No doubt you’ve heard the saying “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” It’s one I’ve often heard in relation to someone who’s landed a great opportunity via a connection, personal or professional.
While knowing lots of people is helpful when it comes to accomplishing goals and advancing your career, on its own, it’s simply not enough. In my experience, what matters most when it comes to getting something you want is not just what you know, nor who you know, but who knows what you know… what you can do and what you want to do!
During an interview last week on The Circle (an Australian national talk show a bit like The View, but not really), I was asked why women, after fifty years of feminism, are still earning less than men and what women can do to close the gap. Needless to say, there’s only so much that can be covered in a 5 minute interview and, as often happens, I only got to say a portion of wanted to share (you can watch on this link.)
One thing I did get to share is that women aren’t always great at letting others know just how capable they are, nor asking for what it is they really want. Regardless of your gender, however, if you are working in an organization of any size, it’s vital to take responsibility for ensuring others are aware of the value you bring (i.e. what you know and do), and the value you want to bring (i.e. what you want to do.) [Read more…]