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The holidays. Whether you’re Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or a non-believer - whether you celebrate an actual holiday or just enjoy the lights - there’s just no denying that special end of the year feeling.
And it’s not just about decorations and gifts. It’s about your career.
During the holiday season, things at the office change. Conversations divert from sales strategies and career advancement solutions to holiday vacations, get-togethers, and gift giving. People talk about the anticipated office party. And managers reflect about the company, sharing their hopes and dreams for the new year. Many of the walls that seem to separate the ranks begin to tumble - at least for a short time.
All of this creates the perfect conditions to give your career a holiday boost.
FACT: Information from informal channels is over 60% more actionable than information from formal channels.
I’ll explain.
In the corporate world, formally-communicated information simultaneously serves the interests of corporate goals, company politics, managers, co-workers, etc . Because of the inevitable tension that arises in trying to satisfy everyone, messages are often delivered in a fuzzy way, together with “electric static.” Anyone who’s ever received such messages knows that it’s nearly impossible to understand or take any action based on them, let alone identify any career advancement solutions.
On the other hand, there’s informally-communicated information, such as the topics of typical holiday chit-chat. As such information is considered “off the books”, most people are likely to speak candidly. So the result is more reliable and actionable information.
Boost your career by utilizing the informal communication channel created during the holiday season. You can do this by discovering and communicating informally-communicated information.
Discovering
Your next promotion very much depends on the answers to these two crucial questions:
How do your co-workers perceive you and your work?
Do your managers plan on promoting you this year?
The holiday season provides you with the opportunity to interface with co-workers and managers that you’d usually have set an appointment with to see. Now is the perfect time to approach these people and to incorporate these questions into routine holiday small talk. It’s a great chance to “take the pulse” of people at the company to discover the impression you’re making.
Communicating
If you’re vying for a promotion next year, this is your opportunity to let people know. Instead of waiting for your quarterly performance review with your direct manager, take the time to strike up conversations with several decision-makers, so that you can put your intentions out there. Then, when you follow-up on your ambitions during the new year, no one will be caught off guard.
Remember that the holiday season and its openness come only once a year. Take the time to plan how you can take advantage of this opportunity as you journey towards the corner office.
Let me know how it works for you...and keep your eyes open for my second holiday season post.
And always remember. Great managers are made. Not born.
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