How to be a success of EVERYTHING! (Part 1)

Whether it’s a better job, body or relationship you’ve set your sights on for 2012, our celebrity experts are here to teach you the skills you need to achieve it

Steps to boost your career
by Ultimo lingerie multi-millionaire Michelle Mone

1.   See your goal

Hoping to be the next Mary Portas Karren Brady? Give yourself a daily reminder. ‘Growing up, I had a picture of Richard Branson above my bed!’ says Michelle Mone, who founded lingerie company Ultimo in 1996 and is now a multi-millionaire. ‘It was the last thing I’d see before going to sleep and the first thing I saw when I woke up – and that’s a great motivator.’ Stick a picture in your dairy of someone whose career you’d like to emulate. Or, if you want a promotion to get on the property ladder, stick a photo of your dream house on your PC.

2.   Find your inner ‘miss motivator’

‘I keep a book in my bag where I write everything I want to achieve both personally and professionally every single day,’ says Michelle. ‘It’s broken down from a yearly plan, to a monthly plan, to the daily tasks that can make that goal a reality. People say, “I’m not successful because of her or him or that situation,” but, ultimately, ‘you’re not successful because of yourself.’ Strong words, but true. It’s no use dreaming of landing that promotion if you haven’t worked out how. Write your end goal on a piece of paper, then brainstorm what skills you need to get there, how to get them and a deadline. Before you know it you’ll have created your five-year plan!

3.   Know your weaknesses

You get asked what they are in every interview, so pinpoint and fix them. ‘I’m very impatient,’ confesses Michelle. ‘I used to get frustrated when people didn’t go at my pace, but my solution was to always ask for a deadline, because although in my mind urgent means an hour, to someone else it means a month. Then, before the deadline, I’d phone and say, ‘Remember your deadline is tomorrow’. I got the nickname “Jack Russell” because once I’d got hold of an idea, I’d never let it go. ‘If you’re not sure what your weaknesses are, ask a colleague what they think you could brush up on – and do it.

4.   Turn rejection into opportunity

However hard we work, there’ll always be bumps in the career road but the mark of a true winner is turning those rejections into opportunities. ‘When I was made redundant, I felt like my life had ended, but it proves that when one door closes you have to find a better door to open. For me, I went out wearing an uncomfortable bra and saw a gap in the market for a cleavage-enhancing bra that felt as good as it looked.’ We won’t all come up with multi-million pound inventions but we can use the same principles. If you miss out on a job, ask for interview feedback and act on it – take a course, get more experience or book a confidence-building workshop.

5.   Always stay one step ahead

You got great feedback in your appraisal but that doesn’t mean you can put your feet up. Career success is a journey, not a pit-stop. ‘One of the things that put Ultimo on the map was Julia Roberts wearing our bras in Erin Brockovich,’ says Michelle. ‘It happened because I’d hounded agents!’ Think about opportunities for your business and keep an eye on what your competitors are doing so you can stay one step ahead.

6.   Turn ‘problems’ into ‘challenges’

‘Calling something a problem is negative, but presenting it as a challenge – along with a solution – is empowering,’ says Michelle. When things go belly-up, take a deep breath and an objective look at the situation so you can find a solution. If you’re flummoxed, seek out the advice of someone in your company you respect and get some advice from them. Only bother your manager once you’ve got a plan.