Philip Setnik, PMP, CSM’s Post

When it comes to making career-related decisions, understanding the potential RISKS is key. But sometimes, it is hard to visualize them 🫣 and truly examine their likelihood or severity, especially when you have too many options. 🤔💭 The RISK MATRIX is a simple yet powerful tool that helps you assess and prioritize risks based on likelihood and severity of impact. If you’re considering taking on a new role, signing on to a new project, planning an event, or facing any sort of uncertainty, using a RISK MATRIX can guide you in making informed, strategic decisions. 💡🧐 To learn more, check out the template below. Feel free to refer to it as you navigate your own career journey! ⤵️ #CareerManagement #RiskAssessment #DecisionMaking

How to Answer: "What is Your Biggest Failure to Date?" Facing this question is actually a golden opportunity to showcase your resilience, learning mindset, and growth. Here's a simple guide to ace it: ✅ Do's ✓ Be Honest but Strategic: Choose a real experience, but one that isn’t catastrophic or directly related to the job you're applying for. ✓ Highlight Your Growth: Focus on what you learned from the experience and how it helped you improve or prevent future mistakes. ❌ Don'ts ✓ Avoid Blaming Others Taking ownership shows maturity. Don't shift the blame to teammates, bosses, or circumstances. ✓ Don’t Leave It Unresolved: End your story on a positive note. Leaving the failure as an unresolved problem shows a lack of growth. Sample Answer "In my first role as a project coordinator, I underestimated the complexity of a client’s requirements, which caused delays in delivering key milestones. It was a tough situation, and I had to take full responsibility for the miscommunication. I learned the importance of asking the right questions upfront and setting clear expectations with stakeholders. Since then, I’ve implemented better project planning techniques, and I’ve successfully delivered several projects on time." 🎯 Bonus Tip End on a high note by connecting your learning to the role you’re interviewing for. For example, you could add: “This experience has made me more detail-oriented, which I believe is crucial for this position.” Turn this question into a moment to showcase your growth. Employers value resilience and the ability to bounce back stronger! 💪 -------- I am Satyam, your career growth coach who's helped over 10,000 professionals advance their careers. If you need help for your career transformation DM "Career" #careercoach #interviewcoach

One thing you are not telling yourself, fellow consultant?       You’re stuck in your career right now.   And it can take various forms:   ❓ Managing stakeholder expectations feels overwhelming ❓ Your leadership isn’t resonating with clients ❓ Your teams consistently underdeliver ❓ The quality of outputs is low   And you still think it's not you. It's the environment, the tough client, the demanding team.   When will you look in the mirror? And admit that the real root cause lies within.   And take the next step to get unstuck.   Here's how I can help:   1/Clarity in your purpose and goals We start from where you are now. And define who you want to become.   2/ From as-is to to-be We identify the obstacles on your path to success. And develop strategies to overcome them.   3/Plan the way forward We create an action plan with the end goal in mind. And set milestones to celebrate and keep us committed.   4/ Evaluate the progress made We establish engaging KPIs to monitor your progress. And regularly review them to ensure you’re on track.   5/ Repeat and refine We continuously revisit and refine the process. To ensure ongoing growth and adaptation.     Let's be honest.   You do not need to jump out of corporate just because you are stuck. But you need to evaluate your current state.   And bring clarity to who you want to be in the future.     📝Need help getting unstuck in your management consulting career? DM me “CONSULT” and let me guide you through the process.   -----   If you found this post useful, like 💜 or repost ♻️ to help others grow.   -----   If you like this post – you'll enjoy my newsletter, Consulting Bits and Pieces.   Subscribe now, link in my featured section.   Practical tips to propel your consulting career, every Saturday.

I’ve found the transition from only executing to also leading/coordinating extremely difficult. Having increased responsibility doesn’t buy you more hours in the day, so without adopting new ways of working you will just mindlessly redistribute time away from doing towards coordinating (time spent in meetings). This doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, since you want the most experienced people executing as much as possible, not just becoming career managers. It also seems to me that it’s a gradual transition which everybody at any experience level / seniority is undergoing, so it’s surprising that this is not being talked about more. My conclusion is that I can’t hack it, but that I need to have high intent about how I split my time and learn as I go. I’m curious to learn about any mental models, frameworks, etc. that solve for this. Please share!

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿? 🙅🏻♂️ If yes, it will hurt your consulting career... I had this blind spot as a consultant. I became proficient at justifying why something COULDN'T be done. Partners and managers kept throwing random ideas at me. And it meant additional work and an opportunity to fail. I tried to protect my workstream from scope creep. Logical, right? 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳. Oh boy, I was so wrong. Now, it was me generating new ideas. And it was so frustrating to have a bunch of naysayers in a team. Instead, I craved working with independent thinkers who would push problems forward without needing to be pulled along. And then, it hit me like a ton of bricks. 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳—𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲. I wouldn't qualify as a decent consultant by my own standards as a manager. Here's the thing: 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗔𝗡'𝗧 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁. 🙋🏻♂️ Becoming an aggressive problem solver will transform your relationships with leaders and skyrocket your career. Want to learn practical tips on becoming an aggressive problem solver? Read my new blog post on 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.𝗣𝗹𝘂𝘀 website (link in comments).

What is “Executive Presence”? There are three key components, which are in our control: 1. How you think – are your thoughts and mindset consistent with someone in an executive role rather than a “worker bee”? 2. How you act – if someone were shadowing you for a day, would they see the signs of someone with gravitas? 3. How you sound – are you speaking in meetings on strategic topics in a way that sounds confident and leader-like? While you can’t snap your fingers and magically have people see you’re a leader with executive presence, you can help them along by focusing on the areas that are in your control. Which area do you most need to focus on to be seen as ready for the next level? Leave a comment and let me know. If you want more strategies to show you’re ready for a management role, check out my Career Mastery™ training on “How to Think, Act and Sound Like an Executive” Click here: https://lnkd.in/eTmDKscN

🚨 When a decade of hard work vanishes: Lessons from the BeerBiceps incident 🚨 Recently, Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps) faced a crisis when his entire body of work disappeared overnight. Though eventually restored, this incident offers valuable lessons for all professionals: 1️⃣ Diversification is key Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Spread your skills, projects, and professional efforts across different areas. This resilience can protect your career from unexpected setbacks. 2️⃣ Build a strong professional network Ranveer's industry connections played a crucial role in resolving the crisis. Cultivate meaningful relationships in your field - they can be invaluable during challenging times. 3️⃣ Develop crisis management skills Ranveer's composed response showcased excellent crisis management. Practice staying calm under pressure and focusing on solutions rather than problems. 4️⃣ Embrace adaptability The incident highlighted the importance of being flexible. In today's rapidly changing work environment, the ability to pivot quickly is a crucial skill. 5️⃣ Maintain comprehensive records Keep detailed documentation of your work, achievements, and contributions. This practice can be a lifesaver if you ever need to reconstruct your professional history. 6️⃣ Turn setbacks into opportunities Use challenges as springboards for growth. Consider how you can leverage difficult experiences to enhance your professional development or create new opportunities. 7️⃣ Cultivate transparency and trust Ranveer's open communication during the crisis strengthened his professional relationships. Honesty and transparency can build trust with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. 8️⃣ Invest in your personal brand Your reputation and skills transcend any single project or role. Focus on building a strong personal brand that can withstand external challenges. 9️⃣ Continuous learning is non-negotiable Stay updated with industry trends and best practices. Continuous learning ensures you're always prepared for unexpected changes in your professional landscape. 🔟 Value your work as your legacy Treat your professional output with the respect it deserves. It represents years of effort, growth, and dedication. Whether you're a manager leading teams, an individual contributor honing your craft, or an entrepreneur building a business, these lessons apply universally. Remember, in the professional world, preparation and adaptability are your best assets. Don't wait for a crisis to strike - take action today to build a resilient career. How are you future-proofing your professional journey? What steps are you taking to ensure your career can withstand unexpected challenges? Share your thoughts and strategies in the comments below!

Rules of work mentioned by mostyn are so relevant. Need to be Consistent for better Career

Wow. These rules are real. We’ve all experienced them. The one that concerns me in todays workplace discussion is #1. If employees are unable to be physically present as much as their peers, they resort to filling their “teams/zoom” calendars - this is not the answer. The one I love the most is #6 - solving problems before they exist - is a powerful skill if you want to grow. My guess is its the cure to number 1.

Desperate to add value? Whether you have recently started a working with a new client. Or have just started a new role. Do you regularly feel the need to add value? The need to prove your worth. You want your client to want to continue working with you. You want your boss to know they have made the right decision in employing you. So you focus on showing them what you know.  You feel you have to: -         Offer up helpful solutions. -         Have the right answers.  But is that always realistic if you are new in role? Or if you have just started supporting your new client? You don’t the company that well. Maybe you are not that familiar with the industry. So instead of feeling the need to know the right answer. Try instead and come up with some good questions. Instead of feeling you have to know, be curious as to what it is you don’t know. This will take some pressure off you. You will probably end providing a lot more value than you think. As often a good question provides more insight and value, than a good answer.  #businesscoaching #consulting #fractionalcfo #parttimecfo