1. Be more visible

- Now is not the time to go missing

2. Be more transparent

- i.e. the complete opposite to what most leaders do in changing times

3. Be more communicative (a lot more)

- If you’re not communicating, then the rumour mill will go into overdrive

4. Be more sensitive

- Remember: you’re leading people not machines

5. Be more available

- People need more access to you during change so stop hiding in your office or in pointless meetings

6. Be more nimble

- You need to be light on your feet to adjust to a changing environment

7. Be more courageous

- It’s time to lead by example and step outside your comfort zone

8. Be more selfish

- You can’t help others if you’re not looking after your own needs

9.  Be more generous

- In sharing your time, praise, ideas and contacts

10. Be more open to contradictions

- Like this list, managing change is full of contradictions

11. Be more inspirational

- To handle change, your people don’t need more compensation – they need more inspiration

12. Be more authentic

- Open, honest and sincere leadership is what will gain the trust and committment of your people right. Without their committment, you’re in trouble

13. Be more fun

- Whilst uncomfortable, you’re not dealing with a life or death situation – so keep some perspective on things. Lighten up.

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“Focus on networking with your warm contacts first”

- hardly rocket science is it?!

Yet so many people (particularly job seekers and career changers), seem to think that networking is all about spending time with “the right contacts” (whatever that means) and connecting with “key players” (a terrible buzz word).

This ‘Person X’ is the holy grail apparently. And whilst this sounds logical and sensible in theory, in the real world it’s completely the wrong approach if you want get connected to the right people and opportunities.

Here are 5 reasons why you should focus on networking with your warm contacts rather than “the right contacts” (Person X)

1. Person X is less likely to agree to meet/speak with you straight away if you haven’t a warm relationship.

They’re busy and so they will focus their time with their warm contacts first – not you. Whereas your warm contacts (colleagues, ex-colleagues, friends, family) are much more likely to agree to meet with you – and in turn possibly introduce you to Person X or an equivalent contact.

2. Person X is less likely to go out of their way for you

They won’t make calls, send emails or chase their contacts to help you – simply because they haven’t the relationship or loyalty to you in order to justify it.

Their loyalty and time will be spent on furthering their own interests and the interests of their warm contacts. Again, something which your warm contacts and friends are more likely to do if you spent more time with them instead of lusting after Person X.

3. You’ll resist making the call to Person X

It’s a natural instinct – you know Person X can definitely help you move forward, but you resist contacting them and resist asking directly for help because you’re relationship may have lapsed or you may not know them too well. So it’s far better to focus on your warm contacts (who you’ll find it easier to contact) and ask for their help in connecting you to Person X or a similar person.

4. Person X will be much more receptive if you’re introduced (or re-introduced) via a warm contact of yours

That email introduction you ask your warm contacts to make provides a seal of credibility that opens the door to Person X far quicker than if you approach person X direct. So focus on your relationships with warm contacts first – not because you want contacts from them – but just because their you’re warm contacts.

5. Spending time with your warm contacts is a lot more fun

As I’ve mentioned before, your networking should be effortless. In order to be yourself and get results, it should be something you enjoy rather than resist and overly stress about.

So make it easy on yourself by spending what precious time you have with people you enjoy being with. Be clear and open about what your needs are so that they’re best placed to help you – and, if possible, introduce you a Person X type individual.

See, I told you it wasn’t rocket science. I bet you knew all of this stuff already didn’t you?

So why are you spending all that time thinking and chasing after Person X when all the contacts you need are sitting in your diary and mobile phone?

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By the way, if you’re struggling to find job opportunities with the help of your network, you may want to take a look at our instantly downloadable audio programme “How To Get A Job Using Your Network.”

You’ll discover the complete step by step process for tapping into the ‘hidden job market’ and dramatically speeding up your job search with the help of your network (even if you think you don’t know many people). For further details, click here.

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Whenever you attempt anything worthwhile, you’ll often have more disbelievers than you will have believers.

Whether you decide to transform your business and your team, decide to change careers and pursue your passion, commit to starting a new business venture, choose to become a consultant or interim manager – in fact, do anything big, important or different and you’ll often find 3 things happen:

a) The people who you thought would support you the most – probably won’t (the support often comes from the least expected sources)

b) In fact, you’ll probably be mocked, humoured, criticized and whispered about by the very people you thought were your biggest supporters

c) You’ll consequently suffer pangs of self-doubt and question yourself, your ideas and your beliefs

Will this hurt? - Yes

Is that a good reason not to attempt anything worthwhile? - Hell no!

Don’t let the naysayers put you off. Some of critics knock you because, at a subconscious level, they feel threatened. They don’t feel confident enough to do something significant with their own lives or careers – so they do the easy thing instead: take cheap shots at you.

Instead, here are 5 rules to follow:

1. Develop a thick skin

If you want to achieve big things, make a difference and have no regrets in 20 years’ time, expect every Tom, Dick and Harriet to pop out of the woodwork and tell you (or everyone around you) that you’re a complete nutter. That you need to check if the light bulb in your head is still working.

But just remember that at some point in their hugely successful careers, everyone thought Michael Jackson, Richard Branson, Leonardo Da Vinci and Thomas Edison were all nutters too. They too were criticized, ridiculed and laughed at when attempting something big or new.

Yet between them they’ve created the most innovative music, business and art in history. Oh, and also invented the light bulb too!

So who’s laughing now?

2. Hold your nerve

Your friends and family will tell you that it’s a fact: “the economy is just awful”, that you’re bound to fail just like their friend ‘Tommy’ who did something similar and fell flat on his face.

Well, you’re not Tommy – so stop listening to the noise and stay focused on your goal and what you need to do to make it happen. And by the way, here’s an actual fact: the majority of firms on the current Fortune 500 list began in recessionary times. So don’t let the naysayers scare you.

3. Keep your eye on the prize

Be agile and open to new paths, but don’t lose sight of where you’re trying to get to. Don’t let the critics and naysayers put you off – stay focused on the goal and why you want to get there.

4. Find new friends and new peers

The people we hang out with have a huge impact on where we end up.

So if you are looking to make a change and find that your current peer group is overly critical and unsupportive, find new people who are much more on your wavelength.

5. Develop an “I’ll show them” attitude

If you’ve ever played team sports (football, netball, cricket etc), you’ll know that one of the best ways to deal with critics is to develop a siege mentality – a “screw them – we’ll show them!” attitude.

The same applies in your career when you’re looking to do great things.

Sometimes you’ve got to just stick two fingers up to people (metaphorically speaking of course), dig your heels in and do what you believe in your heart and soul is the right thing to do. Interestingly when you do start doing the above, you’ll often find the critics and naysayers go away and start heckling someone else.

Just think how different the music industry be if Michael Jackson stopped had making music because people called him a wacko? And how different his legacy would now be if it were not for the unique style of music and dance which he created – inspite of the critics.

Life isn’t a popularity contest – and neither is your career. We’re here to create waves not a few splashes – so don’t let a few critics put you off attempting something you truly believe in.

Be strong, hold your nerve and stay focused. Even if things don’t immediately turn out as planned, you’ll have all the lessons, ideas and stories to create your own legacy. Something you don’t get by listening to the critics….

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Next week I’ll be at the Vitality Show at London’s Earls Court to offer career advice to visitors as part of the Career Shifters Career Advice Clinics.

The Vitality Show is the UK’s largest health, beauty, fitness and well being event. And this year is host to the annual One Life Live event which is the biggest  annual UK event for individuals looking to make major changes in their life. Featuring a range of workshops, seminars and specialist career advice, it’s a unique event for anyone facing a big career decision.

So if you’re interested in shifting careers, taking a career break, starting a business and want some advice, come along to the free career advice clinics where you’ll be able to book a 15 minute session to get advice from some of the UK’s leading career coaches.

The career clinics run for all 4 days – Thursday 18th March to Sunday 21st March.

I’ll be running clinics on the following dates / times:

So if you are visiting the show next week, drop by and say hello!

For more details about the event and tickets click here.

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The clear message in ‘Drive’ is something which most of us have always known intuitively -- that money does not motivate people in the work place in the long term.  But us Pink explains in the book (and in the video clip below) there is now a raft of scientific research that backs up what we’ve already known.

So why do so many employers and business leaders get obsessed with trying to motivate people via the old fashioned carrot and stick approach hey…?

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In case you missed any of the posts, below is a quick summary. Just click through to read the post.

1.  The Number One Rule For LinkedIn Users

2.  Increasing The Number of Connections On LinkedIn

3.  How Well Must You Know Someone Before Connecting?

4.  Three Rules For Connecting With People You Don’t Know

5.  How To Get High Quality Recommendations On LinkedIn

6. Tips On What To Write In Your Status Updates

7.  What To Write In Your LinkedIn Profile When Job Searching

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Not because the other search channels were ineffective – but because in a tight job market a much larger proportion of roles are being filled by employee referral programmes and direct hiring from firms rather than recruiters and job sites. An abundance of candidates, smaller recruitment budgets and slimmed down HR teams (who manage and process applicants) being the main reasons.

Over the last few months he has made some progress – but hasn’t secured a job offer despite is impressive resume / CV. This is largely (in my opinion) due to the fact that he has been searching mainly via recruiters and job sites (i.e. the complete opposite to what I suggested) and so faces huge competition for a smaller pool of positions.

When we met 4 months into his search, I suggested he changed his approach to focus much more time and energy on networking and less time and energy applying to the same recruiters and job adverts that every other lawyer in town is applying to.

He told me that I was wrong.

That the legal world was different to other sectors. Busy lawyers don’t have time to network apparently and so my advice wasn’t relevant to him.

How stupid of me. What do I know anyway, I’m only the career and recruitment guy right? If I’d listened to my parents when I was younger and become a clever lawyer like a good Indian boy then I’m sure I would have known better….

….sorry, I digress – let me carry on with the story:

In response to this, I gave him some very direct feedback and some Sital style straight talk coaching to get him to open his mind and change his approach. I also shared some simple practical steps to take along with some client success stories to inspire him.

After much discussion and debate (why do lawyers want to debate everything…?), he reluctantly agreed to put some of my suggestions into practice.

Fast forward to a week after that conversation when he contacts me for help and advice on finalising an upcoming interview.

“An interview…??” I ask.

Yes, an interview for a role within the in house legal team of  prestigious firm (..in fact an award winning legal team that he would LOVE to work with).

It’s initially a 12 month contract as the firm cannot officially recruit due to redundancies and cost cutting across the organisation. But they have some issues that need resolving along with a much slimmed down team and so the department head created the just role for him based on his specialised expertise.

Which means there is no competition for the role, no recruiters to deal with, no HR involvement and no bureaucratic interview process. Just one interview with the decision maker and hopefully an immediate start assuming all goes well at the interview.

…and where did this wonderful opportunity come from you ask? That thing lawyers don’t do – networking!

That’s right, a contact of his approached the legal head on his behalf after a chance meeting at a conference (…so lawyers aren’t THAT busy then hey?).

I resisted the urge to say “I told you so” and instead point both him and you towards some lessons from this story:

The Lessons:

1. There are plenty of problems out there to solve

As I mentioned in a previous article titled “3 Ways To Find Consultancy Work”, most firms don’t have big recruitment budgets right now – but they have lots of problems to contend with. And consequently need solution providers.

2. Organisations need solution providers – consultants, interim managers and contractors

Organisations are currently stretched – they’re operating with fewer people whilst trying to maintain market share, grow revenues and (for some firms) deal with increased regulatory controls.

With the continued pressure on costs and a shaky path to economic recovery, the safe bet is to hire contractors/interim managers and consultants who can help take the pressure off – yet not be a cost burden if there is another dip in the market.

3. They find these people via their network

With the pressure on costs and the abundance of talent in the market place, firms are reluctant to spend money on recruiters and head hunters unless they have to. They instead prefer to source talent directly or via employee referral programmes.

So if you’re spending the majority of your time applying to online ads and chasing up recruiters, you’re missing out on a heap of potential roles.

At the same time, as my legal client found out, there are roles out there that have not even been created – and often get created because a hiring manager meets a someone they can trust – an ex-colleague or a recommendation from someone they trust and know.

You don’t find these opportunities by sitting in front of your computer for 6 hours a day ‘job searching.’

4. Don’t make assumptions or underestimate the power of your network or the people you know

Networking does not necessarily mean hanging out at fancy cocktail parties exchanging business cards.

Networking is all about relationships. And relationships are based on conversations. Regardless of how busy they are, everyone I know has conversations with people they know (online and offline).

Lawyers have wives, husbands, partners, tennis partners, university friends, neighbours, golfing friends, financial planners, cousins, etc. In fact so do people in every other profession.

So everyone has the ability to connect you to people and opportunities – but only if a) you invest in that relationship and b) they know how to help.

So never underestimate the power of your network and the people they in turn know.

5. We all need some ‘tough love’ at times

What my legal client needed was a gentle ‘kick in the pants’ to get him to reconsider his failing job search strategy and some ideas on taking a new approach. He needed someone that cared enough about his success to have an honest and slightly uncomfortable conversation with him so that he could start moving forward.

How about you? Are you surrounded by lots of agreeable types or people who are willing to challenge you and show some ‘tough love’ in order to help you move forward..? A gentle nudge to help you step out of your comfort zone and network much more than you are now.

I am not for a minute suggesting that you don’t utilize the services of recruiters and job sites.

What I am suggesting is that you search via multiple search channels approach job search whilst placing a strong emphasis on networking.

I don’t know whether my legal client will be successful in securing the role – and indeed whether the role will be right for him. But I do know that he now clearly understands the value of his network.

That value and that lesson will stay with him for life - not just for his immediate job search.

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Questions: If I’m job searching, what should I put in my LinkedIn profile?

Answer: Here are 10 tips:

1. If you’ve been made redundant, don’t write “looking for a job.” Factually it may be true, but it smacks of desperation and isn’t the first impression you want to give to recruiters and contacts coming to your page.

Focus instead on telling the reader what you can do, what you can offer and who you can help by following the 9 tips below:

2. Don’t define yourself simply by your previous job titles (it limits the potential opportunities)

3. Define the target sectors, the kind of problems you can solve and the value and benefits you’ve a track record of delivering (it will open you up to different possibilities)

4. Make sure you state job titles (recruiters search using titles and so to come up on searches quote the type of key words and titles you think they’d put into search)

5. Notice how this list is full of contradictions (there’s no hard and fast rules. I’m simply sharing my experience and opinions – so make up your own rules and test them)

6. Test, try, edit, evaluate (now rinse and repeat)

7. Make the profile more than two lines please

8. But don’t tell me your life story

9. Make it slightly different or quirky from what everyone else writes on their profile (take a look at my own LinkedIn profile)

10. Be yourself. Don’t try and be different or clever by copying what everyone else writes.

Do you agree or have I got it all wrong? Feel free to share ideas or suggestions in the comments section below.

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Questions: Have you any tips on what to write in the status updates on LinkedIn?

1. Be Respectful of people’s attention

Just because your contacts agreed to connect with you on LinkedIn doesn’t mean you can spam their home page every day with irrelevant updates and self promotion.

2. Be Transparent

I often see people write a status update encouraging you to click on a link which then takes you through to some random product that they’re earning affiliate income from.

I’ve no objection to people promoting and earning affiliate income – but, like most people, don’t appreciate being misled. So be transparent.

3. Be of Value

Before you post a status update, ask yourself: “Will my status update be of value to my network? Will it be interesting, useful, entertaining or beneficial in some way?

If the answer is “no” or “I’m not sure”, don’t post it.

4. Be personable

Whilst LinkedIn is a professional networking site, it also allows people to see what you’re doing and feel more connected to you, without having to exchange emails or phone calls.

So share what you’re up to occasionally. But again, just ensure it’s something that would be of interest or value to others.

It’s useful if you’re telling me that you’re preparing a presentation on xyz subject, doing some charity work, just leaving town for a business trip, just started reading a great book or have just found a new job.

It helps me get a snippet of what you’re doing and feel more connected to you.

But saying “I’ve just had coffee” isn’t particularly of interest to many people – so maybe leave that for Facebook status updates rather than LinkedIn.

5. Promote with caution

If you’re going to self promote or make requests for help via the LinkedIn status updates, then do it sparingly.

If the only time people ever see your status updates is when you want something or are trying to promote something, then many contacts will view you as one of those people that only calls when they want something (..you know the type of people I mean).

But if you’re regularly sharing valuable, useful, interesting updates – then when you do want something or are promoting something, most people will have no issues with it. And in fact, are more likely to try and help you because you’re someone that shares openly.

6. Protect and enhance your Personal Brand

Remember, everything you write on LinkedIn is searchable via Google and other search engines. So any client, recruiter or employer will be able to see what you’re writing. And as every time you update your status, it’s an opportunity to enhance (or indeed damage) your personal brand.

So be clear about what you want to be known for, how you want people to perceive you and ensure that your status updates enhance your personal brand rather than damaging or diluting it.

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Question: How do you get genuine, personalised recommendations on LinkedIn?

Answer: Here are 4 tips to follow:

1. Make personal requests for a recommendation via phone or face to face before sending the LinkedIn request for recommendation

2. Request results and benefits driven recommendations

3. Ask people to include comments on what they feel makes you different or unique

4. Get into the habit of giving your contacts personalised recommendations (without wanting anything back)

Have you any more tips or suggestions…? Feel free to add them in the comments box below.

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