Must Read: What Makes a Leader? One Crucial Factor

Most people in the workforce know a story (or two) about a highly intelligent, highly skilled candidate who was promoted into a leadership position only to fail. Many also can tell a story about someone with solid—but not extraordinary—intellectual ability and technical skills who was promoted into a similar position and then soared.

In other words, it can seem like identifying individuals with the right stuff to be leaders is more art than science, says author Daniel Goleman. After all, different leaders’ personal styles vary widely: some are subdued and analytical; while others spend more time promoting their agendas and themselves. Just as importantly, different situations of course call for different types of leadership.

In this classic piece from Harvard Business Review, Mr. Goleman explains that the most effective leaders are all alike, however, in one crucial way. What is it? 

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About the author:

Daniel Goleman is an internationally known psychologist who lectures frequently to professional groups, business audiences, and on college campuses. Emotional Intelligence remained on The New York Times bestseller list for 18 months. The Harvard Business Review called emotional intelligence “a revolutionary, paradigm-shattering idea”. The book was named one of the 25 “Most Influential Business Management Books” by TIME Magazine. In addition, The Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and Accenture Insititute for Strategic Change have named Goleman among the most influential business thinkers.

How to Turn Weaknesses into Strengths

We all have weaknesses, and we

tend to try to work on eliminating them – on changing ourselves in order to become better. But for most people, change is very difficult.

In this LinkedIn.com post by Likeable Media CEO Dave Kerpen, he asks: What if instead of trying to eliminate our weaknesses, we embraced them for what they were? What if your strengths were merely hidden in your weaknesses? In other words, it’s a matter of perspective, and you can look at things in a different way: how to turn it around.

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Follow Dave Kerpen on Twitter

Author and CEO Dave Kerpen

- Posted by Regan Kelly

You’re Doing It Wrong: 9 Mistakes You’re (Probably) Making on LinkedIn

What separates the master networkers from the amateurs? The former tend not to make these 9 mistakes – 9 things that many are doing wrong on LinkedIn, and more importantly, how you can fix those mistakes.

- By Greater IBM favorite Jeff Haden at Inc.com.

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Jeff Haden learned much of what he knows about business and technology as he worked his way up in the manufacturing industry. Everything else he picks up from ghostwriting books for some of the smartest leaders he knows in business. Follow him: @jeff_haden

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What would you add to this list? Tell us in the Comments.

– Posted by Regan Kelly, Editor/Community Manager, The Greater IBM Connection

4 Big Tips for LinkedIn Endorsements and Skills

In case you haven’t noticed, LinkedIn endorsements are here to stay. Why not make the most of this network feature on your profile?

In this fascinating piece from Careerealism.com, here’s why: Using this section wisely is essential, because LinkedIn has now made it searchable by recruiters. So if you want to maximize your chances of attracting hiring managers’ attention, start doing these four things today.

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What do you think of LinkedIn’s endorsements feature? Do you think endorsements are helpful? Let us know in the Comments.

Is Your Job Search Making You Look Out of Date? 5 New Rules You Need to Know

by Susan P. Joyce, career expert, Work Coach Cafe

I hear from many “older” job seekers these days who are frustrated with today’s job search process.  They are convinced that their “advanced age” (30, 40, 50, 60, or more) is causing them problems.  I think they could be right, but NOT, perhaps, for the reason they think…

Although I do not doubt that age discrimination exists, I know that other things could be negatively impacting these people.  It basically comes down to looking – and being - out of date, using old-fashioned job search techniques.

If you are over 40 or it has been more than 3 years since your last job hunt, you are probably unaware of how much recruiting and hiring practices have changed recentlly, particularly with the growth of social media and also with the tough job market we have been experiencing.

The 5 New Rules of Job Search

Regardless of age, being out-of-date is a very common problem and not, fortunately, an insurmountable one.  Here are some things you can do to address the issue, and become more up-to-date for your job search and your job.

1. Focus!

One of today’s “problems” is too many opportunities!  Studies have shown that we humans are almost paralyzed when we have too many choices – which TV show to watch (when you have hundreds of channels), which coffee to order (when it comes in dozens of variations), and on, and on, and on…

Going to a job board and entering only the location is asking for over-load.  Waaayyy too many choices!  I just typed “Chicago” into Indeed, and it showed me 57,000+ jobs!  Yikes!

To make your job search more effective, focus on 1 or 2 job titles you really want and the employers you would like to work for.

2. Bring Your “A” Game!

The way you handle this whole process of applying and interviewing for a job is viewed as an example of your work – which it is!

Use great care with all of your interactions with an employer or recruiter.  Take the time to craft your best response rather than hurriedly attaching your resume to a one-sentence email with a subject that simply (and very unhelpfully) says, “Resume Attached” or “Applying.”

Standing out from the crowd in a positive way is NOT optional.  Leverage the technology currently available, and you will also prove that you are not out-of-date.

• Resumes
  Resumes have changed substantially with the availability of technology.  An old-fashioned resume stamps “OUT-OF-DATE” on your forehead! Most employers expect that you can use word processing software well enough to customize your resume and cover letter specifically for them.   Generic work-history resumes don’t often work well today.

• Networking
  Studies show that the person who is referred by an employee is hired 5 times more often than the stranger who simply applies.  So, focus that networking on your target employers (or a class of employers).

  Find those former colleagues who you worked with well in the past.  Or that great boss you had 2 jobs ago.  Where are they working now?  Are they hiring?

• Interviewing
  Be very well-prepared.  Expect to be asked, “So, what do you know about us?” and have a good answer ready based on your research on the employer’s website as well as what Google and LinkedIn show you.

• Prepare positive answers to unusual interview questions, particularly for any “soft spots” you have, like gaps in your employment history, being fired, or anything questionable about your recent work history that could raise concern for an employer. Also, of course, have answers ready for the standard interview questions, like “Why do you want to work here?”  ”Why should we hire you?”

3. Be Visible!

Being invisible is like another OUT-OF-DATE stamp on your forehead!  Employers use search engines to research job applicants more than 80% of the time, according to recent studies.  They are looking for “social proof” that you are who you say you are, have done what you say you have done, would fit in well, and understand how to use the Internet for business.  If they don’t find that corroboration, they move on to the next candidate.

If you Google your name and find nothing about you on the first page or – at a minimum – the first 3 pages, this is a problem! Yes, it is better than having photos of you drunk at a party, but a lack of online visibility brands you as out-of-date (unless you are in some sort of super-secret profession, like spy).

It also makes you vulnerable to mistaken identity.  Oh, that person who has the same name you have and stole money from his or her last employer isn’t you?  An employer doing a quick Google search would not know it wasn’t you, and, most likely, they would not take the time to find out.

4.  Join LinkedIn!

LinkedIn is an excellent venue for managing professional/work visibility.  LinkedIn is usually # 1 – or very near # 1 – on any search of a person’s name on a search engine.  And, YOU control what it tells the world about you!  Your LinkedIn Profile needs to be 100% complete (LinkedIn guides you through that process), and then it will provide much of the “social proof” most employers are seeking.

LinkedIn will help you reconnect with those former colleagues, co-workers, and bosses, and give you opportunities, through Groups and Answers, to demonstrate what you know.

The Greater IBM Connection on LinkedIn

5.  Pay Attention!

Set up a Google Alert on your name.  Pay attention to what is visible about your name when someone does a search.  When something bad appears, you can bury it with other positive content, or you may be able to get it taken down.  If something can’t be removed, be prepared to address it in an interview or, even, in a cover letter or your resume, if appropriate.

Onward!

Catch up with these New Rules so you don’t look out-of-date because looking out-of-date is probably hurting you more than your age.  The good news is that by becoming more up-to-date for your job search, you’ll be more up-to-date for your job!  So, you should be more successful once you land.  We’re never too old to learn something new – it keeps us young!

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Greater IBMers, what would you add to this? Share your lessons learned in the Comments.

What Defines an Entrepreneur? – Thoughts from Billionaire Businessman Richard Branson

What is your definition of entrepreneur?

Speaking at an entrepreneur event in Egypt earlier this week with President Carter, he mentioned how President George W Bush had reportedly said “the French don’t have a word for entrepreneur.”

A quick Google will tell you that the word entrepreneur is a loanword from the French verb “entreprende”, which means “to undertake”. That sounds quite fitting, as entrepreneurs are always undertaking new challenges and coming up with new ideas.

Joseph Schumpeter’s definition is pretty good. “Entrepreneurs are innovators who use a process of shattering the status quo of the existing products and services, to set up new products, new services.” Peter Drucker was onto something too when he made the following definition in 1964: ” An entrepreneur searches for change, responds to it and exploits opportunities. Innovation is a specific tool of an entrepreneur hence an effective entrepreneur converts a source into a resource.”

But to me, being an entrepreneur simply means being someone who wants to make a difference to other people’s lives.

When making a start in business with Student Magazine, I didn’t even know what an entrepreneur was. All that interested me was starting a publication to protest against the Vietnam War – and having some fun along the way. If that meant becoming an entrepreneur, then that was fine too.

Over the years the nature of entrepreneurship has changed as new businesses have developed and the world has evolved. New innovative businesspeople will keep coming along and changing the game all over again. Here at Virgin, we intend to keep changing the game for good too.

So – what does being an entrepreneur mean to you? Look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Hate to Brag? How to Self Promote to Advance Your Career

by Renee Weisman, author of Winning in a Man’s World

Greater IBMer and author Renee Weisman

Do you recognize yourself in any of these people?

1.    You jumped through hoops to get a new client or complete a major project and didn’t get the credit you deserved.  Even worse- someone else got the credit.

2.    You believed you were clearly in line for a promotion or job opportunity but didn’t get it. Even more upsetting, someone you felt was less deserving got the job.

3.    Your work was presented at a meeting by your boss or other team members. Even more upsetting, when they acknowledged that you had done the work, your senior manager asked, “Who is that?”

If any of these situations sound familiar, you are not alone.  Most people, especially women, absolutely hate to share their accomplishments and as a result, other people step in and grab the glory.  The old adage, “A job well done speaks for itself” was most likely drummed into your head from childhood. You feel like your boss should be the one bragging about you, if anyone does.  Or maybe you are so busy doing your job, you don’t have time to brag about it.

All of these excuses are standing in the way of your success. In fact, Catalyst Magazine determined that of all the career strategies women use to get ahead, the most effective one was promoting their own accomplishments.  Men may get promoted on potential but women are promoted on performance. If your manager, coworkers, team leads and executive management don’t know the good work you are doing, you will be left in the dust by others who aren’t afraid to toot their horns.

At this point, most people argue that they’ve seen others who brag about their accomplishments and they consider those people to be obnoxious.  You may be right, but scientific research has shown that individuals who brag, even if they are obnoxious, are considered more competent that those who downplay their accomplishments.  However, if you can brag in a positive light, you are not only seen as more competent but also seen as likeable.

You can learn to brag properly. Just as preparing for a major presentation takes practice and some finessing, sharing your great work also requires effort. A job is not done unless others know you did it.

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How do you keep track of YOUR accomplishments and share them with the world?

About the Author:

Renee Weisman was a Distinguished Engineer and Director of Engineering at IBM until retiring in 2008. Having spent nearly 40 years in the heavily male-dominated semiconductor engineering industry, often as the only woman, Renee learned firsthand how women can hold themselves back.

The owner of Winning at Work Consulting, Renee now teaches others the secrets to her success. Renee is a featured writer for excelle.monster.com, smallbizlink.monster.com and for the Poughkeepsie Journal’s Young Professionals career page.

Visit Renee’s site

Presentation Coming Up? 3 Surefire Ways to Lose Your Audience

by executive coach Scott Eblin, The Eblin Group

Scott Eblin

What are YOUR pet peeves when it comes to presentations? In this day and age where everyone has a big distraction at their fingertips – their smartphones – here are three ways to lose your audience in two minutes or less:

Expect Me to Just Listen for 45 Minutes Straight: Please structure your presentation so you get me and the rest of the audience involved in the first two minutes and then give us something else new to do about every eight to ten minutes after that. Please don’t expect me to listen to fact after fact for 45 minutes or more without checking out. Ask us a question that requires a response or show of hands. Show a relevant (but short) video.  Give us a simple exercise to do with a neighbor that illustrates your points. Ask us to jot down a few thoughts and share them with each other. Almost everyone these days has ADD. Work with that by mixing things up.

Talk in a Monotone: I don’t expect cartwheels and handstands, but please bring some energy to your presentation. Above all else, please drop the monotone delivery.  It literally puts us to sleep.Vary your pace. Use some inflection. Raise your volume. Lower your volume. When you’re practicing your presentation (and I hope you are) record yourself and play it back. I’ll bet you’ll be surprised by how flat the delivery is. Dial up the energy.  Most presenters (myself included) can’t dial it up too much.

Take Yourself So Damn Seriously: Some of you presenters are so serious up there that you’re scaring me. Let’s get real; most presentations are not about life and death topics so let’s not act like they are. Pretend you’re having a conversation with a bunch of friends. (It certainly worked for Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention.) Laugh a little. Smile.Connect with us.

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What do YOU do to ensure your audience stays with you? Please share in the comments.

About the author:

Scott Eblin is an executive coach, speaker and author of The Next Level.

Interview Body Language Mistakes: What Are They Costing You?

If you’re going through job interviews these days, what are you saying without words? In this article, Forbes’ Jacquelyn Smith shows how the message you’re sending with your non-verbal cues – within the first MINUTE of meeting a hiring manager – can have a disastrous effect on your interview’s outcome.

Hint: Don’t do this.

If you’re stressed and fearful, here’s how to keep that to yourself. And much more help, here:
http://onforb.es/Ot69hZ

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What’s your trick for appearing (and feeling) calm, cool, and collected during a job interview? Share it with your fellow Greater IBMers.

Five Things You Should Stop Doing – Your To-Ignore List

by Dorie Clark, Harvard Business Review

Author Dorie Clark

Inspired by HBR blogger Peter Bregman’s idea of creating a “to ignore” list , says author Dorie Clark, she came up with a similar one: and here are the activities that we all need to STOP – completely, fully, cold turkey stop – from now on.

Greater IBM, what do you plan to stop doing? And how are you going to use all that extra time?

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About the author

Dorie Clark is a strategy consultant who has worked with clients including Google, Yale University, and the National Park Service. She is the author of the forthcoming Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future (Harvard Business Review Press 2013). Follow her on Twitter at @dorieclark.