1.  Begin with the end in mind.   Where do you ultimately want to go/be at the height of your career by when?  What does it take to get there by then?  How and where do you BEST get started in that direction as soon as possible?

2.  Be proactive.  Achieving compelling education credentials with proven/verifiable  steady progressive work responsibilities / experiences with quantifiable results / contributions /significant  impact on the business are the BASE requirements for accelerated continued career growth.  How you differentiate yourself from others in this group truly determines the speed and trajectory of your assent.  Keep your head up internally and externally in your own company, the competition and the market place.

3.  Put first things first.  Name brand does matter; highly regarded schools for the field.  Industry leading resource rich companies known for successful hiring, structured training, and further developing the best talent.  These typically are larger, preferably global corporations with more diversity in levels, functions, and divisions within their structure.

4.  Think Win – Win.  Exude a top down mentality of what’s most important for the customers / business then yourself.  Your reward will come from putting the needs of the business first.  You need to make sure the rewards are there when your behavior / results warrant them.  If they are not, you’re in the wrong place.

5.  Seek first to understand, and then be understood.  Ask a lot of great questions and LISTEN.  Develop and exude a clear full understanding of the business; short-mid-long term strategic and tactical objectives and challenges;  be positive, resourceful and part of the solutions not the problems.  Be resilient. 

6.  Synergize.  Seek mentors, coaches, champions.  Ask more great questions and LISTEN.  Treat ALL others with respect and humility.  Help as many others as you possibly can.  Choose wisely who you get identified with or allow for that perception. 

7.  Sharpen the saw.  Be an enthusiastic student of the business.  Seek constructive feedback.  Ask more great questions and keep LISTENING.   Keep learning (advanced degrees), improving and stretching your boundaries of knowledge and expanding your network of meaningful relationships. 

Russ Mountain, C.P.C., Senior Executive Partner