eZine

Number 187

The professional world is changing so quickly that your next career may be in a field that has yet to be invented. One of the ways you can prepare for future career challenges is to start now to build up your leadership brand.

Your leadership brand sets you apart from the competition. It reflects both who you are and what other people think you can accomplish. It’s a measure of your personal strength and professional ability, and says something about your likelihood of success in a challenging situation.

To build your brand, identify the personal qualities you want to be known for. Then take steps to develop those qualities. This process can help you define and live your brand:

Step one: create your leadership vision.
Your leadership vision summarizes the personal qualities you want to bring to your professional life. It’s a list of the leadership characteristics you want to demonstrate and be known for.

It’s worth taking some time to identify the leadership qualities that truly matter to you. Here are three steps that can help you craft a list that feels authentic:

• Notice brands you love. Think of several consumer brands you trust and would recommend to a friend. For each one ask yourself: what makes this brand great? For example, I am a Starbucks fan, although their coffee isn’t my favorite. What I love is that Starbucks is reliable, friendly and generous with perks like WiFi and comfortable seating. So I would list qualities like consistency, friendliness and generosity. Consider which of these brand qualities you would like to have reflected in your reputation as a leader.
• Think about leaders you admire. List five leaders who have influenced you, whether they were teachers, colleagues or historic figures. Then list their important personal characteristics. Here are words and phrases many people use in describing leaders they admire:
  • Positive
  • Supportive and empowering of others
  • Self aware
  • Reliable
  • Organized
  • Always learning and growing
• Ask yourself. Imagine that several of your colleagues are talking about the quality of your work and the kind of contributions you’re making on a project. What would you like to hear them saying about you? Add those words to your list.

Step two: study your list.
When you have a list of the leadership qualities you want to be known for, post it in a conspicuous place. And carry around a copy. Look at your list frequently, including each morning. When you’re faced with a challenge or decision, imagine leaders with these same qualities and ask: what would they do?

Step three: build new habits.
A key to building your brand is practicing the kind of behaviors that will earn the reputation you want. Each month, pick a characteristic to work on. Think of a specific behavioral change that would demonstrate or bolster that characteristic. For example, if you want to build a better reputation for reliability, create a new practice of arriving at every meeting on time. It will be easier to build a new habit if you keep track of your performance. So make a log of every meeting in the month and note whether you were on time. Be precise. If you were late, say by how many minutes.

Number 186

Resilient people sometimes find guidance and the strength to keep going by visualizing how a heroic figure might behave when facing challenges like theirs. In Virginia, where my husband and I have a farmhouse, a popular role model is Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. I’ve heard that many generations of Virginia students have learned to grapple with problems by asking, “What would Gen. Lee do?”

I, too, am fascinated by Lee, but not in his role as a military leader. What amazes me is that late in his life, soon after suffering an extraordinary defeat, Lee became a peacetime visionary and stimulated the reform of American higher education.

Just 20 weeks after surrendering at Appomattox, Lee was inaugurated as president of Washington College, in Lexington, Virginia. As Charles Bracelen Flood describes in his moving book, Lee, The Last Years, the general had hesitated for several weeks about whether to accept the job. He didn’t know whether his fragile health could stand the strain. He hated aspects of the role, like fund-raising and public speaking. And he thought he still might be charged with treason.

The college was a shambles, emerging from the war years with no money, buildings still occupied by Federal troops, and only about 40 students. Lee didn’t take the job because it seemed like a promising opportunity. What moved him to sign on was his understanding of a larger mission.

In urging Lee to accept the job, the college trustees had appealed to his sense of duty, arguing that the future of the former Confederate States of America depended on its ability to train its young men. On the day after his inauguration, Lee wrote, “I think the South requires the aid of her sons now more than at any period in her history.”

So within months after his crushing defeat as the general in command of all Confederate forces, Lee found the resilience to look to the future and launch his encore career. In the last five years of his life, he revitalized and reorganized the college that, after his death, would be renamed “Washington and Lee University.” Moving beyond the traditional approach to higher education, he envisioned a program of “practical education” that would train young men to rebuild the South. An innovator who knew how to recognize and implement others’ good ideas, Lee redesigned curriculum and introduced new fields of study, like business and journalism.

Lee’s innovations and educational achievements influenced universities throughout the nation. At the same time, he became a model of how to accept defeat. His extraordinary career transition, following crushing defeat, exemplifies one of the most important attributes of resilient people: When one path leads to a dead end, they dig deep, focus on a big goal, and start taking steps.

Encore career lessons from Gen. Lee:

• Don’t obsess about the past. Instead of giving in to sorrow about all that was lost, within weeks after Appomattox Lee shifted his focus to the future. Flood says: “To a Confederate widow who was expressing hatred for the North, he said, ‘Madam, do not train up your children in hostility to the government of the United States. Remember, we are all one country now. Dismiss from your mind all sectional feeling, and bring them up to be Americans.’”
• Look for a way to make a difference: Lee didn’t set out to win personal kudos as an educator. He looked around the post-war South and focused on a pressing need: a new generation of engineers, manufacturers, journalists and others with the skills to rebuild the economy. If you’re contemplating an encore career, think about the issues that really get your juices flowing. Is there some way you can contribute to change and make the world a better place at the same time you earn an income? (For more on creating an encore career with social impact, visit Encore.org)
• Connect with others. Lee knew he needed help to rebuild the college, and he quickly reached out to friends and even strangers throughout the United States. His first big supporter was Chicago inventor Cyrus H. McCormick, who sent a check for $10,000, at the time a small fortune.

Number 184

At times in your career, you feel ready for a shift. You want to move on and you don’t want another job just like the one you have today. Perhaps you are tired of doing the same thing for years on end? Or maybe you want more opportunities, more money or more variety?

If you want to stay in your broad field, but find a different kind of job, here’s a plan for getting started:

• Write a big list. Start by listing everything you want in your next phase. Dream about what would be great not only in your job, but also in the rest of your life. Sometimes we think we want a career adjustment, but part of what we’re seeking may be available without a job change. For example, if you’re bored or lonely, you might create a richer life by pursuing new interests in your free time. Or, if you love your job but want more income, you might consider a side business.
• Organize your list. Break your comprehensive list into categories of what you want, like “health and fitness” or “social life,” as well as “ideal job factors.” You are creating this broad picture partly because it will help you to see that not everything must be found through your work. But this is exciting: when you create positive change in any part of your life it’s likely to bring new energy to your work life. I see it with clients all the time. When you make progress in one area, like your fitness program or your social activity, it has a positive impact on your work life.
• Commit to small steps. Once you have your categories, start moving slowly forward in each one. Decide how many steps you’ll take each week, for each category. It’s important to find a realistic pace, and stick with it. For example, you might decide that each week you will:
  • Pursue your job search by taking three steps. The first week might include (1) going out for coffee with a friend, (2) spending 20 minutes doing research on the Internet, and (3) working on your resume for 30 minutes.
  • Start exercising by walking for 20 minutes three times during the week.
  • Take one social step, like making a phone call to arrange a future dinner with friends.
• Do research and notice trends. While you’ve been busy in your day job, you may not have been tracking developments in your professional area or in fields that are just a step or two a way. Your job-related steps should include looking around, seeing who is making contributions, money or headlines. Read everything you can, but don’t stop there. Look for conferences and associations where you can learn from people working in fields not far removed from yours.
• Network methodically. On your list of steps will be the names of people who might be willing to brainstorm with you. Include not only those you’ve known well over the years but also professional acquaintances who seem career savvy. Then work your list. Set up coffee dates, or find other ways to visit with just about anybody who might be able to spot trends or suggest opportunities. Ask your contacts if they can suggest others who might be willing to talk with you. If people are too busy to help, they’ll let you know. And, if they are willing to chat, know that someday you’ll be able to return the favor or pay it forward with another job seeker.
• Engage on-line. Social media now are playing a huge role in the hiring process. Job seekers today are at a disadvantage if they don’t at least have LinkedIn profiles. And Twitter is a tool that will allow you to connect with recruiters and others you might not be able to reach by phone or email.
• Learn something new. Taking classes is an excellent way to pick up new skills and broaden your perspective. When you are engaged in learning, it helps you see your routine work in new ways and become more creative. And certifications earned through course work can demonstrate your commitment to excellence. Taking classes at a local college could have the additional benefit of broadening your network. But if there’s no convenient local option, there are many good providers of distance learning.
• Volunteer. If you want to build additional skills, look for ways to get new kinds of experience. A good starting point can be to join clubs or service organizations.
• Find a buddy. Making a career shift can be a lonely process. Find a friend who also is engaged in reinvention and meet regularly to share ideas, networks and encouragement. You don’t have to have similar careers. Somebody in a different line of work might offer a new way of looking at things.

A circle of positive relationships is important for every aspect of your life. Being connected is good for your mental and physical health, and it makes life more enjoyable. In your professional life, a strong network can be vital. Connected people stay in touch with trends and opportunities during the good times. And when a career crisis comes, your network can help you spot the next move and go forward.

But what do you do to strengthen your network if you don’t have the time or energy for one more project? Try these networking tips for over-burdened professionals:

1. Listen & notice. You probably have casual contact with people throughout your work week. But in many interactions you’re not fully engaged. Instead of listening, maybe you’re thinking about what you’re going to say next, or perhaps you’re worrying about another project. Like most of us, you’re often so distracted that you’re not taking full advantage of your opportunities to connect. Get more from your routine conversations by becoming more mindful of what others are saying. In each conversation, focus all your attention on the other person. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the moment. You might try arriving at meetings one minute early, and devoting that minute to listening to the person sitting next to you.
2. Use every occasion. When you are in networking mode, it makes sense to vary your patterns and get out more often. But don’t think of “networking” occasions as special events that you attend just once in a while. Great networkers engage with others wherever they go. Every time you are out and about, whether it’s at a PTA conference or the gym, there’s a chance to meet somebody who could become a friend. The goal is to connect with people as often as possible, in a genuine way. And when you meet somebody new, do follow up, even if it is just with a two sentence email saying what a pleasure it was.
3. Try a little social media. My clients sometimes say they don’t want to try social media because it takes too much time. But I urge most of them to at least sign up for LinkedIn. At a basic level, LinkedIn operates as both a simple on-line resume and an easy-to-manage interactive address book. By joining, you make yourself available to folks who may want to reach you. And you acquire a tool for staying in touch with contacts, even if they move around. When the time is right, you may choose to go further and mine your LinkedIn network for new connections and useful discussions.
4. Give and ask for help. The essence of networking is exchanging help and support with other people. In a brief, positive interaction, you might simply share a smile or a kind word with the other person. A key principle is to remain alert to small, easy ways you can add value in any situation. Look for opportunities to offer a little assistance, or make someone’s day by saying “thank you.” At the same time, routinely ask for help. For more about the smart way to build your network by requesting help, please read my recent post on Forbes.com.

Number 182

Not long ago, we were taught that your brain is hard-wired and losing cells daily, and there’s not much you can do to change it or slow the process of decline. But recent breakthroughs in neuroscience research suggest that the human brain is far more flexible, resilient and open to change than anyone ever thought. You can manage your brain, helping it to grow beyond its current limits. Your brain can evolve and improve throughout your lifetime, supporting the development of new skills.

Recent years have brought a wave of books that reintroduce us to the brain and explore its amazing potential. In two of my favorites, leading scientists use ordinary language to describe how the brain works and how we each can use our mind to manage our own brain, whether we’re seeking greater achievement or a happier life.

Perhaps the most intriguing is by Alzheimer’s scientist Rudy Tanzi and prolific spiritual and medical writer Deepak Chopra. Their book is “Super Brain – Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness and Spiritual Well-Being.”

“The human brain can do far more than anyone ever thought,” Chopra and Tanzi say. The brain is malleable. Because of its “neuroplasticity,” your brain is constantly changing. And you have the power to promote and help shape that change. This can be the “golden age for your brain,” they say, and you can develop a “super brain.” Your super brain will help you to thrive on activity and change, staying in a good mood despite the unexpected.

“The Emotional Life of Your Brain” is written by another influential neuroscientist, Richard Davidson, and respected science writer Sharon Begley. You can train your brain to shift your “Emotional Style” to one that is more resilient, positive and aware, according to Davidson and Begley. Your Emotional Style is your way of responding to experiences and challenges, and is governed by identifiable, measurable brain circuits. Through simple exercises and practices like meditation, you can rewire your circuits and change the way you function on a daily basis.

Here are 4 tips for using your mind to transform your brain:

• Manage your thoughts. “The first rule of super brain is that your brain is always eavesdropping on your thoughts. As it listens, it learns,” say Chopra and Tanzi. In other words, if you think limiting thoughts like, “I can’t remember a thing,” your brain will perform in a way that is consistent with your expectations. But you can push your brain to a higher level of performance, including by “trading out toxic beliefs,” adopting a higher vision and enthusiastically learning new things.
• Become more adaptable. Highly successful people, like Albert Einstein, aren’t simply more intelligent than the rest of us. According to Chopra and Tanzi, they use their brain in a way that is keyed to success. And the “key is adaptability.” Einstein developed the strengths of “Letting go, being flexible and hanging loose.” Instead of remaining stuck in the same old behaviors you, too, can become more adaptable. You need to stop repeating what never worked in the first place. And “See righteous anger for what it really is – destructive anger dressed up to sound positive.”
• Express gratitude. You can make your Emotional Style more positive through exercises that promote well-being, say Davidson and Begley. They suggest you “Pay attention to times you say ‘thank you.’ When you do, look directly into the eyes of the person you are thanking and muster as much genuine gratitude as you can.” And at the end of each day journal about your moments of gratitude.
• Try mindfulness meditation. By meditating, you can change your brain and become more self aware and resilient. Davidson and Begley suggest you try out mindfulness meditation with a simple technique involving awareness of breathing:
  • Sit upright on the floor or a chair, with a straight spine and a relaxed but erect posture.
  • Focus on your breathing, on the sensations it triggers in your abdomen and throughout your body.
  • Focus on the tip of your nose, noticing the sensations with each breath.
  • When you are distracted by unrelated thoughts, simply return your focus to your breathing.