The Council - Workshop Executive Advantage 2025 - A Strategic Workshop on Professional Insurance, Branding, and Networking

A comprehensive guide to career contingency planning, personal branding, and strategic networking for executive success

Executive Summary

In today's volatile professional landscape, career success requires more than exceptional performance. This workshop brought together three industry experts to explore the strategic pillars of career resilience: contingency planning, professional branding, and networking excellence. The insights shared provide a practical playbook for executives navigating uncertainty while building sustainable career advantages.

Key Finding: Research demonstrates that job performance accounts for only smaller part of career success, while image and exposure are among the main the main factors. This reality demands a fundamental shift in how professionals approach career management—from reactive to proactive, from performance-focused to visibility-driven.

Workshop Framework: The Three Pillars of Career Resilience

Opening Remarks: The New Career Reality

Kangze (Kevin) Hong, Workshop Moderator and Executive Search Partner

"Welcome everyone to what I believe will be a transformative session on career resilience. As someone who works daily with executives navigating career transitions, I see firsthand how the most successful leaders aren't necessarily those with the best track records—they're the ones who've mastered the art of strategic career management.

Today's volatile job market demands a new approach. Whether you're facing restructuring, considering a pivot, or simply want to future-proof your career, the strategies we'll discuss aren't optional—they're essential. We'll explore three interconnected areas: career insurance through Barry's expertise, professional branding with Melanie, and strategic networking through Leigh's insights.

The goal isn't just to survive career disruptions, but to position yourself to thrive regardless of market conditions. Let's begin with perhaps the most uncomfortable but critical topic: preparing for the unexpected."

Part I: Career Insurance and Contingency Planning

Barry, Career Coach and Outplacement Specialist

The Insurance Mindset: Protecting Your Professional Assets

"I often speak to clients about investments and financial planning, and I encourage the same mindset toward careers. It's not as tangible as a traditional insurance policy, but the principle remains: prepare for disruption before it happens.

The job market everywhere has become increasingly volatile. Even if you feel secure in your industry, company, or location, the sands shift quickly. We need career insurance—not just hoping for the best, but actively preparing for career shocks: redundancies, layoffs, relocations, or industry disruptions.

I've worked with individuals who genuinely believed their good days would never end. Then they receive that notification from head office, and suddenly they're scrambling. The question becomes: Are you ready for that moment?"

The Diversification Strategy: Beyond the Single Career Basket

"Just as in financial planning, diversification protects against risk. I regularly encounter professionals who've spent 10, 15, even 20 years in the same specialized niche. With AI and automation reshaping industries, that expertise might become less relevant or even obsolete.

Are all your professional eggs in one career basket? Can you diversify your skills, experience, knowledge, or even geographic flexibility? This isn't about abandoning your expertise—it's about expanding beyond it strategically.

I work with clients on what I call a 'career asset analysis.' What are your skills, experience, qualifications, and education? What's your personal brand? How robust is your network? It's essentially a stress test—scenario planning for worst-case situations.

I've coached individuals who've been with the same company for 20 years and can't imagine working elsewhere. That's like being in a long marriage—if something unexpected happens, can you envision re-entering the market? There's no judgment here; it's about honest self-assessment."

The Opportunity Readiness Test

"Consider this scenario: A headhunter calls tomorrow. Are you prepared to articulate your value proposition? Do you have an updated CV and LinkedIn profile? Can you tell your story compellingly?

Equally important: How quickly can you mobilize for sudden change? This might involve relocation considerations—children's schooling, a partner's career. These aren't pleasant conversations, but they're necessary planning exercises, just like any other insurance discussion."

Strategic Actions for Career Insurance

"Despite the seeming doom and gloom, this is actually about empowerment through preparation. Here are three strategic areas I focus on with clients:

Asset Analysis and Investment: Catalog your skills, experience, qualifications, and education. Where are the gaps? What ongoing education or training might strengthen your position? Are you investing in relationships and networks? As you advance in your career, opportunities increasingly come through connections.

Contingency Planning: We develop business continuity plans, so why not career continuity plans? Identify multiple scenarios: Plan B might be returning to your home country. Plan C could be finding another role in Asia. Plan D might involve pivoting to an entirely different sector. How well-developed are these alternatives?

Maintaining Agility: This is perhaps most critical in today's environment. Can you pivot regarding location, skills, or industry? The word I hear constantly is 'pivot'—whether it's business strategy or career direction. Are you prepared to mobilize quickly for sudden change?

Before we move on, I want everyone to consider: What's one action you'll take this month toward career insurance? Maybe updating LinkedIn, refreshing your CV, or reconnecting with dormant network contacts. The goal isn't to use these preparations, but to have them ready if needed."

Key Takeaway: Career insurance isn't about pessimism—it's about strategic preparation. Like any insurance policy, you hope never to need it, but having it provides invaluable peace of mind and competitive advantage when disruption occurs.

Part II: Professional Branding as Career Asset

Melanie, Executive Branding Expert

The Personal Brand Imperative

"Thank you, Kevin, and thank you for having me. I'm Melanie Hong, and after transitioning from law to founding a communication agency six years ago, I've specialized in helping leaders build their professional brands through LinkedIn, podcasts, articles, and newsletters.

Today I want to demonstrate why personal branding has become one of your most valuable career assets—not vanity, but strategic visibility.

Executives today face unpredictably careers. You might stay with one company for 10-15 years, but markets shift faster than expected. In this context, future-proofing through personal branding isn't optional—it's about resilience.

What's crucial to understand: leaders are judged not only on performance but on the perception of their work. That's where personal branding becomes essential."

Defining Strategic Personal Branding

"Personal branding is often misunderstood as posting selfies or self-promotion. It's actually the intentional way you shape how others perceive your expertise, leadership, and values. It's not storytelling your personal life—it's about deliberately managing your professional reputation.

You can build this reputation through various platforms: LinkedIn for executives is essential, whether through posts or articles. You might also consider podcasts or newsletters. Some of you may have been interviewed on podcasts or featured in media, but you can create your own media platforms to amplify your voice."

The Brand-Resume Distinction: What You Did vs. Who You Are

"I'm curious: how many of you have invested in your personal branding? The critical difference I see is that many accomplished professionals believe their resume does all the work. You have significant expertise and recognition, but your resume only shows what you did.

Your personal brand reveals who you are. 'Who you are' includes what you've accomplished, but also your values and personality. These elements are necessary for shaping careers and building reputation—it's not just about achievements.

Maybe within your company, colleagues and managers know these dimensions. You have a personal brand internally. But outside your organization, perhaps no one knows who you are. That's where external personal branding becomes vital."

The Strategic Value of Professional Visibility

"Personal branding positions you as a thought leader, not just a job title. You possess knowledge, values, and vision that extend beyond your position. Building online presence creates online leadership.

It also supports career transitions. As Barry mentioned, personal branding makes you visible in your sector and in new sectors if you want to shift industries or geographies. Maybe you're working in Asia but want to move to Europe or America—having established personal branding facilitates these transitions.

I can share examples of leaders who moved between industries rapidly because of their online presence. They had positioned themselves as experts in their field. When hiring companies encountered them, even without knowing their specific background, their strong online reputation of expertise made them obvious choices for new positions.

Personal branding also attracts opportunities: board seats, speaking engagements. There's tangible return on investment. It builds influence, broadens your network—Leigh will discuss networking shortly—and builds credibility. With strong personal branding, you can command higher compensation because it becomes obvious you're the expert in your position, potentially having multiple companies competing to hire you."

Why 2025 is the Perfect Timing

"I believe 2025 represents perfect timing for personal branding investment. The tools exist, market awareness is high, and several factors align:

Market Uncertainty: With AI disruption and company restructuring, executive transitions and visibility provide safety nets for sudden changes.

AI Revolution: Tools that emerged two years ago have transformed personal branding. Previously, building strong personal brands required hours daily just to write one LinkedIn post, even more for articles. With AI, you can accelerate significantly. You need strong strategy first, but then you don't waste time writing. I know executives don't have hours daily—AI has changed the game for building personal brands efficiently.

Higher ROI: Return on investment is greater than before because you have tools to make it easier. With professional expertise, you can develop excellent strategy efficiently."

Overcoming Leadership Hesitation

"Why do many leaders hesitate to communicate online? I know many of you may have minimal online presence, perhaps due to one or several concerns:

Time: You don't have hours to write posts. As I mentioned, AI now makes this efficient. Maybe one hour every two weeks can provide content for an entire month.

Budget: You might not see sufficient need for investment. You can accelerate personal branding by working with professionals—freelancers, copywriters, agencies. Many options can fit your budget.

Mindset: Often it's 'I don't want to talk about myself' or 'I don't want to appear ridiculous' or 'I don't know if what I have to say is interesting.' This relates to mindset and fear of mistakes.

Regarding mindset: this isn't about selfies or vanity. It's about sharing your knowledge and expertise. When you shift your mindset this way, you'll see it's about building thought leadership, not sharing personal stories.

Regarding fear of mistakes: 'What if I say something wrong?' or 'What if everyone already knows this?' You're concerned about reputation. But learning each platform's best practices builds confidence. You'll receive feedback on posts and become more comfortable. You can avoid mistakes by working with professionals."

The Risk of Professional Silence

"The risk of ignoring personal branding is missing opportunities. If you don't tell your story, share your knowledge, or highlight your successes, either competitors will, or worse—no one will. You'll have to explain everything each time you want to convince someone of your success or pursue new opportunities.

Silence has negative effects:

Loss of Relevance: Your silence may be perceived as lack of leadership. Many leaders now speak online. If you're not among them, others will gain attention instead of you, even if they don't have your expertise. They'll have better marketing, and you'll be overlooked.

Global Credibility Gap: I know offline networks are important in Asia, but online presence validates you internationally and outside your sector and geography.

Missed Opportunities: Without visibility, you'll miss opportunities you would have received with established online presence."

The Three Pillars of Executive Branding Excellence

"Executive branding isn't random posting. Posting is better than not posting, but strategic posting is better than random posting. Here are three pillars:

Pillar 1: Authenticity

Don't only share successes. Share information and knowledge—it's not just about you, but what you know and can teach others. The more valuable information you share, the stronger your branding becomes.

Share struggles occasionally. This is more difficult but creates relatability. People connect with your authenticity. Not daily troubles, but perhaps once yearly when genuinely relevant.

Share personality. Not personal life storytelling, but personality elements. Maybe you enjoy events or music—small details about your values and personality. People, including recruiters and managers, identify with these authentic details.

Pillar 2: Consistency

Consistent presence is crucial. Even if you're motivated one month to share insights, then silent for three months, this doesn't build confidence or trust. You need consistency.

AI helps avoid excessive time investment. Visibility builds month after month. Posting once monthly consistently is better than posting four times in one month, then nothing. For memorization, people remember you when they see you regularly in their timeline or email.

Pillar 3: Strategy and Value

Deliver unique insights. You and competitors might deliver similar knowledge, but you can offer different vision and values. Values are important to share—how you see changes in your field, your opinions matter significantly.

Align with career goals. It's not only about sharing interesting knowledge—consider what's useful for you. If anticipating career change, perhaps discuss subjects relevant to your new industry. Bring strategy into your content."

Platform Selection Strategy

"Each platform has benefits and drawbacks. You can start with LinkedIn because it's faster than recording podcasts. It's an excellent first choice if you don't have personal brand presence and want to build it.

Once you've built habits of writing and posting, you can add another platform: podcasts if you prefer expressing opinions orally, or newsletters if you prefer writing. Each approach is valuable, but I recommend trying LinkedIn first and being consistent before expanding to podcasts or newsletters.

When you have multiple platforms, you can create an ecosystem where everything circulates between LinkedIn, podcasts, and newsletters."

Key Takeaway: Personal branding is one of your most valuable career assets today. It's not about vanity—it's about visibility and strategy. Show up or risk being left out.

Part III: Strategic Networking for Executive Success

Leigh Smith, CEO of Interim Consulting Company

The Networking Reality: Beyond the Fairness Myth

"Thank you, Kevin. I'm Leigh Smith, CEO of an interim consulting company based in Shanghai, currently speaking from Beijing. I want to discuss networking best practices for executives—this should be the start of an important conversation.

If we lived in a fair professional world, being good at your job would be sufficient. Both previous speakers have touched on this, but we all know we don't live in such a world.

Research conducted nearly 30 years ago remains as relevant today: your performance accounts for only 10% of overall career success. It's foundational—you must do your job well—but far more important is your image, accounting for 30% of career success. Perception is powerful; how others perceive your qualities dictates opportunities that come your way.

Most important is exposure—a whopping 60%. Showcasing your abilities and creating opportunities to showcase them in front of the right people is the real differentiator.

When you step back from these numbers, networking helps with at least 90% of your career—before considering whether working with experts could improve your performance as well. With a 90% impact, this feels like something we should all prioritize."

The Strategic Networking Framework

"If we agree on networking's importance, the question becomes: how to do it effectively?

Start with the right mindset: focus on building reciprocal, value-driven relationships. Recognize that any networking you need must be built well ahead of time, before you actually need it.

You can take two approaches, depending on your goals:

Passive Approach: Lower effort and time investment, slower results, waiting for opportunities to find you.

Active Approach: More time and consistent effort required, faster result generation, suitable when driving opportunities rather than waiting for them.

Both work, depending on your objectives."

The Recruiter Network Quality Framework

"Let's examine active networking through the lens of recruitment professionals—one group you might choose to network with strategically.

You can think of five elements:

Quantity vs. Quality: More recruiters doesn't mean more opportunities. Recruiters aren't equal. Three elements separate different recruitment professionals:

1. Specialist vs. Generalist: Seek specialists because of their deep insights and better access to people you want to connect with.

2. Focus: Transactional relationships operate like call centers—volume-based, hit-the-numbers, short-term thinking. Relationship focus emphasizes long-term quality advisory approaches.

3. Balance: While recruiters ultimately work for clients, they need focus on what's best for candidates as well.

   
   

Quality Indicators:

When evaluating recruitment professionals for your network, I rely on gut feel through conversations—you can always trust your instincts. Key questions:

• Do they have real access and influence in companies you desire?

• Knowledge: In every recruiter interaction during my corporate role pursuit, I asked: 'What did I learn from this interaction that I didn't already know?' If I learned something valuable, I wanted them on my team."

The Four-Tier Networking Strategy

"Beyond recruitment, there are four networking approaches, moving from general to focused:

Tier 1: Events and Workshops

General visibility approach. These increase visibility and possibly create opportunities, but you're not necessarily connecting at the expert level you want.

Tier 2: Peer Learning Networks

True expert connections. Same industry groups, alumni associations, potentially even organizations like EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization). These are more likely to generate quality referrals.

Tier 3: Targeted Outreach

Precision networking. Moving from group to individual level adds precision and builds credibility because you can share insights personalized to specific individuals, building real connections. Apply this with headhunters and industry leaders.

Tier 4: Human-to-Human Connection

Relationship depth. Once you've identified targets and connected, focus intensively on reaching human-to-human level, bringing honesty into conversations. Maintain connections through scheduled check-ins and relevant experience sharing unique to those individuals, plus asking for advice and offering support."

Practical Networking Assessment Exercise

"Here's a takeaway exercise for later—in the spirit of taking action:

Industry Contact Analysis:

• Who are your top 10 industry contacts?

• How is your relationship with them today? Dormant, transactional, or trusted advisor status?

• What would you need to do to move them from dormant to trusted advisor?

Recruitment Network Audit:

• Who do you know in recruitment?

• Are they focused or transactional, generalist or expert?

• What would you need to do to get five high-quality advisory relationships?

If pursuing active networking, do this today. If taking a more passive approach, schedule it for later."

Personal Networking Success Examples

"I've been focusing intensively on networking recently with tangible results. Being focused on automotive, through my network I've connected with:

• Board members of GM

• CEO of Audi

• Business collaborations with leadership authors

• A prominent professor for industrial sustainability

• Most recently, I'm giving back to my network while creating image and exposure opportunities by curating events with British supercar manufacturers and luxury manufacturers, plus speaking engagements

These examples demonstrate the progress possible when taking strategic action."

Overcoming Networking Barriers

"Are networkers made or born? I believe networkers are made. Not everyone is naturally gifted at networking, but everyone can improve. Many, like myself, sometimes find it transactional or uncomfortable—this reflects our upbringing and personality.

Your background and personality traits are fixed factors. What changes everything is creating trigger events. What makes taking networking action more compelling than taking no action?

Create Your Own Trigger: Start with 30 minutes weekly. As long as you're adding value to conversations, that's acceptable. If it becomes too one-way, reflect on what you need to change to make it more valuable for others.

Expect the Change Curve: This follows traditional change patterns. There will be times when you think 'What have I done? I need to stop this.' But persist, and ultimately you'll integrate networking into your daily life."

Conclusion: "Networking impacts 90% of your career, so get started. A strategic approach requires relentless action. If anyone needs help, please let me know—I'm glad to have people from this call in my network."

Workshop Q&A: Practical Application

Kevin Hong, Moderator: "Thank you all for these comprehensive presentations. Let's address some practical questions from participants."

Question 1: Diversifying Decade-Long Expertise

Participant Question: "Barry, how do you diversify your expertise if you've worked in the same industry position for the past 10 years?"

Barry's Response: "It's challenging because you're the expert in your sector and niche. What I typically do is help people identify role models—perhaps individuals in competitive companies or even within your organization who've added niches you'd like to explore.

This connects to networking: if someone's already on that path, you can follow their trajectory. From a coaching perspective, I work with people to analyze where they are, assess their industry and expertise, then determine what's possible.

Each situation is unique. If you're an automotive engineer with deep technical expertise, how do you add another niche? Common transitions include consulting, training, or leadership roles.

I work with individuals to identify what they have, what they lack, and what's achievable in 6-12 months that might open doors. One of my biggest challenges, especially in outplacement and career coaching—and I'm sure Melanie and Leigh agree—is that there are no guarantees.

I discussed insurance policies, and ideally with insurance, if something goes wrong, you're covered. Career planning isn't that straightforward. I try to expand what you have while maintaining a pragmatic mindset.

I'm always happy to do individual assessments—see what someone has and identify directions for movement, then create plans for progress. That's a lot of words without a specific answer, but I hope it provides some guidance."

Question 2: Personal Branding Examples

Participant Question: "Melanie, could you give an example of personal branding to do on LinkedIn or other platforms to communicate online?"

Melanie's Response: "Something very powerful is starting with industry insights. Give your vision and opinion on industry developments—not just stating what's new, but adding what you think about it. You add opinion and personality.

You can do this on LinkedIn, but if you want to try other platforms like podcasts, you can share more extensively. You can share your leadership approach and personal journey—what you did and how you did it.

LinkedIn, podcasts, and newsletters each have different strengths, but you can share your vision, journey, and opinions on industry insights across all platforms. This is an excellent starting point."

Question 3: Root Cause Analysis for Career Obstacles

Participant Question: "How do you distinguish root causes—industry expertise, interview skills, not having a bigger network—when hitting walls trying to transition?"

Barry's Response: "As I mentioned previously, there are no guarantees because people can do all the right things, but if the market isn't favorable—which unfortunately it isn't for many people right now compared to three or four years ago—challenges persist.

I'm coaching people in various areas currently, and it can be emotionally, mentally, and financially difficult. If we've exhausted scenario planning through plans B, C, D, and E, then we develop plans F, G, and H.

I see this with senior executives frequently: they get laid off with specific salary expectations, housing, children in school. Six months later—Kevin, I'm sure you've seen this with candidates—expectations change because they realize the market isn't there for them. Sometimes you must take steps back to move forward.

For many people currently, it's about survival. Some prefer staying in imperfect current positions because they're stable and economically acceptable, rather than taking risks in this market.

To identify root causes: sometimes there isn't one, but sometimes your transition might be too ambitious. We might believe we have transferable skills, but if nobody's buying what we're selling, we must accept that reality.

It's tough because we might speak to HR teams or hiring managers, knowing we can do the job, but they often choose the safe bet—someone with 10 years of experience in that specific niche. I've faced this in my own career.

Sometimes it requires brutal honesty. Life isn't fair or always good. Can we find ways to extend our timeline and develop those plans F, G, and H I mentioned?"

Leigh's Technical Addition: "I have a slightly technical answer using the 5-Why method from automotive quality and design. To find root causes, keep asking 'why' and normally you'll identify it within five attempts.

Looking at the examples in the question: Is it the interview? No, it's something about the interview. What was it? Didn't have the right knowledge or didn't build proper rapport? If I were answering this at home, I'd use the five-why method to reach the root cause, just like any other problem."

Moderator's Final Insights

Kevin Hong: "Let me add a recruiter's perspective to wrap up. From executive search experience, the best candidates we encounter for interviews, pivots, or transitions aren't necessarily those with incredible track records—though that helps.

They're the ones who've asked themselves these questions. They've done the work of reflecting on interview preparation, pivot strategies, and goal achievement. You can distinguish those who've prepared from those who haven't.

It's about asking the questions. As Barry said, you don't always have answers—that's difficult. But you already have a head start by asking the right questions.

To Melanie, Leigh, and Barry's points: from a candidate perspective, recruiters now use AI to analyze online presence and profiles, just as we use LinkedIn and other platforms. Not having online presence means missing significant opportunities.

Currently, it's not necessarily the best people who get opportunities, but those who are most present, visible, and have relevant keywords—receiving more outreach from recruitment teams. As sad as this sounds, it's our current reality."

Actionable Implementation Framework

Immediate Actions (This Month)

• Career Insurance: Complete one preparatory action—update LinkedIn, refresh CV, or reconnect with network contacts

• Personal Branding: Begin sharing industry insights on LinkedIn with personal perspective

• Networking: Identify your top 10 industry contacts and assess relationship status

Short-term Goals (Next Quarter)

• Career Insurance: Develop contingency plans for different career scenarios and analyze career assets

• Personal Branding: Establish consistent posting schedule and build authentic online presence

• Networking: Connect with 5 high-quality recruiters in your field and dedicate 30 minutes weekly to networking activities

Long-term Strategy (6-12 Months)

• Career Insurance: Build diversified skill portfolio and maintain scenario-ready mobility

• Personal Branding: Expand to additional platforms (podcast or newsletter) once LinkedIn presence is established

• Networking: Develop trusted advisor relationships with key industry contacts

Key Takeaways: The New Career Success Formula

The 80%/20% Rule

With performance accounting for only 20% of a leadership career success, professionals must prioritize the 80% comprising image and exposure. This isn't about diminishing work quality—it's about recognizing that excellence alone is insufficient in today's competitive landscape.

The Insurance Mindset

Career insurance isn't pessimistic planning—it's strategic preparation. Like financial insurance, you hope never to need it, but having comprehensive career contingency plans provides competitive advantage when disruption occurs.

The Authenticity Advantage

Personal branding succeeds through authentic expertise sharing, not self-promotion. The most effective professional brands combine industry insights with personal perspectives, creating memorable and valuable thought leadership.

The Relationship ROI

Strategic networking focuses on value-driven relationships built well before you need them. Quality connections with specialists who provide mutual value consistently outperform quantity-based approaches.

The Integration Imperative

These three pillars work synergistically: career insurance provides foundation and confidence, personal branding creates visibility and opportunities, and strategic networking amplifies both through human connections.

Conclusion: From Reactive to Proactive Career Management

The workshop concluded with a fundamental shift in career management philosophy: from reactive performance focus to proactive asset building. In today's volatile job market, career resilience requires treating your professional trajectory as a portfolio requiring diversification, visibility, and strategic relationships.

The evidence is clear: those who only focus on job performance without investing in professional brand and network may miss opportunities regardless of their capabilities. The future belongs to executives who master all three pillars of career resilience.

Final Call to Action: Your career is your most important asset. Insure it, brand it, and network it strategically. The time for proactive career management is now.

For follow-up questions or individual consultations with any of our speakers, please connect through the workshop organizer. Additional resources and session recordings will be made available on the workshop website.