Why I Want You To Go Play In Traffic

It’s the worst advice for children.

But it can be powerful counsel if you want to make your career a huge success, today, tomorrow or any other day. Follow this advice and see how your career thrives. 

I caught up with an acquaintance of mine, Paul K, a hugely talented, inspiring and successful entrepreneur who specialises in leadership work. I’d seen him just after I quit my big job and we chatted about my plans. I updated him on my progress on all the ‘shoe leather’ I’d been burning to connect and lift my profile – and how my advisory practice was booming. 

‘It’s no surprise,’ Paul Commented. ‘You’re doing something well that so many forget to do at their peril in their careers. You are…..’

STAYING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC. 

He was right of course, even though I hadn’t realised it at the time. But it all made perfect sense. 

In six months time I had given several speeches to the communications and advertising industry, had MC’d the biggest annual conference for agency leaders, had volunteered to and trained five separate groups of agency up and comers, had been on the judging panel of two big CMO awards, had written 10 blog posts in which I’d weaved in what my new business offers, put my hand up to be a presenter at Mumbrella’s SAGE session, done several media interviews on industry topics, and so the list goes on. 

Oh, and I had connected for coffee with 100 senior digital and communications industry leaders. 

In my career, I was staying front and centre of my industry. Smack bang, right in the middle of the thick of it. 

I was learning, sharpening, evolving, sharing and connecting on every level. I was acting bigger than I am (hard to do given my expanding waistline), and talking myself up. 

And powerful, kind people were putting their arms around me, pumping my tyres and helped me nudge more and more towards opportunity. And it worked! No plan or thought went into it at first, it was just this deep instinct to get out there and be everywhere. 

Becuase of that a raft of brilliant communications businesses approached me to help them drive growth. I didn’t approach them and my phone was ringing off the hook. 

I was already way ahead of my little plan and can now put more effort behind building my CEO communications consulting practice, and the inspiring speeches and training sessions I so love giving. At the same time, I was deeply engaged with talented, driven, entrepreneurial, ambitious communications agency leaders, all smart enough to know that the right savvy external counsel can help accelerate growth and they were generous enough to give me a go at delivering that advice. 

What is my point?

STAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC OF YOUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.

This won’t just happen by accident, though, you have to put in the effort. You need to show up, and often. You need to wear out the leather soles of your shoes. 

As someone once said to me at a breakfast meeting about a year ago:

“Keep on schlepping around.”

Want to meet the traffic head on and forge more connections and visibility for your career? We are always looking for great guest bloggers to share their insights with us. If this seems like you get in touch with marketing today.