Managing Your Brand and Managing Your Boss
Source: Cornell University’s 10 Good Minutes Podcast Show
In this podcast, Jane Chin makes a return appearance to discuss two specific strategies designed to help you become a high achiever: managing your boss and developing your personal brand.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Please remember to visit my alma mater’s career podcast, hosted by Romi and Rachel with the support of a talented crew!
Original Air Date: 3/24/2009 8:00 AM
Jane is working on a seminar series called “Overcoming Redundancy”, which targets high performance individuals and high achievers. Two of the key points from the seminar series are learning to manage your boss and creating your own personal brand. Jane urges listeners to think of they can manage their boss.
One relevant question is “What is your boss’s definition of a job well done?” You need to know specifically what it is that you do that your boss views as important; it may not be what you thought. Another important question is “How does your boss view his or her own management style?” This view doesn’t have to match with how the other employees view him or her; it’s about what the boss thinks of him or herself. This is good to know because it will give you a lot of ideas on what to anticipate from your boss. Ask your boss questions like “how do you like to work with your employees”, “how do you like to communicate with them”, and “if we work together, how often do you need to hear from me?”
The second key point from her seminar series, personal brand, is about how other people see you regardless of how you see yourself. You need to really think about your own strengths and how you contribute to the company. A good way to get an idea of your present personal brand is to think of what your boss or co-workers need when they call on you to do something. What situations or problems do people connect you as the solution to? The importance of having a personal brand is that in order to overcome redundancy, you want to make sure that your expertise is directly affecting at least five people in your organization. You also need to be proactive about creating your brand rather than reactive, because if you wait for feedback to come to you, it may already be too late.
Feedback from Romi via Twitter: @10GM: @janechin …As I was told today – this episode is not just for “young” professionals! http://10goodminutes.com/2009/episode38-chin2/
I shared this podcast on my Facebook page, and Paul Lalley raised this concern:
Paul Lalley: Interesting podcast, Jane, but I can see your two points creating a lot of negative office politics. It may work for the individual employee, but how will co-workers view branding yourself within a company? Sounds like the employee is asking for trouble. Could also be a threat to the boss. A risky strategy, IMHO. Kinda like a “Dilbert” thing. Thanks for sharing.
Jane Chin: that may occur if one is dishonest about one’s brand, and manipulating – not managing the boss. Since people will make assumptions about what we’re about, my point with managing your brand is to know this occurs anyway, and be cognizant that what you’re projecting is aligned with your personal values.
Paul Lalley: Ah, but management is manipulation, however benign. A good manager manipulates work activities, assigning work to the best performer. I guess my quibble (and it’s just that) is the negative connotation you assign to “manipulation.”
We all undertake the practice. I spend my days trying to manipulate search engines and the Googlistas try to prevent me from doing that. Am I wrong and are the people at Google wrong? Nope. Just the way things are. Thanks, again, for another thought-provoking concept.
Jane Chin: I see Paul, are you suggesting that “manipulation” perhaps isn’t always negative, that we do manipulate (or manage may be a more neutral word) in the things we do both professionally and even personally?
Using your SEO example, let’s say that you are providing something of value that many would agree as true (not just you saying it’s valuable but really, you’re in it solely for the $ – I know ther are some so called black-hat SEO ppl who do this), and you want to increase your chances to be visible so ppl who need your info can find you.
Likewise, if you work at a company, and you know you’re an expert in social media business trends, then part of your “managing your brand, managing your boss” would be to ensure this comes across such that coworkers and bosses alike say ‘i have a question about social media, I know, Jane is an expert in social media trends, let me see if she can help me with the question.” Thus this type of brand mgt is making clear your talents to benefit others, and as a result, also benefit yourself.
That said, I know there is potential emotional baggage behind words like “brand, managing, boss” – because of the misuses in the past.
Paul Lalley: Point well taken. Thanks for clarifying. Enjoyed the podcast. More in the pipeline? Good, utile stuff. Always fun.
