Is it all about WHO you know and not WHAT you know? The answer is yes and no. WHO you know can help get you in the running for that promotion, that job, that piece of new business. WHAT you know will help you turn possibilities into reality.

Studies over the past couple of years have proven that larger, diversified networks have a significant impact on your career and your earning capability. The relationship between network size, quality and expected wages is positive. The results of studies over the past 20 years reinforce the fact that wage rates of the most well connected are 15% to 25% higher than those with few connections.

The importance of growing your network cannot be overstated. But the value of your network lies not solely in the numbers. The quality of its members is a vital component. Two of my past posts focused on growing your network and building your tribe. But what about the quality of your network?

Your network consists of two categories of members: those with whom you have close ties and those with weak ties.

Close ties are those relationships where people know you well and understand what you do. You already know many of their contacts and the type of information they can provide. Generally, you travel in the same circles, belong to many of the same social groups, and may even work in the same company or industry.

Weak ties are the opposite. You know them but are not close. You don’t travel in all the same circles therefore you are not familiar with their networks. Because they are not in your immediate circle, they have information and contacts that may prove to be valuable for you, your career and your business. In fact, it’s through weak ties that the majority of leads are disseminated regarding employment and business opportunities. In short, weak ties enable you to reach populations and audiences that are not accessible via strong ties.

Not to confuse things but “followers” on social media networks do not generally fall into the category of weak ties. Although the broad definition of weak ties may fit, you still have to have some form of relationship built on trust, contact, or experience in order for there to be any form of information and contact sharing that extends beyond the superficial. Unless you build a relationship beyond 140 characters your followers cannot be considered weak ties.

What can you do to increase your network in a purposeful way?

First and foremost, ensure that you continue to deepen your close relationships so that you can each act as brand ambassadors for the other. Although they may have more limited resources to share it’s always valuable to have people who are “in your corner.” Their role as advisors, supporters, and cheerleaders is vital to maintaining your confidence and continued professional growth.

To grow your network of weak ties, seek out opportunities where you can meet people from different backgrounds:

- join organizations not related to what you do

- volunteer at nonprofits outside your immediate community

- keep in touch with former colleagues since their network will be different once they leave

- strengthen relationships with “followers” and LinkedIn connections so there can be more meaningful reciprocity in sharing information and contacts

- attend events that interest you and are outside your immediate sphere of influence

- take new classes and expand your horizons

Grow WHO you know with purpose so you can showcase WHAT you know.

What other ways do you grow your network?

Get my free report on Getting Visible and Getting Ahead. Learn more about my services, about me, or contact me for more information.

Connect with me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Let’s get to know each other better.

Why are some people more successful than others in getting what they want out of life? There are lots of reasons and I’m sure no matter how many I list, you will be able to think of others. One of the more important reasons is that people who are successful keep their eye on the prize. That is, they know what they want to accomplish and evaluate decisions that arise based on achieving those goals.

We live in a world that has so many distractions and a myriad of ways we can and do feel productive even when we really aren’t.  Cruising the web, reading countless articles and emails, posting on social media sites – it all makes you feel like you’re doing something important. But will these actions help you reach your goals?

Goals are our road map. They tell us which paths to take, which jobs to consider, which clients to take on, who we should meet or get to know, which skills we should learn, which talents we should highlight, which conferences or meetings we should attend, which associations we should join. The list is endless.

What is not endless is your time.

Identifying goals is the first step in taking control of your career or your business. It makes sense. If you don’t have a defined direction or path you want to take then your career or your business will be something that just “happens” to you. A rudderless boat can make it to shore if the tide is moving in the right direction. But would you take that chance?

Do what successful people do – keep your eye on the prize. Take the precious time you have and define your goals. A great way of looking at it is that goals provide you with the structure you need to design your career with purpose.

So take control and design your career. Take action, set goals with realistic timetables, review and revise the results, and achieve your desired objectives.

Is your life more serendipitous or have goals played the more important role? I know there are people who say that chance and luck played as important a role in their lives as goals. If you’re one of the “lucky” I would love to hear your story.

Get my free report on getting visible and getting ahead. Click on the links for more information about me and how we can work together whether you work inside an organization, are in sales, are an entrepreneur or a small business owner.

I believe so strongly in the power of your story that I am giving away a free ticket to a terrific virtual storytelling conference (Reinvention Summit 2).

Why do I think storytelling is so important? Personal Branding is all about understanding what makes you special, what helps you stand out, and what you can do to spotlight what’s great about you. As I have written before, your personal brand is about all of you – your passions, your values, your interests, your talents, your skills, your thoughts about the world – and how all those came about – your story.

When I read a book I always like to know more about the author – where they came from, where they live, a little about their family – basically any insight I can glean adds to my experience of reading the book. The popularity of magazines focused on TV, music, and movie celebrities attests to the demand fans have for background stories and insider information. The same holds true for you as a professional. The more people know about you the more they remember, the more there is to like, and the better they understand why you do what you do. Your back-story is what creates an emotional bond. Decisions involving functional needs (hiring, promoting, etc) are heavily impacted by emotions. So learn to create that emotional bond.

Here is an offer you can’t refuse. I snagged an extra ticket to Michael Margolis’ Reinvention Summit 2 and I am making it available to one of you. It’s a virtual conference that starts next Monday and runs for a week. It’s all about storytelling in a business environment. Check it out and if it’s of interest to you then follow these instructions:

Here is how to snag your free ticket:
Write to me and tell me why (in no more than 200 words) attending the summit would be good for you. There are no guidelines except to say that the argument should be compelling and attending the summit should be in line with your career/business/future goals and NO MORE THAN 200 WORDS. You can email me at email hidden; JavaScript is required with your pitch. I will respond to the winner by Sunday evening. Good luck and I look forward to reading your stories!

P.S. Pass it on to your friends!

What do people say about you when you leave the room? Generally speaking, if it was a professional situation, they would mention your title and responsibilities. If it was a more relaxed environment, they might talk about your character, how easy or difficult you are to work with, your values and how they impact the way you deal with others, your aspirations, and even your family situation.

Your personal brand is more than just your title and responsibilities. It includes the actions you take that directly reflect your values, your passions, and your aspirations. Your personal brand, your reputation, is constantly changing as your actions reflect your experiences, your challenges, and the influence of others. But no one action can define your personal brand.

The big buzz over the past couple of weeks has been the very public way in which Greg Smith resigned from Goldman Sachs. He has definitely altered the way people think of him – those who know him and even more to the point, those who never heard of him before but now have a strong opinion of him.

I have heard people say that he has really branded himself. But as what? There are many different points of view as to the motive behind his actions. He has been labeled moral, vindictive, whistleblower, spoiler, spoiled, hypocrite, honest, dishonest, and I could go on.

One act does not constitute your personal brand. Personal branding is all about who you are in your entirety. Not a reflection of one action – but – that action is incorporated in your brand. Whatever Mr. Smith decides his next step will be, it will define and strengthen the direction his reputation, his brand, will take. It will provide added insight into who he is and why he did it.

Your personal brand is always a work in progress. A few years ago I’m sure Mr. Smith didn’t have a clue that he would make this public declaration nor be the focus of so much discussion and conjecture in the news and on the airways. His action was a result of some experience – one that affected how he viewed the world – his values and sense of purpose. By taking this strong a stand Mr. Smith has impacted his reputation, his personal brand, but the direction is still anyone’s guess.

How about you?

- Do you know what others are saying about you?

- Have you defined your personal brand in a way that accurately reflects who you are today and hints at what you want to accomplish in the future?

- Do your actions strengthen your positioning of how you want to be known?

You are in control of how others view you. So don’t be surprised by what they are saying about you and take control of your personal brand.

For tips for entrepreneurs and small business owners these articles on FoxBusiness should be helpful.

Get my free report on Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

“Success in life can be defined as the continued expansion of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals.” Deepak Chopra

In today’s 24/7 world where boundaries between work and play are more fungible, your satisfaction with work takes on a larger and more prominent part of your overall level of happiness. The days of leaving your work behind once you leave your office are as much of a distant memory as the gold watch you once hoped to receive at retirement after 30 years of working for the same company.

Whether you’re a baby boomer, a Gen X, Gen Y or millennial, your needs are all the same – enjoying what you do, feeling valued for your contribution, achieving the goals you set for yourself, and living a life that has sufficient balance between work and play.

Over the past few years two more elements have gained prominence as being integral to your overall happiness. Autonomy over your career and authenticity, being who you are in all you do, have become important in achieving higher levels of satisfaction and success.

It’s up to you to make the most of what you do and what you hope to achieve. Be honest with yourself and take the following self-assessment so you can take what steps you need to attain the success you want, however you define it.

Ask yourself:

1. Am I doing work that satisfies me? Does the work I do employ the skills and talents I enjoy using? Do I continue to be challenged in my work? Am I passionate about what I do?
2. Do I feel valued for my contribution? How am I valued?
3. Can I define the value of my contribution to my company/clients?
4. Can I articulate my goals? Do I re-evaluate them regularly to see if they continue to make sense?
5. Am I taking the necessary steps to attain my goals? Are there intermediate steps that would be beneficial to my ultimate goals?
6. Am I in control of my career? Am I where I want to be? Do others view me the way I want to be seen?
7. Do I work on my relationships with family/friends in a way that keeps them growing and interesting? Do I spend enough in-person time with those people who matter to me?
8. Am I taking care of myself so I am fit in both body and mind?
9. How do I contribute to the “greater good”? What do I do that goes beyond my immediate needs?

10. Am I giving as much as I can to those who might need my help?

11. What am I doing to ensure that I continue to grow professionally and personally?

I know there are many other questions you can ask yourself and we would all love to hear what they are, so please share them.

How do you measure success? If you agree with Deepak Chopra’s definition of success, then once you have completed this self-assessment create your game plan for expanding and improving your building blocks to happiness and success.

Utilizing her experience of over 25 years, Mary Rosenbaum empowers careerists and entrepreneurs to gain greater clarity and more effectively communicate their unique promise of value. Strong leadership means leading with your strengths. Get her free report Top Strategies for Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

Follow her on Twitter @careersguru

One sure way to manage your career is to make sure that you are visible to the right target audience inside your organization. How often do you get exposure to upper management? And what do the interactions consist of?

Ideally, you want upper management to know about the great job you are doing. But there are other reasons to reach beyond your immediate boss and get to know those above his/her level.

Seeing the bigger picture.

Someone at a higher level has a better understanding of how your job and department fits with the goals and mission of the company. They are also better informed on any new and upcoming initiatives and strategic goals. Having more conversations with upper management provide you with insight as to where you might fit in the greater scheme of things.

Getting a different kind of feedback.

Although your immediate boss provides you with periodic feedback on your work, it’s important to obtain feedback that is geared toward future development rather than past performance. You can gain a better understanding of which areas within the firm would suit the skillset you have and what you need to learn to stay on a forward moving track.

So how can you go about having more of those one-to-one conversations with upper management? Being shy or timid has no place in your life when you are the one in control of your career. I’m not advocating stalking or hounding upper management but there are more subtle ways to get the face time you need.

Stay in touch.

Are congratulations in order? An update on a project you’re working on that they have an interest in? An article you read or wrote that will remind her of a conversation you shared or a talk he gave or a lecture you both attended? A simple email that addresses and adds to the conversation is a great way to “touch” them at different times and stay visible in a good way.

Are you working on a project that is of interest to upper management? Although you are probably updating your immediate boss with progress reports, a cc on an email to his boss highlighting important achievements or milestones during the duration or completion of the project would be a great way to spotlight your achievement. In situations where this might be deemed inappropriate, ask your boss if you should cc upper management or would she rather forward the email to her boss instead. In either case make sure you write it in a way that highlights your work along with hers and anyone else who worked on the project.

Volunteer.

Is there a project of particular interest to upper management where your expertise would be welcome? Working with different people in different departments provides you with an excellent opportunity to gain visibility and showcase your skills and talents in a productive collaborative way. It also enables you to gain a different perspective of your company, maybe see the forest AND the trees.

Be creative.

Think beyond your immediate walls. Is there something you know that can be improved upon? Whether it’s creating greater efficiencies, finding new ways of applying information, or new tools that could be useful, take a risk and offer to spearhead the effort. The bigger your vision, the greater your visibility with the people who make the decisions in your organization.

In what other ways have you been successful in staying top of mind with upper management?

Related posts on Taking Control of Your Career and Expanding Your Network:

http://yourcareerbydesign.com/20120105/strengthen-your-personal-brand-build-your-career-with-purpose/

http://yourcareerbydesign.com/20111129/9-steps-to-building-your-network-learn-from-strong-leaders/

http://yourcareerbydesign.com/20111102/grow-your-network-leverage-your-brand/

The year 2011 was a year when the term personal branding became a familiar term used by many. That’s not to say that it means the same thing to everyone, but there is general consensus that it has something to do with how you are known.

Although personal branding includes the many components that go into who you are, the reality is that who you are changes with time and with experience. How your personal brand is impacted (voluntarily or involuntarily) directly affects your career and/or business. At the same time, the trajectory of your career has a direct impact on your personal brand. Yes, there is a symbiotic relationship between the two.

Here are some things you can do to keep your career moving forward while adding to and strengthening your arsenal of skills and talents that comprise your personal brand.

1. Bring Out the Child in You – Stay Curious and Be Open to New Ideas

“One of the virtues of being very young is that you don’t let the facts get  in the way of your imagination.”  Sam Levenson

New information enables you to be more flexible and innovative, both key words in staying competitive and moving ahead in business today. Rather than let your usual filter be based on experience and “the way things have always been done”, be open to allow for creativity and innovation to seep into your work and your life.

Keep learning and growing, take courses, read books and articles, attend lectures, listen to colleagues and let new ideas take you in new directions. Nothing in business is forever anymore (where are all those mortgage backed securities brokers today?). Grow your personal brand by increasing your experiences and expanding your capabilities.

2. Make Goal Setting a Priority

“In the absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.” Author Unknown

Accidental success is rare. Goals create a road map that helps you manage your career and strengthen your personal brand. By identifying your goals you can better address what you need to attain them –education, greater visibility, improved communication, more or different experiences. Goals provide structure and create a purposeful plan for you to build your career.

Break your long-term goal in manageable, bite-size steps. This way your goals become less overwhelming and more attainable.

3. Understand Your Unique Promise of Value – What’s in it for Them

“Understanding brings control.” Bonewitz

When you know the value you provide to your organization and/or your clients you can more effectively focus on strengthening those skills and talents that make you stand out. Strong personal brands are known for something – not for many things. Knowing your value allows you to magnify its intensity.

Additionally, understanding your value provides you with the leverage you need when evaluating future opportunities and negotiating compensation or fees.

4. Mind Your Character and Your Reputation – It’s all about Your Personal Brand

“A man’s reputation is what other people think of him; his character is  what he really is.”  Author Unknown

Critical components of your personal brand are your values. Your values are as unique as your fingerprints; they define your character. Once you are clear on what your values are they become your own personal litmus test of what you want, how you want to live, who you want to be with, work with, and what you want to do. When you live your values you are in equilibrium, you are authentic to who you are – the world is great.

Your reputation is based on how others view you. Your reputation consists of not only your values, but includes how you do you work and how you interact with others. It’s the memory people have of their experience of working and spending time with you. As we all know, your reputation is fragile and is often synonymous with your personal brand. Doing your best work each and every time will ensure that you maintain the reputation you want and deserve.

So bring all of who you are to everything you do and you will be living your values and strengthening your personal brand.

5. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone – Say Yes to New Opportunities

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas A. Edison

Take more risks. Getting comfortable in your career may sound desirable but it’s a sure way to close off opportunities that might propel you forward quicker and in new directions. Greater exposure to new experiences enhances what you do and/or the service you deliver, adding another dimension to your personal brand.

No Pain, No Gain. Just choose wisely which risks you take. Always keep your goals front and center and know well which consequences are acceptable in the event of failure.

Stay curious, be bold, take risks – and move forward with purpose and confidence.  You already have a personal brand. The idea is to make sure it’s the one you want and the one you need to get ahead.

INVEST IN YOUR CAREER: Enroll in Personal Branding Boot Camp taking place on February 4 and LEARN HOW TO STAND OUT – but for all the right reasons.

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO HERE

TO SIGN UP GO HERE

There was an article in the NYTimes on Tuesday about Ann Romney becoming more involved in her husband’s campaign. Apparently her husband has been unable to communicate a full three dimensional picture of who Mitt Romney really is. And without that ingredient, people have a hard time connecting with him or understanding his vision and what propels him to take on the challenges of being President.

Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement for Romney or any other candidate, just a great example of how to manage your personal brand.

An important missing ingredient in his campaign is that potential supporters are unable to see the human side of Romney – his values, passions, vision for the world and purpose in enacting that vision. Clearly he has been able to convey how he believes his skills and past experiences make him a viable candidate for the job of President.  But the emotional (soft skills) component was sorely lacking. And that’s where Ann comes into the picture. The title of the article is “The campaign sends a Romney to the rescue. Ann Romney.”

Well unless you have your secret Ann who can pave the way for you at work, with clients, and in life, then you have to be the one to present the full 3 dimensional picture of who you are.

Why is this so important? First, you want people to see you the way you want to be seen. Second, you want to communicate your personal brand in a way that resonates with your target audience so they can connect with you, buy into what you are doing, and become your brand ambassadors over time.

Another valuable lesson to be learned from the Romney campaign is that you can refocus the spotlight on those aspects of your personal brand that will help you reach your objectives.  You have control; you just have to make the right adjustments.

In his case, public relations efforts have tried to refocus his personal brand of being one of a wealthy (comfortable by birth and through success in business) and financially savvy businessman to a man whose values and ethics are what made him successful – hard work, his frugal ways, his devotion to his wife and family, and a solid work ethic.

All of these values may be a part of who Romney is, authentic to his brand.  However, they are not part of what the public initially focused on.  That’s what personal branding is all about – it’s not creating a brand, but rather understanding, highlighting, and leveraging those aspects of your brand that are important and relevant to your target audience.

Take the first step to taking control of your career.

SIGN UP for Personal Branding Boot Camp being held February 4

I want to wish everyone a Happy Healthy and Wonderful New Year.

Let’s make 2012 the YEAR OF SUCCESS FOR ALL!

To learn more about Mary Rosenbaum, who she works with and some of her programs, please visit the home page. Learn more about the Personal Branding Boot Camp here and here.

Make 2012 the year you take control of your career or business!

Whether you know it or not, you already have a personal brand. But is it the brand or reputation you want or need to get ahead in your career or business?

Working on your career is as important as doing a great job at work. It is easy to get caught up with deadlines, projects, and the everyday world of family and friends. When did you last take the time to evaluate where you are going in your career? And even more importantly, do you have a clear understanding or awareness of where you are now, what makes you unique, how others view you, and how you want others to view you?

Give yourself the best gift possible for the New Year – an opportunity to take a step back so you can take an important step forward!

The goal of this workshop is to enable you to:

-       leverage your strengths

-       be more memorable

-       enjoy greater visibility

-       have greater self-confidence

-       deliver on your brand promise authentically

-       increase your self-awareness

-       stand out from the crowd

-       enjoy greater job/career fulfillment

Workshop details

The February 4 all day workshop is limited to a small group to facilitate learning and participation. Through individual and small group exercises, you will:

-       define your goals and construct an action plan to help you achieve them

-       understand your values, how they affect what you do, and how you do it

-       learn to inject your passions into your world of work

-       define how your skills, talents, and abilities differentiate you from the competition

-       identify your target audience and determine ways to reach them

-       clearly articulate how you want to be known

-       work on defining and building your personal brand

Fee Includes

1. An interactive all day workshop including individual and group work exercises led by Mary Rosenbaum.
2. A workbook you can continue using and modifying after the workshop is over.
3. A 360Assessment (cost of $150.00 included in fee).*
4. Of course, breakfast and lunch.

*See below for a detailed description of the 360Assessment

SIGN UP NOW

Feedback from former workshop participants

READY TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CAREER?

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Who is this for?

-       professionals inside organizations and entrepreneurs who want to improve the way they communicate and articulate their unique value added

-       client facing professionals who need to differentiate themselves from their competitors

-       professionals who need to better align their reputation with their professional goals both inside and outside their organization

More About the 360 Assessment:

Integral to the program is the 360 Reach Assessment, the first and leading web-based personal brand assessment that will help you get the real story of how you are perceived by those around you. It provides the critical feedback you need to expand your success and continue thriving in a competitive business environment.  The first phase, the self-assessment and the raters assessment, will be assigned as pre-work before the workshop so that each of you will have your complete report with you when we meet as a group.

The assessment focuses 99% on the positive, on your strengths and abilities, as the personal branding process is all about highlighting those attributes and qualities that help you stand out. It takes the raters you select (friends, family, colleagues, managers, clients) only 10-15 minutes to complete this on-line assessment.

This assessment has already been taken by more than 700,000 people worldwide and the reviews are outstanding. The personal branding process cannot be completed without an understanding of how others view you. Why? Because it’s critical to know if how others view you is equal to how you view yourself.

So Take The First Step to Taking Control of Your Career in 2012

Give Yourself the Gift You Deserve.

SIGN UP NOW

One of the benefits I derive from working with clients on their 360 assessments is the ability to see how certain skills and talents appear consistently in the assessments of many successful professionals and leaders.

One of the key brand attributes that usually ranks near the top is their ability to build vast networks and communities across their companies, their industries, as well as outside their immediate sphere of influence.

What is it about them or what do they do that makes them such great networkers and community builders?

Based on my analysis, I see it as a combination of specific actions geared to building a network, modifying some behavioral traits so you are someone who is sought out by others, and leading with those values that makes others want to be in your network or community.

Actions:

1. Provide great follow up. Timely follow-up is the first step for turning a casual encounter into a strong tie.

2. Develop good listening skills. Communication must be a two-way street. Some people have said the ratio should be 80% listening and 20% talking. Real relationships are built on learning how others think and what they need.

3. Be helpful. In order to build relationships, giving is even more important than getting. Provide assistance, make connections, and reach out on behalf of others. Make sure that your helpfulness is not geared to getting something in return.

4. Stay committed. You must be committed to building and growing your network- it takes a lot of energy to seek out those who you can help and who can ultimately develop into your brand ambassadors.

5. Be dedicated. Building a strong network across the various areas of your life takes time and patience – and lots of it. Make sure you dedicate the time necessary each week to building your community.

Behavioral Magnets:

6. Be positive. A positive attitude is a magnet. People like to be around you when you give off positive energy. The glass half-full always trumps half-empty.

7. Spread your enthusiasm. A can-do approach makes you someone who others seek out. It is like putting out a welcome mat. Genuine enthusiasm is contagious and helps motivate others to action.

Lead With Your Values:

8. Be trustworthy. Trust is the basic building block for growing any relationship. It is also the basis for doing or being in business with anyone.

9. Be sincere. Inauthenticity is easily seen and felt. Give, help, listen, and befriend, because it benefits them, not you.

So whether you are a salesperson, an entrepreneur, a lawyer, a manager, a small business owner, or new to your leadership role, following these steps can help you grow your network, build out your community, and achieve the success you want.

I know there must be others to add to this list. Please share them with us.

Utilizing her experience of over 25 years Mary Rosenbaum empowers careerists and entrepreneurs to gain greater clarity and more effectively communicate their unique promise of value. Strong leadership means leading with your strengths. Get her free report Top Strategies for Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

Follow me on Twitter @Careersguru