So I'm about six months away from my third year anniversary of being in the www (wonderful working world) and I really feel it's high time somebody gave me a directorship role or something! What does a girl need to do to be appointed as CEO around here?! …don't answer that!
I know it takes a lot of hard work, dedication and years of experience to get to the top but believe me, I'm climbing; Project Management or man-AGE-ment as Trevor Noah would say is well under way. I’ve taken a lot of knocks along the way (and I know there are plenty more to come) and only those really close to me know exactly to what extent but through it all I’ve managed to keep my head up and tread on! I acknowledge that I’m still pretty much a rookie in all this but I thought I would share some of the things that I’ve learnt through my experiences:
1. Speak up
I learnt this the hard way and it even affected my career growth at some point. I’m a very opinionated person in general but loud is not what most people would describe me. I won’t go into an argument unless I know all the facts but I’ve come to learn that sometimes you just have to speak your mind, challenge points and raise your own. Nothing says forgettable more than being (as silent as) a mouse. If you never speak up, you really don’t exist. So who’s going to give you opportunities if you are invisible?
If you find this difficult to do, I suggest you pick up a book titled “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain (or you could check out her website: http://www.thepowerofintroverts.com/). The book doesn’t necessarily push introverts to change into extroverts but rather for introverts to find the power within and shine in a world where everybody is expected to be bold! Through this book I’ve not only learnt to embrace my introverted nature but also somehow transformed into an “extravert” (cross between introvert and extrovert).
2. Roll with the punches
It’s tough out here! But the more you get ruffled, the tougher your skin gets the better you get at handling tough situations. In the wise words of Joseph P. Kennedy “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” and why would one even dispute? If you know anything about the Kennedy’s you’d know that even if you were the dog’s walker’s friend’s sister’s wife you would be privy to some of their wealth, power and success…ok, maybe not so much, but their successes must’ve been due to endurance during tough situations, as is with all the other successful people we know!
3. Takes risks
The worse that could happen is you getting fired and out of a job and left out to beg in the dusty streets of Johannesburg not knowing where your next meal will come from. Who needs a job anyway? Kidding! In my second year of my degree, the first thing I learnt in my Investments class was the bigger the risk, the greater the reward, and so it stands in life. Yes, you may get your fingers burnt but most of the time, taking a leap of faith is usually worth all the burns.
4. Think outside the box
This is tough when working with people over 100 years old because they are usually not open to new things. Nonetheless, try new things. I’m quite lucky in this regard because the role I took on was completely new which means I get to set the precedent! I like order, which is perfect because my boss is a perfectionist on steroids so most of the time we are building new business processes and constantly looking for new ways to make the business money outside its day to day practices.
5. Ask for challenges
Nothing gets to me more than boredom! My brain needs to be used to full capacity and until I can work out a Rubik cube in 2 minutes flat, I will be asking for challenges. And then when I figure out this Rubik cube thing, I’ll look for a tougher benchmark then I’ll TAKE OVER THE WORLD *cues “Pinkie and the Brain” theme song*
6. Ask questions
How will you learn otherwise?
7. Keep track of your performance
Different companies call performance documents different names, but whether called a KPA, KPD, PO etc., keep on top of it. These measures are not only to keep the company informed on your level of competency, but also for your own tracking purposes and to be conscious of your strengths and weaknesses, leveraging off the former and improving the latter.
8. Stay in check i.e. Don’t. Check. Out!
I think the minute we are unhappy with our jobs or serving notice, it almost becomes inevitable to check out mentally from your current role. But as long as you are still there, you might as well get the job done right, you don’t want to leave a bad taste in your old employer’s mouth once you move on, even if you never plan to go back there.
9. Build strong working relationships
In Zulu we say “umuntu, ungumuntu, ngabantu” the English equivalent of this is “No man is an island”
One of my first bosses when I was working in sales back in 2011, used to always tell me, you need to gain people’s trust so that they can support you along the way! I’ve seen this pan out in my daily dealings, if people like you, they will support you in all that you do, and the higher their power, the faster you can get things done. But obviously for you to gain their trust you have to prove yourself to them, and you have to be nice (not in a “I’m-sucking-up-and-do-not-have-a-back-bone kind of way though), you have to show competency, you have to show up and you must be the perfect picture of humility, which brings me to my last point…
10. Stay humble
Nobody likes a show off!
I’m going to come back to this list in a couple of years’ time to sense check its accuracy, obviously it’s not exhaustive but I doubt I’m too far off the mark.
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