Episodios

  • Invisible Guardrails - MAC097

    Invisible Guardrails - MAC097
    Jun 24 2025
    The other day, I was listening to the Smart Passive Income podcast (https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/) by Pat Flynn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/patflynn3/). It wasn't even in the episode itself, but in his call to action at the end that he said a quote that was both insightful and inspiring to me. So much so that it lead to today's episode. In his episode, Pat said "It's not the mistakes you make that derail you. It's the mistakes you make that becomes the rails you work within." So, before we break that down, let's take a step back and talk about those rails -- those guardrails. Guardrails are usually designed to keep you from going somewhere you shouldn't and to keep you safe. But, when it comes to your career, those guardrails are often built by others -- or more specifically they are created by yourself based on the expectations you think other have for you -- and are here to keep you in line. In the end, they may be holding us back from our full potential by keeping us from breaking out of a box that we find ourselves in. So, what do I mean by all of that? When it comes to career advancement, what's holding you back? If you have limiting beliefs that keep you from speaking up or from challenging yourself, it may be time to review them and find a way to tear those guardrails down. Let's look at some common guardrails that people believe that they must work within. The first one is seniority based deference. Especially early in your career, but it can happen at any time; if you find yourself surrounded by those with more tenure or more experience or higher rank, do you defer decisions to them. Maybe you feel like if you challenge them you'll be considered problematic. This can cause you to remain quiet and never express your ideas. Instead of focusing on the seniority of others, focus on the different perspective that you bring. Back up your ideas with data and preparation; a well-researched, well-thought-out idea is hard to argue against. Challenge yourself to speak up in a meeting. If you're still struggling with that, look for opportunities to present the idea to participants before the meeting starts. Their feedback can help you refine your pitch and give you more confidence when the actual meeting takes place. Along the same lines as seniority based deference is cultural conditioning. In some cultures, hierarchy matters and is ingrained from an early age. If you come from one of these cultures, you may wait for permission to speak instead of talking any time you have an idea. If the meeting facilitator comes from a western culture, they may not realize and never offer the permissions you expect. When you speak less, people begin to assume that you have nothing to contribute. When you work for a global company, consider how company culture aligns with societal culture. Western companies are more often going to value those contribute ideas. If societal culture is hard for you to break past, then figure out who is leading the meetings that you will participate in and discuss the cultural difference that they may not be aware of . Devise a signal that you can give them that indicates that you have something to contribute to the discussion so that they will offer the permission you seek. Another guardrail that you may face is that of patriarchal conditioning. Some companies or industries are heavily male dominated which leads to unwritten rules about how women should act. Any deviation from those expectations can be punished by those in charge. And when you also face cultural conditioning, this can be compounded exponentially. In these situations, women will often revert to self-minimizing language in order to come across as non-threatening to their male team members. To combat patriarchal conditioning, it's important to remember that being direct and being aggressive are different behaviors. You can be direct without being aggressive. Being direct is about bringing clarity. Additionally, review Episode 087 (https://www.managingacareer.com/87) called "Language Matters". Pay close attention to the sections on undermining your self and undermining your intelligence, but in short, look for ways to remove phrases from your vocabulary such as "Sorry" or "I could be wrong" or "I don't know". Using these phrases are not just making you appear non-threatening, but are also perpetuating the patriarchal view. There are also guardrails based on race and ethnic identity. You may work at a company with very few people that look like you or that share a common heritage with you. You limit what you say and how you say it in order to not validate any stereotypes that your colleagues may have. You may even force yourself to tone down your actions or language in order to not be perceived as "emotional" or "problematic". Code-switching can be draining. If this applies to you, ...
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    10 m
  • Burning Bridges - MAC096

    Burning Bridges - MAC096
    Jun 17 2025
    The single most important thing you can do for your career is to build your network. Whether you build relationships with champions and advocates, coaches and mentors, or people that act as a resource, each one of them provide a benefit that can help move your career forward. Champions and advocates will support you and your ideas—they'll speak up for you in rooms you're not in, recommend you for stretch assignments, and give visibility to your contributions. Coaches and mentors will help you grow by offering guidance, feedback, and perspective from someone who's been there before. They help you avoid pitfalls, refine your approach, and accelerate your development. Finally, people who act as resources—whether subject matter experts, connectors, or peers in other departments—help you get things done faster, smarter, and more effectively. Each category adds a layer of strength to your career foundation, and together, they create a powerful support system that can help you rise. But, sometimes -- whether intentionally or not -- you can jeopardize your relationship with someone and potentially even destroy it permanently. It might be because you disappeared after getting what you needed, failed to follow through on a promise, or didn’t acknowledge the role someone played in your success. Other times, it could be as subtle as not showing appreciation, taking credit for shared work, or consistently making interactions one-sided. These moments can leave the other person feeling used, undervalued, or disrespected. And when trust is broken, it’s incredibly difficult to rebuild. Relationships, especially in your career, are built on mutual respect, reliability, and reciprocity—once that’s compromised, even unintentionally, the consequences can follow you far beyond that one interaction. Or maybe YOU'RE the one on the other side. Maybe you've spent time fostering a connection with someone only for them to turn their back on you. They've taken advantage of you generosity in order to get ahead and then fail to reciprocate. That kind of experience can leave you feeling betrayed, used, and questioning whether it's even worth investing in people again. It stings when someone you believed in shows that their interest in you was transactional. And while it’s tempting to close yourself off after that, it’s important not to let one bad experience poison your ability to build meaningful, mutual relationships in the future. Instead, take the lesson with you: be more discerning, set clearer boundaries, and recognize the early signs of imbalance before you’re left holding all the weight. Why do people burn bridges? People don't always burn a bridge because of spite. In fact, they often don't even realize that they are doing it; it just sort of happens. Let's take a look at some of the common reasons that people burn bridges and how to handle each of them. They've gotten what they need from the relationship. If someone has achieved their goal, they may feel like they no longer need the relationship. Or maybe they never intended to maintain the relationship at all, just get their needs met and move on. Any time you reach out to them, you just get ghosted. You may even see them put someone else in your position as they look to climb the next rung. Look for signs early on in a relationship based on how often someone offers assistance either to you or others. Someone who is going to use you and then leave will be unlikely to offer help to anyone else because they're focused only on their own needs. They're distracted. When someone is facing a challenge -- whether work or personal, they may be overwhelmed and distracted by their current situation. They may not intend to ignore the relationship, but things just seem out of their control. This could be an opportune time to strengthen a relationship. If you recognize their situation, it can be a good time to reach out and offer what support you can provide. By showing that you are not just out for yourself and have their best interests in mind, they'll be inclined to return the favor when they can. They're avoiding a negative situation. When someone makes a mistake or doesn't follow through with a promise, they may just disappear. If they don't put forth the effort to mend the relationship, it can sour leading to a burned bridge. You'll notice them avoiding you or putting off any interactions for fear of the consequences. Being angry or holding a grudge won't resolve the situation. Nor will running from it. In order to preserve the relationship in this situation, the only way forward is to confront it head on. If it's your mistake, own it. If it's their mistake, offer support and understanding and try to figure out the source and a resolution to the failing. They're burning it proactively. The last reason someone may burn a bridge is if they feel like the relationship ...
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    9 m
  • Breaking Out of Micromanagement - MAC095

    Breaking Out of Micromanagement - MAC095
    Jun 10 2025
    It consistently ranks as one of the worst attributes in a boss year after year…..and yet, there are still many bosses who are micromanagers. This week, I'm going to look at how you can break out of the micromanagement pattern. It's the bane of everyone's existence. You may feel like your manager is always hovering asking for status constantly. Maybe everything you do is redone by your leader. Or maybe your manager gives you no freedom in what you do or how you do it. Regardless of the form that it takes, micromanagement is frustrating and demoralizing. Managers who micromanage are doing so from a position of fear or anxiety. Whether they are doing it intentionally or not, they do it because they do not trust their team to get done what needs to be done when it needs to be done. What's worse, is that if you find yourself the target of micromanagement, it can completely derail your career progress. If your leader feels the need to micromanage you, whether your fault or theirs, that display of lack of trust will lead to worse reviews and delayed promotions. Managers who are new to the role may be more used to "doing" instead of "leading". Their micromanagement tends to be treating their team as an extension of themselves. They know what they would do and how they would react, so they are trying to make every member of their team follow that same game plan. They haven't learned how to properly delegate and to let go, but that can come by building trust. In Episode 031 (https://managingacareer.com/31), I asked the question "Does Your Manager Trust You?" If you find that your leader micromanages due to a lack of trust, that episode can help you break out of the pattern. Work to understand how they think in order to make decisions that align with those that they would make. Learn how to communicate and escalate appropriately so that your manager does not regret assigning the task to you. And lastly, to build trust, deliver; when you are assigned a task, follow through. As you build trust, your manager can shift their focus to other activities and provide you with more freedom. If managers aren't micromanaging because of lack of trust, it could be because of pressure to perform. Pressure can be driven many different factors. Are they responsible for a high visibility project with tight deadlines? Or maybe they or the team has had a recent failure and they have already been given a warning about their performance? When your manager is facing addition pressure, no matter the source, they might resort to micromanagement in order to gain some level of control over a situation where they don't feel like they have any. When you encounter this form of micromanagement, the best course of action is to reassure your leader that they can relinquish control. You can do this by communicating often. Episode 044 (https://managingacareer.com/44) has additional guidelines for Reporting Status. In addition to clear communication, work to identify potential issues and proactively raise them to your leader. When he feels less like he will be blindsided, he will be more likely to loosen the reins and give you more freedom. The final driver for micromanagement is fear of failure or dealing with imposter syndrome. This speaks more about the confidence of your manager than it does about you, but when your leader is struggling with their own responsibilities, they may look to inject themselves into tasks that align with areas that they already feel confident. Most leaders were previously experts in the "doing" role and will revert back to that mode in order to boost their self-confidence. When your manager is lacking confidence in what they SHOULD be doing, look for ways to shift the dynamic by reframing their requests. When they try to dictate too much of the details of how you should work, instead, ask questions that bring the focus to broader topics that emphasize why over how and guidance over direct supervision. Focus on the outcomes and alignment with priorities over processes and specific activities. Micromanagement is one of the most despised attributes in a leader. If you find yourself a target of it, reacting emotionally won't help. Work to provide clear, proactive communication and build trust with your leader. Change the conversation from the details to the big picture. And if necessary, use your network of allies to provide yourself a layer of protection. My goal for this podcast is to help as many people as I can advance their careers. To reach this goal, I would appreciate it if you would share this episode with your friends and coworkers. Send them to ManagingACareer.com/follow (https://www.managingacareer.com/follow) which will give them links to everywhere that this podcast can be found.
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    7 m
  • IDP Revisited - MAC094

    IDP Revisited - MAC094
    Jun 3 2025
    This past week at my day job, we went through an organizational restructuring. Some of my team is now reporting to a new manager and I have new people on my team. If you find yourself on a new team, this is the perfect time to review your Individual Development Plan. It's been a while since I last talked about your IDP, but I believe it is a critical tool for ensuring your advancement. For a more detailed explanation of the different sections of the IDP and how to incorporate one into your one-on-one discussions with your leader, review Episodes 036 to 040 of this podcast (https://www.managingacareer.com/36) and if you need a copy of my IDP template, you can reach out via the Contact Form on the Managing A Career website (https://managingacareer.com/contact). But, to summarize, the IDP is a document that YOU own that takes a systematic, top-down approach towards breaking down your career plan. It starts with the Vision and Roadmap sections (https://www.managingacareer.com/37) that looks at your five or ten year goal and helps you identify the major steps it will take to get there. Next are the Assessment and Next Role sections (https://www.managingacareer.com/38) where you look at just the first step on your journey towards your Vision. In these sections you focus on identifying your strengths and weaknesses in your current role and what is holding you back from reaching the next step on the roadmap. Once you have completed the assessment, you can document an Action Plan (https://www.managingacareer.com/39) of how you will address the gaps. And the final section of the IDP is the one where you document your Successes. It is important to document your accomplishments and periodically review them to remind yourself of the progress you've made. While your IDP should be a consistent component of your regular one-on-ones, any time you change leaders is a good time to review it. With new management comes new expectations and new opportunities. By taking the time to review and update your IDP you can ensure that your path forward is not derailed by not understanding how to impress your new leader. Start by validating your current Vision statement. Since you last updated your IDP, has anything changed about where you see your career heading? Have you learned anything more about what you like and dislike about your career trajectory? Or maybe you've grown and can see further into the future about where you want to be. With a refined Vision, do you need to adjust how you get from here to there? Consider how your new team fits with your defined roadmap. Does it put you closer or further from your goal? What experiences or connections does your new manager have that you can benefit from their mentorship? Will this new team or new manager provide you with any shortcuts to your goal? With a new team comes a new focus and a new role. A new leader brings new standards and values. As you perform your self-assessment, you will need to determine if your strengths are in alignment with these new expectations and what you need to prioritize working on. The earlier you can understand what your new leader considers "next level" performance, the more likely you can stay on your original timetable. Update your action plan to take advantage of the focus of the new team and volunteer for stretch assignments that give you immediate visibility to your new team. Finally, update your Successes section with all that you accomplished with your previous team. Use the guidelines outlined in Episode 044 (https://www.managingacareer.com/44) on Reporting Status to ensure that you capture the value you provided. During your first few one-on-ones, review these Successes with your new leader so that they understand where you started and what you are capable of. Not every change moves you forward on the road to your ultimate goal. If you're lucky, they will, but when they don't, there can still be benefit to the reassignment. At a minimum, you can use the new team to expand your network, but always be on the lookout for new skills and projects that you gain exposure to. You may enjoy the new focus and decide to change your Vision statement. However, never be afraid to look for a different opportunity if you ultimately determine that the new team is a dead end when it comes to what YOU want. Your IDP is a critical piece to your career advancement, especially during times of change. It provides you a clear focus to make sure that you keep heading where YOU want. If you need a copy of my template or if you need help filling it out, reach out to me via the Contact Form on the ManagingACareer.com website (managingacareer.com/contact).
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    6 m
  • Pivot. Pivot! PIVOT! - MAC93

    Pivot. Pivot! PIVOT! - MAC93
    May 27 2025
    The job market is tough right now. People across all industries are getting laid off and starting their job search. If this includes you, you may have found that each job you apply for is highly competitive. You might think that finding another job in your current field is a struggle. Or maybe you feel like you are stuck and there are limited or no growth opportunities available to you. One way that you can increase your opportunities is to consider a career pivot. A pivot point is a fixed point around which something rotates. It's a strong, anchoring point. A career pivot isn't a case of completely changing your career; it's a strategic change leveraging the anchor of your current career. In this case, you are leveraging you existing skills to pivot towards a similar or related career that may have more opportunities than your current one. Before you can pivot, the first thing you need to do is take an inventory of the skills that you have and how they might apply to other fields. If you use my Individual Development Plan template, you've already got a leg up. If not, review Episode 038 (https://www.managingacareer.com/38) which covers the Assessment and Next Role sections of the IDP. You can also request a copy of the template by reaching out via the Contact Form on ManagingACareer.com (https://managingacareer.com/contact) to request one. Consider grouping the skills into those that have broader applicability such as communication and leadership and then a group for those that are more specialized such as project management or data analysis. I would still note those skills that you have that are highly technical, because even if they seem to apply primarily to your current career, there may be parallels in other careers. With your list of transferrable skills in hand, brainstorm job families that are adjacent to your current position. Consider other roles that you interacted with frequently that may have parallels to what you do now. If your company has recently had a layoff, look at the positions that were least impacted that fit with your abilities. If you're having difficulty coming up with related careers, look at the Occupational Information Network at https://www.ONetCenter.org or the Career Explorer at https://linkedin.github.io/career-explorer (links will be in the episode notes). Both of these sites have tools where you can compare different careers and which skills are common between them. As you explore pivot options, determine if there are any skills that you need to refresh or skills that may benefit from additional training. For example, project management is a skill that would be useful in many industries, however, project management in the software development industry is different than project management in the construction industry. This is a good time to look for supplemental training to strengthen your ability to pivot. Lastly, reach out to your network. If you know someone in the adjacent role, they can explain the day to day duties that they have and they can help you understand how your skills will translate to the new role. Your network may also have leads on openings in this related field. Now that you understand why you might want to pivot and how to approach the change, let's look at some real world pivots that may be options for you to explore. Career Key transferable skills Potential pivots Teaching Classroom management Lesson planning Explaining complex ideas in simple terms Creating classroom resources for other teachers Curriculum planning Creating online courses in other areas Nursing Medical knowledge Patient care Healthcare Case Management Patient Advocacy Accounting Skills with spreadsheets Understanding of financial drivers Regulatory knowledge Financial Analyst Financial Planner Lawyer Understanding of the law Negotiation Compliance officer Sports or Entertainment Agent Chef Food handling Coordinating a team Resource planning Food Safety Inspector Inventory Management Construction Knowledge of building codes and regulations Project Management Building Inspector Project Management in another industry Real Estate Sales and Contracts Relationship Management Market Analysis Property Management Sales in another industry Loan Officer Journalism Research and Investigation Writing and Editing Writing website copy Corporate Communications So, if a pivot seems like the path forward for you, how do you approach it? First, review your resume and reframe it to showcase transferable experiences. Next look for supplemental trainings or certificates that can jump-start a shift. Next, leverage your network to find contacts in the related field. A career coach can help you build the skills you need in order to implement these strategies. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (https...
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    8 m
  • How Do I Get Promoted? - MAC092

    How Do I Get Promoted? - MAC092
    May 20 2025
    How many of you have struggled to figure out what it takes to get promoted? Maybe you've been in your current position for several years and feel like you'll be stuck there for many more. When you reach out to your manager, you just get a vague answer that doesn't really tell you what you need to work on such as "your turn is coming" or "you're doing well, just keep it up". The secret that no one talks about? Your boss probably doesn't know how to articulate it……if he even knows what it takes to get to the next level. Very often, managers are not given training on how to develop their team. If they are good at it, it's probably a skill that they picked up as they transitioned from junior levels up to senior levels within their own careers. Other than comparing job descriptions, there likely isn't any concrete criteria that have been defined and the difference between job descriptions is vague and minor at best. Even when there are criteria, they are rarely communicated outside of management circles because they rely on soft skills that are hard to quantify. The skills you rely on do perform your day to day activities are just expected. It's skills like being trust-worthy, how you communicate, your executive presence, and dealing with ambiguity that will set you apart from your peers. But, how do you measure someone's executive presence? The other problem with defining criteria is that it could become an implicit contract (potentially even legally binding depending on where you are located). By refusing to state criteria or defining them in vague terms, your manager gives themselves room to adjust based on conditions at the company and within your peer group. For example, right now, there are many companies laying off portions of their staff, the implication being that there may be fewer promotions available during the next cycle. If the criteria were clearly defined, there may be an expectation by several on your team that a promotion is imminent that your manager will be unable to fulfill. At the end of the day, most managers just rely on their gut feel for when someone is ready for the next level. Additionally, when your manager has to justify the promotion to a panel of others, they will only put forth the effort when they believe there is a strong chance that the promotion will be granted. So, not only do they need to believe that you are ready, but they need to believe that the panel will agree with that assessment. As a general rule, there are a handful of attributes that you will find to be applicable across the board. Be the person who takes ownership of problems. If you can identify the problems and work to solve them without being told, even better. But even just being the person that when given a task, your manager trusts that you will drive it to completion will help you stand out among your peers. As much as possible, be visible beyond your team. When cross-functional teams and your skip-level leader know who you are, it makes it easier for your manager to sell your promotion to others in the organization. When you show that your decisions and judgement are in alignment with those of your manager, this alignment will establish your readiness for promotion. While these generalized attributes will help you, it is more important to understand the specifics of what YOUR manager is looking for because, ultimately, they are the ones who controls whether you will be promoted or not. If your manager can't or won't state the criteria, then how can you figure out what it takes to get promoted? Start by paying attention. During all-hands or team meetings, listen during the recognition section. When your manager makes comments about the team, what does he say? If necessary, write them down and compare the comments over time. The things that he brings up frequently are the ones that he values most. Who on your team has been promoted recently? What are their strengths? Can you emulate them? Is it possible to have them mentor you? Look beyond your immediate team. Senior level promotions often require input or approval from other leaders. Do you understand the criteria that your VP looks for when a promotion is brought before them? Pay attention to the work that your leader delegates and the stretch assignments that people are given. These assignments are often tests to see if the recipient has developed the skills needed in order to be promoted. If you can identify what skill is being tested, it can give you a clue on what you may need to work on. When you feel like you have gained enough insight into the secret criteria that your manager is evaluating you against, plan to bring them up in your next one-on-one. With evidence in hand, instead of asking "What do I need to do to get promoted?" you can ask questions about the valued skills such as "What does executive presence look like at the next ...
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    8 m
  • Pushing Down or Lifting Up - MAC091

    Pushing Down or Lifting Up - MAC091
    May 13 2025
    Throughout our careers, we observe others around us getting ahead by various means. Some people do so by putting other people down in order to make themselves look better whereas others do so by lifting those around them up. You may have even used these techniques yourself. The secret? Both approaches can work, but only one is sustainable for the long term. Let's take a look at the longer term impact of each. Whether intentionally or not, some people will try to advance their careers by pushing those around them down. These people will steal credit from other. They will undermine the success of those around them. And they will secretly work to cause a rift in the team in order to distract others from their actions. If the organization is driven by visibility, someone trying to look superior will take credit for the work that their team does or reframe what was done in such a way that they steal credit for things that they had minimal impact on. If they are not confident in the quality of their work, they may spread gossip in order to cause stronger team members to be viewed as incompetent or even to be excluded from key efforts. Beyond rumors, they may "forget" to include them in important decisions or purposefully withhold or delay support in order for their targets to struggle or fail. People who operate in this mode are operating from a position of fear -- fear for their job, fear for being found to be "less than", or just fear that there are limited opportunities for success and that they will be left behind. Sadly, this can be an effective strategy……at least in the short term. If someone can implement their plan before others catch on, they can achieve the promotion they desire. But, eventually that catches up to them. Their team will stop supporting them and their leaders will eventually see the pattern. That early success eventually stalls out. If you find yourself to be a target of someone who is trying to get ahead by pushing you down, how should you react? Start by proactively reporting your status to your leaders. If the person putting you down IS your leader, then report your status to project sponsors and your skip level leader. Review Episode 044 (https://www.managingacareer.com/44) for more information on reporting status. Next, build relationships with those that will ultimately be deciding who advances. If you build a relationship with your skip level leader as well as cross-functional teams, it will be harder for someone to misrepresent your work because they will have first-hand knowledge of what you bring to the team. Additionally, grow your network as covered in Episode 029 (https://www.managingacareer.com/29) and build a cheering section as covered in Episode 052 (https://www.managingacareer.com/52). The more people you have on your side, the harder it is for someone to attack you. It may be tempting to try to "fight fire with fire", but by stooping to their level, you run the risk of being the one viewed as being the problem, just strengthening their approach. Instead, turn their actions against them. When they steal credit that you deserve, remember, they are only stealing credit that they see as valuable. Leverage that by following up with your leaders to add additional context and provide evidence of your bigger role in the work. Doing so in a matter-of-fact manner will show them that you bring more value to the team. The other approach is to lift those around you up. Where the first strategy is about stealing credit, when you lift people up, you freely give credit where it is due…..and sometimes even give credit away. When those around you are struggling, you offer to mentor them. You offer support for good ideas, even when they aren't your own. The driver for this approach is not fear, but in being strategically generous. Lifting others up builds trust and leads to a reputation of being someone who makes a team better. Additionally, you build allies and advocates. This investment in people will pay off in the future when those that you've supported gain positions of authority and power. And when your position advances, they'll follow you willingly. Lifting others up is a much slower play, but it is much more sustainable in the long run. Each person you lift up becomes an advocate for you when it's your turn. And over time, this can lead to more and more supporters. As a side benefit, these same people that are helping you advance will also provide a level of protection from those that look to push you down. If you find that someone else is lifting you up, first, accept it and then reflect it back to them. When they bring attention to your work, offer a response along the lines of "Thank you! A big reason that I was able to be successful on this project was because of all that I've learned working with [Joe]". This not only helps your...
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    7 m
  • What Managers Look for When They're Secretly Deciding Who To Let Go - MAC090

    What Managers Look for When They're Secretly Deciding Who To Let Go - MAC090
    May 6 2025
    More often that you realize, when a manager is asked to create a list of people to lay off, they are rarely given much time to think about it; they are just given a target number and a deadline. When they have to react quickly, there a few criteria that they instinctively use to determine who goes and who stays. What can you do to make sure that you aren't on that list? The first thing to realize is that there are no short term fixes. The steps to take to protect your job start TODAY. In Episode 068 (https://www.managingacareer.com/68), I cover some techniques that can help you identify upcoming changes and use them to maximum benefit. Using these techniques, you can often predict an upcoming layoff, but even with that knowledge, by the time you recognize a pending layoff, it's already too late to do anything about it. When it comes to layoffs, there is very little that can ensure job safety. But, if you understand how managers decide who to put on the list and who to keep off, you can give yourself a fighting chance of staying off the list, so let's take a look at what usually factors into a manager's decision. Do people know who you are? If your manager were to be asked to name everyone on their team, are you one of the first names that they think of……or one of the last? While it's possible for your name to be front of mind for your manager just based on the work you do, more than likely that isn't enough. You need to ensure that you remain visible. Go back and review Episode 081 (https://www.managingacareer.com/81) for more strategies for being visible within the organization. How easily can you be replaced? If you bring something unique to the team, it's a lot harder for your manager to let you go. Lean into that strength and find ways to amplify that message. If you are one of three or four different team members who can do the same work or if your work can be automated, how likely is it that your manager will look your direction to make the mandated cuts? Episode 076 (https://www.managingacareer.com/76) Developing Skills would be a good place to start for building skills that make you unique. Does your manager trust you? I covered this very topic in Episode 31 (https://www.managingacareer.com/31). Your manager is much more likely to keep you off the list if they view you as a solution to a problem and not someone that causes problems. If they trust you to do what is needed with very little guidance from them, you free them up to focus on other duties. When it comes to layoffs that's valuable to someone who is anticipating having to take on additional duties. How do you fit with the team? If you support the team in a way that brings up the energy or morale or productivity, that is something that will have even more importance when the team shrinks. If you don't engage with the team and are more aloof, the team may feel some level of sympathy for you, but overall, they won't necessarily miss you. And the last criteria that managers secretly use to evaluate the team is the potential for future contributions. Businesses continuously evolve. If you are viewed as someone who is ready for the next shift in technology, they will be more inclined to want to keep you. Staying abreast of the latest technology and ideas is the way forward. For example with AI being the current hot topic, in episode 078 (https://www.managingacareer.com/78) Future Proof You I cover how you can leverage it in your job. None of these guarantee job safety. You may be visible, but that will just amplify any recent mistakes no matter how minor. You may be irreplaceable, but the function you perform is going to be eliminated. You may be trusted, but your second level manager mandated that you be on the list because he doesn't value the work you do. You may be the glue that holds the team together, but people question your dedication to the work. So, if, in spite of your standing, you find yourself on the list, go back and review Episode 053 (https://www.managingacareer.com/53) for how to recover from being laid off. The good news is that these same criteria are the ones that leaders look for when it comes time to give out promotions. Promotions go to those that are visible, contribute unique skills, are trusted, lift up the team, and have future potential. So, putting together a plan to address them will serve a dual purpose. A career coach can help you build the skills you need in order to implement these strategies to keep your name off of the list and position you for a future promotion. If you need a career coach, reach out to me via the Contact Form at ManagingACareer.com (https://www.managingacareer.com/contact/). I'll schedule an introductory session where we can talk about your career goals and determine if we would be a good fit for coaching. If we are, we can arrange regular sessions to help...
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