invaluable becoming a leading authority

10/26/12 10:09 PMInvaluable: Becoming a Leading Authority | Video Tutorial Transcript from lynda.com

of 19http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/transcript

lynda.com » Online Training Library® » Invaluable: Becoming a Leading Authority

Invaluable: Becoming a Leading Authority with Dave Crenshaw

Search this course

Other members also watchedPhotoshop CS6 EssentialTraining

Excel 2010 Essential Training

Time Management Fundamentals

WordPress Essential Training

JavaScript Essential Training(2011)

PHP with MySQL EssentialTraining

InDesign CS6 Essential Training

HTML Essential Training (2012)

Premiere Pro CS6 EssentialTraining

Final Cut Pro X Essential Training

show more

Upgrade your accountchoose a subscription:

Search this course

expand all | collapse all

Introduction

Welcome

00:04 Are you invaluable?

00:06 In terms of your value as a human being, clearly the answer is yes, but what

00:10 about your value to your marketplace?

00:14 Do you offer something that your market can't live without or at least doesn't

00:18 want to live without?

00:20 The people who have the greatest value in the market, the ones who earn the most

00:24 and who have by the world standards very successful careers, have used six

00:30 factors to get there.

00:32 They may not even be aware that they have been using them, but the combination

00:36 of these six factors determines one's value in the marketplace.

00:40 The first factor is savvy.

00:43 A savvy person possesses know-how, an intuition to understand what's going on in

00:49 the market and with the business.

00:51 The second factor is ability, which simply measures how well you do what

00:56 you're supposed to do.

00:57 The third factor is irreplaceability, putting yourself in a position that makes

01:04 it very difficult to find someone else to do your job.

01:07 The fourth factor of focus goes hand in hand with irreplaceability. Focus refers

01:14 to your ability to eliminate distractions to your time.

table of contents exercise files transcript author preferences FAQs

Search the closed captioning text for this course by entering the keyword you’d like to search, orbrowse the closed captioning text by selecting the chapter name below and choosing the movie titleyou’d like to review.

submit

What would you like to learn?subject software author

Hi, Bernabe products new releases support my account log out

http://www.lynda.com/

http://www.lynda.com/allcourses

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/transcript#

http://www.lynda.com/Photoshop-tutorials/Photoshop-CS6-Essential-Training/97619-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Excel-2010-tutorials/essential-training/61219-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Productivity-tutorials/Time-Management-Fundamentals/77533-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/WordPress-tutorials/WordPress-Essential-Training/97614-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/JavaScript-tutorials/Essential-Training-2011/81266-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/PHP-tutorials/php-with-mysql-essential-training/435-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/InDesign-tutorials/InDesign-CS6-Essential-Training/96305-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/HTML-tutorials/HTML-Essential-Training-2012/99326-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Premiere-Pro-tutorials/Premiere-Pro-CS6-Essential-Training/98952-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Final-Cut-Pro-X-training/Essential-Training/83098-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/transcript




















http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/files

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/transcript

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/author

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/preferences

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/faqs

http://www.lynda.com/

http://www.lynda.com/subject/all

http://www.lynda.com/software/all

http://www.lynda.com/Home/Authors.aspx

http://www.lynda.com/membership

http://www.lynda.com/newreleases.aspx

http://www.lynda.com/support/

https://www.lynda.com/home/userAccount/ChangeContactInfo.aspx

http://www.lynda.com/ajax/logout.aspx?url=%2fBusiness-Skills-tutorials%2fInvaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority%2f88535-2%2ftranscript



01:18 The fifth factor is connection or your ability to build relationships with

01:22 people around you, particularly in a professional or business sense.

01:27 And finally, the sixth factor, authority refers to how strongly the current

01:32 market considers you to be the top expert in your field.

01:38 We're going to take a look at each of these in more detail throughout this

01:41 series. This course explores the invaluable factor of authority. By building

01:47 your reputation as a thought leader, both inside and outside of your company,

01:52 you will become more sought after as someone who is invaluable.

01:59Collapse this transcript

Understanding the importance of authority

00:00 Do your peers both inside and outside of your company consider you to be a

00:05 leading expert in your field?

00:08 The invaluable factor of authority is tied to your answer to this question.

00:13 Authority is the last factor because it builds upon the other courses.

00:18 In fact, in order to get the greatest benefit from this course I recommend that

00:23 you complete the previous four courses first.

00:26 Authority is particularly important because many people overlook it.

00:31 They believe that it doesn't apply to them unless they own their own business;

00:35 they are an author or have certain credentials.

00:38 They may also feel that some of the things I suggest they do to become an

00:42 authority are too challenging.

00:45 This creates an opportunity for you. If you are willing to put in the effort,

00:50 you put yourself into an elite group.

00:53 An employee who is recognized both inside and outside of their company as a

00:58 leading authority dramatically improves their value.

01:02 This factor evaluates how strongly the current market considers you to be a top

01:07 expert in your field.

01:09 The most valuable people have found the way to leverage authority to their benefit.

01:15 Think about this for a moment. Our world is saturated with information.

01:20 Many people have so many choices that informed decision making is nearlyimpossible.

01:26 An authority helps this situation by being a decision leader.

01:31 People can make decisions with confidence by listening to the recommendations of

01:36 a legitimate authority.

01:38 Most of the decision leaders and authorities in your life aren't celebrities,

01:42 they are mentors, teachers, community leaders, friends, or perhaps even your

01:46 boss. Every person has the potential to be an authority in a unique area.

01:52 The question isn't whether you have expertise to offer, but rather what is your

01:58 best expertise and who would be most interested to learn what you know.

02:03 As you develop authority, your opportunities to serve others will increase.

02:08 In this course, I'll help you identify your area of expertise and then help you

02:13 work on strategies you can use to develop authority, both within your company

02:18 and in the community.

http://www.lynda.com/jerry-uelsmann-and-maggie-taylor?bnr=Jerry&Maggie-SitePods-CourseDetailsPage-LoggedIn












































02:20 As you do this, you'll make significant progress toward becoming invaluable.


Using the exercise files

00:00 Throughout this course, I'll be asking you to fill out worksheets to better

00:03 understand how well you're progressing on the path to becoming invaluable.

00:08 These worksheets have been provided in the exercise files tab on the course

00:13 details page for all lynda.com subscribers, or if you're watching this tutorial

00:18 on a DVD-ROM, the exercise files have been included there.

00:22 I suggest that you download these worksheets and print them out prior to

00:27 watching the course.

00:28 At various points throughout the course, I'll be asking you to pause the videos

00:32 and fill out a worksheet.

00:34 In order for you to get the most out of this training, I recommend you have

00:38 these worksheets on hand.

00:40 Now let's get started.


1. Preparing to Build Authority

Determining your area of authority

00:00 Now that you understand the importance of the invaluable factor of authority,

00:05 your next question is likely what should I become an authority in?

00:09 This is an important question to answer because it's going to build the

00:13 foundation for all the work we do in this course.

00:16 To help you identify and choose one or two possible areas of authority, I've

00:22 provided a downloadable worksheet that builds upon our previous courses on

00:26 becoming invaluable.

00:28 To get the greatest benefit from this worksheet, you may want to review the

00:32 section on talents in my course on unlocking your abilities, and the section on

00:38 most valuable activities in making yourself irreplaceable.

00:43 In the authority identification worksheet, you'll see a simple chart.

00:47 The first section asks you to list three talents.

00:52 I define talents as activities where you are gifted, that you love to do, and

00:56 where you've developed skills.

00:58 When all three of those come together, you have a talent.

01:02 List your top three talents in this section of the worksheet.

01:07 Next you'll list your most valuable activities, or MVAs. These are your

01:13 activities that are worth the most per hour; that you would have to pay someone else

01:18 the most money to perform them as well as you can.

01:21 Choose your top two MVAs and list them here.

01:25 Next you'll see two columns, advice and like.

01:30 Check the advice column, if that's an area that people commonly come to you for

01:35 advice or mentorship.









































01:35 advice or mentorship.

01:37 Check the like column, if this is an area where you would like to be

01:42 recognized as an authority.

01:44 It's important that you enjoy sharing your knowledge with others in the

01:47 activities you choose, since you'll be doing more of that in the future.

01:52 Now look for talents and activities where you've put check marks in both the

01:58 advice and like columns. Also look for areas where your talents and your most

02:03 valuable activities are the same.

02:05 Wherever you have a match, between your MVA, your talent, advice, and like, is

02:11 likely the area in which you want to build authority.

02:15 Below this table, you'll complete two statements.

02:18 The first says, Inside of the company I work for I would like to be known as an

02:24 authority on... Go ahead and finish this sentence.

02:28 The second statement for you to complete is In the public, I would most like to

02:32 be known as an authority on...

02:35 Sometimes your answers to these questions will be different.

02:39 This is common when you're new to your career and haven't yet established

02:44 authority in a particular field in the public or in your company.

02:48 If the two answers are the same that will make your path to becoming an

02:52 authority even easier.

02:54 In the upcoming videos, I'll discuss how you can create a plan to build your

03:00 authority in that area, both inside and outside your company.


Scheduling time to build authority

00:00 In other courses, I've suggested that you schedule time to focus on developing

00:05 yourself. In becoming a leading authority however,

00:08 you're going to create a time budget for sharing your knowledge with others.

00:13 Certainly, as you teach others, you'll develop yourself.

00:16 I have found that I always learn the most when I help others learn, and it's the samewith you.

00:21 Your career will progress and all the other invaluable factors will improve as a

00:27 result of your efforts to become a leading authority.

00:30 The process is fairly straightforward. Open your calendar and find some time

00:35 every week that you can budget to work on becoming an authority. Be realistic;

00:41 one hour per week is enough to start.

00:43 Look in your calendar for a regular day and time when it's most likely to be

00:49 quiet and you won't be interrupted. Then set up a recurring weekly appointment,

00:54 and when that time arrives in your schedule keep that appointment.

00:59 In the coming videos, I'll show you plenty of things you can do to make that

01:03 time meaningful. As you become more of an authority, you'll want to devote more

01:08 time in your schedule. When you get to that point just assess how much time

01:13 you're spending and then establish a revised time slot.

01:17 Setting the schedule is the foundation. By using the schedule and making just a

01:22 little progress each week, over time you'll see the accumulation of your effort













































01:22 little progress each week, over time you'll see the accumulation of your effort

01:28 and grow steadily to become an authority.


Selecting a mentor

00:00 Perhaps the fastest way to become an authority is through the guidance of

00:04 someone who has already become one.

00:06 This concept has a long history. Centuries ago if I wanted to become a master

00:12 blacksmith, I would begin as an apprentice to another blacksmith. Working for

00:17 years alongside a master, I would gradually move up the ranks to become a

00:21 journeyman, and ultimately a master blacksmith myself.

00:25 Today we use the term mentorship. We find a mentor, someone we trust and who

00:31 has already achieved success. And by following their device and communicating

00:36 with them regularly, we progress toward ultimately becoming a master like them.

00:42 You can find a mentor in any of three settings.

00:45 The first is inside of your company.

00:48 Let's say that I want to become an authority on programming computer games.

00:53 If I'm working inside a company that programs those games, then I can identify

00:58 one person who is highly successful in that and is already an authority within

01:03 the company. I might approach them and try to develop a professional

01:07 relationship, getting their permission to ask questions regularly, so that I

01:12 can learn from them.

01:13 I might also look for opportunities to work on projects with them.

01:18 The next place to look for a mentor is outside of the company, but within your

01:23 network of friends and acquaintances.

01:26 It's usually a bit easier to get these people to be your mentor because you

01:30 already have a relationship with them, or you may have a friend who can introduce

01:35 you to someone who is a master.

01:38 You'll have to work with this person to create a structure that works with

01:42 their busy schedule and yours, so that you can meet occasionally and learn fromeach other.

01:47 The third setting for finding a mentor is what I call long-distance mentorship,

01:52 in this situation you find a master to mentor you from afar.

01:58 Using my earlier example, I might identify the world's leading authority in

02:03 video game creation and look for them online.

02:06 The good news is the nature of an authority is that they share their

02:10 information with other people.

02:13 So it may be fairly simple to gather curriculum for learning from this expert.

02:18 I might connect with them on online social networks. If they have a blog, I

02:23 would subscribe to it. If they have a podcast, I would listen to it, and

02:27 certainly if they're writing books, or delivering seminars, I would want to

02:31 participate in those.

02:33 Any opportunity you can get access to and learn from their expertise.

02:39 As you're following a mentor from afar try to discover how they rose to an

02:44 authority position, what path they followed, and try to build a history to













































02:44 authority position, what path they followed, and try to build a history to

02:49 understand that path.

02:50 While you might not be able to walk that same path, their steps may provide

02:56 helpful hints to finding your own way.

02:59 The truth is there are no shortcuts to becoming a master in your field. Becoming

03:04 an authority will take you some time, but finding another master to learn from

03:09 and consistently scheduling time to learn from them will make the process easier

03:14 to rise from apprenticeship to a master yourself.


2. Building Authority within a Company

Becoming a systems expert

00:00 When it comes to building your authority inside of the company, the simplest and

00:05 fastest way to begin is by becoming a systems expert.

00:09 A systems expert is a bit like a mountain guide. If you want to climb a mountain

00:14 you've never climbed before, hiring a mountain guide is essential. Why?

00:19 Well, because they've been up and down the path many times and have helpedother

00:24 people walk that path as well.

00:27 A systems expert is someone in a company who best understands certain processes

00:33 and procedures within the business.

00:36 They may have documented those systems. Just like the mountain guide in our

00:40 example, they are someone who knows the path and can teach it to others.

00:45 Consider an example for a moment. Let's say a company uses a unique software

00:50 program to work with and track all of their projects; perhaps it's a specialized

00:56 program for their industry and their unique needs.

00:59 Whenever a new employee joins the company they need to be trained on how to usethat software.

01:06 The systems expert is recognized as the authority in using that software, and

01:11 because of that they are very valuable to the company.

01:14 As a systems expert, they may have already documented some of the most critical

01:20 processes that someone else needs to learn.

01:23 Documenting those processes does not make them replaceable;

01:27 in fact the opposite is true, because they are the expert who can best teach it

01:33 with authority to other people.

01:35 This is the very heart of why systems experts are so valuable.

01:40 Documentation alone is not enough.

01:43 In order for people to be truly successful in a position, they must learn from someoneelse.

01:49 A systems expert within the company is the authority, the master, the mountain

01:55 guide who can teach it to others.

01:58 Many CEOs and business owners have told me through the years that one of the

02:03 things that makes an employee invaluable is that they know a system so well

02:08 that they can teach it to others.









































02:10 This is the result that we'll be working toward in the coming videos.


Getting company buy-in

00:00 Before we discuss how you can become a systems expert, it's important to

00:04 consider the need for getting company buy-in.

00:07 This process varies depending on the type of company or organization that you're in.

00:13 First let's consider the small or high-growth business.

00:17 These businesses depend on people being flexible and doing whatever it takes to

00:21 get results; because of that training is usually done verbally without systems

00:27 documentation and likely has been this way for quite a while.

00:31 Business owners and CEOs in these businesses usually recognize the need to

00:37 document systems, but have been so busy and caught up in the day to day that

00:42 they've been unable to work on this.

00:45 In a small business if you can approach the business owner or senior

00:49 manager and offer to document systems on behalf of the company, this will

00:54 usually be viewed favorably.

00:56 Just to make sure that you get permission and buy-in from someone before youbegin.

01:02 Now let's talk about the larger more established companies; the ones that have

01:06 been running for many years, have many levels of management hierarchy, and

01:10 probably have all of the systems documented to a degree.

01:14 In these businesses, you'll need to dig a little deeper to become a systems

01:18 expert. You may not be the one who is documenting a system, but instead be

01:23 mastering critical systems and even offering suggestions to refine them further.

01:29 For example, if I'm a sales executive within an established business like this,

01:35 I first want to learn everything I possibly can about the company's recommended

01:40 sales processes, and then use them in the field.

01:44 I test every aspect of those sales processes and make recommendations for

01:49 improvement to my manager.

01:51 I may also write documentation to support the systems, such as helpful tips to

01:57 keep in mind or top 10 customer objections.

02:01 The more invested I get in the existing company systems and the more

02:05 refinements I suggest to them, the more I will become recognized as an

02:10 authority in that particular area.

02:12 Of course, company cultural norms apply. Be careful in how you suggest theseideas.

02:19 Follow the guidelines that have been established within your company.

02:23 It may take some time to build your authority and be recognized within a largerbusiness.

02:29 But if you consistently make an effort over time in mastering these systems,

02:34 your opportunity to be recognized as a systems expert will come.

02:39 Whether you're in a small and growing company or a larger established one, there

02:44 are plenty of opportunities for you to become a systems expert.











































Documenting the "what" in systems

00:00 Let's begin the process of helping you become a systems expert by showing you

00:05 how to document a system.

00:08 I've provided you with the template called the single page system template.

00:13 The idea is to get as much information as you can about a system onto a singlepage.

00:19 If we try to document a system in too much detail, it loses its value because

00:25 people are less likely to read and use it.

00:27 We want an outline, a sketch of what someone should do when using the

00:32 system that leaves room for you as a systems expert to teach them all of the finedetails.

00:38 We'll cover this process in two videos.

00:41 We've provided an example systems template called the Washing clothes systemsexample.

00:47 This everyday example will help us illustrate how easy it is to document a companysystem.

00:54 First, I'll explain how to complete the left side of the template, what I

00:59 call the foundation.

01:00 The foundation begins with the upper left -hand corner of the template, the what.

01:06 The What section is designed to create a picture in someone else's mind of the

01:11 end result of the system.

01:13 This is a brief phrase, one or two sentences, that begins with "This system will."

01:19 In the example, the what is to ensure that our clothes are clean, fresh

01:24 smelling, without shrinkage or color bleeding and are ready to put in the

01:29 dryer. That's all we need.

01:31 Now the Why section; this is the logic or motivation behind following a system.

01:37 We want to convince in a few words someone else as to why following the

01:43 system benefits them.

01:45 In our example, the why says having fresh, clean clothes will help you look more

01:51 attractive and socially acceptable.

01:54 Next, the Who section. Here we simply list the positions responsible for

02:00 following this system.

02:02 You might list positions such as sales manager or assembly line worker,

02:07 depending on the system.

02:08 In the example we've provided, I'll just say me.

02:11 The statement the "Results are reported to" refers to the manager for that person,

02:17 such as the sales manager or production manager.

02:21 Again, for my example, I'll just write my wife. She'll let me know if I didn't do a goodjob.

02:27 Next, the when. This refers to any standards that we want to measure in terms of

02:33 time, timing, or length.

02:35 It can also include scheduled times when the system should be followed.

02:40 In our example, we put clothes should be washed every Monday,

02:45 the average light cycle is 30 minutes, and the average heavy cycle is 45










































02:45 the average light cycle is 30 minutes, and the average heavy cycle is 45

02:50 minutes, and do not allow wet clothes to sit in the washer for more than 1 hour.

02:57 Next, the How much section. Here we list anything numerical or quantifiable,

03:02 such as performance standards, results, numbers, or statistics.

03:06 In our example, we should use 1/2 cup of detergent and the washer should be atmost 3/4 full.

03:14 Finally, the With what section. Here you list any resources the system requires.

03:21 In our example, we've listed dirty clothes, the clothes washer, detergent, laundry

03:27 booster, and bleach.

03:29 Now it's your turn.

03:30 Choose one company system that you want to work on and begin filling out the

03:36 left side or foundation section of the single page system template.

03:42 You can refer to the documented example we've provided if you need help.

03:47 After you've done that, you'll be ready to move on to the right side of the

03:51 template, which is the how-to.


Documenting the "how" in systems

00:00 Once we've established the foundation of a system on the left side, we're ready

00:05 to move onto the main part of the system, which is the how-to section.

00:09 This is where we list all of the system steps.

00:13 We don't need to provide every little detail regarding the how. We just want to

00:18 create an outline, a sketch of the general steps that someone should follow to

00:23 complete this system.

00:25 Keep in mind that this system is designed to be a training tool for use in

00:30 teaching the system to another person.

00:32 The fine details can be covered in the teaching process.

00:36 Let's begin continuing with the washing clothes system example we provided.

00:42 Step one of the how section is unique as it's not what you do but instead the

00:47 event that triggers the need for a system.

00:50 In this system, step one is "Monday morning, laundry day, arrives."

00:56 Step two is where we begin the step-by-step how-to of the system.

01:00 If you need help in coming up with this list, ask yourself this question:

01:05 What is the next step?

01:07 Write down that step, and then again, what's the next step?

01:11 In our example, you'll see "Sort clothes into white, light, and dark piles."

01:17 Then ask what is the next step?

01:20 Step three is "Place a load of laundry, all of one kind, in the washer."

01:25 What's the next step?

01:27 Step four is "Measure out the appropriate amount of detergent and add to thewasher."


01:34 Well, the next is optional, but we can add a laundry booster for tough stains or

01:40 bleach in the bleach dispenser.












































01:43 Step six tells us to set the washer to the appropriate temperature settings.

01:48 Notice again the use of bullet points to quickly call out different ideas, and

01:54 then the rest of the system unfolds step by step. From here just keep asking

02:00 that question what's the next step and so on until you arrive at the end result of thesystem.

02:07 You may wonder what if I have many steps that are going to make this document

02:12 spill on to more than one page?

02:15 My first recommendation is to ask if the system can or should be broken down

02:21 into smaller systems.

02:22 For instance, in this example, trying to cram both washing and drying into a

02:29 single page system is unreasonable.

02:32 So I've broken the two apart and at the end of the washing system, you'll see

02:37 the reference to begin the dry clothes system.

02:42 Create a simple outline that fits onto one page without making the text size any

02:48 smaller than is comfortable for reading.

02:51 As you experiment with documenting systems, you'll start to get more familiar

02:56 with how much material you can comfortably fit onto one page.

03:01 And now it's your turn, complete the How section for the system you chose to workon.

03:08 After you've documented your first system, you're ready to move on to the next

03:13 video where we'll discuss what to do with it.


Formalizing systems

00:00 After you've completed the documentation of your first system, now what?

00:05 Next you will submit the document to someone for review and approval.

00:10 This is usually your manager, or if you happen to be at the top of the

00:14 organization chart, you might want to submit it to a proofreader.

00:18 We want a second set of eyes to look at the system and make sure that what

00:23 you've written is actually what takes place.

00:26 Perhaps, more importantly, we want to ensure that it's written in the voice of thecompany.

00:31 When I say the voice, I mean that it is conveying things in the manner in which

00:37 the company wants to represent itself.

00:39 For instance, lynda.com has a particular voice that they use.

00:44 A particular tone of conversation that they use and a particular feeling they

00:49 want people to have, which is friendly, helpful, encouraging and simple.

00:53 So they make sure that their training matches that voice, and I hope I'm doing

00:59 a good job with that.

01:00 So have someone else review your system, and make sure that it's accurate andconsistent.

01:07 Then after they make their edits to the document, you will want to incorporate

01:12 those changes paying close attention to the edits that they made.









































01:16 Instead of just making the edits, try to learn from them.

01:19 Find out what they added or what they removed and ask yourself: Why did theymake

01:24 this change? What can I do to write more in this voice in the future?

01:29 After you make the changes, you will resubmit it back to the reviewer for final

01:34 inclusion into a company operations manual, or what many of my clients use,

01:39 which is a company wiki.

01:41 The idea is once you've created the system and once it's been approved, we now

01:47 want to make it available for everyone else to use and learn from.

01:51 Once it's finalized, you can begin using it to teach other people.

01:55 In a one-to-one or group training, you'll have the opportunity to fill in the smalldetails.

02:01 For an extended explanation on how to best teach and train other people, see

02:06 my videos on preparing and presenting development in the Effective Meetings

02:11 course here on lynda.com.

02:13 By reviewing, editing, and then formalizing systems you create, you will begin

02:18 to improve your skills as a systems expert within the company.


3. Building Authority in the Public

Finding your path to authority

00:00 In the last chapter, we covered the process of how you can build your authority

00:04 within the company that you're currently in.

00:07 If you complete that process, you'll already have a significant advantage over

00:12 many people in the market.

00:14 However, you can take your career to the next level by building authority in

00:19 the general public.

00:21 Allow me to give a little perspective by sharing my background.

00:24 I began business coaching many years ago prior to even completing my degree inbusiness.

00:30 Although, I did eventually complete my degree, I first became certified by a

00:35 training company as a small business consultant.

00:38 After using their material for several years to coach small businesses, I

00:43 later went independent.

00:45 I began creating my own library of training materials, including worksheets andarticles.

00:50 I also had a mentor who was a successful business coach, and he coached me for

00:55 many years about how to build my practice.

00:58 About 10 years into this process I decided that I wanted to enhance my value in

01:04 the market, so I wrote my first book The Myth of Multitasking.

01:08 That book led me to the opportunity to be featured in Time magazine, The

01:13 BBC News, the Washington Post and many other national and international pressoutlets.






































01:19 This also led to my second book Invaluable and an increased online following and

01:25 my ability to command a better retainer fee as a business coach.

01:30 I give you this brief background because the journey that I took is to a large

01:35 degree a pattern that almost anyone can follow.

01:39 It's not that you're going to walk the exact path that I walked, but it shows

01:44 you a path that many people have followed in their unique ways successfully.

01:50 In this chapter, I want to give you ideas you can use to slowly increase your

01:56 authority in the public over time.

01:59 This will help you earn even greater respect and wages in the marketplace.

02:04 We'll begin this process in the next video where I show you how to begin to

02:09 climb the authority ladder.


Climbing the authority ladder

00:00 Let's look at some ways you can build authority in the general public.

00:04 To help you do that I've provided you with the authority ladder worksheet.

00:09 Think of building your authority like climbing a ladder, one step at a time.

00:14 This worksheet shows you rungs in that ladder.

00:17 Bear in mind that this process may take years and that you may not follow this

00:23 exact path, but it gives you a general idea of how to improve your authority,

00:29 starting with the easiest and moving one rung at a time.

00:33 So let's start at the bottom of the authority ladder.

00:36 First is writing helpful reviews of products and services.

00:41 I recommend that you focus these reviews in the area in which you've chosen to

00:45 become an authority.

00:47 Next you can actively comment on others blogs.

00:51 You want to participate regularly so that you become recognized on those

00:55 blogs as an expert.

00:57 Next you can also create your own blog or a podcast.

01:02 In a matter of minutes, anyone can create a new blog and begin writing about

01:07 something that they're passionate about.

01:09 The trick is in creating a schedule to write on a regular basis.

01:14 Next on the authority ladder is higher education or certification.

01:19 The titles these provide communicate to people that you have a high level

01:23 of expertise and therefore your words are credible.

01:27 Next you can build your own specialized social network.

01:31 This involves going onto a popular social network, and creating a page or a

01:37 group that follows a specific topic.

01:39 For instance if I am talented in grooming dogs, then I'd create the Dog Groomers

01:43 Society Online and invite other dog groomers to participate.

01:48 By doing this, I'd become the person leading the discussion.

01:52 Moving up the ladder you can create and consistently send a newsletter.

01:57 This is something that starts gradually and grows with your subscriber list.












































01:57 This is something that starts gradually and grows with your subscriber list.

02:02 Next you can build an offline networking group, a real-world group of people

02:08 that get together to discuss their interests.

02:10 Included in this would be creating your own association.

02:15 You can also become a guest expert on other blogs and networks.

02:19 Having a third party tell others that you're an expert will very quickly

02:24 build your authority.

02:26 Self-publishing a book or a video course is another option.

02:30 While it's certainly more credible to have a book or course that's published and

02:34 distributed by a major publisher, it's fairly simple for anyone to self-publish.

02:40 Next you can even become a talk and news radio guest.

02:44 This is actually much simpler than it seems as many of these shows are

02:48 continually looking for experts to interview and to share knowledge with theiraudience.

02:54 Next you could also have someone else publish and distribute your book or videocourse.

03:01 And then possibly become a columnist for a publication such as a newspaper or amagazine.

03:07 And continuing up to the top of the ladder is national or international press coverage.

03:15 The authority ladder that I've provided is designed to be a starting point for you.

03:20 You may have your own innovations to build authority. There is a space for you

03:24 at the bottom to list those ideas.

03:27 Find where you are right now on the ladder and consider what next steps you

03:33 could take to build your authority.

03:36 As you take that step, you'll continue your journey up the ladder.


Building a library

00:00 In the previous video, I discussed the authority ladder and how you can climb yourway up.

00:06 Let's talk about the elements of that ladder that deal with building your own library.

00:11 When I say your library, I don't mean books that you plan to read but instead

00:16 the materials that you will have built for other people to use.

00:21 By building your library of materials that you can send or perhaps even sell to

00:26 other people, you'll establish tangible evidence of your expertise.

00:31 There are three general ways in which you can build your own library.

00:35 They are articles, books, and videos.

00:39 Articles are short essays that you've created about a particular topic.

00:44 For simplicity, I'd include a short audio recordings and blog entries in this as well.

00:50 The best way to begin building your own library and helping other people make

00:54 decisions is by regularly writing an article.

00:58 You'll want to create a schedule and set aside some time at least twice a month

01:03 to create a new article.

01:05 Now some of you may think, "Dave, I'm not very good at sitting down and writing,









































01:05 Now some of you may think, "Dave, I'm not very good at sitting down and writing,

01:09 or it's very painful to me; it's not one of my talents."

01:12 The good news is there are easy ways to create articles for those of you who aremore verbal.

01:18 For instance, I can use a good quality audio recorder and dictate my thoughts on

01:24 an item and have someone else transcribe them or use dictation software instead.

01:30 Whichever way you choose, be sure to edit the transcription after it's complete.

01:35 By writing a string of short articles, you actually make it easier to create

01:40 your next item in the library, which is a book.

01:43 The more you get comfortable with writing and creating short articles, the

01:48 easier it will be for you to create a book.

01:51 The book can be an assembly of all the things that you've created up to this

01:55 point, or it can be something that delves more deeply into a popular topic.

02:01 Let's say I'm talented in creating cartoon characters.

02:05 I may start by writing articles; sharing some of the cartoon characters that I'mmaking.

02:11 Then I might compile all of those writings into a comprehensive book about how

02:16 to create cartoon characters.

02:18 As long as you have a good amount of material that can be packaged as a book,

02:23 you're ready to be an author.

02:25 There's no hard rule about how long a book needs to be or even what format it

02:31 should be delivered in. You're only limited by your creativity. And that leads us

02:36 to the third item that you can include in your library, which is video.

02:41 Video is becoming more widely accepted as a medium for teaching people, and it's

02:47 becoming more affordable for anyone to get started.

02:51 There are many resources here on lynda.com that can teach you how to create

02:56 videos of professional quality, even with limited resources.

03:00 You don't necessarily need to be in front of a camera like I am now to create videos.

03:06 Using the example of our cartoon expert, you could have videos that shoot over

03:11 your shoulder as you draw pictures, or perhaps even capture the screen if you're

03:16 using digital illustration.

03:18 If you can bring your expertise to life in a video, people will hear your

03:24 voice and see your work in action, and they will become more familiar with yourexpertise.

03:31 In summary, every public authority in some way has built their own library;

03:36 you can begin building yours today.

03:39 All it takes is your first article.

03:43

Collapse this transcript

Building an online network

00:00 Now let's talk about how you can build an online network.

00:04 In becoming an authority, it's certainly nice to be invited by other people to

00:08 speak as a guest expert.

00:10 Imagine though if you were the one inviting experts to speak to the group you lead.

00:16 That's exactly what I'm talking about when I suggest that you create your











































00:16 That's exactly what I'm talking about when I suggest that you create your

00:20 own online network.

00:22 Before I go through some of the concepts behind this, here is a caution.

00:26 If you're working for a company you want to be very careful not to violate

00:30 any company policy.

00:32 When I talk about building a social network, I am referring to building your

00:37 perceived authority by becoming the leader of other leaders.

00:42 Let's say that I'm an expert in organic gardening, or least I want to become anexpert.

00:48 I can go onto a social networking site such as Facebook and create a group for

00:54 organic gardening enthusiasts.

00:56 I might even get more specific, such as creating a group for organic gardening in

01:01 Phoenix, which would focus it geographically, or organic gardening on the patio,

01:08 which would focus on a target market.

01:11 The more focused you can get your message the easier it will be to build yourauthority.

01:16 I can then invite other people who are already perceived experts in this

01:21 topic to join the group.

01:23 I can invite them to share their articles and their blog posts on the site.

01:29 By doing this, I become the curator of information and a gatekeeper of sorts,

01:35 because I'm the one inviting people, and I'm the one commenting on their posts,

01:40 I immediately build my authority because I'm associating with other experts.

01:47 This is a very quick and simple way to position yourself as a decision leader.

01:52 This technique of creating a topical group online is usually much more effective

01:58 than creating a group about you.

02:01 Unless you've already had a lot of publicity and attention, most people don't

02:06 know you well enough to seek or follow a group about you.

02:10 Yet that's not to say that you don't have valuable things to offer; it just

02:15 means you haven't built enough authority yet to have a following.

02:19 Create a group about a topic that already has a following and get people

02:25 to follow that group.

02:27 Then you put yourself as the leader of that group and begin sharing items from

02:32 your library with the group over time.

02:35 The beautiful thing about this is that thanks to improvements in social media,

02:40 it's simple for anyone to do.

02:43 So take a moment right now to decide what kind of group you want to create, then

02:49 set aside time in your calendar to begin the process.


Building an offline network

00:00 In my course on building professional connections, I talked about how valuable

00:04 networking groups and associations can be in helping you become invaluable.

00:09 These groups can be especially helpful in building your authority, particularly

00:14 if you're the person who creates and leads those groups.











































00:18 The same principles in building an online network apply offline, in the real world.

00:23 Once you've decided on your area of expertise and you've created the online

00:27 network that you want to build, then you can create an offline group.

00:32 I recommend building the group locally as that's the easiest to get people to attend.

00:38 Begin small. Don't feel like you need to have 50, 100, or even 10 people to begin.

00:44 If you start with just three or four interested people, you have the nucleus to form agroup.

00:51 Think of it like an association, regardless of what you want to call it. Any

00:55 association you've seen, such as the Association of Accountants or Homebuilders,

01:01 all began with just a few people getting together to discuss common interests.

01:06 For instance, suppose I create an association of ski instructors in my area. I

01:12 would invite all the ski instructors in the state to join the association to

01:16 get together to discuss how to become better ski instructors or how to grow ourbusinesses.

01:21 I might even take those relationships that I'm building offline and connect them

01:26 to my online association.

01:28 If it's not possible to meet together physically, you can meet through telephone

01:32 conferencing or even web conference.

01:35 As you get people talking with each other to build connections, it also serves

01:40 you in building your authority because you can be the president.

01:44 Even if someone else becomes the president later, you'll always be the founder,

01:48 which is one more feather in your authority cap.

01:52 It's very possible that the type of group that you want to form already exists.

01:57 In this case, you have a couple of options. First, you can try to create a more

02:02 targeted version of that group.

02:04 For instance, I might try to create a group that focuses in a suburb of larger

02:09 city or that specializes in a more narrow topic.

02:12 So using my example I might focus on high-altitude ski instructors in Aspen.

02:19 The other option is to join the existing association and commit to becoming a

02:25 part of its leadership.

02:27 You'll do this by regularly being involved in volunteering time to help them

02:31 grow, with the intention that over time you'll earn a leadership position

02:36 within the association.

02:37 There is no right or wrong way to do this. The goal is to build your credibility

02:43 and your authority by either creating or actively participating in groups that

02:48 are related to your area of expertise.

02:51 It's another important step on the authority ladder.


Gaining personal publicity

00:00 Recognition and coverage in the press can be very helpful when building your

00:05 reputation as an authority and a decision leader, not only will it give you

00:09 exposure to people who are interested in your expertise but it becomes a resumebuilder.










































00:15 In this video, I'll discuss just two ways you can begin getting publicity.

00:20 Let's talk about becoming a guest expert on other blogs and networks.

00:25 This involves finding people who are already discussing issues related to your

00:29 expertise or who are speaking to your market.

00:33 For instance, if I'm an expert in parenting techniques that nurture

00:37 children, becoming a guest expert on blogs for parents is a great outlet for me.

00:43 You start by approaching these bloggers and asking them if they ever interview

00:48 experts or have guest posts on their blog.

00:51 This also works with company or association newsletters.

00:55 You can be a guest author for an article on your area of expertise.

00:59 I've found from experience that these sources are much more likely to bring you

01:03 on as an expert if you've already been actively participating with them for some time.

01:09 If they can see that you're already a supporter and participating, they are

01:13 going to be much more likely to want to help you than someone who has not

01:18 been involved at all.

01:19 If you have something from your authority library that you can send them,

01:24 they'll also be more likely to invite you as a guest because they'll see that

01:28 you already have a body of work.

01:31 Moving up the ladder, being a talk or news radio guest is an option

01:36 especially locally.

01:38 I can tell you from having grown up around the radio industry, the talk and news

01:43 stations have a lot of time that they need to fill in their schedule and they

01:47 are actively looking for good guests.

01:50 The key is having a message that is relevant and interesting to their audience.

01:55 These shows are not interested in promoting you, although they're often very

02:00 willing to do so if you provide a meaningful interview.

02:04 What they do want is to entertain, educate, and inspire their audience.

02:09 A great place to begin is to research online who a particular show's producer is

02:15 and then approach that producer on what you have to offer.

02:19 You'll do this with what's called a hook.

02:22 A hook is something that's controversial or exciting to a potential radio listener.

02:27 If I'm an expert in parenting techniques that nurture, my hook might be the top

02:32 five mistakes parents make or how to handle temper tantrums.

02:38 These are just two ways that almost anyone can begin to get some publicity.

02:44 By being creative, you'll find many other outlets for presenting your message to

02:48 groups of people, who will be interested in learning from you.

02:52 Just keep this rule in mind, publications, blogs, radio shows, or any kind of

02:58 publicity source exists to serve their audience.

03:02 If you can show them how you can make their job easier and serve their audience,

03:07 they'll be interested in you.

03:09 Then they can become a partner in helping you build your authority and

03:14 becoming invaluable.













































Get tips, latest courses, and new features. Follow us

Be the first to hear.

more info


Conclusion

Final thoughts

00:00 Thank you for investing your time in this course on making yourself invaluable

00:05 by becoming a leading authority.

00:07 Remember your goal is not to become a celebrity, but instead to build your value

00:12 by becoming a recognized leader in your area of expertise.

00:17 Also keep in mind that authority is perhaps the greatest multiplier of your marketvalue.

00:24 Although the process may take years if you can commit to it, it will pay big

00:29 dividends to your career in the long run.

00:31 This is a marathon, not a sprint.

00:34 The easiest place to start is within the company that you are working for right now.

00:39 As you build your authority there, you can began reaching out to the

00:44 general public and increasing your market value by becoming perceived as adecision leader.

00:50 No matter where you are in the process there's likely to be one step higher

00:55 that you can take up the authority ladder.

00:58 Take that step and you can see significant progress toward becoming invaluable.


Invaluable: BuildingProfessional Connections(51m 44s)Dave Crenshaw

Invaluable: Making YourselfIrreplaceable (47m 33s)Dave Crenshaw

Invaluable: Unlocking YourAbilities (57m 27s)Dave Crenshaw

Invaluable: Developing YourBusiness Savvy (53m 59s)Dave Crenshaw

Suggested courses to watch next:

What would you like to learn?

your email address submit

https://plus.google.com/b/105357980333624323692/105357980333624323692/

http://twitter.com/lyndadotcom/

http://www.linkedin.com/companies/lynda.com

http://www.facebook.com/lyndadotcom

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Becoming-Leading-Authority/88535-2/transcript#email-content

















http://www.lynda.com/Business-Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Building-Professional-Connections/88537-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Business-Skills-tutorials/Invaluable-Making-Yourself-Irreplaceable/88536-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Business-tutorials/Invaluable-Unlocking-Your-Abilities/88023-2.html

http://www.lynda.com/Business-Business-Skills-training/Invaluable-Developing-Your-Business-Savvy/88538-2.html



Site map Become a reseller Affiliate program Privacy policy Terms and conditions site feedback

http://www.lynda.com/sitemap

http://www.lynda.com/solutions/resellers.aspx

https://www.lynda.com/partners/affiliates.aspx

http://www.lynda.com/aboutus/otl-privacy.aspx

http://www.lynda.com/aboutus/lotterms.aspx

http://www.lynda.com/user/feedback/modal

invaluable becoming a leading authority

Documents