Unleashing the Career Superstar in You—Ready?
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Superstars aren’t just sports and entertainment icons. They’re also us. Every workplace and every career has its superstars. There’s no reason why you aren’t among them.



By definition superstars are individuals in prominence who attract attention. Look around: That’s lots of people you know.



We have to perform well and consistently to be considered a superstar in our line of work. On-the- job superstars are those indispensable coworkers and leaders who:

  • - Solve our IT problems in the nick of time every time
  • - Always exceed sales quotas to help keep the business profitable
  • - Deliver projects on or before every deadline
  • - Defuse unhappy customers and employees consistently with effective messages

There are superstars in every industry, company, department, and work unit. Everyone knows who they are and we can’t imagine work without them.



Clearly, we need all the superstars we can find in this struggling economy, so now’s the time for us to raise our bar.



What it takes



Paul McCord, internationally recognized authority on sales, prolific author and blogger, wrote in his compelling book, SuperStar Selling:



“You don’t have to become a superstar overnight. It’s not one giant leap, it’s one step at a time.”




That’s true for attaining superstardom in every career. We need to keep our eye on the ball and dig deep to keep it in play.



To start we need to build and maintain a high-achievement mindset. It’s always our attitude and performance that stand out, get noticed, and ultimately create our prominence. No one gets to be a superstar without doing the work.



McCord makes this important point:



“Looking at the big picture is daunting. Looking at just what you need to accomplish on a daily and weekly basis is not such a hurdle to overcome.”



He adds that the three characteristics of a superstar are: desire, commitment, and belief. Do you have all three?



We live in a “what have you done for me lately” and a “what’s in it for me” world. That’s where the pressure to perform at a high level comes from.



This reality tests your desire to achieve, your commitment to stick with your goals, and your belief in your capabilities.



All success is a process. The twelve keys to becoming a sales superstar in McCord’s book apply to us too. Superstar sales professionals own their careers and operate with an entrepreneurial mindset.



We need to own our jobs/careers too and set goals for ourselves that demonstrate our value.



McCord spells out his twelve keys elegantly, providing fascinating case studies and powerful tools, particularly useful to salespeople. (If you’re in sales, you really must read this book.)



His keys are the underpinnings of every achiever, especially those who have become superstars in their line of work. Here’s my take on how the twelve keys can help you become a superstar in your career:

  • 1.Turn past experiences into learning and data that can move you forward
  • 2.Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses. Build on and fix what’s needed
  • 3.Invest in your career—time, learning, tools
  • 4.Figure out where you add value and position yourself there
  • 5.Showcase your strengths/value in the right way
  • 6.Set realistic goals that build on one another over time
  • 7.Develop and apply your capabilities systematically
  • 8.Stay visible and top of mind with those you impact
  • 9.Continuously develop and expand your skills
  • 10.Convert your big ideas into small steps to achieve them
  • 11.Seek help from advisors, mentors, and experts during uncertainty
  • 12.Adopt and maintain a positive mindset

Sell yourself tall



Too often we set our sights too low. We think that it’s other people who become career superstars. Yes, we sell ourselves short, instead of tall.



McCord makes this powerful point:



“In essence, we are what we believe we are; we do what we believe we can do; we are who we believe we are.”



When we believe there’s a superstar in us, we make a huge leap. When we take action to unleash our inner superstar, we’re on our way to becoming one. Now go!