CAREER HACKING Digest -

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the warm welcome of this newsletter.? Last week we had 1320 new subscribers like you!? As a thank you for subscribing, I would like to offer a useful tool called The Wheel of Life to help you assess your current career situation.? (email me at [email protected] and I’ll send it post haste)

I’m adding two sections that I forgot in edition one, VOICES & SUCCESS STORIES:

What else would you like to hear about? Send suggestions to [email protected]

• VOICES (*NEW)
• RECRUITER HACKS?
• ACTION! CHALLENGE
• LITTLE KNOWN FACTS
• SUCCESS STORIES (*NEXT EDITION)
• FUNNY BONE

VOICES of Rushmore

Gridiron Grit: Theodore Roosevelt

“In life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard; don't foul and don't shirk, but hit the line hard!” – Theodore Roosevelt

It’s Back!? After our long wait, the 2024 NFL Football season is back.? But rather than an inspiring leadership story from a current player or coach, I thought we might look at a STONE (literally) favorite… Rushmore.

The bespectacled face between Jefferson and Lincoln on Mount Rushmore didn’t just talk about leadership—he embodied it as an unstoppable force. Theodore Roosevelt was the kind of leader who didn’t just dip his toes into the pool of greatness; he cannonballed in, making waves that are still felt today. If you’ve ever been tempted to throw caution to the wind and charge headfirst into your manifest destiny, Roosevelt’s life is your permission slip.

From Under Secretary to Underdog Champion

In 1898, Roosevelt was comfortably nestled in the cushy office of the Under Secretary of the Navy. Now, most people would have stayed put, content with the power and prestige that comes with upper management. But not Teddy. To him, that desk job was as limiting as the asthma that plagued him on the athletic field as a child. So what is a man of action to do? He quit.

That’s right—he walked away from one of the highest positions in the Navy to assemble a mismatched group of cowboys, miners, Native Americans and Ivy League athletes known as the Rough Riders. Most of these men had no formal military training, but they had what Roosevelt desired most - GRIT, determination, and willingness to “hit the line hard” were all the qualifications they needed.

The Battle of San Juan Hill

Roosevelt wasn’t one to lead from the rear. When the Rough Riders landed in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, he didn’t send his men into battle while he observed from a safe distance. Oh no, that wasn’t his style. Teddy charged up San Juan Hill on horseback, bullets whizzing past his ears, waving his hat in the air, urging his men to follow, while enemy fire rained down around them.?

What did his men do? They followed. They didn’t just take the hill—they stormed it, capturing it in what would become one of the most famous battles of the war, and the legend of the Rough Riders was born.

Lessons in Leadership

So, what can we learn from Roosevelt’s wild ride to the top? First and foremost, leadership isn’t about sitting behind a desk or barking orders from a safe distance. It’s about getting your hands dirty, charging into the fray, and inspiring others through your actions.

Roosevelt’s leadership style can be boiled down to three key principles:

1. TAKE ACTION: Don’t be afraid to leave the comfort of your current position if it means pursuing something more meaningful. Teddy didn’t wait for the perfect opportunity—he created it. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to leave the safety net behind.

2. LEAD FROM THE FRONT: Assemble a team that has grit.? Ivy League creds?? That’s grit.? Roping cattle?? That’s grit.? Hammering away under a mountain to give up it’s black gold? That’s grit.? Get in front of this awesome team and lead them with the same qualities you want them to exhibit.

3. “HIT THE LINE HARD”: Whatever you do, do it with everything you’ve got. Half-measures and hesitation were foreign concepts to Roosevelt. He charged forward with the kind of intensity that made people believe in him—and in themselves.

So the next time you’re faced with a daunting task or a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, remember Roosevelt’s words: “Hit the line hard.” Don’t hold back. Don’t second-guess yourself. Just charge forward with everything you’ve got. After all, the best leaders aren’t the ones who play it safe—they’re the ones who lead from the front, showing others what it means to truly give it your all.

Stay tuned for the next installment of Voices of Rushmore, where we’ll dive into the leadership lessons of another iconic president. But until then, channel your inner Roosevelt and hit that line hard!

RECRUITER HACKS

Give & Receive Recommendations on LinkedIn to show social proof

The best way for you to put your money where your mouth is.? But since you can’t show a stranger what you can do until they hire you and give you the chance to do it, your second best option is to point to your success in the past.

Been there.? Done that.

But that’s bragging, isn’t it?? Not if someone else does it.? Enter the Recommendation on LinkedIn.? A fast easy way to give social proof that you can do what you say you can do, by showing what you’ve already done for someone else.

To make it easy on those from whom you would like a recommendation, prepare one they can use as the basis for theirs.? Tell relevant stories (ping me if you’d like to learn the SILVER Bullet method) that have your SUPERPOWERS and RESULTS on display.

Also, make sure to write one for them.? After all, it’s better to give than to receive, right?? RIGHT?

Learn how to write SILVER Bullet stories w/Career Coach (CLICK HERE)

ACTION! CHALLENGE

Write 3 Recommendations on LinkedIn for people you know and admire.? Ask for theirs.

• Be prepared to write their recommendation of you for them, to save them time.? You’d be surprised how many people take you up on that offer.
• This is a good place to work on your Elevator Pitch.? (For clients, that’s your RMS.)

LITTLE KNOWN FACTS

In June, there were 798,000 open jobs in Texas, more than 1 for every single unemployed person.? So just ask yourself this question:

How many jobs do YOU need?

4. TICKLING YOUR FUNNY BONE

“When they call the roll in the Senate, the senators do not know whether to answer ‘present’ or ‘not guilty.’” ~ Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. president

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Hopefully you learned something, had some fun, and were encouraged to keep up your momentum. By the way, you don't have to go it alone, we are here to help you every step of the way. Click below to talk to a career coach.

FREE CONSULTATION w/Career Coach (CLICK HERE)

tyler townes

managing director * stoneallen.com

[email protected] 310.877.9753 c ?book me!