The Importance Of Finding Employees With An Inner Rudy by Roz Usheroff

“You just summed up your entire sorry career here in one sentence! If you had a tenth of the heart of Ruettiger, you’d have made All-American by now! As it is, you just went from third team to the prep team! Get out of here!”

Even though I am not what you would consider to be a football fan, there are nonetheless many powerful moments in the movie Rudy from which the above quote has been taken.

Moments that I believe transcend the sports world, and apply to both business and life in general.

The reason I thought about this movie, and in particular this scene, is that I was recently asked the question does desire and commitment trump talent alone?

The individual, who is a senior executive with a large corporation, posed the question because he was having difficulty in deciding which one of two people on his management team would be promoted to a new, more demanding position.

On one hand, the candidate who he had initially favored was – at least on paper, capable of doing a great job based on a long list of degrees and academic accomplishment. In other words, he possessed the prerequisite skill sets that appeared to perfectly align with the requirements of the job. However, he had never demonstrated a desire to do more than what was necessary to get by in terms of fulfilling his past assignments.

In considering this individual, the executive’s hope was that when faced with a new and bigger challenge, he would find his passion and rise to the occasion. In essence finally deliver on the potential the company saw in him when he was first hired.

The other candidate, who was now being seriously considered, at first wasn’t even on the radar screen for the new position. After all, the executive explained to me, she did not have the same level of education as the “preferred” candidate, nor did she have the same level of seniority. What she did have however, was a desire to excel in everything that she did.

If she did not know the answer to a particular question, she would without fail do the research that was necessary to get the right information.

If there was a need for overtime or to double check her work to make certain that it was the best it could be, she did so without fail. She was even available to help fellow employees with their assignments when called upon.

In short, and while she wasn’t as qualified as the preferred candidate, she did possess what I call an inner Rudy. She had heart and a burning desire to succeed.

The difficulty according to my executive friend was determining which candidate was more likely to excel in the new position. Which one would be the best hire?

Would the candidate who was clearly more qualified for the position finally live up to his potential?

Alternatively, and even though he had no doubt that the less qualified candidate would give it her very best, would that best be good enough? Would she be up to the task?

Rather than simply giving him an answer in favor of one or the other, I asked him a question.

When you first started out, and eventually rose to the position you are in today, what made you successful?

At first he looked confused, but then paused for a moment to think about my words.

He then said that despite his level of education, he had throughout his career, encountered many challenges that required him to look outside of what he knew to seek the answer. In doing so, he relied heavily on the support of others – his fellow employees, managers and mentors.

However, the one thing he learned is that their level of support, and his ability to find an answer, originated with his desire to do the best job he could.

I then reminded him of a quote regarding Henry Ford from Napoleon Hill’s book Think And Grow Rich. Specifically Hill’s assertion of Ford’s belief that “Any man is educated who knows where to get knowledge when he needs it, and how to organize that knowledge into definite plans of action.”

In the end, I told him that I think this definition of education still holds true today, because it reflects a true desire to excel, and a real heart for achievement.

Given the above, if you were in this executive’s shoes, who would you hire?

The one thing I will tell you, is that the executive ultimately made the right decision.

Want to learn how to build a winning relationship with your boss? Click the image below to get your free copy of my latest white paper:

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What is your social capital net worth? by Roz Usheroff

I recently came across a discussion on Twitter in which there was a debate as to what the differences in terms of risk were for an intrapreneur as opposed to an entrepreneur.

While an entrepreneur is obviously someone who runs their own business, what is an intrepreneur?

Practically speaking, an intrapreneur is an employee who thinks and behaves differently.

Rather than simply fulfilling the requirements of their position, an employee with an intrapreneurial mindset will instead begin to think outside of the box.

This means that they will:

• See opportunities where none previously existed.

• Potentially change their goals and objectives as they embrace a new personal independence that will better align them with their organization’s goals.

• Embrace their true unique ability because, similar to entrepreneurs, they will now be pursuing results from a position of passion rather than just duty or job description.

• See the significance of advertising their unique ability because they know that it will help them to receive the recognition they deserve.

By adopting the intrapreneur mindset, any concerns they might have in terms of being seen as political will be eliminated.  This is because, like any good business person, they will become strategic and intentional in everything they say and do.

Within the above context, how can one equate the financial risk of owning and running your own business with any purported risk that exists within the framework of a paid position?

My belief is that the only difference in terms of risk for intrapreneurs as opposed to entrepreneurs is currency type.

While an entrepreneur will risk financial capital, by becoming an intrapreneur, an individual finances their efforts using social capital.

This is not to suggest that entrepreneurs do not need to possess a certain level of social game.  Far from it.  However, an intrapreneur’s primary risk capital is based on their reputation.  Or to put it another way, by thinking outside of the box, intrapreneurs are trading on their good name or personal brand otherwise known as their social capital.

So what is your social capital net worth?  Of equal importance, how do you increase your social capital net worth to the point that you can effectively operate as an intrepreneur within your present organization?

The key words are creditability and contribution, and you cannot have one without the other.  This means that to build your social capital net worth, you have to be visible and involved.

In this context, the following exercises should help.

Exercise 1: Building Your “Fan Base” (Creditability)

• Make a list of those individuals who you can call upon to support your ideas, initiatives, and suggestions in future meetings.

• Make another list of those individuals who have relationships with decision makers with whom you do not have direct access but would be willing to speak on your behalf to introduce or reiterate your suggestions.

Now, identify two tactics that would help you to demonstrate your appreciation for their support, and reciprocate appropriately.

1. Tactic:
2. Tactic:

Remember, your brand is the sum of every experience others have of you.

To stand out, you have to creatively highlight what makes you different, better, wiser, smarter, interesting, and more desirable than others who profess to offer what you offer. Then you have to be visible and promote the best of what you do. The best way to do that is to offer something no one else is offering.

Exercise 2: Mobilizing Your “Fan Base” (Contribution)

Make a list of those people who have the power to:

• Impact your career because of their position and influence

• Provide you with opportunities to be involved in high-profile projects

• Serve as a coach, mentor, or sponsor

Now, identify two opportunities that would help you to showcase your value and bring you greater visibility in your company.

1. Opportunity:
2. Opportunity:

In the end, when you seek the assistance of others to help you create opportunities to deliver value to your organization, you will be well on your way towards building a healthy social capital balance sheet.

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#eVAForum2013 The procurement professional’s Achilles heel by Jon Hansen

Note: This post originally appeared in the Procurement Insights Blog and makes reference to an SAP Academy training course featuring Roz Usheroff’s brand building strategy.

Procurement Insights

“Procurement professionals are great at delivering value, but terrible at promoting their value to their organization and beyond.”

This is the statement I made to open my second session at last weeks 25th Annual Public Procurement Forum in Virginia.

Titled Strategically Speaking: Procurement, the Organization and You, I focused on the significant changes that are taking place not only within our own profession but within the larger business world as a whole.  This included a detailed breakdown on how both Finance and IT professionals are themselves going through a major transformation, and what it means in terms of the dissolution of the functional silos that had for too long restricted rather than stimulate enterprise-wide collaboration.

As exciting a time as it is, to fully capitalize on this much larger and more diversified stage, procurement professionals need to become more adept at branding themselves and the value we bring.  Or as…

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The Future of You! is now with the printer

Once again, I would just like to thank everyone who, in making a pledge on my Kickstarter page, helped to make the launch of my new book The Future of You! Creating Your Enduring Brand a big success!

I am happy to report that my book has gone through the final editing stage and is now in the process of being printed.  For those of you who have ordered the eBook version, it is also in the final production stage.

I look forward to providing you with the actual delivery date very soon.

In terms of the corresponding gifts of appreciation such as DVDs and additional books, these will be sent to you with your copy of The Future of You!

For those of you whose pledge included special services such as the Social Network Makeover and Personal Mission Statement consultation, I will be in touch with you directly to schedule a date and time.

Finally, if you know of people who did not have an opportunity to participate in the Kickstarter program, my book along with a number of exciting new services are now available through the following link; http://www.usheroff.com/store/

Roz

Click here to get your copy of  . . . The Future of You!

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Dubai Travel Journal (Part 2): Adaptable Brilliance . . . Denise’s Story

As far as I am concerned, one of the best examples of being open to trying something new is reflected in the following excerpt from my new book The Future of You! Creating Your Enduring Brand.

While the story of Denise talks about being your own best PR person, the underlining message is that a willingness to embrace change and try something new – in Denise’s case this meant accepting a position for which she had little prior experience – will almost always open the door to opportunities that you might have otherwise missed.

Like Mikey . . . are you willing to try something new?

Denise is the Chief Procurement Officer with a major corporation.  Founded by one of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, whose enterprises have included professional sports teams and international retail chains, the company with whom she works is a recognized brand the world over.

Over the past 16 years Denise has had many different bosses.  Despite these changes at the top, Denise has been successful because she has been open to leveraging her Unique Ability to assume the leadership role within different areas of her company including finance, HR, and now purchasing. 

To me she exemplifies the importance of volunteering for important projects, building an effective rapport with her bosses, and being willing to mentor and coach those with whom she works.

Having had the opportunity to share a cab with her to the airport from a speaking engagement in which she was in attendance, I was moved by her calm and certain demeanor that seemed to accentuate the very adaptability that has led to her enduring success.

Now you might ask yourself what Denise’s story has to do with how you can become your own best PR person.  Similar to those executives about whom I talked in my Personal Reflection earlier in this chapter, Denise recognized that while changes at the top can and obviously do happen, her success in promoting her brand value was based on a solid understanding of the organization’s inner workings.  When confronted with a change in management and company goals, Denise looked for ways in which she could become a champion of that change, even if doing so meant that she had to move outside of her apparent comfort zone.

In short, Denise realized that the new skills that were needed to play a different role in her company’s success could be acquired through listening and building a rapport with both existing as well as new team members.  It is through this rapport and relationship-building process that Denise did her best PR work.  And by adopting this attitude of service as opposed to being defined by a particular position, Denise established her reputation as a go-to person who could be counted on to take on the tough jobs and deliver the results.

There are of course many examples similar to Denise’s to which I could refer.  I can remember the story of a very successful sales executive taking a management position in his company’s service department.  When asked why he had volunteered to pursue this seemingly “new” career path his response said it all; “this new challenge will give me the opportunity to demonstrate to my company that I can play multiple roles in the organization’s success.  I believe that this will increase my value to the team, while making me a better overall employee.”

What opportunities do you have, to move outside of the familiar to embrace something new and in the process advance both your career as well as your personal brand’s perceived value?

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Dubai Travel Journal (Part 1): We Are All Different yet the Same

Besides the fact that it never ceases to amaze me how jet travel can place you on the opposite side of the world in a matter of hours, my speaking schedule has also afforded me the opportunity to meet different people from different cultures.  This has been a great gift in many ways because it has provided me with a lens through which to view both the similarities and differences in terms of how people look at personal career development.

Even though worlds apart, this shot of Dubai reminded me of the Chicago River winding through the downtown area back home

For example, when I had the privilege of addressing an audience in Asia, they were quietly earnest and appeared cautious in their replies.  It would have been easy to judge their restrained participation as disinterest or boredom.  The opposite however was true, in that the apparent lack of enthusiasm was not reflective of an absence of commitment to advancement.  It was instead indicative of how they valued the added insight which was later demonstrated by the questions they asked at the conclusion of our time together.

This of course got me to thinking of not only the differences but, the similarities we share in being part of a global community.  After all, our respective marketplace is no longer geographically limited or confined to a particular region of the world.  We are all   ̶   for all intents and purposes   ̶   globetrotters whether we physically board a plane or commute virtually through the Internet.  As a result, understanding our differences in communicating and the similarities in our intent is the key to success.  While I have found that we all share a similar desire to make a positive contribution, our approaches vary greatly.  The real question is how do we respond to differences in a way that opens the door to building a meaningful rapport and trusting relationship?

For me, the first step is to embrace the differences and be open to change or trying something new.

Much to the appreciation of my Middle Eastern clients, embracing something new was actually getting (and staying) on the camel . . .

In part 2, I will talk about what it means to be open to trying something new, and why it is important to your success in developing a sustainable personal brand.

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What value do you bring to your relationships? (Part 2 of 2) by Roz Usheroff

. . . to find success and fulfillment you must understand who you are, what your unique value is to your business, and adopt an entrepreneurial mindset of continually marketing yourself and your expertise.

The above brief excerpt from my book The Future of You! Creating Your Enduring Brand provides what I believe are the key tenets for building not only an enduring brand, but enduring success.

In essence, to bring value to your relationships you need to first understand who you are and more specifically for what you stand.  Once you have ascertained your personal value system, you can then better identify your unique abilities or talents in terms of how you can apply them to have a positive impact upon those with whom you associate or seek to serve.

Finally, you have to proactively look for ways to be of service to others.  This requires what I call an entrepreneurial mindset.

It is this latter point upon which I will focus today.

In Part 1 of this series I had made reference to a comment by Ruth Stafford Peale, the wife of The Power of Positive Thinking author Norman Vincent Peale, of the importance of finding a need and filling it.  So what does it really mean to find a need and fill it?

Powerful and insightful in its very simplicity, it reminded me of an article by Jon Hansen titled “Rosslyn Analytics: Find a Need and Fill It!”  In the article, Hansen lamented the fact that the true meaning of this axiom is surprisingly and consistently overlooked by the majority of organizations.

Referencing a number of companies within the high tech sector, Hansen pointed to Robert Spiegel, the author of Net Strategy (Dearborn, 2000 ) and The Shoestring Entrepreneur’s Guide to Internet Start-Ups (St. Martin’s Press, 2001), to support his position.  Specifically Spiegel’s assertion that the majority of companies that “failed did so not because they were bad ideas, but because they didn’t solve anyone’s problem.”

While Spiegel concluded Hansen believed that “Many of the technology ideas were brilliant,” it means very little at the end of the day “unless you can demonstrate a need that is getting met by these products, technology and ideas.”

To me this redefines or perhaps expands upon what it means to be entrepreneurial.  Specifically, you can have the entrepreneurial courage and passion to pursue your vision, but you also have to make certain that what you are doing aligns with your organization’s or clients current needs, otherwise you will ultimately fail.  This is at the heart of the Peale challenge to find a need and fill it.

Over the years I have seen many careers take an unexpected turn toward the unemployment line.  The reason was also fairly simple.  The individuals, while experienced and talented, had lost sight of how their unique abilities were valued by the organizations for whom they worked.  In other words, they lost sight of how they solved their company’s or client’s problems and thus failed to make an indelible and enduring mark.  In essence, they failed to build a legacy based on filling a tangible need.

So here is my question (and challenge) to you today; what tangible need or needs of your organization or client are you meeting?30

What value do you bring to your relationships? (Part 1 of 2) by Roz Usheroff

The other day I read an article by Kelly Barner titled “What if there is no value in what you’re doing?”

While Barner was posing this question from the standpoint of being a procurement professional, it is nonetheless a powerful yet simple question that all of us at one point should be asking ourselves. After all, and regardless of whether we are talking about our employers or clients or for that matter our personal relationships, I believe that we need to truly assess our impact on others to better understand our value proposition.

For example, why would a client wish to continue to deal with you if you fail to meet their needs on a consistent basis? Why would your present employer keep you on the payroll if they could not clearly identify how your efforts contributed to their bottom line?

It is at this point that Barner introduces the important difference between performing an important task and creating value. According to Barner, “if you are struggling to define value for your organization or to demonstrate measurably that you have created it,” the problem may be your area of focus.

In the following excerpt from my new book The Future of You! Creating Your Enduring Brand, I talk about this disconnect between fulfilling a task and establishing your value;

Over the years I have seen many careers take an unexpected turn toward the unemployment line. The reason was also fairly simple. The individuals, while experienced and talented, had lost sight of how their unique abilities were valued by the organizations for whom they worked. In other words, they lost sight of how they solved their company’s or client’s problems and thus failed to make an indelible and enduring mark. In essence, they failed to build a legacy based on filling a tangible need.

So here is my question to you . . . what tangible need are you filling for your employer or client? How are you able to clearly demonstrate this value?

In Part 2 of this post I will delve deeper into how you not only find a need and fill it (thank you Ruth Stafford Peale), but demonstrate it in a manner that enables you to make your own indelible and enduring mark.

Thank you for making the launch of my new book on Kickstarter a SUCCESS!

I just want to take a few moments to thank everyone who, in making a pledge on my Kickstarter page, will receive a copy of my new book The Future of You! Creating Your Enduring Brand along with some great gifts.

Your generous support helped to make the campaign a resounding success achieving 127% of our target.  As indicated you will be receiving your book and corresponding gift in July.

In the meantime, and for those who did not have an opportunity to participate in the Kickstarter program, my book along with a number of exciting new services will be introduced through a dedicated page that will be launched very soon.  I will keep you posted.

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What is the difference between confidence and arrogance (Part 2 of 2)?

Great article, Roz! I agree that a confident person does not exhibit arrogance, but rather is comfortable in her own skin and eager to continue to learn and improve, and welcomes the opinions and expertise of others. A confident person is curious and open-minded instead of defensive when others disagree with her opinions or offer another point of view. A confident person wants to know why people disagree with her, and moves forward in enlightenment; an arrogant person shuts them down and retreats into ignorance. Confidence and leadership go hand in hand and propel people forward, while arrogance isolates and causes regression. They are polar opposites – Jeanne Nelson, PROWESS Workshops, prowessworkshops.com

I have to say that of the many, many posts that I have written since launching The Remarkable Leader Blog no other with the exception of The “Dress for Success” Myth or Why the “It Is Better To Look Good Than Feel Good” Approach Doesn’t Work! and, Is your boss trying to sabotage your career series, has generated as much buzz as Part 1 of the difference between confidence and arrogance post.

In fact several LinkedIn group discussions have presented countless responses offering a variety of perspectives on the difference between confidence and arrogance.  However, it was a comment by Jeanne Nelson that caught my attention, which is why I shared it with you in the opening paragraph of today’s submission.

From my standpoint, Jeanne’s thoughts provide an accurate description of the values that define both a confident and arrogant personality type.

Within this context, let’s delve a little deeper into how a confident person’s values and the corresponding character traits are reflected in their actions.

There are times where you will be expected to demonstrate courage to do the right thing when others aren’t stepping up to the plate.  This may mean that you have to say something that no one else wants to own or acknowledge but you know needs to be said for the benefit of everyone involved.  In this regard it is all about intentions and motives in that you want to help to resolve a situation rather than pointing a finger or putting someone under the bus.

I was recently talking with a company President who confirmed the importance of intentions.  He told me that he will always listen to someone when he knows they are truly interested in the direction of the company while avoiding the “blame” game.

Confidence in this example is demonstrated by the courage (character trait) to tell the truth, and to do so in a manner (intentions) that helps to build-up rather than tear down.

In the end, confidence is what I call an inside job.  You have it when you have nothing to prove.  You take a stronger position and stand out when you speak with confidence.   You know that you’re not doing it to be recognized but you have a bigger goal in mind . . . to make a difference.  As long as confidence – as a General at Quantico once told me – is married to humility, you’ll always be fine.

Why your pledge is important even after our target has been met . . .

While I am happy to announce that we have achieved our original target on Kickstarter, there is still much work to be accomplished.  This is why your pledge is very important to me.

With your continuing support of this exciting project I will be able to not only attract top publishers, but send a message that will encourage their undivided attention and effort in terms of getting The Future of You! Creating Your Enduring Brand in bookstores across the country.

Besides receiving a copy of The Future of You!, by making a pledge on Kickstarter you will also receive some great gifts as a token of my appreciation.

When you access my Kickstarter page through the link below, you can select one of many pledge options to receive the book itself along with the corresponding gift. With pledge amounts ranging from $5 for an electronic copy of the book, to $3,500 for an on-site Future of You! Seminar for 10 people (and yes, each one will receive a copy of the book), it has never been easier to take that first step towards creating your enduring brand.

Thank you for your anticipated and continuing support!

Warm regards,

Click Here To Pledge . . .

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What is Kickstarter and why did I choose to launch my book through them?

The support by way of pledges for my new book The Future of You! Creating Your Enduring Brand has been terrific.  Thank you of course to those who have already pledged as you will be amongst the first to receive your copy of the book as well as some great gifts.

For those of you who would like to join the growing number of people who are pledging their support to receive a copy of the book but are not familiar with Kickstarter, the concept is both straight forward and exciting!

Quite simply, when you access my Kickstarter page through the link below, you can select one of many pledge options to receive the book itself along with the corresponding gift.  With pledge amounts ranging from $5 for an electronic copy of the book to $3,500 for an on-site Future of You! Seminar for 10 people (and yes, each one will receive a copy of the book), it has never been easier to take that first step towards creating your enduring brand.

So why did I choose to launch the book through Kickstarter?

Seth Godin had this to say about why he used Kickstarter for his most recent project The Icarus Deception:

“It’s easier than ever to spread a book, especially one that’s just digital. You can give it away for free and reach millions. The challenge is that it’s not on paper, it’s not easy to hand to someone else, and most of all, you lose the bookstore.

This project on Kickstarter is my way to organize the tribe, to send a signal to risk-averse publishers and booksellers (who have limited shelf space and limited paper). We can let them know loud and clear that this is a book that’s going to get talked about.Kickstarter coordinates and it amplifies.”

Your support by way of making a pledge so that I can achieve my goal of $5,000 is so important on so many levels – including the fact that it will help me to find the best publisher for my book.

Once again, please click on the link below to obtain your copy of The Future of You! Creating Your Enduring Brand.

Thanks for your support and should you wish to launch a book through Kickstarter in the future, I would be delighted to share my journey.

Cheers,

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