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Become a Confident Executive

Jana M. Kemp

Taking on a new position requires letting go of some ways of doing things and picking up some new approaches according to The Next Level author Scott Eblin. Author Eblin’s credentials include working inside Fortune 500 companies and in his own small business in which he coaches executives for success.

It is from this experience that the premise of the book comes: what helped you be successful in your previous job may not help you as you take on new leadership roles. For instance, learning to silence an inner critic that causes your confidence to wane is important. As is “developing a routine of visualizing desired outcomes and how you need to show up to get them.”

Chapter two starts with a great line: “Insecure people make lousy leaders.” Throughout The Next Level, approaches for becoming a secure, confident and effective leader are presented. The Next Level offers good, solid information and approaches in a readable format. Eblin has organized the “pick-up, let-go” chapters into three parts: The Foundations of Personal Presence, The Foundations of Team Presence, and The Foundations of Organizational Presence. Each chapter includes case examples and ends with a “ten tips” section.

Part one, chapter four ends with this tip: “Remember that presence begets presence.” In other words, the way in which you show up is the way in which others are most likely to interact with you. Said another way, from another source: “Arrive like you mean it.” And then, keep showing up intentionally, and with increased skills and approaches so that you can be as effective as possible.

My favorite chapters are Chapter 7: Pick Up Accountability for Many Results in section two and Chapter 10: Pick Up A Big-Footprint View of Your Role in section three. In each chapter I discovered two new approaches for working with others and managing the work of the company.

Appendix B offers a “Situations Solution Guide” that presents typical job promotion challenges and guides readers back to the chapter in which the challenge was addressed. Eblin also encourages everyone to have an ESP, or Executive Success Plan™ which he offers steps for creating in Appendix A. Whether you are a new leader or a seasoned executive, this book is worth reading.

Action Item: Keep refining your skills: read The Next Level (Davies-Black, 2006) by Scott Eblin or something tied to your field and profession. And as author Eblin says, help others get successfully to their personal next levels too.

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Reprint Permission: The author is willing to grant reprint permissions. Please contact Jana Kemp: jana@janakemp.com or call 208-367-1701.