Invincible Career - Claim your power and regain your freedom

“Staying employed at the same company for over two years on average is going to make you earn less over your lifetime by about 50% or more.” — Cameron Keng

You may be underpaid if you’ve stayed with your current employer for longer than two years. Consider the following chart. On average, people who change jobs see bigger increases in their income.

Haven’t you noticed this in your career? When you took a new job, you probably enjoyed a nice bump in title and compensation (you negotiated, right?). But, the longer you stayed with an employer, you noticed the annual raises weren’t nearly as impressive.

Luckily, I experienced this early in my career, and it influenced how I thought about changing jobs for the next ~15 years. I was working for a pretty amazing company that was, unfortunately, going through some hard times. So, even though I was told I was performing well, I received a tiny raise during the review cycle.

A couple of weeks later, I was approached by a startup, thanks to my network. I decided it never hurts to talk and interview to see what they had to say. They gave me a sweet offer that was more than a 50% bump to my compensation. I accepted and put my lifetime earning potential on a new trajectory. It was a valuable lesson that I never forgot, and now I share it with all of my clients.

Your biggest bumps in level and compensation will most likely happen when you start a new job.

I was a manager and leader inside some of the biggest tech companies in Silicon Valley. Many of my friends became leaders, as well. We talked about this issue. Once an employee is “inside the machine,” it’s hard to compensate them more than HR policies will allow. There’s only so much you can do, and exceptions are extremely hard to get approved. We often ended up in a terrible situation where we would make a job offer to a candidate with much better compensation than an equivalent internal employee was currently being paid.

It’s pretty messed up!

So, I know that intelligent job hopping can increase your lifetime earning potential. But let me be clear about something. You should not change jobs just to change jobs. By all means, if you’re in a good situation, stay!

* If you’re receiving promotions every year or so, stay and climb the ladder as long as you can.

* If you’re receiving big raises every year or so (way above the cost of living increases), stay.

* If your compensation is much better than you’d receive from a prospective employer, stay. How do you find out about this? Always be interviewing!

* If you love your job, boss, and coworkers and you don’t care about making more money or getting promoted, stay in your comfort zone. Some people prefer that.

However, a big problem with not making more money is inflation is still pretty high in the U.S. That means you’re essentially taking a pay cut if your compensation doesn’t stay ahead of inflation. Your dollar is weaker than it was before.

The current annual inflation rate for the 12 months ending this September is 3.7%. It’s lower than 2022, which is kind of surprising given how much the cost of goods has exploded. Have you been grocery shopping lately?

So, if your income isn’t increasing to keep pace with inflation and the growing cost of living, you’re falling behind. Today’s dollar is worth less than it was a year ago.

If you aren’t receiving a sizable raise that exceeds inflation, you’re actually making less money every year because the dollar isn’t as valuable. It’s as if your annual salary was reduced by thousands. And, due to the rising costs of almost everything, it is getting harder to make ends meet.

You should ask for a promotion or raise

Of course, you should always have a household budget and strive to reduce your expenses. You know I’m an advocate for living more simply and curbing extravagant spending. That’s one reason I left the Bay Area of California.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t maximize your earning potential at the same time. If you want to get ahead and live a better life, you must ask your employer for the compensation you deserve.

Some people are comfortable requesting raises and promotions every year (Note: You shouldn’t expect a promotion every single year). I had a few employees like that. But most folks don’t like to push or pitch themselves. Instead, they hope their hard work will speak for itself and their manager will do the right thing.

But I’m here to tell you that waiting and hoping is a risky strategy. Not every employer looks out for their employees. Not every boss is going to fight for you.

Many employers try to keep their expenses down, and, for most businesses, salaries are the most significant expense. If an employer has many employees, reducing raises by a few percentage points can translate to millions in savings.

I want you to get comfortable with having a conversation with your manager about your performance every year before the employee review process begins. For many companies, this happens in late Q4 and early Q1. If you wait until the decisions have been made, it is too late.

I also want you to feel good about asking for a promotion (and the associated raise) when you know you are performing at the next level and deserve it. I want you to feel confident asking for the raise you should receive every year to keep pace with inflation and cost of living increases.

* Be professional.

* Be prepared.

* Don’t feel shy.

* Don’t be nervous.

* Don’t feel “greedy.”

When you are providing value to your employer, you deserve commensurate compensation in return. And, if your employer doesn’t understand that, it’s time to find a new job with an employer who will pay you fairly.

Caveat

The current job market isn’t that great. So, be respectful about this process, and don’t risk losing your job. You should always be looking for your next opportunity. It’s easier to push for a raise or promotion when you know you could easily land a new job quickly. But if you have doubts about that, tread carefully.

Prepare for the conversation

Here we are in Q4, and the Fall weather reminds us that winter is coming. It is also a reminder that something else will be happening soon.

Your annual performance review.

Now, not every company has its annual performance reviews at the end of the year or the beginning of the next one. However, I know many do.

I also know most people put off writing their personal performance reviews until the last minute. Then, they scramble to gather information, ask people for input, and remember everything they did during the year.

Don’t be that person.

Start capturing information and notes for your review now. Doing this gives you plenty of time to prepare by spending a few minutes on the task each day.

Go back through your calendar for the year. Review the meetings that you attended. Doing this will jog your memory for a few activities and accomplishments that you may have forgotten.

Similarly, review your email inbox and other messages. Quickly scroll through starting at the beginning of the year, or search for key phrases. Most of the messages won’t be that useful or will look familiar. However, a few will jump out at you and remind you of projects, achievements, and other work you did during the year.

As you start writing your review, gaps will appear and help you create a to-do list of information you need to gather and conversations with people you may need to have. That’s normal. It sure is better to start this process now vs. waiting until it is too late.

A performance review is your opportunity to ask for that raise or promotion. So, capture as much quantitative data as possible to support your case (e.g., that project you worked on increased sales by 23%).

* Know your internal value (e.g., prepare several quantitative examples of how you’re helping the company succeed).

* Know your market value (i.e., what your compensation could be with a new employer).

You also need to understand what the expectations are for the level above you. Please tell me that your department has a levels and expectations document (e.g., a senior individual contributor is expected to demonstrate ABC and do XYZ).

Hopefully, you’ve been focused on clearly performing at that level this year. It’s also essential to demonstrate proof that you are operating at that level.

It’s hard to justify a significant raise if no one is aware of what you are doing. Don’t expect your manager to take your word for it either. Have proof.

However, I stand by my belief that you still deserve a raise that keeps pace with inflation if your performance is meeting expectations. Don’t settle for less.

Of course, some of your accomplishments will have to be qualitative. That’s OK, too. It helps to gather feedback from your coworkers. A few positive quotes always improve your review (e.g., “Susan saved our project from disaster. We couldn’t have finished on time without her help!”).

As I’ve mentioned in the past, bosses often forget all of the details of what you have accomplished. They don’t remember all of the work you did during the year. Writing your detailed review may make all the difference between a small raise and a much more significant raise or promotion.

I often talk with my clients about maximizing their earning potential during their long-term careers. To successfully negotiate raises and promotions — and you should be prepared to negotiate — you have to demonstrate that your value to the organization is continuously increasing.

In other words, if you continue to do the work you’ve always done at the level of contribution expected for your current level, that is not enough. That is called “meeting expectations.” You may get a minimal raise as a cost-of-living increase (e.g., 2–3%), or you may receive nothing (which means your compensation is actually decreasing).

The business of your career

I wish I had known earlier in my career how important it is to treat your career like a business. This is what I recommend to all of my clients.

You can’t just put your head down and work hard within the walls of your company, hoping that a good boss will always recognize your contribution and value and commensurately reward you. You have to market yourself, just as a business markets its products.

The world needs to know that you exist!

I work with so many talented people who have virtually no presence online or at real-world events either. They are so busy working hard — and living their lives — that they haven’t bothered to put themselves out there. They haven’t spent much time networking, public speaking, or writing.

Like any business that wants to succeed, you need to market the “business of you.” Find ways to demonstrate your expertise and talent outside of the office. Show the world what you know and how you think.

This boosts your perceived value, generates inbound interest from potential employers (or clients), and shows your current employer that they have competition for your talent.

Be visible

Being more visible is hard for many people, especially those of us who are a bit introverted. It requires that you find a way to share your knowledge and insights publicly.

You can create blog posts, write on sites like Medium, get interviewed on podcasts (or create your own), share your thoughts on social media, create videos (e.g., on Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo), etc.

Creating this content generates inbound interest in you. Being in demand is one way to always know your value and have negotiating power.

Some of my most talented employees, who were also good at marketing themselves, received unsolicited job offers every week. They didn’t have to hunt for work.

Jobs came to them, and they always knew their value. They weren’t shy about asking for raises and promotions because they knew they had options.

Note, I am not saying they used job offers as leverage to threaten me. I highly recommend that you never use that approach with your manager.

Instead, we would honestly discuss and evaluate job offers they had received. We’d talk about the pros and cons of taking the offer vs. staying. Sometimes, I had insight into that company and who their potential boss and colleagues would be.

If it genuinely seemed like a fantastic opportunity with no hidden gotchas, who was I to stand between them and a great chance to advance their career much more quickly than they could with me?

Be in demand

Asking for a raise or promotion is so much easier when you know that you are clearly delivering value above and beyond your current level.

You’re not asking for special treatment with a chance to prove yourself later. You have already proven that you are worth that investment.

When you are known and in demand, you are constantly receiving data that confirms your value. Putting yourself out there allows the right people to be aware of you and find you.

Sooner or later, someone will want to talk with you about an opportunity. There is nothing wrong with having conversations with people who are interested in hiring you.

It’s good practice to interview with the few that are of particular interest. If your current job, compensation, and career path all still seem great in comparison to something new, then, by all means, stick with your current job!

However, if your current manager and company don’t recognize and compensate you appropriately for your value — and a new company will — then it’s time to seriously consider an offer from that company. My most significant jumps in earning potential always happened when I took a new job.

But don’t be hasty

The grass isn’t always greener, so take the time to evaluate any new opportunity deeply. You don’t want to be hasty and jump ship only to regret it later. It’s also more challenging to find a new job in this market. The layoffs are continuing.

I have always used a spreadsheet to compare different opportunities on dozens of factors quantitatively (comment to let me know if you’re interested in this spreadsheet). It helps me remain a bit more objective, although emotion can’t help but play a role too. Sometimes, you are really excited about a new opportunity or really upset about something going on in your current job.

Regardless of whether you decide to stay in your current job or pursue something new, you should be compensated appropriately for the value you bring to an organization.

When you know that you are delivering above and beyond your current job level, have an honest conversation about your expectations and ambitions with your manager. If you never ask for something, you may never receive it!

My Invincible Career community can help

Members of my community have used our advice and support to find better jobs and receive promotions. For example, one person received a 10x return on his investment when he landed a new job with a much higher salary.  

We all want to be compensated as much as possible for our time and effort. We all want to find work that we enjoy.

However, we sometimes get stuck and find ourselves blocked without a clear path ahead. When this happens, it’s easy to get tunnel vision and feel like there’s no way to escape a bad job or get paid what we are worth.

That’s why it helps to join a friendly and supportive community of people who have been there and done that. We can help you explore options, prepare for your job search, practice job interviews, and hold you accountable for making progress.

“After a year of receiving poor advice from recruiters and design professionals, it wasn't until I joined Larry's group where my career started to head in the right direction. The advice I received from Larry and other professionals in his community was instrumental in improving my resume, portfolio, increased my results in interviews, and even got me into writing. I have been very fortunate to have Larry as a mentor, and I can't recommend joining his Invincible Career community enough.”

— Christopher Schutt

The weekly check-ins and the accountability to the group have helped many people overcome obstacles. More importantly, it encourages you to invest in yourself and your happiness and fulfillment.

If you are feeling stuck and nothing is working, lean on us and let the community help you break free.

➡️ Learn more about my community…

⬆️ Scroll to the top if you want to listen to my more detailed reading of this article🎧

I’m Larry Cornett, a success coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and Great Dane.

Let me start by saying I’m using a metaphor here. I haven’t hunted since I was a teenager in the Midwest. I love animals, so please don’t take my talk of “hunting” literally and miss the advice I’m trying to share in this article.

Human beings have been acquiring food to survive for millions of years. We’ve used a combination of active/direct and passive/indirect methods to find the animals and plants we eat.

* Actively hunting, scavenging, and gathering food in the moment.

* Building traps, nets, etc,. to capture animals and recover them later.

* Planting crops to harvest much later.

Many modern-day humans have transitioned to a very different model of acquiring the meals we need. We work in jobs, get paid, and use that money to purchase food in grocery stores.

However, oddly enough, we can still leverage the three methods of hunting, trapping, and planting to gain what we now need to survive: a job. We even use the phrase “job hunt” to describe this process, which is rather telling.

Many job seekers focus almost exclusively on the hunt. They do everything necessary to hunt for a job actively (e.g., applying online and sending resumes). But they ignore the other two powerful methods of capturing and harvesting opportunities for the future.

This is a mistake you don’t want to make.

Only hunting for a job when you desperately need one is a risky move. People often make hasty decisions when the clock is ticking. You’ll be more empowered, less stressed, and more successful if you also trap potential opportunities and plant seeds that will yield an evergreen harvest of interest in you. You should always be looking for new and better opportunities, and methods 2 and 3 are much better suited for that.

When I work with clients who need a new job immediately, I recommend combining all three strategies with an emphasis on 1 and 2. But when a client is still employed and seeking a better job, I prefer emphasizing 2 and 3 with a careful use of 1.

1. Hunting

Humans fed themselves and their tribes by hunting and gathering, dating as far back as 2 million years ago. They actively searched for whatever they could find to survive. They couldn’t passively wait around and hope food would land in their laps. Instead, they sought an immediate fulfillment of their needs.

Hunting is a valuable strategy when you need a quick solution to an urgent problem. You need a job ASAP!

However, I recommend a targeted approach vs. the clumsy “spray and pray” I see many job seekers using now. I’ve read more than one account of people applying for hundreds of jobs online and blasting their resumes to everyone they can find. Big surprise, it doesn’t work. One person lamented, “I applied to a hundred jobs and didn’t get a single request for an interview.”

Instead, I ask my clients to be laser-focused on the job they want and the employers they find most interesting.

* What is your ideal next role?

* Who is your ideal next employer?

* Who is your ideal next boss?

You should have only 1-3 roles in mind for your next job. For example, you may ideally want a job as a Lead Designer, but you’d also accept a Senior Designer role if you were really excited about the opportunity.

Be clear about the job you want and focus your sales pitch on selling yourself as the ideal candidate. If you have a dozen roles in mind, your resume and LinkedIn will be all over the place and won’t appeal to hiring managers and recruiters.

Focus!

Similarly, you should have perhaps 3-10 employers in mind for your next job. Be picky with the hunting strategy. Create a list of ideal employers, start tracking down the potential hiring managers, and find a way to get a warm introduction.

The market isn’t great for job seekers right now. Employers have their pick of thousands and thousands of candidates. Stack the deck in your favor and get introduced to hiring managers and recruiters. Find your inside champion, who will help shepherd you through the interview process. This makes all the difference in the world! It certainly helped me land all the jobs I had during my tech career.

Now, it’s time to move on to one of my favorite ways of lighting up your network to help find you a job.

2. Trapping

About 9,000 years ago, humans began building traps to capture prey. Instead of actively hunting, we used these more sophisticated traps and nets to serve as an extension of our capabilities.

Think of it as an early creation of systems to automate food procurement. Now, instead of being limited to what you and your tribe could actively hunt during waking hours, you could deploy traps to work for you 24x7 in a more scalable way.

Similarly, you can deploy “nets” to attract and secure interest in you and your capabilities 24x7 in a more scalable way than panicking and scrambling to find a job at the last minute. When you activate key helpers in your network, each expands your reach and ability to trap new opportunities.

They’ll help you capture things you never could on your own. But the activity is still targeted. Your friends know who you are and what you are seeking. Contrast this with people who indiscriminately toss their net to the four corners of the earth. Their net gets stretched thin and tangled up in everything that comes by while a prime catch slips past.

I ask my clients to reengage and reactivate their networks, which I’ll recommend to you, too. It’s essential to do this from a place of honestly wanting to reconnect, since you shouldn’t only reach out to people when you need them for something. You can’t just contact people when you want to use them for an introduction or a job. No one likes that.

Resist the urge to add, “Oh, by the way. Can you also do me a favor and introduce me to Susan, the hiring manager for an open position at the company?”

Of course, during the conversation, your friend may naturally ask you, “So, what are you up to these days?”

If they do, you can mention what you’re doing now and what your plans are (e.g., “I’m working at company ABC. But, I’m actually considering my next move. It’s time for a change.”)

When you light up your network, you now have dozens of people recognizing opportunities for you, bringing your name up when someone is hiring, and keeping their eyes open for a job that seems like a good fit for what you are seeking. These “nets” are capturing and sending you jobs to pursue. Sometimes, they’ll be able to make the warm introduction you need.

This brings us to one of the most powerful methods, which is a gift that keeps on giving for years and years and years.

3. Planting

Besides hunting and trapping, humans also discovered the power and scale of agriculture. But farming requires more patience. Planning, investment, and work upfront to plant crops will only yield a bountiful harvest later (i.e., not tomorrow or even next week).

When you plant an apple tree, for example, it can take around five years to mature. But it will then provide you with fruit for several years, thanks to that initial investment.

Content creation and marketing is the last strategy I recommend for my career coaching clients and even job seekers. Planting the seeds from your excellent mind won’t land you a job immediately, but it will provide examples of your knowledge, expertise, way of thinking, and point of view on things relevant to your profession.

More importantly, as you create and publish hundreds of articles over the years, your harvest will yield evergreen inbound interest in you.

* I’ve written 493 newsletters for Invincible Career.

* I’ve published 92 episodes of my podcast.

* I’ve written 228 articles on Medium.

* I’ve tweeted over 18,000 times.

* I’ve created over 170 videos.

It’s pretty amazing when a potential new client reaches out to me after reading an article I wrote seven years ago. I spent a couple of hours planting that “little seed” seven years ago, and it continues to bear fruit and attract people even today.

When you consistently put yourself out there day after day, month after month, and year after year, your harvest may come long after you’ve forgotten that you planted the seeds. But this is how you create an invincible career.

You want everyone to know who you are and how great you are. You want to become an opportunity magnet through trapping and—especially—planting, so you don’t feel forced to scramble and hunt for your next job.

Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.

Have you ever worked for a showboat?

That’s the kind of leader who wants all the attention. They lead from the top down and expect everyone to get in line behind their vision of the future. They’re not usually open to hearing new ideas from the organization below them.

Showboat leaders are incredibly charismatic figures. So, it’s not surprising that they rise to the top.

* They have a grand vision.

* They speak well.

* They are great on stage.

But it’s all about them.

They tend to use the company as a stepping stone to a higher platform. Over the decades of my experience in the corporate world, I’ve watched more than a few showboat leaders move up and on into politics.

Even becoming a CEO does not satisfy their ambition. They want a larger stage, more power, and more people hanging on their every word.

As long as your showboat leader has the right vision and strategy, your organization can succeed—if you and your team execute well. We can all think of a few companies with visionary genius CEOs who are more than happy to take all the credit for the company’s success. However, we also know it wouldn’t have been possible without the thousands of employees making that vision a reality.

There is an enormous risk with this type of leader. They leave a hollow organization behind when they walk away. They build nothing that lasts without their presence because they’ve never allowed their team to flex their own “vision muscles.”

Of course, there is a time and a place for visionary leadership. Startups and small companies need a strong leader at the top to chart the course and focus everything around a singular vision.

But, as companies mature and grow, they need a different type of leadership. You want a robust, diverse organization full of leaders who enable their teams to grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. You need managers who lift the entire team, not just themselves.

Why would you ever want to encourage a fragile organizational system that collapses when the showboat leader vanishes?

I once received feedback that I think was intended to be criticism. The person essentially said:

“You focus too much on getting the best out of your people. You seem really good at identifying and nurturing talent, but I want more vision from you.”

Oh boy, that sounds terrible. How dare I focus on the incredible intelligence and talent within my team so that over 100 people were operating at 100% of their potential? Yes, I should have focused on myself and tried to become the next Steve Jobs. 🙄

I’ve heard variations of this type of comment before.

* “We need a Steve Jobs type.”

* “We need a visionary leader.”

* “Focus on the strategy. Let the team take care of itself.”

For the record, I do enjoy vision work. I did it for my startup, and I do it for my companies now. But I have to be passionate about the company and the product. If I’m not (which is often the case when you work for some employer), I’m happy to step aside and let my creative, innovative people come up with spectacular visions of the future for the product and company.

Why not nurture that?

Why not support people who have that passion?

My point of view on leadership and vision has changed a bit over the years. Being a grand visionary and a great people leader and manager is impossible. Each of these roles is a full-time job.

* Creating, selling, and nurturing a big vision and strategic plan is a full-time job.

* It is a full-time job to lead your team, knock down barriers, shield them, enable them, coach them, and nurture their careers.

People who say they can successfully do it all are full of crap. I know some of these people. Most of them altogether drop the ball on taking care of their teams. They are too busy being visionary, speaking, standing in the spotlight, and driving their own ambitious careers.

One of my friends told me they had only one 1-on-1 meeting with their manager each year. One damn meeting in 365 days! Their boss didn’t give a crap about my friend’s career.

If you’re in a position to decide what kind of leaders you want to promote and hire, think hard about the culture you want to build. Think hard about the type of leader you want to be, too.

The best leaders have:

* Self-awareness and a desire to learn and grow (professionally and personally)

* Control over their emotions and an ability to mediate the conflict of others

* Compassion and a constructive drive to help others grow and succeed

* A desire to create healthy cultures and treat all with respect

* Dependability, reliability, and open and honest communication

* The courage to champion others and the conviction to champion a mission 

* The ability to see the big picture, prioritize goals, and enable success for all

* The skill to keep “the plates spinning” to deliver on time (without burnout)

Here’s my unpopular opinion:

My recommendation to avoid the risk of showboat leaders?

* Guide your most visionary, innovative, and creative people up the IC ladder to greatness. Don’t harness them to a “management plow.”

* Guide your most compassionate, operational, and reliable champions up the management ladder to greatness. Don’t punish them for lack of vision.

Thank you for reading Invincible Career®. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.

My guest for this episode is Tim Yeo (@timyeo on Twitter). Tim coaches introverts to have impact and influence without pretending to be extroverts at The Quiet Achiever.

He is currently Design Director @ IBM, helping Enterprise clients transform their businesses with enterprise scale at startup speed. In IBM, Tim focuses on DesignOps for the Customer Transformation design practice in Australia.

Previously, Tim was the first UX and Design leader at fintech startups @Finder, @OFX and @Prospa where he hired, established and scaled design teams from scratch.

Best known for saying complex things simply. He's also a keynote speaker, bookbinder and currently living the nomad life with no permanent address in Adelaide, Australia with his partner and the fluffiest Old English Sheepdog ever.

We talk about

* Introversion and job searching, job interviews, and getting noticed

* How to be an introvert and still get ahead in your career

* The kind of coaching Tim does with introverts.

* The workshops Tim teaches

Where to find Tim

* The Quiet Achiever

* Twitter

* LinkedIn

Thank you for reading Invincible Career®. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.

My next live fireside chat with Q&A will be on Monday, June 26th. Join us to talk about careers, job searches, job interviews, offer negotiation, professional growth, and more!

I want to thank the folks who gave me feedback about how to keep improving this newsletter. I’ve already incorporated some of it and made changes.

One excellent piece of feedback from Michelle was to be more inclusive with my career advice and not always talk about tech jobs, for example. Many folks work hourly 9-5 jobs (i.e., not on salary) and blue-collar jobs. They also want to leverage their skills to land better-paying jobs, get promoted, etc.

I spent many years of my life working in jobs like that before I ended up in tech. The good news is some strategies will help you get ahead in any job in any industry (e.g., IT, retail, restaurant, construction, manufacturing, health care, etc.).

During my previous non-tech career, I found ways to get promoted and land better jobs. I also sat on the other side of the table as a supervisor and leader, so I know who performed well and got ahead vs. those who did not (and occasionally got fired).

Here is an overview of my twisting career path and various jobs. It doesn’t include every job, believe it or not.

* As a child, I had a paper route, operated a lemonade stand, mowed lawns, sold magazines door to door, and did farm work.

* During high school, I worked at a grocery store (e.g., stocking shelves and bagging groceries), mowed lawns and other yard work, and did some farm work on the side.

* I joined the military to help pay for my college education, went through Army Basic Training in Fort Knox, and ended up in the National Guard for many years, first as a tank gunner and then as an ambulance medic.

* I also worked at fast-food restaurants, was an engraver at a trophy shop, worked in receiving and stocking at Kmart, held a temporary job at a road construction company, and became a night security guard.

* While I was finishing up college, I ended up working almost full-time as a police dispatcher.

When I worked in a job long enough, I often received promotions. Looking back, some lessons I took away helped me with the rest of my career. I hope some of this advice will be useful for you, too.

Be good at what you do

I know this advice sounds obvious. But I’ve encountered many folks who expect raises and promotions when they’re still not very good at their jobs. Some people think that time on the job is all that matters, which is not true. Other people think they should get raises simply because they need the money. Sorry, business doesn’t work that way, either.

* “Hey, I’ve been working here for a year. Isn’t it time for a promotion?”

* “My rent went up, so I need a raise.”

If you demand more money when you’re not that good at your job yet, don’t be surprised if your employer replaces you with someone else.

You must be competent and provide solid value if you want a raise. You want your employer to worry about losing you.

You must perform better than your current position if you want a promotion. I’ve mentioned this before. No employer wants to promote someone and hope they’ll be able to handle the new responsibilities. It doesn’t end well if it doesn’t work out. That’s how folks get demoted or fired.

I once worked for a company that provided awards, medals, trophies, plaques, etc. I started as a trophy assembler. Exciting, huh? But I was fast, competent, and showed up for work on time. Plus, I didn’t break trophies and damage expensive materials like some folks did (e.g., when they drank too many “complimentary beers” from the fridge). One day, my boss asked if I was willing to learn how to run a computerized engraving machine. I said, “Yes,” and demonstrated that I was a fast learner. That resulted in a promotion and raise.

Keep learning and growing

If you’re ok with a job just being a job, then you may not worry too much about your professional development. Maybe your job just pays the bills, and you focus your energy and passion on something outside of work (e.g., writing books, making art, playing in a band).

However, if you are ambitious and want to move up, you must always seek opportunities to acquire new skills, knowledge, and experience. Some employers will have programs to support this growth and invest in you. For example, one of my employers was a university, and I could take courses at a discounted rate. Take advantage of perks like this!

If your employer doesn’t provide learning and training programs, invest in yourself. Set a career goal, make a plan (see below), and find ways to educate yourself.

I had a guest on my podcast a few years ago who did just that. Sam Sycamore was a landscape carpenter worried about his future financial security and physical health. So, he taught himself web development every night after work. He eventually landed some gigs and changed his career forever. He’s now a developer relations engineer, making much more money than before, and he’s much happier.

Be reliable

Reliability is one of those things you think should go without saying. Of course, you should be a reliable and dependable employee. We instilled this in our children as they entered the working world.

It was funny to see them being appreciated by their managers and kept on board even as the companies let other employees go. It was true during my previous jobs, as well. I often got promoted simply because I was one of the few who always showed up for their shifts. I also lasted longer in many of my jobs than those who kept quitting every few months.

For example, I was “promoted” to squad leader during Army basic training, mostly because I wasn’t a screw-up.

* I listened and paid attention.

* I executed orders.

* They could trust me to get work done without a lot of oversight.

Later, during my service in the National Guard, they promoted me to platoon sergeant for similar reasons.

* I showed up for duty, and I showed up on time.

* I didn’t show up drunk or high (or fail drug tests).

* I worked hard and got things done without trying to get out of tasks, sneak off to take a nap, or disappear before a job was done.

This strategy seems obvious, but you’d be surprised by the number of employees who fail at the following. If you want to get ahead at work, your boss should be able to count on you to:

* Show up for the shifts you’re scheduled to work.

* Show up to work on time.

* Do the work you’re supposed to do.

* Complete your work on time with quality.

* Tell people if you’ll miss work (e.g., sick) or show up late.

Don’t be a pain

We’ve all worked with people who were a thorn in the manager’s side. I’ve worked in a variety of industries for all kinds of employers. I’ve seen some pretty crazy stuff.

For example:

* We had a random drug test once, and some guys were freaking out and trying to leave. Apparently, they were at a party the night before and had snorted a lot of cocaine. Yeah, that didn’t end well.

* Another person I worked with would bring a tumbler of coffee to work daily, which was heavily laced with scotch (we all could smell it).

* A couple of people I worked with would take an afternoon break to drink beers in the parking lot. They returned to work feeling pretty good and often accidentally broke lots of stuff (e.g., materials, tools). They eventually got fired.

* One coworker loved to argue with the boss about every little thing in front of everyone else. Pro tip: Bosses hate that.

If you’re more trouble than you’re worth (i.e., not providing enough value for the stress you create), you’re certainly not going to receive promotions or raises. Sooner or later, you’ll most likely end up losing your job.

Note: I’m not saying you should kiss your manager’s butt or endure mistreatment. It’s ok to ask questions, push back on unreasonable requests, and expect fair treatment. But do so professionally. And it’s usually a good idea to have challenging conversations with your boss in private, not in a team meeting or in front of other employees.

Have a plan

Where do you want to end up in your career?

What are your life goals?

What’s next for you?

Sometimes, career growth isn’t very likely with your current employer. There may not be much internal mobility. Or, it may take a very long time to move up in the company.

A friend of mine knew he would be stuck in a dead-end job if he stayed with his current employer. So, he looked for opportunities to get promoted by taking a job with a new company that had a position open for a supervisor.

Another friend was in a similar situation but had bigger plans to open his own business one day. He saved money, networked with the right people, and created a business plan. He launched it many years ago and turned it into a very successful business, never returning to his old profession and low hourly pay.

You must establish goals and create a plan if you care about getting ahead, making more money, and moving up the career ladder. When you know what you want, it’s easier to make the right moves to set you up for success later.

Connect and network

When I was a security guard, I got to know the local police officers and dispatchers pretty well. We developed a friendly relationship since I always showed up for work, did a good job, and became a supervisor (being reliable and sticking around helped me get promoted).

One dispatcher and a couple of the younger officers talked me into applying to become a dispatcher. It was a full-time role with much better pay and benefits.

I’m an introvert, so I’ve often put my head down and focused on my work. But, building relationships will open the door to new opportunities.

Networking outside your workplace is also a great way to learn about events, meetups, potential new employers, and job opportunities you might not otherwise discover.

* Your local gym. One of my gyms was an excellent place for networking. Members were always connecting people with potential clients, customers, and employers. Friends like to help friends.

* Local meetups. I’ve attended local meetups with ambitious professionals and business owners. It’s great for referrals and introductions.

* Local business events and parties. One year, one of my friends invited me to his office holiday party. Usually, I wouldn’t want to attend something like that. But, I discovered it was a good way to expand my professional network. I’ve talked about the power of “weak ties” before.

* Local town celebrations, volunteer work, and outdoor recreation events. Your network is your most valuable asset for advancing your career. You are limiting yourself if you only connect with people you see daily at work or in your personal life. Get out there and meet new people!

* Trade associations and labor unions. I’m not as familiar with these, but some friends speak highly of them for getting the support you need to advance your career.

If you have a plan for where you want to go, try to network with people already in the profession, industry, or business you’re interested in pursuing. Build bridges now to open doors later. Yes, I’m mixing my metaphors. 🤣

Step up

“Not my job.” — People who don’t get promoted

I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard someone say that. They’d be asked to take care of something, and they’d say, “Nah, that’s not my job.”

I was always the person to step up and say, “I’ll take care of it.” And I actually did.

I can remember many times during my past jobs and military experience when someone would ask for a volunteer to take on some task. If no one immediately raised a hand to do it, I would. More often than not, being bold and accepting more responsibility lead to good things for my career.

People who get ahead are the ones who will occasionally step up and do more, often without being asked, because they know it needs to get done.

* Going beyond what was asked.

* Noticing a problem and proactively fixing it.

* Taking care of a task when someone else drops the ball.

* Taking responsibility and making things right.

* Being brave and taking chances.

* Making suggestions for improvements.

Now, I’m not saying you do this all the time and forever. It’s not acceptable for an employer to get the work of three employees out of you for the price of one (and that does happen).

When you do go above and beyond, make sure it's noticed. Document what you’ve done and use it as supporting evidence for raises and promotions later. If your employer takes advantage of your hard work and never rewards you, it’s time to look for a new job.

Seriously.

Move up or move on. You deserve to be compensated when you’re one of the great ones at work.

Know your value

Much of this advice may have come across as a one-way street with the balance of power in the hands of employers. It can feel that way if you don’t know your worth and stay active in the job market.

If you do great work for your employer, you deserve to be compensated appropriately. When you go above and beyond (e.g., work harder and smarter than others), you should expect raises and promotions when the time is right.

The working relationship goes both ways. If an employer doesn’t recognize your value, treat you well, and honor your professional requests for raises and promotions, it’s time to move on. That’s why you should always be actively looking for your next great job, interviewing, and ready to go when necessary.

For example, one of my previous employers did not live up to a promise regarding my work schedule. They refused to make it right, so I quit on the spot. At another employer, I found out that a new, inexperienced employee was hired at a higher hourly rate than I was receiving.

I asked my supervisor about it, and he said, “Oh, you’re a college boy. I pay you less because you probably won’t stick around.”

I laughed and responded, “Well, you’re right about that. I quit.” I left that day and didn’t go back.

I tell everyone I coach, “Always be looking for your next opportunity.” You never know when your situation might change (e.g., an unfortunate re-org, layoffs, or company troubles).

When you’re prepared, you can move on to something better quickly.

P.S. Don’t forget to save your seat and add my live fireside chat event to your calendar!

Thank you for reading Invincible Career®. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.

I hosted another live fireside chat via Zoom last month. In this podcast episode, I share some of the questions and answers we discussed.

As usual, people sent me questions ahead of time. But in this session, we also covered questions raised during the Zoom.

For example:

* “What is there to write about (related to my profession)?”

* “Do I even want a career anymore? Do I want to do something for myself?”

* “I changed careers and industries… how can I best adapt to a new job and collaborate with my new boss?”

* “How do I find a great product leadership job in this challenging economy?”

I recorded the call and uploaded it for this newsletter’s podcast episode. Scroll up, hit play, and enjoy!

By the way, if you’d like to attend the next fireside chat, I’m hosting it on May 30th. Sign up here to save a seat.

I’ll be sharing feedback on LinkedIn profiles and answering other questions you submit using the form on the event page. There’s still time to send me yours!

This week’s professional development challenge

Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I currently live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.

I hosted a live fireside chat via Zoom last month, and I’ve already shared the first half of the Q&A. This is part 2.

People sent me questions ahead of time; then I shared my answers with the attendees. We had some more detailed discussions later.

For example:

* “How to adjust to a new controlling boss?”

* “How do I persuade my colleagues to take action on one of my initiatives?”

* “What questions can I ask in an interview to make sure my manager is one of the good ones?"

* “What questions can I ask in an interview to make sure the company is healthy and it's not a toxic environment?”

I recorded the call and uploaded it for this newsletter’s podcast episode. Scroll up, hit play, and enjoy!

By the way, if you’d like to attend the next fireside chat, I’m hosting it on April 24th. Sign up here to save a seat.

I’ll be sharing feedback on LinkedIn profiles and answering other questions you submit using the form on the event page. There’s still time to send me yours!

This week’s professional development challenge

⭐ Cross-publish Your Writing This week, your Invincible Career exercise is to take one of your previously written articles (e.g., on your blog or Medium) and cross-publish it to LinkedIn. If you aren’t already aware of this, LinkedIn has a native article format that gets pretty good engagement. They also have a newsletter feature if you’re interested in trying it out.

Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I currently live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane.

I hosted a live fireside chat via Zoom last month. People sent me questions ahead of time, then I shared my answers with the attendees. We had some more detailed discussions later.

For example:

* “What can I do to stand out amongst hundreds of other applicants?”

* “Should I change my resume?”

* “What are some strategies to network more effectively with professionals at my level or higher and what are some ways to maintain those relationships long-term?”

I recorded the call and uploaded it for this newsletter’s podcast episode. Scroll up, hit play, and enjoy!

By the way, if you’d like to attend the next fireside chat, I’m hosting it on March 27th. Sign up here to save a seat.

I’ll be sharing feedback on LinkedIn profiles and answering other questions you submit using the form on the event page. There’s still time to send me yours!

This week’s professional development challenge

⭐ Design or Redesign Your Website This week, your Invincible Career exercise is to settle on a host (if you don’t already have one) and start designing and building your website. If you already have a website, this is an excellent opportunity to review it to make sure you’re still happy with what you created. But if you’re like most of us, your website is probably due for an update and refresh.

Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I currently live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane. It’s been quite rainy and foggy lately.

Invincible Career® is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

He frowned and said, "That's a stupid idea. It will never work." 

"How do you know? We haven't even tested it yet!" 

He leaned back in his chair with a slightly smug look on his face. "I've been working on this product for five years. We've tested hundreds of concepts, and we tested something like this a couple of years ago. It failed."

She was frustrated. "This isn't the same, and timing matters. It tested well in the lab, so I want to get more data from an A/B test." 

He shook his head. "I disagree. That's a waste of resources." 

"Well," she said. "Looks like we're at an impasse. I guess it's time to escalate this."

I lost count of how many meetings I attended like this when I worked in tech. You know, the ones that were supposed to be "collaboration sessions" but turned into debates?

We seem to have lost our way with team meetings. Too many arguments. Too many show-offs trying to prove how smart they are. Too many people trying to "win" instead of actually working together to reach a great outcome.

Unfortunately, this type of exchange isn't uncommon in the working world. Even when we say we're going to collaborate, brainstorm, and discuss an issue in a meeting, it's actually not very collaborative. Everyone has an opinion, emotions run high, and people get stuck on their pet theories. It becomes a debate to see who can persuade the other that they are right — or force them to back down through intimidation tactics. 

It's probably true in every profession and industry, but boy oh boy, do we ever love to argue in Silicon Valley! Almost every meeting felt like a debate with one or two literal geniuses in the room (just to make sure you felt like an inferior little monkey). So many of us love to argue, demonstrate how smart we are, and crush our competitors in debates. 

I'm not saying I was above it all. I competed in debate and persuasive speaking when I was younger. As my wife will tell you, I kind of enjoy arguing. I don't take it personally. It's strangely fun for me. 

However, as much as some of us might enjoy these confrontational discussions, it's not the most effective way for teams to work together toward a common goal. When everyone is trying to win, the team often loses. 

Even in the healthiest of collaborative sessions, the full cognitive horsepower isn't fully aligned to drive the process forward in the same direction at the same time. 

* One person proposes a creative idea.

* Another person starts shooting it down. 

* Someone else tries to share useful data they think might help the discussion. 

* Yet another person says the idea doesn't "feel right."

* And, someone else in the room is already at the whiteboard trying to share a completely different idea. 

What if everyone's thinking process was aligned so the team was rowing in the same direction at the same time? What if people stopped viewing each other as opponents and competitors sitting across the debate table? What if we joined each other side by side and felt like partners working together on an issue? 

Not us vs. them. Instead, it becomes us vs. the problem. 

With parallel thinking, you don't stop and debate every point as it is made (unlike traditional meetings). It reminds me a bit of writing. It's a slow, laborious process when people try to write and edit at the same time. They barely get any work done. But, if you separate the two activities, you can get into a creative flow state. Write and let the ideas stream onto the screen with no judgment, no editing, no stopping to fix misspellings or grammatical mistakes. Then, once your writing session is finished, return to the document later to edit and revise it. 

Imagine working together to be creative at the same time, positive at the same time, and look for issues at the same time. No more competing across the table for things you want vs what they want.

I worked in traditional 9-5 hourly jobs with the usual bosses and coworkers for about 10 years before I entered graduate school (and everything changed). For the most part, these jobs were not high-stress jobs, although there were some tense moments as a police dispatcher.

Most of the folks I worked with treated a job as a job, not a career. People worked just hard enough. I even had veteran employees tell me to, “Slow down and take it easy. You still get paid the same. Don't make anyone else look bad.”

There wasn't much competition at all, and promotions were kind of rare. In my experience, you got promoted simply by sticking around long enough. Staff turnover was incredibly frequent. I became "Delta 47” when I stayed long enough to become the shift supervisor. We were all friends and working in the trenches together.

The salaried corporate world was so very different. When I joined that experience about 30 years ago, I discovered it was much more competitive.

* So many arguments about who was right or wrong.

* Trying to persuade others to your point of view.

* People deliberately withholding information as a power play.

It seems like the spirit of true collaboration was missing. It was more like coopetition. We cooperated enough to get work done, but no one could forget the underlying competition for:

* Resources

* Power

* Visibility

* Credit

* Bonuses

* Raises

* Promotions

The higher purpose of what we were doing was lost, too. If individuals, teams, and organizations are all competing on some level and to some degree, what an unfortunate loss of energy and focus that is. Energy that could be aligned to do amazing things for customers and humanity.

I'm going to use two different metaphors to describe what the true spirit of collaboration might look like for your teams and companies (i.e., tables and hats). This is inspired by two sources that have stuck in my mind ever since I encountered them:

* Sitting on the Same Side of The Table: The Art of Collaborative Selling by Michael Levin.

* Six Thinking Hats by Dr. Edward de Bono (my affiliate link).

I’m going to start with the “table concept” because it’s a simple mindset shift and approach. I should say simple to understand, but not always simple to do, of course.

1. Sit on the same side of the table

I think I first heard the phrase "Sit on the same side of the table" many years ago from Jason Calacanis, an angel investor. Since then, I've learned that there's a great book on sales written by Michael Levin called Sitting on the Same Side of The Table: The Art of Collaborative Selling. The idea is to shift from a hardcore negotiation style (i.e., facing each other across the table) to sitting side-by-side with your customer while you work out solutions that are good for both of you.

The current world of Zoom meetings forces us into meetings where it appears as if we are across from one another. But, think back to the last meetings you had in a physical room. If it was a confrontational meeting and you expected some debate and argument, you probably sat in chairs across the table from the folks on the other side of the issue. I know that most of my tense meetings were like that. We certainly didn't sit next to each other.

However, I remember deliberately experimenting with this seating arrangement in one critical meeting with the head of product from another organization. There had been some tension between our teams, and disagreement about the direction our products were going and how they interacted.

I wanted the meeting to be a collaborative session instead of combative. So, when I entered the conference room, I sat next to them on the side of the table by the whiteboard. It was funny. They pulled back a little and looked at me with surprise. But I said, "I want to sketch some concepts on the whiteboard and show you a prototype on my laptop."

I was completely transparent about the goals. I wanted the solution to be something we agreed upon and would end up being a win for both of us — with the ultimate win being for the company if it worked for both of our products. The session was pretty amazing, and it changed the nature of our relationship from that day forward.

No, we didn't become best friends. But I like to think there was mutual respect, and they actually went out of their way to meet with me many months later and share some helpful advice.

There is incredible power in solving a problem together vs. being opponents facing each other on opposing sides of the table. Literally, in person. Figuratively, online.

2. Wear the “same hat”

I learned about this collaboration and decision-making model in Dr. Edward de Bono's book. Thank you for introducing me to this book, Justin!

"The main difficulty of thinking is confusion. We try to do too much at once. Emotions, information, logic, hope, and creativity all crowd in on us. It is like juggling with too many balls."- Edward de Bono

It’s all about being in the same thinking mode at the same time vs. the typical opposing mindset of disagreement and argument. You all are creative at the same time. You all look for flaws at the same time. Stay in that mode together until it's time to switch.

* White hat: neutral and objective, concerned with facts and figures.

* Red hat: the emotional view.

* Black hat: careful and cautious, the "devil's advocate" hat.

* Yellow hat: sunny and positive.

* Green hat: associated with fertile growth, creativity, and new ideas.

* Blue hat: cool, the color of the sky, above everything else - the organizing hat.

Now, some people love this concept, and some are not fans. If everyone isn't fully on board with the process, it won't work. If psychological safety is absent in the organization, it won't work.

"Team psychological safety is a shared belief held by members of a team that it's OK to take risks, to express their ideas and concerns, to speak up with questions, and to admit mistakes - all without fear of negative consequences." (source)

The power of the "Thinking Hats" approach is to make sure everyone is collaborating on a problem in the same mode at the same time. Instead of arguing, debating, and defending your ideas or point of view against your colleagues, you talk about the problem in a collaborative way as you view it from the same perspective at the same time.

Imagine viewing a large, complex building from the outside. If each person is on a different side of the building, what you think you’re seeing and how you would describe it is very different from everyone else. But, if you all come together and visit each side of the house at the same time, you now have a shared perspective and can have a great conversation about what it is.

This is referred to as “parallel thinking” in the book. It’s constructive collaborative thinking vs. adversarial thinking. It’s sharing everything together in the most open and honest way possible to ensure everyone has all of the information required to produce the best possible outcome.

You don’t withhold information that could help simply because you’re “trying to win” and don’t want to share relevant data that might help your opponent. Parallel thinking aligns the team fully with one thinking approach at the same time, viewing the problem from the same perspective simultaneously.

You are not opponents. It is not you vs. them. It is all of you vs. the problem. The colored hats are quick cues to move into a specific mode of thinking, communicating, and sharing. De Bono makes the point that the language we usually use to talk about emotions, negative consequences, creativity, etc. is insufficient and has some baggage (e.g., people are reluctant to fully share their personal feelings about an issue with their boss).

The hats make the exercise more objective and not about the individual. For example, you’re not being negative. You’re simply sharing Black Hat thinking and objectively pointing out things that might go wrong with a proposed course of action.

I’ll briefly summarize each of the hats. But, this barely covers what is available in his book.

Blue hat mode

Usually, the group assigns one person to act as the "blue hat." They play the role of facilitator/moderator:

* They set the stage for the discussion (e.g., state the purpose of the meeting, identify the issue or problem, describe the desired outcome for the session).

* They share the proposed agenda with the sequence of using some or all of the hats as they work on an issue (e.g., “Let’s start with some red hat to get everyone’s feelings on the issue. Then, we’ll move into white hat and share all of the data and information we have. After that, I’d like to move into green hat and start generating some new ideas for how we might solve the problems.”).

* They will remind participants to stay in a specific mode of thinking (e.g., “Tom, that’s black hat thinking and we’re still in the yellow hat part of the discussion. Save that for later, ok?”).

* At the end, the blue hat asks for the outcome and talks about next steps (e.g., “So, we all agreed that this is the best course of action. Next steps, lets loop in the rest of the team to start planning the work on this new strategy.”).

White hat mode

In white hat mode, you share the information and data you have with your colleagues, but without any emotional interpretation or bias. What is actually happening? Not what you imagine is happening. Not how you feel about it.

Everyone puts all the facts on the table together, while striving to be neutral and objective. Unlike most meetings, everyone should share every bit of information and data they are aware of, even if it doesn’t support their personal agenda.

* No emotional reactions.

* No arguing about the data.

* No debating a piece of information.

* No judgment of the facts.

* Think "Mr. Spock."

Red hat mode

In typical business discussions, you’re not supposed to allow your emotions to cloud your judgment. You try to avoid becoming heated during a debate. The first person to lose their cool loses the argument, right?

Well, believe me, emotions do run high in business meetings. But, it’s often not a shared experience and it’s rarely constructive. It’s hard to feel safe and creative when an executive is cursing, shouting at you, and threatening you. Ask my friend how it felt to have a laptop tossed at them…

The red hat mode allows everyone in the meeting to safely express feelings, emotions, and intuition. There is no need to explain or justify feelings. What people sense or feel is always valid while in this mode of thinking and sharing.

Note: this part of the session doesn’t take very long. It’s a “gut check” moment and gives people a chance to express things without the dispassionate sharing of data (white hat), a demand for positivity (yellow hat), etc.

Black hat mode

Black hat mode is going to feel very familiar. It seems to be the go-to activity for many people in meetings. I’m sure you’ve worked with several folks who almost immediately shoot down any idea and are happy to explain why something will never work. I sure have!

It is a valid and useful thinking activity (just ask your Legal team), but it is so much more effective when everyone agrees to be in that mode at the same time vs. debating and arguing throughout the entire meeting.

* The black hat is about caution and survival.

* You can identify things that might be unprofitable, unethical, destructive, dangerous, illegal, etc.

* Discuss the potential downside, risks, flaws, weaknesses, and concerns.

* What could go wrong?

* How will we react if something goes wrong?

Black hat is incredibly useful for planning and coming up with contingency plans, too. But, the magic of the process is that you engage in this type of thinking together and at the right time in the meeting, instead of constantly derailing a productive discussion.

Yellow hat mode

The optimistic mode of the yellow hat is kind of fun. It is especially enjoyable to watch one of your colleagues — who is usually quite negative about everything — suddenly start sharing positive examples of potential benefits, value, and opportunities.

Again, the magic is that everyone in the room is engaging in positive thinking at the same time. When is the last time you experienced that?

It’s a good idea to consider probabilities and reality even in this mode. Sure, it would be nice if a knight rode up on a unicorn and handed your team a billion-dollar budget, but it’s highly unlikely.

Some examples:

* What is our vision of the future?

* What are the opportunities ahead of us?

* What does success look like?

* How does the future change if we succeed?

* What are the ways this could work out well for us?

* How will this change people’s lives for the better?

* How could we improve this even more?

Green hat mode

If you’ve ever attended a brainstorming session, you’re familiar with wearing the green hat. If you had an excellent facilitator, they ensured that everyone stayed in the mode of generating new ideas before debating, arguing, or trying to interrupt someone’s creative flow.

* What is possible?

* How can we disrupt the industry?

* How far can we push things?

* What new ideas do we have?

* What is your wildest suggestion?

* What are the alternatives?

* How can you build on someone else’s idea?

* What course of action could we take to make this happen?

Note: I want to point out that not everyone can be put on the spot in a meeting and immediately let loose with creative ideas. Some of us — myself included — need time to be alone, think, and let things flow and simmer a bit.

I recommend you give your colleagues time to prepare for a proposed brainstorming meeting, know the agenda, review the data and information available, and generate some ideas on their own before coming to a green hat session to share and develop them together.

I know this was a lot to digest! Check out the book (Six Thinking Hats ) if you’d like to learn more about how to apply this methodology to your own team discussions.

Becoming allies, not competitors

First, let me be clear about something. You need a reasonably healthy culture — both company and organization — and psychological safety to open up and embrace the Six Thinking Hats methodology. You will fail if others refuse to commit to the process. You will fail if you don’t feel safe being completely honest and transparent with the information you have. It’s hard to be open and vulnerable if your colleagues simply take advantage of it to go for the kill and take the win.

However, if your team really does want to find a better way to collaborate, work together, and make decisions, there is hope. Introduce them to the book and the process. Start experimenting with it in your meetings. Take note of how it, hopefully, improves the quality of your discussions and outcomes.

Work can feel pretty amazing when your coworkers are genuinely your partners seeking the best outcomes (i.e., you’re on the same side of the table). I’ve had this experience in small startups. It feels magical to be aligned with a common goal and no hidden agendas.

Have you tried this approach in your organization before? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!

This week’s professional development challenge

⭐ Define Your Professional Brand This exercise is about defining your professional brand. What do you want people to remember about your work reputation? What do you wish people would say about you when you’re not in the room? Capture a list of attributes you believe define who you are and how you want people to see you.

Hi, I’m Larry Cornett, a Personal Coach who can work with you to optimize your career, life, or business. My mission is to help you take complete control of your work and life so you can become a more “Invincible You.” I currently live in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with my wife and our Great Dane. I still believe I might grow up to be a beautiful butterfly one day.

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"It used to be so easy for me to get a new job. I didn't even have to look or try. People came to me! But, now? Now I'm struggling to get to the final round and I haven't received any offers in over a year? Something has changed…" — My new client

My coaching client was pretty unhappy about this twist of fate. That wonderful well of endless jobs had surprisingly dried up.

Many smart and talented people have this experience. Getting a job in their 20s was easy. Almost too easy.

It was so easy that they never bothered to think about a career plan or create an intentional career path. Employers were plentiful and the job market was bountiful. Heck, jobs were falling out of the sky and landing in their laps It would always be like this, right?

Wrong.

The wild ride will come to an end, sooner for some people than others. If you haven't mapped out a plan, put yourself in the driver's seat, and controlled your path and destiny, you might find yourself kicked to the curb.

Ageism is real, folks. Age discrimination is illegal, but it's incredibly difficult to prove. You'll simply notice that people are no longer actively seeking you out and trying to recruit you for roles.

Sitting back and waiting to see what happens in your career isn’t a great strategy. Do you see yourself as more of a driver or passenger on your journey?

* Are you just along for the ride in your career?

* Do you feel like your career happened to you serendipitously?

Most people let their careers "just happen." They don't give much thought to planning their career path, looking for the best employers, and controlling their future until something goes wrong.

Suddenly, they notice that:

* They're being passed over for promotions.

* It's taking longer to find new jobs.

* Their career growth is slowing down.

* Their raises have flatlined.

* They're feeling unhappy, stressed, anxious, worried, and unfulfilled.

Eventually, they ask themselves:

"Is this really what I should be doing with my life?What's going wrong?How do I get back on a good path?" 

Create an intentional path

Where do you want your life to be in 20 years?

Can you get there more quickly? 

Let me stop for a moment and make something clear. I am not suggesting that you create a rigid 30-year career path and follow it from the start to the bitter end. We don't do that anymore, right?

If you are thoughtful and intentional during your journey, you will learn more about who you are and what you really want from life. You will change your mind, and that’s ok.

It seems like I change my career plans and path about every 10 years. While the thought of changing professions and careers may make some people feel stressed out, I find it exciting.

Rather than selecting a point in the future that’s attached to a specific profession or financial outcome (e.g., I must be a CEO, a billionaire, or a famous author), I prefer to ask people to envision a life they would find interesting, exciting, delightful, and fulfilling.

* Where do they live?

* How do they spend their days working?

* How do they spend time playing?

* Who are they spending their life with?

When you have a plan in mind, you’ll notice more opportunities that can help you with your journey.

I created a 91-page Invincible Career Manual for my clients that we collaboratively complete and review. It’s meant to evolve with you and be updated as your career grows and changes.

* If you’re already one of my clients, ping me to make sure you find your customized copy of the manual in our shared Google Drive folder.

* If you’re a member of my Career Accelerator, I’ll share a link to get your free copy of the manual in our private Slack channel.

* If you’re a premium subscriber to this newsletter, I’ll share a link to get your free copy of the manual in our Office Hours channel on Slack.

If you subscribe to the free version of this newsletter, use this link to get 20% off and download your own copy of the Invincible Career Manual! You can start using it right away to plan what you want for your career this year and beyond.

Design your ideal lifestyle 

One way to create a better career path is to focus on life design first. Design your lifestyle and then find a career that enables it. 

I'm not talking about the lifestyles of the rich and shameless. Don't be a silly child and say, "I want to own a private island with a jet and a yacht. Therefore I need a career that makes me a billionaire!" 

It’s great to be ambitious. But, try to be somewhat realistic, too.

* How do you want to spend your days?

* How do you want to structure your weeks?

* With whom do you spend most of your time?

* Where do you live?

* How do you keep yourself happy, healthy, and fulfilled? 

Craft your ideal job

Job crafting is the practice of changing your job to make it more engaging and meaningful. I also love to have my clients write their ideal job description as one way to pursue a role that would give them what they want for their career and life. We focus on the job, the employer/company, and their direct manager/boss.

Ideal job

Design your ideal job that is the right next step for your career.

* How would you define your ideal role? 

* What do you want to do more of in your next job?

* What do you want to eliminate in your next role?

Ideal employer

Defining your ideal employer sometimes feels like a scene from Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You've probably had enough jobs that you know what you want more of from an ideal employer and what you want to avoid.

* This corporation is too large.

* This startup is too small.

* I don’t want to work for a company that’s dependent on ad revenue.

* I don't enjoy working on enterprise software.

* I enjoy companies that sell direct to consumer.

Ideal boss

Think back and remember what you’ve appreciated about your past bosses. Also capture the toxic traits of your bad managers.

* What does a great boss look like for you?

* What are your red flag issues to avoid?

* How do wish your future boss would behave and treat you?

Ideal independent business (if necessary)

Sometimes the best job is the one you literally create from scratch. I reached that point in my career.

I was tired of trying to fit myself into companies, organizations, and leadership cultures that weren’t a good match for my personality, values, and ambitions. So, I left the corporate scene and built my own business.

If that’s something you’re interested in doing one day, check out my Invincible Solopreneurs newsletter. I’m also planning a live workshop to help folks define and design a business based on their existing talents, skills, knowledge, and experience.

Why bother with a plan? 

For most people, staying in a job for too long has diminishing returns. On average, being employed at the same company for over two years will make you earn less over your lifetime — by about 50% or more.

If you’re not planning your promotion path and taking control of making it happen, you may not have a manager who will look out for you and ensure you get promoted when you deserve it.

If you know you need to move on to a better job to keep growing your career and maximizing your lifetime earning potential, having a plan ensures you make a smart move. Too many people end up jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire of an even worse situation.

A plan helps you do your homework and make a move to a great company, manager, and job.

* The right boss can accelerate your career.

* The wrong boss can damage it and set you back for years (or forever). 

* The right company can set you up for the rest of your career.

* The wrong company can waste years of your time and lower your lifetime earning potential. 

* The right company culture will let you have a great personal life.

* The wrong company culture will chew you up and spit you out.

A plan also helps you identify faster paths to your ideal end state. If you don't know where you want to go, it's kind of impossible to even notice or look for shortcuts. I found a shortcut and got the life I want decades ahead of where my traditional career was taking me. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life!

Drivers get what they want 

Drivers get what they want out of life. Passengers end up where someone else decides to drop them off. 

Those people who seem happier and more successful than you aren't better than you. They're just more confident, know what they want, and pursue it with a vengeance. 

They are in the driver's seat, controlling where their careers and lives are going.

You don't have to be a passenger. Don't let anyone stop you from climbing into the driver's seat of your career and life. 

It's not like you'll get a second chance to play this game. You get one life. Chart a course to end up where you want to go. 

Invincible Career Workshop

I'm considering creating a workshop on "How to Create an Intentional Career Path." Let me know your thoughts by voting on this poll.

Larry Cornett is a Personal Coach who can help you optimize your career, life, and business. If you’re interested in starting a business or side hustle someday (or accelerating an existing one), check out his “Employee to Solopreneur” workshop (coming soon).

Larry lives in Northern California near Lake Tahoe with his wife and a gigantic Great Dane. He does his best to share advice to help others take complete control of their work and life. He’s also on Mastodon.