Making Yourself Indispensable

1. Making Yourself Indispensable “Tips and Secrets to Greater Career Success” Al Ballon, Stockton District ManagerJuly 2014

2. Learning Objectives • Explore an alternate perspective on building leadership competencies • Learn about the power of self-assessment tools • Overview of pivotal leadership competencies • Share a manager’s perspective on critical skillsets • Unveil stark realities about current work environment

3. Building Leadership Competencies Mark Samuel, IMPAQ CEO“Making Yourself Indispensable: The Power of Personal Accountability” • Being indispensable means you are adaptable, learning and growing with an organization that changes and evolves … at the end of the day, you are either working to make yourself indispensable or working yourself to make yourself obsolete”

4. Making Yourself Indispensable: John H. Zanger, Harvard Business Review Article “If you want to get to the top, develop skills that complement what you already do best” • It is pretty easy and straightforward to improve on our weaknesses, get measurable results by linear development – We do so by learning and practicing basic techniques • Developing strengths is very different: Doing more of what you already do well yields incremental improvements. To become better, you need to work on complimentary skills by non-linear development

5. Making Yourself Indispensable: John H. Zanger, Harvard Business Review Article • The Interactive Process: Cross-Training • The combination of two activities produces improvement substantially greater than either one can produce on its own • Marathon runner : Run, run, run but also a regimented diet, yoga, muscle building exercises, etc. • Complimentary Competencies • Developing complimentary pairs of competencies can result in significant improvement in overall leadership effectiveness

6. Making Yourself Indispensable: Leadership Competencies • Character • Displays honesty and integrity • Personal Capability • Exhibits technical/professional expertise • Solves problems • Innovates • Practices self-development • Leading Change • Develops strategic perspective • Champions change • Connect the group to outside world • Getting Results • Focuses on results • Establishes stretch goals (vision) • Takes initiative • Interpersonal Skills • Communicates powerfully and broadly • Inspires, persuades and motivates others • Builds relationships • Develops others • Collaborates and fosters teamwork

7. Making Yourself Indispensable:Core and Leadership Competencies Model Source: Office of Learning (OL)

8. Making Yourself Indispensable: Building and Magnifying Strengths • Building Strengths …. Step by Step • Identify your strengths • Choose a strength to focus on • Select a complimentary behavior • Develop it in a linear way

9. Making Yourself Indispensable: Building Strengths • Complimentary companions to the ability to persuade and motivate others: • Connects emotionally with others • Exhibits clear vision and direction • Develops others • Champions change • Is a strong role model • If rated low on communication , this would be a strong companion to strengthen your powers of persuasion • Remember: Focus on a competency that matters to the organization and something you feel passionate about

10. Making Yourself Indispensable: The value of Self-Assessment • Supervisor feedback • Are you described as a poor performer, an under-achiever, a solid performer, or a star performer? • Your colleagues • Mentor Feedback • OL: Leadership Self-Assessment tool

11. Why is Making Yourself Indispensable SoooooCritically Important? • Two main reasons • SSA needs you …… future leaders • The opportunities have never been better !!! • Let’s put it into context • Organizational challenges: Attrition and fiscal constraints • Increased wait times, phone call volume, workloads • How is SSA meeting these challenges? • Flattening of the organizational structure • Online services • Remote assignments: Virtual, Telework • Greater collaboration between components: capacity management/resource sharing

12. How To Make Yourself Indispensable? • As SSA employees, we each play a central role in helping the Agency meet its service commitments despite fiscal challenges. • “State of Readiness” • Expand your technical and educational skillset • Raise your visibility • Embrace virtual job opportunities • Be resilient

13. Making Yourself Indispensable: A Manager’s Perspective What are some of the key competencies that managers may look for in a prospective Analyst, CR, TE, SCT, TA? • Flexibility … “Attitude defines your Altitude” • Communication skills • Thirst for learning • Interpersonal skills • Ability to prioritize • Problem solver • Integrity • Customer service orientation

14. Making Yourself Indispensable: A Manager’s Perspective What are some of the competencies that I may look for in a prospective OS, ADM, DM? Management-centric • Leadership • Business acumen • Strategic thinking

15. Stark Realities: “Lo QuePapi A Ti TeDijo ..” • That thing about mobility • Act the part • Guess what? If you don’t like your boss, he/she probably doesn’t like you either ! • Get your hands dirty • There are no guarantees • Get a mentor • Results, results, results • Don’t show your ugly side • Make it difficult for managers not to select you • Maintain a strong life/work balance or you’ll burn out • Have fun at work. It’s OK ! • No network, no advancement Your performance and your career aspirations must focus on adding value to the organization

16. Stark Realities: “Lo QuePapi A Ti TeDijo ..” • Did I mention “get a mentor” ….. • 60% of IT managers surveyed stated that a mentor is necessary for success. Yet, only 20% of IT workers have a mentor • Mentors help you navigate through pitfalls, help you clarify your goals, provide you with unfiltered feedback, and much, much more

17. Favorite Quotes • “All life depends on relationships ..” National Geographic • “Those that are flexible, never get bent out of shape” • “Difficult times provide opportunities” • “Being successful doesn’t necessarily make your great. What makes you great is when you reach back and help somebody else to become great” (Joel Osteen)

18. Closing • Are you able and willing to make yourself indispensable? • Are you ready to disrupt the norm? • Are you ready to embrace a greater leadership role? If You Are … • You need to convince those above you that you are a valuable resource • You must demonstrate that you are indispensable

19. Questions & Answers