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    25 Mar

    Put Your Career on the Fast Track

    By admin In Career, Career Transition, Future of work, Networking, Talent Development, Wellness /   No Comments

    Are you clear about what you really want to do? Life is too short to spend most of your waking hours doing something that doesn’t really matter to you.

    Article Author:
    Gail R. Meneley, Partner, Shields Meneley

    As an executive transition coach, I’m often asked how people should plan their career. It’s an interesting question since every case is different. For example, have you been in your job for three or more years and are ready for a change? Were you just been passed over for a promotion? Do you have a new boss who is giving you mixed signals? Did a search firm reach out and stir up your curiosity about what else might be out there? Did your company just merge creating competition for all existing roles? Are you clear about what you really want to do?

    I believe the last question is the most important. If you have been in a role that no longer inspires you, and you don’t make a change, you have a long, boring career ahead of you. Life is too short to spend most of your waking hours doing something that doesn’t really matter to you.

    5 Critical Steps

    1. Take time to complete executive assessments to learn more about yourself. Assessments can help you identify what you are good at, what challenges you, what work brings you the most satisfaction, and what culture aligns with your values. If your feedback report indicates a need for you to develop new skills or competencies, enroll in some courses so you become a more qualified and credible candidate. You will never make a better investment in yourself and in your career.
    2. Invest in a professional writer to add appropriate weight and sizzle to your resume and LinkedIn profile. Share your new resume with your boss and with HR so they better understand what new skills you have developed and results you have achieved for the company. They will see you in a new light and perhaps put your hat in the ring for roles you might be interested in. Additionally, you will have an up-to-date resume to share with others who inquire. Review it quarterly and add additional business results.
    3. Reach out to schedule a time to sit down with your boss to talk about your future. Make it clear that this is a career discussion, not a threat to leave the company. This will ensure the conversation is focused on what you are doing now and what you would like to do. Bring your new resume to the meeting so he or she will understand exactly what roles you would like to have and why you should be considered for certain positions.
    4. Remember that networking is important throughout your career. If you have a contact database, update the information and sort it into personal and professional contacts. Then indicate who you believe the real connectors are. Establish a regular contact schedule with them by sending a note as simple as: “Hello, ____ I hope you are well. It has been too long since we have connected and I miss seeing you. Can I buy you a cup of coffee or lunch to catch up in the next few weeks (of course, this is dependent on when the coronavirus restrictions are lifted)? I’m doing well as (role) at (company) and have enclosed my updated resume. I look forward to hearing from you.”
    5. Keep your eye on your professional goal. If you want to be the chief executive officer of a company, build a plan that connects the dots as you move up the ladder. (Remember that at every step you have to excel in the current role!) Here’s an example: If you are a marketing manager today, the likely next step will be in marketing, but it could go one of several ways. You might focus on a more technical marketing role such as digital marketing, from there to a director of marketing role and then chief marketing officer. Where do you go from there? Most companies have created a succession plan of sorts. The company might want to move you into a senior role in strategy or operations to round out your background and position you for a shot at being CEO.

    So there you are: a primer on career planning that should serve you well. Now’s the time to make it happen!

    Gail R. Meneley is a partner at Shields Meneley. Hundreds of high-profile executives in America have chosen her as their adviser and coach to advance their work and careers. They rely on her “straight talk” to help them think through their most important leadership and career decisions. As a result, their personal and organizational goals are reached sooner and with greater impact. Meneley’s clients include Allstate, Johnson & Johnson, Heller Financial, American Red Cross, McDonald’s, Baxter, Fort James, Bristol Meyers, Fleming, Galileo, Anthem Health, GE, Motorola, Quaker, CNA, R.R. Donnelley, Anheuser Busch, and Sears. As a leadership peer, Meneley has extensive P&L, strategy development, and management experience within professional services, financial services, and nonprofit sectors. She was president, CEO, and a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Institute of Financial Education, a national financial services training organization. She also has served on the boards of public and not-for-profit corporations, including the United States League Management Services, a subsidiary of the United States League of Savings Institutions in Washington, D.C.

    Link(s) to Article:
    https://trainingmag.com/put-your-career-fast-track

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    06 Feb

    What Executive Presence is and How to Get It

    By admin In Leadership /   No Comments

    What is Executive Presence and How to Get It.

    Executive presence is sometimes hard to define, but the result is instilling in others the understanding and acceptance that you are in charge, to be followed and respected.
    Posted: September 19, 2019

    Article Author: 
    Marc Raybin, President, Cardinal Communications Strategies

    A critical component to being an impactful leader is having what is commonly known as “executive presence.” This is sometimes hard to define, but the result is instilling in others the understanding and acceptance that you are in charge, to be followed and respected.

    Some say you have to be “born with it,” but thoughtful leadership coaches people believe executive presence can be learned. It represents behaviors that we all can learn and exhibit with a little practice. The key is to believe in yourself, and to exhibit your quiet confidence from day one in your leadership role.

    “It’s a cliché that ‘you only get one chance to make a first impression,’ but it is also true,” says Hugh Shields, principal and co-founder of Shields Meneley Partners, a coaching and career transition firm catering to the C-suite. “If a leader is uncertain and uncomfortable coming out of the gate, it can be difficult to rebound.”

    All leaders have several characteristics in common. The first is the ability to inspire others to follow and buy into the mission or the goal. “Having executive presence is about making people feel you can handle things—that you’re smart enough to know your strengths and can figure out things you don’t,” says Allison Kluger, a leadership lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business who focuses on strategic communication, reputation management, and personal branding. “Act like the leader you want to be…it’s important to know your content, be prepared, and then present it with authority.”

    Kluger encourages managers to define the kind of leader they would like to be and then to act like that leader. To create believers, you need to believe you can be that person. Some call it “faking it until you make it.” To be sure, faking it will only go so far. While executives can train themselves to be a strong leader, there is a component that is vital.

    “People who are moving into leadership roles must have the confidence to know that they candevelop the skills they need to exhibit executive presence,” says Shields. “They must have enough faith in themselves to know that they have learned other skills, and that they will ‘get it’ eventually.”

    Executive presence is also exactly what the term says—presence. How a leader looks and comports herself or himself is important. Even in today’s laidback, casual, work-from-home-in-your-pajamas landscape, maintaining a professional appearance positively impacts how others perceive you.

    “Part of having executive presence is dressing the part,” writes CNBC. “You don’t need to necessarily dress formally for a meeting, but if you have an active role in it, you should dress up slightly.”

    Finally, strong communication skills are vital to executive presence. Given today’s hyper-focus on all communication platforms, it’s important to communicate crisply, compassionately, and authentically. This is an area where many people are uncomfortable, but many books have been written on this topic that emphasize these points: Be succinct, avoid jargon, use storytelling to communicate your vision, and establish a personal connection with your audiences with upbeat and positive energy.

    Marc Raybin is the president of Cardinal Communications Strategies, a specialty firm that works with leadership and coaching clients to improve their public profiles in order to reach key audiences.

    Link(s) to Article:

    https://trainingmag.com/what-executive-presence-and-how-get-it

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    02 Apr

    Training Magazine Turns to Gail Meneley About How Leaders Can Recover From a Bad Hiring Decision

    By admin In Leadership, Private Equity /   No Comments

    In the face of such a tight labor market, today’s leadership needs to be able to quickly install employees in key positions. As a result, it is not surprising to see mistakes happen. The good new for today’s management is there are critical steps that should be taken to correct the situation, as Shields Meneley Partners’ co-founder Gail Meneley writes.

    Link(s) to Article:

    https://trainingmag.com/buyer%E2%80%99s-remorse-hire-steps-business-leaders-need-take-recover//

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    16 Oct

    Gail Meneley Teams with Rob Wallace from NxtAct to Write an Important Byline about Video Resumes for Training Magazine

    By admin In HR, Leadership /  1 No Comments

    When it comes to the next big thing for C-Suite executives to market themselves, key industry trade publication Training magazine turned to Shields Meneley Partners and NxtAct to provide insight into the growing trend of video resumes.

    Link(s) to Article:

    https://trainingmag.com/why-video-resumes-will-be-disruptive-force/

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    Like you, they know the challenges, opportunities, and rewards unique to serving in the C-suite or the Boardroom. Our administrative support staff have considerable experience to help our clients during their career transition, coaching experience or assessment process.

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