October 5, 2010 • Volume 1, Issue 20 • ISSN: 2154-3240

In This Issue

♦	Feature Article: Leading Others Less Gifted
♦	Ask Amanda: What can I do about a new report who won't take direction and is a friend of my boss?
♦	Practical Tips: Stay Marketable

Leading Others Less Gifted

As you ascend the management ranks you move from being evaluated on your own skills to being evaluated based on how you lead and manage others. It’s a critical career turning point and one that is particularly challenging for high achievers.

From an early age we’re trained to see the world as black/white, right/wrong, and that works well when you’re learning new skills and working on tangible deliverables. However, when you’re in management, the world is gray and the “right” decision can be very subjective. You’ve gone from a world where all variables were defined to one filled with ambiguity. This can be disorienting for high achievers because the path to achievement is no longer clear.
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	Action always attracts education but education does not always attract action.

Practical Tips: Stay Marketable

With the pace of change in the corporate world it is difficult to anticipate factors that could change your job situation through no fault of your own. Proactively remain marketable by following these tips:

Articulate Your Value Appropriately
Being able to articulate your unique point-of-difference is essential for executives looking to expand their opportunities. Sharing the value you bring with others in a relevant, organic way on an ongoing basis establishes you as the “go to” person for that particular area.
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I have a new person on my team who won't take direction. He also loves to remind us that he's the boss’s golfing partner. What can I do? L.P., Ventura, CA

The fact that your new report is continually highlighting his personal relationship with your supervisor and ignoring your direction could suggest that he believes relationship trumps actual work output. Or it may mean he doesn’t need to be managed that closely.
read more

Recommended Resources

Come visit our new site! We have tools and resources to help you make your work experience better. www.takingcontrolofyourcareer.com

Suggest a topic for our next free call at www.takingcontrolofyourcareer.com You’ll find the suggestion box at the bottom of the page. November 11^th is the date of our next free call—hope you can make it!

About Us: Our Corporate Life LLC (OCL) is a company that offers a new system for reducing unnecessary workplace suffering caused by the organizational, interpersonal, and ethical issues of our time. It is founded on the belief that adhering to core human values and achieving business success are always compatible. Working with both companies and individuals, OCL helps create solutions that enable corporate employees at every level to optimize profits while enabling them to thrive in the corporate environment. OCL was founded by Amanda Mitchell to help meet the needs of people working in corporate America during this transformative moment in our nation’s history. The OCL system reflects her experience and insight gained from a 20-year corporate career working with Fortune 500 companies, and as an executive coach to senior-level corporate executives.