Skills to Pay the Bills 2 (feat. Cisco Executives)
- Mitchell Drysdale and Madisen Andersen
- Jul 15, 2018
- 5 min read
After finishing last week’s blog, we realized just how important these workforce skills topics are. We wanted to bring in two more experts to help break down these skills some more. So, here they are:
Joseph Puthussery, Vice President of Digital Marketing, Cisco
Kelly Lang, Senior Director of Employee Experiences and Communications, Cisco
Joseph (JP for short) and Kelly have a lot of experience in these topics, so we felt they were perfect for the job.
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Networking
There are 3 types of people when it comes to networking: the overzealous, the in between, and the people that don’t think executives have time. Don’t be overzealous because it’ll come across a bit cocky. Also, don’t just write off the executive for being too busy because a lot of executives love taking time out to speak with people about helpful tips. Try to be the in-between by asking, following up, and staying connected.
You have to remember that every executive had to build their network too, so they understand where you are coming from when you’re networking.
When you have the opportunity to network with somebody, always come to it with something. Do your research, ask good questions, and backup your thoughts with support/data.
Some people don’t know what to network “with”. The last thing executives want is to be thrown a resume. It is important to come to the table with something that will add value. For example, when speaking with executives, refer to work that you are doing that is relevant to something they either posted or shared.
When networking, it’s also important to understand their motivations as well as yours. Again, it’s important to add that value so that you can measure their motivation with yours. If you’re struggling to find something like that, Kelly offered a great piece of advice. Find a question that you can rely on to open the conversation up. This way, you can find out some more about them without having to dig too deep on your own.
It’s also important to know that not each networking opportunity will lead to something. “It’s a numbers game,” said JP, “You won’t always have chemistry with people and not everyone will be in your path of success.”
If a networking opportunity does lead to something, you have to be willing to ask, willing to follow up and willing to stay connected. Create engaging conversations that allows for an upside for both individuals. An interested concept that JP mentioned was “nurturing your mentor.” Update them on the things you have accomplished. It will show your mentor that they are having an impact on your life and it will encourage them to keep putting energy into the relationship.
Stage Fright
When we asked JP if he ever had stage fright, he chuckled and said “Of course I had stage fright. I still sweat before the big ones.” He told us that speaking in front of a large crowd is unnatural. So how did he learn to conquer presentations? Well, he said that "the turning point was when I was on everyday and constantly working and repeating. I felt that stages were just another place to have a conversation.”
Kelly also admitted to still getting nervous before presentations. Her reasoning for the anxiety is “the desire to connect with people and really make a difference.” You want people to resonate with what you’re saying and smile with you as you go along. The best way she prepares is to practice whenever she gets the chance - at home, in the car, wherever.
Find opportunities to public speak or present even if it is something small. The more you get physically comfortable speaking in front of a crowd, the easier it will get. Before giving a presentation, try to find out what environment you will be in so that when you walk in, there are no surprises.
Kelly offered a great quote to remember: “Never let them see you sweat.” Don’t lose all of your confidence due to a mistake, because once you start losing confidence, it all goes downhill.
If you’re struggling right before a presentation, try to focus on nailing the introduction, said Kelly, “If you can nail the intro and your energy is good, you can use the expertise from there.”
What do you do when your presentation isn’t going well? You’ve messed up, nobody is resonating with the content, and you feel lost. Well, JP said to simply diffuse the tension between yourself and the room. Sometimes, making a bit of a joke about an issue can turn the presentation into more of a dialogue.
It’s important to remember that the members in the crowd aren’t all at the same place. Some are engaged and interested, some are ambivalent, and some are against you. “You have to have material to work for all.”
Not only are members in the crowd not in the same place with your information, but just with life in general. Kelly shared a piece of advice we’d never heard before - you never know what is going through your audience members’ heads. They could have had their car break down, a rough meeting prior, or a personal problem arise. “The last thing you wanna do is add to that,” said Lang, “you can never be a mind reader to the other’s perception.”
Your reputation is global. Think about what kind of image you want to give off on a global scale. When it comes to social media, use the platforms for their intended purpose.
Instagram → Creativity
Twitter → News
LinkedIn → Business
Facebook → Personal
It is important to keep the different aspects of your life separate.
Kelly mentioned how important it is to use LinkedIn to build your perception globally. As we’ve discussed, your personal brand is much more global now than ever (and will continue to spread faster). So make sure that what you post is something you’re willing to show everyone, from your family to your boss.
There will always be disruptions in social media platforms. It is important to keep up with the new ways platforms such as LinkedIn are competing to be innovative. JP mentioned that is important to be careful when using social media because it is possible for personal data to be released. With consumers becoming increasingly sensitive about their personal data, it’s important that platforms find ways to insure their users that their data is safe.
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We hope that these two weeks of tips have been beneficial to you! Next week is also going to be an important one, but we need your help! So stay tuned for a post or two!
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