Tips for Landing an Executive Role

If you’re an MBA clamoring for your first executive post, read on.  This interview with Bob Bradley touches on peer executive networks, career coaches, and international business.   Bob’s company, MD2MD, links up Managing Directors in the UK so that they can network and learn from peers.

LISA:   You’re an MBA with experience in several c-level positions.  For those who aspire to be a CXO, what advice can you offer?

BOB: Use the tools the MBA gives you to the fullest, but remember that they are simply that, ‘tools’ to help your understanding and provide insights.  If there were a right and wrong answer to every question, all the well qualified MBAs would identify the same best opportunity in the same best sector and use the same best people to follow the same best strategy.

That is not really how the world is, so complement the insights you get from tools by testing your thoughts with a range of personalities inside and outside your business with a range of experiences and intuitions.

And one final point.  Whilst normally the wisdom of crowds applies, there are times when the crowd is wrong and you need to lead.  If most people and tools suggest a different decision than the one you feel is right, then you should be questioning why you feel the way you do, but it doesn’t mean you are wrong.  There are times when it is right to trust your own intuition. All of my best decisions have been the ones where I was the sole voice and where I went against the crowd.  With hindsight, many of those who felt at the time I was wrong have since acknowledged that I was absolutely right and they are pleased I stuck to my guns despite the opposing pressures at the time.

LISA:    Do you recommend having an executive coach?  If so, tell us more about the value you find in coaching relationships.

BOB: Yes – you won’t find a top sportsperson who doesn’t have someone to help them develop their skills.  Why should business be different? A good coach is someone who helps you step back, work ON the business not IN it and see the wood for the trees; who helps you gain clarity and confidence; and most importantly someone who challenges you to perform at a higher level.

LISA:    What is the difference in a coach and a mentor? How can a professional find a mentor who is a good fit?

BOB: The terms are used in various ways by different people, so it is always best to clarify expectations of how it will work for both (all) parties at the outset.

The definitions I find most useful are that a coach deliberately and with great skill helps their client to develop their thinking, solely by great questioning and challenging.  They help their client to understand based on information and beliefs they already have and to reach decisions based on models they already know.  They take great care NOT to add in their own information, ideas or opinions.

In contrast a good mentor will do much the same as a coach, but will also, when they judge it appropriate introduce new information, ideas, and opinions from their own training and experience.  Similarly, they will educate their client with tools, models and analysis techniques they find useful.  Finally the mentor will usually also provide contacts and introductions where they are relevant.

What is critical to both roles is that emotional ‘ownership’ of any analysis, information and decisions is left with the client.  Neither the coach or mentor will, if they are behaving properly tell their client what to do, as to do so would disempower their client.

LISA:    When you ran the academy for chief executives, what is the one skill or experience that most executives wanted or needed?

BOB: I still run a similar group called MD2MD and I think I have to answer by saying it is not one single skill or experience, although maybe it is a single feeling.  I’ll come back to the feeling point later, so first to deal with the skill or experience point.

The main thing I found was that most executives value the ideas and thoughts of other executives far, far more than they value experts.  They value real world experience.  And if they can get a range of (often vastly differing) real world experience based advice, then that is great.  It is that very variety of views that enables a business leader to make better, more informed, more insightful decisions when the decision is, as I discussed earlier, one that has no simple right or wrong answer.

And to answer the question in another, slightly oblique way.  I do think there is a single feeling that they crave.  That feeling is the confidence that results from feeling you’re not alone.  The confidence that comes from realising that there are many other business leaders out there wrestling with similar challenges.  The confidence to do what you know to be right, expecting a lot of flak, but knowing that you’ve reviewed it with a group of peers and remain convinced it is right.

The confidence from understanding that it is in the face of tough challenges and tough opposition that the very qualities that define leadership emerge and distinguish the good from the great – in business and in life.

More than anything else I believe that the value of organisations like the Academy, like Vistage their direct competitor, like my own MD2MD or like any other peer group process is in developing and inspiring leaders to be true leaders that make a difference in the world.

LISA:    Our group loves international business.  Tell us something unique or interesting about doing business in the UK.

BOB: I’m probably playing to stereotypes here and no doubt will tread on a few toes by doing so, but having worked for and with a few US companies, the biggest difference that strikes me is the degree of cultural comfort with self confidence.

It is slightly difficult to explain, but we Brits like people to be quietly confident. I’m afraid sometimes we even like backing the underdog, but that’s another story!  What I’m getting at is that in the US, being confident in your own abilities and expressing that confidence clearly and openly is good and valued and an accepted part of doing business.

In the UK, we are, I’m afraid, a bit strange and undoubtedly a bit difficult to deal with because we operate with subtleties and hints and less directness.  Don’t misunderstand me, we do want people to be confident and to know their stuff, but we don’t like them to show that confidence too directly.

We’d much rather hear how wonderful you or your product is from someone else, and then have you say  “Oh that’s very kind of them but …” and then say something to change the subject.  To us that displays confidence by not needing to discuss yourself!.

In other words if you want to do business with a Brit, then you need someone else to provide the evidence of your capability.  If you show too much confidence yourself, you will be dismissed as …  er… am… an American!  Not that there’s really anything wrong with that of course.  It’s just that we will dismiss your confidence as just something that comes with the stereotype,  assume it is misplaced and you’ll come second to someone who displays their confidence in more indirect ways.
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Twenty years after his MBA and having run a number of major training companies, Bob now spends his time helping other business leaders become more successful leaders through his Managing Director Group MD2MD, as an independent Business Mentor near Oxford and as a non executive director.  He also has his own blog “Provoking thoughts and insights for (business) leaders”.

Smart Networking with Liz Lynch

The International Association of MBAs is all about making connections.  That’s why I was so excited to land an interview with Liz Lynch, Author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online. I met Liz a few years ago at the Texas Conference for Women.

She opened our eyes about the topic of networking.  I was captivated by her intelligence and humility.  Years ago, I bought her first product 102 Secrets to Smarter Networking. I still have it in my top desk drawer, and I review a few of the tips every month.

A lot of our members are looking for jobs and searching for meaning in our work.  You’ll see in the interview that we discussed lots of interesting career questions.  So let’s get to the good stuff.  If you like what you see in this interview, don’t forget to check out Liz’s book.  Mine is on order, and I can’t wait to receive it in the mail.

LISA: What is the most meaningful connection you’ve made for yourself or someone else?
LIZ: One of the most important connections I made actually came through the process of helping someone else connect. Five years ago, I was invited to speak on panel with a gentleman David Teten who was writing a book on online networking and looking for a publisher. At the time, I didn’t know any book publishers specifically, but I emailed my alumni group at Stanford Business School asking for help on David’s behalf. One of the responses I got back was from an alum Marcelino Elosua who ran a book publishing company in Spain and I passed that connection onto David. Marcelino and I didn’t know each other at all, but we started a conversation and kept in touch, and last year he encouraged me to write my first full-length book. That was the birth of Smart Networking.

LISA: How did networking help you prepare mentally and financially to take the leap from corporate America?
LIZ: I was a late bloomer to networking and didn’t think about it much until I left corporate America. Not until I was already in business and starting to reconnect with former coworkers, bosses and classmates, did I realize how strong of a network I already had. Nearly all of my consulting projects in my first two years of business came from those initial meetings—people either hiring me directly or referring me to those who could use my services. Had I known how helpful my network could be, I may have made the leap sooner! We all have powerful networks, we just have to know how to tap into them.

LISA: For someone in career transition, how can networking help you grow?
LIZ: If you think of your network as a support system that you can turn to for help, advice, ideas, and feedback, there are so many ways they can help you through any career transition. They can be a sounding board, helping you sort through your options and giving ideas for next steps. They can provide tactical help in the form of reviewing your resume or giving feedback on your elevator pitch. And they can make introductions to others who can help you advance your goals. You don’t have to go through a transition alone.

LISA: What is your favorite part about making new connections?
LIZ: Learning about what others do. There is so much creativity out there, and I’m always getting new ideas from and getting inspired by others. For example, earlier in the year I noticed several of my Facebook friends starting to create online videos with quick tips about their area of expertise. I asked what equipment they used and got set up to do my own videos about networking. But I wanted to put my own spin on things and decided to integrate my passion for travel. I created a video series called to “Passport to Networking” where I would film a networking tip tied to a different location in the world where I happen to be traveling. So I’ve spoken about tearing down walls in relationships from on top of the Great Wall of China and taking a “tapas approach” to networking from a tapas bar in Madrid. You can find that webisodes on YouTube at www.LizLynchTV.com.

LISA: You seem to have found your life’s purpose.  Can you offer some ideas for using your own network to discover passion and purpose?
LIZ: I think passion and life purpose has to bubble up from within. You have to be willing to listen to yourself and discover what you really want to do without censoring your dreams just because they may not sound doable or realistic. Once you define what you want, you can use your network to help you figure out how to get it. They can give you feedback on your business model and positioning, recommend resources to help you move forward, and help spread the word to help you get clients once you’re up and running.

Thank you Liz – your wisdom will be enjoyed and shared.  I know that many others will soon be calling you the world’s best networker!

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Sugar Coating is For Kids and Grandmas

Susan Young, a professional speaker, writer, and Entrepreneur of the Year is here to share her perspective on communication, personal brand, and self promotion.  Her humor and perspective will provide you with new ways to think about PR.  Public relations isn’t just for organizations.  It’s for you, so get out there and make yourself known.

LISA: The topic of personal PR comes up a lot as an awkward factor for people, especially women.  How can professionals self-promote without feeling like they are bragging?

SUSAN: The key is to spend time and craft your personal commercial. Start with a 3 or 4 minute piece and pare it down into a concise and punchy 30 second promo. You want to weave in your personality, accomplishments and story so it doesn’t come across as a boring resume or a pompous speech. Once you have the written part, practice delivering it in a casual, genuine and authoritative style that complements your written words. Focus on experiences and lessons you have had that reveal highlights of your skills, talents, and goals. Think about what differentiates you from others in your field. What makes you special?

Here’s a snippet from my longer promo: “I started in the news business when I was 12 years old. I had an afternoon paper route and delivered newspapers on my bicycle in my neighborhood in Edison, NJ. When I was 17, I went to college, pretty convinced I was going to write for Rolling Stone magazine. Then I found the radio station….when I graduated I returned to New Jersey and began my radio news career. I worked in New Jersey and New York, as an on-air anchor, reporter and news director. I’ve interviewed everyone from homeless people to presidents and won awards from the AP and Broadcasters Association….

LISA: Tell us about NLP and how it can bring business results.

SUSAN: NLP is a fascinating methodology and the greatest breakthrough in communication, business and psychology since the 1970’s. Experts liken it to what Freud was to psychology. NLP is based on building rapport, sensory awareness, outcome thinking and behavioral flexibility. It’s especially important in business because it focuses on bridging communication gaps, listening, looking for similarities instead of differences and understanding how other people learn and communicate.

NLP teaches us to listen for verbal cues to determine if someone is visual, auditory or kinesthetic. Once we can determine someone else’s dominant modality, we can “speak their language” and build rapport and trust with them. For example, if a desk clerk at a hotel tends to be more auditory (using expressions like “I hear you” or “That sounds good to me”) and a customer who is complaining to her is a visual communicator (using expressions like “Do you see what I mean?”, “Do you get the picture?”) they are not speaking the same language. This makes it difficult to connect and ultimately solve the problem. NLP is used by top business leaders, politicians and athletes worldwide.

LISA: How can habitual sugar-coating-communicators bring more candor into their speech patterns?

SUSAN: It’s important to choose your words carefully. Strong leaders tend to have superior communication skills and avoid weak and “empty” words. They speak with strong and decisive language and tones. Sugar-coating is for kids and grandma’s, not successful professionals. If you want to improve your communication, I suggest two things. First, tape record yourself at home on the answering machine. Let the machine record one of your casual calls with a friend or relative. Privately critique your habits and style. Then start to truly pay attention to how your mentors and other successful people you admire communicate.

Become “Life’s Little Observer” and listen to their speech patterns, delivery, word choice and vocal vitality. Notice how they handle sticky or tense situations. You will start to develop your own style and charisma by being direct and candid. The bottom line is to communicate with confidence.

LISA: In your book, you cover the three most dangerous words people use.  Can you give us a preview of what they are and why?

SUSAN: The three most dangerous words are “I know that.” When someone says “I know that”, their minds, hearts and ears are closed. There is no room for open and engaging dialogue, feedback or conversation. Those three words completely close off and dead-end conversations. It’s virtually impossible to be receptive to anything new if your mind is shut tight. That’s a dangerous place to live.

LISA: Tell us two or three tips MBAs can use to build a personal brand in the marketplace.

SUSAN: In our competitive world, we are required to differentiate ourselves in a consistent way that’s relevant to others. You must connect your brand (values) to helping other people (potential clients). When you are relevant to others and take the focus off of yourself, they will remember you. Tie–in a catch-phrase that is memorable. For my public relations business, I always ask people “Are you the best kept secret? Well it’s time to let the cat out of the bag!” They can relate to that statement.

Whenever they see me, they think –There’s the PR lady with the “free press.” Here are a few examples: I met a cab driver in an airport in Cleveland. He gave me his card, plain white with black letters. It read: “John Simpson-Taxi Driver. No

matter where you’re going, I know the long way.” At a recent networking event I attended, a lawyer (they famously get the bad rap of billing by the hour), stood in front of a room of 100 people and said “I’m the lawyer who thinks outside the clock.”. There’s a nun in Philadelphia who dubbed herself “The Fun Nun”. On her business card is a picture of her in full habit with a huge smile. Memorable, relevant and distinctive.

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If we piqued your interest here, be sure to check out Susan’s book Communicating with Confidence: Tips and Techniques for Powerful Business Communication.

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High Altitude Leadership

Parental Advisory Warning. This interview is not for the faint of heart.  Don Schmincke is a renegade scientist, author, and leadership guru.  His top selling book, High Altitude Leadership, captures the guts and glory of climbing Mount Everest.  He and co-author Chris Warner translate lessons from the mountain to leadership in the corporate world.  I call them decidedly un-stodgy.

LISA: What prevents people from reaching top performance at work?

DON: Great question, and too many answers. Lack of motivation, recognition, cash, vision, values, good managers, great culture, supportive policies, skills, talent, systems, communication, structure, etc. My opinion? Choice and biology. Choice in that if the situation isn’t a good fit at work, then leave and find a fit. Biology due to the level of factors beyond your control where self awareness of those factors help you find that fit. For instance, jobs requiring an aggressive nature won’t work for someone without the hormones and other biochemicals for aggression.

Sure you can fake it, but it’s draining and you’ll always feel like you’re catching up to the natural players. Or, a position requiring long term strategic thinking will be impossible if your brain isn’t configured for what Dr. Elliott Jaques calls the capacity for cognitive complexity.

Physical advantages in observation, listening, and even pheromone detection vary as well, even between genders. All this is politically incorrect but scientifically accurate; often missing in MBA education. But we’ve trained 7,000 CEOs who confirm it’s right on. Also, I’ve been grilled by Lou Dobbs and a few days ago by G. Gordon Liddy, not lightweights on the controversial issues. Both find the research we do using anthropology and genetics refreshingly valuable.

LISA:  You climb mountains. Talk to us about fear – how does it impact our ability to lead?

DON: In our best-selling book High Altitude Leadership, Chris Warner and I answer this in the first chapter – particularly the Fear of Death. Fear impacts you by causing you to freeze or run, when accepting death removes fear and provides power to leaders. Companies that accepted their death became free to make decisions and create breakthroughs that sent some of them to the Fortune 500.

LISA: Many of our MBA members want to take the leap into entrepreneurship, yet they fear failure. What’s a good first step to break through with confidence?

DON: I love guest speaking at MBA programs and this question comes up a lot. First, it’s best to understand that fear of failure always exists for entrepreneurs. But out of desperation, passion, or even boredom entrepreneurs engage the high risk game of creating something new. Accepting the fear and taking it with you on the journey helps a lot. Let the excitement exceed the fear.

Confidence comes with taking the first step, then the next, then the next, . . . AND, remember that entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. I had one student who was frustrated because colleagues didn’t get the insights of my first book, The Code of the Executive, based on an ancient Samurai manuscript. I had to remind her that not everyone became Samurai. Similarly, not everyone gets to be entrepreneur. We also need good managers to help take mature business forward to higher levels. This is where a lot of entrepreneurs suck. Many eventually end up holding their companies back.

LISA:  What’s the most meaningful insight you’ve had on a climb?

DON: How to tolerate someone vomiting, and how to go to the bathroom at all angles of inclination.

LISA:  How has climbing influenced you in business?

DON: Other than vomiting and unique bathroom positions, it’s helped me learn more about myself and the level I can push myself even when my body has totally given up. Now if I can just do the same thing when my cash flow has given up.

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If you want more of Don, read the book and check out the leadership assessments on his website.

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