Hi Realists! 👋

Welcome to Cup of Ambition, Volume 8!

In this edition, you’ll get the scoop on:

‼️‼️ 9-to-5 Dilemma: Bored is Good.

💣 BLUF To Avoid Interview Bombs.

❤️‍🔥 Things You Don’t Need to Apologize For.

🗓️ Mark Your Calendar: Networking + Learning Events.

🌞 Seasonal Shifts.. Pumpkin Spice Season is Emerging.

9-to-5 Dilemma

“Do I really need to always focus on my career? I’ve been in the same job for almost 12 years, at a boring company… and it’s fine. It’s predictable, it’s quiet, and it’s just right for me. I don’t worry about promotions or taking on more work to make my boss happy, I show up and do what I do and that’s it.

It seems like most career advice I see tells me that I’m not ambitious or that I should feel like I’ve let myself down.

Is it okay to have a boring career?”

-Bored and Content.

_____________________________________________________

Dear Bored + Content,

I applaud boring careers— a boring career can be just what you need.

What’s boring to you, sounds like a dream to someone else.

For some people, boring work might sound like:

🥱 Working in an unglamorous industry or role.

🥱 A job that people don’t understand or find interesting.

🥱 Predictable, steady days without dramatic highs and lows.

🥱 Facing modest performance expectations.

🥱 Being needed and reliable in a position because the competition is low and few are beating down the door to do what you do.

Peace, stability, and work-life balance are never boring, if that’s what you need in your life. We go through seasons where what was once right for us (fast-paced, high demand, competitive, high rewards jobs) no longer suit us, and that’s a good thing.

If you’re in your slower, paced, Jimmy Buffett on a relaxed island era🌴, make sure you still:

• Face less workplace stress

• Are respected for what you contribute

• Have more energy for personal pursuits

• Are well compensated

If those things aren’t true, you aren’t in a boring job… you’re being taken advantage of.

I will stand by this statement again and again… your work doesn’t have to be your identity, you source of fulfillment, worthy of posting on social media, or be exciting to talk about at a party.

Work does have to be defined by what is best for you.

Be clear with yourself on your goals in life and work to protect those goals with good boundaries. Don’t feel shame, embarrassment, or disappointed by choosing the slower lane… you’ll get to the finish line without burnout or exhaustion.

Break Up With Brag Shame.

Join me next month on September 25 at 1 pm EST for a free event, “From 9 to Thrive: Transforming Ambition Into Achievement” hosted by TroopHR. I’ll be sharing research, tools, and tips to boost your skill in self-advocacy and ditch brag shame for good.

💣BLUF: A Simple Approach to Avoiding Interview BOMBS 💣

I was preparing a client for an interview last week and I asked them about their approach to story-based interview questions… you know the ones that sound like, “so, tell us about a time when you…”

The client told me that when they’re asked a question like that, they usually spend about 5 minutes walking the interviewer through their thought process, decision making, situational context, and other factors that led to their success in that situation.

So I asked them what their success rate was with that approach… less than 5%. They were more likely to get a “thanks, but no thanks” from that approach than they were to get an offer.

When I asked them how they felt about that outcome rate, they reflected:

“I guess responding in that way has led me to bomb some interviews. I always wondered why no one asked me follow-up questions after I stopped talking, they just moved on to the next thing and I was never sure if they understood what I had just shared. I think I rambled a lot and wasn’t clear.”

Sound familiar?

Truth be told, most of us approach interviews like that.

The interviewer asks us for a story, and we give them the FULL story.

Who was there, what was going on, what did we do, why did we do it, what tools did we use, what made us decide that, who was onboard, how long did it take, where did it derail, how did we get it back on track… and, oh yeah, was it successful?

Let’s be honest… no one cares about all those details and interviewers don’t have interest in putting the pieces together… they expect you to serve it clearly and concisely on a lovely platter.

When you tell the full story, the interviewer probably stopped listening 4 minutes ago and are instead focused on their own bouncing internal thoughts while you’ve chatted and continued. They’re wondering how much longer you’re going to talk before they can move on to the next question on their list.

I blame the STAR (situation, task, action, result) framework for leading people to think that all those details matter and are equally weighted. Most people preach this framework as the best approach to behavioral interviews… but I see it as outdated, crowded with excess details, and not focused on what matters most. Today’s interviewers want clear, concise stories that quickly persuade them that you’re the best fit for the job.

In an interview, the only thing that matters is your ability to clearly sell the value you generate when you do what you do at work. The rest is just noise.

To avoid bombing an interview:

This is controversial… but…Start with the results. Hit them with the TA-DA up front and then give them the key (relevant) highlights.

Your audience will be at their most engaged level of listening right after they ask a question… pull them in with results first. This is often referred to as the “bottom line up front” approach, or BLUF.

The Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) approach is a communication method that prioritizes clarity and efficiency by presenting the most critical information at the beginning of a conversation, document, or presentation. This approach is particularly useful in settings where decision-makers need to quickly grasp the key points without wading through unnecessary details.

Key Aspects of the BLUF Approach:

1. Immediate Focus on Key Points:

   • The main idea, impact, or achievement, is stated right at the beginning. This ensures that the audience immediately understands the primary message.

2. Efficient Communication:

   • By leading with the most important information, BLUF eliminates the need for the audience to sift through background information or supporting details to understand the core message. In an interview, the core message is “I will be successful in this role because I’ve succeeded in doing the same things before.”

3. Structured for Clarity:

   • After the bottom line is presented, additional details, context, or supporting information can follow, like who you worked with, what your role was, and the key steps you had to take to deliver that result. This structure helps maintain the audience’s attention and makes the communication more digestible.

Example of the BLUF Approach:

Interviewer: “Can you tell me about a time when you had a to lead a project under a tight timeline?”

STAR Approach Response:

• Situation:
  "At my previous job as a Project Manager at Acme Corp, I was assigned to lead a project that involved launching a new product line. Initially, the project was scheduled to take three months, with detailed plans already in place for each phase of the project, including market research, product development, marketing, and sales strategy. However, just as we were about to begin, market conditions shifted dramatically due to a competitor’s early product release. This unexpected development required us to accelerate our timeline and launch within just six weeks to stay competitive."

• Task:
  "My primary task was to ensure that all aspects of the project—research, development, marketing, and sales—were completed efficiently and on time. This meant revising the project plan to fit the new timeline, reallocating resources, and maintaining team morale despite the pressure. I also needed to manage expectations with upper management, who were concerned about both the quality of the final product and the feasibility of meeting the new deadline."

• Action:
  "To address these challenges, I first restructured the project timeline, breaking down the original three-month plan into a series of critical milestones that could be realistically achieved in the new six-week period. I immediately organized daily stand-up meetings with representatives from each department to ensure clear and continuous communication, allowing us to quickly identify and address any bottlenecks. I also negotiated with upper management to secure additional resources, including temporary staff from other projects, to handle the increased workload. Recognizing the stress that the team was under, I implemented regular check-ins to gauge morale and provided necessary support, such as flexible working hours and access to additional tools. Throughout the project, I kept all stakeholders informed with regular updates and progress reports, which helped to align everyone towards the common goal."

• Result:
  "Thanks to these efforts, we not only met the six-week deadline but also launched a product that exceeded initial sales projections. In the first quarter post-launch, the new product line generated a 15% increase in sales, which was a significant boost for the company. Moreover, the project was recognized internally for its success under pressure, and I received a commendation for my leadership. This experience also helped to set a new standard for how we approached project timelines, leading to more agile and responsive project management practices across the company."

As you read through (or listen to) the STAR response, you’ll notice a few things:

• It’s a lot of detail to keep track of.

• Your interviewer, who has no context of the project, the people, the deliverables, or the culture is trying to navigate through all the moving pieces, while simultaneously trying to apply it to the job at hand.

• The result and impact is hidden after about 2 minutes of talking… long after the interviewer has gotten confused, checked out, and moved on. It’s a tiny blip in a big story.

BLUF Approach Response:

“At ACME Corp, I led the launch of a new product line within a compressed six-week timeframe, to generate a 15% sales increase in the first quarter post-launch. The project, initially planned for three months, had to be accelerated due to unexpected competitive pressure. To meet the deadline, I restructured the timeline into critical milestones and organized daily stand-up meetings with all departments to ensure rapid communication and problem-solving. I secured additional resources by negotiating with upper management and implemented regular morale check-ins to support the team under the heightened pressure. These actions ensured not only an on-time launch but also a product that exceeded sales expectations, earning recognition for effective leadership under challenging circumstances.”

Practice flipping your response and driving clarity in the outcomes from the beginning. This is a game-changer across your communication, not just in interviews.

If your audience knows what’s most important and why it matters, you’ll both walk away more confident that you understand what matters most.

Cincinnati Realists: Wanna Network?

Looking to enrich your life both personally and professionally? Mark your calendar for Sunday, Oct. 6, when the Empower Herr: Women's Health and Business Expo takes over the 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., this free event offers a dynamic mix of fun, fashion, and female empowerment, and it's designed to connect and uplift women across the community.

Seasonal Shifts 🍁

And in the blink of an eye, fall is coming in to greet us. For many people, fall brings their favorite things; pumpkin scents and flavors, Halloween decor, crunchy leaves, crisp apples, and a chill in the air.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the pace of this year. I’ve heard from many of you that you started 2024 committed to leaving your job, achieving a promotion, or finally taking control of your work life and fall is here but you’re still… stuck.

If you feel like the year is about to sweep away before you blink, same.

There’s still time to take small steps to building what you want, need, and deserve from work.

What’s one thing you can commit to honoring for yourself, your career, and your goals before the holidays hit?

Dollyism.

Don’t Be a Stranger!

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