Shows
Managing A CareerCareer Speedrun - MAC109 Welcome back to Managing A Career, the podcast that helps you put yourself on the fast track for promotion. I'm your host, Layne Robinson. Today's episode is all about a concept I'm calling the Career Speedrun. If you're into gaming, you probably know what a speedrun is: it's when players try to beat an entire game as fast as possible, skipping unnecessary parts, using shortcuts, and optimizing every move. Now, when it comes to your career, you can't literally warp-jump from your first job straight to the corner office—but you ca...
2025-09-1609 min
Managing A CareerA Seat At The Table - MAC104 You Need to Be in the Room Where It Happens — But How? You've heard the phrase before: "You need to be in the room where decisions happen." It sounds powerful—exclusive even—but no one ever hands you the playbook for getting in that room. Working hard isn't enough. Being the best at your job isn't enough. The truth is, opportunities to sit at the table where decisions are made don't simply appear—they're earned, often through deliberate actions, strategic visibility, and building the right kind of influence. So the real question becomes: how do you earn that sea...
2025-08-1212 min
Managing A CareerWhat Are You Prioritizing? - MAC103 What You Prioritize Is What You Grow In your career—just like in life—whatever you prioritize is what takes root, grows, and ultimately defines your trajectory. Whether you're intentional about it or not, your attention acts like sunlight and water: it nourishes certain parts of your professional life while leaving others to wither. Even worse is when you don't make a conscious choice at all—when your career just "happens to you." That passive approach can lead to years of drifting, missed opportunities, and invisible ceilings. So take a moment to reflect: what are you truly priori...
2025-08-0512 min
Managing A CareerCreating a Career Vision When You Don't Know What's Possible - MAC102 We've recently gone through a reorganization at my job, and with that change, I now have several new team members reporting to me. In my one-on-one meetings, I like to focus on more than just status updates—I emphasize career development. One of the tools I've consistently found to be effective is the Individual Development Plan, or IDP. If you've been following this podcast, you may remember Episode 37 (https://managingacareer.com/37) where I broke down the Vision and Roadmap section of the IDP. It's a framework I believe in deeply. But here's the thing: many of...
2025-07-2911 min
Managing A CareerLeadership Isn't Assigned -- It's Taken - MAC101 "Being a leader isn't an assignment that is given to you, but an assignment that you TAKE." Let that sink in. Leadership isn't about waiting for permission. It's about stepping up when others step back. In today's episode of the Managing A Career podcast, we're diving deep into what it really means to TAKE leadership. Anyone can be a leader—because leadership is a quality you demonstrate, not a job title you hold. Sure, some roles come with authority baked in, but real leaders don't wait for the title. They lead because they choose to. If...
2025-07-2207 min
Managing A CareerGrow Your Team, Grow Your Self - MAC100 There's a common misconception the corporate world: to get ahead, someone else has to fall behind. It's the old zero-sum thinking — that career advancement is a competitive, cutthroat race. But today, I want to challenge that notion. Whether you're managing a team or just stepping into a leadership role, the truth is that investing in the growth of others doesn't slow you down — it accelerates your own career trajectory. Helping others succeed is one of the most powerful, and often underestimated, ways to grow yourself. This zero-sum outlook is rooted in fear and self-doubt. The mind...
2025-07-1506 min
Managing A CareerThe Blame Game - MAC099 When your career feels stalled and growth seems out of reach, it's tempting to look outward for answers. Maybe it's the company culture. Maybe your boss doesn't recognize your potential. Or maybe the job market is just brutal. These might all be valid frustrations, but dwelling on them leads nowhere. The Blame Game feels satisfying in the moment, but it rarely sparks progress. If anything, it keeps you circling the same dead-end thoughts, instead of charting a new path forward. Blame often functions as emotional armor. When we pin our lack of career progress on...
2025-07-0807 min
Managing A CareerTaking Action - MAC098I pull inspiration for my episodes from many places. The inspiration for this week's episode came from the June 19th episode of the Help Wanted podcast with Jason Feifer and Nicole Lapin (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-find-solutions-when-there-are-no-good-options/id1456031960?i=1000713535785). In that episode, Jason outlines a specific problem solving technique, but it reminded me of a critical fact when it comes to your career. I'll get into Jason's technique later, but first, I want to take a step back and talk about the importance of taking action. If you think about your job in...
2025-07-0106 min
Managing A CareerInvisible Guardrails - MAC097 The other day, I was listening to the Smart Passive Income podcast (https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/) by Pat Flynn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/patflynn3/). It wasn't even in the episode itself, but in his call to action at the end that he said a quote that was both insightful and inspiring to me. So much so that it lead to today's episode. In his episode, Pat said "It's not the mistakes you make that derail you. It's the mistakes you make that becomes the rails you work within." So, before we break that down...
2025-06-2409 min
Managing A CareerBurning Bridges - MAC096 The single most important thing you can do for your career is to build your network. Whether you build relationships with champions and advocates, coaches and mentors, or people that act as a resource, each one of them provide a benefit that can help move your career forward. Champions and advocates will support you and your ideas—they'll speak up for you in rooms you're not in, recommend you for stretch assignments, and give visibility to your contributions. Coaches and mentors will help you grow by offering guidance, feedback, and perspective from someone who's been there before. They help yo...
2025-06-1708 min
Managing A CareerBreaking Out of Micromanagement - MAC095It consistently ranks as one of the worst attributes in a boss year after year…..and yet, there are still many bosses who are micromanagers. This week, I'm going to look at how you can break out of the micromanagement pattern. It's the bane of everyone's existence. You may feel like your manager is always hovering asking for status constantly. Maybe everything you do is redone by your leader. Or maybe your manager gives you no freedom in what you do or how you do it. Regardless of the fo...
2025-06-1006 min
Managing A CareerIDP Revisited - MAC094 This past week at my day job, we went through an organizational restructuring. Some of my team is now reporting to a new manager and I have new people on my team. If you find yourself on a new team, this is the perfect time to review your Individual Development Plan. It's been a while since I last talked about your IDP, but I believe it is a critical tool for ensuring your advancement. For a more detailed explanation of the different sections of the IDP and how to incorporate one into your one-on-one discussions...
2025-06-0306 min
Managing A CareerPivot. Pivot! PIVOT! - MAC93 The job market is tough right now. People across all industries are getting laid off and starting their job search. If this includes you, you may have found that each job you apply for is highly competitive. You might think that finding another job in your current field is a struggle. Or maybe you feel like you are stuck and there are limited or no growth opportunities available to you. One way that you can increase your opportunities is to consider a career pivot. A pivot point is a fixed point around which something rotates...
2025-05-2708 min
Managing A CareerHow Do I Get Promoted? - MAC092 How many of you have struggled to figure out what it takes to get promoted? Maybe you've been in your current position for several years and feel like you'll be stuck there for many more. When you reach out to your manager, you just get a vague answer that doesn't really tell you what you need to work on such as "your turn is coming" or "you're doing well, just keep it up". The secret that no one talks about? Your boss probably doesn't know how to articulate it……if he even knows what it takes to get to the...
2025-05-2007 min
Managing A CareerPushing Down or Lifting Up - MAC091 Throughout our careers, we observe others around us getting ahead by various means. Some people do so by putting other people down in order to make themselves look better whereas others do so by lifting those around them up. You may have even used these techniques yourself. The secret? Both approaches can work, but only one is sustainable for the long term. Let's take a look at the longer term impact of each. Whether intentionally or not, some people will try to advance their careers by pushing those around them down. These people...
2025-05-1307 min
Managing A CareerWhat Managers Look for When They're Secretly Deciding Who To Let Go - MAC090 More often that you realize, when a manager is asked to create a list of people to lay off, they are rarely given much time to think about it; they are just given a target number and a deadline. When they have to react quickly, there a few criteria that they instinctively use to determine who goes and who stays. What can you do to make sure that you aren't on that list? The first thing to realize is that there are no short term fixes. The steps to take to protect your job start...
2025-05-0606 min
Managing A CareerAligning With Fast-Track Projects - MAC089 Last week, in Episode 088 (https://www.managingacareer.com/88), I covered the four key project types that can fast-track your career advancement. This week, I'm going to cover some strategies for when your current project assignment is not on one of those fast-track type projects. So, to review, the four fast-track project types are strategic projects aligned to organizational goals, cross-functional projects that impact multiple teams, projects tied to revenue generation or expense reduction, and finally, projects that are in trouble. If you find yourself assigned to a project in any combination of those categories, success...
2025-04-2906 min
Managing A CareerFast Track Projects - MAC088 When it comes to career advancement, some projects have a bigger impact than others. How can you make sure that you're associated with the projects that give you the best chance at success? When you look at the types of projects that are undertaken within your organization, four key types will garner the most recognition and opportunities for advancement. This week, I'll take a look at what these project types are. Next week, I'll cover what you can do if your assignments don't fall into one of these four categories. The...
2025-04-2204 min
Managing A CareerLanguage Matters - MAC087In Episode 085 (https://www.managingacareer.com/85), I covered techniques to build confidence. This week I'd like to talk about how you can use the words you say to project that confidence to those around you. When you speak with others, in order to project confidence, you should pay attention to the negative qualifiers that you use when stating your ideas. Those negative qualifiers typically fall into five categories. They can undermine your ideas such as "I think". They can undermine your self such as "Sorry" or "I could be wrong, but…". They can undermine yo...
2025-04-1507 min
Managing A CareerLeadership Portfolio - MAC086On this podcast, I cover topics that can help you advance your career. In simple terms, this means putting yourself in the best possible position to be considered for a promotion. But, sometimes the next transition is from an individual to management role. This week, I cover a technique where you can document your leadership skills as you prepare for that change. When it comes to capturing the results of your work as an individual, I've covered several different methods. In Episode 044 (https://www.managingacareer.com/44), I cover how to report status to various audiences...
2025-04-0805 min
Managing A CareerConfidence Builds Confidence - MAC085 Back in Episode 083 (https://www.managingacareer.com/83) I talked about how Imposter Syndrome and Fear of Failure can derail your plans for career advancement. This week, I'd like to take a deeper dive at Confidence. Confidence, at it's very basic, is the believe that you will succeed in the current situation. Confidence is not arrogance; but they can be two side of the same coin. The biggest difference between Confidence and Arrogance is how others react to you and how you treat those around you. When you are confident, you state your case assertively but...
2025-04-0106 min
Managing A CareerOwn the Problem, Bring Solutions - MAC084 The other day on LinkedIn, there was a post (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lenareinhard_many-bosses-like-to-say-something-along-the-activity-7305950821341380610--N5o?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAACwlk8B_aCb2SXpDbHHORaRrI9SsfHvBMs) by Lena Reinhard, host of the Leadership Confidential podcast (https://www.lenareinhard.com/leadership-confidential), about the saying "don't bring me problems, bring me solutions". That post got me thinking. In her post, Lena (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenareinhard/) expresses that she is not a fan of that phrase because it make the target of the statement feel like they are left to do...
2025-03-2505 min
Managing A CareerFaking It - MAC083 There's been a lot of talk recently about "Imposter Syndrome". The term was coined by psychologists - Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes in the late 1970s, but seems to be mentioned in so many different places the past few years. Having imposter syndrome is a very common experience in that most people experience some form of imposter syndrome at least once in their career. Imposter Syndrome is most prevalent when you take a new role. Self-doubt starts creeping in as you compare yourself to those around you. You may feel like you need...
2025-03-1804 min
Managing A CareerQuiet Firing - MAC082 Recently, companies have been in cost cutting mode. The most obvious result of this cost cutting, at least when it comes to your career, is that companies have been laying off large numbers of workers across all industries. But these very same companies are starting to balk at the negative press associated with "yet another layoff". This week, I take a look at the subtle ways that companies continue to reduce their headcount in a less public manner. Return to Office Mandates During COVID, social distancing and stay at home orders lead many to resort...
2025-03-1106 min
Managing A CareerVisibility - MAC081 The job market right now is a really scary place. Large companies are laying off employees. Even the government, usually one of the more stable places to work is reducing their headcount. There are no guarantees of job security unless you own the company, but if you want to provide at least a modicum of safety when the reductions come around, you have to find a way to become indispensable. There will be many who, when times are tough, will go into what I like to call "turtle" mode. They'll find ways to hide in...
2025-03-0405 min
Managing A CareerAction Plan to Habit - MAC080 Last year, I covered the Individual Development Plan or IDP in a series of episodes. In Episode 036 (https://www.managingacareer.com/36), I introduce the IDP and cover why it should be an important part of your career growth. In Episode 037 (https://www.managingacareer.com/37) I describe the Vision and Roadmap sections of the IDP and how they represent the foundation for understanding where your career is headed. Episode 038 (https://www.managingacareer.com/38) covers the Assessment and Next Role sections. These sections break down which skills you will...
2025-02-2506 min
Managing A CareerBuilding Someone Else's Network - MAC079 Back in Episode 029 (https://www.managingacareer.com/29), I talked about how to build your network. In that episode, I suggested that you can attend meet-ups and conferences to expand your network. And then, through the connections you have, you can find ways to get connected to others that can help you learn and grow. But networking isn't just about how other people can help you. It should be a reciprocal relationship. With the state of the job market right now and so many professionals finding themselves laid off from jobs they may have had for...
2025-02-1805 min
Managing A CareerFuture Proof You - MAC078AI and automation have become game changers across every industry. No matter what you do for a career, you're going to need to figure out how to introduce their capabilities or find yourself falling behind those that can. This week, I'll take a look at some of the things you can do to integrate AI into your normal workflows. Before we look at the capabilities of AI, let's talk about data privacy. Unless the company you work for is paying for the enterprise version of whatever AI you are using, you should only submit information...
2025-02-1108 min
Managing A CareerLoyalty - MAC077My dad worked at the same company from when he was in his early 20s until he retired -- with a pension. These days, that is a rare event. Companies are driven more by the demands of shareholders to deliver ever increasing profit margins rather than to have any level of loyalty to their employees. With more and more executive compensation tied to stock grants and stock options, they are actually incentivized to perpetuate this drive for profit, so don't expect company loyalty to change any time soon. In today's world, if you want the...
2025-02-0406 min
Rock & Roll NightmaresDave Robinson: Co-founder of Stiff RecordsStaci’s guest is music industry legend Dave Robinson. As the co-founder of Stiff Records, Dave was at the forefront of the punk and new wave movements, working with iconic artists like Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, and The Damned. His career spans decades, including time as tour manager for Jimi Hendrix (Dave’s own “rock and roll nightmare” involves Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell). He’s currently managing the up-and-coming British band Hardwicke Circus, which he discusses, as well as his vision of the future of rock music through albums and performances.
2024-11-2144 min
Managing A CareerDeveloping Skills - MAC076 When it comes to career advancement, all skills are not created equal. In this week's episode, we look at a framework for evaluating and prioritizing the skills that you should focus on for development. To begin this assessment, you will need to build two different lists of skills: the skills needed for your current role and the skills needed for your next role. When building each list of skills, evaluate how those skills are actually used; especially for those soft skills such as leadership, storytelling, or executive presence. Use this insight to rank your abilities...
2024-11-0406 min
Managing A CareerJunior to Senior - MAC075 When it comes to career advancement, one of the hardest transitions is from junior level to senior level. This isn't because the change in responsibilities is difficult, but because this is the first significant change in someone's career and they usually don't have a full understanding of what it takes to make the transition. When talking about junior roles vs senior roles, each company could have different titles and number of positions between those levels. For instance at one company, you might find it easy to progress through titles of Analyst I, Analyst II, and...
2024-10-2807 min
Managing A CareerActing on Feedback - MAC074In Episode 12, I discussed some strategies for soliciting effective feedback (https://www.managingacareer.com/12). However, feedback is only as good as what you do with it. This week, I'm going to take a look at how you can best act on the feedback that you receive. The first step in acting on feedback is understanding what is driving the comment. In the previous episode, I suggested that when receiving feedback, you should ask clarifying questions along the lines of "Can you explain that in more detail?" or "Tell me more." The goal with...
2024-10-2105 min
Managing A CareerPut Yourself In Their Shoes - MAC073 When it comes to dealing with people, it can be difficult when they don't share the same opinion you do as to how to handle a specific situation and that can often lead to conflict or complications. The fastest way to move past those differences and get back to moving forward is to put yourself in their shoes. If you can understand people's thoughts and motivations it goes a long way towards formulating an argument that sways them to your side. How well can you read them? Some people will mask their true...
2024-10-1406 min
Managing A CareerRelationships of the Office - MAC072If you want to be successful in your career, you will need to build relationships with the people at work -- peers, superiors, and subordinates. Strong relationships build strong networks. This week, we look at the different types of relationships you'll find in the office and key aspects to building them. Unless you're the CEO, everyone has a boss, a manager, a leader. When it comes to career growth, this is probably the most important relationship to build and maintain. A good relationship with your boss will ensure that you get the assignments...
2024-10-0706 min
Managing A CareerBreaking Past the Peter Plateau - MAC071In the 1960s, Dr. Laurence Peter defined a theory known as the Peter Principle. This theory states that people in an organization are promoted until they reach their level of incompetence. This usually happens when someone is promoted from a position that requires one set of skills to a new position that relies on completely different skills that the person is not equipped with. While they may be quite competent at their previous position, in their new position, they don't have the competency required to be successful and their career stalls. The story typically goes...
2024-09-3005 min
Managing A CareerSphere of Influence - MAC070 When you speak up at work to offer your ideas, have you considered how loud is your voice? I'm not talking about volume, but how many people hear your message? How much weight does your opinion hold? How large is your sphere of influence? A management position comes inherently with influence over the team that you lead based on being in a position of authority. But influence does not necessarily mean power or authority. This week, we look at some strategies for how you can grow your sphere of influence. As you consider these strategies...
2024-09-2305 min
Managing A CareerNo Episode This Week - 2024/09/15Due to unforseen circumstances, I am unable to produce an episode this week. Episodes will resume next week.
2024-09-1601 min
Managing A CareerIt's a Struggle - MAC069 Advancing your position or getting promoted at work can sometimes feel like a struggle. If you are feeling stuck and wondering why you aren't advancing, this week's episode will help you understand the key misconception that most people face and learn some strategies you can put in place to get past it. As we go through childhood, we are often told that through hard work, we can be successful. While this is true in large part, just by working hard and being good at your job is not always enough to get promoted...
2024-09-0905 min
Managing A CareerThe Writing On The Wall - MAC068If you pay attention to what is going on within your company you can often see what direction things are going to go. With this warning, you can PRE-act to upcoming changes instead of RE-acting to them. This proactive stance will put you in the best position to succeed when those changes happen. Whether the changes are localized within your department or if there are larger changes coming that impact the entire company, everything starts with understanding who are the key players in decisions at each level. You can start with people in...
2024-09-0206 min
Managing A CareerAttending industry conferences - MAC067At some point, you may find yourself in a position where you are able to attend an industry conference. When this happens, with enough planning, you can leverage this conference to help advance your career. At any conference, there will be panels, talks, and sessions by industry experts. These can help you understand upcoming changes to any regulations that apply to your industry. They can also offer new techniques and solutions to problems that you may have been facing. Often, the speakers also represent the companies that create the software commonly used in the industry...
2024-08-2606 min
Managing A CareerDelegation and Leverage - MAC066 I've mentioned Jackie Simon in the past. If you aren't following her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiesimon1/), you should. She's a leadership coach and regularly posts some insightful content. This week's episode of the ManagingACareer.com podcast is inspired by a post she made this week on Delegation vs Leverage (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jackiesimon1_delegating-wont-get-you-promoted-activity-7230196646461026304-D_UT). Links to Jackie's profile and the inspiration post will be in the show notes for this episode. As with anything, we start with definitions to establish a context for further discussion. Delegation is...
2024-08-1905 min
Chuck Taylor Tuesday PodcastChuck Taylor Tuesday Chat with Layne RobinsonChuck Taylor Tuesday Chat with Layne Robinson Lace up, tune in, and let this episode rekindle your appreciation for the magic that happens when we truly connect with those around us. Subscribe now and join the movement that's bringing people together, one conversation at a time.InstagramYouTubeOfficial WebsiteApple PodcastSpotify"Chuck Taylor Tuesday" is the podcast that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, one joyful stride at a time.drbecking.com
2024-08-1316 min
Managing A CareerThe Four E's - MAC065In today's episode of the ManagingACareer.com podcast, we take a look at a framework you can use to evaluate whether your current role will have a positive impact on your ability to advance your career. This framework is supported by four E's: Enablement, Empowerment, Engagement, and Enthusiasm. Enablement: The first E is Enablement. In Episode 51 - Success or Failure (https://www.managingacareer.com/51), I use the quote from Alexander Graham Bell, "the only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action." A big factor in your ability to take action is...
2024-08-1205 min
Managing A CareerSkip Level 1x1 - MAC064 Having regular conversations with your manager is important to ensure that you are on track for your desired career growth. But just as important is to occasionally have similar conversations with your skip level leaders. When it comes to skip level one-on-ones, there are three key outcomes to look for. First, is to build a relationship with your leaders. Second is to have an opportunity to highlight your contributions to the organization. And third is to have more insight into the direction that your leader is driving the team. Even just requesting the one-on-one will...
2024-08-0505 min
Managing A CareerUnsportive Manager - MAC063I was hosting a coaching call the other day and I wanted to share the problem that we discussed in case you are experiencing a similar situation. The person I was speaking to has an issue where their manager is actively sabotaging their career development. If you want to be successful, you have to take control of your career because no one else will do it for you. And when your leader creates roadblocks that prevent you from growing the way that you wish, it becomes even more important to own your own career. If...
2024-07-2906 min
Managing A CareerMid-year Goal Review - MAC062At the time of this episode, we're a little more than halfway through the current year. Most companies have an annual goal setting process and it's a good time to check in on your progress towards those goals. Waiting until the end of the year to review your progress doesn't give you enough time to react and adjust to ensure success. In Episode 47 - Annual Goal Setting (https://www.managingacareer.com/47), I go through several frameworks you can use to help define your goals. If you followed the guidelines I provided in that episode, you...
2024-07-2204 min
Managing A CareerHandling Credit - MAC061 Let's talk about credit. I'm not talking about the financial mechanisms by which you borrow money from a bank using plastic card. I'm talking about the type of credit involved when someone receives recognition for work performed. If we consider our relationship to credit: we can TAKE credit; we can GIVE credit; we can STEAL credit; and we can GIVE AWAY credit. In today's episode, I'm going to talk about each of these different modes and how they can impact your career advancement. Taking credit. When we perform a task, especially...
2024-07-1505 min
Managing A CareerProcrastinating Your Career - MAC060I firmly believe that you have to own your career. If you rely on someone else to drive it, it will likely not go in the direction that you want -- if it actually goes anywhere at all. In each episode of this podcast, I cover a topic that makes you think about your career, but taking action is still up to you. Sometimes, we find ourselves procrastinating even when we know we should be acting. This week, I want to cover several reasons why you may be procrastinating and how to get past them...
2024-07-0805 min
Managing A CareerCommunicating with Finesse - MAC059 The other day, I saw a post on LinkedIn by Wes Kao the co-Founder of the Maven learning platform. Her post was a synopsis of an issue of her newsletter that really resonated with me (Link https://newsletter.weskao.com/p/the-unspoken-skill-of-finesse). It was on the topic of Finesse in Communications. You could also think of it as communicating like a leader. In Wes' article, there was a situation where a customer had asked about the limits of a software system. Several people were in a chat thread formulating a response. The first person offered...
2024-07-0106 min
Managing A CareerGetting Promoted Too Soon - MAC058 The goal of most people in the corporate world is to get promoted. Along with that promotion is usually personal growth, more responsibility, and increased pay. But, what happens if you find yourself promoted too soon? There could be many reasons that you receive a promotion. Someone more senior could have left -- either the team or the company. You could have also pushed for it with your leaders and everything aligned for them to promote you. You may have even received a promotion that you weren't expecting. When you receive...
2024-06-2405 min
Managing A CareerBeing A AAA Talent - MAC057I was reading an article on LinkedIn by Christine Laperriere that was titled "How to get on the AAA team". This article talks about how a new leader could build a AAA team - a team with the three A's: Accountability, Autonomy, and Authority. From a leader perspective, it's important to build a team that everyone wants to be on, but what about you as an individual, if you are a AAA talent, you can help your leader attract other AAA talent to your team. In this week's episode, I'm going to talk about what it takes for you...
2024-06-1705 min
Managing A CareerPresenting to Leaders - MAC056 The past few weeks, several of us at my job have been working on a slide deck that will be presented to an executive that is a few levels above mine. The final deck is just three slides, but it took a lot of time to get those three slides nailed down to the ideal content. Most of the time was spent on simplifying the content to only the information that the executive would actually care about and refining the slide design to be more visually focused. For a deck to only be three slides...
2024-06-1006 min
Managing A CareerOwning Your Mistakes - MAC055I was reading through LinkedIn the other day and there was a post by Jason Feifer, the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine, where he had made a mistake but owning up to it and correcting the issue lead to an overall great outcome. That post inspired this podcast episode. It can be scary when you make a mistake. Depending on how impactful that mistake is, there is always the possibility of severe repercussions. If you are insecure or unconfident, your first reaction may be to try to hide or cover up the mistake. But...
2024-06-0304 min
Managing A CareerFinding Your WHY - MAC054I focus a lot on the Individual Development Plan or IDP as a tool for managing your career. As a singular document, it encapsulates where you want your career to go and the steps it will take to get there. If you need to review the IDP, refer back to Episodes 036 through 040 where I break down each section. But if you are unsure of what that end goal should be, understanding your WHY may help you resolve that problem. Have you ever spent time of self-reflection on your motivations for choosing the work that you...
2024-05-2705 min
Managing A CareerGetting Laid Off - MAC053 There is a lot of uncertainty in the job market right now with so many news stories talking about this company or that company laying of large portions of their workforce. If you've been following the guidance that I've shared in the various episodes of this podcast, you've likely done all within your power to keep your name off of "the list", but sometimes, no matter what you do, you could find yourself impacted by a layoff. When you lose your job, it's ok to have feelings. Acknowledge them. Work through them. Find support for...
2024-05-2005 min
Managing A CareerCheering Section - MAC052 Manager, Leader, Mentor, Coach; all four can help you advance your career. This week, we take a look at each role and how each one can help you in your quest for a promotion. At the most simplistic level, the roles can be summarized as: A Manager tells you want to do. A Leader enables you so that you can do it. A Mentor shows you how to do it. And a coach changes the way you think about it. Your manager is responsible for what projects you work on. It's...
2024-05-1305 min
Managing A CareerSuccess or Failure - MAC051 The other day, while browsing Facebook, a quote appeared on my feed that I found very inspiring. "The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action" - Alexander Graham Bell. This week, I want to break down why I find this quote so inspiring. In general, I consider myself a fairly successful person. But most of that success has come from not being afraid of the results and just TRYING…..or using the language of the quote, taking action. If you are looking to make progress -- on...
2024-05-0605 min
Managing A CareerThe "Competition" - MAC050If you regularly listen to my podcast, it's either because you know me personally and want to help me out (thanks, I appreciate it) or because you found me because you are looking for advice on how to position yourself for a promotion. I hope that you find my advice targeted and actionable while being presented with simple clarity. But, I'll also be the first to tell you that you should listen to multiple people and synthesize your own plan about the best course forward because no one else lives in YOUR personal situation. The...
2024-04-2905 min
Managing A CareerStrategic Thinking - MAC049In Episode 001, I touched on the subject of Higher Level Tasks. In that episode, I talked about how you can position yourself for advancement by transitioning from process oriented tasks to higher-level tasks that leverage more discretion and judgement. This week, we'll revisit that topic and discuss additional strategies for making this transition. Process oriented tasks are those that follow a standard flow and can be done more through rote action than through personal agency. Higher-level tasks are often unique and require more understanding and experience to resolve. These types of tasks usually provide more...
2024-04-2205 min
Managing A CareerBeing Innovative - MAC048 Early in your career, advancement is generally easier and is just a matter of doing "more"……more tasks, bigger tasks, more responsibility. But, transitioning to senior levels may require a different approach - being more innovative. Senior members of the team are usually expected to bring new solutions, approaches, and ideas to the problems the team tackles. These expectations can best be met by those on the team that are the most innovative. Innovative solutions can often lead to improved efficiencies, reduced costs, or new product lines. Before we look at some techniques that could help...
2024-04-1506 min
Managing A CareerAnnual Goal Setting - MAC047 Most companies, at least once per year, go through an annual goal planning process. As part of this process, you are expected to have some number of company-focused goals as well as some number of personal goals. Company goals are usually related to revenue, profit, sales, projects, or initiatives. Your personal goals, however, have more freedom in what they target. With the company goals, you'll want to start by analyzing how you can personally impact them. This may take a little bit of creative thinking. For example, if you are in the facilities organization and...
2024-04-0807 min
Managing A CareerProgress Report - MAC036-MAC045 Periodically, I check back and highlight the last few episodes to remind you of things you can work on to help set you up for career success and this most recent group has a lot of solid content. Episodes 036 to 040 was a five-part series that covered the Individual Development plan in detail. It starts with an Introduction that emphasizes the importance of the IDP and is followed by episodes that describe the key sections: the Vision and Roadmap, the Assessment and Next Steps, and the Action Plan and Successes. The series wraps up with an epi...
2024-04-0103 min
Managing A CareerMaking the most of Return to Office - MAC045 If your company has a hybrid policy, how can you best use your time in the office? Well, first you should make sure you understand and comply with all aspects of the new policy. Are there specific days that you must be in the office? Do you have a designated space or are you participating in Community shared desk system? Which days and what locations will most of your coworkers leverage when they work from the office? Most companies, as they roll out these return to office policies, state that the primary driver for them...
2024-03-2504 min
Managing A CareerReporting Status - MAC044In several of my previous episodes, I've mentioned that one way to stand out is to produce status reports that are value focused instead of task focused. This week, I go into more detail about what that type of status report would look like. Purpose and Audience The first thing to understand about a status report is its purpose. By knowing who the audience is you can properly tailor the report to meet the purpose that they care about and summarized appropriately. For your clients and stakeholders, it's a means to communicate project...
2024-03-1805 min
Managing A CareerPersonal Brand - MAC043 This week, I'm going to talk about your personal brand and how you can build one. When you hear the term, what impression does that give you? For many, I'm sure you associate the term with celebrities, athletes, and social media influencers. But, I'm here to tell you that it applies to everyone. So, what is a personal brand? At the simplest level, your personal brand is the impression that others have of you -- your reputation. But it's more than just that. Your personal brand statement is a concise summary of who you are...
2024-03-1106 min
Managing A CareerMental Health and You - MAC042 This week, we're going to talk about a very critical subject, your mental health. Each episode, I talk about subjects that can help you advance your career and understanding and addressing your mental health is an important one. If you aren't able to be focused on your work because of things happening in your personal life, it's going to impact you. So, let's take a look at what you can do about it. First, I want to start by saying, no matter what anyone says, your health and your mental health are far more important...
2024-03-0405 min
Managing A CareerGaining Responsibility During Company Change - MAC041 There is a lot of corporate downsizing happening right now. In a future episode, I may go into more detail on that subject, but this week, I would like to talk about how you can take advantage of the downsizing to increase your responsibilities within the company. If you are one of the ones that remains when a company goes through any sort of organizational change, it is an opportunity for you to increase your sphere of influence and position yourself for increased visibility. Adding responsibilities strategically can provide a measure of security and even...
2024-02-2605 min
Managing A CareerIDP: The Process - MAC040 Over the course of the past four weeks, I've described the Individual Development Plan -- why it's important to your career and what the various components are. This week, I'm going to talk about how you can integrate an IDP into your development processes. Initial conversations Once you've spent the time creating your IDP, it's important to share it with your leaders and mentors. If you don't already have a recurring one-on-one with your manager, you should schedule one. In Episode 011, I cover How to Structure Your One-on-Ones. I recommend having a career-focused...
2024-02-1905 min
Managing A CareerIDP: Action Plan and Successes - MAC039 The episodes for the past few weeks are part of a series where I take a deeper look at your Individual Development Plan. Episode 036 introduced the IDP and covered some of the benefits of creating one for yourself. Then, in Episode 037, I covered the Career Vision and Roadmap sections where you define the direction of your career. Last week in Episode 038, I talked about the Assessment and Next Role where you identify the areas of focus for career advancement. This week, we cover the final two sections of the IDP -- Action Plan and Successes. ...
2024-02-1206 min
Managing A CareerIDP: Assessment and Next Role - MAC038 This is the third episode of a multi-part series covering the Individual Development Plan. If you have not listened to the first two episodes, go back and review them before listening to this one. If you need the IDP template, you can request on by dropping me a note via the contact form on the ManagingACareer.com website. In the first episode of the series, I go over the purpose and benefits of the IDP. The IDP provides a personalized plan that ensures that your career is fulfilling and you maximize your job satisfaction. Additionally...
2024-02-0504 min
Managing A CareerIDP: Vision and Roadmap - MAC037 Last week's episode provided a high-level overview of the IDP and gave several reasons why it should be an important part of your career development plan. This week, we will cover the first two sections, the Vision and the Roadmap. And as a reminder, if you'd like to get my IDP template, go to the Contact form at ManagingACareer.com and drop me a note. Career Vision The career vision is a statement about where you want to be in your career as far into the future as you can imagine. For some...
2024-01-2906 min
Managing A CareerIDP: Introduction - MAC036 The beginning of the year is often a time of renewed focused on planning and growth. When it comes to career development, the Individual Development Plan, or IDP, is my preferred tool for documenting that plan. Back in Episode 002, I introduced the concept and named the various components of an IDP and what type of information you include in them. For the next few episodes, I will be taking a deeper dive into the IDP. If you would like to follow along and create your own IDP as this series progresses, I have an IDP template available if you...
2024-01-2205 min
Managing A CareerProgress Report MAC029-MAC034 After every six episodes, I have a review episode to highlight some of the episodes you may have missed. This progress report covers episodes 029 to 034. Episode 029 - Building a Network covers several ways that you can grow your network. Much like Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon, you are only a few connections away from someone you can help you advance your career. Through formal professional organizations or local informal groups, the key to building your network is meeting new people. Make connections and leverage them to build additional connections. The next...
2024-01-1504 min
Managing A CareerOffice Politics (pt. 2) - MAC034 Let's start with a quick review of last week's episode, but for the full details go back to that episode and listen there. We started by covering the key players in office politics. Decision Makers, Gatekeepers, Connectors, Influencers, Observers, and Champions. After that, we talked about strategies: Build a decision map, Build your network, Build your people skills, and Become "the one". But things don't always go smoothly. Sometimes, beyond the simple issue of learning who the players are and working with them in a way that allows you to accomplish...
2024-01-0805 min
Managing A CareerOffice Politics (pt. 1) - MAC033At some point in your career, you will find yourself in a position where you have to deal with office politics. Office politics aren't bad in and of themselves, but it is important to understand how they work and what your place is within them. First, we should put some clarity around what I mean by the phrase "office politics". They are really just the unwritten rules and informal structure of the organization. The key to navigating the political landscape is to understand the various roles and who holds them. From...
2024-01-0105 min
Managing A CareerWhat if I don't want the "next" role? - MAC032 When I was talking to my relative the other day, he was describing how his bosses have gained a lot of trust in him and are giving him more and more responsibility and more and more autonomy. As someone who leads a team, everything he described and a few other factors pointed towards the possibility that he'll be considered for a promotion soon --- possibly even as soon as the next promotion cycle. But, my relative isn't really interested in the next role. I can actually understand his position. My background is in software development...
2023-12-2505 min
Managing A CareerDoes Your Manager Trust You? - MAC031At my job, I have the title of "Director" and I have responsibility for the team that builds an internal application that is important to the sales team of the company I work for. I also manage -- either directly or indirectly -- a team of around 40 software developers, none of which are in the same city as I am. There are not enough hours in the week for me to spend time on everything that I am responsible for. As such, I must delegate some of those responsibilities and TRUST that my team will complete the work without...
2023-12-1805 min
Managing A CareerGetting Ahead By Saying "No" - MAC030 When you are looking towards career advancement, you may have heard advice along the lines of "say yes to every opportunity". And sometimes, that advice is perfectly fine. But today, we're going to look at when the better choice is to say "no". The first consideration is just your time in general. You might think that you need to say "yes" to everything to be seen as a team player - this is often the stance taken by those new to a job or team. But, you should also consider whether taking on additional tasks...
2023-12-1104 min
Managing A CareerBuilding a Network - MAC029 Networking is not about the quantity of connections, but rather the quality and depth of those connections. It's not just about amassing a hundreds of LinkedIn connections; it's about nurturing meaningful relationships that add value to both parties involved. Genuine connections can provide insights, support, and access to resources that would otherwise be out of reach. After all, your network is not just a collection of contacts; it is a web of potential collaborators, mentors, and champions who can help you navigate the twists and turns of your career journey. Professional organizations or conferences specific...
2023-12-0404 min
Managing A CareerProgress Report - MAC022 - MAC027As always, it's good to periodically look back and review your accomplishments and progress. So, every few episodes, we take a look back and call out the highlights of the recent episodes. In Episode 022 - Interviewing Candidates I cover how I evaluate candidates for positions by focusing on critical thinking and a desire to learn and share. As you progress through your career, it will often be necessary to help bring in new team members to take over responsibilities that you've progressed beyond. Next, we took a look at how you...
2023-11-2704 min
Managing A CareerKnowing Your Worth - MAC027 When most people think about providing a status on their work, they usually think in terms of completed tasks. At some level, this is relevant to ensure that projects remain on time. But if you'd like to set yourself apart from others, consider framing that status in terms of value provided. Obviously, not every task is going to provide easily measured value in terms of dollars or time savings, but there should be some identifiable value to the company……otherwise, why are you asked to do it? Most companies are for-profit entities, so the true meas...
2023-11-2004 min
Managing A CareerShould you be promoted? - MAC026As we approach the end of the calendar year, it's the time of year when many employees are evaluated against their goals and considered for merit increases and potentially promotions. Have you positioned yourself to be one of the ones to be promoted this year? Let's take a look. The first question you have to ask yourself is whether you are ready for a promotion. Early in your career, this primarily means mastering your current role and having "paid your dues" in terms of time. Later in your career, you will need to continue to...
2023-11-1306 min
Managing A CareerWho is driving your career? - MAC025 Today, we're tackling a question that's crucial for everyone navigating the professional landscape: how much faster does your career progress if you actively own it instead of waiting for your career to happen to you? To truly grasp the impact of taking control of your career, let's start by understanding the consequences of a passive approach. Imagine sitting idly by, waiting for opportunities to fall into your lap without actively seeking ways to enhance your skills or expand your network. In this scenario, the clock ticks on, but your professional growth remains stagnant. You may...
2023-11-0605 min
Managing A CareerPreparing for the end of the year - MAC024 For many companies, the end of the year is a time when employees have their annual reviews. Today, we'll talk about the things you can do with what's left of the year to prepare. Review your incomplete goals. Start by looking at the goals that were set for you at the beginning of the year. If there are any that are incomplete, are you on track to complete them by the end of the year? How do your current priorities align with completing them? If your priorities have changed, can you negotiate updates to your...
2023-10-3004 min
Managing A CareerCan you be successful working remotely? - MAC023 During a recent one-on-one with a member of my team, the question came up as to whether someone can be successful when working remote. I'll start with the answer. Yes…..assuming your work can actually be done somewhere other than the office and if you put in the work, you can be successful working remote. But that caveat -- if you put in the work -- is the important part. So, for the rest of the episode, I'm going to dive into that in more detail. Obviously, the first question is are you able to co...
2023-10-2306 min
Managing A CareerInterviewing Candidates - MAC022If you are in any of the LinkedIn groups related to your profession, you've likely come across posts that list questions and answers that are core to your field. These are the types of questions I would expect to see on a university or certification exam. These questions are intended to show a level of mastery but, as evidenced by the number of posts offering common examples, a candidate can study for the interview whether they have any first-hand knowledge of the content or not. I have been interviewing candidates for over twenty years and...
2023-10-1604 min
Managing A CareerProgress Report - MAC015 to MAC020 These past six episodes have covered a lot of good content. Have you spent any time implementing the ideas in your career? Episode 015 - Asking vs Guessing was about how some people default to Ask mode where they will ask for everything expecting to get a "Yes" only to the things that really matter. Whereas other people default to Guess mode where they try to guess when they will get a "Yes" and only ask then. But, asking a guesser or guessing with an asker can lead to potential team dynamic issues that you'll need to c...
2023-10-0903 min
Managing A CareerReorganizations - MAC020If you're listening to this podcast in real time, the calendar has just flipped to October. This is often when discussions begin within a company that a reorganization (often shortened to "reorg") might be necessary. Many reorgs take effect as the fiscal year changes for the company and the fiscal calendar for many companies follows the regular calendar. With all of the holiday and vacation time taken in the final months of the year, initial discussions typically start in October. Let's take a look at the various reasons why a company may decide to reorganize...
2023-10-0205 min
Managing A CareerWork / Life Balance - MAC019 This week, we take a break from looking at career advancement and we focus on the "life" side of the work/life balance equation. While everyone has a different idea of what their non-work life should look like, ensuring that you have adequate time to spend on it will actually help your career. If work consumes all of your waking hours, no matter how much you enjoy it, you'll eventually face exhaustion and burn-out. Your health. When you're exhausted and your body is run down, you're more susceptible to illness or other conditions that could...
2023-09-2504 min
Managing A CareerSelling Yourself - MAC018As I covered in last week's episode on the Corporate Ladder - Episode 017, you may eventually reach a point in your career where the next rung has a limited number of opportunities to progress. In Episode 13 - A Little Bit of Luck, I talked about how luck is when preparation meets opportunity and that sometimes you have to make your own luck. When the advancement will involve competition with others, you will need to have laid the groundwork in advance. You never know when an opportunity will appear, so you will need to be ready...
2023-09-1804 min
Managing A CareerThe Corporate Ladder - MAC017 For the majority of people, their career is going to last somewhere in the ballpark of forty years depending on when they start and when they decide to retire. While there are no hard and fast rules about how your career should or will progress, there are some generalized trends and milestones that you can expect to hit. Just note that each company is different and that these levels may not equate one-to-one with job titles at the companies you work for -- for example you might be promoted from an "Analyst 1" to an "Analyst 2" and still be considered...
2023-09-1105 min
Managing A CareerWhat does it mean to be a leader? - MAC016 When your career begins, your key responsibilities are to do your tasks and to grow your skills. With enough time, this is often sufficient to justify a promotion. However, as you reach higher career levels, there comes with it, the expectation that you are not just producing results, but also leading others on your team. Even without the title and responsibility of being a manager, leadership is a skill that everyone should work to develop. If I boil "leadership" down into a single concept, I would have to say that being a leader means "enabling...
2023-09-0405 min
Managing A CareerAsk vs Guess - MAC015 The other day, I was reading a series of articles by Jean Hsu on Substack (link to part one). These articles outline how ask-culture and guess-culture can clash at work and how to navigate the differences. Ask Culture is when members of the group are inclined to ask for something even when the chance of receiving a "yes" are low. Their belief is that people will say no unless they really want to say yes, so asking has no consequences. Guess Culture is when members of the group are inclined to...
2023-08-2804 min
Managing A CareerProgress report MAC008-MAC013As with any career, it's important to periodically check your progress. Since this podcast started you should have held at least two career development discussions with your leader. Hopefully you're making the most of these session and have worked with your leader to put together an action plan. Recent episodes should have given you some things to talk about with your leader. Episode 008 covered recognition and how letting your manager know what forms of recognition motivate you will ensure that when your work is valued, you know. The five types of recognition were Monetary, Tokens...
2023-08-2103 min
Managing A CareerA Little Bit of Luck - MAC013 The Roman philosopher Seneca has a quote about how luck happens when preparation meets opportunity. When it comes to your career, this is so very true. If you spend your time waiting for an advancement to fall into your lap, you'll often be disappointed. No matter how many stories you hear about someone who is promoted frequently, there are just as many stories of people who have languished in the same role for years. Often, the former have spent time growing skills, networking, and being open to change while the later have just been focused...
2023-08-1404 min
Managing A CareerReceiving Effective Feedback - MAC012I was inspired to cover this topic by a post that I saw on LinkedIn by Jackie Simon of Jackie Simon Coaching. In that post, she listed 20 Great Questions to ask in a One-on-One meeting. This was a good follow-up to my previous episode on how to structure your one-on-one. One topic in that structure was focused on feedback, so this week, I'm diving in a little deeper on how to get good feedback which includes asking open ended questions. I'm sure many of you have had a similar conversation with a leader or a...
2023-08-0705 minManaging A CareerIntroduction - MAC000 Welcome to Managing a Career, I'm Layne Robinson. This podcast is aimed to help you navigate the path to professional success. Whether you're a recent graduate still searching for your place or a seasoned professional with years of experience, the knowledge and insights I will be sharing can show you how you can position yourself for growth and career advancement. I've been a software developer for multiple Fortune 500 companies and spent time in the software consultant world, too. The past few years, I made the transition to management and currently lead a t...
2023-05-1901 min
The Empowered in My Skin PodcastKay Layne: Embrace Play MoreKay Layne is the Founder of Kayambi Training, a personal development and corporate training company. Kay is dedicated to helping people live extraordinary lives. She also has various mindset training programs that allow participants to create the success they seek. Her Equity and Anti-oppression training allows people to understand power, privilege, and various forms of oppressive systems that exist around them. It empowers participants and shows them the benefits of working under an anti-oppressive framework, which allows them to build organizations people are proud to work for. She is also a gearhead that provides automotive...
2023-03-2340 min
A Chat With MattACWM - Episode 51 w/ Josh Robinson of lmsukmediaJosh Robinson is the founder of lmsukemedia.
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2020-12-1157 min