Stop Toiling in Obscurity with Ann Holm Ann Holm and Joe Lynch discuss why you should stop toiling in obscurity. To build a successful career in the 21st century where most people will have dozens of different jobs, you must work smart and become known within your industry. Toiling in obscurity hoping to be noticed and rewarded for all your labor is not a healthy or smart approach for managing your career. About Ann Holm Ann C. Holm, MS, PCC, is a Professional Certified Coach specializing in executive, career, and sales coaching. In addition to being a certified Master practitioner of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, she offers the Type Coach online assessment, with a focus on personality as it relates to the process of generating leads, closing, and maintaining sales accounts. She also has 25 years of experience in applied brain science, using her hands-on experiences to help her coaching clients understand how to stay focused, be engaged, and energized given the demands of the 21st-century workplace. Ann has both a BA and an MS from the University of Michigan with focuses in psychology, brain science, and language. About Ann Holm’s Coaching Practice Ann helps individuals position themselves for success by increasing their self-awareness, which is a must-have skill in the 21st century. Through coaching and proven assessment tools, Ann helps people become aware of their personality, emotional intelligence, and how they manage their brain energy. She also helps her client to better understand their value proposition or personal brand. Areas of expertise include: personal self-awareness, sales coaching for logistics professionals, emotional intelligence, communication and influence, team building, MBTI Master Practitioner, extensive experience with the MBTI Step III, 360 Reach/Personal Branding, and applied brain science. Key Takeaways – Stop Toiling in Obscurity The Problem with Toiling in Obscurity The definition of toil is to work extremely hard, incessant labor, grinding without rest or peace. The definition of obscurity is the state of being unknown, inconspicuous, or unimportant. Obviously, no one wants to toil in obscurity, but if you are not proactive, you can find yourself being a doer and not a leader. Toiling in obscurity means you lack leadership, influence, and you are not recognized for your contributions. Some problems associated with toiling in obscurity: People sometimes struggle to step out of obscurity because moving into the light requires them to leave their comfort zone. Toilers often are not familiar or native to the social media tools that are useful for getting found. Many people in their 50’s and 60s’ did not grow up with social media so they do not use them. People living in obscurity sometimes do not fully understand their value proposition. Not realizing their value to the deal, they are hesitant to share their expertise. Many people who are flat out experts have a distorted view of themselves. They undervalue their expertise and experience in a field, which makes them hesitant to Sometimes individuals hold on to outdated thinking about their role. They perceive themselves as doers rather than as a leader or influencer. This behavior will not help you be discovered. You must choose yourself. Put Yourself Out There - Join the Conversation When you become more active with the logistics community via social media, content creation, and networking, you can become a thought leader with more influence and a network of trusted contacts. When you put yourself out there, you get the following benefits: Gain legitimacy Grow your network Recognize your value proposition Leave your comfort zone Increase your confidence How to Become Part of the Conversation – Put Yourself Out There Create a professional, high-quality LinkedIn profile with a nice headshot, headline, and list of accomplishments. Develop a network on LinkedIn and get to know the people your connected to. Participate in discussions, join s