Your Own Making: Craft Your Career or Crash It!

In the iconic film Titanic, there is a scene that brilliantly illustrates how "one's perception of value can be catastrophically misaligned with reality" . Cal Hockley, the arrogant fiancé portrayed by actor Billy Zane, scoffs at the mention of Picasso paintings. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he declares, "Something Picasso? He won't amount to a thing", unknowingly cementing his place on the wrong side of history.

This moment of misguided judgment serves as a perfect prelude to our exploration of personal value and professional perception. The misalignment between these two often results in your Job Loss or Stagnated Growth and you are very personally responsible for the same.

The Power of the VEC Triangle

( Heard first from Gaby Natale who is a great story teller )

Visibility is the cornerstone of professional recognition and growth.

In today's competitive workplace, it's not enough to simply do good work - you must ensure that your contributions are seen and acknowledged. Visibility involves strategically showcasing your achievements, actively participating in key projects, and building a strong professional network. By increasing your visibility, you create opportunities for recognition, advancement, and new challenges. It's about making your value known without falling into the trap of arrogance or self aggrandizement. Remember, in the professional world, out of sight often means out of mind – and potentially out of a job.

Excellence is the fuel that powers your professional engine.

It's not just about meeting expectations - it's about consistently exceeding them and setting new standards in your field. Excellence demands a commitment to continuous learning, honing your skills, and staying ahead of industry trends. It's the quality that makes you indispensable to your team and organization. When you pursue excellence, you not only enhance your own capabilities but also inspire those around you to elevate their performance. This pursuit of excellence becomes a self-reinforcing cycle, driving you to achieve more and cementing your reputation as a high-value professional.

Consistency is the glue that holds your professional reputation together.

It's about delivering high-quality work reliably, day in and day out. Consistency builds trust with colleagues, superiors, and clients, establishing you as a dependable asset to any team or project. It's not about being perfect all the time, but rather about maintaining a steady level of performance that others can count on. Consistency also applies to your behavior, work ethic, and attitude. When you're consistent, you create a clear and positive professional identity that others can easily understand and appreciate. This reliability becomes a powerful tool in building long-term career success and resilience against professional setbacks.

Excellence without Consistency

Inconsistent excellence can be detrimental to one's professional growth and reputation. While moments of brilliance may be appreciated, they don't necessarily translate into long-term success or reliability. Here's what can happen:

• Unreliable Reputation: Colleagues and superiors may view you as unpredictable, making it difficult for them to depend on you for critical tasks or projects
• Missed Opportunities: Without consistent excellence, you may be overlooked for promotions or important assignments that require dependable performance.
• Increased Stress: The pressure to replicate past excellent performances can lead to heightened stress and potential burnout.
• Diminished Trust: Team members and leaders may hesitate to fully trust your capabilities, knowing that your performance can fluctuate.

Excellence and Consistency without Visibility

Being consistently excellent but lacking visibility presents its own set of challenges:

• Undervalued Contributions: Your hard work and achievements may go unnoticed or underappreciated by decision-makers in the organization.
• Limited Career Advancement: Without visibility, you might be passed over for promotions or new opportunities, despite your consistent excellence.
• Reduced Influence: Your ability to impact broader organizational decisions or strategies may be limited if your contributions aren't widely recognized.
• Missed Networking Opportunities: Lack of visibility can result in fewer chances to build valuable professional relationships within and outside your organization.

In both scenarios, the absence of the complete VEC triangle (Visibility, Excellence, and Consistency) can hinder career growth and recognition. While excellence is crucial, it must be paired with consistency to build trust and reliability. Similarly, consistent excellence needs visibility to ensure that your contributions are recognized and valued within your professional ecosystem. Balancing all three elements of the VEC triangle is key to long-term career success , job security and satisfaction.

Neglecting any one aspect can lead to unforeseen challenges and missed opportunities, potentially derailing your career aspirations.

On the other hand, if you are consistently visible without the necessary excellence to accompany, you might end up as a "LinkedIn Influencer" – flooding feeds with motivational quotes and humble brags about your hollow victories, while your actual work accomplishments remain as elusive as a unicorn in a corporate boardroom.