Make Your Own Lane: Building Personal Credibility

The common techniques most of us use to assess a professional’s or a company’s credibility is to quickly surf through the following:

What does the Website say?

That is first proof a prospect will come across before reaching out the phone or shooting a mail to the service provider.

What is the quality of Samples that you see?

Regardless of a client’s budget, the first and foremost priority will be to ensure what a client receives as service is useful to their business. Samples speak volumes about the depth of expertise one has

WritingVoiceWeb DesigningMarketingConsulting

The scope can be anything and that really does not matter. The portfolio that reflects in the website should be the strongest proof of the professional’s skill/ expertise or company's domain

If you are beginner, do not let any of this stop you

If you do not have clients, you cannot furnish samples.
If you cannot show samples, you cannot get clients.

Do you best demo portfolio and upload even when you are new and I guarantee, it will be difficult and tempting not to try your services.

What kind of logos is listed?

Logos you have worked with, certifications, associations, badges and testimonials can create a positive impact however that is not enough to get a prospect to  reach out to you. It can create an impression, not guarantee a lead that can convert to a client and in turn to revenue.

Pitch query

Your first communication with a prospect should be aligned to what you showed them so far in your website, portfolio, online space  - what you are good at, what you can solve, how you can assist them. 

If a prospect perceives a gap between what you do, how  you behave online and how you communicate in that first mail or call, the disconnect will be very hard to bridge.

Refrain from standard business jargon, be specific about how you can assist and how you are different. Keep it short, simple and effective. If possible add a call to action

Online credibility

The blogs you write, the expert advise you share on forums and social media groups, the extent of support, assistance and useful inputs you provide pertaining to your domain - all of this build your credibility

It proves how valuable you are 

Finally, the most important aspect to consider before you work with a professional

Personal credibility

Language, both verbal and non-verbal is a great give away.

I am sorry for being late

I am late because the lift was not working. (Everyone used the same lift)

I can share as many samples you want for clients that I have worked for already (Does he bother to clarify if he has the right, approval and permission to do that?)

What is your opinion about the person who uses this language in the first meeting? I am sure you got the point by now.

Make Your Own Lane: What Is More Important – Passion or Craft

Follow your passion
That is old school now.

In fact the following have been our slogans for a while now

Find your true North
We enable people find their IKIGAI

It still is. Just that what you need to find before that - is a skill that you want to be good at, a craft that you want to work on.

Cal New port in his book So Good They Can't Ignore You highlights the basic difference between craftsman mindset and passion mindset as follows:

The craftsman mindset focuses on what you can offer the world.

The passion mindset focuses on what the world can offer you and thrive

Being good in what you do

Making a living from what you love to do actually sound great. However you tend to love the work you do when you become good in whatever you do, become aware of your work's impact on people, business, environment and the outcomes of what you do.

Being competent in what you do

You do not become passionate about anything over night. Those who work on their craft, long enough to be good or best in what they do - often turn to become passionate gradually about what they do.

Studies highlight competence as one of the key factors to feel motivated for your work. When you master a craft, passion is its byproduct. It is not really the other way round – If you are passionate, you automatically do not become good in what you do.

Being happy

People who have passion mindset tend to focus on what the world offers and what their work offers – the attention is towards seeking which raise expectations and disappointment as it makes you aware about what you do not like about the work, and even worse if the expectation is not met, as hoped.

In Cal Newport’s words you need to build up rare and valuable skills—career capital—to offer in return, when you want a great and satisfying job.

The magical number

Researches  and psychologists claim, true expertise, the idea of excellence at performing a complex task requires minimum ten thousand hours of practice.

Before I let you introspect how many hours have you invested to learn any one of the following skills:

Foreign 

Language

Business writing

Creating presentations

Writing business plans

Planning a white paper

Designing a website 

Closing a deal 

Pitching

Travel writing

Blogging

Digital Marketing

Creative writing

Logo designing

You got the point by now.

You could be sitting poolside relaxing in an Indian food joint or Café or enjoying the view of greenery from your balcony in a home stay not because your trip is sponsored by the travel magazine you write for, not because you are passionate about traveling or about writing but because over a period of time you became good in writing which fueled your passion for both - writing and travel.

There's a ton of effort to make before you get to that point – find out what you are good at, what you can be good at – and if you are ready to practice for that many hours - the magical number.

***Click here to open your Payza account to receive your online income***

Over 60 Clients Without "Speaking" One Word In English

I have to address this today.

I seriously do not want to lose out on potential contributors. I call potential learners and future BECKON aspirants as contributors because I know many of them can support global clients and bring home their pay in dollars without moving out of their couch/house.

#Onepersonlessontheroad

Another reason to call them contributors is because they will soon graduate to BECKON Coaches and hand-hold many more new aspirants to create their own market and make their own lane.

One of the BECKON Aspirants sent me a mail today with this doubt. 

Someone he knows is unemployed, even with a master degree in computer applications and after graduating with Arts. Somewhere deep-down both – the aspirant and his friend believes that their lack of fluency in English will hinder their growth even in the online zone.

That is how limitations are created.

One’s belief system and the external force (friends, relatives, colleagues and neighbors) validating that with their opinion.

Comprehension is more critical than communication

First of all, the terms of service in some portals do not allow users to share their contact details, so obviously the clients cannot talk to you, even if they want to. They can communicate only through messaging.

There are many people who can mail in almost perfect English using various online resources – google translator, online support, word spell check. The concern while speaking is the speed. The words do not come out as fast as you think due to poor vocabulary.

Image Credit: Canva Design

Explore more about the following to self-learn in a better way

Language

Words and gestures that we use to communicate and convey meaning

Speaking

Listening

Reading

Writing

Visual Communication

Literacy

Ability to read, write, speak and listen to a language, apply, contextualize and use written information appropriately that facilitates effective communication

Listening

Critical thinking

Reading

Writing

Synthesizing speaking

Numeracy

By now you know this is your mathematical skills – how you absorb, use, evaluate, critically analyze inputs either numerically or graphically.

So fundamentally, you may know the words and the language, either it is pace, sequence or practice that is hindering your ability to speak fluently.

So, 2017 is nearly done. It is time to make four quick resolutions for 2018

1] Microlearn and read every day

2] Try something new that is productive leading to your outcome

3] Learn just two English words each day and apply it.

4] Establish online income in the next quarter

So did I answer that critical question – Can you earn and acquire global clients online with your individual skills, even if you are not very fluent in English?

Yes, you can!

Now read the title of this blog. 80% of my clients do not have my mail ID, contact details or even access to my linked profile.

What I send as my proposal (which is thought through after thorough research of client needs) is in written English

What I communicate to clarify queries is on mail

So get started.

Contact here for additional resources and ideas to brush up your existing skills. 

Alternate Learning: A Model To Focus On What Matters In Business

The whole idea is to assist companies get more with less.

1] Less cost 

2] More productivity 

3] Low investment 

4] More returns 

5] Less time 

6] More deliverables 

7] Limited scope

8] More engagement 

9] Less resources

10] More output

Image Credit:  Canva Design

A few examples:

One: If lengthy hiring cycle is reduced, that automatically has impact on cost

How: Alternate People Model 

Focused move towards Gig Economy for non-core functions that will be directly contacted by business based on their need for expertise.

Large corporation prefer two things:

A] Cultural fit

B] Competency fit

Two: If class room based behavioral training is replaced by self-learning and micro learning option

How: Alternate Learning Model 

Focused move from participation/ certification/ scores towards self-paced transformational learning where resources quantify their learning by linking it to business outcomes that is measurable. 

Large corporation prefer two things:

A] Impact on project

B] Capable work force ready for the future - Some firms have a competency framework to allocate the existing workforce in slots - Beginner; Intermediate and Expert

Why do we charge 25 times more than our contemporaries?

1] Our recommendations trigger alternate learning

When a BECKON Coach is aligned to a project, the dual responsibilities are:

A] Deliverable

B] Learning

2] Our inputs are actionable by any in house team

After Due Diligence and thorough research inputs that are recommended in our proposal is very much within the capacity of any team or internal leader to execute it to drive desired results

A] Hands on training which saves precious production hours

B] No external support or coach required, which again saves cost

3] There is ongoing support from BECKON Coach to develop a model that can replicated for multiple projects of similar nature.

4] We offer price slab (0 to 25 times) that depends on the kind of support companies need.

Read here to know more about 4Quadrantpricing

Write to advocating.outcomes@gmail.com to discuss your business concerns and adopt a model that enables leaders to focus on core functions that matter while the existing workforce gets slowly but gradually upgraded - skill wise and results wise.

Learning: The Buzz Around Up-skill, Re-skill, Re-train Today.. Now!

The crisis

Cutting jobs

 Mass layoff

The captions

Automation

Digital services

Global economy

Machine learning

Robot process automation

Skills not relevant

Artificial Intelligence

Algorithm

The consequence

Jobs at stake

Redundancy

Deferred salary hike

Voluntary retirement scheme for senior employees

The cover up

Employee's poor performance as per industry standards 

Company norms.

The case

Is it relevant only to IT sector?

Will this die down soon?

If you belong to any other sector/ industry - Retail, manufacturing or pharmaceuticals, is that a safe zone without skill enhancement?

Example, if you are social media manager of a company, is it okay to remain with your current skills for tomorrow?

Even if the buzz around the layoffs that have hit the IT sector in India dies down, the need is pretty obvious. To stay relevant, you have to work on your self, your skills, your personal growth - with or without the triggers that make news.

A 34 year old mother with two toddlers had received her Master’s degree in computer application in the year 2007. She has lost confidence in the subjects and she never even bothered to create an email ID for herself. A few months back. in an attempt to establish income online, she created email ID, SKYPE ID, profiles in freelancing portals, did a short project in Real Estate sector by researching target audience for a Nevada client and created a Facebook page for her embroidery craft. She did not have a monitor initially and managed to learn on her mobile.

Why do I need to mention this? It is not about what your qualifications are, it is about what you are willing to do proactively to acquire new learning, new skills, take infant steps to chase a purpose and not as a reaction to an emerging situation.

Are you driven by purpose or by circumstances?

The Conclusion

AI has direct impact on jobs. Based on adult learning theory (Constructivist) I would like to research how one (without any external dependence on coaches) can build on their existing knowledge to grasp new concepts in a meaningful way and achieve desired outcomes that is measurable/ quantifiable.

By the time BOTS get their jobs, the affected lot evolves as better thinking beings with better skills and capability, future ready for better projects that is beyond the capacity of BOTS or the like

You learn in phases, learn for results and learn with awareness.

If there is any buzz that you got to follow, it is buzz within - that you need to learn, pick a new skill, get ahead in the learning life cycle and a little closer to outcomes that you desire.

This article here in Harvard Business Review tells why people should have two careers

People from different walks of life, with different levels of academic qualifications are switching careers or looking to start up something that they can do not only for extra income but also to give a platform to a latent skill.

A skill that did not find prominence in their corporate career - their love for art, or their ability to click a shot, or the resonating voice they have. Many want to sell those little skills they have as services and they do not have much clarity how to begin. They are more than open to acquire this new skill to work for clients independently without a title or the backup of a company.

The Beginner's Guide is primarily to address their concerns and get them started.

To know more, click here or write to advocating.outcomes@gmail.com