By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

This week's microlearning subject is the final in a nine-part series from the book "How to be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed" by Robert E Kelley.

The ninth strategy is SHOW-AND-TELL.

Even if you are technically proficient, conveying your ideas is imperative to avoid the dismissal of  your ideas. You must influence your audience to trust you and your expertise. 

Star performers master the ability to deliver a message to a specific audience, to persuade listeners to accept the message, and are proactive in deflecting criticism. Stars also contact audience members ahead of presentations to evaluate expectations.

Rather than organizing the material meticulously, stars organize presentations around the audience. Stars use storytelling, rather than data sharing, because they know that good stories engage the listener. They use plots with turns, tension, resolved conflict, humor, and images to create...

By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

This week's microlearning subject is the eighth in a nine-part series from the book "How to be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed" by Robert E Kelley.

The eighth strategy is ORGANIZATIONAL SAVVY.

When organizational savvy is broken down into its various components, the magic and mystery disappear and it is apparent that this is a learnable skill. Some are shocked to discover, when seeking a promotion, there is a built-in bias against those with technical specialization. They are perceived as unable to maneuver effectively in a workplace.

How to master organizational savvy:

1. Master the core skills of taking initiative, taking criticism, and networking.
2. Understand ”underground” org charts and “trust maps” to determine actual power centers.
3. Pay attention to cultural etiquette, internal attitudes, workplace rules, and symbols that managers embrace.
4. Access detailed knowledge of the company...

By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

This week's microlearning subject is the seventh in a nine-part series from the book "How to be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed" by Robert E Kelley.

The seventh strategy is TEAMWORK.

Teamwork gets a lot of lip service but research shows that it's the least rewarded activity for a corporate worker. As such, stars limit their involvement in and maximize their use of time on teams. How can you replicate their behaviors?

• Ask yourself whether you're appropriate for the team, whether the team really needs you, your knowledge, your expertise, your point of view, to get the job done. Are you critical to its success? 
• Stars are selective about team commitments. Consider only those teams that are absolutely required for you to complete your work at a high level of productivity, that are necessary to build goodwill with your work colleagues, or that you want to join for personal reasons.
• What do you do when you have a...

By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

This week's microlearning subject is the sixth in a nine-part series from the book "How to be a Star Performer at Work: Nine Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed," by Robert E. Kelley. 

The sixth strategy is LEADERSHIP.

But not the leadership you might be thinking of. This leadership is the kind that comes without a title and exists in small, consistent behaviors that move the right needle forward on your career.

Coined as "Little L Leadership," this work style focuses on optional productive leadership in lieu of an imposed management-assigned structure.  This type of leadership is conferred voluntarily by your colleagues, who grow to respect for at least one of three areas: knowledge, people skills, and momentum. 

Knowledge is displayed as functional expertise, perspective expertise, or process expertise.

People skills are demonstrated by understanding coworker needs, skills, aspiration, ad power - plus singling them...

By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

This week's micro-learning subject is the fifth of a nine-part series from the book "How to Be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed" by Robert E. Kelley.

The fifth strategy is FOLLOWERSHIP.

Studies show that only 10% of organizational outcomes are attributable to leadership. That means a whopping 90% of outcomes are thanks to the followers. Star performers know how to capitalize on this metric and become star followers. In a leadership frenzy world, they learn to check their egos at the door and instead of leading, lead in "assists." Key aspects of followership for star performers include: Being proactive, being a fact finder, being an advice seeker, being a system player, being persuasive, being courageous, and being a follower. Watch the video to learn more about each of these tactics.

Want a deeper dive on this and other micro-learnings? Join the Inspired Success for Women private Facebook group. Be sure to...

By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

This week's micro-learning subject is the fourth of a nine-part series from the book "How to Be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed" by Robert E. Kelley.

The fourth strategy is PERSPECTIVE. Star performers develop well-rounded understanding of their field which leads to pattern recognition skills valued by colleagues and influencers. Stars beat out average workers by understanding these five perspectives:

• Colleagues. Stars solicit critical perspective to improve their work and enhance professional standing. 
• Customers. Stars work to understand what customer needs and motivations are even if they don't work closely with customers.
• Competitors. Stars often have intimate knowledge of the competitors products and can do a point by point comparison with their own product.
• Company Management. Stars know their bosses goals or vision.
• Creative Dissonance. Stars build multidisciplinary internal resumes and think...

By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

This week's micro-learning subject is the third of a nine-part series from the book "How to Be a Star at Work: 9 Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed" by Robert E. Kelley.

The third strategy is SELF MANAGEMENT. But not just any self-management, this is personallized method, productivity techniques, and work quality management. 

Here are  traits that star performers share. Star performers:

• Learn how to add value to the critical path (think capital in terms of growing profits or reducing losses) is for the organization.

• Choose work that allows them to leverage who they are, use their talents, get into flow, and experience job satisfaction.

• Review their personal productivity and devise ways to increase personal effectiveness and efficiency.

• Borrow innovative techniques and methods for better self management, observing work routines of others.

• Experiment with changes in their work routine to develop productive habits,...

The second strategy is NETWORKING. But not just any networking, this is how star performers uniquely manage their professional networking practice to reap great rewards. 

• View network knowledge as a privilege that must be earned, and traded, not as a public resource.
• Carefully cultivate network participants using connection and value as necessary groundwork.
• Include small courtesies and are the model of politeness when dealing with network sources. 
• Act as solid vouchers and reference pointers, sharing network connections.
• Prepare well, studying the applicable subject matter, summarizing...

By Sunday Tollefson, MBA, PMP® 

Is there a disagreement at work that is blocking project or initiative that matters to you? How can you facilitate a solution?

Conflict Resolution is a skill that not only solves problems; it also builds trust. This precious trust gives you a significant ability to influence others. When you can influence others, you can lead. All effective leaders are effective influencers. Let's get you leading by demonstrating your ability to influence!

Here are a few points you don't want to miss when resolving a conflict at work. 

• Have you missed any impacted or relevant stakeholders? 
• Have you built the parties' trust in your ability to help prior to agreeing to the resolution process? 
• Do the parties desire a resolution?
• Do the parties have a common goal?
• Have you set expectations for the resolution seeking process?
• Have you listened without judgement and restated positions to test for understanding?
• Have the parties brainstormed...