leadership

Get Noticed And Appreciated By Your Boss With These 7 Personal Brand Exercises

by paulcopcutt
July 20, 2016August 15, 2016

It is critical to your success that others know about your personal brand and what it stands for, here are 7 ways to help you do that.

Jane was a Senior VP at one of the banks. She had been there for 15 years with regular career moves and promotions. Now she was frustrated because her last performance review made her realize that her desired promotion to the C-suite was blocked.

She came to me for coaching and we soon determined the reason why she was not being considered for this key move. She was invisible. Not to her colleagues or boss in the local office but to the people making the C-level decisions in New York. The solution was clear. We had to raise her profile in New York even though she was not based there.

We put in place an action plan to raise her credibility and visibility with the decision makers. Within 9 months she was promoted to the CFO role.

This was a classic case of the right people not knowing about Jane and her personal brand. This may be the very reason that you too are not progressing in your career or getting invited to join the latest project or team. More of the ‘right’ people need to know about your personal brand.

Here are 7 key things about your personal brand that you need to ensure everyone (who matters) knows about you;

What the LinkedIn Acquisition by Microsoft Might Mean to You

by paulcopcutt
June 14, 2016June 14, 2016

There had been rumours in the past of LinkedIn seeking strategic partners or an acquirer, with several technology companies being the possible ‘one’. Yesterday saw the news that the successful one will be Microsoft.

My initial thought is I hope this has positive results for many of the areas that LinkedIn seems to be falling short on with technology and that Microsoft does not allow this purchase to squander or suffer like it has with Skype and other poor past acquisitions.

The challenge with any merger, big or small is the merging of leadership styles and cultures. Everything said initially is for the benefit of the stakeholders – investors, employees and users. The reality rolls out differently over the coming months, after all the deal does not close until the end of 2016, so don’t expect any wholesale changes until well in to 2017.

Naturally this was big news in the business world and a lot has been said, with much more to be said over the coming days and weeks. I have collected a few thoughts from the main parties involved as well as some social media, social selling and LinkedIn experts, here is what they had to say;

Lead, Be Free, Find Success at Work

by paulcopcutt
June 14, 2016June 14, 2016

If you feel like a square peg in a round hole at the office, like the person who believes collaboration will lead to more success than competition, like people and passion come before transactions, and that your experience at the office can be different, then keep reading.

I’ve been invited to join an amazing lineup of experts who have come together to share their knowledge and strategies for how work can be done differently – both for you as an individual and for your company.

The Corporate Rebel Series is free interview training series for professionals who want to lead, be free, and find success at work – all at the same time.

It all kicks off tomorrow (June 15th) And guess what? (This is the awesome part!)

It’s free to join. Grab your spot here.

This training series is for you if…..

10 Personal Brand Tactics to Ensure That Next Promotion

by paulcopcutt
May 31, 2016June 7, 2016

30 years ago you were told to expect to work for one employer for life,
20 years ago you were told to plan for extra leisure time because of automation, 10 years ago one quarter of the new jobs being created had never existed previously.

Now graduates are told to expect to be back at school every decade to retrain.

NEWSFLASH: The world of work is changing. Forever. Always.

We have been hearing human resource, organizational development and career guru’s telling us that for years. Gone are the days when ‘Personnel’ came and tapped you on the shoulder and told you about your next career move.

“You can no longer rely on anyone for your career, except YOU”
Paul Copcutt

Once you make it to the next promotion, there are on-boarding programs, online courses and books, like “The First 90 Days” to help.

But what about before all that happens?

The 3 Problems Everyone Has With Personal Branding And How We Solved Them

by paulcopcutt
April 19, 2016May 10, 2016

Growing up, we lived about 30 miles west of Central London and could easily access one of the City’s expansive subway lines (the oldest in the world). They whisked us in to the ‘big smoke’ in under an hour. Day trips to London were events eagerly looked forward to and I have long lasting memories of standing on an underground platform, hair and face being pushed with warm air as the train whistled in to the station and hearing a clear and authoritative voice say;

“Mind the gap”

Last week, Phil Sayer, whose warning to travellers to “mind the gap” is one of the most used on the London Underground, died at the age of 62. Along with his wife, also a voiceover professional, their voices are heard on trains and at railway stations around Britain. They are often apologizing for cancellations and delays. He was quoted as saying……Read More »The 3 Problems Everyone Has With Personal Branding And How We Solved Them

Will The Easter Bunny Really Make You Happy?

by paulcopcutt
March 27, 2016May 10, 2016

I always wonder, as my kids get older, whether Easter and the fun of an egg hunt will lose its charm. Based on a slightly alternative version that my two got involved in on Good Friday, it would appear not. My girlfriend’s family and another family have an annual golf ball hunt,. Their Grandfather started the tradition and they still use the original golf balls !

It’s a highly competitive event, the adults joining in too. Each ball is worth certain points, with some coloured golf balls being worth more. Once all of them are collected, the points are tallied and prizes handed out or chosen. It was a lot of fun.

My kids were motivated to get involved and they rushed around…….Read More »Will The Easter Bunny Really Make You Happy?

STOP Damaging Your Personal Brand & Reputation on LinkedIn With Fake Connections

by paulcopcutt
March 3, 2016May 10, 2016

There have been a number of articles and press reports about the increasing use of LinkedIn by spammers and other types using false LinkedIn profiles.

If we are honest most of us have been there. Taken in by the deceptive profile that wants to connect on LinkedIn we accept, we might even take time to thank them. Almost immediately the spam or phishing message comes in and we either ignore it, delete it or wish we had been more vigilant. Maybe next time we will be.

Don’t worry, you are not alone. Many of the most connected and most professional on this network are doing the same, without knowing or perhaps, I hope not, caring.

The profile above was…….Read More »STOP Damaging Your Personal Brand & Reputation on LinkedIn With Fake Connections

Don’t Disappear – 5 MUST DO Actions With Your LinkedIn Profile

by paulcopcutt
January 23, 2016May 10, 2016

The new year can bring many new opportunities and openings. As a professional the chances are that at some point your LinkedIn profile is going to be looked at as part of the diligence process. Is it communicating the best of you? Here are 5 actions you should take this month to ensure your profile is ready for those opportunities; HEADLINE – Often this, along with your headshot are the… Read More »Don’t Disappear – 5 MUST DO Actions With Your LinkedIn Profile

Can Your LinkedIn Profile Become Your Obituary?

by paulcopcutt
November 12, 2015May 10, 2016

My Dad, like most English people, was a huge newspaper reader. He always said he checked the obituaries on a daily basis. If he wasn’t mentioned he got on with his day! The UK has more daily newspapers than most countries have magazines! If we had a blue recycling box back in my childhood, we would have needed at least two just for all the newspapers we used to get… Read More »Can Your LinkedIn Profile Become Your Obituary?

10 Ways To Display Your Talents At Work Without Feeling Sleazy, or Brash!

by paulcopcutt
October 7, 2015May 10, 2016

In a conversation with a senior management client it was interesting to observe that even with their list of impressive and significant accomplishments they were very reluctant to talk about them, even admit them and certainly not willing to put them down on paper or share them as a way of promoting themselves at work. And this was even though they were looking for that next project or promotion. Working… Read More »10 Ways To Display Your Talents At Work Without Feeling Sleazy, or Brash!