David Helkowski’s Post

About a decade ago, Pradeepta Dash and I worked with a great team to create LinkedIn Messaging. It’s hard to believe now, but back then, real-time communication was still a novelty at work, and some argued whether it’d ever have a place next to email. In many ways, LinkedIn’s core business was built upon that stuffy, old InMail style of communication. We thought it should be different, and took the risks to completely transform it. Now, it’s arguably one of the biggest drivers for professional engagement and communication. Fast forward from those 0-1 days, and Pradeepta and I are joining forces again, founding Exceeds to challenge conventions and tackle more big problems in the workplace. We’ve witnessed the increased pressure on managers to eke out more impact from their teams. The “year of efficiency” is enduring. AI and margin pressure are increasing expectations to do more with less. Individuals are carrying a larger burden, often with less guidance and support than ever. Navigating your professional journey can be a lonely path without guidance, coaching and advocacy. It’s time to retire the old models of coaching, performance reviews and helicopter management. Capturing extensive 1:1 notes that go unread, writing lengthy reviews to prove your worth, and peanut-buttering your management time across a large team are all symptoms of a broken system. We believe there’s a better way to help managers and individuals have bigger impact without the anxiety and overhead that companies spend today in performance processes and manager check-ins. By analyzing a team’s work and interactions, we can generate powerful insights in a company. Leveraging those insights with AI will transform the way people are coached and managed and give individuals more direct control of their growth. All of this at a fraction of the time and cost that’s typically being wasted today. Thanks to the support of a lot of amazing angel investors and our first customers, we’re hard at work at bringing this vision to life. We’ll have more to share in upcoming posts, and thank you for supporting us on our mission. P.S. "Exceeds" is a hat tip to everyone who navigates their company performance processes, trying to nab that "Exceeds Expectations" rating. Everyone deserves an "Exceeds."

At Empower, we believe the foundation of success begins the moment we welcome a new Associate. It's more than just a hello; it's about setting them up for a winning streak. In the first few weeks, our focus is twofold: 1. Mastery of the technology and automation tools at their disposal. 2. Crafting a bulletproof, go-to-market plan that's as unique as their potential. We kick things off by targeting what matters – the candidate. Our Associates launch finely-tuned, automated campaigns aimed at specific skill sets, industries, and regions to round up the best talent out there. But here's where it gets really interesting: When you know who's been peeking at your emails or who's curious enough to click your links, you've struck gold. With those insights, our Associates can smartly prioritize their efforts, reaching out with warm calls to clients who've shown that spark of interest but haven't made the first move. This strategy isn't just about making calls; it's about making connections that count. It's a prime example of how we harness technology, interpret data, and transform lukewarm leads into hot opportunities. That's the Empower edge – warming up conversations and multiplying our chances of winning. If you’re interested in being part of a team that empowers you with the tools, data, and strategies you need to succeed, please reach out to me.

When I set off ‘on my own’ in 2015, I committed to myself to send an annual update on Linkedin each year. When I look back, I actually managed to do just 3 updates and my last one was in November 2018, which sounds much longer ago than it feels…. So what are some of the things I have learnt in the last 5 and a bit years since my last post? 1.       Peaks and troughs - Having worked on my own now for almost 9 years, I’m better at not panicking in the quieter periods, but it still takes a conscious effort not to panic.  So I think that is a positive? 2.       Things seem to take a little bit longer than they used to – I think that’s probably a function of a seemingly ever increasing compliance environment. It is also clear from my experience that some clients have not adapted as efficiently to remote working as others 3.       Long standing clients – I often work with businesses who I have worked with on and off for a number of years or even continually for a number of years. We have typically circumnavigated a challenging period and are now looking at future strategic options. It’s great working with people over a long period and gaining a deeper relationship – but the benefit of my involvement is to actively challenge management and it's important to keep self analysing to make sure I am still delivering that 4.       New clients – I still get the initial meet/day one nerves and one of the hardest aspects of my role is regularly going through the process with different management teams of being trusted/accepted. I think I’ve become better at identifying the agendas, the conflicts and the power bases that exist in every organisation and managing those dynamics 5.       Adaptability – I’ve recognised with experience that my approach has to be flexible to the situation and personalities involved. Like a half time team talk, sometimes the client just wants to be told what to do, others prefer to be taken on a journey… Communication is key and I definitely have more open and direct conversations than I was having 5 years ago Hopefully I’ll get another post out before 2030.

Unlocking the Power of Engagement: What Happens When We Pause Likes & Comments on LinkedIn? Ever wondered if your LinkedIn posts only aim to impress or if they truly make a difference? The truth could lie in the ripple effect on the posts created? While each post is an opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, by expanding our network and fostering meaningful relationships, the need to strategically balance our LinkedIn engagement is key. We also need to remember, quality beats quantity, and thoughtful interactions always leave a lasting impression, do you agree? Share your thoughts please. Hey everyone, I post from work related to some casual #content and if you would like to #connect with me, please feel free to send me a request and would love to have you in my LI network fold.   Please press the🔔to be notified of my next post and let’s connect and grow together towards a more balanced and productive platform, do feel free to engage with my contents by liking, sharing or commenting.   As a #trainingprovider, it is ensuring that you can apply what you learn by providing the correct #trainingprogram, #solutionsandservices and to engage for better #skillsets development towards #organizationaldevelopment and #continuousimprovement.   For trainings solutions 📧us at: [email protected] #LinkedInImpact #ProfessionalInfluence #ThoughtLeadership #Networking #KnowledgeSharing #CareerGrowth #SocialMediaStrategy #DigitalProfessional #Collaboration #OnlinePresence #LinkedInTips #CareerDevelopment #ProfessionalCommunity #DigitalInfluence #TuesdayTransformation #LikeShareFollow

Ever feel like you’ve slammed into a brick wall? Every marketer of every discipline feels that way at some point. You feel tapped out emotionally and creatively. That’s okay! You can get back into the groove, but you can’t keep doing the same thing you were before. You have to shake things up. Here are four steps to get your content, campaigns, or simply your inspiration back. 1️⃣ Talk to your customers - Even if you are not customer-facing, try and get in front of them and find out more about them. If you simply cannot find your way in front of them or if it's company policy that certain team members are not customer-facing, talk to multiple members of your Sales team to find out how your customers are feeling. 2️⃣ Set up monthly check-ins with your Customer Success Team - This cannot be more important. Your CS team is hearing from customers and clients day in and day out, both the good and the bad. Check-in with them to find out what content can be developed proactively to solve issues or how the product is being leveraged day-to-day. 3️⃣ Reach out to your leaders - Go as high as you can up the chain. Ask for 10-15 minutes of their time so you can learn where they feel the team or campaigns could go. This helps cut out the broken telephone of ideas and if you can get in front of a senior leader or founder of the company you will get a splash of that passionate energy for your company mission that will keep you going. 4️⃣ Speak with people outside of your company and industry - Find a community of marketers or communicators who are going through the same thing you are and share ideas, perspectives, and a little support. It can be easy to put the blinders on and think your sector is unique but there are a lot of common challenges and opportunities across industries. Creating a regular cycle to try and implement all four of these steps is a big step. It can also be a time commitment. A commitment worth making in your work and your career. If you noticed these are four types of internal and external networking. Harness that for your work and your career. Are there any ideas I might be missing? I would love to hear them! Happy brainstorming! 

$1,000 LinkedIn Engagement Strategy A collaboration post with my friend Arpit Sharma Swipe to learn more! P.S. Repost to share with your network ♻️. And follow Sitanshu Srivastav for more content like this.

Fantastic news! Your business is on the rise, and you've made the exciting decision to bring in some extra help—whether it's a VA, a social media manager, or an OBM. But now you're probably wondering, where do I even begin? Before you dive into the search for the perfect team member, it's crucial to have a crystal-clear vision of what you're looking for. So, here are some thoughtful questions to kickstart your journey: 🚀 What Is the Specific Role and Scope of Work? It's a good start to know you need assistance, but let's dig deeper. Get laser-focused on what you want your new team member to contribute and what tasks are off-limits. 🚀 What Skills and Qualifications Are Required? Identify both the practical skills you need, like industry knowledge and familiarity with your business tools, and the softer skills that align with your brand's mission. 🚀 What Onboarding Materials and Resources Do I Need to Prepare? Especially in the virtual business world, preparation is key. Take time to organize resources, not only for your new recruit but also for yourself. Think about the essential information they'll need to hit the ground running. 🚀 What Communication Channels Will Be Used? Define your communication channels upfront. Consider which tools you'll use for quick questions, task assignments, and more extended discussions. Whether it's Slack, project management software, or good old email, clarity is key. As you embark on this journey of growth, these questions will pave the way for a smooth onboarding process, aligning your new team member with your business vision and ensuring a successful partnership. #SmallBusinessGrowth #OnboardingProcess #HiringTeamMembers #BusinessExpansion #EntrepreneurJourney

“How do you manage up?” I very clearly remember that was an interview question I answered a long time ago. And I may have stumbled my way through the answer or I was confident in my response. Don’t remember. Doesn’t matter now. Because I got the job. And I’m still in that job. And I still think about that question regularly. How do I manage up? Very often, people think a management role is only about managing the people who report to you. And that’s a piece of it. Another piece of it is managing your boss. My tips for managing up are: 💡 Know their challenges and goals. 💡 Cultivate and build a good working relationship. 💡 Learn how they want to communicate. 💡 Provide feedback that is open and honest. 💡 Give grace. I’ve been asked recently on more than one occasion by several people how they should communicate an important topic with the President of their company. The topic is marketing data and they wanted the President to understand the opportunities by tapping into this resource. My first question is “What matters to your President?” The vast majority of company presidents are concerned about business profits. So I encourage these marketers to approach their conversation focusing on how utilizing marketing data will increase revenue and profits. Good marketers know using data to make better business decisions will increase profits. However, we often want to jump to the “how” of a conversation instead of the “why”. And when you need your manager (or President) to be bought into this idea you must start with THEIR why. Get them excited and interested in the thing that is going to solve their challenges and help them meet their goals. Because they’ll ask great questions (a lot of times from angles you may not have thought of), they’ll want to see this initiative come to fruition, and they’ll see you as an ideal team member because you are looking out for the business like they look out for the business. #marketing #leadership #manageup I’m doing a 5 part series on tips for managing up. This is the first one and I’ll cover my other tips in upcoming Linkedin posts. If these resonate with you: 👍 Like it 📣 Comment on how you manage up or … ❤️ Repost to share the knowledge and love

Standard VP post template you can use to appear to be a great leader on LinkedIn. Make sure to write single sentences in a paragraph — it's more gruesome to read. Here's how it goes: Today, I faced a big problem with our [insert problem here]! It was concerning since most of the employees were unhappy because of the problem. It gravely lowered their morales. As a leader, I had to find a solution. I knew the solution in my head, but instead of imposing it on the employees, I decided to get the entire team to leave whatever they were doing to get on a call. Here's a little back story: A few months ago, we implemented [insert change here] in our [insert process]. We thought [solution that some old white dude in senior management, based on a hunch, thought would be transformative] would magically transform our business and draw flies to a sweet shop on a busy Indian street. However, the outcome wasn't anywhere close to expected. On the contrary, our employees were frustrated with the extra steps they had to implement. It added unnecessary delays Fast forward to today, as soon as all employees got on a call, I did not ask them to implement a new solution [that I had come up with based on another hunch and not backed by data]. I instead asked them for their thoughts [dear god forgive me for giving employees an option to share their thoughts against my will]. I slid in the solution while they were bickering, and then everyone got so happy that they started jumping. One dude even broke his chair out of euphoria. We then went out to drinks but on a video call which was basically BYOB. Drunk people are happy and forgetful, and the problem was averted till Monday. Thank god no one opposed my authority, or I would have had to follow it up with the HR. Moral: I was always right, I just had to show it to them.

Most Marketing teams lack productivity: - Teammates compete rather than collaborating - They have blurred objectives and unclear roadmaps - Their systems are not optimal, so they lose a lot of time No matter the hours they put in, they are still struggling. The team members are not responsible for this situation. It's the leadership's role to install the best conditions for productivity. Marketers get hired to do a job, not to build the entire company system. And a lack of productivity leads to conflicts: - "You need to bring results now" → Pressure from management - "I suppose I'll just do it myself " → Passive agressive behaviors - "Just do it my way, it's better" → Toxic collaboration They are pedaling on a broken bike, and it's tiring. Founder: How can I build an efficient marketing team? Me: - A team falls to the level of its systems - And systems are useless without strategy - But culture eats strategy for breakfast So here are the 3 levels you should work on to build a productive marketing team: 1. Company and Team Culture is the Foundation Build a company culture around strong values (honesty, feedback, kindness, ownership...). Then, hire people who match these values on a daily basis (not only on paper). Make sure that these rules are always respected and restrain toxic behaviors. 2. Strategic Alignment brings Clarity to Daily Work Don't let anyone in the team walk without a clear direction. Align the team on a strategic vision, objectives, brand guidelines, and roadmap. Create the frame they need to work confidently with a common incentive. 3. Systems Will Generate the Actual Results To turn skills and motivation (inputs) into performance and results (outputs), you need to build a machine. Create robust systems and team habits to organize the daily work. They will make the plan a reality. *** I've included in the graph enclosed a non exhaustive list of actions for each level. Follow me Pierre Herubel for daily marketing tips.