Successfully reported this slideshow.
We use your LinkedIn profile and activity data to personalize ads and to show you more relevant ads. You can change your ad preferences anytime.
50 Ways to Become
 
 More Professionally Excellent May 19, 2015 || @UChicagoAlumni Webinar || #ProfessionalExcellence @Les...
Why Professional Excellence Matters Improve Your EQ: 1 - 5 Drive Results: 6 - 10 Master Your Craft: 11 - 15 Mentor / Spons...
why professional
 excellence
 matters The further along you get in your career,
 the more your reputation and your output ...
improve your EQ 1. Resource: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/education/edlife/how-to-be-emotionally-intelligent.html by ...
Have self-awareness, which requires realistic self-confidence and emotional insight. 2.
Employ self-management, which requires resilience, emotional balance, and self-motivation. 3.
Have empathy, which requires cognitive and emotional empathy + good listening. 4.
Embody good relationship skills, which requires compelling communication and team playing.
 
 Make people feel relaxed whe...
6. make every [ ]
 results-driving Resource: http://tinyletter.com/LeslieBradshaw/letters/professional-excellence-your-firs...
State the goal of the encounter; 
 get buy-in, write it out.
 
 Return to the goal at the end,
 ensure it was reached. 7.
Don’t bring your phone. Be present. 8.
Take impeccable notes.
 
 Consider using pen and paper. 9.
Return to your notes;
 reflect on and organize them. 
 Take and assign actions from them. 10.
11. master your craft Resource: https://medium.com/thelist/a-survival-guide-for-the-millennial-entrepreneur-ddd42a90119f
Be the best at something. Cultivate the natural talents
 for which you are also passionate
 (because not everything you’re...
Craft mastery requires a high level of
 discipline, commitment, and focus.
 
 And you cannot attain or sustain it
 by cutt...
Continuously seek the resources
 you need to learn more, be better,
 and advance. 14.
“First, make yourself a reputation for being a creative genius.
 
 Second, surround yourself with partners who are better ...
16. have at least one good:
 -mentor
 -sponsor
 -role model
Find a mentor: Someone in or around your field
 with at least one decade more experience than you.
 Usually external to you...
Sponsor: - Employed at your core job
 - Is at least two notches above you on the org chart
 - Takes an active, deliberate ...
Role model: If there was a poster for professional rock stars,
 you would hang this person’s on your wall.
 You look up to...
create a virtuous cycle of paying it forward 20.
Bonus move: - Be someone’s mentor - Be someone’s sponsor and if you are lucky enough… - Be someone’s role model 21.
"We make a living by what we get,
 but we make a life by what we give."
 —Winston Churchill 22.
You master the art of the ask by leading first with the act of the give.
 
 Before you ask for something, you have to start...
24. stop relying on others to remind or prod you
“The era of procrastination, 
 of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays is coming to its close.
 In ...
Plan the work, work the plan. 26.
For Pete’s sake, take notes! 27.
"The time is always right to do right." 28. —Olivia Pope quoting MLK, Jr. Scandal Season 4, Episode 19
Ruthlessly seek truth and
 relentlessly ask for honest feedback. 29.
Ruthlessly speak truth and
 relentlessly give honest feedback. 30.
Learn to deliver a sincere apology.
 And say it when it’s warranted. 31.
Treat everyone you encounter with dignity, respect, and kindness. 32.
Forgive. 33.
Take the time to thank people, guide people, help people. 34.
Remember:
 Your character is what you do
 when no one is watching. 35.
Make and execute the hard and right decisions to drive the business forward. 36.
the future belongs to those who partner best 37. Resource: http://tinyletter.com/sync
“Stop, collaborate, and listen.” —Vanilla Ice 38.
Put down the keyboard, pick up the phone. 
 
 Shift from digital to physical. 39.
Politic around the ‘hood
 like you are running for mayor. —50 Cent
 (paraphrased from his line in Jimmy Crack Corn) 40.
Be dependable. 41.
9 more ways…
Your personal brand needs investment: define it, refine it, reboot it, expand it. 42.
Use your words to improve others;
 strengthen them, encourage them, comfort them.
 1 Corinthians 14 (summarized) 43.
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
 —Robert Louis Stevenson 44.
"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.
 
 It is the one that is mo...
Remove the emotion,
 include the business case. 46.
"My challenge to you is simply this: Observe your environment. At work. At home. At school. And if you don’t see any diver...
Follow through. 48.
Believe in things, entities, and ideals higher than yourself and monetary gain. 49.
Mind your manners! "Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good...
closing thoughts In sum: good manners, decisiveness, reliability, mastery. Webinar to learn, lifetime to master. Let’s kee...
Get Radical Collaboration’spiration
 sent directly to your inbox
 every two weeks 
 Subscribe here! http://tinyletter.com/...
Get Professional Excellence’spiration
 sent directly to your inbox
 every month(ish) 
 Subscribe here! http://tinyletter.c...
Upcoming SlideShare
Loading in …5
×

50 Ways to Become More Professionally Excellent

57,051 views

Published on

This presentation will give you practical, next-level tips to help you become the best version of your professional self.

After powering through it, you will be armed with the tactics you need to grow and nurture your network, deliver world class work product, earn trust and respect, successfully collaborate, and generally take your game up a notch so you advance your career (and have plenty of fun along the way).

Insights will come from successful professionals, pop culture, and Bradshaw's own learnings as a sought-after employee, effective leader, and industry-recognized pioneer.

This presentation was originally delivered as a part of the University of Chicago Alumni Career Program on May 19, 2015.

Published in: Career
no profile picture user

  • Login to see the comments

Show More

50 Ways to Become More Professionally Excellent

  1. 50 Ways to Become
 
 More Professionally Excellent May 19, 2015 || @UChicagoAlumni Webinar || #ProfessionalExcellence @LeslieBradshaw is the Managing Partner @madebymany and AB ’04 PBK @UChicago Professional Excellence newsletter: http://tinyletter.com/lesliebradshaw Radical Collaboration newsletter: http://tinyletter.com/sync
  2. Why Professional Excellence Matters Improve Your EQ: 1 - 5 Drive Results: 6 - 10 Master Your Craft: 11 - 15 Mentor / Sponsor / Role Model: 16 - 19 Pay it Forward: 20 - 23 Self Reliance: 24 - 27 Do the Right Thing: 28 - 36 Radical Collaboration: 37 - 41 Miscellaneous: 42 - 50 Closing Thoughts table
 of
 contents
  3. why professional
 excellence
 matters The further along you get in your career,
 the more your reputation and your output matter more than your resume. So why not be known for being excellent and delivering excellence?
  4. improve your EQ 1. Resource: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/education/edlife/how-to-be-emotionally-intelligent.html by Daniel Coleman
  5. Have self-awareness, which requires realistic self-confidence and emotional insight. 2.
  6. Employ self-management, which requires resilience, emotional balance, and self-motivation. 3.
  7. Have empathy, which requires cognitive and emotional empathy + good listening. 4.
  8. Embody good relationship skills, which requires compelling communication and team playing.
 
 Make people feel relaxed when working with you; 
 one sign is that they laugh easily around you. 5.
  9. 6. make every [ ]
 results-driving Resource: http://tinyletter.com/LeslieBradshaw/letters/professional-excellence-your-first-mission-should-you-decide-to-accept-it meeting email conversation event attendance interruption
  10. State the goal of the encounter; 
 get buy-in, write it out.
 
 Return to the goal at the end,
 ensure it was reached. 7.
  11. Don’t bring your phone. Be present. 8.
  12. Take impeccable notes.
 
 Consider using pen and paper. 9.
  13. Return to your notes;
 reflect on and organize them. 
 Take and assign actions from them. 10.
  14. 11. master your craft Resource: https://medium.com/thelist/a-survival-guide-for-the-millennial-entrepreneur-ddd42a90119f
  15. Be the best at something. Cultivate the natural talents
 for which you are also passionate
 (because not everything you’re
 good at doing do you want to do). 12.
  16. Craft mastery requires a high level of
 discipline, commitment, and focus.
 
 And you cannot attain or sustain it
 by cutting corners. 13.
  17. Continuously seek the resources
 you need to learn more, be better,
 and advance. 14.
  18. “First, make yourself a reputation for being a creative genius.
 
 Second, surround yourself with partners who are better than you are.
 
 Third, leave them to go get on with it.” —David Ogilvy 15.
  19. 16. have at least one good:
 -mentor
 -sponsor
 -role model
  20. Find a mentor: Someone in or around your field
 with at least one decade more experience than you.
 Usually external to your core job. Make your meetings actionable, with homework! Offer up a “reverse mentor” relationship. 17.
  21. Sponsor: - Employed at your core job
 - Is at least two notches above you on the org chart
 - Takes an active, deliberate role in 
 advancing you + your career 18.
  22. Role model: If there was a poster for professional rock stars,
 you would hang this person’s on your wall.
 You look up to their achievements, the life they
 lead, the character they have, and want
 to emulate them in your own life. (e.g., Sheryl Sandberg, Warren Buffet, etc.) 19.
  23. create a virtuous cycle of paying it forward 20.
  24. Bonus move: - Be someone’s mentor - Be someone’s sponsor and if you are lucky enough… - Be someone’s role model 21.
  25. "We make a living by what we get,
 but we make a life by what we give."
 —Winston Churchill 22.
  26. You master the art of the ask by leading first with the act of the give.
 
 Before you ask for something, you have to start by giving. A lot. 
 
 But do so in small, manageable, and genuine batches. 23.
  27. 24. stop relying on others to remind or prod you
  28. “The era of procrastination, 
 of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays is coming to its close.
 In its place we are entering
 a period of consequences.”
 —Winston Churchill 25.
  29. Plan the work, work the plan. 26.
  30. For Pete’s sake, take notes! 27.
  31. "The time is always right to do right." 28. —Olivia Pope quoting MLK, Jr. Scandal Season 4, Episode 19
  32. Ruthlessly seek truth and
 relentlessly ask for honest feedback. 29.
  33. Ruthlessly speak truth and
 relentlessly give honest feedback. 30.
  34. Learn to deliver a sincere apology.
 And say it when it’s warranted. 31.
  35. Treat everyone you encounter with dignity, respect, and kindness. 32.
  36. Forgive. 33.
  37. Take the time to thank people, guide people, help people. 34.
  38. Remember:
 Your character is what you do
 when no one is watching. 35.
  39. Make and execute the hard and right decisions to drive the business forward. 36.
  40. the future belongs to those who partner best 37. Resource: http://tinyletter.com/sync
  41. “Stop, collaborate, and listen.” —Vanilla Ice 38.
  42. Put down the keyboard, pick up the phone. 
 
 Shift from digital to physical. 39.
  43. Politic around the ‘hood
 like you are running for mayor. —50 Cent
 (paraphrased from his line in Jimmy Crack Corn) 40.
  44. Be dependable. 41.
  45. 9 more ways…
  46. Your personal brand needs investment: define it, refine it, reboot it, expand it. 42.
  47. Use your words to improve others;
 strengthen them, encourage them, comfort them.
 1 Corinthians 14 (summarized) 43.
  48. “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
 —Robert Louis Stevenson 44.
  49. "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.
 
 It is the one that is most adaptable to change."
 —Charles Darwin 45.
  50. Remove the emotion,
 include the business case. 46.
  51. "My challenge to you is simply this: Observe your environment. At work. At home. At school. And if you don’t see any diversity, work to change it."
 —Mellody Hobson 47.
  52. Follow through. 48.
  53. Believe in things, entities, and ideals higher than yourself and monetary gain. 49.
  54. Mind your manners! "Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use."
 —Emily Post 50.
  55. closing thoughts In sum: good manners, decisiveness, reliability, mastery. Webinar to learn, lifetime to master. Let’s keep the list going—get at me on Twitter (@lesliebradshaw)! Check out these two awesome newsletters for ongoing inspiration…
  56. Get Radical Collaboration’spiration
 sent directly to your inbox
 every two weeks 
 Subscribe here! http://tinyletter.com/Sync
  57. Get Professional Excellence’spiration
 sent directly to your inbox
 every month(ish) 
 Subscribe here! http://tinyletter.com/lesliebradshaw

×