1. Do More with Less
• Miley Cyrus: more skin does not automatically equate to sexier. The same is true in business in that the longer a report is does not make it better. Art and sales take finesse and patience because your audience determines its success. Your customer is more likely to buy if you tell a story and take your time getting to the punch line.
2. Remember Your Roots
• Justin Timberlake: the connections you make early follow you. The nod to N*SYNC was admirable and I appreciate that Justin didn't steal the spotlight or burn bridges. Respect is something that is earned and therefore takes time. Therefore, be careful taking the next step in your career without looking back or reaching a hand back. Your friends and followers say more about you than any sparkly headline you wrote yourself.
3. Change takes time
• Lady Gaga: Be true to yourself because no matter how you dress it up, the inside is what counts. Four wig changes during a performance might seem extreme but changing your appearance didn't change you or the song. I think this is symbolic of how slow we actually change. Our character and social habits are just like a new fitness routine in which you don't see results for some time. It also makes me think of the quote "4 weeks for you to notice a difference, 8 weeks for your friends to notice, and 12 for the rest of the world!"

I was inspired this week by the title of a post called "Are you Acting Your Wage?" by the Daily Worth and it got me thinking about job titles and salaries. My title is "Technical Program Manager"; what in the world does that mean? What type of program? How big a program? How new a program? What part of the program do I manage? There are so many programs and program components, do you really know what I do based on just my title? Is the salary range really a good indicator to base your expectations? No and uh, no. So if you are looking for your next career move (internally or externally) how can you prove to people that you are worth the high end of that spectrum?

1. Dress up
• Most tech companies have a relaxed dress code with employees wearing jeans on more than just casual Fridays. But even if that is the case, take the advice I was given once and "dress for the job you want not the job you have". And take it a step further: dress up the other components of your image and improve the way you sit in meetings, your email signature, and the way you bring problems to your boss.
2. Elevator up
• When meeting people for the first time, you need to be able to rehearse a polished elevator pitch that clarifies who you are and what you do. Whether it is the CEO, a competitor, a customer, or an old classmate, you want to impress them all. The best way to elevate your job is to show results through numbers and a cause-and-effect equation. "I do X for program Y so that my company sees Z." Make sure you know what you'll say and don't get stuck tongue-tied; then you won't be worth much at all!
3. "Sheryl Sandberg" up (or Man up)
• Don't be afraid to get in people's faces about your efforts and goals. If you want a raise there are designated times they can happen and if you ask for it today I can bet you won't get it. You need to be in the running well before and so you need to speak up for yourself and advocate for your self worth. Ask to do more. Ask for feedback. Ask for the promotion. And if you're not convinced, maybe these stories will convince you.