Accelerate your career! These tips will help you gain a competitive advantage in the workplace.

Tuesday: Return Driven Strategy FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: As CEO of MBO Partners, I’ve been getting a lot of great business insights from Professor Joel Litman and Dr. Mark L. Frigo’s Return Driven Strategy (RDS). They’ve discussed this in detail in their book, “Driven.” The RDS framework has 11 tenets and 3 foundations. When taken into the context of your own brand, these will lead you towards ethical wealth and value creation for your firm. I also like this framework because it doesn’t only apply to a business but also to one’s career. Just apply the tenets and foundations to the microlevel and you have Career Driven Strategy (CDS). Today, we'll talk about three tips to accelerate your career. Applying these will enable you to fulfill tenets two and three of CDS―“Fulfill Otherwise Unmet Constituent Needs” and “Serve the Right Constituents.” Know more about these career development strategies by reading the article below. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

Accelerate your career! These tips will help you gain a competitive advantage in the workplace. “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” – Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host and philanthropist Some of the richest people in the world achieved success with the help of great mentors or teachers. From Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates to Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, many of today’s business leaders succeeded in life due to the mentorship they received. These mentor relationships show that high-powered individuals don’t just passively let their careers happen. They constantly invest to improve their skills through coaching and other forms of education. Nowadays, a lot of workers are realizing that there’s more to the workforce than simply staying in one full-time job―they can also choose to work on part-time projects during their free time and accommodate more than one client at a time due to the digitization of the workforce. That’s why many are taking time to focus on self-development! In fact, an article from Forbes states self-development is an effective way (and in some cases the only way) to progress along the career ladder. Through this, business leaders and employees alike reach their full potential. What are some career driven strategies that can help you achieve your #CareerGoals? Have a proactive strategy. According to MBO Partners’ 2021 State of Independence in America report, more than half of the population of millennials in the US are choosing to become independent professionals. They no longer depend on a pre-established career path to advance to higher level positions. This shows that more workers are becoming proactive nowadays. Rather than assuming ascent on a career ladder, many individuals are now focusing on attaining marketable skills, gaining experience with various employers, and building a robust support system or network. One of the ways you can supercharge your career is through mentorship. This provides benefits such as professional development, better understanding of organizational culture, and development of new perspectives. So, think expansively about how mentorship can help you widen and diversify your experiences, insights, and career as a whole. When you have someone who’s willing to impart knowledge and build networks with you, you’ll see positive impacts on your career. Think like a CMO (Chief Marketing Officer). Modern-day career trajectories are tied to how you represent yourself whenever you face clients, employers, and other professionals. That’s why it’s important to make your background information, skills, and experiences not only available but also “shiny.” By “shiny,” we mean thinking of yourself as your own CMO and constantly analyzing, refining, and improving how you appear in the job market. A good approach to gain a competitive advantage in this aspect is through education. Thankfully, today’s corporate landscape has more options available for workers who’d like to learn and gain more skills! Short-term educational opportunities include: Webinars Workshops MOOCs (massive open online courses) Meanwhile, long-term educational opportunities include: Professionally-focused degree programs in various universities Corporate in-house programs Learning a new skill through self-taught study Participating in any of these learning activities and programs will enable you to gain marketable skills, knowledge, and credentials. Welcome feedback. The World Economic Forum reports that emotional intelligence is one of the most vital job skills nowadays. Aside from that, various soft skills such as coaching skills, communication skills, empathy, and problem-solving abilities are necessary. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses in these skills is a critical step to make improvements… and one of the best ways to do that is by asking others for feedback. According to learning-agility researcher Dr. W. Warner Burke, “Seeking feedback of how you’re doing―regardless of how threatening the action might be to one’s self esteem―is vital to career development.” He states those who are willing to have honest conversations with mentors or colleagues are more likely to improve their behaviors and demonstrate success in the future. In today’s changing economic environment, it’s important for career driven individuals to think and act strategically about their career choices. That’s what Dr. Mark L. Frigo, Professor at the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University, said about his Career Driven Strategy (CDS) framework. In fact, focusing on self-development to boost your career falls under Tenets Two and Three of CDS: “Fulfill Otherwise Unmet Constituent Needs” and “Serve the Right Constituents.” Why? Dr. Frigo stated that the pathway to value creation is always through others. Applying Career Driven Strategy means constantly developing your skills and characteristics, and thinking of your employer as a client. The more unmet their needs are, the higher your potential value in your industry is. Always ask yourself, “What otherwise unmet needs should I fulfill in my current job?” This will lead you towards ethical wealth and value creation while providing what your clients or employers need―a win-win situation! Additionally, focusing on self-development enables you to target the right customers or clients that will help you progress in your career. It’s part and parcel of a great career strategy. — In contrast to the 90’s ideal “company man,” today’s workplace expects more individuality, creativity, and flexibility from professionals. No longer are workers depending on hard work and loyalty alone to get a promotion. Now, they are also crafting their own career development strategies to rise to leadership positions. So… Demonstrate the power of working with mentors, gaining feedback, shaping a public image, and building key leadership skills to accelerate your career! These valuable lessons will help you boost your credentials and achieve both your short-term and long-term goals. We hope you find these tips helpful! Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s Return Driven Strategy! Professor Joel Litman and Dr. Mark L. Frigo’s Return Driven Strategy (RDS) is a great business model. They’ve discussed this in detail in their book, “Driven.” Learn more about the importance of defining “ethics” and “wealth” in next week’s article!