Creating Early Wins in the First 90 Days

In our last post, we talked about aligning your success on your new job with the top priorities of your boss. Once you and your boss  have discussed and outlined your top three to four major objectives to accomplish in your first 90 days, six months, and one year, what’s next?

Here a few ideas to include on your “Early Win Checklist” to help you stay focused on the best ways to fit in, beyond the technical fit and task list:

1. Learn about the culture. Find out which behaviors are rewarded. Is the company focused on metrics such as reduced turnover or improved customer satisfaction? Learn about stated values and how they are instilled in the day-to-day work.

2. Identify the pace and intensity of the work. If you are accustomed to a quick pace, you may come across like a bull in a china shop if the culture is more thoughtful and measured. Are meetings formal, with written agendas? Or, are they held informally, with standing check-ins?

3.  Conduct a mini-SWOT analysis. If you haven’t already done so, conduct a high level analysis of the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. How does this impact your goals?

4. Stay on the same page with your boss. Learn about your boss and his communication style. Does he prefer emails or phone calls? Would she rather that you walk down hall and talk informally? Find out about her preferred method to receive updates on wins, obstacles, and your recommendations for solutions.

 5. Re-calibrate & Adjust. Maintain focus on the top priority activities and learn to delegate effectively. Check in periodically to gauge shifts in company agenda and team priorities. Adjust and tweak your activity and reporting style when needed.

Once you have achieved some early wins, look to your next 90 days and set out some stretch goals that align with your boss and the organizational vision for the year.

A final thought: Take time to record your successes for future reference. Retain those records in a personal file at home. That way, you are well positioned to present your accomplishments when it is time for a raise or a big promotion. Make it a practice to do a resume update after big wins, so you are ready to consider new job opportunities.

Potential Mentors Are All Around Us

Internal Executive Mentoring Resources Take a Hit

If you are feeling that your career has stagnated or hit a plateau in the past few years due to lean staffing and the tight job market, you are not alone. Recent surveys point to a decrease in employee engagement that corresponds with a drain on internal resources for professional development and mentoring. A recent blog post at fastcompany.com notes that “Today, over half of American workers effectively hate their jobs.”

The blog post goes on to quote the noted researcher and corporate productivity expert, John Gibbons. “Whether we realize it or not, workers have been under constant duress. Because of scarce resources, few opportunities for development and promotions–not to mention the fact that people often have been required to do the work of more than one person–a lot of our workforce is burnt out.“

The corporate focus on wringing out ever-higher levels of productivity combined with a reluctance to expand staff over the past few years has taken a toll on executive mentoring resources.

Yet hope does exist. Despite the current state of affairs in the job market, many companies have managed to thrive, grow and invest in their employees. Perhaps you work for one of those companies now.  Even if you do not, there are strategies you can employ to ensure that your professional advancement does not suffer.

Strategies for Leveraging Your Success

Mentors can play a dramatic role in your career, whether helping you prepare for a promotion or preventing you from being blind-sided by unexpected change. Mentors can provide timely advice and links into career opportunities before a position becomes public knowledge. In times of volatility, a mentor can provide a center of calm and help you to navigate challenging office politics.

If your company does not have a corporate executive mentoring program, you can still seek out a mentor or mentors, internally or externally. Start by identifying the type of mentoring you want now. Do you want to improve your leadership skills? Would you value the insights of a subject matter expert in your job function?

Next, think about the people you trust and admire most inside your company. Is there someone who has the ability to inspire and lead others, who manages conflict gracefully? If you can’t identify a potential mentor inside your company, think about the most energetic and respected leaders in your professional associations, alumni groups, or community organizations.

Mentoring Offers Satisfaction for Mentor and Protégé

Potential mentors are all around us. If you are hesitant to ask for help, think back to the last time you helped someone. Remember how good it felt to help?  Mentoring offers as much satisfaction as being mentored, especially when you and your mentor define clear goals and set reasonable boundaries.

Before you approach a potential mentor, stop and define your ideal mentor criteria. Know what you are looking for so you will recognize it when you see it.  Some criteria to consider: similar values and ethics, industry expertise, strategic connections, and constructive input. Most of all, finding a mentor who believes in you is vital to reaping the benefits of career acceleration and satisfaction.

Mid-Career Executives: Time to Design the Next Phase of Your Career

Advancing your career can be overwhelming if you are unsure of what to do about obstacles or challenges to success. As a mid-career professional, you need to feel that you have control over the direction of your career. Given the volatility of the economy over the past few years, you may have reviewed your career strategy lately and decided that things are not going according to plan. Perhaps things have moved along so swiftly in your career that you haven’t felt the need for a strategy—until now.

Developing your career blueprint is much like building a house from the foundation up. You wouldn’t hand a builder a pile of lumber and tell him to get started because you are in a hurry, would you?  First, you would outline a plan with an architect, considering key factors such as location, lifestyle, space requirements, and budget.

Likewise, when building your career blueprint, it is important to begin with the end in mind. Using the following steps, you can create and execute a vision that leads to career satisfaction.

Six Career Blueprint “Must Haves”

1. Define Success On Your Own Terms:  Define your unique “Success Criteria.” Ask yourself: What do I need in order for my business or career choices to align with my values, strengths, mission, lifestyle requirements, and desired compensation?
2. Define and Manage Your Personal Brand:  Whether you are the owner of a business or working for a company you love, you need to define and manage your personal brand. Doing great work is not enough to garner rewards, recognition, or new business.
3. Set Specific Goals & Accountability Strategies:  Your business or career is likely to stagnate unless you set measurable, specific goals. What do you need to accomplish in the next 90 days, six months, and one year, and how will you track that?
4. Cultivate Strategic Alliances & Advisors:  No one succeeds alone. Make it a regular practice to build strategic alliances and cultivate a personal board of directors to provide sound advice.
5. Develop a High Level of Self-Mastery: Focus on understanding your personal success strategies and the best ways to replicate them. What are the unique steps you have taken to leap over hurdles? What are the behaviors or beliefs that hinder your progress?
6. Measure & Recalibrate: Schedule regular times to measure progress, address breakdowns, and adjust goals.

Can Career Coaching Help Build Your Blueprint?

Once upon a time, you may have been on a reactive course, going through any door simply because someone opened it. Now that you have decided to develop your blueprint, take stock of your current advisors and resources. Tap into trusted advisors within your company and network, if appropriate. Consider the value of outside, objective advice through personal career counseling, especially when navigating sensitive or confidential decisions. With your blueprint in hand, you can grow your business or career with confidence, knowing that you have a clear path to success.