Career Tips - Issue # 9 (Jan. 2005)

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Brand "You"

What do Coke, McDonald's, Sony, Starbucks and Levi's have in common?

As you guessed it right, these names represent some of the world's most powerful brands.

We happily buy and pay premium for products represented by these brands. These brands stand out from the crowd. They magnetise us. And indeed, they keep their competition at bay.

Brands are too powerful. We get sucked by them.

But what is a brand? It's not something physical that you can touch, taste, see, hear or smell. It's something that you just feel. It's an experience. It's emotional. When you see a Sony
product, you somehow can't help feeling that it must be of "superior quality." When you call FedEx for delivering a parcel, you feel "it's done."

Now, if you look around in your office, you may find many different types of brands sitting and moving around you. Unknowingly, most of us also become a brand, i.e., we also convey a unique message (good or bad) to others who deal with us.

For example, you may realise that some of your colleagues can be easily branded as:

Mr. Reliable: Someone on whom you can always rely on.
Mr. Slippery: Someone who always tries to slip out of any direct responsibility.
Ms. Pleasant: She is always smiling and nice to chat with.
Ms. Aggressive: She is generally annoyed and in combative mood.
Mr. Minimum: This person has the habit of doing minimum work.
Ms. Extra Mile: She always does more than expected.
Mr. Smart: This guy is smart and quick-witted.
Mr. Dull: He lacks energy.
Mr. Leader: Someone who is always leading others.
Mr. Pushy: Someone who is always pushing others.
Ms. Perfection: She always delivers perfect results.
Ms. Mistakes: She can't help committing mistakes in her work.

What's your brand?

>>CAREER TIP:  Branding is about standing out from the crowd. It's about commanding a market presence -- and also a premium. It's about offering something special.

You have two markets, not one. The first market is the place where you currently work. What's your brand proposition for your organisation? Is it knowledge? Is it energy? Is it speed?
Whatever it may be, the brand you choose should be of value to your organisation and suit your present role. No point in trying to be "Mr. Hard Working" when your role requires you to be "Mr. Leader."

The other market is the job market outside your company. What makes you different from 20 others who may have similar experience and qualification? Is it your passion? Is it your
leadership qualities? Is it your decisiveness? Again, it has to be something of value to the potential employer and role.

Avoid the temptation to be everything. If you try to stand for everything, you wind up standing for nothing.

Finally, if you need an example of how a brand wins, think about George W. Bush, the US President. He won the second term based on "tough" brand among other factors. Think about Man Mohan Singh, the current Indian Prime Minister, whom everyone sees as an "honest" person. Think about Goh Chok Tong, the former Prime Minister of Singapore. He  is perceived as
a "compassionate" person.

Brand yourself. It matters!
 

Parkinson's Law

"Next time, I will not wait up to the last day to write it. I must do it in advance. Why must I sleep for the better part of the two weeks before doing it?" These are my words.  And I am talking to myself about writing this newsletter, which you are reading.

As you know, this newsletter comes to you after every two weeks. When do I start to think about writing it? One or two days before the D-day (normally the first or third Friday of the month). When do  I actually finish writing it? Always on the Friday morning. I know, it's not a good habit to take it up to the hilt, but it just happens.

May be, you have also experienced something similar. Tender submission is two weeks away and it takes just about two weeks to finish the tender. A report needs to be submitted after three days and it takes exactly that much time to do it.  A project has to be completed in two weeks and it gets over, just in time, after two weeks.

Basically, the things get done is exactly the allotted time. Never too early! Can we do better? May be, if we understand what is influencing the game: the Parkinson's Law.

Parkinson's Law states that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." This law was first articulated by C. Northcote Parkinson, a British historian and author. He stated the law in the book "Parkinson's Law: The Pursuit of Progress." The book was published in 1958 and the law is based on Parkinson's extensive experience in the British Civil Service.

>>CAREER TIP:  When someone asks you to finish something in three days instead of five, don't panic. It will be done in three. If you were given five, you would have consumed five. By accepting tight deadlines, you only save your own time.

Similarly, it's also a good idea to give others tight deadlines. They may protest, but they will finish the work, too.

Remember, whatever time you allocate to a piece of work, it will be consumed to the last day, hour and even minute.

What about giving a deadline to yourself for something that only matters to you? Well, that's the trickiest. Set a tight deadline but don't forget to tell others. Once you let others know about your deadline, you'll feel loads of accountability.

In conclusion, I will send the next issue of Career Tips, as usual, two weeks later (i.e., on 4 Feb. 2005), but I'll write it two days in advance and post it on my Web site on 2 Feb. 2005.
Oh! Parkinson's Law, help me!

Will be back after two weeks.

Atul Mathur

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***Copyright 2005 Atul Mathur***

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