Promote Yourself

Change is constant and certain. We may flatter ourselves into thinking that we feel the pressure of change more keenly than our ancestors did, but it seems especially easy to notice flux and uncertainty in our time. Technology has made the world a smaller place—people and companies are intimately interconnected. Economic bubbles and recessions have left corporations and communities repeatedly having to adjust to new realities. Jobs are more variable and skills more quickly obsolete than ever before. Organizations are hiring less, for less, replacing humans with technology and outsourcing or offshoring jobs whenever they can. Generation Y will come to dominate the workforce, but they are entering it at a particularly difficult time. While they are often—and rightfully—considered to have a pioneering, we-can-change-the-world outlook, they are also a more delicate cohort than the stereotypes might suggest. We all know that members of Gen Y are accustomed to constant, immediate feedback. Forget annual reviews; they want weekly or daily check-ins with their supervisors. And we know they’re used to that feedback being overwhelmingly positive. They are accustomed to being praised for their uniqueness. The result is a challenging set of expectations. Nearly 40 percent of Gen Y respondents to a 2012 Trendera 1 survey believed that they should be promoted every two years. An even more eye-opening statistic: Only 9 percent believed that their promotions needed to be warranted by their performance. What will help them, on the other hand, is that all they know is a world of constant change. It’s their normal. When the Baby Boomers entered the workforce, they sought jobs at corporations where they envisioned staying for the next thirty years. Now, Gen Y is entering the workforce knowing they are likely to have at least seven jobs during the course of their careers. In fact, 60 percent of Gen Y respondents recognized their current position as a mere stepping-stone. Given these realities, the most critical skill anyone can have is awareness of his or her unique, transferable strengths. My research involving literally hundreds of corporations and millions of people has demonstrated that top performers are those who focus on their strengths the majority of the time. That may seem obvious—play to your strengths and you’ll succeed. But, even more than preceding generations, Gen Y needs to learn that simple truth. For all the analysis indicating that they are praised and self-entitled, they show a marked tendency to overlook their strengths. Asked whether they will succeed professionally by fixing their weaknesses or by enhancing their strengths, an astounding 73 percent of Gen Y respondents (as compared to 55 percent of people overall) chose fixing their weaknesses. 2 So what does all this mean for Gen Y in the workforce at large? It means that they need to learn how to double down on their strengths. Winning in the workplace mandates that you know who you are, where your greatest strengths lie, and how to differentiate yourself. When your job could shift tomorrow and technology is constantly making old skills obsolete, your strengths are your constant. You must understand and promote your greatest strengths, your edge that can be applied in every situation. Is your strength strategic thinking? Competitive spirit? Empathy? Ability to bring people together? All of those ingrained talents will travel with you, regardless of technological or societal change. These strengths are multipliers, adding value to what you do in any situation. Specific skills may become irrelevant with change, but strengths are infinitely transferable. In the chapters that follow, Dan will help you figure out how to take your strengths and uniqueness and turn them into your personal brand. Promoting yourself doesn’t mean getting promoted. Instead, Dan will show you how to communicate your unique contribution, so that you make yourself indispensable. In this competitive world, he will ensure that you highlight your strengths for all to see. As the workplace continues to transform, your personal brand is the key to your success. Be the best version of you—and let everyone else marvel at that value