Your Career Needs an Editor

I'm not talking about an editor in the traditional sense of someone who takes what you write and corrects your grammar or cuts a few sentences.

I'm talking about a capable outside observer who can edit you (not just what you write) for clarity and consistency. Are you acting in a manner that makes sense? From an external viewpoint, are you doing what the person inside of you intends to do?

Unless you are the world's most self-aware person, the answer is often no.

Almost everyone needs an editor, and I have two tips to share about finding and working with yours.

First, choose someone strong. Find a person who is willing to contradict your self-perceptions... but who also is impartial. Some people pay a coach or actual editor to perform this service, but you can also enlist a friend or colleague. Just make sure that your editor has the experience and skills to offer sound advice.

Personally, I use a number of editors... it depends on what I'm working on at the moment. Sometimes I enlist a CEO friend, and other times I ask my 20-something kids for advice. Long before an idea becomes tangible, I ask others for feedback. In many cases, their feedback is to take another path, and I usually listen.

Second, be vulnerable. The odds are you have your spiel down pretty well. But your "go-to" toolbox of how you position yourself, serve others, and go about your business can always be improved. Don't fall back on the same old stuff; this defeats the whole point of seeking out an editor.

It's possible that you are uncomfortable being vulnerable in a professional setting because you perceive this could threaten your livelihood. In fact, the opposite is true. Being vulnerable is not the same as being incompetent. To get better, you have to admit - and confront - those areas in which you need improvement.

By seeking outside guidance, you are embracing the concepts of aiming higher and being truer to your potential. From my perspective, that makes you a remarkable human being.