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Speech: Wharton/McDonough Career Management Series Zell Lurie Entrepreneurship Center (University of Michigan) 2003 Report An evaluation of 300 firms 2001 success level VS their 1996 IPO level demonstrated significant differences between the high performers and lower performers. * High performing companies focused on employee energy (involvement levels), culture and rewards, and organizational structure * Lower performing companies focused on product, technology, and venture capital firms' expectations CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT Most professionals and managers fail due to a lack of "soft skills", not because of a lack of knowledge or the requisite skills for their profession. Here are some common "soft skills" - how do you rate yourself on each? You may ask someone who has worked with you to rate you on these as well. ____ Interpersonal Skills - ability to deal with diverse range of people effectively, compassionate, and able to put others at ease ____ Self-awareness - understands own needs, behavior, strengths, issues and can compensate for them as needed. ____ Relationship-builder - develops and maintains effective relationships and can mend damaged ones ____ Written communications - writes clearly and effectively ____ Oral communications - speaks clearly and effectively, presents well ____ Listening skills - listens and understand others effectively ____ Initiative - self-starter, quick study, 'does what it takes' ____ Flexibility - able to deal effectively with change and ambiguity ____ Customer Service - desire and ability to understand and meet customers' needs ____ Coping skills - able to handle difficult situations and people, deals with conflict effectively. ____ Commitment, motivation - long-term view of actions, ethical ____ Resourceful - enlists others in success, identifies and obtains needed resources to effectively achieve goals. ____ Teamwork - works well with others to achieve desired results ARE YOU ACTIVELY PURSUING YOUR OWN CAREER GROWTH? Have you completed a SWOT analysis on yourself? In doing such an analysis, consider both the specific skills required by your chosen field and the key 'soft skills' most organizations seek. What are your development goals? What are you doing actively to achieve them? Prepare (or review existing) short and medium term career goals. - what do you really want to doPREPARATION EXERCISES Summary statement From a viewpoint 4-5 years in the future, write 2-3 sentences that describe you Develop 6-7 'success stories' These stories can be used to identify your strengths - and later to answer interview questions. Each story should briefly tell: The situation you were inTest your own self -assessments Use others whose advice you value to help you "product-test" your self-assessments. Identify those who can help in each area. Best skills you offerWhat do you read? Look at what your normally read. How does this influence your career progression? How do you use the information you are learning? Business/trade publications?What have you learned and put into practice or done new in the past year? How can you use this? What does it tell you about your skills? On the job:USING THE INTERNET The best use of the Internet in career progression or job search is research. If you are looking for a new job: research an organization and decide your interest before you approach it, tailor your resume and approach, and prepare for interviews. Questions you might try to address include organization goals and values, current stage of success, business media coverage of new plans or changed circumstances. Some examples include: What is the strategy?PLANNING FOR AN INTERVIEW 1. What do you need to know to assess your ability to succeed in this position? 2. Where and how can you obtain the information you need? 3. What information do you already have? 4. What do you need to learn to have the information you need? 5. How will you obtain the information? READING LIST IDEAS The Hungry Spirit by Charles Handy Who Really Matters by Art Kleiner The Joy of Success by Susan Ford Collins Don't Stop the Career Clock by Helen Harkness Unstuck by Keith Yamashita &Sandra Spataro Patricia A. Frame is the founder of the consulting firm Strategies for Human Resources. We design and develop effective human resource management practices and programs which are directly relevant to achieving your organization's goals. Our solutions are tailored to your organization, based on best practices, and are simple to maintain without continued consulting support. More information on Strategies for Human Resources can be found at SHRinsight.com. ® Strategies for Human Resources, 2005, patricia@SHRinsight.com |
