What do khaki slacks and a red sweater have to do with looking like a leader? Answer: Everything! This outfit was what the vice president we were coaching decided to wear to a major presentation at an all hands company meeting. The meeting was casual. So the vice president aimed to be casually dressed but also to stand out. Oh, by the way, the vice president was a man. And he was the one who brought up the subject of what to wear. We know you want to be a leader. So, naturally, you are focused on developing leadership skills and positioning yourself to be noticed. But have you thought of whether you look like a future leader? What, you are thinking, yet one more to-do? Yes, since our
As you know too well, meetings are a fact of life in the high tech workplace. But you, as a foreign-born professional, may find these team, task force, and numerous other meetings stressful. However, says Jennifer Kahnweiler, "Meetings are places where people make judgments. You’re doing a disservice to people if you’re not giving them info about you and what your results are. Kahnweiler, Ph.D., is the author of Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference. Here we share with you five ways to overcome the difficulties you may have about speaking up, expressing ideas clearly, and confronting differences of opinion. Several strategies are based on Kahnweiler's book. The follo
A Taiwan-born engineer working in Silicon Valley was asked by her manager, “Do you know why I hired you?” The engineer replied that it was because of her knowledge and skills. " “Yes,” the manager agreed that these were important factors. But, he added, “I also expect you to use your knowledge and skills to proactively provide input into solving the technical problems facing the team.” In other words, the manager wanted the engineer to speak up, share her observations, point out errors, and make suggestions. And he wanted her to do this regularly, in both meetings and one-on-one conversations. These expectations were a surprise to the engineer. New to the American workplace, she thou
