As the war for top talent is at an all-time high, our need for capable teammates to lighten our load has hit the "yesterday is too late" warning level, and our own desire to get much more out of our career trajectories is somewhere between red and white-hot, a simple question is rarely answered correctly: what are we to do to find the right people and to stand out ourselves? While the traditional resume has been enhanced by better design techniques (infographics! Presi! personal websites!) and smartly maintained social presences, these mediums can (still) be too easily manipulated in the applicant's favor—just like that supposedly objective reference call that gets made in the final stages of most hiring decisions. The answer to finding the right talent and / or positioning ourselves better therefore can't be digital, analog, or even external. Rather, it comes down to one simple thing truth: professional excellence. Either you have it, or you need to work hard to achieve it. This presentation contains practical, next-level tips to help you become the best version of your professional self (for job seekers) and help you better vett talent (for job hirers). Come away armed with the tactics you need to grow and nurture your skills, deliver world class work product, earn trust and respect, successfully collaborate, and generally take your game up a notch so you advance your career.

1. REPUTATION > RÉSUMÉ
@LeslieBradshaw @madebymany ||#DoLeader #INBOUND15

2. a lot of things look good on paper

3. my ex

4. most political & economic systems

5. thoughts from “thought leaders”

6. all the employees you’ve ever fired

7. if we can’t trust what’s on paper or online,
then what do we do?

8. let’s first look at it metaphorically,
then break it down tactically

9. till
plant
weed water prune
harvest
lie fallow
sell replant / store
}
farming

10. mindset reboot
heads down
practice
significant outcome
repeat
speak / share
}
patience
mentor
your craft

11. “…you can’t always
be in a season of
harvest.”
—Joel Orsteen

12. “Better to be known
as a do leader than
recognized as a
thought leader.”
—Leslie Bradshaw

13. tactically, this is about…

14. what you deliver

15. how you deliver it

16. “The era of procrastination,
of half-measures,
of soothing expedients,
of delays is coming to a close.
In its place we are entering
a period of consequences.”
—Winston Churchill

17. what you deliver
insightful on-targetexcellence follow-through
right level of
effort

18. proof-read
what you deliver
outcomes
anticipate
questions &
needs
make everyone’s
lives easier
… until it’s done

19. what you deliver
consistent
sharp
prompt
dependable

20. proof-read
what you deliver
consistent
outcomes
anticipate
questions &
needs
sharp
make everyone’s
lives easier
insightful on-target
… until it’s done
prompt
dependable
excellence follow-through
right level of
effort

21. proof-read
consistent
outcomes
anticipate
questions &
needs
sharp
make everyone’s
lives easier
insightful on-target
… until it’s done
prompt
dependable
excellence follow-through
right level of
effort
typos!
all over the place
busy work
makes too many
assumptions
unclear
takes a lot of
extra work from
others
obvious misses the mark
leave with the
whistle
tardy
can’t be
counted on
shoddy half-baked
too much /
too little
red flags

22. “…keep your head
when all about you
are losing theirs and
blaming it on you…”
—Rudyard Kipling

23. “…talk with crowds
and keep your
virtue, or walk with
Kings—nor lose the
common touch…”
—Rudyard Kipling

24. how you deliver it
get dirty,
in the trenches
can do!
valuing &
empowering
others
no job too small
virtuous cycle of
giving to get

25. how you deliver it
calm, cool,
collected
take initiative
manage
expectations
take
responsibility
lift up others

26. how you deliver it
always ready to
chip in
lead with
empathy
team > me
positive attitude
& body language
collaboratively
with grace
decisivelywith kindness
self-aware with a smile

27. how you deliver it
always ready to
chip in
calm, cool,
collected
lead with
empathy
take initiative
get dirty,
in the trenches
manage
expectations
team > me
positive attitude
& body language
can do!
valuing &
empowering
others
no job too small
take
responsibility
lift up others
virtuous cycle of
giving to get
collaboratively
with grace
decisivelywith kindness
self-aware with a smile

28. take
responsibility
red flags always ready to
chip in
lift up others
calm, cool,
collected
lead with
empathy
take initiative
virtuous cycle of
giving to get
get dirty,
in the trenches
manage
expectations
team > me
positive attitude
& body language
can do!
valuing &
empowering
others
no job too small
blame others /
pass the buck
always dipping
out early
take all / too
much credit
irritable, curt,
moody
indifference
waiting for
instruction
always taking /
always asking
only likes the
easy, white glove
stuff
underdeliver
team < me
negative attitude
& body language
all the reasons
why you can’t
un-self aware
acting above
certain tasks

29. but what about hiring others?

30. play the talent long game

31. have intention in the short term

32. play the talent long game
weed out
re-hire turtles
from the
trenches
keep a running
list of A players
mentorstay in touch
protect your
network
tag your talent in
a CRM
real
recognize
real
make it
enjoyable &
memorable
treat people well

33. have intention in the short term
scrappy > linear
tap others you
trust to share
their Rolodex
share a meal,
observe
manners
test time
management &
comms skills
run a simulation
don’t
micromanage
don’t let toxic
people stay
gracefully accept
when people
leave
prepare people
for what’s next
be the place
great talent
wants to work

34. closing thoughts

35. take stock
what outcomes have you helped drive?
do people genuinely enjoy working with you?
are you in the trenches regularly, or are you on the sidelines?
what season are you in? need to be in?

36. stock up
skill up and give more than you take
do great work, drive great outcomes
be patient and be grateful
seek advocates and be an advocate

37. materially impact 2 people per year
for the next 40 years
and they do the same…

38. … and you’ve positively
impacted 850,00 people.

39. “To laugh often and much; to win the
respect of intelligent people and the
affection of children; to earn the
appreciation of honest critics and endure
the betrayal of false friends… to know
even one life breathed easier because you
have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

40. thank you!

41. @lesliebradshaw
tinyletter.com/lesliebradshaw
Professionally Excellent Resources:
Stay In Touch:
leslie@madebymany.com
linkedin.com/in/lesliebradshaw
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