The Adventures of Flat Stanley: Hail-Fellow, Well Met

Posted on November 30, 2012 by John G. Self

This holiday season I have been introduced to Flat Stanley.

Flat Stanley is a character in a book written by Jeff Brown. My grandson, Jack Henry, is reading Flat Stanley in his second grade class.

Stanley was not always flat, but one day he met up with a falling bulletin board. The upside is that Flat Stanley can now visit family, friends—and grandparents—because he can travel in an envelope. So Jack—aka known by his grandmother, my wife, as “Darling Jack,” has sent Flat Stanley for a visit to Dallas and our weekend home in Tyler, Texas, which is a lovely little city 90 minutes east, southeast of Big D.

Jack’s classmates are eager to learn about Flat Stanley’s adventures in Texas. That means the grandmother, hereinafter referred to as Nana, has been busy taking pictures and recording information for Flat Stanley’s travel journal, which we are required to submit to the class before next Friday, Dec. 7. (In the interest of fair disclosure regarding nicknames, the grandkids refer to me as Popi, not Grandfather, the Search Dude or Mr. Self. It is an endearing nickname and I accepted it with the full understanding that it could have been worse—Po Po, Pee Pee immediately come to mind.)

Deadlines are looming. FedEx is scheduled to pick up Flat Stanley and his journal on Wednesday, Dec. 5, so Nana has to work fast to complete her work. Today Nana is going to hit the streets of Dallas (read:the Dollar Store) collecting a red handkerchief, the kind worn by cowboys, a cowboy hat and, hopefully, some toy spurs to go with all the photographs we have taken with incredulous but accommodating friends, associates, our doorman and, of course, the Neiman Marcus Santa Claus who is, by the way, spectacular.

All of these photographs and creative journaling about Flat Stanley’s Texas expedition ought to be an eyeful for those Connecticut kids who think of Texas as a place inhabited mostly by cowboys, horses, cows and some blowing tumbleweeds.

A Note to Those Who Have Gotten the Sack

Posted on June 27, 2012 by John G. Self

If you are beginning a career transition – the timing of which was not of your choosing — there are three things to consider.

Turmoil will produce turnover. Healthcare is about to enter a period of prolonged transformational change. Some might argue that what we will experience is outright turmoil, but the fact is there will be other executives just like you forced to make a job or career change. You are not alone.

Take some time to decompress. If you were not provided a reasonable severance plan, “taking time” to take a step back may seem unrealistic. Feeling a compelling sense of urgency is natural, but so is the emotion of grief that affects many of us when we get the sack. If you are sad and angry, do NOT rush off to interview for a new job. You may not think your emotional state is showing, but based on my more than 18 years of recruiting experience, I can tell you that it is.

Rand Stagen’s concept of gamefilming in Next Level Leadership really applies when you lose your job, especially if it is related to performance or a cultural disconnect. Gamefilming is the process of replaying the mental video of your performance – like coaches grading filmed performances of their athletes – and thinking about your successes, your failures and your attitude. Taking some time to relook at your performance from a different angle can be enlightening.

This is a good time to challenge yourself – are you really doing what you are passionate about or, are or you experiencing a career progression by default – you are in your current job because that is what you have always done.

Get organized. Finding a job will be your new full-time job. Organization and planning are critical elements in executing a successful search. Be sure your resume template is defect free. Buy a logbook or journal to record your contacts and follow up requirements. Analyze your LinkedIn network to find out who knows who – connect the dots. Who might be able to help you target that perfect opportunity? You are more likely to find the job you want using this method than by relying on a search consultant.

Many great healthcare leaders I know have gotten the sack. It is not the end of the world. This period of transition can be a game changing time in your life.

Your Personal Brand: What It Is, Why You Need It, and How to Develop It

Posted on March 30, 2012 by John G. Self

In a tough economy, wise businesses adjust their brand strategies to focus on what’s most important. By the same token, the uncertainty of the “new normal” economy requires professionals to be more focused and deliberate in developing and promoting their own personal brands.

That’s right: personal brands. Do you have one? If you don’t, you should.

What is a personal brand? It’s the unique stuff that makes you YOU, inside and out. It’s the impression you make on others with your appearance and your way of interacting with people, but it’s also your innate talents and the knowledge you carry with you from your past experiences.

Developing a personal brand is not the same thing as self-promotion. Just as marketing is not the same as sales, managing your personal brand is not the same as wearing a suit and shaking as many hands as possible at conferences. Developing your personal brand takes introspection and thoughtfulness, as it all begins with understanding who you really are and what you want to accomplish.

You may have heard of the term “elevator speech”: one minute or less of talking points to get a point across. While I don’t recommend you invade others’ space in a crowded elevator to share your personal brand, there is some value in developing a succinct personal vision statement that you can share with others who need to know who you are and what you’re good at.

A personal vision statement should encompass not simply what you’ve accomplished in your career, but what your strongest skills are, and how those skills could be applied even beyond your current profession. Most people have multiple jobs over their lifetimes, and many switch careers at least once or twice, so be sure your vision statement doesn’t limit you to a single role or industry. Being open to change, and understanding your most valuable talents and how to market them, is as valuable as having a solid resume.

Speaking of resumes, what if you lost yours? Could you recreate the timeline of your past career? Most people couldn’t do it from memory. To both develop your personal brand and keep a record of your career, I strongly recommend keeping a journal of major milestones along your professional path.

Take the time to write down the details of your professional life, and keep your journal somewhere safe. I keep mine the old-fashioned way: on paper, so I don’t have to worry about the accidental loss of a digital file. Document when you start a new job; what your responsibilities are; what your salary is; the results of your performance reviews; and any promotions, raises, commendations or awards you receive. A journal is also a perfect place to record the challenges you encounter on the job and, more importantly, how you resolve them.

Journaling creates a permanent record you can draw from when writing a resume, developing a personal brand or rehearsing for an interview, but it also forces you to look at your career with a more focused, strategic, disciplined eye. Just as athletes and musicians practice to get better, good leaders become great because they work at it. Taking the time to think about major events, important discussions and big decisions after the fact allows you to evaluate your own performance and learn from your experiences. As you write, think to yourself: What did I do right? Did I make myself clear? Did I correctly anticipate others’ responses? What would I do differently if I could do it over again?

At the same time you’re updating your journal, take a few seconds to add any major milestones to your resume. This will ensure that you always have a current resume on hand if you should need it.

Challenging yourself to document and evaluate your professional interactions is an important part of developing your personal brand. The more time you spend working on your personal strengths, the stronger your personal brand will be. And whether you’re in the job market or content right where you are, a deep understanding of your inner thought processes and past experiences makes you better at what you do – and more valuable to an employer.