8 Ways To Demonstrate That You’re Invaluable and Have What It Takes To Be A Leader [Also When You Are And Want To Be An Individual Contributor]
If you haven’t lived under a rock, you’d have either already played with ChatGPT or at least heard of it. So naturally, people are worried about what it means to their role, their profession, and their industry.
Will it change things?
100%.
Will it replace humans?
No.
However, humans who are able to leverage tech and can operate new tools like ChatGPT however, will replace those who resist the change. So if you want to get on the forefront of it and not only future-proof your career but step up as a leader, you need to know how you can make yourself irreplaceable beyond your current title and credentials and this is exactly what this episode is all about. My name is Petra Zink and this is epi 88.
The first couple of months of 2023 have been jam packed. Interestingly, the increased bookings for both, corporate engagements as well as individual coaching client enrolments come from the same angle: how to ride the wave of the constant changes rather than getting crushed by it. The motivation is two-fold: companies have engaged me because of upcoming mergers or internal changes and they want to give their staff the best leg up when it comes to creating a commercial business case for themselves to stay with the business which means they need to learn how they can leverage their background, package their unique set of expertise, experience and education and use it to create value for the organisation in the market that takes the changes into consideration.
The other motivation comes from those who’re either already in one of the emerging industries or specialisations like Web3.0, crypto, SaaS partnerships, business continuity planning or AI and want to establish themselves early as the Go-To in their field.
No matter where you’re at, the approach is very similar for the most part which is why I want to walk you through so you can focus on giving yourself the best chances to succeed and make 2023 the best year yet!
So first things first: Just a reminder - True leadership is not about where your job title sits in the corporate org chart—or even what your title is. Instead, leadership is a mindset. An attitude. A set of actions and behaviours showing that your contributions extend far outside your official role description or the items on your do-list and since behaviours can be learned, you can take action today and strengthen the leadership traits of your personal brand:
Self-awareness for the win
Having worked with who knows how many hiring managers and HR teams over the years, the one struggle that has always been there and is now more prevalent than ever before is that their teams often don’t take their own initiative when it comes to creating or presenting/pitching learning opportunities, articulating career aspirations and pursue self-driven disruptions of their own role before it’s too late.
Why?
Because treating oneself as a commercial solution and authority brand that people not just want but need isn’t not something we learn at school or are overly confident with. It starts with being able to translate your background into results that can be measured, that can be articulated and that can be repeated. This is what the Trusted Authority framework is built on because in the second you realise the value you can create by solving a problem leveraging your skill and tool set, by making or saving money or by realising opportunities in the market that can be embraced by the company – you are already miles ahead of those who’re still pitching themselves with ‘having 20+ years of experience in X, being proficient in Y… you get the gist.
So start there: know what energise and what drains you in terms of tasks, people and environments. Then connecting the dots to what it is that you can bring to the table that is aligned with the company’s future vision and direction whilst also addressing the market needs. This leads us into pt 2:
Focus On the Big Picture And Ask Big Questions
Individual contributors focus on the task at hand and work to get all the items on their do-list done. But leaders think about how those tasks connect to the big picture. They dedicate themselves to solving vexing challenges that others ignore or avoid. They’re willing to speak out about things they feel are important even when they know it might spark controversy. They see the big-picture implications of what they are doing and seek to understand its impact. Sometimes this means having the courage to question authority, respectfully and with copious frontline expertise to back it up.
Focus on facts, not interpretation
The next step is to support your newly discovered value proposition with facts, not opinion or interpretation. Whilst everyone could say that video is the next best thing in marketing and can come up with ideas how an organisation can leverage it to become a market leader, when you support it with most recent research, even case studies from similar companies and show some results, numbers and facts, it’s a lot harder to argue its value and say no to your pitch.
So whatever you want to establish, bring into your role or change – back it up with facts, figures and objective claims. However, this isn’t a free pass for you to get lost in facts alone. In the end, you build credibility tjrough logic but trust through empathy and this is where our next pt comes in:
Connect and demonstrate your expertise with stories
Whilst everyone can say that video is the next best thing since sliced bread and make a business case to a business how to leverage it, everyone can picth that, not just you. Hence, to get the buy in and support, it’s important to demonstrate your expertise with this idea together with stories, experiences and case studies that are unique to you.
Think about it: who would you believe more? Someone who says ‘I’m great with videos’ or someone who shows you their YouTube channel or previous projects they worked on and can talk you through the before, after and how they got there? I know who I would choose, and I bet you would choose the same option.
Make sure though that those stories are relevant because otherwise you’re losing attention and eventually credibility quickly.
Initiate and Innovate
Remember how often entrepreneurs and leaders wait for the approval or nudge from someone else? I bet, you can’t because leaders are self-starters by definition and go before others tell you so. The same goes for you, also when you don’t have the official title (yet) but want to be treated or at least considered as one.
Don’t wait for a project, a suitable initiate, or the opportunity to get guidance to come up. Connect the dots and start the conversation also when you don’t have all ducks in a row just yet. It may be that you address a current event or opportunity that you want to bring to the table to discuss how your ideas towards it can be addressed.
I may have mentioned it in a previous episode, but I joined the career thought leaders symposium and in our first meeting in Feb, we discussed what can be done better with the yearly white paper that gets released and you bet that I had my fair share of ideas that go beyond just the white paper but addresses commercial opportunities. Did anyone ask for that? Not necessarily but which business isn’t interested in creating and leveraging further commercial opportunities? Exactly! So whilst I was still tabling a few ideas that are related to the report specifically, it didn’t end there and this is showing initiative, leadership and a more holistic and strategic thinking compared to executers who simply fulfilling the task they were given.
This is one of the areas that I work on with my private clients the most: how can we create an opportunity for their interests, strengths and future goals to come to life whilst being in line with the company’s direction? This brings me into the next pt, pt 6:
6. Be A Brand Ambassador
Being a leader means that you’re also an ambassador and a representative of your organisation, an extension of the business and its philosophies. No one resonates with company brands, but everyone looks to the people behind it which is why the rise of personal brands and building leader’s public presence is just skyrocketing and I can’t see it going away anytime soon.
So think about how you can become the spokesperson for your team and your company? What are some of the opportunities you can create that help you move yourself outside the traditional hierarchy and become known inside but also outside the organization? You guessed it!
By creating and curating content which can come in many forms: through organising and hosting internal events, posting content on relevant channels and platforms, by speaking at industry events, guesting on podcasts or participating in volunteering that are aligned with your [future] goals.
7. Sharpen Your Communication Skills
Have you ever wondered why some of your peers, less qualified and less experienced are the ones who get the promotion, get recognised and rewarded? No, it’s not because they know more than you. It’s because they can articulate themselves and their contribution more clearly, confident and effectively to the wider team.
People buy people’s competence but even more so their confidence which is why sharpening your communication skills in all shapes and formats—including writing emails, delivering powerful online presentations, listening actively and engaging in team discussions should be right up your priority list. In a couple of episodes, I will focus more on effective communication skills and if you’re listening in real time, you may even catch me on the LinkedIn live on this topic.
8. Leadership Goes Beyond Your Role
Especially in this day and age, companies are looking to hire leaders (thought, project, change and people leaders) who have established a community and a certain level of authority beyond their role and title so the best way to do that is by engaging in initiates and opportunities outside work where you can build and foster a relevant network.
It might be by join the board of an organisation to practice your consulting skills and actively seek out volunteer organisations where you can sharpen certain skills.
There you go – here are the 8 actions you can take to establish yourself a leader beyond your role, especially important if you want to build a portfolio career, start your own business or pivot directions but also future-proof yourself by making yourself irresistible.