5 Ways to Make a Lasting Impression

5 Ways to Make a Lasting Impression5 Ways to Make a Lasting ImpressionOver the course of my career, Ive seen a broad spectrum of career successes. (And, well, failures.) And Ive thought a lot about the causes of those outcomes. Why do some succeed faster than others? Why do some get opportunities and others dont? Why do some get stuck in their careers? The answer, Ive found, to all of these questions is making a lasting impression. If you consistently make a positive, memorable impact on your boss, your co-workers, and even your employees, youll increase your chances of getting hand-picked for the best opportunities when they come knocking, paving your way to career success. It may sound simple, but leaving that lasting impression takes a strategic approach. Here are five tips thatll help you make your mark and be remembered over anyone else in the room. 1. Keep it RealI like the prozentanteil by Oscar Wilde that says, Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Sometimes, we get so caught up in trying to impress that we forget to show our true selves- we hold back opinions, squash our creative ideas, and downplay our personalities, all for fear of being judged.Recently, at a leadership program in San Francisco, I witnessed the opposite- and it welches so refreshing. Several groups of leaders from across the company were asked to present their recommendations based on a real-life customer problem. Naturally, seven of the eight teams gravitated toward sending the best sales or marketing leader on their teams to deliver their recommendations. But notlage one team. Instead, they sent the least obvious pick- an engineering leader. To everyones surprise, he took us all on an eye-opening customer journey laced with Star Wars metaphors. Some of his feedback was extremely revealing, but it was accepted very well because it was unfiltered. He came across as a creative problem solver with a sense of humor, and, needless to say, that presentation was the one that everyone rememb ered because it was authentic and brilliant. 2. Make Deposits, Not WithdrawalsJust like a bank, every exchange or interaction that you have is like a deposit or withdrawal. People either feel energized after working with you- or exhausted. To make sure youre in the former camp, examine the factors that contribute toward deposits. Are you easy to work with? Do you give the person with whom youre speaking undivided attention? Do you support your team during peak periods of stress? Are you leaving conversations making others feel empowered, motivated, and energized? These are great leadership qualities that will help you grow your deposits. As I share this advice, one vice president that I work with comes to mind. Hes known as a technology innovator and leads one of the largest teams at my company. He knows very well that positive emotion accelerates innovation. As such, he makes a concerted effort to leave conversations making people feel inspired. And they usually do.One easy tip tha t you can try today is giving the person you are speaking with your full attention. I often find people distracted in their own thoughts. When youre having a conversation with someone, give your undivided attention and pay a close watch to your non-verbal gestures. Give eye contact, and dont get distracted by the 10 action items waiting for you (or your phone). The more focused you are in your conversations, the more youll get out of them, and the more deposits youll make. 3. Get Comfortable With PressureIn the business world, people are defined by how they handle stress- its called cope-ability. Whether youre presenting in front of a massive audience or dealing with a customer service crisis, nailing the pressure moments will define a lasting impression. So, pay attention to how you handle stress and pressure, and start getting comfortable with it. In fact, go out of your way to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. When you do this often enough, youll be more immune to pressur e when you are stress-tested- it just becomes more normal. I think its similar to muscle memory, where the act gets so routine, your body just goes into autopilot.Being in your comfort zone for too long only creates a situation that makes it easier for you to crack under pressure. But if youre constantly in the stretch zone, youll create a habit of performing well no matter what the pressure level.4. Be Bright, Be Brief, Be GoneThis tip is something thats stuck with me from a coaching session I had a few years ago. Its all about being an expert in your line of work and presenting your ideas in a succinct and simple way. First, you need to know what youre great at, not what youre good at. And when you know what that is, dont be afraid to offer solutions and bring value to discussions. Whether youre presenting at a meeting or having an impromptu chat with your boss, nail your point with simple language and simple solutions. Be bright, be brief, be gone- and youll always be remembered. 5. Get ElectedYou often hear the advice to manage up and to promote yourself, making sure the higher-ups know about your achievements. And many people in the corporate world have climbed the ranks this way. But this approach is never sustainable because it lacks authenticity. In the long run, a vote for him or her approach is much more powerful than vote for me. You want to be elected the person who people throughout the organization want to help, want to work for, and want to see succeed. This will happen when you can authentically influence your audience throughout the organization, not just manage up. In fact, some of the best leaders Ive worked with meet with cross-functional groups, at all levels, all the time. Im privy to a vice presidents calendar, and Ive noticed that he works with a wide audience across the whole company, frequently meeting with people at all levels. As it turns out, hes one of those who gets the most support throughout the company. Ask yourself this quest ion, Do I work with a diverse group of people at all levels? If you do, great. If you dont, look for ways to extend your network to a broader set of colleagues. Itll create more inclusion and buy-in, and a more successful career all around.Photo of shaking hands courtesy of Shutterstock.