The Keys to Success: Performance, Image, Exposure

 Take a moment and ask yourself what matters most to your career advancement. What percentage value would you place on each part of the P.I.E. – performance, image, and exposure. When I did this activity at a recent conference, I said that for me personally, 60% was performance, 30% image, and 10% exposure. This is what has been true of my career advancement thus far. I have worked really hard and a few people have taken notice. I have been aware of my image, always dressing for the job I want, not the one I have. Admittedly, I’ve been a bit oblivious to the exposure factor.

The speaker at the conference challenged the audience to think of what matters most in pretty much the exact opposite manner. She said that 60% should be exposure, 30% image, and 10% performance. Essentially, the performance part is assumed. The rest is what matters most. I can 100% see that this is how the work world operates. In fact, I went out the next weekend and bought some more suits and scheduled a lunch with a mover and shaker.

But doesn’t the Bible say to work as unto the Lord – to work with the strength that God supplies (clearly valuing the performance part). Don’t we learn that whoever exalts himself will be abased. Aren’t we to humble ourselves in sight of the Lord and He will lift us up?

I know that we are not meant to be doormats in the workplace. I get that. But the idea of self promotion seems suspicious. Won’t the Lord ‘cut off the tongue that speaks proud things.’ Or is it not self-promotion if someone else is doing the promoting for us?

I get that the P.I.E. thing is reality. We need a good image; we need to be in front of the right people. We need people who will advocate for us. And I don’t see that this is unbiblical. I guess I’m struggling with how we get there in a biblical way. What are some of the integrity-leaching pitfalls to be avoided? Is career advancement the wrong goal? I doubt it. We are designed to have a vision and passions that mean that we will grow in our careers. Am I over thinking this and it just is what it is?

Any thoughts out there in the blogosphere?