The Formula for a Career Hot Streak

Witnessing an athlete's hot streak is very exciting.  Are hot streaks exclusive to athletes?  Nope.  A group of researchers at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management recently published their findings on hot streaks, based on their study of over 30,000 professionals including artists, film directors and scientists.  The main findings were that hot streaks last four to five years and some people have more than one hot streak.  Hot streaks can occur at any point in a career. 

How can I get on a hot streak?  As the famous golfer Arnold Palmer is often quoted as saying, “The more I practice, the luckier I get.”  In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell wrote that for  creative professionals “ten thousand hours is the magic number of greatness."  Both of these quotes relate success with practice.  If practice really does make perfect, you need to get practicing.  

How can I practice in the business world?  Well, first of all, you have to show up.  And when you do show up, you have to put in the hours, sign up for new assignments, and stretch yourself a bit.  Put your hand up when a difficult yet interesting project comes up.  Show up for a meeting prepared and ready to present your opinions and information.  And if a great opportunity comes along, whether you think you are completely ready for it or not, put yourself in line for it.  

Put in the Time:  I do believe that to get ahead you have to put in the work.  The harder I work, the luckier I've always gotten.  Putting in the time, you are building your career "muscle memory" to be agile when it is needed.  By putting in the time, you will have the knowledge and ability you will need when the time comes to use it. 

Not Simply Doing the Work:  While hard work can result in job security, you also need to work smarter not just harder.  Being strategic where you invest your time and effort is as important or perhaps more important than how hard you work.  Don't try to be the best at completing the same work the same way every time.  Figure out new things that need to be done, solve problems your company is facing and create efficiencies wherever you can.  

Find a Mentor:  Identify people you interact with at work and in your profession that you admire and respect.  Asking to be that person's protege may seem awkward, but it never hurts to ask.  Put yourself out there and do it.  This includes showing up at work, doing the work, and taking the time to build relationships with potential mentors.  Great mentors will have excellent advice on how to find greater career success.

Keep Learning:  To be successful and promote yourself, you have to keep learning.  Get up in the morning and make sure you are up on the current events.  Read industry publications to know what’s going on in your industry and gain insight to find solutions and make strategic decisions.  Interact with successful people and learn from them.  Often, industry leaders are profiled online or in local publications.  Read their interviews and see what you can glean for use in your own career.  If something really strikes you from something you see, reach out to that leader.  They may just invite you in for a meeting. 

Say Yes:  If you are given an opportunity to attend a new seminar, take a class, or meet an influential person, say yes.  Raise your hand high and volunteer.  You may just find yourself in the right place at the right time to further your career. 

Ignite Your Own Hot Streak:  While it will take hard work and sticking your neck out from time to time, career advancement is personally and financially rewarding.  Doing the work and being strategic can lead you to your own hot streak.  I'm hoping it will be the first of many.  

Why I Chose to Focus on the Wine Industry: Life of a Wine Recruiter

Last night my husband and I had a wonderful evening at Tra Vigne in St. Helena at the Wine Spectator's Bring Your Own Magnum party. The staff at Wine Spectator pulled out all the stops to host a wonderful party with great food, shared wines and dancing.

As a newbie to the event, I didn't know what to expect. Driving up to the event we saw the big tents and scores of people walking in--most with a magnum slung under their arms. Searching for parking up and down the area, we finally made our way to the event. Seeing lots of familar faces, we waded through the sea of people to stop in at the appettizer tables, to grab a taste of various wines at the pouring tables, to eat a great dinner and to dance the night away.

Sitting down with some industry greats, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful evening meeting winery owners, converts to the way of the vine, and the talent that makes exceptional wine. Talking with some veterans brought home to me why I decided to focus on the wine world.

In my past life I worked with all types of technical companies; pharmaceutical, biotechnology, engineering, semiconductor, software design, website development, aerospace, hospitals and of course wineries. I enjoyed interacting with all of the industries, but always felt that winery personnel were much more personable. Sales calls were never high pressured meetings, but conversations where we got to know each other. Topics ranged from the personnel they needed to travel, food, art and countless other topics. My personal life was not an issue with winery insiders, but just another facet of me. Meetings were chances to catch up on business and each other's lives.

Another big reason I chose the wine world was that the clients I enjoyed working with the most also had a true passion for what they were doing. This included the young lab technician who wanted to find out as much as she could about how wine was made, all the way to the self made millionaire who spoke eloquently about his choice to start up a winery and the enjoyment he took in the hard work that is required to make great wine.

And although it gets blurred in the romance of wine--wine is an agricultural product, tightly tied to how the season shapes up and how the fruit is handled through the production process. For this reason most winery personnel have a close relation to the growing cycle, making them very "down to earth". They don't get caught up on small things, but are looking at the bigger picture. If this year doesn't shape up the way they want, there's always hope for next year. And vice versa, if this year was exceptional, most times they realize their luck and prepare for potential problems next year.

Working with these professionals makes my business a pleasure, and one I will stay in forever.

Luck and Coincidence

I believe in luck. I also believe in golfing great Ben Hogan's famous quote that "the more I practice, the luckier I am".

Luck comes to those who are ready for it, and possibly to optimists who can see positive results in almost anything. I am guilty on both counts!

Throughout the years I've stumbled upon plenty of lucky situations. From my first job out of college where the company owner had gone to my alma mater and also lived in the same southern town where I briefly lived, to my recent encounter with a talented winemaker, these connections would only have happened if I had been getting the word out about myself and my company.

Put yourself in a position where you can see opportunity (or luck) when it arises. If an old colleague calls up for lunch, go. If a new customer calls to explore your company's wines, invite them in. Take a chance and answer that knock of opportunity. You may be surprised what doors might open.