By David Harder on July, 27, 2019

How to Get the Greatest Recommendations!

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

Oprah Winfrey

In today’s workplace, accelerating change is increasing the need to draw healthy attention to our selves. Many of us have had inadequate training in how to do this. The game is to develop a bit of courage to learn and then to be artful in building the kinds of support systems and communities that bring success to our careers, our missions, visions, and purposes.

We used social networking to rebuild our company after the great recession. But, we found that social media platforms give very little information on how to build these communities quickly, effectively, and with a personal touch. By developing a step-by-step process, not only did we rebuild our company, we created one of our most popular learning programs.

As our participants develop their online brands, they commonly ask us how to get the kind of recommendations that will add credibility and interest to their profiles.

The answer is always the same. If you want great recommendations, give them. In fact, if you are having an off day, giving recommendations is one of the best ways to improve your mood. The best form of gratitude emerges when we serve others. When the recipient of your glowing endorsement reaches your connection, Linked in adds a note: “Why don’t you return the favor and give Karen a recommendation?”

Here are a few tips in writing a great recommendation:

Be Specific & Generous

When we give a general and often bland recommendation, that is what we will get in return.

“John is a good scientist,” is an example of bland.

Here’s a better version:

“Against tremendous odds, John developed a cellular breakthrough that will save the lives of countless cancer patients. His genuine enthusiasm, unwavering passion, and fairness towards others have attracted some of the world’s best talent. He rewards high performance by elevating the careers of his direct reports. John possesses two of the most important characteristics of a great leader: Brilliance and Humility.”

Tell the Truth

Readers have radar for inauthenticity. It is far better to write a short, truthful, and enthusiastic recommendation than padding the words with too many superlatives or characteristics that do not fit your connection.

There is a phenomenon on LinkedIn that represents the point. I have received hundreds of skill endorsements from people that I have never met.

Beyond Social Networking

Truly successful people praise others every single day. Tell them how much they are contributing to your life. Praise your children for good grades. Praise your spouse for standing beside you on good days and bad days. Call the teacher that changed your world.

Successful people graciously accept praise from others. They don’t say, “It was nothing.” All that tells the other person is to not do it again, to stop paying attention to you. It is anti-matter to success.

Are you too busy to do that? If so, take a moment to explore how that one omission could be impacting your career and your happiness.

In Summary

The number one reason people fail today is isolation. As accelerating change impacts every aspect of work, connectivity to the right people becomes more important every single day.

The number one reason we drag people away from the podium at award shows is they are thanking the very people who helped them get there.

My profile: www.linkedin.com/in/career2employeeengagement

Brought to you by David Harder, President – Inspired Work, Inc.

Schedule 15-Minutes to Discuss Your Workplace or Career with David (Here)