Be an Industry Leader

Leaders must be subject matter experts in their respective fields in the industry where they operate. You must have solid knowledge on the internal and external drivers, economic & geopolitical nuances, latest technological buzz and opportunities of each of your stakeholders. You must be known and acknowledged as an industry leader who understands where the industry is headed in the future. You organization must also recognize that you are leading the charge to bring your organization into the strategic future.

That said, if you are still starting to build your career, then I recommend that you discuss your career aspirations with your direct supervisor, attend all relevant training programs and certifications offered by your organization. Also, research relevant online courses offered outside your organization like lean six sigma, project management, get an MBA degree and other similar courses. Participate in industry events. Require yourself to ask 1 question during the Questions & Answers portion of all the events you attend; state your name and profile clearly so you start building your presence in the industry and expand your network. There are a lot of these available online, some are free so go ahead and participate. Volunteer to lead or be part of organization-wide activities to strengthen & widen your knowledge and expand your network at work. Then, as a leader, you must always humble yourself by sharing everything you have learned to your Associates. The best way to gain solid knowledge of a topic is to teach this to others. When you are a seasoned leader in your field, you will be able to make sound decisions about your daily operations, escalations, emergency situations, and strategy.

Food for thought: Do not worry about promotions. When you have the right heart for your organization, your customers, your fellow Associates, your community plus follow these tips I shared, promotion will naturally follow.

#sevengifts #knowledge #leadership #MyGorgeousWifePrudence
#ONETeam #SNAPS #SageandNotableAdvisesfromPatrickSalazar

*About the photo
My gorgeous wife Prudence spent 24 years in the Philippine banking industry. Before she availed of the early retirement, she was requested to manage a bank branch with problematic and consistently failing audits. She was able to convert this bank branch to a passing audit rating when she took over as the branch manager. She accomplished this not by herself but by conducting refresher trainings herself to her staff on a daily basis to strengthen everyone’s knowledge and expertise on the processes. So, when the audit period came, their branch passed with flying colors. Their Head Office recognized her expertise and leadership by assigning her to more bank branches with problematic audits year-on-year wherein she converted all to passing audits the moment she took over.