As the Career Coach to the Wall Street Elite, I take a unique approach to coaching them to identify their own greatness factor so they can become even more successful.

Carving Out a Niche
I do NOT believe people have strengths or weaknesses (See Principle #2 in 8 Ways to Great). Instead, I believe we all have characteristics and personality traits – the combination of which makes each of us unique, like a personality fingerprint.

Employers/companies are not looking for “Perfect” people; they are looking for people that can add value now and adapt and change as the company/world changes.

I believe if you change your attitude about traditional strengths and weaknesses and position yourself more as the person who understand how your personality traits both help and hurt you in your role, then you have automatically differentiated yourself from your co-workers and being just “another employee.”

By taking this unique approach, it shows you have highly desirable skills like:
• Critical thinking
• Creative engagement
• Problem solving
• Self-awareness
• Resilience and ability to adapt to changing environments

All of these are excellent characteristics to be able to showcase as your assets in the current environment.

How to show it while you are on the job? How to let management know you are working on the skills?
• Ask to work on a special project so you can showcase your skills…..set yourself up for success by offering to do a project you are passionate about and know you will be fully engaged in, even if it means putting in time outside of work

• Another strategy is to ask for regular “check-ins” with your manager or boss. This will give you a chance to showcase the progress you are making while getting corrective feedback from the manager as well.

VERY IMPORTANT: these check-ins should be short (few minutes…every week to two if possible). The point is to let him or her see how you are learning, making mistakes, dealing with setbacks, , adapting, growing and knocking stuff out along the way. Important…keep these check-ins very brief. If he or she wants to ask you questions then stick around longer but let that be their choice.

Dangers

• Moving yourself to the next level and becoming great is hard. Not just because of the sacrifice and effort but because of the social pressures you will be faced with along the way. Beware, your co-workers may get jealous and think you are kissing butt to get ahead. Do not let this peer pressure deter your efforts. That is their problem, not yours. Are you working to make friends or to be the best you can be in your role?
• If you want to be different and get ahead of the crowd, then you have to work smarter and know that they are going to want to bring you down. Keep your focus on yourself and know that you are doing this to add value to the business, improve YOUR life and the life for your FAMILY. That is the most important thing there is.

Dr. Doug