Tips for EA Professional Growth and Recognition

Angling for that next promotion? Most of the high achievers I coach over-index on solo strategies to get ahead: taking all the classes, accepting every assignment, working crazy hours to prove their dedication. That stuff can be helpful, but what they typically deprioritize (or avoid like the plague) is the interpersonal piece of the puzzle: building relationships and communication channels for mutual support and growth. Here are some often-neglected interpersonal approaches to lay the foundation for your next role: -Proactively seek feedback: Request input from your superiors and incorporate feedback to enhance your performance. Most people don’t know how to give effective feedback, so be specific about what you’re seeking and make it easy for them to give it to you. -Keep people in the loop: Clearly articulate your ideas, share progress updates, and communicate your achievements. While you may feel your accomplishments should speak for themselves, most people are too busy to be paying much attention. Expect to have to champion your results to get them on others’ radar. -Build a strong network: Cultivate relationships across the board, be it peer-to-peer, superiors, and industry influencers, to expand your opportunities. This isn’t sleazy schmoozing; seek to show up authentically, add value, and prepare to invest in these relationships for the sake of the relationships themselves. Any professional growth that might result is just the cherry on top. -Invite a mentor: Find someone who can provide guidance and support and advocate for your professional growth - then explicitly invite them to mentor you. Trying to go it alone is an overused and limiting strategy for many high achieving ICs, and a lot of folks point to a “mentor” who doesn’t even know they’ve been designated as such. TLDR: By seeking feedback, communicating effectively, building a strong network, and seeking mentorship, you’ll build a strong foundation for growth ahead (and probably make some great new friends along the way.) #leadership #growth #learning #development #relationships #peopleskills #coaching

I want to share a valuable tip that has proven instrumental in my career growth: creating an ongoing documentation of your accolades, projects, and accomplishments. In the hustle and bustle of our professional lives, it's easy to lose track of the significant contributions we make on a daily basis. From completing projects to hitting milestones, impacting organizations, and mentoring or leading teams, each achievement deserves recognition and documentation. Why is this documentation essential? It serves as a powerful tool during performance reviews. When your boss asks what you've accomplished, having a comprehensive record at your fingertips ensures that your contributions are acknowledged and valued. It's all too common to overlook our successes amidst the daily grind and burnout. Don't let your hard work go unnoticed simply because you haven't kept track of it. Moreover, maintaining a record of your achievements is invaluable when updating your resume or preparing for interviews and promotions. It provides concrete evidence of your capabilities and highlights your impact within your organization. As someone who understands the importance of documentation firsthand, I encourage you to start or continue this practice. Your future self will thank you for it. #careeradvice #interviewtip #recruitment #careergrowth

Trust is hugely underrated in career growth. 📈 When people trust you, they advocate for you and invite you onto promotion-worthy projects. Here are a few practical ways you can build trust: 🤝 Focus on your work and crush it. It's easy to try to tackle the world or get side-tracked with side projects. 🤝 Make sure people know you crushed it! I will never stop being an advocate for SELF-PROMOTION. Don't expect other people to notice—or to shout you out! That would be awesome (and let's please do that for our colleagues), but YOU are responsible for making sure people are aware of your great work. 🤝 Positively contribute to company culture. I tell my college students, "No one will hire you because you're great at building culture, but they will retain you and promote you for it." Be good at your job, but also be good at influencing, encouraging, and building teams. 🤝 Proactively share updates about your work. I call this "communicating confidence." My former fractional CMO Jeff Loeb calls it "demonstrating you have two hands on the steering wheel." If you're not updating your boss on how things are progressing, what you've achieved, etc., that is low-key decreasing trust. No communication often comes across as no movement. 🤷♀️ Any other ways you've built trust with your leadership & other teams? Share away, friends! 👇 #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerGrowth

"Hard work does speak for itself, but it often whispers." In the realm of professional growth, we often hear that hard work speaks for itself. But what if it whispers? In our lightning-fast worlds, the voice of your hard work can sometimes fade into the background, overshadowed by louder, more "now" demands of our daily routines. But there’s a powerful truth in the quiet persistence of your efforts. Hard work *absolutely* lays the foundation for success, but its voice is benefited by a stage to resonate. Here are a few ways to build that stage: 📝 Document Your Success: In the #digital age, your journey isn't just witnessed in real-time; it's recorded for posterity. Take the time to document your achievements, projects, learning and milestones. This isn’t just about keeping a record; it’s about crafting your narrative in the professional world. Whether it's a successful project, a challenging task you overcame, or new skills you've acquired, make it visible. Many orgs have internal tools to help with this. Learn about yours, and use them frequently. Platforms like this one are also great for this, bringing your network along to see and celebrate your growth. 🌱 Nurture Relationships and Build Advocates: Success is NEVER a solo act. The relationships you cultivate can become amplifiers of your hard work. Invest in your network [internal & external] by offering support, sharing knowledge, and celebrating others' achievements. You not only build a community of like-minded professionals, but also foster relationships with "co-advocates" - sharpening and elevating each other's perspectives. 🔍 Strategic Visibility: Being visible isn’t about being the loudest in the room; it’s about being present in the conversations that matter. Engage with your industry- share thought leadership, participate in relevant discussions, be a learn-it-all, AND share insights that reflect that learning and dedication. [#LearnTeachLearn] This strategic visibility is another way to ensure that your hard work doesn’t just whisper; it resonates. 🔄 Embrace the Power of Reflection: Take time to reflect on your journey, the obstacles you've overcome, and the milestones you've achieved. In business, AND in life. This reflection isn’t an exercise in self-congratulation; it’s about being clear on the value of your life experience, your work and how they've shaped your perspective and path. These understandings fuel resilience, motivation, and a clearer vision for the future. This is part of your narrative, you should know it and own it. 🏗️ Again, hard work is the foundation, but there are strategies we employ to amplify its voice that really help shape our narrative. Document, nurture , engage strategically, and reflect. What am I missing here? #HardWork #ProfessionalGrowth #Networking #CareerDevelopment #GrowthMindset