And the Oscar Goes to...

Honestly, does anyone even care who the Oscar went to last night? As usual, the show was predictable with the exception of Parasite, a foreign film that also won best picture.

Predictable is a word that describes a lot of leaders these days.

The executive, who permits some members of his team to show up late daily, because he hates conflict. The manager, who hasn’t turned in a performance review on time since she was promoted, is consistently late with her reviews even though her boss has discussed this with her. The leader, who churns employees faster than HR can replace them, is still in place.

These same leaders are touted as star employees, in spite of their lackluster performance. How can this be?

The answer can be summed up in one word—politics.

If you watch closely, months before the award show the nominees can be seen campaigning for that golden statue. They are doing the late show circuit, as well as showing their faces on YouTube.

The same thing happens in organizations—campaigning that is.

Savvy workers know who in the organization has the power to make them a star and they play the game as seamlessly as those Oscar contenders.

If you want to compete for the trophy, (and the cash that comes along with it) then you must take matters into your own hands. Here’s how.

Be memorable. Most of last night’s nominees gave memorable performances, which will be talked about for years to come. You need to do the same. Do your work so well that others can’t help but notice how great you are.

Sing loudly. Oscar winner Rene Zellweger held nothing back in her performance as Judy Garland. You can’t afford to hold back either. You have to sing your own praises loudly to be heard in a sea of cubicles. I talk about how to do this in my book, Suddenly in Charge, which is now a bestseller on Amazon.

Be different. I’ll admit that I don't care much for Quentin Tarantino movies. However, his movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was certainly a film that was different than what I’m used to seeing. The producers took a huge risk making this movie, but as you can see from last night’s results, this strategy paid off.

What risks are you taking in your career? Are you playing it safe so you can have a seat at the table or are you creating your own table?

Last night’s Oscars are now but a faded memory. The slate has been wiped clean.

What are you going to do today, to ensure you're a shoo in, when your company nominates their star performers at next year’s company awards ceremony?

What did you think of last night's Oscars? Post your comments below.

?Matuson Consulting, 2020

Ready to elevate your platform and be noticed for your performance? Email me at [email protected] to explore if executive coaching is right for you.