Career Success Factors

Don't have a graduate degree or didn’t graduate with a 4.0? That doesn’t disqualify you. And most candidates still miss opportunities because: ↳ They downplay their strengths ↳ Obsess over academic perfection ↳ Or think their value is tied to a decimal Meet Ben Cichy. He went from a student with an average GPA to landing spacecraft on Mars with NASA. Now at Blue Origin, he’s shaping the future of lunar exploration. Proof that curiosity, grit, and growth mindset matter more than perfect grades. What really matters? Your effort. Your growth. Your story. 1/ Before the Job Search You need to build more than a resume, you need a narrative. ➡️ Highlight practical experience ↳ Internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work ↳ Class projects with measurable results ↳ Side hustles or personal projects ➡️ Build your portfolio ↳ Create a website or LinkedIn profile that reflects your skills ↳ Showcase outcomes, not just tasks ↳ Include metrics where possible ➡️ Learn the skills that matter ↳ Focus on tools used in your industry ↳ Take free or low-cost online courses ↳ Practice through real-world application 2/ During the Application Process You’re more than your academic record, make sure your application shows that. ➡️ Write a strong cover letter ↳ Tell your story, why you care, what you’ve done, what you bring ↳ Show alignment with the company’s mission and role ➡️ Build connections ↳ Reach out to people in your target companies ↳ Ask for advice, not a job ↳ Show curiosity and gratitude 3/ During the Interview This is where you shine. ➡️ Focus on value, not numbers ↳ Talk about challenges you’ve faced and how you handled them ↳ Emphasize adaptability, creativity, and grit ↳ Share what you’ve learned and how you apply it ➡️ Bring confidence ↳ Believe in what you’ve built ↳ Speak with clarity and purpose ↳ Own your journey. 📌 Drop a comment with one thing you’ve done outside of school that helped your career. 📌 Repost/Like/Share/Follow - Let’s rewrite the narrative together.

"I'll just wing it. I'm good on my feet." A Managing Director said this before walking into a $50M budget approval meeting. He walked out empty-handed. After 25+ years watching high potential executives crash and burn in "the room where it happens," I've learned something most people miss: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺. Influence isn't about charm. It's about preparation. Here's an approach you can put into practice today to immediately up your influencing impact. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: 𝟭. 𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 (𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁) • Who really makes the decision? (Hint: Not always who you think) • What keeps them up at night? • Who do they trust for input? One client discovered the "junior" person in the room was the CEO's former chief of staff. Guess whose opinion mattered most? 𝟮. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝘁 The worst time to make allies? When you need them. Smart executives plant seeds months before the harvest: • Coffee with the skeptics • Informal temperature checks • Strategic information sharing By the time you're pitching, you already know who's with you. 𝟯. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 Match your message to their metrics: • Revenue-focused? Show growth • Cost-conscious? Show savings • Risk-averse? Show mitigation Same idea. Different frame. Completely different outcome. 𝟰. 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 The meeting isn't where you sell. It's where you confirm. If you're introducing new information in the room, you've already lost. The best executives I know follow this rule: 𝗡𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿. That person who always seems to "get lucky" with approvals? They're not lucky. They're doing 10x the advance work you are. While you're perfecting your slides, they're having strategic hallway conversations. While you're rehearsing your pitch, they're addressing objections before they're raised. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲: Your ability to influence has very little to do with your charisma in the moment. It has everything to do with the relationships you've built, the intelligence you've gathered, and the groundwork you've laid. Stop counting on spontaneous charm. Start investing in strategic preparation. Because in the C-suite, there are no successful surprise attacks. 🎯 When was the last time you walked into a crucial conversation truly prepared—not just with data, but with deep insight into every person in that room? Be honest. Your next promotion might depend on it. ------------ ♻️ Share with someone who needs to stop winging it and start winning it ➕ Follow Courtney Intersimone for more truth about what really drives executive success

Every high-performing team has one thing in common: They take feedback seriously. We tell our kids all the time: If a coach yells at you, that's a good thing: - They're giving you their attention - They're sharing their hard-won wisdom - They're providing a signal to help you improve   They see your potential.  They believe you can unlock it. If they go quiet?  Then you have a problem. The same is true in our careers. There are only 3 reasons we're not getting feedback: 1. We're safe in our comfort zone - We're good at what we do - But we're not growing 2. We're on a team with low standards - We're making mistakes - But no one really cares 3. We've made it clear it's not welcome - We have plenty of ways we could grow - But we're not interested in hearing them And the hard truth these days: If you're not growing, you're falling behind. So... If you're not getting feedback, it's time for a change. If you're in your comfort zone -> Step up and stretch. If you're in a room with low standards -> Find a new room. If you've shut down feedback before -> Work to rebuild trust. You can get useful, regular feedback in 6 simple steps: 1. Be clear about your goals 2. Be honest about your gaps 3. Share both with people who can help 4. Ask them for specific feedback 5. Listen and show gratitude 6. Do the work to improve Remember: Feedback is our fuel for growth. Without it, we're going it alone. And that's not a good way to get very far. If you found this playbook helpful... ♻️ Please repost to help others ➡️ Follow Dave Kline for more

I used to say the right recommendation in meetings and watch it get ignored until someone else repeated it, and suddenly it moved forward. I thought they missed it, but they heard me clearly the first time. I had no power in that room, and my framing made it easy to dismiss. This is what changes as you move closer to executive roles. You will sit in rooms where your title does not carry weight yet. You will still be expected to influence decisions that impact revenue, risk, and direction. Influence is not reserved for people with authority, it is built through how you position ideas. I learned that influence is a system you can apply even with low formal power. Here are 12 ways to do it in practice. Make them think it was their idea by planting logic early and letting them carry it forward. Start with the business problem so leaders engage before forming resistance to your recommendation. Tie your recommendation to revenue, risk, retention, or customer impact so it feels relevant. Bring proof before you speak so your point lands with credibility and not opinion. Present a clear decision with tradeoffs so the room moves toward action faster. Align privately before meetings so public conversations feel like confirmation, not persuasion. Mirror the language leaders already use so your idea feels familiar and easier to accept. Show the cost of inaction so staying the same feels like a risk. Make the first step easy so momentum builds without resistance from the group. Identify who actually influences decisions and build alignment with them early. Ask better questions to surface pressure points leaders are already trying to solve. Close by connecting your idea directly to what leadership already said matters most. This is the work most people miss when they say they are ready for executive roles. Execution gets you in the room, but influence decides if you stay there.

One of our students just went from “laid off” to leading acquisitions for a European hotel company. Here’s the story: Alek started in tech startups until layoffs hit. He spent a year trying to land another role but couldn't convert interviews. He stepped back at the start of this year and realized something huge. Over the last 20 years, there’s been a ton of over-investment in technology, while little attention went to the physical world. That's where he wanted to focus. But there was a problem: Alek was completely new to real estate. But luckily, he found Thesis Driven. Our content opened his eyes to how entrepreneurial real estate could be. He enrolled in our Fundamentals of Development course, then Capital Raising. Not just for content, but to meet people taking courses like these. He knew the best opportunities come from “who” you know, not just “how” to do it. What changed everything for him: 1/ Real estate is a relationship-first business: Obvious, sure. But the key is not to wait to build networks until you need them. Start now. 2/ Learn the language: underwriting, zoning, and deal analysis: Without this, you won’t be taken seriously. Create instant credibility by knowing your stuff. 3/ You need a mentor with capital and experience: Real estate can’t be bootstrapped. Good news: there are mentors (and capital) everywhere. 4/ When opportunities surface, speed and preparation determine who wins: Momentum is real in business. Those who move fast and prepare ahead of time get rewarded. That last lesson was strategic. Through Kam (our chief of staff), Alek connected with Lume Capsule Hotels. They are launching 10+ capsule hotels across Europe and needed someone for Milan acquisitions. The deal was simple: if he could find a building, he’d make money.  Because of the course, he knew what to do next: • Started meeting brokers and building local networks • Learned to analyze comps and evaluate opportunities • Built relationships across the Milan real estate ecosystem • Positioned himself to move quickly when deals surfaced Now he's leading Milan acquisitions, actively searching for properties that fit their European expansion. But he's not just finding buildings, he's helping with product research, fixing their website, and crafting pitches for investors and owners. Classic entrepreneur: see a gap, fill it. Alek is why we built Thesis Driven. 

For the longest time, I questioned why our appearance should dictate our credibility as professionals. Shouldn’t our expertise, intellect, and hard work be enough? And then, Sylvia Ann Hewlett burst my bubble. Executive presence isn’t just about looking good, it’s about inspiring confidence. It’s about showing up in a way that signals long-term reliability, competence, and influence. It’s not about dressing in brands; it’s about dressing the room. Think of it like this, ever walked into a room where someone’s attire was completely out of sync with the environment? A tech startup CEO in an ultra-formal three-piece suit at a brainstorming session might feel out of place, just like a financial analyst in sneakers and a hoodie at an investor meeting. Neither is “wrong,” but both have missed an opportunity to align their presence with their audience’s expectations. Our visual presence is the first handshake before we even speak. In a marketing agency buzzing with creativity, casuals might scream “I get this space.” But step into a high-stakes boardroom with industry leaders, and business formals say, “I understand the gravity of this conversation.” The trick? Authenticity with Adaptability. You don’t need to dilute your personality, but you do need to be mindful of the visual signals you send. As a leadership consultant, I encourage professionals to ask themselves before any critical meeting: • Who is my audience? • What message do I want to send? • How do they expect me to show up? Executive presence isn’t about a rigid dress code, it’s about strategic alignment. It’s about dressing in a way that ensures your presence commands attention, respect, and trust. Your expertise is your foundation, but your presence is your amplifier. Dress authentically while respecting the decorum of the room you step into. In doing so, you won’t just be seen, you’ll be remembered. So, the next time you stand before your closet, don’t just pick an outfit. Choose your presence. #ExecutivePresence #DressingTheRoom #NyraLeadershipConsulting

I was Wrong about Influence. Early in my career, I believed influence in a decision-making meeting was the direct outcome of a strong artifact presented and the ensuing discussion. However, with more leadership experience, I have come to realize that while these are important, there is something far more important at play. Influence, for a given decision, largely happens outside of and before decision-making meetings. Here's my 3 step approach you can follow to maximize your influence: (#3 is often missed yet most important) 1. Obsess over Knowing your Audience Why: Understanding your audience in-depth allows you to tailor your communication, approach and positioning. How: ↳ Research their backgrounds, how they think, what their goals are etc. ↳ Attend other meetings where they are present to learn about their priorities, how they think and what questions they ask. Take note of the topics that energize them or cause concern. ↳ Engage with others who frequently interact with them to gain additional insights. Ask about their preferences, hot buttons, and any subtle cues that could be useful in understanding their perspective. 2. Tailor your Communication Why: This ensures that your message is not just heard but also understood and valued. How: ↳ Seek inspiration from existing artifacts and pickup queues on terminologies, context and background on the give topic. ↳ Reflect on their goals and priorities, and integrate these elements into your communication. For instance, if they prioritize efficiency, highlight how your proposal enhances productivity. ↳Ask yourself "So what?" or "Why should they care" as a litmus test for relatability of your proposal. 3. Pre-socialize for support Why: It allows you to refine your approach, address potential objections, and build a coalition of support (ahead of and during the meeting). How: ↳ Schedule informal discussions or small group meetings with key stakeholders or their team members to discuss your idea(s). A casual coffee or a brief virtual call can be effective. Lead with curiosity vs. an intent to respond. ↳ Ask targeted questions to gather feedback and gauge reactions to your ideas. Examples: What are your initial thoughts on this draft proposal? What challenges do you foresee with this approach? How does this align with our current priorities? ↳ Acknowledge, incorporate and highlight the insights from these pre-meetings into the main meeting, treating them as an integral part of the decision-making process. What would you add? PS: BONUS - Following these steps also expands your understanding of the business and your internal network - both of which make you more effective. --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

🎯 Why Most Business Problems Remain Unsolved (And How to Fix That) Last week, I had the privilege of facilitating a Problem Solving & Business Acumen workshop for our teams at L'Oréal Indonesia. 💡 The Problem We All Face (But Rarely Talk About) Here's an uncomfortable truth: we're wired to jump to solutions. In business, this looks like: ✔️ Launching promotions without understanding why sales declined ✔️ Hiring more people without diagnosing process inefficiencies ✔️ Copying competitor tactics without validating if they fit our context The cost? Wasted resources, frustrated teams, and recurring problems that never truly go away. According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2023, analytical and critical thinking are the #1 and #2 most important skills for workers. Yet, most of us were never formally taught how to think critically or solve problems systematically. 🛠️ The Problem-Solving Process: A Step-by-Step Guide Step 1: Define the Problem (Don't Jump to Judgment!) 📝 Craft a Problem Statement with 6 components: "How can [responsible party] improve/reduce [reality] to meet [expectation] within [timeline] without [anti-goals], in order to fulfill [reason]?" Example: "How can the product team launch a new product on time in Q4 2024 without sacrificing key processes, in order to meet the sales target?" Step 2: Find Alternatives (Issue Tree + MECE) Once the problem is clear, break it down using an Issue Tree. For instance, if mascara sales dropped -14% YoY: 📦 Placement → Gondola compliance, visibility, signage 🎁 Promotion → BOGO mechanics, POS materials 💰 Price → Elasticity, perceived value 🎨 Product Claims → Content freshness, reviews 🔥 Competition → Share of voice, endcap presence ✅ Ensure hypotheses are MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive)—no overlaps, no gaps. Step 3: Test Your Hypotheses Don't fall in love with your first idea. Run quick tests: 📊 For a skincare serum declining in pharmacies, we tested: ✔️ Hypothesis A: Reduced pharmacist advocacy is the issue → Micro-detailing pilot in 10 stores ✔️ Hypothesis B: Cold chain OOS drives lost sales → Warehouse SOP audit + temperature logs ✔️ Hypothesis C: Execution gaps suppress promo ROI → Endcap compliance audit Each hypothesis had clear KPIs and timelines—no guessing, just data. Step 4: Make the Decision (Impact vs. Effort Matrix) Not all solutions are equal. Prioritize: 🟩 Quick wins—do this! 🟦 Strategic bets 🟨 Fill-ins 🟥 Avoid Focus on low effort, high impact moves first. Build momentum, then tackle the big bets. 🚨 What Happens When We Skip These Steps? A mascara brand saw sales drop -14% YoY. The reaction? "Let's run a BOGO promo!" The result? Sales stayed flat. Why? Because the real issues were: ❌ Poor gondola compliance (only 68% correct facings) ❌ Weak influencer share of voice ❌ Competitor secured prime endcap space The lesson: Solutions applied to the wrong problem = wasted budget and missed targets.

This one mindset changed how I lead teams. Influence isn't loud. It's patient. I’ve wanted to be influential at various points in my career.   And I used to think that influence was about perfect arguments. Flawless logic. The right facts, delivered with confidence.   And sometimes, that worked. But not often enough.   The more I led teams, the more I realised influence isn’t about convincing people. It’s about guiding them to convince themselves.   People don’t like being told what to do. They like feeling in control.   So, instead of pushing my ideas, I started asking better questions.   Like the time I needed a team to pivot on a project: – I didn’t lecture them. – I just asked, “What outcome do we really want here?” – That simple question sparked a discussion. – And they landed on the exact conclusion I had in mind. But it wasn’t my idea anymore. It was theirs.   And that’s the point. Influence isn’t about being the smartest person in the room.   It’s about creating space where others feel smart. Where their ideas matter.   Sometimes, I’d say one thing. Then stay silent. No rush to fill the gap. Just letting the idea sit.   And over time? I’d hear my words echoed back – not because I pushed, but because the idea took root.   The biggest shift? 👉 Realising that influence feels effortless when you stop trying to control the outcome. It’s not about being right. It’s about creating alignment. So, if you’re struggling to get people on board, maybe it’s not about trying harder. Maybe it’s about trying differently. Ask questions. Pause. Let ideas breathe. You don’t need to push. You just need to guide. Influence works best when people believe the choice was theirs all along.   How do you influence? Drop your thoughts in the comments. ⭐️ Follow me (Mostyn Wilson) and subscribe to my newsletter (link above) for more like this.

People think dressing well at work is about vanity. It isn't. It's about the read someone makes on your level before you've said one word, and that read is happening whether you dressed for it or not. I've walked into rooms and known who the most senior person was before anyone spoke, and it was almost never about who spent the most. It was about who understood what their clothes were showing. 1️⃣ A blazer that actually fits your shoulders. Forget the price tag. A blazer that fits makes you look polished and in control. 2️⃣ A real coat. It's the first thing people notice before you've even taken it off. A great coat sets the tone. 3️⃣ Shoes you keep immaculate. Even the best outfit looks less polished with worn, scuffed shoes. 4️⃣ A structured bag instead of a logo bag. A clean tote reads more senior because it doesn't rely on a label. 5️⃣ One understated piece of real jewelry. A watch or simple gold studs signal quality better than a pile of costume pieces. 6️⃣ Tailored trousers in a neutral. Black, navy, or camel always look polished and intentional. 7️⃣ A white shirt that closes without gaping. Crisp and properly fitted, it projects competence before you speak. None of this is about spending more or chasing trends. It's about understanding that in corporate, you're being read before you're being heard, and making that first impression work in your favor. Comment ELITE and I'll send you The Elite Edge, my no fluff newsletter on the signals that actually move your career. #corporatefashion #workwear #executivepresence #careeradvice #womeninbusiness