Don't eat broccoli during a networking event

Last month, I attended a networking event. During the break, the organizers served snacks - some healthy, others not so much. I'm concerned about my heart health and body weight, so I naturally grabbed a small plate of broccoli. Big mistake on my part: after eating, my mouth felt full of broccoli pieces. Of course, I forgot to grab a bottle of water. I'm an introvert and am self aware of my appearance, so I felt worried that I had small green bits on my teeth. I felt reticent in speaking to others. Not a good feeling for a networking event. After the eventhe, I vowed as a principal never to eat broccoli during a networking event. At least, have a drink of water to swish my mouth out with.

The moral to this story: be aware of things that prevent you from reaching out to others and forming close relationships. In my case, don't eat food that will put me in an awkward position. Of course, I could have skipped the broccoli and ate a cookie instead. Guilty pleasures are okay every now and thenight, right? Of course, I could have gotten my fill with a cup of coffee. Alternatives exist in every situation.

Another alternative still. Each person worries about what others think about them. Break the cycle and just speak to people. So what if broccoli pieces stick between your teeth? You should allow yourself to be comfortable and speak. You will make new connections and strengthen current ones. 

Of course, you can speak to people you know. Not only will you feel comfortable, they'll introduce you to new people. Aim to attend events where you know a few people, or you could carpool with a couple friends. Together, you all could tag team the event. Start a public conversation within your group, and invite strangers to join in. You could use welcoming phrases such as "sounds interesting" or "tell me more about that." You should make sure that you and your friends use positive, inviting body language. In other words, hold your arms out instead of keeping them crossed.

What if you're there alone? Perhaps the other person has pieces of broccoli stuck between their teeth. Be comfortable and allow them to speak without judgement. You'll allow them to share their stories with you. You'll appear interesting to them, as you'll allow them an opportunity to tell you about themselves.

At the end of the day, you want to form professional contacts who become friends. What if they get a laugh out of your broccoli stained teeth? Perhaps they're as nervous as you, or maybe they're having a bad day. You don't know what goes on outside the event, so a good cheer might be the one thing that person needs to prevent themselves from going over the edge. Your world will not end of you have a few pieces of broccoli stuck in between your teeth. Just be yourself and allow yourself to get lost in conversation.

Walking into the Sky (Carnegie Mellon University): Aim for high goals and develop your network to help you achieve those goals.

Avoid the Complacency Trap Using Four Important Concepts

As an individual contributor, you must not become complacent in your role. This applies whether you're an engineer, a manager, a scientist, or a financial specialist. You must stay vigilant during your job, so you do not become lax in completing your tasks. This becomes more important as you gain more responsibilities in your career. I share four concepts on how you stay active in your current role, and you can apply my advice throughout your life.

Keep a Daily Journal and Review it

I remember reading that Ashton Kutcher keeps a daily journal. He writes in it first thing in the morning before he opens his email. This allows him to focus on what he needs to get done before others' requests distract him. Why does this apply to steering clear of complacency? When you write your first thoughts, focus on how you truly feel today followed by the first three things you must get done today. Aside from increasing your productivity through increased focus, you can gauge your mindset. Ask yourself questions like

• Do I feel bored in my job? Not just at this moment, but in general.
• Have I completed all my major tasks?
• Do I feel uncomfortable speaking with my peers? With my managers?
• Would I rather be doing something else? Be somewhere else?

We all have bad days. Days when we have little to do, or we would rather be at the beach, the park, home, and so forth. This drives an important point about keeping journals: You must review your past notes regularly. How else would you know if your behavior becomes regular if you do not review your notes. Perhaps you are bored with little to do every now and then. However, what if this situation drags on for a week? A month? Longer? This becomes complacency at its core, and it could be dangerous for your career. Suppose your company performs poorly. The company leadership will look to trim its staff, and they will look towards people who either perform poorly, contribute little to the corporate strategy, or both. If you do not correct your lack of work, your manager might show up in your cubicle with this feared speech: "I need to speak with you. Please come to my office." You might not like what he has to say, as it could be an introduction to your layoff.

Look, your career prospects need not be gloomy. The purpose of writing a daily journal and reviewing it is to help you course correct. You learn patterns that could derail your current job, and you take actions to change your behavior. Behavior modification demands persistence and daily due-diligence. It sounds daunting and difficult, yet you are not alone. This brings us to my second concept below.

Speak to your managers about your concerns

Do not wait until your yearly review to speak to your managers. By then, they might have no clue who you are. They probably don't know what you do for the company. Instead, make regular face-to-face meetings with them. I say managers in plural for a reason: You might regularly interact with multiple managers whether they are your first line manager or program managers. I suggest that you make monthly one-on-one appointments with them. If you feel or have been told you perform poorly, schedule meetings more frequently. You must get into a regular business rhythm, so your managers can give you proper and updated feedback.

You don't feel comfortable meeting with your manager? Find a mentor and meet with them. Your mentor can give you advice on how you can approach your managers. In rare cases, your mentor can approach your manager for you. However, I would advice against asking your manager to do this. It puts them in uncomfortable positions. Besides, you must learn how to approach your managers. You will get comfortable speaking with them as you develop a regular meeting rhythm. You will build trust with your managers over time. This will help you tell them what concerns you about your career path.

Glenn Llopis at Forbes Magazine notes that "your performance at work begins to wane when your voice is not heard.  Speaking-up fuels discussion, ideation and group-think." Times exist when you should speak up, and you will need practice on what you should say. This assumes that you have not developed a habit of speaking your mind. Remember, be respectful when speaking with your managers. State your situation honestly, and offer your managers solutions to help them help you improve your job. They will respond positively to this request.

If you find your role unchallenging or lacking in things to do, your managers will gladly help you find more work. Of course, you might have other concerns outside of your job's tasks. Perhaps you feel your job has become too easy, or you you're coasting through your work. You might have issues dealing with coworkers. You might realize that your current position is not what you thought it would be. In all of these cases, speak with your managers. They can help you make the most out of your current position, so you can have an exciting and fulfilling career. Of course, they're not the only people you should speak with.

Meet with your peers / team members

Feedback can be difficult to receive and to give. Few people enjoy receiving critical feedback, and many people feel uncomfortable giving criticism. (OK, there are a few people out there who give criticism no matter what. I would like to assume these people are few, far, and in between.) I have an important point: The longer you work with a team, the better they get to know you. You shouldn't wait for your coworkers to give you feedback. You should ask them for it and make them feel comfortable. Be candid in noting your concerns, as you have a genuine interest in continuous improvement. Remember, this will help improve your career in the long run. It might hurt at first, yet you can reflect on why their feedback stings.

Why should you speak to your peers about your job concerns? For one thing, it will help build trust. Especially if you are the team lead, you develop your team's trust by speaking with them daily. A leader who retreats to a cave (office) does not lead. At first, you might feel like you're micromanaging your team. If you feel this way, and you think your team might share that opinion, you explain to them your intentions for speaking to them often. For example, you have genuine concerns that you are not doing your job to the best of your abilities, and you want to make sure that your team and you are on the same page. Remind your team, and yourself, that this is not personal. You reach out to them because you want to maximize your and your team's productivity.

By showing your vulnerabilities to your team, you show them that you're human

There exist other reasons for speaking with your coworkers regularly. For instance, Patrick Bosworth (Founder & CEO Leadership Choice) notes that clear communication in the workforce gives "Improved connection between co-workers for a more positive and satisfying work environment," and builds "better relationship with managers and leaders." By regularly and clearly communicating with your team, you show them that you care about their work. They share your company's mission. Do not retreat into shyness. Get to know them. Let them get to know you. They will let you know when you begin to slack off, and that will keep your career moving in positive direction.

Of course, you should not forget regular staff meetings. I'll discuss that avenue next.

Regularly Attend Staff Meetings

You will find it acceptable to skip all sorts of meetings throughout your career. I've been to meetings that were disorganized, off-topic, and complete waste of my time. However, I make a point to attend regularly scheduled staff meetings. Why should you attend staff meetings? Your managers provide you with information relevant to your job. Monthly staff meetings exist for managers to share with their staff project updates, opportunities within the company, staff awards, and staff promotions. Some managers ask their staff members in attendance to provide short status updates. If you skip staff meetings, you will miss out on these opportunities.

There are several types of staff meetings. I've already discussed the first line manager's meeting above, others include:

• Project / Program 
• Senior Leadership 
• Executive

Project and program meetings will focus on the current project. Senior leadership meetings focus on issues relating to that leader's team. The higher the leader's responsibility (say: Senior Manager versus Director), the more general the meeting becomes. The executive meeting focuses at the division or company level. You would want to attend these meetings, so you can get a sense of what goes on within your company. You might learn of opportunities outside of your immediate organization. This would be beneficial if you've become complacent in your career because your job no longer challenges you. Perhaps you feel the time is right for a promotion. Although you could look for jobs in the internal career website, an exciting project might pique your interest. You could focus on jobs related to that.

Remember, when you decide to speak up during staff meetings, show courtesy and respect to your managers and your coworkers. If you feel the need to offer constructive criticism, understand your organization's culture first. Although I would advice you to error on the bold side by offering your criticism, you might encounter a leader who dislikes receiving negative feedback. If that is the case, find someone you trust like a mentor, and express your concerns in private. You need not limit your career by causing an insecure leader to dislike you. After all, your goal in speaking up is to ensure you become aware of what goes on around you. You want to maximize opportunities for professional growth, so you do not grow too comfortable in your job.

Summary

I gave tips on how you can stop being complacent in your career. Complacency can derail your job because you become unaware of what goes around you where you work. The three concepts I discussed are writing a daily journal while remembering to review it, speaking to your managers regularly, reaching out to your team on a daily basis, and attending staff meetings regularly. Write down your thoughts and learn your patterns. Do not fear speaking to your managers face to face, as they want you to succeed in your job. Learn to speak to your coworkers regularly, and you will build their trust. They will tell you when you begin to slack off on the job. Although many professionals dislike meetings, you will learn about opportunities throughout your group or company, and you will learn project status. If your company's performance begins to sour, you might first learn about it during a staff meeting. Better to learn it there, so you can ask your managers detailed questions, and you can show them that you're genuinely interested in the company's performance. In closing, the danger of complacency is that you do not become aware that your job is in danger. You must aim to continually add value to your company. A side effect is that you will find your career to be more fulfilling. By following these tips, you can avoid the complacency trap of thinking that you're happy as a clam, yet you're about to get shucked and eaten alive.

Do you want to learn more about engineering, career advancement, and leadership? Please read my prior posts on this subject:

• Overcoming Introversion in Three Counterintuitive Steps
• How You Can Successfully Propose Your Engineering Projects using Five Principles
• Definitive Guide on Boosting Careers: How to Find Stretch Assignments
• Accelerate your career through stretch assignments 
• How to Market Yourself for Larger Paychecks and Promotions
• How to Evolve Your Stagnant Career towards Exciting Fields in STEM
• How to Turn Cynicism into Positive Action
• Sometimes leadership means cleaning up the mess you created
• Learn from your mistakes to build on your experiences

Overcoming Introversion in Three Counterintuitive Steps

We live in a society that rewards outgoing people. In her TED Talk "The Power of Introverts," Susan Cain notes this was not always the case, as the drive towards rewarding extroverts began in the twentieth century with the rise of big business. Outgoing people, namely extroverts, get rewarded for their actions. Our society looks for people who are willing to take charge. To paraphrase Cain, even though introverts can solve difficult problems, teachers and counselors encourage extroversion, and introverts can be viewed as problem children. For introverts, this can be a difficult pill to swallow. I should know: I consider myself an introvert. Yes, I can become extroverted in some situations, and people exhibit qualities of both introverts and extroverts. Like many self-proclaimed introverts, however, I can feel drained after going through situations that require me to act like an extrovert. I know leaders who identify as introverts, and this post offers guidelines to help you thrive despite your introversion.

Self-realization: There are times and places for introversion 

After all, introversion is a personality trait, not a disorder or disease. I'll note just like Cain that introversion can be viewed as a disease. I've made this observation out of frustration when I'm unable to get out of my own shell. One should not view introversion as a disease or weakness that should be removed from the body. Rather, the first step an introverted leader takes means that the leader realizes there are times and places for introversion. This is no easy task, as many introverts note that they wish they could control when they must act instead of ruminate on the situation. Look, I go through this myself. Whenever I write an article, I prefer to write in solitude because I can focus my attention on transforming my thoughts onto the screen. Unfortunately, life demands that we address other people's needs, and there exist times when we must put aside the task we feel most important now. Anyone with a family can attest to such situations. For example, I often get home before my wife, so I'm the one who cooks dinner. "I'll wait for dinner to cook," said no hungry person ever, so my priority shifts from writing to cooking when I know my wife is coming home.

Self-reflection: Figure what drives one's introversion.

Ironically, a second step of sorts is to think about why you feel comfortable as an introvert. It could have arisen from a situation you encountered during childhood. For example, when I was in elementary school, my parents owned a time share in Del Mar, California. I met a boy about my age, and I started hanging out with him. I enjoyed spending time with this young man -- almost to the point where I would follow him. Unfortunately, I overheard him talking to his mom about this kid who was clingy and wanted to go wherever he went. I heard what he said, and thought "that sounds just like me, so it must be me." Instead of confronting him and figuring something out, I chose to close myself off and not speak to him again. Not because I felt angry at what he had to say, but because I felt embarrassed for being too close. Thus, introversion became a defense mechanism that I used to shield myself from rejection. Through reflection, you can figure out why you choose introversion, and you must confront your fears even if you fear you will falter. You will face pain and rejection at times. To receive recognition for your leadership skills, you must risk shattering your perceptions that you hold dear. Figuratively speaking, you might feel like you're putting yourself in danger.

Growth-mindset: Be bold through uncomfortable situations

Actions follow reflection. This brings me to a question: once you realize the situation calls for appropriate social behaviors, how do you prepare yourself? Practice, practice, practice! I'm serious. If you feel uncomfortable in situations that demand you shift towards extroversion, you must put yourself in situations that force you to do this.  You can do this in one of many ways, I list a few below:

• Take on stretch assignments in areas outside your current job
• Find a mentor in a position of leadership whose background differs greatly
• Socialize as often as you can.
• Write down your thoughts before attending meetings

As I've discussed in previous articles (why you should do stretch assignments and how you find the best stretch assignments), taking rotations outside your comfort zone force you to directly face your fears. Take on short term projects where you interact with customers or project management. You risk failure if you do not interact with other people. This can feel daunting at first. In fact, I argue that if you do not think "why did I put myself in this situation?" within the first one or two months of a rotation, you do not stretch yourself far enough outside your comfort zone. Something to remember: You lead a team, and your team wants you to succeed. Seek them out for their advice. Seek the manager you report to for advice. It is not weakness to ask for help. As Peter Bregman notes, "needing help — asking for help — is an essential part of being a leader," and the idea that leaders only help others and don't need help themselves is not true. "The reality is that leaders who don’t need help have no one to lead. People feel good when they help. They are inspired when they are needed. They don’t think less of the people they help, they feel more connected." If you want to feel closer to your team, this means you must reach out to them in your time of needs. This will build trust.

Seek your team's feedback: Build their trust while learning to feel comfortable reaching out to them

I believe in the power of mentorship. When I had my first job straight out of college, I did not have a third party to express my concerns. I felt lost in the jungle called a large company. I would wager that extroverts feel the same way when joining a large team. After all, it is human to feel uncomfortable in new situations, and every person's personality consists of a combination of introverted and extroverted traits. Find someone to mentor you even if for your first couple months. In a new situation, a seasoned employee can show you the ropes: forms you need to get processes started, training classes you need, managers who can approve documents such as parts order forms. My point here in seeking out informal mentors is that you can make lasting professional friends who can help you shift from being a new employee to an experienced one. Who knows, maybe you'll return the favor some day.

Of course, a temporary mentor can get you so far. I would suggest that you seek out a leader who can guide and maybe even coach you. This leader should be one level above your current manager. Yes, this can feel uncomfortable especially if your prospective mentor lives directly in your chain of command. However, you will need to report status to managers anyway, so why not seek their advice? Every leader is a person, and they all started somewhere. The CEO of your company, for example, was once an entry-level person who made mistakes and got less then stellar feedback from their managers. However, that CEO stuck through the tough times, learned from their mistakes, and used constructive criticism as opportunities for improvement. Do not fear making mistakes. You will take risks, and you will naturally mess things up. The important thing is for you to share your concerns with a mentor you develop trust with, so they can point out how you can best learn from those situations.

Anita Campbell at American Express notes that "it can be a good idea for you to step out of your comfort zone every now and then." You can do this by socializing with your coworkers. This can take the form of hanging out during lunch or going to happy hours together and schmoozing. Do not be afraid to share personal details about yourself. This will take practice because you might not know how much information is too much. No one wants to know about that large growth on the back of your neck, or your constant indigestion, for example. However, you can talk to them about your hobbies, your family in positive light, exciting things you did last weekend, and so forth. The point here is that you share personal information, so your team feels connected with you, and you with them.

Bonus: Prepare for your meetings by writing down your thoughts.

Before meetings, write down your thoughts. OK, you can think of this as a bonus step: Create a personal agenda of topics you want to discuss to ensure that you address them. I do this whenever I meet with my mentor or a manager. This at the least makes sure that I do not forget to address concerns I might have. When you develop a meeting rhythm with your team, you might find that you might not need to write all your thoughts down. You get into the habit of discussing issues with your team on a regular basis. However, it is a good idea to write down your thoughts before important meetings.

Remember, it is not easy for introverts to become extroverts. It will not happen overnight. Despite what other people say, it is perfectly acceptable for you to be introverted. You should remember, however, that you will need to be outgoing in many situations. I did not explicitly state reasons why you need to be less introverted when needed, as I assume you already know this. For example, you could get passed up for promotions when compared to an outgoing coworker who shows no fears of speaking their mind. If you practice these steps, you will find it easier to reach out and be active in a team. You will make mistakes: I know, I've made mistakes by going back into my comfort zone when I should have asked my program manager and team members questions each day. However, the funny thing about stepping outside of your comfort zone is that you expand it. Just don't forget to stay in that new spot. You will need to continually need to go outside, and you might reach a stage where you look forward to doing that. I wish you the best of luck!

Do you want to learn more about engineering, career advancement, and leadership? Please read my prior posts on this subject:

• How You Can Successfully Propose Your Engineering Projects using Five Principles
• Definitive Guide on Boosting Careers: How to Find Stretch Assignments
• Accelerate your career through stretch assignments 
• How to Market Yourself for Larger Paychecks and Promotions
• How to Evolve Your Stagnant Career towards Exciting Fields in STEM
• How to Turn Cynicism into Positive Action
• Sometimes leadership means cleaning up the mess you created
• Learn from your mistakes to build on your experiences

Definitive Guide on Boosting Careers: How to Find Stretch Assignments

Previously, I discussed why you should pursue stretch assignments to boost your career. Today, I discuss how you find stretch assignments to maximize your career boost. A recap: One takes on stretch assignments to learn new skills. Should you pursue any assignment for your career? Of course not. You take on rotations that allow you to drive your career towards a desirable direction. If you want to become a manager, take on rotations in engineering leadership, program management, or in first line management. If you enjoy developing cutting edge technology, take rotations in the Science, Technology Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields. One you have a general idea where you want to move your career, how do you find the best stretch assignments? I'll explain below.

You must develop a reputation for outstanding work

It's simple: Why would anyone want you in your organization if your reputation stinks? You must complete your current tasks to the best of your abilities. Even if you dislike your job, and job dissatisfaction represents a valid reason for career changes, you must put your best efforts forward. Whether you work for a small or large company, people talk. If your peers and management know you for excellent work, people will want you on their teams. To market yourself effectively, you need to let your managers know when you do outstanding work. This can be in person or via email. I suggest an email first to keep written records of your achievements. You should follow-up with your manager in person to make sure he or she received your email.

Tip: Work in your current position for at least three years first

Unless you find yourself regretting a move into your current position, you should stay in that position for a minimum of three years. This will give you sufficient time to get used to your role and work on at least one project. Remember, your reputation matters, and reputations take time to develop in business. No one will know you if you get in a company, and you want to switch roles immediately after starting at the company.

Does this rule apply to everyone? No. Some companies have entry-level Leadership Development Programs (LDPs), and new employees can apply for these programs within the first year of employment. If you truly find yourself unhappy in your career, you can speak to your manager about a position change. However, you should first address the reasons for your dissatisfaction in your current role. Have honest discussions with your manager first, and you consider rotation assignments as a final option.

Update your resume

 This sounds counter-intuitive at first. Because stretch assignments are temporary, you will not formally interview for them. Formally represents the key word here, as you will speak with managers and project leads about potential assignments. Your resume is your calling card and your introduction. You will use it, along with an introductory email, to introduce yourself to these people. Even if they know you personally, they do not know your accomplishments. Sell yourself by keeping your resume up to date. You can brag about your accomplishments, yet you should never lie.

Keep your resume accomplishments relevant to the positions for that you will inquire. You can add personality by listing hobbies provided they relate. If you seek assignments in leadership, you can list volunteer activities if you hold a formal position, and you've held that position for a year or more. If you use a chronological resume, make sure you list your most recent accomplishments first.

Make sure you have someone review your resume! People often forget this step. Do your accomplishments make sense? For each accomplishment, do you show the relationship between your situation and / or task at hand, the actions you took, and the results you achieved? Do you quantify your results whenever possible? You might think that you've answered these questions positively, yet it might not be so clear when someone else reviews your resume. My advice to you: Have a coworker or manager you trust review your resume for anything that sounds unclear, and edit your resume following their advice. Of course, it is acceptable for you to make your accomplishments shine bright. Just remember to never lie about what you've done. You will be found out during the interview process whether formal or not.

Develop your short-term, mid-term, and long-term career plan

If you don't know your destination, how can you get there? You must create figure out your career goals and determine your strengths and weaknesses before you can find the best stretch assignments. Your career plan will consist of the following sections:

• Short Term: 1 - 5 years
• Mid Term: 6 - 10 years
• Long Term: 10 years and beyond

Your career plan represents where you see yourself in those time frames. Is your plan set is stone? Of course not. You should revise your career plan once a year. However, once you calibrate your path, you should assess your strengths and weaknesses. Perform a gap analysis to learn what skills you need to develop, so you can achieve your goals. If you find your soft leadership skills lacking, consider leadership positions that force you to develop your skills. If you want to become a software developer, and you find you know little about configuration management, pursue positions in software development. My point is this: You cannot select stretch assignments that take you outside your comfort zone if you do not know your boundaries.

Discuss your career plan with your manager

You cannot pursue stretch assignments in a vacuum. Your manager can assist in developing your career. Of course, this assumes that your organization's culture encourages professional growth, and I will not discuss what to do in these cases here. It behooves managers to help people develop their careers and get promoted, as that reflects positively on them. That said, you should arrange a face-to-face meeting with your manager, and discuss how you see your career flowing in the coming years. Speak to your interests and what makes you uncomfortable. You want assignments that challenge you and push you to your limits. That is how you grow professionally and personally. You will not achieve lofty goals without taking risks. Yes, you might fail, yet you should see those as career paths that you should reconsider for your long-term plans.

Your manager is your coach. He or she can offer suggestions on what rotations best fit your goals, and what positions will challenge you. They should know what managers have positions that need to be filled for the next 9 to 12 months. Take advantage of these openings: Write down names and descriptions of the positions. If your manager suggests that you review internal job boards, follow-up on that suggestion. However, they should have established a network within your company's management structure, so your manager should know who has openings.

Tip: Join a Leadership Development Program (LDP)

If you want to spend the next two or three years in your career in stretch assignments, I would advise that you join a LDP. I briefly mentioned LDPs aimed at entry-level professionals. There exist LDPs for mid-career individuals who want to boost their careers in different directions. These LDPs often aim to place people into leadership positions. However, if leadership roles do not interest you, you do not need to place yourself into a management spot. I would take advantage of these programs anyway, as all professionals can benefit from developing leadership skills. Even if you decide not to become a manager, you could find yourself leading teams. Why not develop your leadership skills? You can boost your career by showing management that you successfully lead teams to success.

Of course, LDPs often require employees to have excellent yearly reviews. If you focus on performing with excellence, this should not be a problem. You will shine, and the LDP Manager will want to bring you into the program. Once you are in a LDP, meet with the LDP manager and get their advice on possible rotations. This manager will get to know you through one-on-one meetings, and they have contacts within your company who will show interest in you. Take detailed notes during your meetings, and make sure to follow-up. LDP managers will want to make sure that you find a good rotation.

Meet with Rotation Managers

Now that you have contacts, reach out to them with your resume! Write short emails that do the following:

• Tell the manager who you are
• Explain a few key skills that match their position
• Tell them why you are interested in joining their group
• Request a 30 to 60 minute meeting with them

Do not forget to include your resume. Recall, it is your career summary, and the managers will need it to understand you as an individual. Sometimes managers do not respond immediately. Wait one to two weeks to follow-up, and follow-up gracefully. Remind them of your interest in the position. Suggest a date and time, and ask if that works.

Once you schedule meetings, make sure you are on time for those meetings. Always bring a copy of your resume, and dress professionally. You do not need to dress formally, as this is an informal interview. However, I advice that you do not wear casual Friday clothing. When you meet, you should be prepared to tell the manager about yourself. Make sure you have a thirty second elevator pitch. Explain why you want to do a rotational assignment in that manager's group. You should be confident in yourself. It is OK for you to be nervous, yet remember that you are interviewing for a temporary position within your group.

Quite often, people forget to have questions for the rotation manager. This is an area where you can steer yourself off course. You should ask the manager the following types of questions:

• Why is the position open?
• What do you expect from an employee in this role?
• What is your management style?
• What skills would you need to develop during the training phase?
• What is your team like to work with? How would you describe your group's micro-culture?
• Optional: Do you plan on retiring in the upcoming year?
• Optional: Does this position require travel? If so, how much?

You can ask other questions. Just make sure to give the manager time to explain the position to you. The last two questions are optional. If the manager is far in their career, you should know if they will be there to support you throughout your rotation. If they leave the company, will they have an alternate who can guide you? If the position requires traveling, you will need to know especially if you have a family. You might be unwilling to sacrifice time and relationships if you will be on the road most of the time.

Summary

You must take responsibility on finding the best rotations for your career. When making your decisions, make sure to follow your gut. If something seems off, do not take the rotation. I've done this myself, and I found myself having to find another one. It was painful. Yes, I found a rotation that suited my career better. However, I would have found that rotation sooner had I followed my intuition that said something was wrong with the rotation.

Remember, you need to follow up with the managers. Thank them via email for their time. If you decide not to take a rotation in their group, politely let them know. Of course, you need to let your manager know of your decision. (This applies to your LDP manager if you are in a LDP.) Remember, the rotation is not permanent, so you will need to decide at the end of the rotation if you will go back into your original assignment, or if you will make that rotation permanent. Communication is key throughout the entire process. It will help you boost your career because you will find stretch assignments that guide you along the career path that you want.

You can achieve your career goals in business through a combination of knowledge, support, experience, potential, and expert assistance.

Do you want to learn more about career advancement and leadership? Please read my prior posts on this subject:

• Accelerate your career through stretch assignments 
• How to Market Yourself for Larger Paychecks and Promotions
• How to Evolve Your Stagnant Career towards Exciting Fields in STEM
• How to Turn Cynicism into Positive Action
• Sometimes leadership means cleaning up the mess you created
• Learn from your mistakes to build on your experiences

Sometimes leadership means cleaning up the mess you created

Several months ago, my manager put me in charge of organizing a Critical Design Review or CDR. This was not just any CDR. During this CDR, high school students from five robotics teams that my company supports would visit us and present their designs to company managers and their school administrators. As you could imagine, the CDR involved much planning over a period of several months. Some might say it was like organizing five weddings simultaneously.

To give you some background, robotics volunteering is a requirement of a Leadership Development Program (LDP) that I am in. This involved both mentoring high school students and planning the CDR. As the Director of the CDR, you might think I had it together. Quite the opposite: I over relied on email as my preferred means of conversation, and this naturally caused much confusion. To make matters worse, I shied away from delegating tasks to my LDP peers. Don’t get me wrong. I eventually made the CDR a success but not without creating a royal mess of things along the way.

How did I create a mess? After meeting with my LDP manager, she strongly suggested I delegate tasks. On the surface, this presented no difficulties, as I maintained an accurate task list. I even decided how to assign responsibilities. The mess, however, spilled out when I underestimated the effort needed to complete one such task: contact facilities to put them name signs on the auditorium row ends indicating where each robotics team would sit. I thought to myself, “that’s just an email to the facilities manager. I can do that myself.”

Oh, how wrong I was. It turned out that it did not fall under facilities’ roles and responsibilities to place seating markers. By putting out that request, I rubbed the facilities manager the wrong way. Word reached out events coordinator who promptly called me and yelled at me: everyone involved had no clue what they needed to do, I didn’t use services of administrators who offered their help, and the event is a week away.

At her advice, I organized a meeting with all of the people involved. I made a chart of the things that needed to be done and those responsible: lunches ordered, tables and chairs setup, audio visual systems setup, name badges to be ordered and put out, and so forth. By speaking with everyone on the phone, I left no confusion remaining. I double checked we had everything covered. The events coordinator who told me earlier that day later told me I was doing a great job.

In the end, the high school robotics CDR came and went with great success. What did I learn from this experience?

• Rely on your team and delegate. If you ask them nicely, they will gladly help you. After all, no one wants to fail.
• Get on the phone! In this age of email and IMs, it’s easy to forget in person communication. Of course, that doesn’t mean to not follow up with email. It means that you should speak to people directly instead of sending mass emails that could cause confusion.
• Focus on the positive. It was so easy to see all that I did wrong, yet I remembered to focus on what was going right. This prevented me from being too hard on myself when I need to push forward with the project.

What would I do differently if I was asked to organize a similar event in the future? Given that I discussed lessons learned with my team, I would include them all in the first planning meeting for the next event. This way, I would clearly communicate all the tasks required to make the next event successful and not create any messes along the way.