Last week I had the privilege of attending the HMG Strategy Summit of America. 400 CIOs and other technology leaders spent the day sharing ideas, insights and best practices.
During the final networking session of the day I became curious about what people had learned and started asking folks:
What’s been your biggest takeaway today?
Here’s what they said:
Reverse Mentoring
I love this idea of pairing a Baby Boomer with a Millennial. I actually rely on my own son, who is 24, quite a bit. It just never occurred to me to turn this into a proper business initiative. I’m going to start it back at work next week.
By 2020 Millennials will be half of the American workforce. They are a generation that is very tech savvy. Reverse, or reciprocal, mentorship helps close the knowledge gap for both parties. Boomers can learn about the latest in social media trends and younger workers learn industry and consumer trends.
In addition, it’s a way to prime your leadership pipeline. Everyone wins!
Career Management and Personal Branding
I’ve been so busy just doing my job I never stop to think about managing my career. The panel discussion on personal branding was a wake up call to me. I’ve no idea how I’m perceived at work.
with Beverly Lieberman, Moderator of the panel on Personal Branding at the HMG Summit of America.
Personal Branding is the ongoing process of establishing a positive image of yourself in the minds of colleagues, industry leaders, customers and vendors.
Taking time to understand what your brand is and making sure it’s in alignment with your career goals can go a long way to helping you execute on current business strategies—and prepare you for the next step in your career.
Several people said that they were going to update their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, especially their LinkedIn photographs, as a result of attending the panel. Others said they were going to start attending networking breakfast groups when they got back to their home cities. And a few people were even inspired to raise their hand to speak at the next Summit.
I realize I need to get my name out there. What better way than to share my thoughts at an event like this?
One easy way to begin this process of ‘getting your name out there’ is to start commenting on posts on LinkedIn.
Sit in the other person’s seat
Listening to other CIOs talk about how they interact with their CEOs and Boards made me realize that I don’t ever think about the other person’s point of view before I go into a meeting. I think that’s why I’ve encountered so much resistance to my ideas over the years.
Preparation and empathy are essential to becoming trusted advisors in any leadership position; certainly in the C-Suite.
Spending time thinking about how other people will react to your idea or suggestion can help you figure out how to overcome their objections.
Also, taking a few moments before a meeting to think about what the other person’s priorities are and how you can help them be successful can deepen your relationship with them.
Taking time out to reflect
My biggest take away was how important it is to take time away from the office to recharge by networking with others. Can’t wait to do it again.
About the Author: Carol Lempert
