Build your influence to survive 'White-collar winter'.

“ANZ Bank has moved to the front of the race to bring about the biggest white-collar job loss revolution in Australia’s history. All previous mass reductions of white-collar staff have been related to the economy. But this one is related to technology, so it’s permanent.

Spurred by the fallout from the royal commission, the banks are going to lead Australia in massive job shedding among large enterprises…. They will be followed by big professional firms and miners”

So wrote Robert Gottliebsen last week. According to the respected financial columnist for the Australian newspaper, the long-anticipated clean out of costly, unproductive and technologically redundant middle managers is here.

 White-collar Winter has arrived. 

Is he right? These could be just the words of one man, of course. But I recently sat in the offices of a mate in banking recruitment. I arrived early and had time to read his quarterly market update. It told the same story. Morale at the big four banks is low. No bonuses, few promotion prospects, constant restructuring and many projects on hold. The calm before the storm.

Flatter, faster, fewer. Whether it’s now or soon, it would take a brave soul to bet against this shift. We’ve all experienced the closure of local bank branches and the corresponding push to DIY banking online. Inevitably, that same technology now equips banks (and others) to significantly re-model their management structures. Flatter, faster, fewer. 

Importantly, the banks are the first, but we should expect the same forces to run through the rest of corporate Australia.

Are you at risk? Are you in the firing line? It’s time to take action. A giant game of musical chairs is taking place and you don’t want to be one of the thousands left standing.

You Need a Plan. This can all sound a bit gloomy, but it needn’t. The future of work is AMAZING. But to take advantage of its possibilities, we need to upgrade our skills and mindsets and present them in a way that others can access. You need to build your INFLUENCE. That means developing a VALUE BANK around your Personal and Professional brand. This exists outside of any employee relationship and is portable. When you want to (or need to) move on, it’s ready to help create options for whatever your NEXT looks like.

I think there are 5 key elements to develop. I capture them here in my model. I call this your INFLUENCER 5 PACK.

Professional & Personal Brand. This is about building a brand that showcases who you are and what you do. As our public and private lives are crushed together, it pays to capture all aspects of your life. That doesn’t mean you have to share your inner-most secrets, more that you present a rounded view. It’s about capturing your authentic self. In our post-truth, low-trust world, we are looking for interesting people with drive, smarts and passion. Personally, in addition to promoting my professional work and credentials, I also discuss my family, my sporting interests in surf-boat rowing and rugby and my volunteer work in the mental health space. 

Network & Tribe. Building your influence only works if you have the right people in your world. When I start to work with mentoring clients, I run an exercise called the Wealth/Poverty network. This identifies multiple types of people we need in our sphere of influence. The Wealth side includes people who will promote us, who can advise us, who have access to finances, who inspire us, who can help carry the load ……… 

Most people only have a traditional ‘work-based’ network. That’s not enough. It's rarely portable in the event you want or need to change industries or to pivot to become an entrepreneur or consultant. It can be a chastening experience to discover how fragile your network really is in the event you are no longer an influential manager (and therefore customer) in a big company. What you thought were solid connections evaporate overnight. 

The game then is to identify the right people, fill in the gaps where you don’t know anyone and to proactively and consistently connect with those who are able and willing to help. Once you get the balance right it’s very rewarding and easy. You’ll find your tribe of like-minded folk who you can grow with, support, sell to and enjoy. 

Thinking and Opinion. This is about getting your thinking out of your head and into the world. It’s a great way of showcasing what you know. Better still, the creative process itself usually leads to more and better ideas. It starts with giving yourself permission to put your stuff out there - typically in the form of a blog. LinkedIn is the perfect place to start with either a written piece or video. 

You also need to express a point of view. If you’ve spent a long time in a corporate role, this can be hard. When I left my last leadership role, it took me a long time to be able to state, plainly, what I thought. I had to unlearn the corporate bullshit language. So have a swing. Add to the debate. It’s a great way to demonstrate your character, intelligence and ability to both define and solve a problem. 

Build a Body of Work. You’ve probably been a hiring manager at some stage. That means looking at applications, CVs and, of course, LinkedIn profiles. Now imagine YOU are suddenly thrust on the job market. If I looked at your profile, what would I see? What would make you stand out? 

Building your brand and demonstrating your thinking by creating a body of work is both impressive and rare! Imagine your LinkedIn profile contains 10, 20, 30 thought pieces. These combine to take me on a journey showcasing your expertise, experience and thinking. How much more likely are you to make the cut compared to the other 90% of people who have nothing beyond the standard name, rank and number fare? 

Tone of Voice. Authenticity is over-used - but we are all in search of it. Many people and organisations disappoint us. We are over being sold to, fed up of corporate spin. This is why it’s important to develop your tone of voice in the content you create. It takes time, but once you have it, you are able to be yourself in the way you create and connect. Chances are if people like your online style, they will like you. 

I have been playing this game for 7 years and now have a completely natural voice. What you see is what you get - and that’s very liberating. So don’t be afraid to express those individual thoughts, quirks, humorous quips, obsessions…… whatever…… that make you 'YOU'. 

Start Today. Taking the decision to build your INFLUENCE is an investment in your future. It creates options and exposes you to learning and growth. That’s got to be a good thing. 

Please check out the resources below. Take my Influencer Test. Find out where your current influence score sits. Receive your FREE report to help map next steps.

Set up a call. You can also set up a call with me to discuss how I can help as a mentor – simply drop me a line at [email protected]

Mark