Jo McDermott

Career development

  • Let’s Start at the Beginning–What is Leadership?

    What is Leadership? This is the most important question in any discussion on  how to build your personal leadership skills.  It is also the most difficult to answer.  Leadership is a behavior.  Leadership is a perception.  Leadership is a process.  Leadership… Continue reading

  • Are You A “Flat-Tire-HIPO?”

    What Is A Flat-Tire-HIPO? You know those people, those really, really talented people? Those people who REALLY get things done or those people who can spot the 2 numbers in a 20 page spreadsheet that have issues. Or those who… Continue reading

  • So, You Want To Get Promoted. What Are You Doing About It?

    People Who Do Their Job Don’t Get Promoted Doing your job is not enough.  You were hired to do your job.  The fact that you do it–even that you do it well–is not enough to make you stand out.  If… Continue reading

    So, You Want To Get Promoted. What Are You Doing About It?

  • Look At Your Organization Through New Eyes. Every Day.

    Get Out Your ‘Spidey-Sense’ Remember when you were new in your organization? Remember the things you noticed? Remember the things you thought? You noticed what worked and what didn’t seem to be working. You notice who had the power. You… Continue reading

    Look At Your Organization Through New Eyes. Every Day.

  • Think Your Job Is Secure? Think Again. PLEASE.

    Think They Can’t Do Without You? There are lots of reasons that we think we are indispensable at work.  We know more than anyone else.  We’ve been there longer.  We have a close interdependent relationship with the boss.  We’re way… Continue reading

  • What I Know Now That I Wish I Knew Then

    I have a very clever friend, Deb Graham, founder of ACTStrategic.com, who recently wrote a great article.  She asked several women to tell her what they wish they had know at the beginning of their career, and then she synthesized it… Continue reading

  • Do You Take Initiative?

    Duh.  I Know To Take The Initiative. You’ve heard that you should take initiative. Duh. But do you do it? Do you suggest ideas? Do you seek to improve the situation? Do you take action? Do you do it when… Continue reading

  • Do You Really Need A Mentor?

    Do You Need A Mentor? It’s common to hear that you need a mentor for career success.  Is that still true?  Yes. You need a mentor.  You need several.  Over the course of your career you need people who help… Continue reading

  • Do You Need More Education To Grow Your Career?

    How Do You Decide? I recently have had a couple of folks let me know that they have completed the next level of their education.  One of them reminded me that I had responded to his “I’ll be x years… Continue reading

  • My Boss Is Young Enough To Be My Child!

    Younger Bosses It happens to all of us–no matter how successful we are–if you stay in the workforce long enough, you’re going to have a boss younger than you.  Why does this matter?  Why do you care?  Yeah, yeah, it… Continue reading