowell have managed their brands for the growth of their careers and continued prosperity, you have a responsibility to manage yours if you truly desire to live a life of long term success.  Just as with anything in life, if you don't manage it, someone else will, and there is no guarantee how that could turn out for you in the end.

Next week, I will continue with part 2 of this section of the Triangle of Success by discussing how to identify what your brand should be and then tips on how to keep it consistent and growing.

Ken Middleton is an Account Executive at TEKsystems that specializes in IT staffing and services. He is a graduate of UNC-Pembroke and current MBA student at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech.

You can follow his daily quotes of inspiration and motivation on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN

Please feel free to SHARE if you like.  Thanks!