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“There is a phrase I want to share with you, that I think will help you.” These are the words my friend and mentor, Mike Litman, recently shared with me, and now I want to pass on to you.

First, allow me to say this. ‘All of you have had “moments of brilliance” in your life’.

You have.

You may have run the perfect shift. (Your people were working as a team, your food quality was excellent, your service times were right-on). Your boss may have even witnessed the event and lavished you with praise and encouragement.

You may have had a great workout at the gym. (You experienced an unusual degree of energy, you exceeded your best bench press by 20 pounds, you beat your record-time in swimming laps.

You may have been able to squeeze into an old pair of slacks. (You lost 10 pounds, you discovered a new diet, you started listening to a friend who has been trying to get you to change your eating habits.)

Yes, at some point, you have been “on.” You have had “moments of brilliance,” and that’s great!

But something tells me, these “moments of brilliance,” are not enough.

You’re absolutely right. There is something missing.

So here is the missing piece. Here is the answer.

Here is the phrase that was shared with me, and now I am sharing with you.

“In life you are either consistent or you are nonexistent.”

You can do an excellent job at orientating a new employee on Monday, and forget about them the rest of the week
You can go to the gym on Tuesday, and not return until next month.
You can eat healthy on Wednesday, and then be bad for six months.

In business, as in life, you need to be consistent.

Being non-consistent will result in your dreams being washed down the drain. Your chance for career advancement will start to resemble the re-emergence of the dinosaur. Yea, “it ain’t going to happen.”

So you now understand, my friend. The choice is yours.

“IN LIFE,
YOU ARE EITHER CONSISTENT, OR YOU ARE NONEXISTENT”

Choose Consistency !

Until next time,

Bill

It has always been the American Dream,
choose a career that you’ll enjoy, and then, climb the corporate ladder as high as you can.

It’s always been, until now!

In our current world, challenging economics, global communications, and an endless array of variables, your career advancement strategies will definitely need to be adjusted to the changing times.
It is no longer recommended or advisable to try balancing your career on the steps of a ladder. Look around, people are loosing their jobs at record speed. It doesn’t matter how high you have climbed or how long you have worked for your employer.

You may be at risk.

So what are you supposed to do?

My advice is to go out to the garage, find your ladder, put a for sale sign on it, then start shopping for a ramp.
A ramp?

Seriously, get a ramp. I highly recommend it.

Ok, let me explain. With the “ladder theory” you have to keep climbing. You can usually see the top, but sometimes it takes a long time to reach the top. You may get sidetracked or discouraged on your upward progress. Sometimes the ladder is a bit shaky and sometimes it may even be kicked out from under you.

It seems the ladder theory does’t account for the inevitable. It’s almost an all-or-none theory. Either you make it to the top or you don’t.

Consider what I call, “the ramp theory.” A ramp allows the person to progress upward with a steady, career advancement. You’re not apt to fall or fail. You are constantly moving your career forward . You’re not looking for the next step, you just concentrate on moving ahead.

From my perspective, using the “ladder theory of advancement” has some serious drawbacks. Most of the time we only manage our careers on a crisis basis. We scramble to create a resume, fumble with writing cover letters, and realigning with lost business connections.
By using the “ramp theory, you would already have a current resume ready to go. You are continually advancing forward, strengthening your existing contacts and continually seeking to add to your list of new contacts. You continually strive to advance your career. You are focused on developing yourself and your value in the marketplace. You’re not worried about falling off the ladder, you’re too busy planning your next management strategy; to position yourself as the expert in your field.

I aspire to becoming a “must-have” professional. I no longer want to wait for the corporate nod to advance to the next level. A steady growth, building my skills and building my connections; it makes sense to me.

I know what it’s like to look for a job when you are forced to, when you are unprepared, and when you least expect the need to do so.

Start now.

As for me, I will know I have reached the pinnacle of my career when I no longer need to concern myself with looking for employment, because employers will now start calling me.

Ramp up you management career,

Until next time,

Bill

PS.
I have William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson, authors of “Career Distinction, Stand out by Building Your Brand,” to thank for the bulk of the material in my post.