The Tribune

Personal Marketing and branding is a skill that many ignore in today’s work environment. Employees do not realize how much high performance in the work environment is vital for upward mobility and employee reward and recognition. How your boss sees you and how they talk about you in the corporate boardroom matters.

Today’s discussion then provides the upcoming executive with seven tips for getting your Sr. Executive team to notice you and view you as a valuable team member. Here are the seven tips:

1. Find out what is important to your boss and make it important to you. If your boss is a stickler for ensuring deadlines are met, then make it your business to beat his deadlines and have things submitted before the scheduled time.

2. Make note of anything that you and your boss have in common. Without being a suck-up or brown noser, make sure you point out in conversations everything from the personal to the professional that you and your boss have in common. People develop an affinity with those who are most similar to them in personality and experience.

3. Without compromising your own values, agree with your boss more often that you disagree. If you do this carefully, you will be seen as presenting a different point of view rather than being a controversial and contrary team member.

4. Look for opportunities to ‘make something happen’. All employers look for people who have drive and initiative. If you are the person who they know they can call on to finish a project and bring things to a successful conclusion, you would be viewed as a valuable asset to the team.

5. Learn to take criticism gracefully. Don’t throw the racial, gender or age card when you are being corrected or reprimanded. Even when your boss is being a ‘jack,’ learn to be supportive and allow them to vent. Do your best to take a gentle and affirming stance. Be careful not to be ‘run over’ by their domineering tone or nature.

6. Respect your leader’s time. Do not bog him or her down with the frivolous and insignificant details off your assignments, especially when they are obviously busy on other critical assignments.

7. Make your boss look good. Their success is your success. In fact take every opportunity to offer your assistance on tasks that have not been delegated to you. Make yourself a valuable resource and prove often that are you are worth being there.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.