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Weebly shared this blog on branding without bragging. I honestly don't know many people who are comfortable with personal branding at first. We've been taught that it is not polite to brag, and let's face it, that is what personal branding often feels like, But in today's competitive workplace, you need to find a way you are comfortable with to sell yourself. Weebly offers some tips. I really like this bit, "When sharing your accomplishments, don’t be shy about sharing the credit with those who deserve it as well. A willingness to promote others indicates confidence in your own abilities."
LINK TO WEEBLY BLOG Creating a personal brand is a great way to share your talents and expertise with both colleagues and customers. But some people are uncomfortable with self-promotion and the idea that it may seem obnoxious to others. So what’s the best way to sell yourself without alienating everyone else? Be Authentic We all have stereotyped images of success, such as the consummate professional or the charismatic entrepreneur. But your personal brand should represent your own unique qualities – not what you think other people want to see. It’s easier to sell yourself when you’re being yourself, so be authentic about who you are. Focus on your strengths and stick to your own style of communication, whether it’s writing a weekly blog post for customers or sitting down with a manager to share your successes. Reminding people who need your services about how you can make their jobs easier is a positive message they’ll be happy to hear. Stick to the Facts Focus on facts and not interpretation, writes marketing strategist and author Dorie Clark in Harvard Business Review. It’s hard to argue with the facts if you say that you have a decade of experience in your field, a passion for what you do, or a certain number of social media followers, says Clark. But calling yourself a guru, an expert, or a ninja is another story, she adds. Don’t invite criticism by trying to characterize your skillset. Do stick to the facts by describing what you have done -- and what you can do -- to help others. Providing relevant examples is a great way to drive those points home. Share the Credit When sharing your accomplishments, don’t be shy about sharing the credit with those who deserve it as well. A willingness to promote others indicates confidence in your own abilities. “In my experience, glad-handing self-aggrandizement is rarely an effective technique,” says entrepreneur and author Seth Godin in an interview with the New York Times. “What works instead is a combination of relentlessly giving away credit and generously taking responsibility,” he advises. Rather than focusing on entitlement, this approach focuses on your engagement with your work, he explains. Or in in other words: “Successfully tooting your own horn is more about the horn than the tooting,” Godin says. Stay Humble A great way to make sure your message is well received is to give more than you ask, writes Julie Parker, founder of an online training school for life coaches. Empowering others through your work is a great way to develop a reputation for being both smart and strategic, she says. Then when it’s time to ask for that dream promotion or close a big sale, you can do so knowing that the value you’ve provided to others gives you the right to ask for more, Parker advises. It’s also important to remember that being humble doesn’t mean hiding your skills – only being sensitive about how you share your accomplishments. In short, learning how to brand without bragging is a great way to advertise what you can do and to help others succeed by using you as a resource. It's a win-win for all involved -- and a message worth sharing.
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Originally posted on LinkedIn February 11, 2015
I've had numerous requests in the past few weeks to write something on the topic of admin espionage. It makes me sad to know there is a need for this article, but here it is. Honestly, it was a group effort, as I've taken conversations with those who made the requests to craft the following article. Have you ever been a victim of Admin Espionage? Has someone befriended you because of your position just to learn information? Or worse, has someone poached your boss? Has a fellow admin back-stabbed you by telling lies to gain favor with people in positions of authority? I wish I could say this type of behavior ends in high school, but the truth is it happens all too frequently in the admin world. I do believe in karma and I think these people get what is coming to them eventually, but that doesn't help the victim now. Admins need each other. This is one job where you really do need to learn ON-THE-JOB. There is no class, seminar or book you can learn as much from as you can from the other admins in your office. Each admin plays an important role in the dynamics of the company and it is best not to undermine them. Poaching another admin's boss is very bad form. Offering to do extra work for someone you are not assigned to will alienate their admin. Instead, ask that executive’s admin if you can assist with a task that you are interested in learning more about or because you have time on your hands and know she is swamped with other items. People remember, and appreciate, when you have helped them and when you are generous with your time and talents. Verbally backstabbing other admins, telling lies, directly or through omission of details, or exaggerating a negative truth to gain favor is one of the worst offenses. People remember not just what you say, but how you say it. Being associated with negative thoughts and actions can damage your reputation and career. Instead, try praising a co-worker to their boss, peers, and the admin. If you antagonize and set yourself at odds with your fellow admins, you’ll only end up stabbing yourself in the back because you will have lost your most valuable commodity, the admins who would otherwise teach/cover/help you. Avoid office gossips, ask how you can get involved rather than manipulating your way into opportunities and use praise over cattiness to gain the trust of both your fellow admins and their executives. If you're eager to learn and advance, do so by helping in the background, not to seek glory, but to seek skills and knowledge. Once you've built trust and other admins see that you're willing to listen, learn and grow, they will give you the opportunities to do so. Those opportunities are your chance to shine and be noticed. Originally posted on LinkedIn December 18, 2014
This was written by an absolutely BRILLIANT Executive Assistant and dear friend of mine in response to an insult to our profession. I literally wanted to stand up at my desk and applaud. I may have a framed poster made of it. I definitely needed to share it. I'm an assistant, specifically an executive assistant -EA for short- and damned good at my job. Anyone who has a problem with being called an assistant -in any aspect- should try putting themselves in ANY of the shoes of the thousands of amazing professional women (and men!) in this career. We make the work happen, the impossible possible, and are masters of every game and nuance in our fields. We can juggle ten emergencies at the same time while we're teaching foreign business protocol, and keeping in the back of our mind that one international airline's business class seats don't fully recline, so not to book people on it for the 12+ hour flight, (but it's ok for the 6-8 hour flight) and still have time to gently explain to a new hire how to use the conference room booking system, for the thirteenth time, without seeming angry or mean. We are the keepers of keys, of confidences, of sanity, and of gossip. We know protocol, promotions, and major company shifts, and keep it all locked tight while presenting a professional demeanor and courteous nature, even when crawling onto a desk chair in heels to reconnect the overhead AV equipment one minute before an international video conference. I've comforted employees as they cried about a problem, put a tiny word in a boss' ear that someone was having issues at home, and to possibly shift that 5:30 pm meeting so they could be home when they were needed. I've warned -and been warned- by the amazing EA network about budget cuts, to keep my boss (or theirs) from proposing an extravagant plan, and to go forward with the more modest one that wouldn't be rejected out-of-hand. I've even made an extra lunch or two, and held back leftover conference food for the junior employee who had no cash until Friday. And until now, never mentioned it to anyone. The assistants of the world make ALL the cogs of the company run. They are the pieces, but WE are the movement, the momentum, and the safety controls. I have no problem with being an assistant, because there are few in the world who can do it successfully, and those who can are worth the weight of their shoe collections in gold. So, the next time you -or someone you know- says someone is "only an assistant" know that the true phrase is "ONLY an assistant would be able to do that." |
AuthorThe Audacious Admin is Debbi L. Shaffer, an outgoing, resourceful and highly motivated executive assistant with 20 years of experience specializing in C-Suite Executive Support. Archives
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