Career Leadership: Proven Strategies to Stand Out at Work === Introduction and Greetings --- ​ [00:00:00] Donna Serdula: hey, Isaiah. Isaiah Hankel: how you doing? I'm doing fine. How are you doing? Doing good. Doing good. The Concept of Green Rooms --- Isaiah Hankel: I, uh, we were just talking about green rooms and, uh, and Donna Serdula: physically in a green room? Isaiah Hankel: they painted it green too. Yeah. Some sometimes, Donna Serdula: Do they really? Isaiah Hankel: like a little small room right before the stage. It's like green. I don't know. I mean, I think it's just, I don't know how it got its name, the green room, but it's always nice when there is one. if you can be in there like by yourself before you go on, if there's a lot of people there, it's, it's, it's It can be, uh, I don't know. It's like has the opposite effect for me. Like I'm not trying to network before I go on stage. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to say. Some people care though. Donna Serdula: I've, I've been on a lot of stages and yet never, never a green room. Isaiah Hankel: actual green room. Well, have Donna Serdula: Never. Yeah, never actually. Ah, Isaiah Hankel: not painted green? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You've probably been Donna Serdula: I'm just, I'm sort of like in the lobby. I'm on the wings. Isaiah Hankel: just a Donna Serdula: never, [00:01:00] I've just never been in a situation where there's like, you know, uh, a room for talent. I love the idea. I just. Because it was not painted green. I had no idea. You know, that could, that could be. All right. How to Stand Out at Work --- Donna Serdula: So I found an article. Isaiah Hankel: Okay. Donna Serdula: I found an article on Fast Company, how to be more memorable at work and get a promotion. Isaiah Hankel: I'm Donna Serdula: I mean, it's, it's, it's, This, this has career leadership written all over it, doesn't it? So, um, if you want to, uh, if you want to stand out at work and get ahead, you'll need to become more memorable to your manager. And here's how to do it. And like, I think there's, I think there's a lot of truth to that. You need to be seen, you need to be known, you need to be memorable. These are all, I think, in order to see advancement in one's career. Those are pretty strong pieces. Would you agree? Isaiah Hankel: I do agree. Actually, this is a great topic. Cause I, I just talked [00:02:00] to somebody yesterday who was asking this question because things are getting tight at their company. So like, how can, what can I do? And I think it comes Donna Serdula: Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: but I want to let you finish your points first. Cause I'm interested. Donna Serdula: All right. Becoming a Memorable Employee --- Donna Serdula: So here's, here is the first point is. Become a concept, become a concept, which is staying in other people's mind is actually the hardest and you have to get there in the first place. And so what they said is they have a problem. They have a problem to meet. They need to know who can meet that. And that's being the concept. So Isaiah Hankel: I love that. Donna Serdula: the answer to their questions or their needs, you know, being that problem solver, but almost more specifically within like some core areas. So, so I think that makes, I think that makes a lot of sense. Isaiah Hankel: I jumped into my head when you said that as a, I read this in a book, I don't know what it is, but it talked about how McDonald's Like if people see a breakfast, like a Burger King breakfast commercial, they [00:03:00] think, Oh, I should really go to McDonald's and get McDonald's breakfast. Like, it doesn't matter what commercial they see on, because they were the originators or like, they became the concept of like breakfast sandwiches that if Donna Serdula: Yeah, Isaiah Hankel: a commercial, they think McDonald's instead. Donna Serdula: well, that's, that's a really good point because they actually say that later on down the line where you need to be the first person, um, you know, and, and, and, you know, you want to get there in the first place. If you're the first person who can solve that issue, you become the go to. So that's, that's very true. Very, very true. So the next thing is show, don't tell. Show, don't tell. And so it's the idea that, um, you don't want to toil invisibly. You should wait, find ways to work with other people that you want to impress, but you don't want to just, you know, like say, this is, you want to really show them, like show them through examples and, and, and not just tell people. Isaiah Hankel: the work. Yeah, [00:04:00] for Donna Serdula: Yeah. The Power of Acts of Service --- Donna Serdula: Um, the other one is solve other people's problems. Isaiah Hankel: Take stuff off their plate. That is such an underrated one. Like if you, I think of it as a, you know, it actually brings up, have you ever heard this book, the five, the five love languages or whatever. I think the most undervalued total tangent, but not really because one of them is acts of service. Donna Serdula: Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: somebody, I think, I think at work, most people's work, love, which is acts of service. If you can take something off of somebody else's plate, Like, you're like, I love this employee. Like I, this, I, this is the, like, Donna Serdula: Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: like finding money in your pocket. It's amazing. It's so rare. Donna Serdula: You know, so this is really curious, this is very curious because I had spoken to a man a number of years ago, he was a client of mine, and he had said that his marriage was so strong and really helped him in his career, and it was something that he really relied on heavily, most people do, but This guy was very vocal about it, and he said the [00:05:00] reason why they were so successful is they knew each other's love language. And I remember reading through to find out what it was. And I, I'm an acts of service type of person too. I mean, I want it and I, that's what I give. I wonder if there's some sort of a correlation with entrepreneurs or business people. Isaiah Hankel: I bet, I would bet most business owners are acts of service because they're like, I need to get this stuff off my plate. Like I had too much, but I would say, but that's important. It could also be, you know, you may, you probably professionally and personally are different. Like you're not going to have, one of them is like a, Donna Serdula: It's, it's, it's. Isaiah Hankel: quality time or affection or like, that's not going to happen, professionally, but I think that acts of service is something that is, yeah, you want to make them fall in love with you as an employee, Donna Serdula: Yeah. Well, isn't there another one is saying nice things. I think that was one of them. Isaiah Hankel: Yeah. Donna Serdula: Um, and then presence being another one. Those were the ones that I, I, I remember, which I could still see, [00:06:00] like, you could kind of tweak them to get them into the, into the business way. Um, here's an interesting one. Um, so after solve other people's problems, I like this one a lot. Asking for Advice --- Donna Serdula: Um, ask for advice. Isaiah Hankel: that's good. Donna Serdula: I mean, have you, when you think of your career, when you think of even, you know, the, the work that you did with your, with your PhD, I mean, what do you think about that? Ask for advice. Is that something that you see? Isaiah Hankel: I do. It's kind of like an informational interview. If you elevate somebody else's credibility, it's a gift. And a lot of people don't realize that, you know, it reminds me of, I don't know if you've ever seen this TV show billions, which. Donna Serdula: I heard of it. I haven't watched it. Isaiah Hankel: show. But anyway, it's like all these like high level strategies basically. And, and one of the first season, this person who's supposed to be this really just studies strategic history. He talks about how he goes and asks somebody for advice to get them to build rapport so that he can get eventually something for them to do. And most people don't think, especially at this level. So these are [00:07:00] like billionaires that are playing this high level stakes games. And one of the strategies was to go to one of them because it's almost like, uh, you're deferring to their better opinion there. Donna Serdula: Yeah. Yes. Isaiah Hankel: that is. That can be a give, a huge give Donna Serdula: And, and Ben Franklin had said, someone had written to him and said, this guy doesn't like me. How do I make him like me? What do I do? And Ben Franklin said, you go ask for help. Ask him to help you ask for a favor, ask for advice when another person's helping another person. Suddenly. They like that person that they're helping. Isaiah Hankel: now Donna Serdula: And, and I think it, it, it all sort of works. I, I think there's also a bit of, you know, asking for advice. You're putting that person in that mentor role. Um, you know, you're showing that you care what they have to say. There's a, there's a, there's, there's a lot there. So ask for advice. That was, that was the last one. So become a concept show. Don't [00:08:00] tell solve other people's problems and ask for advice. Connecting with Clients --- Isaiah Hankel: that yesterday I had somebody come to me and ask for advice. But it was, they were asking about their, they're at a smaller company, there's some layoffs happening. They're a little bit concerned. Apparently there was still enough cash for like the next 18 months for investors. Anyway. So they're like, what can I do to stay on here? And I'm like, okay, well, what's your role? And so they were in more of this kind of MSL role where they talk to these clinicians as key opinion leaders. okay, well, this company, they're going to need like, always trying to connect. Okay. Like, how can you, what is the boss really concerned about now? Probably revenue, probably bringing in clients, more leads. And most people, if you're not in a sales position, you never think about that at all. But if you're about to lose your job or whatever, like the Donna Serdula: Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: how can you show them? How can you become a concept in their mind as a gateway to more revenue? Donna Serdula: Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: said, look, you're, you're talking to the customers. The clinicians were their customers for these diagnostic tools. You're talking to them every day. These are leads like, [00:09:00] so instead of just reporting back, Hey, here's the science they like start reporting back. Hey, here's the feature that we should talk about in our marketing collateral. That's going to bring us more clients. Donna Serdula: Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: here's, here's what they're, here's what they're saying they like, that's going to bring us more orders. Like you're not using that language. You're not saying orders. You're not saying collateral clients. then ask the people you're talking to, is there anyone else that might like this diagnostic tool? Like do some lead gen for Donna Serdula: Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: you. Can you, in fact, the position that you're in, you can't sell. It's like, there's kind of regulations in pharma and stuff like that. So you can't even sell, but you can't ask for leads. You can do some lead. If you, if you do some lead gen for your boss, you're now you're in their mind. Now you're solving Donna Serdula: Oh yeah. Isaiah Hankel: acts of service. I think all three of those in one. Donna Serdula: I love it. I love it. I think. And, and that's true across the board. You, I remember my father had said to me years ago, he said, um, as a young person, you want to become a leader at a company? What do you do? [00:10:00] Well, you start a company, you buy a company or you get in sales. Isaiah Hankel: Yeah, I know. Donna Serdula: And there's Isaiah Hankel: yeah, Donna Serdula: There's a lot of truth to that. I mean, if you want to leapfrog within an organization, generate business, generate revenue. Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: not, well, you can be an R and D you can be over here, but do you, do you have like a lead gen mindset? Like, do you realize that they need to acquire customers? As long as you have a client acquisition mindset, you'll number one, you'll go ahead of everybody else in your department because none of them are doing that. They're like, Oh, I got to get my reports. And that's the key. And they wonder why they get cut so easily. Yeah. Donna Serdula: Yeah. All good ones. Final Tips for Career Advancement --- Donna Serdula: Any other, any other tips that you think for, for someone who's looking to move up in a company for promotions? I mean, I'm, I'm also like, In my mind, of course, I'm always thinking branding, you know, so I'm thinking, you know, dress for the job you want, not for the job that you have. [00:11:00] Make sure that you've got everything, you look good online and offline. So in the office and outside the office, you know, make sure that your profile looks great. And you're really telling, you know, the world who you are. You know, I think those are, those are things that really do make a difference. So that's it. Isaiah Hankel: like at a higher level, performing at a higher level, first one to arrive, last one to leave. A lot of people kind of say this stuff doesn't matter anymore. I think completely wrong. If you have somebody that shows up every day solving problems, it's that book like Seth Godin, right? The linchpin. You are a linchpin and they're like, this is the last person to let go because they're holding all of this stuff together Donna Serdula: Yeah. Isaiah Hankel: count on them always. So that's, that's your brand, they're going to keep you. Donna Serdula: Yeah. Love it. Conclusion and Farewell --- Donna Serdula: Well, it was great talking to you. Isaiah Hankel: All right. Thanks Donna. Donna Serdula: See you next week. Bye ​