Nowadays, it’s possible for virtually anyone to get their message out into the world. As a result, we’re often overwhelmed with an endless stream of information and noise.
So if you’re a professional who wants to become known for your expertise, how do you stand out from the crowd?
Ron Carucci is a fellow Harvard Business Review author and member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches, a partner in the consulting company Navalent, and a member of my Recognized Expert course and community. In a recent #LinkedInLive session that I had with Ron, we discussed what it really means to be a recognized expert in business today.
To ensure you can join me for my next LinkedIn Live interview, follow me on LinkedIn. Click this link to my profile – https://www.linkedin.com/in/doriec/ – and then click “follow.”
Here are five pieces of advice from Ron about how you can start your journey as a recognized expert:
Expand your audience. A few years ago, at the start of his journey, Ron realized he needed to grow his network – because as it stood, he was mostly in dialogue with people who already knew him, and he needed to get known by new audiences. He therefore doubled down on content creation, and actively began writing for Forbes and the Harvard Business Review.
Create content to attract your ideal clients. One can’t simply create content and expect to go viral or suddenly gain a massive following. Ron says, “It’s not enough to write or put ideas out there, even if they’re brilliant. They have to be the brilliant ideas you want to represent you. That’s how you invite the kind of people into your life whom you want in your life.”
Swim against the stream. Right now, consider what everyone in the news is writing about. Sometimes, it pays to do the opposite, such as Ron’s successful recent piece in the Harvard Business Review talking about ambition (at a time when almost everyone else was focused on writing about the pandemic).
Get proactive with your social media engagement. We all appreciate the fanfare of a well-liked post, picture, or article, but every single reaction to your content is a potential opportunity, as Ron suggests. “Every one of those reactions, tweets, LinkedIn follows, the comments on the article, is a new relationship,” he says. “Just responding something like, ‘Hey, thanks for your engagement’ or ‘Hey, interesting question- what do you think?’ grows both your recognition and potential business down the road. I would leverage every one of those interactions far more aggressively. In terms of just being diligent and engaging, try to start a conversation with them.“
Play the long game. Everyone envisions a “break-out” moment on their journey to success. The truth is, you don’t reach your goal by taking just one really good step. As Ron says, “We all think that maybe this article, maybe this video, maybe this TED talk, maybe this podcast will be the one – that breakout moment. There’s no such thing. Each of those moments becomes a diligent step on the journey to advance the cause. Be diligent in your content idea sharing, in your strategies, how you create content, whom you talk to, and what you talk about. That’s all really important. But prepare yourself for the psychological and emotional journey of resilience. This is a long game. The recognition part of the recognized expert is a long game. Don’t keep looking to your left and right and getting into the ‘Well, how come them and not me?’ It’s not about meritocracy. Don’t be looking for the merits of your ideas to stand above somebody else’s or not. That’s not what this is about. It’s about people getting to know you better.”
By following the steps Ron suggests above, you can advance much further on the journey to becoming a Recognized Expert.
To watch the video replay of my interview with Ron, click this link here.
And if you’d like to see how far along you are in the recognized expert journey, sign up to receive a free PDF download of my Recognized Expert Self-Evaluation Toolkit.
Thank you for reading this week’s newsletter! Make sure to comment below, share your questions and ideas, and click “share” so your colleagues can join in on the discussion, as well.
How systems thinking, focused intention and trust are essential for our future
Meatpacking plants are a microcosm of what we are all experiencing right now—the indivisible system. As the contextual environment more aggressively imposes itself into our everyday world, the resources we used to call upon, while necessary, are insufficient to get us through this real crisis. The leaders at meatpacking plants must operate on all cylinders and become agile sense-makers of their environment to address the needs of their workforce, the needs of the communities they operate in, and the needs of the world’s food supply. This is not the time to think about themselves, their professional development or their personal assessment results. They are in chaos and complexity, and the leadership strategies previously applied will no longer work. There is no going back, there is only evolving forward.
“The concept of emotional intelligence (EI) is a 101 course for leadership right now.” This spot-on statement was made this past week at CCI Consulting’s monthly virtual Executive Coach Café— something that has been taking place for much longer than the pandemic. We were, like so many others in the industry, discussing coaching strategies that are particularly important to help leaders right now; some of whom are dealing with bottom-line crises resulting in their businesses precariously perched on the brink of insolvency. Other leaders are navigating the needs of virtual staff and the mechanics of returning to a face-to-face office environment while simultaneously adjusting to the legal issues involved with protecting their employees. Whatever the particular situation, the workforce is in dire need of help and support.
But the statement made about Emotional Intelligence, or EI or EQ, has never rung truer than it does today because EI is not new. Most leaders already know about the 1995 book, “Emotional Intelligence,” by Daniel Goleman even if they haven’t read it or put its guidance into practice. Some are even aware of the 1990 John Mayer and Peter Salovey article that first used the term emotional intelligence, or the seminal work of Howard Gardner and Reuven Bar-On in the 1980s that dug into multiple intelligences and the psychological well-being and drivers of success outside of IQ and academic or hard-skill proficiencies.
One does not turn on the EI switch and suddenly develop the capacity to marry self-awareness and the awareness of others any more than after one reads a book or listens to a TED talk and suddenly becomes attuned to the needs of psychological safety, authenticity or courage. All of these concepts require leaders—and all of us for that matter—to zero in on the foundation that allows these concepts to turn into everyday actions that move the needle on interpersonal effectiveness and leadership strength.
Our society needs interpersonal effectiveness and leadership strength now more than ever. But, more important than that, we need to shift our perspective to the indivisible system we live in. To do that, we need to turn up the volume on the foundational skills of systems thinking, focused intention and trust.
Consider these scenarios:
Pre-pandemic: The office reception area was always sparkling, but the building scheduled individual offices and cubicles to be cleaned on a bi-monthly basis.
Upon reopening: Your direct report walks into the office environment and wonders privately if the building manager allocated the proper resources to procure the ethanol or cleaning solutions necessary to disinfect their cubicle space or thinks that perhaps they diluted materials in favor of cost savings. They say nothing because at least they still have a job.
Pre-pandemic: Your Asian American lab manager received an award for facilitating a successful clinical trial.
Upon reopening: On her way to work, your Asian American lab manager was harassed and called names for bringing the novel coronavirus to America. When she came into the office, she said nothing and moved quietly to her workstation wondering if anyone at work felt the same way.
Pre-pandemic: A key member of the senior leadership team launched a new initiative, setting the stage to acquire a competitor.
Upon reopening: With schools still closed and summer camp postponed, that same key member was distracted by family concerns and schedules, as well as figuring out coverage for staff, and the acquisition opportunity was not only missed but they experienced a hostile takeover.
If we peel back the surface…if we move deeper than the mechanical needs of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), social distancing, work schedules and remote technology, we will see that these things are simply tools. And who uses the tools? People. It is the experience of people that matter more right now than ever before.
The three foundational concepts that can help to move all of us forward require strategies that involve:
Systems Thinking – None of us likes to think of ourselves as living in a bubble and now, more than ever, we see how siloed thinking causes unnecessary conflicts and contributes to misinformation and delayed decision-making. Systems thinking is not new, but its perspective is enjoying a resurgence. People everywhere are noticing its value when addressing complexity and the VUCA environment. As we move through the current pandemic, it is critical to call on a systems perspective to help organizations and people adapt to change. Russell Ackoff defined a system as, “a whole, which cannot be divided into independent parts…the essential properties of any system, the properties that define a system, are properties of the whole which none of its parts have.” When adopting a systems mindset, we see that our internal or operating environment (yes, our bubble or our organization) exists within a transactional or stakeholder environment where we act and interact with those around us, beyond which exists in our contextual or global environment.
To be a true systems thinker requires consideration that the changes taking place in this contextual environment place pressures that cause changes in behavior of the stakeholders in the transactional environment. And, as changes in the transactional environment take place, they naturally place pressures on the internal and operational environment of the organization.
Ah…the pandemic. But not just the pandemic.
Change is not linear, and we are seeing in real time that what we are experiencing around the globe requires us to address the contextual environment of the pandemic and the economy but, more importantly, the changes we need to make FOR people. Leaders must accelerate considerations for how technology and digital productivity can enhance and not replace workers. Leaders must address shifting ways of generating business value through agility, innovation and new customer strategies. And how about where our employees come from? Entire categories of people are impacted when geopolitical and economic powers shift, but more so when the well-being of people and purpose of work dramatically change.
Re-envisioning work as opposed to returning “back” to the way things once were is the new mission- critical competency leaders must embrace now.
Focused Intention – The game has changed and our global existence has come into sharp focus because we now understand that even if we work hard, develop ourselves to be at our best, provide opportunities for others, and focus on our mission and values, there are still things we cannot control. The word intention often brings to mind a goal or target, such as we find when we have good intentions. However, our good intentions don’t always have the intended impact with either people or outcomes. There has never been a better time to take a step back and think about the kind of person you want to be…how you want to show up as a leader, friend, colleague, parent and citizen. Then, if you are honest with yourself and solicit feedback from others, is this the person you are today? Is there a gap you can fill?
There are those who choose activities that quiet the mind or activate the soul. Whatever you choose is not really at issue. What is at issue is that you place focused attention on your intentions and exercise behaviors that support them, reflect on how you did, and adjust where needed. Hopefully, your intentions are supportive to those around you.
Trust – At the core of everything is trusting the “other” person, but also ensuring they trust you. Without trust, we cannot communicate; without communication, there is no trust. If we choose to widen our perspective and allow greater transparency in the system, we must open ourselves up to the ideas of others and fill the gaps of understanding to make sense of our global system. During times of uncertainty and fear, people need to feel grounded that their leaders and organization are reliable and have one another’s back. Recognizing our own assumptions and biases are a good start here. Are we making assumptions that those around us are not interested in remaining healthy and alive? Are others making the right assumptions about us? In a way, it is the same as wearing masks right now: I wear a mask because I care about you and want you to wear one as an expression of how much you care about me.
Begin by treating everyone—and I mean everyone—with complete positive regard. And, if you can’t, ask yourself how to approach the other with curiosity and kindness. Learn how they are experiencing everything right now. Learn how they are struggling and laughing and tell them about how you are experiencing things right now. Together, and through courageous and caring conversations, it will be easier to build an environment where people reconnect with one another after we reduce our distance, where we all begin to challenge our own limiting beliefs, and where we can co-create whatever our future has in store.
There are many important leadership tools out there, but without thinking in systems, intention and trust, everything else falls flat. Together we lead.
Author: Adena Johnston, D. Mgt. MCEC Vice President and Practice Leader, Talent Development
As leaders we invest a tremendous amount in our work, and there are two ways that we can approach it. We can work harder than everyone else, and we can work just as smart as we work hard. Both are equally important.
Those who are in a position to assess other leaders will usually take note of a leader who is putting in 30% or 40% more hours than their colleagues, while showing the same results. These leaders are typically the subject of conversations that call into question exactly what they are doing with all those hours.
Working hard without working smart does you no favors. So, do both.
Let’s examine what it looks like to work smart. When you work smart you are continually looking for efficiencies and the kind of simplicities that help you get things done effectively and efficiently. It means you are building a vast and varied network of resources and people that you can call on to help you accomplish the three or four dozen things you need to achieve each day. And to reciprocate as you find as many ways as you can to help these good people accomplish what they need to in return.
Smart means understanding the nuances that help leaders in your organization and your industry be successful. The leadership competencies that we call organizational savvy and leadership agility go a long way toward describing this leadership quality. I lean on these two competencies most often, as I coach leaders to be their most productive. Within our organizations, we spend our time determining which levers to pull, who we can lean on, which approach works best in the culture, and those that don’t.
How We Achieve is as Important as What We Achieve
When we’re presented with challenges to resolve, we have two things that we need to focus on. We are expected to deliver on what it is we need to deliver. And, just as important, we are responsible for cultivating relationships with those we partner with along the way. The reason the relationships are so meaningful is that the people we get to work with are the ones that help us get things done. Pretty simple. The other reason they’re important is that we are going to be working with those same people tomorrow, and next week and next year. It helps if we enjoy working with each other.
So the relationships we establish and enhance are as much of a commodity as the deliverables we achieve. As we go about delivering on our goals, it’s vital to demonstrate our organizational savvy and focus on both what we deliver and how we deliver. We need to be constantly aware of how we build relationships, sharpen our leadership intelligence, and cultivate our leadership brand.
John Wooden “It isn’t what you do, but how you do it.”
The Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (ACEC) have always remained focused on supporting their members and their endeavors. Especially if a member has an important message to pass on or teach, just as John Baldoni decides to share in this video.
By promoting the inspirational work by their members all while providing a professionally exclusive platform for Corporate Coaches to grow a network for expanding clientele. Considering this, ACEC member John Baldoni applies his experience as a Coach to share a brief message about strength and overcoming adversity.
Altogether, Baldoni quickly explains the meaning behind a well-respected Japanese Saying, “Fall down 7 times get up 8 times” in order to illustrate for his viewers how this thought dives deep into a concept called Resiliency. John is ultimately reminding everyone that it is the toughest of times that determine who we truly are.
The most inspiring takeaway from John’s brief time actually speaking is the number of high level concepts being introduced. The most unforgettable expressions, timeless quotes or even ancient proverbs often reveal similar advice. For instance, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
In addition, Teddy Roosevelt has a much lengthier explanation surrounding this concept where he concludes that “a man should not be judged by his victories, but people should ask themselves what can be learned from how he carried himself after suffering the worst defeat.” This is merely a summarized interpretation of the lesson to be learned.
John Baldoni is a certified ACEC Member for his many skill-sets and career achievements, among many other reasons. Perhaps, some of the most actionable advice John can provide his clients consists of effectively communicating powerful messages that can energize others to recognize just how many more lessons can be learned from him speaking for less than a minute. It is often agreed upon that those who speak the most have the least to say. Baldoni calmly expresses his point, then allows for it to sink in on us and upon deeper reflection, we have all already learned more about ourselves and the world around us.
This is exactly why the Association of Corporate Executive Coaches (ACEC) has become such a valuable group to partner with. The level of quality you have the potential to align with is extraordinary. Not only will the genuine support you receive from fellow Coaches inspire you to focus more than you already had before on the continued growth for your clients, but it will also leave you feeling satisfaction from all the amazing people you have become an extension of and vice versa.
Thanks to John Baldoni for this inspirational reminder!
“Not since the Great Depression of the 1930s has the global economy been under so much pressure. While there are echoes of the financial collapse of 2008, the economic pain from the current pandemic is far wider and deeper. Fissures have formed in entire industry sectors and millions of employees have been terminated or furloughed. And yet the biggest casualties of this crisis are the tens of thousands of people who have lost their lives, and the hundreds of thousands more who have been hospitalized.
Given these unprecedented times, corporations around the world have acted in unprecedented ways. They have found ways to create new virtual work arrangements for large segments of their workforce. They have kept employee well-being at the top of their priority list. They have found new ways to stay connected to and interact with their customers.
But the crisis has also taken its toll on the workforce beyond the obvious impact of the health crisis. Companies have been forced to shut down large portions of their operations, if not close their doors altogether. And, as a result, millions of people have been subject to furloughs, job cuts, or hefty pay reductions. Amid this turmoil, executive compensation has naturally come under an even brighter spotlight than usual.
Many CEOs and senior executives in the companies hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis have announced significant pay reductions of their own, and others will likely follow suit. Cutting pay for executives is a visible and potentially necessary step in stabilizing some companies as they manage through the crisis. It sends a positive message to both employees and shareholders, and could enhance, or at least limit the tarnishing of, the company’s reputation. While some outside observers have heralded these early actions, others have opined that they are too few and too limited.”
Summary
Korn Ferry has organized a committee of executive leaders who have formulated an actionable Game Plan in the form of a visually stimulating and professional version of a whitepaper, ultimately highlighting useful suggestions for leadership behaviors during times of unprecedented crisis. Their guidance is not only sincere and genuine, but all information presented is undoubtedly provided by experienced professionals.
To discover all their tips and advice, it is highly recommended to download and read the entire Korn Ferry whitepaper. See link below:
Kurt Groeninger Senior Principal, Executive Pay & Governance kurt.groeninger@kornferry.com
Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm. We work with organizations to design their organizational structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on how to reward, develop, and motivate their workforce. And, we help professionals navigate and advance their careers.
