The work of true professionals is not confined to their official position. It is a given that they are conscientious and meticulous about their responsibilities, but their competence exceeds that which is written on their CVs. This special feature, Taking Your Career To The Next Level, which originally appeared in the CareerGuide section of the Philippine Star, is a guide on how to be the best person one can be – professionally and personally – in a concise and user-friendly interface that is sure to be clipped and posted on thousands of office cubicles throughout corporate Philippines
How do you demonstrate that you are at ease, especially in the heavily pressurized corporate world?
Here’s a tip: “As you enter a room, move your eyes comfortably and in a random pattern, then look directly at those in the room and smile.”
That gem comes from Roger Ailes, one of America’s leading PR men. This new original feature, “The Initial Thrill: Do You Make A Good Impression?” is a collection of blockbuster stories that exemplifies the steps any professional has to make to project the image that commands trust and respect. This feature, short but sweet, is all about Perception management.
It originally appeared in yesterday’s issue of Philippine Panorama
The Initial Thrill: Do You Make a Good Impression?
By Jonathan Aquino
When Bella Swan first met Edward Cullen in the small town of Forks in Washington, she was captivated by his aura of mystery. She later learned that Edward, her dream boy, possesses a nightmarish secret: he is, O-M-G, a vampire who lusts for her blood, and that she loves him more than her life.
First impressions last, even without Axe or Charmee. Here are some tips from Roger Ailes, media consultant of 3 U.S. Presidents, in his book You Are The Message (Doubleday) on how to put the “Wow!” on that close encounter for the first time.
You are the message. 2-time Academy Award winner and Amelia star Hillary Swank, in her early, struggling days, went to auditions after auditions with a simple message: I am a serious actress. There was one producer who told her she’s “Too sit-com,” and a week later, she landed the role of Teena in the indie film Boys Don’t Cry – and she won her fist Oscar.
Develop your strengths. “If you use your good qualities, other people will want to be with you and cooperate with you,” says Ailes.
Be yourself. Johnny Depp is the most original and unconventional A-list actor today, with the most eclectic filmography in Hollywood, including the top-grossing Pirates of the Caribbean series and the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. He is People’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” the latest cover boy of GQ and “A unicorn, really glamorous, one of a kind eccentric,” says Simon Doonan, creative director of Barney’s New York.
It’s better to be yourself than a second-rate, trying-heard copycat of somebody else. “The trick is to be consistently you, at your best,” says Ailes. “The most effective people never change character from one situation to another.”
Focus your energy. Chris Pine’s James Tiberius Kirk is Star Trek is a maverick, rebuffed by Capt. Uhura and out-ranked by Mr. Spock. But he’s also the son of a hero, and he focused his energy to summon his extraordinary leadership powers from within (with a little wile and inter-dimensional advise) to become the greatest captain of the Star Fleet – leading the best-looking crew ever assembled in space.
Concentrate. “Properly marshaled energy comes across as a magnetic intensity that we all display when we sincerely believe something,” says Ailes.
Lighten up. You are not the center of the universe. “Take a good hard look at your ego. Do you say I took often?” asks Ailes. “Are you usually focused on your own problems? Do you complain frequently? When people float a new idea, do you try to puncture it? If you answered Yes to even one of these questions, you need to lighten up.”
Meryl Streep’s Donna in Mama Mia! Runs a run-down hotel and she needs money, money money! But she can dance, she can jive, and she’s having the time of her life.
The existence – and popularity – classified ads is a testament to the continuously growing segment of people looking for positions to fit their skills.
“Can You Get The Job You Want?”is highly relevant for today and will continue to endure and provide inspiration for job-seekers in the generations yet to come These are the videos of my article which originally appeared in CareerGuide The Philippine Star in 2008
As Hellen Keller said, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow."
A positive attitude can spell the difference between success and failure. But not all men are created equal in terms of outlook in life.
These are the videos for “Good Day Sunshine: How To Be A Positive Thinker”– a user-friendly guide on how to develop the life-changing power of optimism – which originally appeared in Philippine Panorama in 2007
Clout is best understood in the immortal dictum of Teddy Roosevelt – the visionary action-man US President who almost single-handedly transformed America into a world superpower – “Speak softly but carry a big stick.”
Here are some ways to gain clout, from career (and relationships) counselor Joyce Brothers.
1) Act “As If.” William James’ “As if” principle means that if you feel nervous, you act as if you’re not. Rick Price sings in Heaven Knows: “And all the time I act so brave I’m shaking inside…”
2) Have Ace On Your Sleeve. Alfred Hitchcock was being defied by Ingrid Bergman for a scene, and the cinematic genius blandly drawled, “Do whatever you want because, you see, there’s always the cutting-room floor.”
3) Control Your Emotions. Lorna Tolentino adamantly refuses to share her boyfriend with her sister in Nagbabagang Luha. “I’ll die if he leaves me!” cries Alice Dixson, and she replies coolly, “I’ll bury you.”
4) Do The Unexpected. Ronald Reagan broke tradition by giving Congress simple proposals in his first 100 days in office, mainly on tax cuts, tax breaks and bureaucratic streamlining, but they were all passed – and he got everything he wanted.
We live in an age of recession, mergers, downsizing, lay-offs and Adobe Photoshop. Life according to Jose Mari Chan, is a “constant change.”
Here are some ways to cope, from Shad Helmstetter’s You Can Excel In Times Of Change (Simon & Schuster).
1) Choose Your Attitude. The French impressionist Pierre Auguste Renoir was already suffering from arthritis but he continued painting. Why are you still doin’ that thing you do, asked his fellow master artist Henri Matisse, and he answered, “The pain passes, but the beauty remains.”
2) Choose Your Action. Spanish journalist Pedro J. Ramirez was fired for criticizing the government. But instead of grousing, he went around raising funds for a real independent newspaper – and El Mundo became President Felipe Gonzalez’s biggest headache for exposing his cronies’ corruption and secret deals with the mercenary group ETA to silence critics.
3) Choose Your Style. Winston Churchill was instrumental in the victory of the Allies, but when the war ended, he lost his re-election bid. He was in the bathtub when he heard the news, and the former British Prime Minister (in an accent like High Grant’s) quipped: “They have a perfect right to kick me out! That is democracy! That’s what we’ve been fighting for! Now please, hand me my towel!”
Tom Cruise is Hollywood’s biggest star since Clark Gable. “I love my work,” says the actor and producer, whose latest film is Robert Redford’s political drama Lions For Lambs. “It’s all part of life – work, kids, everything. Sometimes I’m stretched a little thin, but I wouldn’t trade it. I am the only limitation I have. I always knew that ultimately I am responsible for myself.”
A positive attitude about work is one of the key ingredients to success. Whoever you are, whatever you do, enthusiasm can help you get wherever you want to be. So whether you’re a corporate warrior, entrepreneur or anything in between, here are the 5 tools you need to achieve advancement, based on new bestselling Winning by the iconic former GE CEO Jack Welch.
Positive energy. Successful people frame their careers in a positive light, and everything else follows. It’s all a matter of psyching yourself up with affirmative thoughts and actions.
“This characteristic means the ability to thrive in action and relish change,” says Welch. “People with positive energy are generally extroverted and optimistic. They make friends and conversations easily. They start the day with enthusiasm and usually end it that way too.”
An environment that is conducive to growth is essential. One such company is Google, founded by Silicon Valley living legends Larry Page and Sergey Brin. “At Google, things are really kind of friendly and fun,” says Marissa Mayer, vice president of search products. “There is no question that a lot of the meetings have a good amount of laughter and whimsy.”
Ability to energize others. Those in a position to influence people have a responsibility to use that influence positively. It is not easy to say if Steve Carell’s Michael Scott in NBC’s The Office fits in that category, but you know what I mean.
“People who energize can inspire their team to take on the impossible – and enjoy the hell out of doing it,” says Welch. But like in the movie Transformers, there’s more than meets the eye. “Now, energizing others is not just about giving rah-rah speeches. It takes a deep knowledge of your business and strong persuasion skills to make a case that will galvanize others.”
Steve Jobs has mastered the technique of making people follow his vision. As head of Apple and Pixar, he gave the world such breakthroughs like the iMac, the iPod, The Incredibles, and now, the iPhone. He has “revolutionized several industries” because “He’s a marketing and creative genius with a rare ability to get inside the imagination of consumers,” says Terry Semel, chairman and CEO of Yahoo! Inc.
Courage to make tough decisions. Some people are terrified of making a move unless they have clairvoyance. Others make quick, instantaneous decisions – or what Malcolm Gladwell calls “Blink” – regardless of the consequences. Oftentimes, it’s best to be in the middle but with the flexibility to swing either way when it’s needed.
“Effective people know when to stop assessing and make a tough call, even without to total information,” says Welch.
Anita Roddick’s political beliefs were starting to affect the company she founded so made a radical choice: she sold the Body Shop to L’Oreal and established the Roddick Foundation. “The idea of dying with loads of money doesn’t appeal to me at all,” says the human-rights activist. “I want to use the last years I have to get my hand dirty working for civil change.”
Ability to get the job done. A landmark EQ experiment showed that little boys who continue building blocks become more successful when they grew up than those brats whose first reaction is petulance.
“Being able is to execute is a special and distinct skill,” says Welch. “It means a person knows how to put decisions into action and push them forward into completion, through resistance, chaos or unexpected obstacles. People who can execute know that winning is about results.”
When Hiroshi Okuda became head of Toyota in 1995, he stunned the world by announcing that they would capture 15% of the global car market – and he achieved this audacious feat 4 years ahead of schedule. Toyota has done it by “investing in bulletproof quality, advanced technology and high-mileage engines,” wrote Keith Naughton and Allan Sloan in Newsweek. “It developed a superefficient manufacturing method, known as the Toyota Production System, that relentlessly roots out waste and builds in quality.”
Passion. As Iza Calzado purred in a brandy commercial, “Without passion, life has no meaning,” or words to that effect.
“By passion, I mean a heartfelt, deep and authentic excitement about work,” says Welch. “People with passion care – really care in their bones – about colleagues, employees and friends winning.”
Microsoft is the prime example of geek passion in the best sense. Even more important, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is “the most important organization in the world,” says former United States President and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Jimmy Carter. “We’ve been intimately acquainted with their method of operation, the thorough investigation they do before they made a decision, their willingness to take a chance, their willingness to stick to some thing once it’s begun, and the extremely high competence of their top people. They know what they are doing.”
Tom Cruise photo courtesy of Ray-Ban Sunglasses.A condensed version of this story first appeared in CareerGuide, The Philippine Star, October 26, 2008
Milwida Guevara believes the children are the future. As CEO of Synergeia, an NGO that partners with LGUs and the private sector to provide teacher-training and upgrade primary and secondary education in the grassroots, she has personally inspected rural communities throughout the archipelago -- and her noble advocacy earned her the highly prestigious Haydee Yorac Award for 2008.
Your title is not you. The test of your competence is your actual performance within and beyond the framework of your official position. Here are seven ways to sharpen your professionalism, based on the insights of fast-rising motivation guru Joel Osteen.
1) See the big picture. Success and stability comes with overlooking trivia and focusing on the things that matter to your life.
Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder is solid rock star because his vision is clearly defined: to “survive and play music and put out records and play live shows, and live our lives as family members, community members and friends,” as he told Newsweek while promoting their 8th CD Pearl Jam in 2007. Fame can be toxic. “Me? I ran screaming the other way.”
2) Believe in yourself. Unconquerable self-esteem is about knowing that your worth as a person is measured only by your character.
Grace Padaca was the unlikeliest challenger to the 40-year reign of a political dynasty in Isabela: she had no name, no money, no machinery, no connections, no experience – plus she has polio. She was unfazed because she believes in herself and for what she stands for, and her victory as Governor in 2004 has become a watershed event in Philippine politics. Now on her second term, she has just been honored the 2008 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service.
3) Understand the power of words. Your words of encouragement is a blessing to both you and your listeners, but you don’t have to filibuster.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama knows the healing power of words. One of the 2005 Time 100, he possesses that “exceedingly rare ability to touch deeply people of all religions, races and backgrounds,” writes Richard Gere, Hollywood actor and an advocate for Tibet for over 25 years. “No one leaves his presence without feeling upliftedand more hopeful about the possibility of a better world.”
4) Let go of yesterday. The past is gone and the future is yet to come; but the present, if you choose to, can be yours.
Jose Ramos Horta’s struggle for a sovereign East Timor fueled his global campaign and earned him the Nobel Peace Prize. His dream came true in 2002; and in 2007, he became the second President of Timor Leste. For his first state visit a month later, he went to his former enemy, Indonesia, to heal old wounds and move on from the brutal past.
5) Be strong in crises. Everything happens for the best, and the agonies you went through made you stronger and more mature, whether you acknowledge it of not.
Cory Aquino is the perfect exemplar of grace under adversity. The former President faced her husband’s imprisonment and assassination, dictatorship, a rigged snap-election, a bankrupt economy, an assassination attempt at the PMA in 1987, seven major coup attempts, the biggest leftist surge in history, and colon cancer, to name a few, – and she has triumphed against them all.
6) Help others. Acts of service to your fellowmen, especially when you’re not expecting payment nor publicity – not to mention gratitude – are your guideposts towards a life of substance.
Bill Gates’ state-of-the-art brainpower and cutting-edge standards of efficiency changed the world twice via Microsoft and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and the richest man in the world has now become the biggest philanthropist in history. “There is no better return on investment than saving the live of a newborn,” his wife Melinda told Time in the issue where she and Bill – and rock god Bono of U2 -- were hailed as the 2005 Persons of the Year.
7) Strive to be happy. Happiness is choice, a state of being we can experience only if we let ourselves be.
Marian Pearl’s husband, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped and murdered by Islamic militants in Pakistan in 2002, but she refused to give in to fear and hatred. “The only way to fight terrorists, as a citizen, is to deny them those emotions,” she told Newsweek as her memoir A Might Heart was being filmed starring Angelina Jolie. “The one thing they’re not expecting is my happiness. That’s true revenge; and when I see [her son] Adam, and I see how happy he is, I think, ‘I’m winning.’ ”
Milwida Guevara photo courtesy of NewsFlash.org. This story originally appeared in CareerGuide, The Philippine Star
Scott Adam’s hugely popular comic strip character Dilbert and his colleagues thought they were getting an increase. But their boss said, “We’re flattening the organization to eliminate levels and put everybody on a wide salary band.” On the second panel, he continued, “Now instead of not getting a promotion, you’ll only not get a raise.”
An office drone asked “So, what job title do we use?” The boss replied, “You’ll all be named Beverly.”
Why are you working? Your salary is not a charity dole-out from your company; it is the monetary quid-pro-quo for the work – including the time, effort, skills, resourcefulness, sacrifice and talents that you invest in your professional life.
So…do you deserve a raise? “To win a raise you must be a top-notch performer –and you have to make your case known,” says Adele Scheele, Ph.D., management consultant, labor negotiator, career strategist and author of Skill For Success: A Guide To The Top For Men and Women. Here are her suggestions to get (and deserve) that bigger paycheck.
Change your attitude. In school, you automatically get the grades that are directly proportional to your performance as a student, but the real world is a different culture.
“You can’t expect the system to take care of you,” says Scheele. “You must take care of it. Too many of us forget this.”
Walk the extra mile. If you’re a customer service representative in a call center, and you were able to charm a warfreak caller, you won’t get a raise because that’s part of the package you signed up for.
“To fatten your paycheck you need to do something extra,” says Scheele.
Plan your presentation. Pretend that you’re the district attorney and your boss is the jury. You have to build a convincing case with all the evidence you have.
“Outline your case on paper,” says Scheele. “List what you’ve accomplished that has particular value to you boss, your department and your company. Cite how you made or saved money or time, which new clients or services you have brought in, any new systems you have created or modified.”
Prepare to negotiate. The key to negotiation is give-and–take to find a win-win formula. “You should neither plead nor demand, but hold a discussion aimed at making both sides feel they’ve won something.”
Anticipate objections. If life hands you a lemon, maybe there’s still some loose ends to tie up before you get the apple you want.
“Let’s say you gave your pitch and the boss rejects it. Don’t despair! Stay calm and ask him to explain his reaction.”
There is a time – and a next time—for everything. Just in case you get turned down, get all the information you need. “Find out what you must do, and by what date, to earn a raise. Then restate your boss’ reply in memo of understanding, and keep a copy. Re-schedule an appointment as soon as you have met the requirements.”
Rodrigo “Jiggy” Manicad’s service is tutuo and crucial for GMA News. His track record includes a degree in International Broadcast Journalism from Cardiff, a British Chevening Scholarship, and a Silver Screen Award from the Directors’ Guild of America. He was eyewitness to the heroism of Marine Cpl. Angelo Abeto in combat against the Abu Sayyaf in Tipo-Tipo, and his visceral report won the Gold World Medal at the 2009 New York Festivals.
If you vanish and your company goes dedma, then they’re just not that into you. Here are some secrets to establish your importance, from Alan Axelrod’s Office Superman: Making Yourself Indispensable In The Workplace (Running Press).
Whip off the glasses. It’s about replacing your negative self-image into an empowering one, like when Superman replaces Clark Kent.
Lamar Odom was a light weight in the LA Lakers, but in the Feb. 8 game in Cleveland against the Cavaliers, Kobe Bryant got sick and he decided at that moment to play like he has never played before, and – with his 28 points and 17 rebounds – the Lakers beat the Cavs 101-91.
Look! Up in the sky! It’s about setting goals that will maximize your full potential.
Sean Penn’s perfectionism is scary, but when asked by filmmaker Gus Vant Sant how he’d portray Harvey Milk, the first openly-gay elected official in San Francisco in the 70s, he said he’d bring out his human side. “I don’t think,” said co-producer Bruce Cohen, “anything could have prepared us for what he brought to the screen.”
Bend steel. It’s about showcasing your abilities so they’ll know just how good you really are.
Marvin Malig of Adamson Falcons was just recovering from an arm injury when he showed everybody how good he is when they beat Ateneo 12-0 at the UAAP Season 71 Baseball Jewel at the Rizal Memorial recently. The 20-year old also romped off with the major awards – MVP, Best Hitter, Best Slugger, Most Batted-Ins and Most Homeruns.
Are you happy at work? If a twist of a key can start a bulldozer, then surely a couple of simple techniques can re-energize you workaday world and even boost your professional standing Here are three ways from Dale Carnegie’s How To Enjoy Your Life And Your Job (Pocket Books).
Learn to appreciate your colleagues. The “Secret” law of the universe is Like Attracts Like, so try to be nice to people. KC Concepcion had only good things to say about her co-star Richard Gutierrez during the press-con for When I Met You: “In the six months that I’ve worked with him for our two potboilers, he proved to be so nice.”
Turn tasks into opportunities for growth. Oftentimes, it’s not the work, but how we do it, that makes a difference. John Lloyd Cruz’s tasks in his next film are to be not eclipsed by Vilma Santos and to kiss Luis Manzano. “I consider every new role as a fresh journey,” he tells the press. “I want to know more about the complex, intriguing but colorful world of gays.”
Get them to be on your side. If you can’t beat them, let them join you. Michelle Robinson was the advisor of the new lawyers for their Chicago law firm. One of them courted her. “I just found him intriguing in every way you can imagine,” she tells CNN. “He was funny, he was self-deprecating, he didn’t take himself too seriously. He could laugh at himself; we clicked right away.”
But she told him it’s not right that they should date, and he says, “Who cares?” They went steady, and eventually, got married. The guy’s name, by the way, is Barack Obama.
“You are a child of the universe,” says the Desiderata, but it doesn’t mean you’re the King of the World. A worker’s competence may or may be appreciated, but what others will always remember are the little ways he was able to touch their lives. You can get the right attitude at work by following some of the ideas from Edward J. Hegarty’s Talk Your Way To The Top.
1) See you career positively. You are a positive contributor to a better world through your profession, or you’re an overworked corporate non-entity, it depends on you. “Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, that what other people think or say or do,” says Charles Swindoll.
2) Relate with other people. It’s not your position, but how you deal with colleagues, that defines you, to paraphrase Christian Bale in Batman Begins. “The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy,” says Meryl Streep.
3) Do not glorify yourself. You’re a manager, fine, but you’re still an employee, so Huwag kang mag-maganda, as we say in the vernacular. “Half of the harm done in the world is due to the people who want to feel important,” says TS Eliot.
4) Do not downgrade people. If you label others as “dummy” or “moron,” then you really don’t want to know what they think of you. “It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honored by the humiliation of their fellows,” says Mahatma Gandhi.
5) Do not downgrade people’s jobs. The guy down the hall is “just a janitor”? Actually, for him – unlike you – the only way to go is up. “Talent is always conscious of its own abundance and does not object to sharing,” says Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
6) Do not judge by status. When you refer to the “have-nots,” does that include you – who pay rent because you can’t afford your own house?
Batman photo courtesy of TheCinemaSource.com
Music: My Sharona. Leilana Pierce (Winona Ryder) says, “I was really going to be somebody at 33.” Troy Dyer (Ethan Hawke) replies, “Honey, all you have to be by the time you’re 23, is yourself.”
Professional life today is about doing your own thing now – leapfrogging the corporate ladder while making your own rules and being your own boss, says Über-guru Tom Peters. Here’s some ways to drive your career to its fullest, from Talent: Develop It, Sell It, Be It, part of his Essentials Series (DK).
Think like an entrepreneur. Drei Felix wanted to be more than just a 103 ½ MaxFM deejay. He knew he has what it takes to be a VJ so he auditioned for Myx. Sadly, he didn’t make it the first time, but since he didn’t quit, he made a fourth try – and got the job.
Market yourself. Migs Escueta grew up on the music of Coldplay, Lifehouse and Foo Fighters, and he wanted to chart an alt-rock musical career too. But though he was 1st runner-up in the Magic 89.9 Acoustic Break in 2003, he knew he should take the initiative rather wait for offers so he sent his demo tapes to major record labels – and clinched a deal with MCA Universal.
Thrive on ambiguity. Robert Pattinson tasted fame after playing the wizard Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. But his whole world changed after playing the vampire Edward Cullen in Twilight, and he eventually learned to just take it in stride. “Right now its, fine,” says the British actor, “it’s just bizarre.”
Embrace technology. Fil-Am nursing student Christine Gambito-Rodgers was an aspiring actress but the cameos she did weren’t enough: she wanted to be a star in her own right. Taking advantage of modern technology, she wrote, directed and produced footages starring herself – including “Mixed Nuts,” winner of the 2006 YouTube Video Awards for Best Comedy – and became famous around the world as Happy Slip.
"Reality Bites" movie poster photo courtesy of Larbage.com
