Career Coach

Career development planning secrets of brownnosers and how they could help you

by dianecraver on June 16, 2011

Career Development Planning-Tips from Brownnosers

You’ve seen them – the brown nosers, sweet talkers, bootlickers, goody two-shoes, kiss ass, suck ups, yes-men, and the like!

How can they live with themselves? How come your boss doesn’t see through them?

This morning I wondered about that very thing while my husband brought me breakfast in bed. Kidding!

Recently I had a conversation with some friends about brownnosers in their office. They talked about favoritism, stupid people getting promoted, and people getting thrown under the bus. We could all relate – been there, been burned by that.

Then just this week I found a website praising the skills of brownnosers. Yes, that’s right – praising the skills of brownnosers. That got my attention.

A Website for Brownnosers – Really?

The website, Brownnosing 101, was created by Linda Teza, corporate refugee, and currently writer and professor. Linda had an interesting perspective that I hadn’t considered: brownnosers are simply using some fundamental business skills – visibility, positioning, networking and connecting.

What is it we despise so much about brownnosers? It’s what I perceive as their motivation that bothers me: self-serving, competition, superficial, manipulation.

I certainly don’t want to imitate those types of behaviors, but I’m open-minded enough to know that I can learn from anyone – even if it’s what not to do.

Brownnosing Skill for Your Career Development Planning – Visibility

When it comes to career development planning, being skilled at visibility is critical. In my experience, it’s something almost everyone struggles with. People know they need to be visible, but they aren’t sure how to do it in a way that feels authentic and not slimy.

I’ve had many conversations with my clients about visibility. Here’s a sample of them below. How would you answer these questions?

  • How often do you meet with your manager, engaging her/him in your vision and strategies … not talking about tactics? What I hear from the executives I work with is that too many of their employees want to talk about details.

Leaders don’t need the details; they’re more interested in your ideas, vision, and strategies. You figure out the details.

  • How often do you speak up in meetings? I know some people are just naturally quiet or like to process their thoughts internally, but I continue to hear people say their managers want them to speak up in meetings.

Don’t sit there all smug saying, “Well, I would talk, but you can’t get a word in edgewise with Diane in the meeting.” Try writing down an idea, suggestion, or perspective while others are talking. Then find a way to say it – even if you have to interrupt with something like, “Pardon me, Diane. I have an idea I’d like to share with the group. May I jump in here”?

  • When you’re at a networking event, what is the quality of your conversation? Are you looking for ways of connecting to people on a personal level? Or are you just talking business, keeping the conversation superficial? Your products and services don’t differentiate you from others, who you are will.

And speaking of networking, how do you follow up with people? Something I learned in business development was to send an email or note after the meeting to recap the salient points of the meeting and thank the person for their time. That extra step is a big one.

  • How do you talk about what you do well? Whether you’re interviewing for a job/role, discussing your performance, pitching a product or service, or running for office, you have to talk about yourself.

A huge roadblock I see people struggle with is they either go on and on, or they don’t say enough. I’ve even heard people say, “Well they should know what I do well. I work 10 hours a day.” NOT!

  • Think about who is in your inner circle – people you go to lunch or dinner with, people you go to a game with, people at your church or club, people in your industry. How wide is that circle? Are you only hanging out with people like you? If you are, you’re missing out.

When it comes to your career, it’s important to be connected to a diverse group of people from all walks of life and all levels. When you do, your life is enriched, your perspective expands, and many times you get free informal mentoring.

You don’t have to get run over or pushed aside by the brownnosers in your office, group, or family (yeah, they exist in families too). You can learn these skills too and not be the one everyone wants to be run over by a bus on the way to work!

When you think about career development planning, what have you found to be helpful with visibility? What has challenged you?

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Why Everyone Needs a Career Plan

by dianecraver on May 27, 2011

career plan

Career Plan: Where Shall We Go Today?

Your Career Plan is an Investment in YOU!

I’m a planner. I like planning vacations, weekend activities, my new kitchen renovation, what I’m planting in my yard every spring and fall. And I plan my career. I always have.

Creating and adjusting your career plan throughout your life is one of the most important and useful investments of your time. It’s exciting to know where you’re heading and adjust accordingly when you’re ready.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably get there.” There meaning nowhere or anywhere or somewhere. Who wants that … especially when it comes to your career?

What is a Career Plan?

Most people approach career planning as a way to get the next promotion, fix their weaknesses, or compete against their peers. They hope they’ll somehow be noticed and rewarded for how many hours they’ve worked, courses they’ve taken, degrees they’ve earned, or projects they’ve led.

Countless organizations treat career planning as an HR process. They use words like talent development, succession planning, and key resource identification. I suspect (hope) their intentions are good, but what usually happens is you are put into little boxes that get you nowhere.

I believe there’s a better way … a way that elevates people AND the organization. A way for people to show up fully engaged and guiding their career plan and a way for organizations to genuinely maximize their talent.

career plan

Your work is your art!

I see work as your art … a creative expression of your talents, skills, abilities, experience, passions, values, perspectives … your own masterpiece. I’ve seen it over and over again whether I was a leader or a coach. It is so cool to watch people get into their groove and create some magic. And anyone can do it.

Your career plan is the process you use to create and expand your version of art.

You career plan is cyclical, strategic and evolutionary. It keeps you energized and focused on being your best and brings extraordinary value to everyone – yourself included.

What You Can Expect from a Career Plan – The IAM Way*

Imagine how your life would be different if you approached your career this way…

  • Leading Your Career. Success is rarely created by simply falling into a job, being pressured, or doing what everyone else does. Those who lead their careers based on who they are and what they want for their lives create fulfillment and success.
  • Focused on the Big Picture. When you have a vision for your career, it’s easy to focus all of your goals and strategies on getting you there. Knowing what you want helps you to make decisions about staying on your path or perhaps taking a little diversion … knowing all along that it’s the journey and the destination that creates happiness.
  • Empowered Personal and Professional Development. Your career plan isn’t a static document. It evolves as you do. Use it to build on and expand your strengths, not fix your weaknesses. Get support from others (coaches, mentors, advisors) to help you grow. Become a lifelong learner.
  • Courageous. It’s normal to be afraid at times throughout your career. Most of what I see people struggle with is “the unknown.” It takes courage to step out of your comfort zone, so you may feel some anxiety. That’s when you consult your career plan to remind you of where you’re going, confront your fears, and get back on track. Like a powerful lion…
  • Prepared. Opportunity knocks and you’ll be ready to take advantage of it. You’ll rarely be surprised by what’s going on around you because you’re consistently reviewing your career plan for alignment with what you want.
  • Focused. Most of us would be good at a thousand things, but how do you choose? Your career plan guides your decisions and curtails distractions.
  • Creative. The process of developing a career plan is very creative. Set yourself free from “what is” and imagine, dream, explore. You might be surprised at what you cook up!
  • Life of Integrity. Crafting a career that is rooted in your values means that your career is one in which what you say and what you do matches up. It will be easy to make choices that align your values to the values of others to create harmony.

*If you want to know more about The IAM Way, Karen captured it beautifully in a recent blog post.

Planning your career is easier than you think. You just need a framework that guides you along your journey.

What Happens if You Don’t Have a Career Plan?

Throughout my career and life, I’ve met scores of brilliant people, but for some reason many of them are languishing in their jobs or businesses. They seem to be stuck. And some of them are bitter.

I’ve wondered many times why these awesome people were overlooked or underutilized while other people were blowing past them? Were they missing secret powers? Were the other people just really good “brown-nosers” … or blackmailers?

Truth Time: The number one reason why these awesome people aren’t getting the results is because they don’t have a career plan … or their career plan isn’t getting them the results they want.

Here’s an example (true story but edited for confidentiality): Sara’s colleagues viewed her as the boss’s “pet.” She got the projects she wanted, was frequently seen in the boss’s office, and before long was promoted into a senior leadership position.

Sara’s colleagues were livid! “Favoritism is rampant around here. What does she have we don’t have? She’s not any smarter than we are. I work harder than she does,” they cried.

What Sara’s colleagues didn’t know is that Sara has a career plan. She shared her ideas with her boss, and they worked together to implement her plan. It wasn’t all “sunshine and roses” either. Sometimes Sara stumbled. Sometimes her boss didn’t agree with her. But eventually they came to an understanding of how to unite Sara’s goals with the organization’s goals.

When I talked with Sara’s boss, I asked, “Did any of those other people talk with you about their career plan”? Unfortunately the answer was what you might expect, “No, not one.”

Career Planning is Not for the Birds

career plan

Our career plan is to sit here & wait.

If you want a career you love, you can’t be like baby birds waiting for their mother to drop food in their mouths. That only gets you what other people think you should have.

Who wants that? I’d rather decide for myself who I am – at my very best. And then create a career plan that fits me AND creates value for everyone.

Now is the time to start (or get better at) treating your career like a savvy business owner. Today’s volatile and global economy requires you to.

Invest the time now to get clear about where you want to go, how you’ll get there, and what help you need along the way. It’s not a huge “time suck” either. Your return on investment (ROI) will be greater than you ever imagined.

So what about you? Are you ready to get started? We’ve got a phenomenal new program starting soon, IAM Career Smart! Group Coaching. In this online development program, we’ll help you create a career plan so you can love what you do and getting a life you love.

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What Career Coaches Know that Someone May Have Forgotten to Tell You

by dianecraver on March 22, 2011

Career Coaches and Simon Says … really?



Have you ever been in a situation where someone thought you knew, but you didn’t? Maybe there was blame, assumptions, or criticism. And then you found out, and you said, “Well, why didn’t someone tell me”?

I like Maya Angelou’s quote: “When you know better, you do better.” That’s why I wrote this article, because as a career coach I find many times, people just don’t know what they don’t know.

career coach

career coach says...

I’m going to play a game that resembles the child’s game we used to play, “Simon Says.” It goes like this: Simon is the leader. When he says, “Simon Says,” you have to do what he says, such as “raise your hand.” If he says “raise your hand” without saying “Simon Says” and you raise your hand, you’re out.

It sucks to be left out. I don’t want you to be left out of a career path you love, so keep reading about how you can stay in the game instead of being booted out by that punk, Simon.

Career Coach Says: Do the work you’re supposed to do

If you’re feeling disillusioned about your career, you’re not doing the work you’re supposed to do. Are you an artist but not creating? Are you a leader but not leading? Are you a problem solver but not solving problems?

I once heard someone say, “You’re not supposed to enjoy your work. That’s why they call it work.” To which I replied (not in a snarky way at all), “So, no one in the whole world enjoys their work?”  To which this person replied, “Well, no, I mean some people do, just not most people.”

“So what makes the people who love their work so special? How come they get to do what they love, but not you”? Silence!

This way of thinking is a big – fat – lie. There are examples all around you of people doing the work they’re supposed to do. These folks clearly understand their talents and how to leverage them.

Maybe you need a new career, maybe you just need to set some career goals that bring out your best. I don’t know your situation, but clearly if you’re feeling disillusioned at work, your situation won’t get better on its own.

Truth time: Figuring out what you’re supposed to do requires some work … and the effort is worth it.

Career Coach says: Create a campaign for your next role

Are you the type of person who gets restless in your career? Perhaps you’ve been in your role for a couple of years, and now you’re bored. Been there; done that – so I hired a career coach to help me make better career choices.

Your boss likes your work & she wants you to stay exactly where you are. “Can’t you just be happy where you are? You have more to learn,” she says. Dilemma or opportunity?

What if you were like this guy, Mike. He’s creating a “campaign” to demonstrate why it would be in everyone’s best interest to place him in a role where he can create even more value for himself & the organization. Campaigns are filled with strategies, plans & execution towards a desired outcome. Campaigns are not created in a day. They take time.

And sometimes it helps to have a little fun with your campaign. Mike messes with his boss every now & then by wearing a suit to work. And you know what that means, suit at work = interviewing or preaching. ;-)

Career Coach says: Never, ever, ever say, “Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.”

Nothing frustrates leaders more than people just sitting back and waiting to be told what to do. Whether it’s your performance review, project planning, brainstorming session, interview, networking, working with a career coach, customer meeting or whatever … show up fully present, sharing what you want, and inviting others to do the same.

When everyone comes to the “party” as a peer, with the intention that everyone can get what they want, you best believe something special is going to happen. You won’t be playing games to see who’s the winner or who’s the loser. Everyone wins because everyone is showing up as a leader, bringing their unique gifts and contributions to the situation or relationship.

Some results you can expect are: stronger performance, innovation, high-quality work & relationships, clear communication & understanding, better service  … essentially happier people who create superior experiences for the people they serve & care about.

Career Coach says: You already have what you need

Is this you? You’ve gotten a good education, you’re a leader, someone people naturally go to; you produce high-quality work and get excellent feedback from people you support … and yet you can’t quite make the leap to the career you’re longing for.

So, you take more classes, get more certifications, do more research, abandon your dreams, or ride other people’s coattails hoping they’ll pull you along.

All the while, there’s this voice whispering inside you, “You are enough. You have everything you need.” But you ignore that little voice – wondering why you aren’t getting what you want.

Please read this sentence carefully. Stop. Breathe. You have EVERYTHING you need.

As a career coach, I see this a lot. I tell my clients: The only thing standing in your way is you. What a relief! If you’re in your way, and you’re in control of yourself, you can get out of your way. How cool is that!

“How do you do that,” you ask? You acknowledge the appreciation that’s coming your way. You recognize your gifts. You stand tall and exclaim to the world, “I have something wonderful to offer you, and I am ready to share it.” Oh man, look out, here you come!

Career Coach says: Get out or else

I see lots of people who have stayed in their jobs too long, and they’re not in a good place when they come to see their career coach.  They’re feeling complacent, overwhelmed, apathetic, and really hate Monday mornings.

Wishing and praying and thinking and hoping - good start but take it a step further

I’m reminded of the Burt Bacharach song “Wishing and Praying,” sung by Dionne Warwick. All that wishing and hoping and thinking and praying is getting you really close, but you’re not there quite yet.

According to this article in Health magazine, “For mental health, bad job worse than no job,” researchers found that unemployed people actually rated higher in mental health than people in jobs of high stress (bad boss, micromanaged, underpaid, insecure about employment). Pretty incredible, huh?

You don’t have to quit your job right now. Actually I advise against it unless you’re doing damage to yourself. Just take one step, and then another, and then another. Before you know it you’ll be out the door and on your way to something you want … and I’ll bet much wiser this time around.

And finally, Career Coach says: Your career is not a game where someone tells you what to do and you do it, so you win.



You need to be Simon in your career, directing yourself in a way that sets you on a successful, fulfilling career path. Take a stand, create a vision, invite people in to support and encourage you, and take action only that’s right for you. Take all the time you need; just don’t let someone else decide your career path.

So, now you know. And you’ll do better, I’m sure of it.

P.S. If you need help, check out our online career coaching program, IAM Career SMART!™

Now it’s time for you to put on the role of “Career Coach.” What do you want us to know?

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