08/19/2016
There are various factors that can impact the success all of us have and some of them are outside of our control, but for the most part we can shape our successes. Here are some things that whether you are in the corporate world or the entertainment sector often separates the people who figure it out from the ones who are stuck in a perpetual wannabe cycle.
• Integrity – Someone once said if you are going to tell a lie you had better have a good memory. Integrity however goes beyond telling the truth or not telling the truth. This also extends beyond telling an outright lie. A lot of people like to tell the big fish that got away story, but be careful, because we live in an information age and if you exaggerate your accomplishments too much, people will eventually find out.
• Promote yourself – Nobody can tell your story better than you can. If you are not willing to share your successes, talk about your talents and look for new opportunities nobody else is going to pay attention either. If you are shy about promoting yourself then take a public speaking class or sign up for a course in improvisational acting or some other form of acting. I did thirty years ago and it made a huge difference in my feeling more comfortable about introducing myself and telling “my” story. I would like to tell you that it was my idea, but it was not, Kent’s mother encouraged me dip my toe in those waters.
• People Skills – I have worked with people in both the corporate sector and the entertainment industry from whom you would buy ten more sweaters, dresses or shirts exactly the same as the ten you already have hanging in your closet, because those people have a subtle way of earning your trust and they treat people well and you just like being around them, because they make you feel good. I have known some people in the entertainment industry who are incredibly talented and they keep treading water, because they still have not figured out why people do not enjoy being around them (Disclaimer: None of these are my past clients). I have known managers in the corporate sector and owners of companies who cannot figure out why they keep turning over staff for the very same reasons.
• Organizational Skills – When I see someone who is a workaholic I do not feel sorry for them, because it tells me one of two things, they have some serious issues that need to be addressed in their personal life and priorities or they do not know how to organize themselves. The people I do not have time for are the “moaners,” and you know them. They always say, “I am so busy, I am so tired, I just cannot do this because I have too much to do.” Take a look around you, do you think the single mom or dad juggling a career and raising her or his child is not busy? Do you think the couples who are trying to balance their budget, spend quality time with their children and do the daily grind of commuting to the office are not busy? What about the singer, songwriter and musician who have to be his or her own booking agent, publicist, manager and still find time to create new music? We have to figure out our priorities, find a way to keep things organized, set deadlines and meet those deadlines. We have a lot of tools available to us today that our grandparents’ generation did not have available to them.
---- Joe Montague, It Is Always The Right Time Media Relations
