Written by: Caroline Brewin, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Want to accelerate your career with confidence? Try these 5 simple strategies for game-changing results.
1. When you know yourself, you can trust yourself.
It is frightening how the majority of people aren’t able to clearly articulate their values; know what’s most important to them or the direction they want to go in life. This is the most powerful information you can have that has a fundamental impact on your performance and happiness levels. Confidence in your career comes from being grounded in yourself, alignment with the things most deeply important to you, and living that out in your work and home life. If you feel uncomfortable and unhappy, it’s most likely because you aren’t aligned with your values. Invest in yourself. Spend the time getting to know YOU – why on earth would you want to get to 80 years old and have regrets because you were on the wrong path?
2. Take on tough conversations.
Very few of us really enjoy conflict. In fact, the vast majority avoid it like the plague. But at what cost? If you don’t have the confidence to have a difficult conversation with your manager, you could be missing out on really important feedback that will help you develop.
Yes, you are nearly perfect (aren’t we all?) but the fact is you could be even better if you address your areas of development, with a positive growth mindset.
*Hot tip* You can make it less of a high-stress discussion if you invite the feedback. Ask them: What can I improve? What do I need to do more or less of? See it as an opportunity to improve & grow your capabilities not criticism of who you are. Want more awesome questions? You can download The Most Important Questions for Career Success here.
3. Don’t wait for Performance Reviews for Feedback.
The end of the year discussion. They give you 25 things that have gone really well, but you only hear that last ‘area for development’ and stew on it like crazy for the next week (don’t worry, our brains are programmed to do that – an adaptive, if not slightly annoying response).
If you actively seek feedback through the year, you won’t have any surprises that you could have managed earlier on. You don’t need to be needy, just be proactive. My manager once marked me down in my end-of-year review as I ‘didn’t have regular enough meetings with her’. I didn’t realise she hated conflict – had I asked how things were going earlier, that could have been something very easy to correct.
4. Stop Saying Yes!
Warren Buffet said: “Really Successful People Say No To Almost Everything”.
Ok so you want to be helpful and sometimes you feel like you don’t have a choice, but having poor boundaries means you will do everything sub-standard. Even worse, you will be given negative feedback about ‘not being able to manage your workload’ – even though you’ve been slogging your guts out! Focus on the things that are not just urgent or important, but also have impact later on. Have some key phrases in your back pocket to help you push back on people trying to give you too much.
Grab a free Boundary Builder cheat sheet here or learn about our “Fearless Boundaries” course here.
5. Don’t Assume!
I hate to break it to you, but you aren’t the only one your manager is thinking about. If you’re lucky, they are thinking about you at least some of the time, but the likelihood is, they have a whole lot else going on, of which they themselves are front and centre. They, therefore, are unlikely to remember your exact salary, package, or when you last got a pay rise. They may not see (or remember) all the great additional value you have been adding. They don’t know you want to be promoted. It’s not that they are nasty, just that they have a lot going on.
Take control of this and do not assume.
Instead, make it easy for them! Make sure you have a targeted career discussion with them at least once a year with a 6m check-in (Yes, you organise it and do not avoid the promotion discussion!) ensure they get a regular view of the key highlights you’ve delivered periodically, then when appropriate and timely, ensure you discuss remuneration.
Want to get the how of success? Brain Powered Confidence is here! It’s the only online programme which deeply connects the power of neuroscience, to address all of these real-life challenges for transformational change and career success.
We cover conflict, values, imposter syndrome & inner critic, purpose, and loads more, with lots of amazing tools and tips. Join the Earlybird Waitlist today and grab the special introductory price! Read more here.
Caroline Brewin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Caroline Brewin is a professionally trained Executive and Confidence Coach, complemented by over 18 years of Global Investment Banking experience. From Chief of Staff to complex Regional & Global roles, she’s seen it first-hand: the long-term success and profitability of organizations are inextricably linked to the trust, motivation & diversity of their people. She is the founder of Brain Powered Coaching, which uses a neuroscience-based approach to improving Confidence and Leadership; enabling lasting, exceptional results. Through Executive Coaching and her unique Authentic Confidence program, she is committed to empowering Individuals and Corporates to achieve their personal and professional potential.
