Legendary Leaders: For Female Business Leaders

Welcome to November; the month of the “earning it” mindset. 

80% of success is due to mindset. 

If you believe you can, you do, am I right? 

We all know how conversations go when we are confident vs. when we are meek and doubtful. 

So let’s spend the month talking about what I call the “earning it” mindset. 

This is the time of year when you are setting budgets, talking about bonuses, and in active negotiations and discussions for yourself, your team, and the business. 

My goal is to ensure you have the right mindset and perspective when you go into those conversations so they go in your favor. 

When it comes to the "earning it" mindset, we are going to dive into what it is, why it matters, how it has helped you in your career, how it could hurt you, and then we will wrap it all up with how to find the balance with this mindset so it serves you at the highest level.   That’s the plan for the month.

So today, let’s get into the topic by talking about what the “earning it” mindset is.

Earning it essentially means you did the work to generate the reward, right?

You performed a task or did an action that resulted in a reward of some sort.  It could be as simple as playing a card game and winning the hand, to showing up to work and contributing to earn your paycheck.

Every single day we are performing actions that generate results.  They could be good results or bad results, but we are generating results.

The key to this discussion is our perception of the relationship between actions and results.

Is it cause and effect?

When I do X I generate Y.  

That’s what the earning-it mindset is founded upon.

From a career perspective, it is:

I did these actions within my role, therefore I have earned my paycheck.

I took on this extra project, I sacrificed, and I gave above and beyond, therefore I have earned this promotion.

The link we have within our brain matters because it is part of the definition of this mindset.

Ultimately an “earning it” mindset means I must DO something to get the reward. 

If I don’t do the action or perform the function, I may receive the reward, but I didn’t earn it.  

So no doubt, as you are thinking through this, you’re already asking yourself the key questions as it relates to “earning it.”

Which is good, because that’s your homework from this episode.

I want you to take some time to self-reflect.  Do you believe that you must actually “earn” the paycheck, the award, the bonus, the promotion, etc. to be “worthy” of receiving the reward?

That’s what it comes down to.  If you didn’t do the work but got the reward, are you ok with that or do you feel like you need to work harder and longer to make up for it?

Think about it.  Next week we are going to dive into the most common reason many of us started off our careers with this “earning it” mindset.

Welcome to the last episode of our monthly mini-series focused on burnout. As we wrap up the month, we can't close out the topic without talking about what I call life-preserver techniques. We already know the clues of a potential burnout situation. How do you handle one of those situations? What if you find yourself moving towards burnout? 

The first action you must take is to do what we said a few weeks ago, accept the truth.

The truth of the matter is that you have seen one or more clues that this is a marathon or "Groundhog Day Perfect Storm" situation. 

Yes, you are amazing, yes, you are strong, yes, you are an overcomer, but in this situation, you do not win by pushing through.  You win by being strategic.

We can’t be strategic if we aren’t accepting that this is a situation where “pushing through” just won’t cut it. 

So again, step 1: accept that this is a Groundhog Day Perfect Storm situation.  The way you thrive in the space is not by pushing harder, it’s by working smarter.

This means step 2 is to get strategic.  The company is facing a pretty tough situation, right?  That’s why you’re living through this insanity.  If we go back to The 1 Rule of business success that we teach here at Legend Leaders, then we are reminding ourselves that our job is to add value to the organization.

In this instance, you must ask yourself, "What are the best ways for me to add value?"

The answer won’t be slogging through the mud and pushing harder, the answer is coming up with strategic solutions to work smarter.  This could be creating internal programs to grow in other areas of the business while one sector is being negatively impacted for example.

The point is that we must find a way to keep adding value and we can’t do that if we just put our heads down and push forward.  These Groundhog Day Perfect Storm situations tend to redefine what the company values.  To stay out of burnout, you must acknowledge that and pivot accordingly.

The third action is to be intentional with your time.  If you have faced the truth, and realigned yourself with what the company values in this situation, then you have to be the leader who spends his/her time where it matters.

Meaning that you can’t be involved in peer-to-peer gossip or complaint/frustration sessions for the bulk of the day.  While those conversations may seem to make you feel better, they actually create negative momentum in your performance.

Overcome that mindset and the desire to belabor the problems by taking your calendar and getting intentional with who you’re talking to, and what you’re talking about, and ensure everything you’re spending your time on is helping to add value in this phase of the organization’s life cycle.

When you do this, you will be surprised with the time you get back that you can then use to still have your downtime, take those mental breaks, enjoy your family time, etc.

Said differently, trade the non-productive conversations for personal downtime and you will be better off for it.  It will ward off mental exhaustion and allow you to be even more strategic and intentional in your dealings.

So again, 3 steps:

1. See the truth of the situation

2. Get strategic to add value

3. Spend your time productively

I hope that you are enjoying this series as much as I am. What a feeling of empowerment we have when we learn how to take control of our lives, our emotions, and our future.

At this point, we have spent time defining burnout, and understanding why it happens, and last week we did some internal reflection to ensure we start to see the reality of the situations we are in so we can best cope and navigate them.

Last week we talked about "giving the extra." Is part of your brand giving that little extra push?  Where are you right now when it comes to sprint, marathon, or typical work?

This was your homework from last week. If you didn't tackle it, I would encourage you to do it.

Now, I heard from some of you that you think you look for the signs as to what is a sprint vs. a marathon but you would like a little clarity on that.  So with that, we are going to dive into today’s topic, which is "Look for the Clues."

That’s right.  Look for the clues.

What are the signs of a marathon vs. a sprint?

Remember in the first episode we called those marathon days the "Groundhog Day Perfect Storm?"

How do we know the difference between an exception vs. a Groundhog Day Perfect Storm situation?

Let me give you 3 clues to look out for:

• The company, leadership, the industry, the world, or a combination of those entities are telling you there is no end in sight.

When you hear industry experts, internal company leadership, or others with knowledge and authority telling you you are in the middle of a situation that they cannot control nor can they predict when it will end, that’s your clue!  Do not ignore it. That is the sign of a marathon/Groundhog Day Perfect Storm.

• When the tools or resources are not available to solve a problem.

You are responsible for a portion of the business.  You have been given performance targets, financial targets, etc.  However, the resources/support promised to you and your team is no longer available. Without these resources, the likelihood of achieving the result is slim to none.

If resources were promised that were necessary to achieve a result and those resources have been delayed or removed, accept that your results will also be delayed or unachievable. 

That doesn’t make you a bad leader, recognize the limitations of the situation.

• When work hours exceed your typical weekly time investment for longer than 2 weeks.

This is a big one.

We all have an internal number of hours we are willing to work each week.  If not hours, we at least have times throughout the week and weekend that we expect to have downtime.

When those downtime moments are sacrificed for more than 2 weeks, that’s a clue.

Remember, most sprints or Perfect Storms last a week or two.  So to have two weeks of insanity could be a normal exception in the workplace.

But going into week 3 without a defined end date by the organization, that’s a clue.

The way we avoid burnout is to replenish ourselves.  This is done with rest, exercise, family time, mental breaks, healthy food, etc.  

We cannot expect to get out of a state of exhaustion if we stay in a space that perpetuates it.

That’s a recipe for burnout.

So if you are entering into week 3 or more of a Perfect Storm, realize it’s probably a Groundhog Day Perfect Storm (i.e., a marathon not a sprint) and you need to stop sacrificing and start taking care of yourself to prevent the burnout and last through this demanding time.

These are the big 3 clues to look out for.

Are there more?  Of course but these are the most common.  You may not see all 3 in a Groundhog Day Perfect Storm, but you will see one of them and one is enough to help you see the truth of the matter and prevent burnout.

Your homework is to look at either past situations where you felt burnt out or your current situation and determine if one or more of these 3 clues existed then or now.

Today we are diving into the truth, because the truth will set you free.

How often are you facing the truth at work?

I would say as a high-achiever, you're great at facing work problems.

Now, personal problems . . . not so much.

What does that mean?

It means that we are so committed to being the problem-solver in our careers that that commitment can blind us from recognizing the fact that we are headed toward or are already in a state of burnout.

Remember last week's analogy of a sprint vs. a marathon?

When we do not face the truth or the reality of the situation that we are currently in, our default assumption is that we are in a sprint.

Sprints mean we can push through, give more, and "make it happen."

What's worse is that even when we realize we are in the middle of a marathon, instead of putting self-care and self-preservation techniques in place to keep us from burning out, we convince ourselves that the finish line is on the horizon and we are almost there.

We tell ourselves that "Surely the end is near. I just have to push a little longer."

Never have you had to strive this hard, push this long, etc. so the end must be close.

It is in this moment right here that puts so many talented women into a state of burnout.

Instead of looking for the signs (sprint vs. marathon) and finding evidence to validate that state, they assume. 

They assume it's a sprint and that they can hang in there just a little longer.

That assumption comes not because they are bad leaders. We aren't bad leaders, we know this.  This assumption, this desire to believe the end is near, comes from both experience and hope.

First, we have never had to push hard for more than a few weeks or a month, so experience tells us that most events like this truly are sprints. Naturally we are going to say that is what we are facing because that's what we know.

Second, not only is this our most common experience, but on a personal level, we need this situation to end soon.

“The end has GOT to be in sight because I seriously can’t do this much longer."

Because of these two human emotions/experiences, what do we do?

Instead of taking stock of where we are and seeing the truth of the situation, we rally and we push.

After all that extra rally, that extra push, that extra “extra” is what got us where we are in our careers in the first place.  

It’s part of our brand.

So then how do we combat our professional identity and human emotions to face the truth of the situation?

The first step is to eliminate the thought that if we don’t push, we aren’t worthy.

I know that sounds crazy but listen to me.

If part of our professional brand is to give a little extra.  Then naturally we are going to always be looking to give the extra.

If we are running a sprint, that works, but if we are in a marathon, it doesn’t.

So again, the truth will set you free.

We must be willing to recognize that there’s a time and a place for the extra push.  And if we want the chance to add those "extras" during the sprints and be able to be the leader that hunkers down and leads our teams through the slog of a marathon of hard times, we must be willing to see the truth in both the situation we are facing as well as the reality that the “extra” isn’t the only part of our brands that make us great.

Today’s homework is to take a second to look within yourself.

Is part of your brand pushing through and giving the extra?

Are you doing that all of the time or only during sprint moments?

Do you know the difference between a marathon and a sprint moment?

Let’s dive into a topic that we are all keenly aware of . . . burnout.

We are about to enter the holiday months and that means competing demands.

So before the holidays are upon us, let’s put together some strategies to help us avoid or even get out of the state of burnout so we can enjoy the last few months of 2023. 

Will you commit to spending this month with me learning these strategies?

Before we can talk about the strategies for resolving or avoiding burnout, we must understand what burnout is and how we end up there.

So what is burnout?

It’s a level of exhaustion that reduces your performance and attitude.  This exhaustion can be physical, mental, emotional, a combination of these 3, or even all 3.

Do you feel exhausted right now?

I’m not talking about you being tired because it was a "Perfect Storm" week.  A "Perfect Storm" week are those weeks where life, work, and self collide and demands are hitting all at once.

Those are exceptions in your normal flow of life.

We all have those exceptions from time to time.  That’s normal and we will 100% be exhausted and not be able to give our all by the end of that week.

What I’m talking about are the "Groundhog Day Perfect Storm" weeks.

Those weeks are when the demands continue day after day after day and you feel further and further behind, and no matter what you do, you can’t get caught up or ahead.

It’s almost a feeling of hopelessness at this point because the exhaustion is there and there is no end in sight.

Do you see the difference? The Perfect Storm weeks have an end. They are short, a week to two weeks max. Whereas Groundhog Day Perfect Storm weeks do not have a finish line on the horizon.

That's how we get into a state of burnout.

As high-achieving, high-performing female leaders we tell ourselves, “We just have to push a little harder, and then the peace will come.  Then the break will be here.”

We tell ourselves this because we think we are dealing with a Perfect Storm week. Because Perfect Storm weeks are like sprints.

You can push hard, give everything you've got, and the finish line is right there within a 2-week period.

But the Groundhog Day Perfect Storm is not a sprint, it's a marathon.

Where we get into burnout is that we do not stop to ask ourselves if the situation we are experiencing is a Perfect Storm week (i.e., a sprint) or if we are in a Groundhog Day Perfect Storm period (i.e., a marathon).

We don't stop and ask the question, we just assume it's a sprint, because that's what we are used to dealing with. And we know how to overcome sprints.

We can't assume.

So today’s homework is this, where are you right now?  Are you in a Perfect Storm, a Groundhog Day Perfect Storm, or are you in a good flow of work and life?

Are you living in burnout, on the edge, or feeling good?

You’re in one of 3 places.  So be honest with yourself.  

It’s the end of August.  We are approaching Labor Day weekend.  Maybe some cooler weather is on the horizon.  Who knows, right?  But what we do know is that we have spent this entire month focused on adding value. We know that adding maximum value in our executive roles ensures we are assets to the organization and assets are very valuable to the organization itself. We want to add value to be valuable!

What’s the fastest way to add value? 

Answer: Understand what the organization values and do that.

But what if you can’t do that?

What if the company says it wants one thing but actually rewards another?

What if you fully believe you are adding value per company expectations but you’re not being rewarded or recognized for it?

What if there is a breakdown between what the company is asking of you vs. what is being rewarded?

This is a hard place to be.  It’s the, “what am I doing wrong” place.

The unfortunate reality is that sometimes this happens.

It occurs due to one of two reasons:

1. We aren't performing like we think we are.

Sometimes we have blindspots that prevent us from seeing the truth. 

Sometimes we need someone to guide us in order to get the clarity we need so that we can add value.

2. What the company says it values and what it is rewarding are two different things.

I can sit here and tell you to look at the 3 guiding documents to help you get clear on what the company values. But if you know you're delivering on those aspects of your role and yet your performance reviews, your annual bonus, etc. do not correlate with that effort and result, there is a gap.

The solution for this is the same as the solution for #1, you have to get some help.

Sometimes we need someone to help us, guide us, and show us the way.

You must learn to steal shamelessly to succeed.

How?

Stealing shamelessly means you find a mentor, you find someone who has done what you want to do and can thoroughly teach you how to do it.

Whether it's eliminating blindspots or deciphering what the company truly values, a mentor can help you.

A mentor can be someone inside of your organization or outside of it. 

The key is to find someone to guide you!

If you want outside support, know that we are here to do exactly that.  We have a program here at Legend Leaders 100% designed to help you add value to the organization in 60 days.  

We have small group cohorts launching monthly and we offer 1:1 coaching if you don’t like to be in a group.  

Have you been adding value this month? Did you do the work last week (rating yourself and getting feedback)? If not, definitely go do that. Today's episode builds on last week's work. Because today, we will be getting down to business and ensuring that when you're "working," you are doing the functions and actions that add the most value.

So let’s roll up our sleeves and do it.

Last week we identified how we are performing as it relates to the actions the company values.  

This week we are going to take those lists of activities the company is asking us to do and we are going to compare that list to our calendar.

Now, if you remember the work from week 2, week 2 we simply looked at the calendar and said, "What am I putting on the calendar that makes me feel valuable but isn't actually adding value?"

In that exercise, we should have eliminated the emotional, "feel better" work that we had been spending time on.

Today we will be looking at everything on the calendar, even special projects, volunteer work for the company, etc., and asking if each action is time well spent.

Grab your calendar.  Look at each function or activity the company is asking of you.  Then find each of those items on the calendar.

Are you spending time on those functions?

If not, add them to your calendar.

Once you have everything on your calendar that the company is asking you to execute, ask yourself what you can remove from your calendar.

What must you add to your calendar or spend more time on that your company values and what must you remove such that you have the time to focus on the right value-add activities?

Note, I'm not saying you remove family events or self-care activities, etc. I'm talking about work functions on your calendar that simply don't need to be there anymore.

This is how you double down on your efforts and add maximum value.  

If it’s on your calendar, it’s done.  So ensure your calendar is a reflection of where you must spend your time.

We must add value if we are going to be valuable to the organization.

Think about it for a second. 

How many people actually know that adding value is the secret to success? 

How many people, if they would just add value instead of living in fear as we talked about last week, would have an amazing career?

Adding value is the space where you must live if you want to create executive success and that's why we are diving into this topic this entire month.

Are you ready for today's topic? Today we are talking about how you can truly identify your contributions.

If you think you're adding value, how do you know for certain? Let's walk away this week knowing for certain the level of value we are adding to the organization.

If you look at the 3 components of how your organization defines value, your job description, performance metrics, and bonus targets, how are you doing?

It’s self-assessment time.

I asked you in the first episode to define if you are raising the bar on your current performance or if you are starting from zero.

Today we are going to get abundantly clear on this.

You’re going to do the two actions I am constantly pushing you to do:

1. You’re going to look at the 3 components the organization provided to you and you’re going to rate yourself.  On a scale of 1 -10, how are you doing on each of the 3?

1. Don’t give yourself a score to feel better about yourself or to give yourself a hard time.  Be honest.

2. Once you do your self-assessment, you're going to ask others for feedback. 

   a. Ask someone you trust who will give you the honest truth to tell you how you’re performing on each of the 3 components.  If they rate you higher, know that you’re hard on yourself and it’s a raise-the-bar moment for you.  If they rated you lower than you rated yourself, chances are you are starting from zero and you need to reset your focus and priorities. 

Once you have done these two activities you will know with full clarity how you are performing.

Are you adding value or keeping yourself safe?

Could you be doing more or are you doing too much?

Do the work this week. 

The month of August is all about adding value and mastering this critical, yet simple, concept.  The reality is that adding value is the driver of executive success. If we want to have success, then we must add value. It's cause and effect. If we understand that relationship, then what prevents someone from creating success? Fear.

Fear is the most common reason why leaders do not add value in their executive roles and therefore why they do not succeed.

Now I get it, you’re probably saying, Katrina, if we are meant to add value as a means of not only being successful, but minimally, maintaining our position in the organization, why would someone NOT add value?

It’s sort of like saying, why don’t people save their marriages? Why don’t people save money? Why don’t people make good decisions?

It’s not because they intentionally decide they don't want to do these things, it’s because their desires and their actions aren't aligned.  

Someone must take the right actions if they want to have career success, a successful marriage, money in the bank, etc.

The primary driver preventing these actions from occurring is fear.

Where does the fear come from?

As a first-year exec, fear comes from the step growth curve you must navigate in order to perform in the role combined with needing to generate results and an uncertainty of how to do that.

Does that make sense?

It's hard to feel like you must learn how to be successful and do it quickly before you tank your career.

Combine this with the fact that most new execs are so used to generating results quickly and almost effortlessly that the inability to do that in the executive role has them thrown for a loop.

This situation is ripe with fear.

In any new role, we need security. We need to feel like we are safe to grow and learn and we need to feel like we are still making a difference while we're doing it.

How do the majority of first-year execs do that?

They fall back on what they know.

Fear drives them into performing tasks and displaying behaviors that may have served them well prior to the exec role, but will not add value in their current environment.

Yet there is this rationalization that if "I keep doing what I have always done while I’m learning what to do next, the company will appreciate it and I will be safe."

Is that the case?

What the organization values vs. what makes you feel valuable are two different aspects.

No matter the situation, we must always go with what the organization values if we are going to be successful in our roles.

This week I’m challenging you to do another gut check.  Look at the actions you are taking.  Are they valuable to the organization, do they make you feel valuable, or both?

Let's kick off the first episode in this mini-series focused on adding value as a female exec.

I say it in a thousand ways, but ultimately, at Legend Leaders, we help you create the professional success you desire so that you can have the personal freedom you deserve, right?

But how do we help you achieve this?

How do you achieve professional success? 

Here is the answer in a nutshell: add value on a daily basis.

It's what we call The 1 Rule here at Legend Leaders. The 1 Rule of business success is that you must add daily value. When you do that, you become an irreplaceable asset in the marketplace.  

So this month we are going to dive into the topic of adding value, executing The 1 Rule, and becoming that irreplaceable asset.  

It’s the ultimate pathway to creating career success and therefore personal freedom.  

Ready for the first truth?

If you’re not focused on adding value, you’re not creating success.  You’re simply delaying success.

How do you know if you're actually adding value or not?

To answer that we must understand who defines value.

The person who defines "value" is the customer.

As an employee, your customer is your company.

The company defines what it values.

This is critically important. We can say the company is wrong, we can say that we should define value, we can argue it all day, but it doesn't change the reality that the company you work for is your customer and therefore you must add value as defined by the organization.

So if you align with that concept, then you must seek to understand the definition of "value" as defined by your company.

How do you get this information?

Through your job description, your evaluation criteria, and your bonus metrics.

Those 3 resources are how the company provides you with the answers to the "success test" as I call it.

If you deliver to those 3 areas of your role, you’re adding value in the eyes of the organization.

So my question for you is, are you adding value based on your company’s definition?

Take the time this week to find out.

It’s the last episode in the series and I think it's the best episode because we are going to bring everything together and we are going to outline how you can drive change and have an impact in your role today.

As we have already discussed, owning your seat is a must as an exec.

This ownership is how you add value to the company and adding value is why you exist in the organization.

Now, we know that fear is powerful and that fear can hold us back from owning our seats, driving change, and having an impact. The key is to push past the fear.

How do you do that?  By drawing upon the years of experience that got you into the role and using that knowledge when you speak up.

Share insights, ideas, perspectives, cautions, anything and everything that will help the company and the customer.  

Remember, add value. 

Remember, growth and value happen concurrently not sequentially.  So add value and grow into your role at the same time.

Let’s take it one step further.  As a new exec, the second major component of owning your seat (in addition to using your voice) is reading the room and the cues.

You must know who is in the room, how they are feeling, what they are thinking, and learn their tells.  

Remember how we talked about patterns last week?  You must observe and note the patterns of your role model so you can mimic their behaviors and grow into using your voice, right?

You must not stop there.  Make notes about the key players in your meetings.  Learn their expressions, body language, keywords, etc. 

This isn’t to manipulate, this is to simply prepare you to be a top-notch negotiator as you continue to grow into using your voice and owning your seat.

Last week we agreed that the best way to own our seat at the executive table is to use our voice. So if we know this, why don't we do it?

Answer: We are afraid we are going to screw up and damage our reputations or brands.

So then let's spend today talking through the best way to overcome that fear, create a process to prevent that damage, and then take action.

Let's define success when it comes to owning your seat at the table.

How do you know when you successfully own your seat by using your voice and adding value?  What does good look like?

There are two ways to know:

1. Look to a key leader who has the respect and appreciation of the room.  How is he/she adding value by using his/her voice?  

Observe them.  Listen to how they interject, how they provide feedback or suggestions, etc.  Make a note of what they do well, behaviors and actions you would like to adopt because they fit your leadership style, etc.  Steal shamelessly.

2. Get feedback.  Ask your supervisor or peer how you’re doing.  If you speak up, ask how it landed in the room.  If you didn’t speak up, ask if that was the right action to take at that moment.

In other words, learn from someone else’s patterns as well as your own.  Find a role model and model them.  Then look in the mirror and identify the behaviors that you want to keep and those you wish to eliminate.

This can take some time as you are waiting to observe and model someone you may not interact with on a regular basis.  Don’t get discouraged.  Give yourself some grace and recognize that you can work with someone outside of your organization to speed up your growth curve.

Show up and use your voice like you already know how to do.  Perfect that behavior and performance by modeling and adjusting.

We are diving into the much-needed topic of “owning our seat” as a first-year female executive.  In short, owning our seat is how we succeed as an executive and yet it's the action we try to avoid the most when we first get promoted. This month we are diving into the psychology behind that avoidance and we are pushing past the fear and doubt in order to create our own executive success.

If you recall, last week we talked through what owning our seat means in a bit more detail and why we end up abdicating our chairs so to speak. If you missed it, go check it out. This week we are diving into the main method of owning your seat: using your voice.

That’s right.  I alluded to it last week but let’s be direct about it today. 

You are on the invite list to a specific meeting, conversation, or presentation for one reason only, to share your insight and knowledge.

Not for politics or kindness or because someone got confused about who needed to attend.  

No.

Again, you're there because you are expected to share your knowledge, opinion, and insight. 

Use your voice.  

While you may be fearful because you think you don’t know how to exec, know that you still have at least 10 years of experience and knowledge to help you.  

Speak up.

No one is looking for perfection, they just need a solution. 

They don’t need all of the answers they just need help making sure the path they want to pursue isn’t going to end up as a crap show with them as the headliner.

You can help because your knowledge and experience have prepared you to weigh in and provide insight.

Period.  

Maybe you feel like a fish out of water in this situation because you’re growing into the executive ranks. But you can still have an impact while you grow.  It’s not a “this/then” statement.  Learn this, then speak up.  No.  You can do both simultaneously.

So that’s your answer.

Speak up.  Share your thoughts.  If you see an issue, speak up.  If you like an idea, speak and share factually why it’s a good path.  

Add value!

You’ve always been an owner. That attitude is one of the fundamental reasons you are now a first-year female executive.  But now that you’ve made it into the executive ranks, has that mindset changed? As you look at your actions, are you owning all aspects of your new role?

Unfortunately for most new execs, the answer is no. And yet, ownership in this role is just as critical as any other role. So what are you not owning and how do you start?

If you had to start owning one critical aspect of your role, what would that be?

The answer is: your seat at the table.

I know that may seem cliche but there is a reason you hear "owning your seat" quite regularly as a new exec.

Owning your seat is required if you are going to be successful.

Owning your seat is exactly how you have influence and impact in your role.

So if we are aligned with "owning it," then let's define what "owning it" means.

It means in every leadership meeting, every Zoom or Teams or Meet, every discussion with a peer or a leader more senior than you, you freaking own the seat you occupy, you engage in the discussion, and you have an impact.

Of all the ways you could lead, why is this one so impactful?

The seat you occupy is meant to add value to the organization.  If you don’t add value, you don’t get to stay!

You wanted this role for many reasons, one of which was to impact the business and the customer.  This impact is exactly what the company wants from you as well.

Impact and influence occur when you own your seat and use it actively to share insights, strategies, concerns, pitfalls, and solutions.

So if you find yourself sitting in meetings without speaking up or without weighing in when you have an opinion, idea, or concern, recognize that you’re not adding value, you’re just taking up space.

How many people did you not appreciate working with when they just took up space?

If you are taking up space, it's time to shift into owning it and adding value.

It's time for you to step back into the owner mentality by eliminating the natural fear and doubt that comes with a new position.

When we are in a new role, especially an executive role for the first time, there is a large amount of growth, shifting, and learning/unlearning that has to occur to generate results and ultimately success.

You feel like a fish out of water in this new role and you’re probably telling yourself you just need to get your bearings and then you will be back on track.

Recognize this fact, getting your bearings is fine but it must be done quickly!

It takes the typical exec 12 months to generate results.  We can’t take 12 months to get our bearings and level out.  That doesn’t work!

Let’s spend the next few weeks talking through how to own our seats and get back to our position of confidence and strength in our careers.

 It’s our last episode in this mini-series designed to help first-year female execs bypass the insanity of a 12-month ramp-up period and start generating performance results with speed.  Are you ready to talk about the actions to take to produce results?

Before we dive in, let's go through a quick recap. We have identified and discussed the 3 primary reasons for the typical 12-month ramp-up period.

1. We derail our focus when we blame ourselves for not being ready for the role, 2. We play the trial and error game instead of getting and following the recipe for success, and then 3. We perform functions that make us feel safe instead of functions that get us closer to the results the company wants to see from us. 

The most wonderful news in all of this is that we can actually overcome all 3 of these components.

That said, is the 12-month ramp-up period even necessary?

Not at all. 

At Legend Leaders, we teach you to create consistent performance results in 60 days!

We help you create something called The Execing Blueprint (TM).  Inside that blueprint, you have your own personalized strategy for how you create results.

At a high level, this is The Execing Blueprint(TM):

Step 1: Get your mind right by giving yourself some grace. Realize you are still amazing and you can do this.

Step 2: Determine what the company values and the results they want you to achieve.  

Step 3: Look at what in the heck you are currently spending your time on and if it aligns with what you identified in Step 2.

Step 4: Perform what we call keep, stop, and add.  Of all the things you are currently doing in your new role, what do you need to keep doing, what do you need to stop doing, and what do you need to add to your routine to ensure success?

Step 5: Go execute and tweak/adjust along the way.

It’s seriously that simple and it is the proven blueprint to getting success with speed.

We are continuing to dive into the speed of success for a first-year female executive.  To date, we have discussed why speed is critical, and yet even though speed matters, it still takes the typical exec 12 months to generate consistent performance results.  Last week we talked about eliminating the guesswork if we want to succeed with speed. Let's talk about clarity today.

If we want to go somewhere, most people start focusing on how.  How do I get there? Am I going to drive or fly?  Am I going to take my car or rent a car?  Am I going to fly first class?  We get so bogged down in the details of the travel that we miss one critical component.  Where are we actually going?

If I know my final travel destination, the “how” becomes significantly clearer for me.  For example, let’s say our destination is Disney World.  Well, I’m in Charleston, South Carolina so I can drive just as easily as I can fly.  So the method of transportation has been resolved for me.  Now I just have to decide if I’m driving my car or renting one.  Who will be driving?  When am I leaving and coming back? Who is going with me? You get the picture.

As new executives, we cannot miss the fact that once we get clear on WHERE we are going not only does the “how” get clearer, but anything that doesn’t support the “how” is easily identified and removed.

If for example, I want my parents to go with us on our Disney vacation, I cannot let that “want” overtake the overall goal. The goal is to go to Disney World.  I will achieve that by taking a car there.  

If I get so distracted by the fact that I really believe the trip would be so much better with my parents there that I decide to drive to Asheville, NC to get them (a 4-hour drive in the opposite direction), and then drive all the way to Orlando, what has happened? My "how" is now not the most efficient in achieving my goal.

When I share this example, you’re like, “Yeah, I get it, Katrina, you’re obviously distracted and not focused on your end result.”

So then why are so many of you doing the same thing as first-year executives?

You want to achieve results in your new role, that’s the mission or the goal, right?

The company has made it abundantly clear as to what those results need to be, i.e., they have set your destination for you.  Yet, you’re getting so distracted with what would make you feel better on the trip that you delay your arrival by months!

Just like it made me feel better to take my parents with me to Disney World, you are focused on doing things that make you "feel better" or more secure in your new role.

What are those functions that make you feel better but delay your results?

Doing the tasks and functions from your old role because in your mind, if you’re doing those things, at least you’re doing something “successful” or even "valuable."

Stop.

The company has told you what your Disney World is.  Stop trying to go pick up your parents along the way.

Focus on the end result the company has provided you and at each turn ask yourself: Am I doing these actions because they are getting me closer to Disney World or am I doing them because I want to feel safer/more secure on the trip?

Many new executives waste time and energy doing what makes them feel safe instead of what gets results.  This is a critical factor in the 12-month ramp-up period for most executives.

Clarity around your endpoint is a key component to speedy success.

This month is all about speed to success. If results are everything, and the speed at which we get them is critical, then how do we get executive results quickly and consistently?

Last week we talked about what holds us back from getting consistent results.  Do you remember the 3 factors?

1. Definition of results: The definition of results changed on us as we moved from mid-level to executive and we are distracted by that instead of embracing it and moving on.

2. Unprepared: We didn’t spend time preparing to exec correctly so we are now guessing and playing the trial-and-error game with our careers to determine how to get executive-level results.

3. Security: In our need to feel safe while we are learning to exec, we do things that are valuable to us and our internal needs instead of actions that are valuable to the organization.  In other words, we waste time on the wrong work.

We’ve talked about the distraction and the fear that slows us down.  Let’s dive into the guesswork and the trial and error.

You get the obvious here but let’s talk through it for a second.  If we had been prepared for the definition of “results” changing when we changed roles, shifting from tasks and measurable KPIs to now strategic ideas, collaboration, negotiation, and people, then could we have prepared ourselves to be this new leader?

Yes, we could have. But we didn't know so we didn't prepare.

What happens next?

We all get frustrated with ourselves because we didn’t prepare.  And we know that you are a prepper so the fact that you didn't prepare is just not cool.

Now, you may not be the “end of days” type of prepper, but there are certain areas in your life that you prepare–it could be having enough food in the house for the kids, it could be packing all of the necessary items for a trip, it could be keeping your car maintained so you’re never on the side of the road.

Whatever it is, you have an area of your life where you refuse to deal with the penalties of not being prepared.  

The other thing I know about you is that while you may not be a prepper in all areas of your life, you are definitely a prepper in your career.

You like zero surprises on the career front, am I right?

Those are two words you live by.  I used to tell my team, “No surprises.  I don’t want surprises in the business, I want to hear it from you ASAP.”

So here’s the deal, you didn’t prep for your new promotion.  That’s the reality. 

Now what?

Most high-achieving women I know tell themselves they need to “fix this.”  

They say something like, “Yeah, I wasn’t prepared but I’m going to fix this!”

And they want to fix it by earning knowledge. They feel like they have failed, so to recover, they are going to solve this problem on their own.

But here’s what you must realize.  

First, accept that you’re not prepared.  Yes, results matter and the speed at which you get them, but being upset that you’re not prepared to get those results won't do you any good.

Next, stop believing you must earn the knowledge (and therefore results) on your own. This is the biggest falsity I see in this phase of executive development.  Shift your view of results and this should shift for you too.

What I mean is, if results at the executive level are tied to people and ideas, then realize you “earning” the knowledge is just another check-the-box task that won’t serve you at the executive level.  

Find someone, a mentor, a leader, a coach, a program, find the answers.  Eliminate the guesswork.

If you want to make a meal at home, do you craft every meal from your head, trying various combinations over days and weeks until you create the perfect meal? Or, do you find recipes to follow because they are proven?

Find someone to give you the recipe for executive results. Don’t waste time figuring it out.  Get the answers and move forward.

As successful career women, we know that getting results as quickly and consistently as possible is critical.  There is constant pressure to deliver both performance and business results at each phase of our careers. That isn't new. We have focused on getting expedited results from the time we were in grade school to now. So why do some newly promoted execs take a year to generate the necessary results?

If results matter, because they have always mattered, then why does the speed of success decline in a new executive role?

Because there is an unknown problem that we identify once we step into the role. Once we become an executive, it becomes abundantly clear and it goes from unknown to unspoken.

The problem is that the definition of “results” has changed from that definition you knew so well as a mid-level leader to the new executive definition.

"Results" has shifted from "doing, executing, being the subject matter expert on all things, rolling up your sleeves and getting it done yourself, etc." to now being a thought leader, focusing on strategies, influencing, negotiating, leading through people, etc.

This is a big shift; an unexpected shift.

So now what?

Ladies, this right here, this shift in the definition is where we struggle. If we can't quickly accept this reality of the shift and start growing into a leader who can generate results at the executive level, we won't make it.

So how do you navigate the shift?

You do what you have always been good at doing, you see the problem in front of you and you hit it head-on.

You and I both know that you have always had this certainty, this belief inside of you that you can do anything in your industry because you have trained for it, you have learned how to do it, and you have this track record of success. That hasn't changed!

As a first-year female executive, you have two choices: you can become fearful and slowly grow into the role or you can rip the bandaid off, grow quickly, get results, and thrive.

The majority of new executives choose the path of slow growth, which is why it takes new executives on average 12 months to get consistent performance results.

TWELVE MONTHS.

Has it ever taken you that long to get results in a prior role?

Definitely not.

The delay is due to 3 major factors:

1.  Our fear around the definition of "results"

2. Our lack of preparation to effectively generate results in the new role (we aren't prepared to exec correctly)

3.  and our desire to feel safe vs. grow through it quickly

   
   

This month we are going to dive into the speed of success because what I know and what we have proven time and again here at Legend is that it doesn’t take 12 months to get results as a new exec, it takes 2. If we can quickly navigate the 3 major factors we outlined above we can generate results at the pace we are used to as high-performers and get ourselves back on track.

Let’s go on this journey together to get results in 2 months so you can get back to your high-performance self, have the impact you want to have in your executive role, and get rewarded for the results you are going to generate (like earning your first-year bonus, getting your annual pay raise, etc.).

It's the 5th and final episode in this series focused on Executive Negotiations. Today we are going to tackle two subjects in tandem. First, how do you actually master the skills of being an effective negotiator? Second, now that you get the concepts of negotiation and why they matter to you as an executive, what is the framework necessary to successfully negotiate?

Step 1: How do you become a master negotiator? There are 4 main actions we must execute in order to master this skillset and make it a functioning component of our executive brand:

1. Recognize it’s a required skill

2. Understand what negotiation is and isn’t

3. What does good look like

4. Practice, practice, practice

Last but not least, find someone who can teach you how to master the skills of negotiation with minimal trial and error, and minimal guesswork, and who can give you feedback to guide your success. If you do not have someone, please let us help you. Teaching you negotiation is one of the many leadership components we teach in creating and strengthening your high-performance executive brand.

Step 2: Learn the 3 guiding principles of effective negotiation.

1. Define your outcome. Get clear and specific.

2. Establish what you are willing to concede vs. what are hard boundaries within your negotiation.

3. Do not give up too soon in the discussion.

Use these 3 points to help you negotiate effectively, practice the 4 actions to start mastering the art of negotiation, and definitely find a mentor or a program to support you so you compress your learning curve and get results quickly.

This month we have been diving into the components of executive negotiations. We know what negotiations are and why they matter. If we want to be successful executives and negotiate effectively, what does success actually look like? What are the attributes of success so that when we see it in ourselves, we know we are on the right track?

Before we look internally, let's look externally. When you think about other leaders who are master negotiators, what are the key attributes that come to mind?

1. Calm and confident

2. They ask questions; they don't demand or dictate.

3. The master negotiator teaches, guides, and influences for the good of others.

4. They support other people's ideas more than they support their own.

Think through those attributes for a minute.

When you are a skilled negotiator, you are focused on speaking when you can add value, not make yourself feel valuable.  That's a key distinction. A master negotiator adds for the betterment of the situation and the empowerment of others.

So what does good look like?

Excellent executives are excellent because they know how to use the tool of negotiation effectively.

How are you showing up in your negotiation mindset?

What does it look like for you right now?  

What should it look like?

Get clear.  Set your definitions.  Strive to step into that portion of your executive brand.  

You can do it!

As a new executive, you may have been shying away from being an active negotiator.  You may be telling yourself that other people know more than you, that they are going to see through your arguments and shoot you down, that everyone is going to see you don't belong in this role once you step into a negotiation, etc.

If that's how you currently feel, then how do you become a skilled negotiator? 

The short answer? As Nike said, you just do it! 

You negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.  You practice your skills until you master them.

In the same way that we cannot let our fear of being a manipulative leader hold us back from being a sound negotiator, we cannot allow our fear of our current inexperience to hold us back either.

Negotiation skills are value-added skills in our executive strategy repertoire. As we talked about last week, being a skilled negotiator is synonymous with being a successful executive.

Think about this, learning negotiation skills and applying them on a daily basis will actually cause you to negotiate less once you master the methods.

Why? 

Because part of the mastery is knowing when to negotiate vs. when to support someone else's idea and move forward.

Negotiation skills are a solid weapon.  Only the best leaders can master the use of that weapon and with the mastery comes the understanding that the weapon is only used in appropriate situations.

When the skills are used in inappropriate situations, that becomes manipulation, right?

I know we started off with this mental battle of not wanting to be a negotiator because we equated that skill set with negative intentions.  I’m going to continue to push you throughout this month to embrace the skills of negotiation if you truly want to be a successful executive.

Negotiation skills must be a part of your executive brand.  

The more you practice, the better you will become.  The more you practice and the better you become, the more responsible you will be with this skill set.  The more responsible you become, the more you will only use your skills for good and will truly be focused on contributing and serving others.

Negotiation skills are a value-add to your executive brand.

Last week we spent time defining "negotiation." This discussion also taught us the key distinction between negotiation and manipulation and why if we do not recognize the difference between the two, we are going to avoid negotiating instead of leaning in and using this skill set to get results. Now let's dive into understanding why executive negotiations are a critical skill to create executive success.

If you recall, negotiation actually means the interaction between two or more people where you reach a mutual agreement.  Let’s take it one step further, not only is it an agreement, but it’s an agreement where both parties feel comfortable with what is agreed upon. If we go even one step further, we could say that the majority of the time, both parties actually feel good about the end result.

Why do they feel good? Because both parties got something they needed or wanted in order to move their portion of the business forward.

Isn't the point of a negotiation to move the business forward for the betterment of both parties?

Let's think through that for a second.

As an executive, you must work through people in order to move an idea, a process, or a program forward that is truly in the best interest of the company and the customer. The result you're focused on generating is a result that serves everyone, not just you. (Go back to our discussion on manipulation vs. negotiation to remind you of this difference.)

Isn't the concept of "working with people and through people to achieve a common goal" the epitome of being an executive? 

So then couldn't we say that negotiation is the key skill of being a successful executive?

You are negotiating as an executive every single day.  You’re asking questions, you’re learning, you’re challenging, and you are moving the business forward through active discussions with other leaders.

If you cannot collaborate, influence, and take decisive action, you will not succeed in the executive role. 

What are influential conversations that involve collaboration and result in decisive action? 

Negotiations.

Is it coming together for you?

This month, let's talk about all things related to negotiations. As a new executive, your day-to-day activities will require you to negotiate effectively. So what does that look like? Where do you even start? How do you master it?

Before we just dive right in, let's pause for a second. Let's pause and let's be honest.

Did you cringe at the word "negotiation?"  In my experience, the word negotiation is typically linked to the concept of "sales" in the majority of people's minds. 

What do we link to sales?  The slick, slimy, used car salesman mentality.

We think negotiation means “I’m going to make you do what I want you to do, even if it’s not in your best interest.”

Know this, that isn’t a negotiation, that is manipulation.

As an executive, our goal isn’t to be sneaky, shady, or manipulative. That attitude is 100% self-serving, and that’s not how leaders behave.

Instead, we want to learn the art of negotiation so that we can use our knowledge, our compassion, and our strategic mind to help move the business forward while also exceeding the customer’s expectations.  We are focused on the customer and the company, which means we are focused on serving, not selfishness. That's why we are going to learn the art of negotiation this month (not the art of manipulation).

That’s the key difference between true negotiation, to find a compromise where everyone wins, and manipulation, where only the manipulator benefits.

So if you have any fear of being a good negotiator, let’s focus on eliminating that fear this month, learning the proper strategies for serving at the highest level through compromise, communication, and therefore negotiation.  It's time to be the executive you are meant to be.

Sound like a plan?

We are wrapping up this series of common executive pitfalls with one of the primary culprits that cause delays in executive-level performance. Just like self-blame, facts over people, and earning your seat before you speak, the concept of prioritizing "doing" over "leading" is an action that will derail a promising executive career.

So what is this pitfall?  

As we have already discussed, it takes 10 years for a woman to reach the executive ranks.  We have acknowledged that those first 10 years were all about being the subject matter expert, being the problem solver, and removing barriers so the business machine could keep operating.  Another way to look at that is that you were a doer, or an executor.

An executor is someone who rolls up their sleeves and gets the work done.  It could be actually doing the work or it could be in the trenches with the front lines observing behaviors, correcting performance, teaching, training, etc.  All of these actions and more are what we would consider actions of a doer or an executor.

When you transition into an executive role, what you used to do in order to add value and improve the organization is no longer what the company needs from you. You have gone from a mid-level manager whose value is found in the act of execution, to an executive, whose value is found in leading other people and getting work done through others.

No longer are you a doer, you are now a leader.  You must lead through people.  You must value relationships over day-to-day business facts.  This means you must use your skills of communication and influence, and own your seat/voice to improve the business.

This pitfall gets in our path for a very simple reason, you spent 10 years being an executor and it's a hard habit to break.

We rationalize that we will just keep “doing” and executing while we learn how to exec correctly.  We tell ourselves that surely we will be safe and all will be well because we know the company appreciates doers.  I mean, that’s how we got to this seat in the first place.

However, all of those rationalizations and stories exist in our brains to simply mask our fears and keep us from facing the truth. The truth is that we must prepare to exec.  We must step out of our comfort zone of being a doer and fully embrace being a leader.

It’s the only way to generate true executive success.

Are you still trying to be a doer?  Are you telling yourself that you will add value by doing vs. leading while you learn how to own your seat and use your voice?

If you are living in any part of this space, today is the day to change this. 

As a new exec, do you feel like you haven’t yet earned the right to speak up?  Yes, you got the seat at the table when you took the role.  But as we mentioned before, if you haven’t prepared to perform, you are feeling both shame and self-doubt.

You may be thinking, “If I missed the preparation portion of execing correctly, how can I even hold down my seat at the table?”  This combined with what we talked about last week, prioritizing facts over relationships, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Know this, if your role comes with a seat at the table, and most executive positions do, you are expected to fill that seat on day 1 and use that seat to influence the path of the organization.

Filling the seat is not a perk, it’s an expectation.

Let’s be very clear about that. 

Many women feel like they aren’t yet ready, haven’t earned the right quite yet, maybe feel the need to prove themselves, or simply want to know a bit more about the role before they speak up.

While I can hear the rationalization in all of those concepts, do not step into this pitfall.

Speaking up, adding value, and owning your seat is an expectation of your role. Period.

The longer you delay in owning it, the longer you delay your performance results.

As a new executive, you have a small window of time to generate results or you will be asked to vacate the seat and maybe even the company.  

Take your seat, use your voice, share your knowledge and insight, and move the business forward.  You will learn as you go.  You will gain insight from others in the room as you speak, ask questions, share concepts, and add value.  

Do not hold back.

Last week we talked through the common pitfall aka the momentum killer called self-blame.  If you didn’t listen in, go check it out and get the workbook to help you avoid self-blame going forward.

Today, let’s dive into the concept of facts vs. people.

When you were a professional, a manager, a director, a team leader, etc. you spent your time focused on what?

Facts.  

It was your job to be the subject matter expert in your field or area of business and your knowledge was your most valuable asset.

You had to know the ins and outs, the ups and downs, and the facts as it relates to your area of responsibility.  The reason is that your job was to fix any problem that arose.

As a manager or team leader, you had to keep the machine running.  To do that, knowledge of the process and possible problems were the keys to your success.

As a new executive, the knowledge that you bring with you is important, but in this phase of your career, relationships trump knowledge.

Yes, it sounds crazy, but it’s true.

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Your job as an executive is to use the sound judgment you created within yourself over the past 10 years and influence others to move the business forward.

Think about it this way.

As an executive, you have a team of people who are subject matter experts, learning the processes, keeping an eye out for problems, fixing issues as they arise, and they are keeping the machine functioning.

You don’t need to worry about that anymore to the degree you used to.  Now you need to let those individuals do their jobs while you take your skills and knowledge and use those assets to influence others to grow the business.

It’s really that simple.  

The pitfall in all of this is that because you spent 10-plus years learning facts, you think you must learn all of the facts before you’re a successful executive.  Don’t get me wrong, knowing facts are important.  But spending 6 months to a year to learn all the facts before you develop relationships and use them to move the business forward is detrimental to your career.

Do not let facts trump people.  You are dealing in the world of relationships as an executive, not fixing and repairing the functionality of the business.  

Do not confuse your old job with your new job.  Prioritizing your personal need to learn the facts over the business need of building and using relationships is a pitfall that must be avoided.

Last month we spent 5 episodes creating your executive brand. In one of those episodes, we discussed the common pitfalls new executives step into while creating their brands.  That one episode generated so many questions and inquiries that I decided to spend this month diving into the common pitfalls of new execs.  So here we are.  Are you ready to spend the month discussing common pitfalls?

While you may already be thinking about various tripwires, hang-ups, and frustrations that you are facing in your new executive role, I'm going to share with you the 4 of the most common pitfalls new executives unknowingly step into as they are learning to exec correctly. Lets's dive in!

The number one, most common, most dangerous pitfall new executives make, especially women, is the pitfall of self-blame.

We have talked about this one indirectly, so let’s just call it out and discuss it.

As you know here at Legend Leaders, we talk about the 4 Ps of executive success.  

Promotion.  Preparation.  Performance.  Permission.

Self-blame rears its head when a new executive hasn’t prepared to exec correctly.

The majority of women I work with have found themselves sitting in the executive role of their dreams, crying in the shower, working insane hours, and living in hell with the thought that they just tanked their careers.  All of these feelings, actions, and reactions are self-blame.

Why are they living in this space?

Because they didn’t prepare to exec correctly.

While it’s not career-ending to not prepare, it can be career-ending if you NEVER prepare.

Yet as high-achieving, high-performance women and find ourselves in a situation where we feel like we have made such a serious mistake, that we missed seeing the signs in preparing to be a good executive, and we can't forgive ourselves. We beat ourselves up relentlessly.  

Self-blame is a pitfall for new executives.  Why?  Because self-blame is a momentum killer.

It reduces our likelihood of success because we are so focused on what’s wrong and how reckless we are in our careers, that we stop looking for ways to win/ways to perform and start seeking evidence to prove how bad we are in the moment.

We don’t have time for that!

Should we have prepared before we stepped into the role or as we were stepping into the role?  

Of course, we could have.

But we can't change the fact that we didn't so let's do it now.

Let’s shift the focus from self-blame to action and resolution.

Are you a newly promoted female corporate executive who is blaming yourself for not preparing yourself for the executive role?

Welcome to the very last episode in this series: Creating Your Executive Brand.  Today we are going to wrap this up by discussing how we know when we’ve got our brand just right.  You know last week we talked about the pitfalls, i.e., the actions and activities we want to stay away from.  So if we've talked about the pitfalls, it’s only fair that we talk about how we know we are on track, right?

Well again, I’ve shared some of these pieces in other episodes but I want to take a few minutes to pull these concepts together so they are super clear.

How do you know if you have a high-performance executive brand?

Ultimately, you know because you are earning your bonus, getting positive feedback, getting results in the business, are being considered for the next promotion, and you’re earning your pay raises.

Said differently, the company is benefiting from your brand because the business results are there and because of those results, you are being rewarded.

Remember how we talked about adding value to the organization?  This is the key to knowing you have a solid executive brand.  When the company is telling you that you are delivering, you’re on track, they need what you’re providing, they want you to keep giving them what you’re offering, etc. then you have a phenomenal brand.

Think about it like a product brand that you support.  Be it a soft drink, a shoe line, or a purse.  You support those companies because they have a brand you know, like, and trust.  Each time you purchase one of their items, you know you’re not going to be disappointed.  You can count on them to deliver at the highest level, which is why you keep going back and buying more.

It’s the same for your executive brand in your organization.  You want your brand to be THE brand the company keeps coming back to because you deliver consistently, at the highest level, and in a way the company respects and appreciates.

Now I’m not saying you work yourself to death or you drop everything whenever the leadership team calls, you, etc.  No, that is not an ideal executive brand.  Even the product brand you’re thinking of right now doesn't respond 24-7.  They don’t have the product in your hand instantaneously.  We aren’t talking about on-demand services here, we are talking about consistency and quality.  That’s what your brand should offer.

If you notice, the brand you’re thinking of also changes with the times to stay up to date with the last trends in the industry and the economy.  So too should your executive brand keep up with the changes, but never should those changes negatively impact consistency or quality.

If at any point the company stops calling on you and your brand, you need to quickly assess what occurred so you can continue to add value at the level the company expects and get back to being the preferred “brand” in the organization.

Welcome to another episode of our Creating Your Executive Brand series.  I’m getting some great feedback on how this series is helping you think about your executive brand, even for those of you who aren’t executives yet, you're letting me know how this is helping you prepare for the next level and I love it.  Congratulations on the growth and development of your executive brand!

This week we are talking about common pitfalls newly promoted executive women face when creating their brand.  We have talked through a few of them over the previous weeks, but let’s take this week to be fully intentional about this topic.

Last week we talked about what an ideal executive brand is, today let’s talk about what an executive brand is not.  The way we are going to talk about what an executive brand is not is by discussing the common pitfalls a new executive faces that actually prevent them from stepping into their ideal executive brand.

I mentioned earlier in the month the difference between a professional brand and an executive brand.  The professional brand is one of doing and execution while the executive brand is one of influence and people leadership.  If you stay in a doer mentality, this is a sure way of not developing an executive brand.  Yet many new executives try to stay in this space because it’s where they feel comfortable, they already know how to succeed in this space, and they feel safe being a doer.  Yet none of those personal fulfillments are adding value to the company.  This is the same type of example that I gave last week when I referred to doing a job that isn’t yours.

Another common pitfall is thinking you must know all of the facts, concepts, and ideas of a situation before you speak up and truly own your new seat at the table.  This perspective couldn’t be further from the truth.  While you were being that manager or that executor, you learned a significant amount about the customer, the processes in the company, and how things work in their current state.  This knowledge is valuable in a strategic meeting to ensure the success of the proposed strategy.  Of course, you don’t want to be the first person to say, “that won’t work,” but if you know that’s the answer, it’s your obligation to speak up.  It’s why you’re at the table!  So speak up!

The third pitfall is one where we believe that our knowledge of our new role is more important than building relationships in the role.  That couldn’t be further from the truth.  You should have a good idea of what is expected from you.  You have a job description, a copy of a performance review, how your bonus is calculated, etc.  All of these pieces and more tell you how to add value and how you will be rewarded for it.  Stop valuing knowledge over people and start building relationships.

Now, are there more pitfalls?  Yes.  There are over 10 common pitfalls that hold women back from creating and executing a high-performance executive brand.  But these are the top 3.

I’m glad you have come back for episode 3 in our series Creating an Executive Brand.  Last week we dove into what an executive brand is and why it matters.  This week let’s talk about what an ideal brand looks like, shall we?

What does an ideal brand look like?  Now, if you did the work in the workbook last week you'll remember that I asked you an important question.  Who do you admire and what characteristics do you see in their brand that causes you to admire them?

That question was one designed to get your brain thinking and mulling over what an ideal executive brand really looks like.  So if you answered the question, you already have some ideas.

Ultimately, the ideal executive brand is one that delivers the highest value to the company based on the role that you hold.   What does that mean?

It means if you are a VP of marketing, you don’t need to focus on adding value by driving operational execution.  While the company needs operations to execute, the ops leader has to drive that while you focus on marketing.  Right?  It’s sort of a basic no-brainer example, but you would be surprised at how many new executives focus on what they feel comfortable doing, even when it’s not their role.

Of course, if you were in marketing you wouldn’t want to go into operations.  So let me bring you an example that is much more common.  If you were the editor, designer, and relationship liaison in marketing before you became the VP, you can’t revert back to your old job and keep doing those functions. You know how to do it, it’s what helped you step into the VP role, but it’s no longer your responsibility.

An ideal executive brand ensures the owner of the brand execs correctly.  This means they perform at the highest level of their specific executive role; they own their seat at the table, speak up, influence the course of the business, generate strategic plans and initiatives, focus on the who not the how, and lead through others. All of this and more are actions organizations value from their executives, which leads me to my second point.

A key component of an ideal executive brand is knowing exactly what the company values in its executives.  What does the company want from you?  The question is not what do you “think” they want, but what do they actually want from you?  How do they want you to show up? What do they need your leadership to tackle and solve and drive forward?  What are your skills and talents that they need you to bring and share?

An ideal brand displays consistent executive-level leadership in a way that highlights the talents and gifts of the owner of the brand with the singular intention of adding daily value to the organization.

Why focus on daily value?  Because when you do that, your success is a given!

This is the second episode in our Creating Your Executive Brand series.  Did you get your mind right last week?  Did you prepare yourself to take in the knowledge we are going to share this month?  If you did, awesome.  If you didn’t, get the workbook and do the work from last week.

This week we are going to dive into the purpose of your executive brand.  We cannot get to “how” we create one if we don’t first understand what it is and why it matters.

What is an executive brand?  It’s your professional brand for sure, but not just any professional brand, it’s the brand you have created and continue to maintain as an executive.

Now that may not sound like much of a distinction but let me tell you that it very much is.  A professional brand is how you show up as an employee, a manager, or even a director. That brand is one of a doer and an executor.  An executive brand is one where you show off your executive level leadership, meaning you are leading through people, you are managing relationships, and you are creating strategies.  You are not the doer, you are the leader.  No doubt you can carry a professional brand into an executive role, and many newly promoted executives do just that.  But those newly promoted executives don’t last long if they don’t quickly change their brand from a professional one to an executive one.

So that’s what an executive brand is.  It’s the embodiment of how you deliver executive-level value each day in a way that is unique to you, using your gifts and talents.

Now that we know what an executive brand is, let's understand why it matters.  

I think you probably figured that out as we have been walking through this today.  Your executive brand ensures you perform at the highest level in your role.

How?

By ensuring you are adding value each day in a way that only you can.  This is what the company needs from you.  It’s why you exist in the organization.  Your brand is how you show up, lead, get results, and move the business forward.

Think of an executive that you admire.  Why do you admire them?  Because of the qualities they display in their leadership and their personal character, right?  That’s their brand!

If you want to perform at the highest level, have an impact in your role, secure your bonus each year, get promoted, and earn your raise, you must have a high-performance executive brand.  It’s that simple.

Since it’s the first day of a new month you know what that means, we are kicking off a new series for the month of March!

What are we diving into this month?  It's the foundational topic we teach here at Legend Leaders, creating your executive brand!

While it may not sound like a fun topic, I think we can agree that it is a necessary topic.

Now, if you read the topic in the title of this episode and cringed or you cringed when you heard me officially announce the topic, I want you to ask yourself why.

Why are you feeling some angst, hesitation, or maybe a bit of frustration when it comes to your executive brand?

That’s a powerful question, isn’t it?

Instead of avoiding the topic or stopping the podcast episode, ask yourself why.

Why are these emotions popping up?

Why are you potentially unwilling to listen to this episode and participate in this topic this month?

If your brand was on point, you would still be willing to listen, right?  No doubt your overall attitude is typically one of professional growth and being open to new ideas.  So if that's not the space you're in right now, ask yourself why.  

On the flip side, if you are listening to this episode and you're saying, "I’m all in Katrina!  I want to learn more about creating an executive brand.  I’m not pushing back.  Don’t worry about me.  That’s great news!  I desperately need the help!"  I still want you to answer the same questions but from the opposite side of the spectrum.  Why are you so willing to adjust your brand?

The point of today is two-fold:

1.  Bring you into this month’s topic.

2.  Identify any personal barriers you have created in your mind when it comes to your executive brand.  

Whether you don’t want to talk about it, due to fear, imposter syndrome, or the like, OR you want to discuss it right this second because you’re not giving yourself enough credit, we need to acknowledge where we are.

Our brains have to be ready to receive this knowledge and it can’t be closed nor can it be so open that we try every idea I share with you.  We have to find the balance before we start.

So that’s your assignment for today.  Prepare yourself to learn more over the coming weeks about creating an executive brand by identifying where you stand mentally in receiving this information and applying it.

Welcome to the third episode in the series I'm calling Performance vs. Permission.  Last week we dove into the concept of performance.  At this point, we have a clear understanding of what performance really means, who defines it, and how we actually achieve it.  If you didn’t listen to last week’s episode, go check it out because we are about to build on those concepts in today's episode.  What are we talking about today?  Permission!

Now, as a high-achieving, high-performing woman you are saying to yourself, “I don’t ask for permission.”

OK, I hear you.  I used to tell myself something similar.  

That said, let’s walk through this, shall we?

When we talk about permission here at Legend Leaders, we aren’t talking about asking an external source if we are allowed to perform a specific action or task.

Because you’re right, you don’t ask for permission from your work team, your family, etc.

However, you DO ask permission from yourself.

No one holds the bar higher than you when measuring yourself, your performance, your professional success, your personal success, etc.

You are much harder on yourself than anyone else ever could be. So if you asked the external world where the bar is, it wouldn’t even come close to how high you have already set it for yourself.  So for that reason and more, you don’t ask for permission from the world.

But because you are the one measuring your own success and performance, you have a very specific rule in your brain.

That rule goes something like, “When I achieve THIS, when I get to THIS place, when I have THIS title, when I’m making THIS much money, when I’m having THIS much impact, when I get to THIS place, then I will allow for these other things in my life.”

That’s what permission looks like for us.

We set the target and we refuse to waiver until we hit it.

Most likely, you’ve been sacrificing a large percentage of your personal life up to this point.  You have worked early mornings, late nights, weekends, vacations, etc.  You do that and you justify it by saying, “I just can’t sit still, this is who I am.”

Let me be clear.  This is who you are making yourself be because you refuse to give yourself permission to be any other way.  This is not WHO you truly are, this is who you MUST be to get to where you want to be in life.

This sacrificial mindset exists to ensure you perform so that once you hit a personally defined mark of performance, THEN and only THEN will you give yourself permission to be anything otherwise.

Do you understand the concept of “permission” as a high-achieving executive leader?

Last week we kicked off this mini-series by defining the 4 Ps and how they work together.  This month we are diving into phase 2 of the 4 Ps: Performance vs. Permission.

Let me ask you, what is performance really?  What do you think about when you hear the word “performance?”

I would wager a guess that for you, the word performance is almost synonymous with the word success.

You are performing in order to be successful.  

What I want you to catch here is that performance actually generates success, they are not one and the same.  You cannot assume that performance means success.  

This may sound silly that I am driving this point home but this is a big deal.

Many top performers assume that their performance and success are synonymous.  

The reality is that if you perform FIRST, you reap the benefits of that performance, which is success.

Why does that matter?

Because many times we’re not successful.  We believe are doing what we think we must do, yet we aren’t experiencing the internal confidence or outward signs of praise and appreciation that align with success.  We wonder why we aren’t successful because after all, we are doing something.

The key here is that while we are doing something, we aren’t actually performing.

Performing at the executive level means we are execing correctly.  It means we have created a strong executive brand by learning exactly what the company needs from us, and how the organization defines value, and we are showing up each day to add value to the company.  Each day.

Execing correctly is adding daily value. When we add daily value, we are performing as expected in our executive role.

When we perform, then we are successful.

Are you with me?

Don’t confuse performance with success.

Don’t confuse action with performance.

You must exec correctly to truly perform as an executive.  And when you do that, you get to move to the next P, which we will discuss next week: permission.

Last month on the Legendary Leaders podcast we focused on phase 1 of the 4 P's, Promotion vs. Preparation.  This month, we are moving into phase 2 of the executive success pathway which is Performance vs. Permission.

Did you just go, "Performance vs. Permission, what in the world is that?"

If you did, I get it.

I get it because I’ve lived it and I have helped a large number of other super-talented executive women move through this as well.  

The reality we are facing together this month is that performance is a requirement that must be met before we give ourselves permission to live the life we want to live.

Take a second to digest that if you need to.

If we don't feel like we are performing professionally, we withhold our personal permission to enjoy a date night, self-care routines, weekends off, etc.

The 4 P’s here at Legend Leaders is the defined pathway we follow to get the life we want to live.  So let’s spend this month diving into and defining what performance actually means, what permission actually means, why both are critical to our professional lives, and then how it directly influences and impacts our personal lives.

Next week we are diving into the concept of performance.

This month we are talking through the concept of promotion vs. preparation and why these two concepts must be understood and applied if we want to create a high-performance executive brand as a new executive.  Today we are solving the conundrum of what we feel like are competing forces: promotion vs. preparation.

As a high-performing, high achieving, female leader, you are either in two situations right now.

1. You’re newly promoted and you are suddenly realizing through this promotion that you are not prepared.  When you’re not prepared you can’t do what?  You can’t perform.

We must perform!  So we need to prepare to exec correctly, i.e., perform at the executive level.  

How?  

By learning the methods and strategies of successful executive leadership and applying them quickly to get results.  Speed matters.  You have a small window of time to perform.  You’re career and your professional brand are depending on your ability to learn, apply, and pivot accordingly.

2. You’re on the fast track to promotion into an executive role and you are seeing the warning signs that tell you you may not be prepared to exec.  So you are looking around, telling yourself you will sacrifice even more of your time for your career right now because you cannot afford to screw this up.  Speed of both learning and applying your new learnings are critical for you because there are only so many hours in the day and you can only run on fumes for so long before you burn out.

This month we are talking through the very real stages of "promotion vs. preparation" in our executive careers and why understanding and acting on each of these components is critical if we want to create a high-performance executive brand.  Last week we dove into the concept of "promotion."  Today is all about acts of preparation.

Why must we prepare to exec correctly?

The short answer is, being an executive requires leadership skills, actions, attitudes, and mindsets that we haven't learned or applied up to this point in our careers.  Executive leadership is very different than middle management leadership.

Now I know you want to say that you have mad skills and those skills are going to help you succeed. Let me put it to you this way.  If you are a triathlete, you must be able to swim, bike, and run, right?  In your career, you learned how to swim exceptionally well.  Learning to swim got you promoted into the executive ranks.  However, in the executive ranks, you must bike.  Swimming got you to the biking phase of the race, but you can't use the same techniques to complete the cycling portion of the race.  You'll lose.  You must use new tools and different muscles.

In general, managers are doers.  Yes, they can lead small groups of people, but they are focused on short-term plans, short-term results, and pushing the team to generate those quick wins.

Most commonly, we get promoted because we did our current job exceptionally well.  We researched, we created execution plans, we executed, we followed up, and we kept raising the bar.  It didn’t matter the project, the size of the team, or the business focus, these were the steps that when done properly and consistently, lead to promotions time and time again.

Now notice I didn’t say: emotional intelligence training, mastering influence, strategic planning, visionary leadership, executive presence, or personal leadership.

In my career, none of those pieces of training were expected or prioritized in my development and I didn’t even know to ask for most of them because they weren’t needed in the management roles.

So if you only have 10 hours in a day to do your current job well and get results, realize that to actually do that it takes 15 hours in a day. You are already trying to get more done than you have time for.  Where would you squeeze in these developmental actions?

You would sacrifice even more of your personal time if you felt certain they were needed.  But who is telling you that you need those skills?  Who is encouraging you to learn them? Who is providing you with the training?

If the answer is no one, then we can easily see why promotion overtakes preparation in our careers.

However, we can also see why preparation is critical and why it must be prioritized.  We don’t want to spend 10 years of our lives developing our careers and then fail in the one role we were dreaming of having.

No.  We must succeed.  It’s what we do. Which means we must prepare.

To do that, you must find resources to help you with your growth.  You must learn proven strategies, constantly improve what you’re doing, and you must have someone to support you and guide you along the way.

Check out The Executive Way as a solution to this gap.

As a high-achieving female corporate executive, today's topic should be one you are very familiar with: promotion.  No doubt you have been promoted multiple times throughout your career and you are either about to move into the executive ranks or you have done so in the past year.

Now let's get honest with each other for a second.

Because we have experienced it, we believe we have a good understanding of what promotion is; the advancement of our careers.  Right?

Promotion is the progression of our compensation and title to match our professional growth and contribution.

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I was on the promotion pathway, I didn’t feel like I was doing a lot of growing.  Or, at least a lot of growth that would help me perform well in the future.  Yes, I was growing into the person I needed to be for my current role or my "job" at the time; however, I wasn't growing my executive leadership skillsets.

What about you?

As is common in most operational positions, I got promoted because I did my current job exceptionally well.  Similar to you, I researched, I created execution plans, I executed, I followed up, and I kept raising the bar.  It didn’t matter the project, the size of the team, or the business focus, these were the steps that when done properly and consistently, lead to my promotions time and time again.

The rule is: perform in your current job to keep advancing.

Advancing was my focus.  I wanted to get out of the trenches and into the driver's seat.  I watched other leaders in their executive roles. They strolled into meetings, asked hard questions, gave directions, and went on with their day.

That sounded like a dream!  I wanted to be promoted to that.  I wanted my life to be easier.

I thought the only way to get there was to earn it.  So "earn it" is what I did.

Does this sound familiar?

Are you focused on the concept of “earning it?”

Know this, with your focus on promotion and "earning it"  combined with the company’s primary desire of getting maximum value out of you and getting results, no one is going to intentionally prepare you for the executive role.

If you're not asking for the preparation and prioritizing it, you're not going to get it.

When we are focused solely on promotion, we are focusing on our “jobs” not our careers.

To get what we want, we must be able to execute our jobs and prepare for our careers.

Today I want you to think about where you are in your career.  Are you a new executive or do you want to be?

How do you shift from promotion to preparation?

What key aspects of professional growth must you experience to create your executive brand?

Welcome to 2023!  We are kicking off the year by discussing the concept of promotion vs. preparation.  

Why must this be understood and overcome as a new executive if we want to create a high-performance executive brand?

It takes women on average 10 years to get promoted to an executive seat.  

That’s 10 years of doing what?

Focusing on the next promotion.  We are constantly given advice to “get really good at the job we are in because that’s the fastest way to get promoted.”

We are told at every turn and angle: excel where you are to get ahead.

So what do we do?  We focus on the job at hand.

We focus on the concept of promotion, not preparation.

I have found, through both my own experience as well as supporting other amazing women, that when we set our sights on that executive role, 

the one that was going to make our lives easier, 

the one where we said, “When I get there, I will have it all and then be able to do it all,” 

the one we believe is the answer to our prayers, 

the answer to the late nights, early mornings, the personal sacrifices, and the damage we have done to the relationships we say we care so much about.

That executive position is not just the career success we have been seeking but the life balance we have been longing for.

To get into that executive seat makes all of those sacrifices worth it.

That’s what we tell ourselves.

But when we get there, what happens?

It’s not the answer to our prayers.

Why?

Because we didn’t prepare. 

We were so focused on a promotion we didn’t ask ourselves what we would need to change, learn, or grow into in order to exec correctly.

And now 10 years' worth of career execution, sacrifices, and personal brand development is at risk because we haven’t prepared.

That’s what this entire month is about on the Legendary Leaders podcast.

We are going to spend time really understanding the “why” behind this concept and then we can quickly do about it as a means of not only saving our brand but creating our executive brand.

It’s the last Wednesday of the year and you have done a tremendous amount of work this month to ensure that 2023 is the best year yet!  You've been kicking butt in "Preparation Season" and I’m beyond proud of you!  You are on the very last step to building the correct plan and proper momentum to hit January 1st with some speed!  It's time to set your milestones and start taking action!

Now, if you're getting a bit nervous or feeling some hesitation, let's go through why you're ready to go!  You have created a crystal clear picture of what you achieved in 2022.  You now have clarity on what you want to achieve in 2023, why achieving your targets is a must, and any resources/support/help you need in order to get there.

Everything has been defined at a high level.  Because you have your overall endpoints or goals, you now need to create the milestones you will achieve along the way that will ultimately lead to our endpoints.  Today you will drill it down and decide what you need to deliver each quarter in order to celebrate the achievement of your targets next year.

It’s Preparation Season!  We are going to make this next year THE BEST YEAR of our lives.  How do we do that?  You've been working through it if you have been listening to the previous episodes. Last week you assessed how you did this year.  You also determined why you got the results you delivered.  No judgment.  No harsh words to yourself about yourself if you didn’t hit the mark.  Definitely, some celebration and reward for showing up, right? Now it's time to look forward and cast your vision for 2023.

That means it's time to establish a clear definition of what 2023 will be so that we know exactly what we will be celebrating this time next year.  It’s time to set your targets for the next 12 months.

What is the process?

First, allow yourself to dream.  You can’t create BHAGs (big, hairy, audacious goals) if you don’t dream big.  So don't hold back.  Don't play small.  Set your goals.

To do that, answer this question:  It’s 12 months from now and you and I are having a great conversation.  I ask you, how did this year go for you, and you say, “It was the best year of my life, Katrina!”

Awesome!

Now tell me why. What are all of the things that you accomplished in your professional life and your personal life?

Now that you have that list of goals, I want you to tell me, what would it mean to you if you hit these targets this year?

What would it mean to your family if you hit these targets?

Last but not least, answer this question: What type of support, community, and accountability would you need in order to reach your goals?

It's time to set your goals/targets.  It's time to get clear.

It’s time to BELIEVE!