Life is a game but you must know the rules

By Ms. Jade Fulce (IMCOM)January 30, 2013

Harvey teaches IMCOM employees the unwritten rules
Installation Management Command headquarters employees attend leadership training presented by Harvey Coleman of Coleman Management Consultants on "Realizing Your Leadership Potential" at the IMCOM Academy Jan 24. (Photo by Jade Fulce, IMCOM Public A... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

SAN ANTONIO -- Life is a game and you should know the unwritten rules to help you be successful, management consultant Harvey Coleman told an audience of more than 40 U.S. Installation Management Command headquarters employees during a session on "Realizing Your Leadership Potential" at the Installation Management Academy Jan. 24.

Coleman, the president and founder of Coleman Management Consultants, Inc., is recognized both nationally and internationally as a public speaker, human resources consultant, and author. He wrote the book "Empowering Yourself: The Organizational Game Revealed."

This educational opportunity was open to all IMCOM employees as part of an effort to develop and grow leaders with a targeted focus on individuals in workforce development programs like the Headquarters Centralized Mentoring Program, the IMCOM Fellows program, and the IMCOM Intern program.

"Life is nothing more than learning and experiencing," Coleman told participants. "A lot of times, we get in a job and start to plateau. We come to work, do our job, and go home. We go through a period where maybe we are not concentrating on self-growth and learning new things.

"Life is a game and you should know the unwritten rules to help you be successful at work and in life", Coleman said. "People first should acknowledge there is a system and it can be navigated if people know the rules and how to play the game," he said.

Coleman explained the rules and gave suggestions on how to improve. There are three success factors: performance, image, and exposure (PIE), he added. Exposure is the most important and accounts for 60 percent of the circle, he said. Exposure is who you know, who knows you and your work.

Some ways to get more exposure is volunteer, get involved in the community, attend work-sponsored events, and be willing to try new things.

Image is what people think about you, Coleman said. You must look and act the part before you the get the part. Image is about your demeanor, your interactions with others, and your communication style. It accounts for 30 percent, he said.

Lastly, performance -- your skills and abilities -- weighs 10 percent, said Coleman.

Coleman said he hoped people left more confident that they could accomplish anything in the world that they want as long as they have the desire, know what they want to get out of their life and career.

"With the knowledge of the rules," Coleman said. "It is very easy to achieve those personal goals that you set for yourself."

Miguel Rosario, an IMCOM logistics specialist, said he is going to share the teachings from this course with his children because it is profound and will change their lives for the better.

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