"Be On Brand" for 2010/2011 and beyond!

MYPB Through an Executive Transition: A Year in Review
Be Prepared for 2011 - INFORMATION COMING SOON!
Email Lorraine for more information

Read our latest MYPB ezine article

• Is your career in transition, voluntarily or not?
• Do you know where your personal brand is headed?
• Is the recession causing you to re-evaluate your career choices and direction?

Change is the new constant in executive life. Everyday here at Executive Connections, we talk to executives who are considering new options for their careers, either because they've been forced out of their current situation due to the global recession or are seeing declining personal brand value from remaining with their current employer or industry sector.

In our work as longtime executive coach-consultants, we have noticed a sharp increase in the need for career transition services.

However, much of the basic work required to prepare for and move through a career transition is not being done. For career transition to be successful, it's important to take stock of where you are, to envision where you want to be, and then to take integrated action.

It's part of our mission at Executive Connections to support as many of you as possible in this process.

MYPB Through an Executive Transition: A Year in Review
Be Prepared for 2011 - INFORMATION AVAILABLE SOON!
Email Lorraine for more information

Since change is the only constant these days, your career management strategy needs to be an ongoing activity, and personal branding is one vehicle to drive your success for the future.

To paraphrase Warren Buffet, “When the tide goes out, you don't want to be left standing there without your bathing suit." Such a visual -- is it not? Do you remember what you would have done differently to be better prepared to ride the last recession wave?

This week, a high-level executive and past client approached us to request another six-month coaching relationship. When we asked about her current challenges, she responded, “I really do not have any. I just wanted to be over-prepared and start evaluating my next move." I have great respect for her. She didn't wait until there was a personal brand “emergency" before she hired us!

We have been working with other amazing individuals, all of whom are people in a “good" transition, making the commitment to raise their personal brand. One is transitioning out of a career into an entirely new direction. Another is preparing his next career move within the same industry, and the third wants to manage up within the same company, building a strong brand presence internally. All three are building a strong foundation to catapult their careers -- and personal brands -- to the next level.

All three of these individuals are pro-active, and they are not just talking -- they are DOING!

What are you doing? Or are you still talking about what you will do, if, when? Do you think your personal brand will be able to sustain the double-dip recession that some economists are now predicting? Are you prepared to respond quickly to this financial contingency, or do you have a short-term memory? What do you need to do to be over-prepared for your next personal brand move?

Being over-prepared and pro-active, and remembering key learnings from this past 18 months, will help us continue to understand what works, what doesn't work, and what we need to do to either re-brand ourselves or raise our personal brand stakes. Being fully reserved will better prepare us for upcoming challenges so that we do not repeat the same mistakes and face the same challenges. PERSONAL BRAND SUSTAINABILITY should be your primary focus right now!

Take 10 minutes or stop for a moment. What is the one small thing you can do right now that will move your personal brand forward? For me, I am going to design a new business card that reflects who I am, not only what I do.

BOTTOM LINE: Your Personal Brand needs to be one of your top career management HABITS!

Because we may not have the time, love, money or extended resources to sustain another personal brand setback!

Do you feel your brand is being confronted by the current challenges and doesn't seem to be resonating in the marketplace? Then it is time to build your personal brand development plan -- NOW.

Contact us. We can help you jumpstart your PB development plan.

When it comes to Managing Your Personal Brand, as your coach, it is my job to remind you how important it is for you to be On Brand In ALL You DO!

This topic is so incredibly relevant that I really want to keep driving home this message called Personal Brand.

It is easy to forget now where you were when the economic tsunami hit because things are on the move again. I know where I was: taking inventory of my own personal brand and those of my clients and taking us all to the next level - a time well spent.

I believe we all need to remember what occurred so we can now be over-prepared and build reserves for the next big challenge. For some of you, what occurred recently was outright painful, fearful and sometimes downright pathetic because you did not have the structure in place to maintain a sense of calm through the storm.

The rest of us had a bit of a bumpy time, but we came out with only a few minor scratches. That's because our brands were strong, we had reserves -- a sustainable plan -- and we stayed true to our core values. We were focused and stayed the course and did not cave or capitulate!

To bring my continued message of Managing Your Personal Brand home even further -- again, no matter where you are in your career -- I'm going to give you a succinct, easy-to-remember definition of a Personal Brand so you can continue to marinate about your brand and then do something to raise your PERSONAL BRAND IQ.

Personal branding, as defined by Wikipedia, is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands, suggesting that success comes from self-packaging. It is further defined as the creation of an asset that pertains to a particular person or individual; this includes, but is not limited to, the body, clothing, appearance and knowledge contained within, leading to an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable.

In other words, your personal brand is an assessment of who you are and how you "bring it" to the world.

NOTE TO SELF: If I do not define my own personal brand, the marketplace will do it for me!

PERSONAL BRAND EXERCISE FOR APRIL - CLEARLY DEFINE YOUR BRAND
Follow me each month as I take you through our MYPB process, helping you to build a strong brand foundation.

How You See Your Brand vs. How It Is Perceived by Others
Answer the following questions:
#1 - What do you consider to be the essence of your brand, i.e., features, benefits, UVP?
#2 - Select five people within your various constituencies to interview, i.e., clients, colleagues, family, friends, and ask them the same question.
#3 - Prepare a gap analysis highlighting what's different and what you were most surprised about.

Send me your comments and thoughts and what happened to you when you answered one or all three of these questions.

If you are feeling a bit confronted by the current conditions and your brand doesn't seem to be resonating in the marketplace, contact me. I can help you jumpstart your PB development plan.

MYPB BOTTOM LINE: A personal brand is an earned reputation! You have to work smart to obtain a powerful personal brand. But that's only the first step. You have to continue to work smart to keep that powerful personal brand and grow it.

Apple, Godiva and Google are just a few brands that I easily identify with. Why? Because when I think of them I know what the brands stand for - dependability, quality and consistency. I always know what I am going to get with those companies; there is no mystery. Even if other companies are more price-competitive, I stay loyal to these brands because I know they don't waste my time.

Same thing applies to our own personal brands. If you have a strong personal brand presence, people will feel the same about you! And when they do, you won't have to chase opportunities, they will naturally come to you. People will refer you easily because they trust you, because there is no mystery.

So my question to you is: are you chasing opportunities and customers or is your personal brand a magnet for great things? When it is, you'll be able to focus more on delivery and maybe even a little more fun!

After listening to many people wanting to make changes in their career, I've come to the conclusion that the biggest barrier to finding that next step you desire is a lack of attention to the BRAND CALLED YOU! You may move the dial marginally, but you're not really spending the time on your personal brand that such an endeavor needs and deserves.

Is your current personal brand up to your standard? Do you even know what your standard is?

In the last quarter 2009, we created a well-attended three-part webinar series on personal branding that had some hard hitting eye-openers. If you want more information about that, contact me.

Because I feel that people are still struggling, and that poor personal branding is one of the main reasons for not getting what you want, I will be addressing this topic in every issue of our ezine this year, taking you through a series of questions and exercises. I hope you will participate in this and discover what you need in your personal branding to play at a bigger level.

You may have just made it through this economic tsunami, but will you be prepared for the next big change? Whether you are highly successful, just starting out or looking to re-career, ask yourself this question: now what?

Being overly prepared is a good thing. Take the time to invest in you!

Top 10 Ways to Create a Successful Transition

Transitions can be stressful and sometimes painful if you are not prepared—whether they’re due to a layoff, a new job, career change, or working extra hours because other workers were laid off. If you’re facing one, we want you to consider the following:

1. Let go of how things were “supposed to be" and accept “how things are." Stop looking in the rear view mirror. Find appreciation for what is. What is the message you can gain from this transition? Where are the miracles and the life lessons you can bring into your next move?
2. Take an honest personal inventory. Have a heart-to-heart with yourself and interview others. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Skills you will need to have going forward? What about you needs upgrading? What will you do differently? How will those influence—positively or negatively—your transition?
3. Step up your self-care. Major changes are physically and emotionally taxing. You need self-care now more than ever. Make time for working out, yoga, biking, tennis, etc. Upgrade your exercise regime, or add something new.
4. Work on removing the clutter in your head. Stay present, don’t go too far out there and overwhelm yourself. Calm your fears and reinforce your sense of hope and happiness. Put it out there that there is a great opportunity for you. Stay positive and upbeat.
5. Prioritize. Let people know you are working on “project me" right now and cancel activities and events that are not opportunities. As it relates to finances, what are your most important expenses right now? What can you cut? Everything else needs to come second—within reason, of course.
6. Make room for structure and discipline. This is a MUST! You may need to leave your house everyday just as you would to go to your previous job. Do not get sucked into doing jobs around the house or taking on extracurricular duties that do not forward your “plan." Finding your next career move will take time; you need to make the time and cannot be distracted.
7. Develop a success plan. Without an organized, specific plan of action, most transitions lose focus and direction. Be open to new opportunities or career change. Be really clear on what you will not do (e.g., relocate) and what you will do (e.g., move business sectors).
8. Create a support network that’s all about you. Expand your network with people you admire and respect, and remove people you do not. Seek the support of friends or professionals who can help you take your personal brand to the next level.
9. Engage people who can help you. Call your top 100 friends, family and business associates. Make sure you are clear on what you want from them and what you don’t. Make bold requests and don’t forget to follow up.
10. Keep things in perspective. Or try on a new perspective.

Remember, this new transition may take six months up to a year.

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If you would like to reprint this article in your ezine, blog or website, you have our permission to do so as long as it is accompanied by the following information:

Authors Jeff Gundersen and Lorraine White lead the team at Executive Connections LLC, an executive search and executive coaching and consulting firm, specializing in building and supporting powerful executive leaders in advertising, marketing communications, direct marketing/CRM/loyalty, digital marketing/e-commerce, financial services, healthcare and private equity financed companies.

Author’s content used under license, © 2009 Claire Communications

Accelerated Leadership Transition Program

From the moment you accept a new executive leadership position through the first six months in your new position, your actions will have a disproportionate impact on your ultimate success or failure.

At Executive Connections, we help everyone we place transition into their new role though our “Accelerated Leadership Transition Program." This six-month program is part of our unique, comprehensive Blended Solutions approach that combines executive search with executive transition support, and is included in our placement fee.

Successful transitions are critical, and yet the transition period is an inherently vulnerable period.

Everyone in your new organization expects change. You haven’t yet developed solid working relationships or personal support systems. And your new boss, your subordinates, other employees and key external stakeholders are all forming early impressions of you that will powerfully shape their expectations and actions, either enlarging or restricting your scope of action.

If you build early momentum during the transition, it will continue to propel you throughout your tenure in the new position.

If you get caught in vicious cycles, you can lose momentum and your ability to lead the organization successfully.

EC's Accelerated Leadership Transition Program can help you, the organization’s hiring manager and your staff, produce early wins.

To find out more about this successful program, please contact Jeff Gundersen or Lorraine White.

Strategies for Success

Here are five strategies to help you remain flexible, resilient and serene in the face of change:

1. Take care of your body. Eat well, sleep well and refrain from harmful habits like smoking, excessive drinking, recreational drugs or other risky behavior.
2. Take care of your mind. Stay in the present moment by practicing deep breathing and/or meditation. Challenge your negative thinking and keep things in perspective; when the doom and gloom sets in, ask, “How important is this, really?"
3. Keep your emotions in check. Find reasons to smile and laugh, even when you don’t feel like it—especially when you don’t feel like it! Funny movies, blogs or videos can help. Vent your negative feelings by exercising, banging on a drum or pounding on a pillow.
4. Treat others well. Strengthen your good relationships so you can draw on their support and work at your challenging relationships so they don’t add to your stress.
5. Take charge. Be proactive and prepare the best you can for the changes that might come, but then accept the reality of the moment. Think back to other challenges that you’ve come through and remind yourself that everything will work out okay this time, too.

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If you would like to reprint this article in your ezine, blog or website, you have our permission to do so as long as it is accompanied by the following information:

Authors Jeff Gundersen and Lorraine White lead the team at Executive Connections LLC, an executive search and executive coaching and consulting firm, specializing in building and supporting powerful executive leaders in advertising, marketing communications, direct marketing/CRM/loyalty, digital marketing/e-commerce, financial services, healthcare and private equity financed companies.

Author’s content used under license, © 2009 Claire Communications

What is NOW WHAT?®

Considering a personal brand revamp, job change, promotion or a whole new direction to improve the quality of your life can be overwhelming, intimidating and time-consuming. NOW WHAT?® is a systematic and customized approach to professional change that helps you create a life that meets your own truest values and needs.

Combined with the Executive Connections Transition Program, the 90- to 180-day NOW WHAT?® program will help you gain career clarity and support for what's next for your personal brand and/or career.

The methods help you gain clarity, answer your own questions and develop a blueprint for your professional and personal life. You’ll develop a plan and course of action, AND get the support you need while you carry out your plan, week in and week out.

The ultimate prize: living your best life and getting the support you need to achieve your goals.

The NOW WHAT?® 90-day individual one-to-one or group coaching includes:

• Coaching support by telephone for 12 sessions (usually a three-month program, sometimes four)
• Email support
• Now What?® book and workbook
• Monthly extras, including our complimentary ezine
• Access to the expertise of our team
• Occasional face-to face in-person meeting

Transition PLAN Support

Some executives want additional support after completing the 90-180 day NOW WHAT?® program to reach their goals. Whether it is conducting a job search, starting a business or transitioning to a whole new career, our trained and credentialed coaches will help get you there faster.

When the question is "Now What?", the answer is NOW WHAT?® Coaching.

Get started today!

Contact me, Lorraine White, at nowwhat@executiveconnects.com

Based on the book Now What?® 90 Days to a New Life Direction by Laura Berman Fortgang
All trademarks Now What?®, Life Blueprint®, and copyrighted materials are property of InterCoach, Inc.