Career Derailment Only Takes a Moment
In Stop Sabotaging Your Career I define career derailment as any unexpected change in career momentum. Last week we witnessed how quickly a hard-earned career can derail with one thoughtless comment made by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Harvard professor, and Barack Obama advisor, Samantha Power. You may recall that during an interview Ms. Power called Hillary Clinton a “monster.” It’s not the comment I focus on today, but the career and credibility that was damaged because of an off-the-cuff remark. And this is often how derailment happens. You spend years building your reputation and watch it go up in smoke in a moment. To avoid the same fate as Ms. Power follow my maxim: Never make a presentation that you haven’t prepared for — and every time you open your mouth it’s a presentation. In other words, think once, think twice, think three times before you speak — especially if it’s with the media. A book I recommend to clients is You Are the Message by Roger Ailes.
TAGS: Barack Obama, career derailment, Communication Skills, roger ailes, samantha power
And I’ll add this, since it’s relevant to the Power affair and to our careers in general:
You are always on the record.
As a longtime journalist, I’ve allowed sources, particularly those who aren’t used to dealing with the media, to go “off the record” or talk on background (two different things, by the way). But it’s an agreement made in advance; I wouldn’t let a source, particularly one in a public position, get away with trying to impose an after-the-fact “that was off the record, by the way” on my reporting.
The same rules apply for careers: you shouldn’t assume that anything you say to anyone other than your nearest and dearest is truly off the record. The more rash or juicy the comment, the more likely it will come out.
Comment by Liz Weston — March 14, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
Great point, Liz. I think it’s important for us all to remember we are “always on the record.” Hadn’t thought of it like that but it’s true!
Comment by Dr. Lois Frankel — March 15, 2008 @ 12:41 pm