“At some point in your career, you have to reinvent yourself,” Michael Simpson advised the Women in the Fastener Industry.

Employees looking to advance within their companies should first ask “What are you looking for?”stated Simpson, chief human relations officer for EN Engineering.

Keys to getting promoted include being accountable, Simpson told the WIFI seminar in conjunction with FastenerTech 2017.

Human relations people are looking for ‘impact.’ Simpson told WIFI. “Do you get stuff done? Do you move the needle? Do you get results?”

And getting results sets you apart, Simpson said. “So many people cannot execute.”

He quoted a McDonald’s CEO saying budding leaders have “a lot of ideas, but few can get them done.”

Beyond technical skills and there are “soft skills” – of diplomacy, leadership, communication – analytical,” Simpson pointed out. That includes being able to work with different personality types.

“If you can’t influence people = deal killer,” Simpson emphasized.

Simpson said in-house employees can have an advantage over applicants:  “We know who you are as you are vs. a candidate.”

However, there may be times that “someone from the outside may present less of a risk.”

Also with in-house employees, “We see your shortcomings” and “we struggle to see you in a more senior role,” Simpson noted. “We may have strong opinions of you already.”

In a search process for senior roles, executives are looking for “the candidate who has solved the problem you are looking to solve.”

Simpson asked questions which employees wanting to move up should be asking themselves:

• Are you irritating, annoying, contrary, immature, too idealistic?  It is “game over” if you are sloppy, dispassionate, entitled or pushy.

• Does a key person on the senior team not like you?  Have your integrity or values been questioned by someone or the system?

• Are you like us?  Do you care about what we care about?  Do you work as hard as us or leave at 5:02?

• The fit is important. “Will we hate the experience of working closely with you?”

But that works the other way too: “Are you comfortable being with us?”

• Can you talk frankly with us? Do you state your opinion – even if it is contrary?

• Are you “generative”? Do you bring new approaches, ideas to add to the conversation. You promote a different way of looking at issues.”

• Are you curious and able to look at issues from multiple angles? That is especially a big plus if it is outside of your work day, Simpson added.

• Passion can be misdirected, Simpson pointed out.

• Do you solve problems that keep boss up at night?

• Do you drive a culture of high performance by employees? Manage out underperformers. Inspire to get high results. Simpson finds nine of 10 “can’t manage high level performers or underperformers.”

• Self-awareness: Do you know how you are perceived by others? Do you take active steps to improve your performance?

Do you know your ‘secret’ brand?

• Ask yourself, “What would keep you from that chair?”

• Are you spotted nodding off at 1pm.? That can result in “your name permanently emblazoned” on a negative list, Simpson said.

• Have you made your interest known to your employer? They can’t read your mind and can’t help you if they are not aware of how you are preparing for a role.

• Do you need to get better at self promotion?  Maybe they don’t understand what you are doing?

• Do you have the “presence / gravitas” for the role?

• Are you hungry to achieve the potential of the business? Are you brave enough to put your neck on the line?

• Do you bleed the company colors?

The worst characteristic for promotion “may be being someone who can be ignored,” Simpson said.

Those not being promoted from within should ask, “Would you be successful elsewhere? Do you need a ‘fresh start’?” Web: fastenerwomen.com