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Managing A Career

Managing A Career

De: Layne Robinson
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I help you navigate the path to professional success. Whether you're a recent graduate still searching for your place or a seasoned professional with years of experience, the knowledge and insights I share can show you how to position yourself for growth and career advancement.2024 Economía Exito Profesional Gestión Gestión y Liderazgo
Episodios
  • REPLAY - Communicating With Finesse - MAC059

    REPLAY - Communicating With Finesse - MAC059
    Dec 23 2025
    I hope you're finding a little space to breathe as we head into the final stretch of the year. This is the season when everything seems to converge at once—deadlines, holidays, planning for next year, and of course, the annual review cycle. And because I'm taking a few weeks off, I'm replaying some of my favorite past episodes that still feel incredibly relevant, especially right now. Today's episode is one of those. Before we jump into it, I want to set the stage for why this particular topic—speaking with finesse—matters so much at this time of year. If you're like most professionals, you're probably preparing to give your manager input for your performance review. Maybe you're writing your self‑assessment, maybe you're gathering accomplishments, maybe you're thinking about how to position the work you've done so it reflects the impact you actually had. And here's the thing: the way you talk about your work is just as important as the work itself. Not because you need to "spin" anything. Not because you need to inflate your contributions. But because your manager can only advocate for what they understand—and they can only understand what you communicate clearly, confidently, and with the right framing. That's where finesse comes in. Finesse is one of those skills that separates people who do good work from people who are recognized for doing good work. It's the difference between saying, "I completed the project," and saying, "I delivered a cross‑functional project that removed a major bottleneck and positioned the team for faster execution next quarter." Both statements are true. One is simply more complete, more contextual, and more reflective of the real value you created. This is especially important during annual review season because your manager is juggling a lot—multiple team members, multiple projects, multiple priorities. They're trying to remember what happened in February, what happened in June, what happened last week. They're trying to write reviews that are fair, accurate, and aligned with organizational expectations. And they're doing all of that while also preparing for their own review. So when you give them input that is factual, contextual, and uplifting—not self‑promotional, but accurately framed—you're not just helping yourself. You're helping them do their job better. And that's exactly what finesse is about. So as you listen today, I encourage you to think about your own annual review input. Where could you add more context? Where could you frame your contributions in a way that better reflects the real impact you had? Where could you apply just a little more finesse? Because the truth is, your work deserves to be seen. And finesse is one of the most powerful tools you have to make sure it is. Alright—let's get into the replay; it's a perfect companion for anyone preparing for year‑end conversations. Enjoy. The other day, I saw a post on LinkedIn by Wes Kao the co-Founder of the Maven learning platform. Her post was a synopsis of an issue of her newsletter that really resonated with me (Link https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/the-unspoken-skill-of-finesse). It was on the topic of Finesse in Communications. You could also think of it as communicating like a leader. In Wes' article, there was a situation where a customer had asked about the limits of a software system. Several people were in a chat thread formulating a response. The first person offered a factual number based on the highest limit observed in the system. The second person clarified the limit with a lower number that had shown acceptable performance plus a plan to increase the performance for a higher limit. The third person took the response from the second person and reframed it to have less of a negative connotation but still convey the same results. Finesse is the ability to refine your message based on understanding the situation and the desired outcomes it is the ability to use good judgement in delicate situations. None of the responses were wrong per se, but the first answer could have led to disappointment by the customer if they approached the technical limit and experienced the performance degradations. The second answer provided additional context around the limits but may have caused the customer to look elsewhere for a solution that didn't have those limits. The final answer with a more positive message invited the customer to be optimistic about the solution being able to scale to meet their needs. For some, the ability to have finesse in their communications may come naturally. But for others, like any skill, you can improve your abilities with focus and practice. The more you practice, the easier it will be to know when to apply finesse and the more likely it will come to you without consciously thinking about it. First, you need to recognize when situations require finesse to handle...
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    9 m
  • REPLAY - Put Yourself In Their Shoes - MAC073

    REPLAY - Put Yourself In Their Shoes - MAC073
    Dec 16 2025
    Hello everyone, and welcome back to the podcast. I hope you're enjoying the holiday season and taking some time to recharge. I'm doing the same this week—stepping back for a little rest—but I didn't want to leave you without an episode. So, I'm bringing back one of the most impactful conversations we've had on this show: Episode 73, Put Yourself In Their Shoes. It's all about one of the most underrated skills you can develop for both your career and even everyday life: the ability to understand the motivations of the people around you. It's not necessarily about agreeing with them; it's about seeing the world through their lens long enough to understand what's driving them. And when you do that, you unlock a whole new level of influence, collaboration, and trust. This episode isn't just theory—it's a toolkit. And if you put it into practice, you'll find yourself building stronger networks, closing gaps in communication, and creating opportunities that might have felt out of reach before. So, as you listen today, I encourage you to think about the people you interact with most—your coworkers, your boss, your clients, even your friends and family. Ask yourself: What might be motivating them? What pressures are they under? How could I adjust my approach if I saw things from their perspective? I'll leave you with this thought before we dive in: empathy isn't just a soft skill. It's a power skill. It's the difference between pushing against resistance and moving with momentum. And this episode shows you how to harness it. And now…..on to the episode. When it comes to dealing with people, it can be difficult when they don't share the same opinion you do as to how to handle a specific situation and that can often lead to conflict or complications. The fastest way to move past those differences and get back to moving forward is to put yourself in their shoes. If you can understand people's thoughts and motivations it goes a long way towards formulating an argument that sways them to your side. How well can you read them? Some people will mask their true thoughts and feelings, especially when it comes to professional relationships. To really understand them you might need to rely on your observational skills and not just listen to the words that they say. Start with how they are speaking. When someone is excited about something, even if they are trying to suppress it, they will speak slightly faster and with a higher pitch. Conversely, if they are unsure, they will slow down and be more cautious as they speak. Even their word choices can give you a clue as to their mindset. Open language will indicate a higher level of trust. Strong, clear language indicating confidence. If you find that their words are not in alignment with their body language, it becomes even more important to observe them closely. Visually, watch their body language and look for micro expressions that may clue you in to something that they aren't saying. Whether they are smiling genuinely or politely says a lot. Is their stance closed with their arms crossed or are they open and receptive or possibly even leaning in with excitement? When you say something new, is there a flash of humor or anger in the corners of their eyes? Some of these visual cues will be easier to spot, but the more nuanced actions can be more revealing. In general, people are not malicious in their actions, but, the actions they take may come across that way. For instance, I have seen multiple times where Person A feels like Person B is purposefully undermining the ability for Person A to perform work. But, in reality, Person B is just focused on taking steps that they think will let them reach their personal goals that they never even considered how that could impact Person A. Once Person A sat down and spoke with Person B and everyone's views were communicated, both people were able to be more productive and reach their goals quickly. The easiest path to knowing someone's motivations is to come out and ask them. But, sometimes, you don't have that type of relationship with them and it may take a little bit of detective work. For example, how have their current projects been going recently? If positively, their mood probably reflects that. Though if they are experiencing project stress, they may be taking it out on everyone around them. The "no" to your request may be coming from this type of stress more than anything else. Looking for these types of factors can help you find the motivations of someone that you would not ask directly. No matter how you gain the insight, how can you use this understanding to your advantage? When you understand someone, you can build a stronger relationship with them. Stronger relationships lead to stronger networks. And I can't stress enough how powerful a strong network can be. (https://...
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    8 m
  • Networking is a long game - MAC121

    Networking is a long game - MAC121
    Dec 9 2025
    We've all experienced it. You're at a training session or a professional meet-up or maybe you're wandering the expo hall at an industry conference. A bit of downtime leads to a quick exchange with the person next to you... five minutes of conversation, maybe ten if everyone's particularly chatty. You swap LinkedIn profiles or trade business cards or even promise to follow up later. Then nothing happens. The moment ends, the event ends, and the relationship ends right along with it. But it doesn't have to. Those tiny talking windows you slip through at conferences and workshops can evolve into long-lasting professional relationships. They can become the very foundation of a network that opens doors for years to come. In this week's episode of the Managing A Career podcast, we're not going to sit in the realm of theory. We're diving into the practical side of networking... the real actions you can take to turn quick handshakes and fleeting conversations into relationships that matter. You've heard the message before; your network is one of the most valuable career tools you'll ever build. I've repeated that line myself more times than I can count, and I truly mean it because my own career growth has been shaped by the relationships I've nurtured along the way. Still, I know that for many people, forming connections that actually lead somewhere feels like a mystery. If that's you right now, this is the episode you'll want to pay attention to. All success begins at the first interaction, so that's exactly where we'll start. When you're in those casual meet-and-greet conversations, there are ways to make sure they don't end as nothing more than polite small talk. This isn't about being the most charismatic person in the room or forcing yourself to be clever or funny. What you do need is intention. Are you truly engaging with the person across from you... listening to what excites them or noticing what makes them unique? Or are you mentally rehearsing your own story, waiting for your turn to talk? One of the most powerful habits you can develop is taking notes shortly after the interaction. It doesn't have to be formal; a line or two about who they are, what you discussed, and any details that stood out. Beyond that, be curious instead of performative. Ask one more question than feels natural. Reflect something back to them, so they know you heard them. Look for common ground you can reference later... a shared interest, a similar problem you're both trying to solve, even a moment you found funny. If you're at an event, snap a quick photo of their business card or connect on LinkedIn on the spot so you don't lose them in the post-event blur. These small behaviors lay the groundwork for something deeper before you've even walked away. Once the event wraps up and everyone heads back to their offices or hotel rooms or inboxes, that's when the real work begins. Take the time to send a follow-up message to every single person you connected with... even the ones who don't feel useful to you right now. Networking is a long game. The intern today becomes the director in five years. That person who didn't align with your needs this quarter might be exactly the person you need the next time you are looking for a career pivot. So when you reach out, do more than fire off a polite "nice meeting you." Send a message that proves you were present. Remind them of something specific you discussed. Reference a detail only the two of you would remember. And then, most importantly, keep the door open. End with a question or an invitation for a future touchpoint; ask them to send you the article they mentioned or propose grabbing a coffee when schedules allow. The goal is not to close a deal, but to continue a dialogue. If you send a message like: Hey, it was great meeting you at the conference earlier today. I found your thoughts on the newest regulations to be very insightful. It may feel sincere and you may even think it will lead to a connection. But, in reality, it falls flat. It doesn't give the other person any reason to respond beyond a polite, "It was great meeting you, too." It's a dead end, not a bridge. In contrast, consider this approach: Hey, it was great meeting you at the conference today. I found your thoughts on the newest regulations to be very insightful. I'd love to talk with you more about how our companies could implement those restrictions when they kick in next year. Maybe we can meet up for coffee next week and brainstorm some ideas. This second message works because it does three critical things. First, it shows that you were actively listening during your conversation, recalling a detail specific to your discussion. Second, it offers a clear opportunity for the other person to add value, sharing their thoughts or expertise in a meaningful way. And third, it creates an actionable next step—an invitation to meet in person, which strengthens the connection far beyond a ...
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    11 m
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