If you are interviewing for your first leadership position, this is an exciting time.
I want to give you an advantage over your competition and ensure you avoid the most common mistake eight out of 10 people in your position make.
Most people prepare by designing statements and answers based on their resume, including the duties and responsibilities of positions they have held.
The problem with that approach is that a leadership position is not on their resume, and leadership is precisely the focus of this interview.
Your priority is to convince the interviewer(s) you will make a great leader.
You need to include Leadership in almost every answer and statement to separate yourself from other candidates.
How do you answer questions about your past and present – your resume items? After you convey the situation, what you did, and the results you achieved, continue in the answer and connect it to leadership.
After saying, “This was the situation, this is what I did and the successful results I got,” continue by saying things like:
“How that experience helped me prepare to be a successful leader is…”
“There were several skills I developed through that situation that will help me lead, and they were…”
“What I learned about leadership through that event was…”
Additionally, whether specifically asked about leadership or not, find a way to share:
why you want to be a leader
what it is about leading that excites you (be specific; two or three)
characteristics and qualities that make a great leader, followed by, “That’s me.”
what your leadership style is and how and why you chose that style
Write your cover letter or resume using words and phrases a leader would use. When you meet the interviewer(s), everything about you should exude leadership. The way you:
walk
talk
look them in the eye
shake their hand
introduce yourself and greet them
BE THE LEADER! First, convince yourself you are the leader they want; then convince them. We always have room for another great leader. As Zig Ziglar’s book suggests, See You at the Top!
That’s my perspective, what’s yours? Swing by our website and leave us a comment or question. Leave us a comment below and don’t miss the video on this topic on YouTube.
You are special! Those are powerful words for sure. I’m sure you’ve heard them before; at least I hope you have. I’m not sure in what context, though, because there are many.
If your mother says it to you, she’s probably sharing her love for you and stroking your ego (which is perfectly within her motherly rights to do, I might add!).
If your friends say it with emphasis on the word special, they are probably giving you a hard time.
If you say it to yourself, you might be implying you deserve extra privileges.
But when I say it to you, and I am, I mean something totally different.
I believe that each one of us is special in our own way. I’m convinced there is something you do really, really well. As a matter of fact, you do it better than most people, and you easily do it better than most people. Do you know what it is? I hope so, and I hope you’ve found a way to express it in your life, because when you do, you and everyone around you benefits.
Those who already found their gift or talent and chose to express it, do so in various ways. Some use it for their career, some as an avocation, some for a hobby, and some find a way to wrap their whole life around it such that it’s visible in everything they touch.
To me, those people are the fortunate ones. You obviously know some of those folks, and you know that they, and we, are rewarded for their decision to share their gift and talent.
If you haven’t identified your gift or talent I encourage you to search for it. Or, you could ask the universe what it is, and then quiet the noise in your life and let it reveal itself to you. Remember, this is something you easily do well; there’s no struggle involved.
That’s one of the reasons I’m suggesting you pursue it in some fashion. Your odds at being successful with it, having fun with it, and of finding fulfillment through it are great. Who doesn’t want to easily be successful in some area of their life!
Just consider for a moment what the world would be like if everybody utilized their special gift or talent toward their career. Everyone would love their job and easily be successful at it.
Or, what if everyone had a hobby they loved and were amply rewarded by it?
Or, what if everyone had an avocation that easily provided them with fulfillment and pride?
Only in a perfect world you say? OK, but why not reverse those words and say you’ll make your world (more) perfect? Not struggling to be successful and happy sounds good to me!
Don’t be afraid of succeeding; you can handle the success when it comes.
Don’t fear the perceived struggle; there won’t be much of one.
This is your gift or talent; trust it, believe it was given to you for a reason, and believe in yourself. Say “I will discover my special gift or talent and find a way to express it in this lifetime. I and everyone around me will benefit. It will be my gift to the world. Get ready!”
That’s my perspective, what’s yours? Leave us a comment or question below this post and don’t miss the video on this topic on YouTube!
This week’s tip is for anyone who makes presentations, facilitates meetings, addresses people in formal settings, or wants to be more effective in casual conversation. Several factors affect the successful delivery of a message; today’s tip is how to speak powerfully using impact words.
Has the following ever happened to you? You listen to two speakers deliver essentially the same message, one following the other. The first speaker puts you to sleep and the second one grabs your attention and keeps you riveted to every word.
The difference? One speaks dynamically, using powerful words and phrases, and the other would benefit by learning to do so. When you master powerful speaking you are one step closer to capturing and retaining your listener’s attention.
The key to using power phrases effectively lies in their simplicity. You deliver them simply and succinctly, adding no unnecessary words. The common mistake of adding unnecessary words dilutes the power of the message.
It’s like adding too much water to an otherwise perfect cup of coffee or tea. It will be the perfect strength until you water it down, diluting it.
As you focus on using the fewest words, however, make sure to deliver a complete sentence or thought. A complete sentence is one that provides sufficient information for your listener to fully understand the message.
Tailoring your statements to the audience is essential. You deliver more information for some and less for others, based on their level of understanding.
A partial list of power phrases would include:
There is no doubt in my mind…
I am convinced that….
I assure you…
I am confident that…
I am positive that…
I guarantee you that…
I am sure that…
I am certain that…
I firmly believe…
I have no hesitation in saying…
I promise you that…
I have been repeatedly complemented on…
I am ready and prepared to…
I am extremely fortunate that…
These phrases are definitive; there is no room for misinterpretation. They carry substantial weight and gain attention when delivered slowly and with emphasis.
In many ways they are like the punch line of a joke; delivered well, it impacts the audience, so take your time saying them.
When do you use power phrases? That depends on the situation. In interviews I like using them in my introduction, closing, and to make an important point. I also like using them to make comparisons.
In speeches, presentations and when facilitating meetings I like to spread them out and use them for emphasis of key points.
Can you over-use them? Definitely! If every statement is a power phrase you will wear your audience out with too much impact. The net effect of that is that no sentence will stand out from the others – because they are all heavy hitters.
Play around with these and design some power phrases of your own; ones that convey your personality and are natural for you to say.
I guarantee they will make a difference.
That’s my perspective, what’s yours? Leave us a comment or question below this post and don’t miss the video on this topic on YouTube!
