Words of Wisdom: Catherine McDowell, MD of ANZ Private Banking

Today I read an interesting interview in a recent issue of 'inFinance' with Catherine McDowell, who is the Managing Director of ANZ Private Banking.

In it, she talks of her experiences - she says,

"I learnt at an early stage that a lot of your career progression is based on a couple of fundamental tenets: always be good at what you do; make sure that you've got the training and you are performing. And network. You've got to manage your own career and plan."

She goes on to say, "Having a mentor or coach for me was absolutely critical ... I was very committed once I decided I wanted a full blown career."

Here are my learnings from this:

1. To be good at what you do, it's important to know what you do really really well... and then do it.

2. Assess gap areas: for example skills you know you need to develop or knowledge you need to expand - then set a simple action plan for how you want to attack these areas in the next 90 days.

3. It's not necessarily what you know, but who you know. Networking is vital. I'll be sharing some top tips on this soon.

If you need help getting clarity for yourself on any of the 3 tips above, get in contact with me at any time.
-RW

Comfort Zones Are There To Be Broken

- Does fear get in your way?

- Do you waste energy conjuring 'what if...' scenarios in your head?

- Does the idea of trying something new freak you out?

Your comfort zone is 'comfortable' because everything within it is known to you. Here, there are no surprises.

Goals, by their very nature, are outside of your comfort zone. Trying new things, or testing yourself, are also beyond these boundaries.

Although it feels warm and fuzzy and safe in 'your zone' it also means you're potentially operating on auto-pilot: in a constant state of mere existence. Which, although easy, is not really all that fun.

As human beings, we have masses of potential and true fulfilment only comes from testing that potential.

As adults we teach ourselves to stop testing those limits because 'fear' creeps in. We start questionning whether 'we should' and 'what might others think of us'.

Here's a thing: set yourself a mini goal. Nothing too outrageous! Decide what you could do in the next 24-48 hours to get on with it and start making it happen. Already you're out of your comfort zone.

- Maybe you need to ask someone's advice
- Maybe you need to make a phone call
- Maybe you need to start doing some research

Whatever it is, go for it. Every single step you take expands your 'zone' so that you become 'comfortable' with so much more. This has a profound effect on your confidence and esteem - what else are you capable of?

-RW

Make 2011 Your Year - Work with Rebecca!

Happy New Year! It's so exciting to have a fresh year ahead of us and I can really taste the winds of change. 2010 was a very hard year for many people. It's now time to look with fresh eyes upon the plethora of opportunities out there for us all.

If you are looking to take your career into a different stratosphere this year, you'll love everything that is going on at Clear Horizon Coaching.

If you :- Feel stuck in your current career
- Want to get promoted or enjoy a pay rise in 2011
- Know you need to raise your profile at work and get ahead
- Want some help to develop a simple yet powerful Career Plan for the next 12 months and beyond...

...then I am exactly who you need!

Check out the many testimonials on my website
Explore the ways in which I can help you
Book an introductory session today and enjoy new results!

-RW

Self Promotion: The 7 Vital Ingredients (Part 3 of 3)

We continue our exploration of tools to help you raise your profile at work - here is our last instalment covering:

Foundation 6: Taking ownership
Foundation 7: Career planning

Foundation 6: Taking Ownership

Our penultimate foundation is more of an attitude.

Let me share a story: Debbie sits down at the beginning of the year to consider what her 3 top professional objectives are for the next 12 months. Mary on the other hand drifts through her life, turning up to work every day without knowing how it fits into the big picture.

- Which of these women is more likely to enjoy fulfilment and success at work?
- Who has greater direction?
- Who will find it easier to raise awareness of her proile?

It's up to you to take ownership of your own career and how you spend your time. Are you working towards an objective or merely drifting along? If you're currently a 'drifter' ask what that is costing you weekly, monthly, annually?


Foundation 7: Career Planning

With the right attitudes in place you can become methodical about planning how your career will pan out. Think about the projects you want to work on this year. Think about the people you want to get to know. Think about key decision makers who would be useful to you and your career. Think about the reviews you need to schedule in.

There's no point in waiting for anyone else to do any of this for you - it is absolutely up to you to plan you own career and then take action...

... and then you can relish all your successes!

-RW

Self Promotion: The 7 Vital Ingredients (Part 2 of 3)

Why does self-promotion matter? Because without it you are allowing professional opportunities to pass you by, whether in terms of projects you could be working on or promotion opportunities.

Missing opportunities costs.

If in 12 months’ time you find yourself in the same position you are in today...
- What might that cost you financially?
- What would you be missing out on in terms of a larger monthly salary?
- What would the cumulative annual cost be?
- And how might that affect your confidence longer term?

Here we continue our exploration of the core foundations needed to raise your profile at work, with greater success.

Foundation 4: Identify key stakeholders
Foundation 5: Confidently sell you and your value

Foundation 4: Identify Key Stakeholders and Build Relationships
It’s vital that you pinpoint who the key decision makers and stakeholders are in your organisation. These are the people who can help you progress your career and will be different for everyone.

In some cases key HR personnel are the ones to target. If you have a good manager or someone in the senior staff, who believes in your development then s/he will be a good person to target. Clients can also be good people to build relationships with. Think about it: if a delighted client were to talk about you to your manager, how do you think that could help your chances of future promotion?

Create a strategy to network regularly with these people: maybe you take your client for lunch every 2-3 months; perhaps you schedule a monthly meeting with your manager to fill her in on your recent successes; maybe you identify where these stakeholders network and network there too! And it needn't be complicated: a coffee chat is just as good!

Continue and read about the 5th vital Foundation here!

Self Promotion: The 7 Vital Ingredients (Part 1 of 3)

Australian women earn 18% less than men - why is that?

- Is it because women take time off to have children?
- Is it because women don’t ask for pay rises and/or promotions?
- Is it because women believe they need to have over 80% of the requirements on a job description, whilst men are happy to apply having just 30%?


The truth is, it’s probably a combination of all of these things. With only 47% of women ever asking for a pay rise (versus 64% of men) women definitely have an issue with self promotion.

Today we are exploring the first 3 foundations to help you understand your own brand at work. Just as Coca-Cola, Nike and Costa Coffee have a brand, so do you. Although these global conglomerates have a multitude of decision makers the reason the brand message and product is consistent is that all of these people are operating from the same brand values and mission. The employees know what their brand stands for and what it is here to do. And again, so should you!

Your challenge, should you choose to take it, is to apply the first 3 foundations and take action in the next 48 hours:

Foundation 1: Know your values
Foundation 2: Know your mission
Foundation 3: Know what value you add

Foundation 1: Know Your Values

So what do I mean by values? Think about a time when you really stood up for something you believed in. At that time, you were standing up for a value. A value is anything that is hugely important to you. Examples include behaviours (open-mindedness; walking your talk; pro-activity), personality traits (honesty; authenticity; treating people with respect), skills (timeliness; organisation; learning). Know what you stand for in the work place - and equally what you will NOT stand for. People like to know where they stand with one another and it’s important that you know how you wish to operate.

Read more about Foundations 2 and 3 - click here to read the entire article

-RW

VIDEO: Get Ahead Professionally in 2011!

Watch our 2 minute Welcome Video - see what goes on at 'Rise then Shine'! Are you a Business Owner or Professional Woman? We'd love you to join us at 'Rise then Shine' to help you surpass your professional objectives! • If you are a Small Business Owner, how much revenue are you losing by not having clear business objectives or a detailed business plan? • If you are a Professional, how much income are you losing out on through missed opportunities; poor career planning; and not knowing how to 'self promote' in your workplace? • Fear, self-doubt and procrastination hinder goal attainment. What other cost is this having to your health, self-esteem, success and relationships? Join us every 1st Wednesday of the month at 'Rise then Shine'! Set goals, mastermind your options in groups of 3-5 members and leave with an action plan! www.AskRebeccaHow.com