A Message From Jeff

Dear Friends,

With 2008 business plans completed and submitted to senior management, you are likely getting ready to reach new milestones in your business next year.

How about your personal brand? What are your goals and objectives in this area? How can you utilize the balance of 2007 (Q4) to jumpstart your personal brand--and take it to new heights next year?

The last three Executive Connections ezines of 2007 will focus on this process of reflecting on and planning for your personal brand development in 2008. We're including exercises in each ezine to help you navigate this process. What you'll end up with at the end of the year is an actionable personal brand plan that you can begin working as soon as the new year begins.

Despite the ups and downs of the stock market, we are still operating in the fourth year of an expanding economy, and all signs continue to point to at least moderate growth in 2008. It is almost certain, with a national election coming in November, nothing will cool off the economy until a new president takes office in January 2009 and a new agenda begins.

What is your vision for your personal brand? Where are you headed? And what concrete steps/milestones can you set (and achieve) that will build your personal brand?

This is definitely time for taking stock of your parent company/holding company. Are you in the right place for the long-term? Or, are you suffering fools or tolerating a senior leadership team that is not a match with your personal values? In the rapidly changing global economy, this is about being in the right organization (for you), so this is one of the first issues to address.

This is also a good time to reflect on your position, duties and responsibilities, and how to kick things up a notch. If you are the president of your business, what's required to move up and get the CEO title? If you are the CMO or COO, what's required to get to the president role? One thing is clear: if you are not thinking about this, and creating a pro-active plan for making this happen, probably no one is.

Of course, it may be that you are lacking some experience or credentials to make you eligible in the eyes of the BOD or senior management before you get the next promotion. If that is the case, what's your strategy for actively "managing up," and how are you communicating and merchandising your "wins" and accomplishments in order to get the recognition you need? Also, how can you be more assertive and utilize this "hot" talent marketplace to your advantage?

Perhaps in a more basic way, how would your performance be different in 2008 if you were performing at a higher level? What does this look like and how can you reorient your priorities to accomplish the breakthrough results early in 2008 that will catapult you to the next level?

These are some of the questions I hope you are asking yourself as you prepare for 2008. What's next for you? How high is up? And what are the three big imperatives that will move your personal brand forward?

We invite you to take some time and complete the exercise below, as it provides a framework within which to work on your personal brand plan for 2008. As always, we would love to hear your perspective on managing and developing your personal brand, so please write to us and let's continue this dialogue.

All my best,

Jeff Gundersen, CEO
Executive Connections, LLC
jgundersen@executiveconnects.com
Direct: 941-323-8300
Executive Search, Coaching & Consulting
http://www.executiveconnects.com

Your Personal Brand: Plan the Work

As 2007 winds down, this an excellent time to answer some key questions: How far do you want to go in 2008? How far did you get in 2007? And what are the three big goals that will move your personal brand forward? Complete the exercises in this article to plan your work for 2008. We'll use the balance of the year to ponder your plan (in November) and to re-work your plan (in December), leaving you thoroughly primed to start 2008. Read the full article.

ASK OUR COACH

As part of our commitment to provide assistance and support to executives wanting to further their professional and personal brand, we have created the ASK OUR COACH email service where you can get confidential answers to your career questions. What's on your mind? Don't hesitate to ASK OUR COACH.

Here is our answer to a question we received last month:

Sales Incentive Program Change Means Less Income...What to Do?

Q: "I am one of the top sales managers in my company and I have just been advised the company is changing the sales incentive system (to create one new sales incentive system for the entire company). While this may be very positive for most people, it will not be positive for me, since I have been one of the highest producers in the company for several years, and this has given me leverage to make my own deals on the side with the president of the company. I am feeling this may be a time for me to leave, since the new commission structure will reduce my income significantly over previous years. What should I do?"

A: As one of the top producers in the company, you are an established, known entity, and I am guessing the company is certainly not interested in (1) driving you out of the company, or (2) creating disincentives to have you end up less motivated to sell.

My question to you is: How can you utilize these changes, and your political capital in this company, to create something positive for yourself? For example, perhaps this is the time to go into senior management and ask for a large raise in your base salary. What are three other alternative requests you can make?

As one of the top producers, you have proven you are well above the norm in terms of production. A significantly higher base salary may provide you with some other benefits (i.e., making sure your basic monthly cash flow exceeds your current family living expenses), which will give you the peace of mind to focus on ways to take your personal performance to the next level. However, if you feel the new company management is being disingenuous in their dealings with you, this is certainly a time to reassess if you want to move your personal brand across the street to work for one of the competitors. Or perhaps it is a time for you to look at other categories or sectors where you can transfer your sales and sales-management skills, especially if you have signed a non-compete agreement with your present employer. If you still feel energized by the senior management of your present firm, and you share a common vision for future growth, I would figure out what to ask for to make this sales compensation change a "win-win" opportunity. If you feel the opposite, it is time for you to polish up the resume, create a transition plan with a timeline and begin marketing your personal brand in a different direction.

ASK OUR COACH bottom line: Now is the time to be overly prepared to negotiate. Give them a great experience of why you are one of their best!

Connect with EC at These Conferences

2007 ICF Annual Conference
Date: October 31,2007
Location: Long Beach Convention Center, CA
Phone: 888.423.3131

NCDM 2007
Date: December 10,2007
Location: Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, NV
Phone: 817-277-7187
Registration: $1,295 - full conference

Register for NCDM 2007

Join us in Las Vegas, December 10-12, 2007, for NCDM 2007 at the fabulous Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

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